Muv Luv: One Last Time into the Loop
by PaulXion
Summary: Shirogane Takeru struggles against reality as he returns to the past one more time to change the fate the Alternate World,Armed with only the knowledge of the future and his incredible skills as a soldier,he prepares for the inevitable clash against BETA
1. The Future He will Never Accept

**Terminology:**

BETA- Beings of Extraterrestrial Origin Which is Adversary of Human Race

TSF- Tactical Surface Fighters

Element G- The unknown material used to make the G-Bomb

XG-70b/d Susanoo- The giant mechanical weapon used to destroy the BETA hives.

PX- The cafeteria

**Characters:**

Shirogane Takeru - The protagonist of the story.

Yuuko Kouzuki- The Professor working on Alternative IV

Marimo Jinguuji- Squad 207 instructor and Takeru's English teacher in the old world

Kasumi Yashiro- Survivor of the Alternative III project. Has mind reading abilities and only close to Yuuko and Shirogane

Chizuru Sakaki- Squad 207B Squad leader. Takeru calls her Class rep and is in loggerhead with Ayamine

Ayamine Kei- Squad 207 member, CQC expert

Miki Tamase- Squad 207 member, Sniper expert

Mikoto Yoroi- Squad 207 member, First Aid and survivalist expert

Meiya Mitsurugi- Squad 207 member, Melee weapon specialist

**Chapter 1: A Future He will Never Accept**

_"Yeah this is the finish line. I just wish I wasn't crossing it alone"_

_-Cole from the game 'Infamous'-_

I stared emptily at Sumika's lifeless figure as she laid there on her seat with her eyes closed as if asleep and her hands clutching on the Santa Rabbit I gave to her a few weeks ago. She looked so peaceful that I felt that if I just gave her a soft nudge she'd wake up and everything would be peachy. But who was I kidding? She was dead. I knew it, Kasumi knew it… heck I bet even Sumika knew it. After finally realizing that she was the one who made me a Casualty Conductor I felt an enormous weight hovering over my body.

Kasumi was right. The fate that she had given me was cruel, probably the cruelest thing that I've ever experienced in my life. I doubt the real Sumika in my peaceful world wouldn't do something like this. But then again… there was no telling what people would do when they've obtained such power. For so many years now I've been trapped in this endless cycle of time, existing in two worlds at once and experiencing everything since October 22, 2001 over and over.

I've seen so many things, felt all the happy times, the sad times and even times when I didn't want to die. Marimo-chan, Captain Isumi, everyone. Sumika made the painstaking way to send me back in time just because she I couldn't reach her. One could say that she was so selfish that she didn't want me to be with anyone else.

Ping…

The flashes of memories that I've experienced during my countless loops flashed before my eyes. Though I don't remember all the details, one thing was for sure that I've had relationships with all the members of my squad. Meiya, Class rep (Chizuru Sakaki), Ayamine, Tama (Miki) and surprisingly enough, my friend who I thought was a boy, Mikoto. I even had sex with them too.

Sumika, what you've done to me probably pained me not only physically, mentally but also spiritually. Knowing that you were the one who trapped me in this endless prison of time made me really angry. If I had known about this earlier… I probably would've done unspeakable things to you. Hell I would've screamed and yelled and demanded for answers. But looking at your soft face now, I probably understand why.

You were alone.

You were so afraid of being alone that you punished me into this endless loop of time just so you could make me fall in love with you again. I would've done it… but after seeing the faces of my comrades die before my very eyes… I… I…

"Takeru?" I looked back to the cockpit of the ship to see Kasumi standing there politely, knowing well what I was thinking.

We both traded looks and once more I turned my eyes to the lifeless body of my childhood friend. "Kasumi. (Hmm?) You said before that Sumika was the one who made me into this Casualty Conductor, right? (…) So tell me. If I died now… would I still go back into the beginning?"

I felt her eyes widened as I mentioned this. "I don't know" was her answer. "But because Sumika was the one who made it, there's little chance that you would go back. But now that both worlds have been fixed, it'll be a matter of time before you return to your world"

"Is that so? Well I guess that's no surprise there" I said to her. "But if there's still a chance for me to do one last loop. I'll take it. (Eh?) Kasumi… you're probably reading my mind right now and by now you probably know what I'm about to ask but I'll say it anyway. I'm going to kill myself and do one more loop in time"

"But there's a chance that it might not…"

"I know that!" I raised my voice slightly making the girl behind me flinch. "I know this probably goes against everything, everyone said to me. I'll probably be hated by Marimo chan and everyone who died. But if I let this pass… I'll probably never be able to forgive myself. I know that this must sound selfish, but I have to go back… I have to fix this"

"Takeru…" Kasumi gently place her hand over mine. "There's no need for you to do that anymore. Please stop it. Stop tormenting yourself and finally live the peaceful you've always wanted… with everyone. If you kill yourself now… then all the sacrifices that's been done will mean nothing. (I know…) So please… stop it and let it go"

"Kasumi…" my eyes darted towards her. I lowered my body to meet her childish gaze as I smiled. I know what she was trying to tell me. She was trying to say that everyone should move on. But I can't. I know that's probably sounds like a kid who doesn't want to grow up. "Look at me. I once told all of my friends that they shouldn't give up. Not until they've done everything they can. Well this is something I can do. The only thing I am able to do. I've already made up my mind to return to in time… and probably set things right. You probably won't agree with me… but it's something I have to do… no… it's something I want to do. (Why?) Because all my friends died while I was the only one who lived. Just like all the other loops that I've been through. I was the only one who was truly happy and again… the only survivor. But no more. I will take Sumika's prison of time and I will make it my own. (Eh?) I will… I won't stop. I'll go through this loop another hundred times if I want but I will find a way! Yes…"

Yes I see it now. What the Shogun, Tsukuyomi and everything said. They said those things because they were limited to time. But not for me. They said those things because they believed that they only had one choice and they could never take it back. But not me. I have… the power, the ability to change my choices. I'll boldly claim that I had the power over life and death of every human on this Earth in the last two months then perhaps maybe… just maybe, I can do it.

"I won't say that everyone was wrong. But this is the only thing only I am able to do"

Kasumi searched my mind. I could tell since her eyes were mostly focused on mine. She could tell that I was determined to go back. Suffer the same fate over and over. Perhaps for all eternity. But I didn't care anymore. I'll go through time again and again and again if I want to but I know that somewhere out there in this screwed up world is the answer I seek. I will destroy BETA and I will make sure that everyone will live. I don't care if I end up being resented by the gods, Sumika or everyone else, I want to see that future where everyone is happy! Yes… now I truly understand what I truly wanted. What I cling so long to dream. What I truly wish for… is that bright future amidst this dark sea of time.

Who knows…? I could end up becoming the new emperor of Japan, CO of Yokohama base, a scientist or perhaps the devil himself. I don't fucking care anymore! What I want is that world. That future where the only blood stained hands… are my own. If I make even the simplest of mistake, I'll kill myself and go back again remembering every word, every line that I said to everyone. I'll shoot myself over and over and see every possible option, but for god sakes I will see the light at the end of this dark tunnel!

"I understand…" Kasumi spoke after a brief pause. I could already hear the roaring crowd outside waiting to greet me and a group of soldiers preparing to congratulate me on a job well done. "What do you want me to do?"

"Thank you Kasumi" I rose back up and lifted Sumika from her seat before taking her place by the cockpit. "If I remember correctly, Yuuko Sensei said that my memories of every loop I've done is simply drifting around in a vortex of time and space, right? (nod…) So here's what I want you to do Kasumi. I know it might be tough and it'll probably hurt but (I can do it) Eh?" Her voice interrupted me. I looked at her face and smirked. "I see. I want you to gather all those memories… of every loop I've been through and put them in my head. (Huh?) I want to remember all the happy, painful and sad times of myself and all the things I've been through to get here"

"You want to put… all your scattered memories… in your head"

"Not only that but I also want you to put in the 100 page equation in there too. (Eh?) If I have any chance of changing the fate of this world… then I must know everything. I will become god if I have to and besides, knowing that will probably save us a lot of time too"

"Very well"

"And also give me the method of restricting you from reading my mind. (Huh?) Once I go to the past… I can't take any chances that Yuuko will ask you to read my mind. I also can't let myself be affected by Sumika's images or yours and I can't let her know everything that happened to me so please…"

"Understood"

"Sorry for asking so much of you after everything that's happened"

"No. It just proves that you're the same old stubborn Takeru that I've known" she smiled at me before focusing all her thoughts and power to the infinite cosmos. "I don't know how long it will take. It may be painful"

"After what has happened in these past few days… it's safe to say that I've been through worst" I locked myself to my seat and breathed in deeply. After a brief moment… I began to feel Kasumi's mind power working on my brain. I saw everything… something like my whole life flashing before my eyes. I remember the first time when I came to this loop. My body was still unfamiliar to its surroundings, looking like a lost child in a theme park. The time when fell in love with everyone… when I slept with them, when I felt their innermost secrets. It was all coming back. The next image I saw was Alternative V going into plan and the last of humanity was escaping into space. I saw myself with the women I loved hugged me with all their might when I forced them to leave with the migrant fleet. The pain was like a nail being torn from its finger.

The next image I had was the time when I lead mankind on its final stand against the alien invaders, BETA. I think I became 1st Lieutenant during that time fighting alongside my squad killing maybe hundreds of thousands of these creatures. Eventually on a mission to recapture Asia, the company I was leading fell prey to a large group of enemies and were quickly overwhelmed. I was probably the last survivor of that battle… shooting and dodging like I have been. Thinking about it now and seeing it flash before my eyes… I kinda look like a hero in one of those mecha anime or manga.

After those images flashed I suddenly saw the image of my peaceful world. Yes… I also had time loops in this world too and like before I had a relationship with every girl that I've known. Heck I even saw myself doing it with Marimo-chan and that was pretty hot. I think it was during the time we visited the hot springs and she got so drunk that even Yuuko sensei couldn't control her. I saw my face and the faces of those that I cared about. Every event that passed through time and through the countless loops that I've done, they were all coming back to me.

After awhile, the next bunch of images that flashed before me was the numbers. I remembered them as Yuuko Sensei's equation of equilibrium or something and it had to do with having fifteen billion semiconducting parallel computing circuits to fit the palm of her hand. Though I doubt I'll probably make sense of them all.

Though the process of having my memories put back into my head felt like hours… in truth only a few minutes had passed by. When it was finally done, Kasumi handed me a pack of diazepam to end my life. These pills were standard issue for Eishi (TSF pilots) to lower their heart-rate and to keep them calm. However… too much of these things will undoubtedly kill you. I would've preferred using a gun but the process of doing that had a risk of confusing my memories. I couldn't take that chance.

"Kasumi… thank you" I said to her before finally gulping all the pills in the pack.

The bunny haired girl had tears in her eyes as she saw me gulp my last meal with no hesitation. "Takeru… bye… bye"

"Hey don't say that. (Huh?) You want to see me again, don't you? (nod) Then you shouldn't say bye – bye. You should say… see you…"

"See… you?"

"Yeah… because I doubt this will be the last time we meet. If anything… I probably want us to be friends again, Kasumi"

"Ah" she wiped the tears from her eyes and smiled. I felt my heart slowing and my senses going numb. Kasumi opened her mouth to speak but I couldn't hear the words… but I had a talent in reading people's lips. I could tell what she wanted to say. When my eyes finally closed… my whole world had gone black and I was back to where it all started. Sumika… please if you can hear me… send me back one more time…

Everyone… I know you won't be able to find it in your heart to forgive me for what I'm about to do but I can't let this future be the one I want. Please… for once in my life… let the people around me… be happy…


	2. Back to the Starting Line

**Chapter 2: Back to the Starting Line**

**(October 22, 2001, Monday) (Shirogane's residence)**

My eyes opened once more to a familiar ceiling I recognized as my house. At first glance it felt as if I had returned home or something but remembering all the memories planted in me I knew that this place will not last long.

So… here we are again…

Standing up from my usual upright position I quickly moved to my closet fully aware of my surroundings. Yes… it may look like this at first but later this whole room will probably change into the ruins that surrounded me. Packing only my school uniforms, some food rations and some electronic equipment like the Game Guy into my bag I took one last look at this place before moving to the door. I know I won't complain about the cafeteria food in Yokohama base but sometimes people like us need some snack along the way. There was even a stash of instant ramen by the cupboards which I often have during late night playing.

The house was quiet. Too quiet.

Usually at this time, Sumika would be up by now banging the door with her usual temper. Meiya would be by my side and Tsukuyomi and the three idiots (Kamiyo, Tomoe and Ebisu) would be cooking breakfast in the kitchen. But now none of them were here which could only mean that they've all disappeared. Hahaha… thinking about it makes me want to cry.

I will return one day… I don't know when… probably in another thousand years maybe. But I do know that I will come back. I will come back and see the smiles on Sumika's face. Meiya's calm demeanor, Tsukuyomi's tasty breakfast and the three idiots that pester me on a daily basis.

"I'm off…" I said to the house which was probably my last sanctuary in this world. And once I opened the door leading to the outside world, the game was on. The sight of my house turned to ruins when I left through those doors. The once clean place where I used to live crumbled to nothing but dust leaving only broken bricks and concrete in its wake. There was a damaged TSF at the side of the building where Sumika's house used to be. I remembered the first time I saw it I thought this was some kind of dream. But there's no point in believing that this was a dream anymore.

This was real. As real as REAL could possibly be.

As I walk up the road leading to my school or base or whatever you want to call it, I was beginning to wonder if I had the resolve… the willpower to see this true. Will I be living the next eternity doing the same old things over and over again? No no no! Don't think about that Shirogane! You have to focus. Why did you come back in the first place? Remember that and you'll do just fine. For now I should focus on the present and worry less about the past. The future will come eventually and that can probably wait.

The road leading up to my school was a sight I never thought I'd see again and again. I don't know how many times I've graduated from cadet school but it was darn well received. Thanks to Kasumi, I now remember every moment that happened in my life. Not only that, but because my memories returned, my body seemed to have undergone a great physical change as well. I saw it the moment I changed into my school uniform. I had grown six packs strong enough to crack open a walnut between them. My body was more fit and grew slightly larger and even my own uniforms seemed to be tight.

This can only add to a good thing hopefully. But now was to think about what to do. The reason I returned like this was because of everything that happened. If I continue to be how I am there's no doubt that this time would be no different from the last. If I was going to change the world, my destiny… then I had to grab it with my own two hands and mold it into my own. That's right. My destiny.

_"There are men who embrace destiny… and do not show their fear. These are the ones who will change the world… forever"_

_-Flemeth from the game Dragon Age-_

I will have to change myself… if I am to have any hope of changing the course of my destiny.

I walked up through the road where the cherry blossom trees were planted. The marker where Marimo chan and the rest of Valkyrie Company where laid to rest was not there anymore. I remembered visiting that place often whenever I was unsure of something. But this time… I will make sure. I will make sure that if someone was to die… it would be me. These people gave it their all to help me… to make me happy. Now it was time to return that favor.

I paid my respect to the tree where the monument was once place and left. I need no distraction right now. Yokohama base was just next door. The U.N. 11th Pacific Army was stationed here to assist the imperial forces in fighting the BETA. Heh… I remembered laughing so hard when I saw that radar dish on top of my school building. If I remember correctly, this was the time when those two guards arrested me and brought me to the holding cell.

"Yo there" and I was right there were indeed two guards. At first I thought these guys were jerks but after awhile I realized that they were just doing their jobs. "Finished your stroll already?" they were friendly enough to greet me even though this was the first time we've met. "Alright just state your squad and ID number and you can pass through"

I felt a little tinge of happiness at the bottom of my heart. Even though this was my prison… I have to admit that I was grateful for being trapped in this space.

"Hey buddy. Stop fooling around and say it already"

I wanted to try something new. "Sorry, but I think you have me mistaken for someone else" their friendly smiles turned to a frown when I mentioned that. "I'm looking for Yokohama base so I was wondering if this was it"

"Identify yourself" they immediately raised their guns at me. Well I guess there's no changing it there. "State your name, ID number and the squad that you're assigned to"

"I can give you my name but I don't have the other two" I joked at them which they didn't take lightly. I guess being a civilian can do that to you. "Anyway can you guys contact, Kouzuki Yuuko? (Eh?)" the two guards visibly flinched at the name since she was perhaps the most powerful person in the base. "Tell her about me and she'll clear it up"

One of the guards clicked with his radio while his partner kept his eyes on me. I wasn't afraid of a gun barrel anymore. I've seen bigger ones pointed at me plenty of times. "Hey" he called me. "The professor asked for your name"

I smirked. Maybe this might change something. "Tell her… it's about the XG-70 deal" that was the name of the giant TSF that led the victory over the first hive in Sadogashima Island as the counterattack of Japan. I listened closely to his conversation to the radio and even though it's feint I could actually hear the professor gasp on the other line.

After awhile, the guard lowered his gun. "We've been told to escort you to the professor's office. Come with us but put your hands where I can see them"

"I understand"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

We walked for about ten minutes or so before we reached the lower office of the professor. It was just as I remembered it. After all, I have been walking over these halls for years now so you could say that I know this place like the back of my hand. The three-door corridor that I often came to was in sight. If I remember correctly, Sumika… or should I say unit 00 and Kasumi are in the other room while the professor's office was at the center. The lab was on my door to my left. I had to be careful around them. If Kasumi gets a chance to read my mind then it'll be all over.

Upon entering I could see Yuuko Sensei on the other side sitting on her comfy chair. The office was a big mess just like it always has been. I doubt it was ever clean to begin with anyhow.

"Professor, we brought him as you ordered" the guard stated upon entering.

Yuuko nodded. "Thank you. You can leave us now" they saluted and left the room just as easy as they came. I stood there at attention with only my bag and my uniform on my back. Yuuko inspected my face as if trying to see a chink of my face. But that wasn't going to work anymore. I've known the professor longer than herself so I know every trick she could use. Because even though this woman could probably be the coldest bitch in the history of mankind, she was still a girl. She can easily break just like everyone else in this base.

"Sit…" she ordered me which I obeyed. "Now. Who are you and what do you want? (Hmm?) You asked me by name and mentioned a top secret codeword that only the higher chain of command has any knowledge of"

"Hey now. If you were so suspicious of me, shouldn't you have given me a cavity search or a blood test or something?"

"I would've but there was a chance that you may leak this information. Now… who are you?" I saw her lab coat shuffle a bit with its buttons done. Wait. I don't think Yuuko ever did her lab coat buttons at all. Ah… now I see. Since she thinks that this is the first time we've met she probably took precaution of hiding that pistol in her coat. She probably has it pointing at me right now.

"I have a lot of things to say professor and you'll find it hard to believe. (Try me)" I sighed. She hasn't changed a bit. "Shirogane Takeru (Hmm?) That's my name. If you look it up you'll probably be a little surprised. But I know a lot of things, like your plan on using the brain next door as part of Alternative IV" her expression cracked a bit at the mention of her plans. I should know because I was part of that plan myself. "You were working on a supercomputer brain that's able to process 15 billion semiconducting parallel computing circuits at the same time to run the XG-70b, Susanoo and…"

"Stop…" she ordered me which I wasn't surprised. "How do you know all these things?"

"You asked me a question so I answered" I joked at her, which again she didn't receive too kindly. "But let me finish answering before jumping to another question. I also know that Alternative IV will be scrapped on December 24. (Geh…) You won't produce the needed results so by that time the government will switch to Alternative V and you of all people know what it means" her face stiffened at the thought. It was hard to believe it at first but this was probably one of the rarest occasions that Yuuko would drop her guard. "Evacuating a hundred thousand people while abandoning the billions on earth to fend against BETA. You and I don't want that to happen"

"Hoo? And what makes you say that?" She was baiting me. Playing with my words. But my memories don't lie. I've seen this scenario play out a hundred maybe thousands of time already in my head. Yuuko is a great liar but even liars all have limits.

"Well if you truly didn't care what the government did or what the people decided… why are you still continuing Alternative IV? (Geh…) If you wanted mankind to leave you could've just scrap your project right here and now and support stage 5. With your looks and your status you'll probably be handpicked as one of the people to join the migrant fleet"

"Hnn… it seems you know more than I thought" I saw the shadow of a gun in her coat. No doubt about it. It was the same gun she pointed at me in the last loop. "For a moment I believed that you were actually some idiot spouting random words but I guess that hypothesis is wrong"

"Yuuko sensei. (Hmm?) I know that everything I've said is part of what you already know but now I will divulge on information that you don't know. If you think that I'm crazy then you may as well shoot me now. I'm a soldier so I'm ready for it"

My former physics teacher sharpened her gaze at me. But no matter how hard she looked or how powerful her gaze was, my poker face was impenetrable. Heck I wasn't even afraid of dying either. If she shot me here and now I'll probably just wake up back home and I'll just come marching here demanding answers. Heck if this was a cartoon I can already imagine being shot again and again coming back demanding why she shot me.

"As of right now, Yuuko sensei. Your Alternative IV plan has hit a wall and if you would have any chance of completing it, you'll need me. (Why?) Because I know this" I then searched my memories for the 100 page equation that the Yuuko from my world sent. Though I don't know what they all mean I could recall every symbol and every number written on them. Kasumi must've spent a lot of energy to drill this thing into my head. It's good because I don't want to go back to my world and endanger the people that I love. I was a casualty conduit after all.

I quickly wrote the first page of the equation on a piece of paper. The squares and circles and all these strange symbols were like alien language to me. I didn't want to finish it because I know even the professor will have some difficulty adjusting to it.

I gave it to the professor in which she scanned slowly. She nodded and nodded and when she was done her eyes widened considerably. Her poker face was gone. "How… how do you know this? This equation… it's… insane… like something I would…"

Click!

She revealed her gun to me this time as if to threaten me. "Who are you? How do you know these numbers and symbols? Do you even know what you're writing?"

"In all honesty, I have no idea" I answered honestly with no emotions in my voice. "All these strange symbols are planted in my head. They're about a hundred pages long and even I have difficulty getting them out"

"You… just who are you? Most of these symbols are things that I made up to trick others. You couldn't possibly know them. And what do you mean by planted in your head?"

I shrugged my shoulder in response. "Exactly what I said. They're strange numbers and symbols. It's like trying to translate a word that you've never even heard of before. But I know that these numbers will complete your project"

"Write them. (Eh?) Write all of them, now!"

"No" I plainly refused which irritated her. She must've been in such a wreck when she finally saw those numbers. "I have no idea if you trust me or not. And there's no telling what you'll do once I give you the equations. (Geh…) Don't misunderstand Yuuko sensei. We may have different methods on how we do things but our goal happens to be the same. You want to save the human race and this beautiful planet. Stop people from running and start fighting"

"Ohoo… well I have ways of…"

"If you're thinking of Kasumi's mind reading ability, forget it" she seemed slightly bewildered of my knowledge of her research and the person next door. "And I doubt you'll resort to torture. You may be cold, but you're still human… as far as I know"

"You seem to know me better than I thought. Read my profile or something?"

"No. You and I just happened to be very close once, Yuuko sensei. (Eh?)" images from the time when I came to the professor's room one night. Though it wasn't clear I remembered that I had a small intimate relationship with Yuuko once. We even had sex in this very room. "Yuuko sensei, do you believe in multiple worlds? (What?) Do you believe in your Quantum Causality Theory? The very theory that proves of the possibility of multiverse?"

"My theory? Hmm… yes I recall having a theory but no evidence"

I smiled. Yup she's the same old professor. Always know things that people tend to consider as science fiction. "Then you must also believe in the ability of time travel. (Huh? Wait… no…) Yes. You could say that I'm from the future" A long pause came between us. I guess was a little too much for her to handle.

"I see…" she said suddenly. "Sorry, but I find it a little hard to believe"

"Then how do you think I know about the XG-70b? Or the Alternative plans? Or even Kasumi or the brain in the other room or the fact that this whole base was built as a research project for Alternative 4 on top of a still active BETA hive? Or these odd numbers or your name since this is the first time we ever met?"

"Information leak is always a possibility. The only evidence you have are these symbols you wrote" she stated to me not taking her gun away.

"Well then why don't we make a deal, professor?" I countered showing a little smirk off my face. "For every five pages I write for you. You'll grant me one favor. That way we'll have need of one another"

"No deal" she answered. "That will put me at a disadvantage since you can get what you want"

"Don't worry I won't ask you anything beyond your powers. Even if you are the Vice Commander and influential in the UN senate, you have your limits"

She showed me a grin. "So you're favors would be like, have sex with you or one of the pretty girls in this base in your bed?"

I chuckled at her slightly. "Please, Yuuko sensei. You and I have already had that. (Huh?) This isn't the first time I came to your office. As a matter of fact, I've actually done you in the future. (Geh…) In fact… if I recall… I raped you here in this very room when you cried" she flinched slightly but hid it well. I was going to try playing the bad guy now to see what effects it might have on her. Yuuko had always been the bad guy in every scenario so let's see how she'd react to another villain. "Heh. Who would've thought that you were into domination? You practically loved to beg. (Shut up…) Sorry. I won't spill that little detail. But if you must know… I can't die. (Eh?) You told me in the future sensei that I am a casualty conduit. And if I die I'll simply wake up and time itself restarts. So if you shoot me here and now, I'll simply come back an hour 'before' you shot me"

We came to an unannounced staring contest for some reason and for a whole ten minutes we've done nothing but stared at one another waiting for one of us to crack. "You're really spouting a lot of things I have only theorized about"

"I have a feeling that what you're thinking is probably right. You usually are"

She slowly lowered her gun to the table and breathed a sigh. "Alright Shirogane. You're asking me to put in a lot of faith. Can you at least give a guarantee that you won't betray us?"

"What's the matter? The first time I came to your office you practically handed me everything I needed. Not really satisfied unless you have a pawn that you can control?"

"Regardless. I can't exactly let you go since I now know that you know all of our top secret information. Even if you are from the future, you might have some information I might need"

"In other words. You're keeping me around so I won't go blabbing to everyone"

"Pretty much. Now. What are your favors?"

"Straight to the point? I guess you're pretty busy. Firstly, they're not really favors, but they're pretty much the things you gave to me regardless. I'll give you fifteen pages for today. Firstly I want you to register me as a cadet for the Eishi with squad 207. They're the group you assigned me back when I first came to this world"

"This world? Hnn… I guess you're pretty much convinced of your own story. Very well, I was planning to do that anyway. The instructor can keep an eye on you in my place"

"Oh you mean Marimo chan?"

"Marimo chan? You're overly familiar with your officers. Alright I'll grant it. Next"

I nodded, so far so good. "Secondly, you'll grant me full access to this floor. That way I can visit you and Kasumi chan anytime I want. Of course you'll restrict me from all classified information but I'm probably too stupid to understand any of those things. (Hnn…) You gave me that too for free. And third… I want you to make me a side officer for emergency purposes. (Huh?) You taught me in the future Yuuko sensei… that there's a difference between what people say and who is saying it. Only those with rank will have any effect on this world. (Huh?) You told me, if a Private asked the soldiers to live and a General ordered them to die, who do you think they'll follow?"

"Hoo? So you want power eh? Those are some powerful ambition you have there, kid"

"As small as that power can be I'll hone it and make it grow. So I can save more than I did back in the first loop"

Against the professor paused looking at my poker face expression as if she was still convinced that she could find a chink in it. "Alright. But the highest rank I can officially give you is 1st lieutenant. That's equivalent to a squad leader of the TSF pilots. However that rank will only be used during emergency situations. During cadet training you're just a nobody like before, understood. That means only I can say when you are and when you are not a lieutenant"

"Yes ma'am"

"I'll handle the paperwork. Just make sure you have those fifteen pages ready when I get back" And with that, the first day of my enrollment came to an end.

**(October 23, 2001 Tuesday) (Yokohama base barracks)**

I spent the next day assigned to the same room and getting to know my instructor, Jinguuji Marimo. But when I met her I had the craziest vision ever. Back when I had a loop in my old peaceful world… there was actually a time when I actually… dated Marimo chan. I didn't cry when I saw her. I guess you could say that I got over her death all those time. Her death was one of the first I've ever regretted and that alone brought me so much despair that it broke my resolve.

"I'll be introducing you to your assigned squad" Marimo said to me after she came to pick me up from my room. "It's rare to see male conscripts nowadays so forgive them if they look surprise"

"Yes, thank you for having me, instructor"

"But I have to admit that I was surprised. (Eh?) The Vice Commander, highly recommended you to the training regime and said that you had a special case. She said that you threw away your exemption from draft papers to join"

"Ah yes I did" Yuuko must've made some bizarre story for me to talk about my origin. I guess I shouldn't be surprised there. "So I'll be in your care ma'am"

"I know that you're just a regular boy Shirogane but… (Hmm?) I have to ask. If the information I ask for is classified then don't tell me. But Yuuko san asked me to also report all of your activities to her" Marimo looked really serious but deep within I can sense some part of the old Marimo sensei. My old favorite school teacher who scolded me whenever I drift off in class.

"Ah that… I guess you could say that I'm her little pet project. (Pet project?) I'm a special case. Let's just leave it at that, Marimo chan. (Glare) Ah sorry"

"Hmm… I'll let it slide this once"

Upon arriving at the training center I saw my old squad doing a marathon around the old track field. I remember this place well. I used to have lunch here when I was back in high school. Heck we even had the sports festival here too. Hahaha… thinking about it now… I kind of remember of Class rep's Lacrosse team. Hehehehe… ah damn it… I can't cry for Marimo-chan but I'm crying over a simple sport. Heh… I'm pathetic.

"Squad, assemble!" Marimo called out. My heart skipped a beat for a moment there. Even though I have seen this scene play out over and over again I can't help but feel sad and happy at the same time. Over by the distance I could see my squad slowly coming together in pairs.

On my left running towards Marimo in full speed was Tamase Miki. A little girl who was a lot older than she looked with pink hair and lolicon like figure and a natural at sniping. Back in my original world, she was a member of the archery club but gets uncomfortable when people are watching. In my loops I formed a romantic attachment with her in both this world and my old world. Darn… I guess I had a Lolicon complex myself.

Following right behind her were Chizuru Sakaki, AKA: Class rep and Ayamine Kei.

I too had romantic relationships with both of them. Class rep was strong, dependable but stubborn at time. If I remember correctly, her father is supposedly the current prime minister of Japan but they had an argument over her conscription that's why she joined the UN army here in Yokohama base. Back in my world, she was the captain of the school's Lacrosse team and a fiery bunch. In both world loops I married her. Heh… even now those memories are… ah… forget it. Those happy memories aren't needed right now.

As for Ayamine… well let's say that she's a bit of strange one in this world and the other. Back in my world she had a rather strange relationship with a doctor named Sagiri Naoya who… in this world is a captain of the imperial defense. That reminds me… he was also the one who led the rebellion on the 12/5 incident. I'll have to do something about that. Her late father was a General in the Imperial army. Ayamine is a person who you would call an odd ball. But in every way she resembles Class rep a lot. She's stubborn, but she follows her own rules and doesn't tolerate incompetence.

These two often fight with one another like a viper and mongoose. They're natural enemies but they tolerate their existence for the sake of the mission.

"Oi! Mitsurugi, come on, hurry up!" My heart froze at the call of the name. As my eyes turned to the left there stood a girl who was just finishing her round. Her long blue hair and eyes and slender body was difficult to miss.

"Meiya…"

_'At the very least… I would like the… the person that I loved… to be the one… to send me… to my grave'_

_'I beg you Takeru. SHOOT!'_

"Forgive my tardiness. I had just finished doing my laps" yup. There was no doubt about it. This is Meiya. Her cool samurai look, her calm presence. If she stood in the middle of crowd you could probably pick her out in space. I know her like I know myself. In my world she was the youngest daughter of the Mitsurugi financial group. She came to my house on October 22 to win me over. In my time loop I made a promise to her when we were kids. After that I married her and my life became such a hell full of studying and politics. Thankfully I had the Sunday off. In this world however… Meiya was different. She was the sister of the Grand Shogun of Japan but has very little connections to it. The government sees her more as a nuisance rather than an asset. But in the end… they see her as nothing more but a political tool.

I remember those last moments when I fought the core Hive of BETA during my last loop. Meiya fought so hard and even lied to me about our comrades and in the end I had to be the one to end her life. I pulled the trigger to the particle cannon that destroyed both her and the core. My eyes watered a bit as I saw her. To see someone that I also cared about deeply… killed by my own hands was just something too cruel for me to bear.

Wait a minute…

I remember seeing Meiya's sister in this world but… was she in my world too? I began to see pictures of my old school and Meiya standing at attention with her sister, Yuuhi. Wait… here she's called Yuuhi Kobuin… but there she's Yuuhi Mitsurugi. She wasn't in my school… but if so… what are all these memories?

What the hell?

"Alright, everyone. I will now introduce to you the newest member of your squad" Marimo chan announced to them in a professional manner. "This is Cadet Shirogane Takeru, newly assigned to 9squad 207. He will be training with us starting tomorrow. He was highly recommended by the Vice Commander, Yuuko Kouzuki so we will test him later on. Get along with him, understood? (Ma'am!) I've already given him the tour around the barracks so Sakaki (Yes!) show him around the rest of the base so he'll become familiar with the place. (Understood ma'am) We'll train for ten more minutes. Shirogane, you watch for now"

I saluted and followed her orders to the letter. Watching my friends pass me by like a newbie I felt a slight ting of happiness within me. Though much of my thoughts were troubled I had to leave them for a later time.

My comrades… all of them… all of them are still alive. Just looking at them sweating and laughing from here made my heart feel like it had been pried open and allowed all the sadness to go away. My eyes watered and I choked a sob. How pathetic of me.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

About fifteen minutes later I made my way to the cafeteria to meet with the squad. They haven't changed a bit. But hey why are there only four? Oh that's right. Mikoto's probably still hospitalized right now so I won't meet her in a couple of days.

"Shirogane, over here" I heard Tama's voice calling me to her direction. She seemed to be eating a synthetic sandwich of some sort. I gladly joined the group as they discussed about random topics altogether.

"Oh that was quick" Meiya stated noticing Class rep was the one escorting me. I already knew this base like the back of my hand but I quickened our little boring tour to spend more time in the cafeteria.

"Yeah, he really didn't need my help" Chizuru replied taking her seat next to Meiya. "He knew this base like the back of his hand and it was obvious that he wanted to end the tour as quickly as possible"

"That only means that I've been preparing for this, Class rep. (Eh?) (Class rep?)" ah crap I've been using that name over and over again. I guess that's a habit that'll never change. Class rep will always be class rep in this world or the other.

"Would you quit calling me that? It's squad leader, not Class rep" Chizuru whined at me.

"Ah sorry. It's just that you look like the class representative from my school" I gotta stop acting like I know her. If I burn my bridges before they're even finished I'm screwed. This team will be the pinnacle of humanity's last hope I have to make sure that their morale is at an all time high and that they would be ready for anything. But to do that they'll need to experience all the sad and painful things that will keep them going. I know it's cruel to experience these things over and over but if humanity is to survive I will have to mold them into perfect fighters with no regret or doubt.

"Haaa… well anyway. Let's continue with dinner and sleep early. We have roll call early at seven"

"Oh that reminds me Shirogane. Here" Meiya handed me a sheet of paper with the oath code written on it. "It's the UN oath. You have to memorize and recite it tomorrow to be able to enlist"

"Huh? Oh the enlistment oath. I've heard about this from my friend"

"You know it?" Ayamine asked from her side of the table.

"Yeah that guy practically said it in his sleeps" and when I meant 'that guy' I meant me.

"Well you'll do fine" Tama reassured me with her usual cat-like smile. "Memorizing it doesn't take much effort. Unlike the weapons manual that we had to remember by heart"

"By the way, Shirogane" Chizuru opened up with a serious tone placing her tray onto the table. "There's something I wanted to ask you. (What?) I'll be blunt about it but… can we expect much from you? (Huh?) Instructor Jinguuji said that you were a special person. Is that 'special' compared to us, the country or the planet?"

"Well… we won't exactly know until we find out" came my vague answer.

"That's pretty broad for an answer" Meiya replied bluntly. "We do not wish to know what your 'special' is. But it does give us hope. And if the professor recommends you then that only adds to your credibility" the others seemed to agree with Meiya's words and nodded in synch.

Chizuru nodded too until she raised her hand up to get their attention. "A month from now we will be having a Comprehensive Combat Skill Evaluation. We will have to succeed that this time" Oh yeah. The Southern Island 'vacation'. The way Class rep said it, it sound a lot like a technical training but in truth I would call it the midterm exams for TSF pilots.

"We'll have over a week to train for it" Meiya added sounding rather hopeful as well. "Yoroi should return in time to join us. The squad needs to be as strong as possible when the time comes"

"Yoroi san was hospitalized after the last training exercise" Tama explained which I already knew. "Her skills in survival is needed since he alone is second to none"

**(October 24, 2001, Wednesday**) **(Yokohama Base)**

'I shall fulfill my duty to protect international peace and stability, by rigidly adhering to the code of conduct…' my oath began here in the auditorium of the base which was once my school. 'By cultivating virtue, training my mind and body, polishing my skills, by not taking part in political actions, and by giving my undivided attention to completion of the mission. I swear never to shrink from danger, but to risk my life to fulfill my responsibility towards humanity'

"We welcome your enlistment at Yokohama base, Shirogane Takeru"

**(Track field)**

I can't believe I was actually able to say those words with a straight face. The oath that I took that morning to make my enlistment official was loaded with barely half the things I wanted to do. Sure I was going to train my mind and body until they collapse and I was certain that I was doing this for the sake of humanity. But to not take part in political action? If I want to change this world I had to take part in it. If only those big wigs in the higher ups could only bring themselves together they could probably stand a chance in fighting against BETA.

This world needs to change therefore I will change it. I will change it even if I have to dirty my hands and taint my own humanity forever.

"Shirogane…?"

I'll do it… I'll change the future with these own two hands!

"SHIROGANE!" eh? I looked over to my side only to see my instructor there. "Are you listening? You're done now. You've already ran three extra laps than the others"

Huh? I was probably so lost in thought I didn't even know I was training. That's right. Right after I finished my enlistment, I joined the squad for race track training. We had to run ten kilometers around the track. I must've been so deep in thought that I forgot about my own position. But was I finished already? I'm not even sweating.

"Anyway, rest now" Marimo said to me. "Wait for the others to finish their laps"

"Uh… hey Marimo chan… (glare) Ah I mean, Instructor Jinguuji. Do you mind if I start my full gear laps now? I want to keep up with my momentum" Marimo glared at me for saying her name but I guess she's always done that to me even in the old world.

"I see…" she groaned. "Shirogane, has all that time you spent exempt from the draft given you extra energy? (Huh?) Then you can carry full gear. I'll even give you a dummy machinegun to complete the set"

"Ma'am! I will do so without fail!" Ha! Marimo's expression was priceless. To hear a cadet so enthusiastic about training must be something new to her. Besides, running ten kilometers in full gear will come around eventually. But I've been carrying heavier loads for a long time now if you include all training I've done with the amount of time accumulated within the loops. That'll be… more than ten, maybe even a hundred years worth of experience. Who knows? Maybe there might even be more loops out there that Kasumi wasn't able to drill into my head.

**(Later that night)**

After that morning training regime I decided to spend my time in my room. Yup… the same room in the same bunker. Room 06. This was the place I was stationed for all the loops I've done. Nothing has changed at all… at least not yet.

I took a moment to scan my room gazing at every corner, wall and every piece that fell off my locker. There were so many memories made in this place. I cried here, laughed here and perhaps slept here with a girl or two. (Flash!) Ah crap those memories are surfacing again. Images of those who I made love with and those that I kissed were all coming back to me. This was where I held them for the last time and kissed them before allowing them to depart with the migrant fleet. In some loops there were times that me that certain someone abandoned the idea of running away and stayed together on this planet.

Mankind's final stand against BETA. A futile attempt that cost the lives of billions. It was stupid… I should know. I was there.

Bump…

Eh? I looked below to my feet only to see my bag lying on the floor. "Ah! My bag!" All the stuff I brought from home is still there. My Game Guy, the instant ramen cups and my school uniforms. I can't believe they actually changed my school uniform to be military standardize clothing. Thinking about it just makes this world even wackier.

Haa… thinking about food makes me want to eat Sumika's fried dumplings again.

Sumika…

Ah no no no! You can't think about those things right now! Focus on the present and worry about the future as it comes! For now I have to focus on getting the team together. If Humanity is to hold some measure of hope I have to bring them together. Haaa… but thinking about it now won't help. I think I'll get some fresh air for tonight.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Taking off my training jacket I marched myself to the tracking field for some peace and quiet. I always love the peace here. Looking at the starts tonight brought back some happy memories. Heck the stars even looked like winter snow… ah shit. Talking about snow brought back the memory of the time I made everyone participate in a Christmas party. It was probably the last time any of us had any real fun at all. Sadly it was also the time when the CO of the base announced the beginning of Alternative V. That was probably it.

The words he said to me that night are probably the reason I'm so pumped up to becoming a high ranking officer. If I had the rank and the respect of the people my voice will have more weight out there than most.

"Oh? Shirogane?" I looked towards the voice that called me and saw…

"Meiya?" She grunted slightly at my call of her name. "Ah sorry. Mitsurugi san. I keep acting like we've known each other already"

She sighed normally like she always did. "You are aware of it and yet you do not fix that habit. I suppose that would be why they call it a habit"

I laughed. "Sorry. I'll work on it. But what are you doing here doing laps? Are you being punished?"

"Of course not. As you can see I am training. This is part of my daily routine" Ah yes now I remember. When I dated Meiya in one of my time loops she mentioned about a few rounds around the field track to fire her up the next day. Also when we got married in the peaceful world she taught me how to use the katana and other techniques to protect myself. "I wish to become an Eishi as soon as possible"

"Oh? May I ask why?" I already knew why. I listened to the same words come out of her mouth a hundred times.

"My reasons are quite ordinary: To protect something"

"And what would that be? If I may ask"

Meiya turned her eyes towards the empty hill overlooking the base. It was the old cherry tree that bloomed twice a year. I remember many things that occurred there. Many romantic events that transpired and many sad memories too. "This planet…" was her answer. "The people of this country… and Japan… as a nation"

She wasn't really honest with herself. Even though she broadened it to so many large things, in the end, what she wanted to protect were the things most precious to her. Humans are selfish creatures in general. Though there are a few noble souls out there, selfishness remains our true motivators. Hehehe… I guess I'm no different from her. Even I want to protect those who are precious to me.

"What about you Shirogane? Do you have something you want to protect?"

I stifled a laugh. "… Everything…" was my answer which seemed to puzzle her. "No… it's nothing. Anyway I was about to do some laps, wanna join me?"

"No. I have just finished with my own. Perhaps some other nights. Good night for now"

"Yeah… good night" I waved good bye and saw Meiya turn her back on me. Her smile reached me as if it touched my heart.

_'At the very least I wish the man I love to be the one to send me to my grave…'_

But those words she said to me haunts me still. Back in my last loop, Meiya confessed her feelings for me. As always in all my loops I was as dense as a rock on the floor. She truly cared for me just like all the others but I was too stupid to see it. Or perhaps I was so focused on loving Sumika to notice? I don't know.

All the memories I have were conflicting with one another but I do know that all my heart was focusing on Sumika Kagami. She was my childhood friend and she loved me deeply. So much so that she built this prison of time and space to keep me from loving anyone else.

**(October 25, 2001, Thursday) (Yokohama Base) (Classroom)**

The next morning, our squad had lecture training with Marimo sensei. We were discussing about using explosives and a fictional scenario on how to disable an enemy's rear guard. These methods were useful when fighting other human enemies but they're pretty much useless against BETA since the only facilities they have are their Hives. But regardless, all this information regarding bombs, guns and other weapons and tactical thinking were already embedded to my head. The memories of my previous loops give me the experience far surpassing those of veteran soldiers already.

"Shirogane! (Eh? Me?) Repeat what I just said, right now!" Ah crap, Marimo chan is scolding me. "If you know well enough to stop listening, then it should be no problem, right? (Ah…ahehehe…) Geeze. We went out of our way to alter the curriculum just for you… you'd better be good at this"

Hmm… if I remember correctly this was probably the time when she got into the fictional tactics. Taking a quick glance on my book I nodded before answering. "You were giving a fictional scenario in which a support unit disrupts the enemy's rear guard facilities just before the actual operation. (…)" her silence and serious expression means that I was going in the right direction. "So it'd be ideal to blow apart a high-voltage cable leading out of their facility"

"Oh? And why's that?" Everyone directed their attention to me as I continued my explanation.

"In this scenario, 'Destruction' specifically means 'disabling their radar' not necessarily destroying it, so it'd be best to leave the facility intact since we'll be able to use it later on. (Hmm…) It'd be also less dangerous than attacking the base itself and you wouldn't need as many explosives. This will increase the chances of survivability and mission completion. That's it"

Marimo gave another 'hmm' sound before replying. "You may be seated. You're pretty good for someone who daydreams. But pay more attention, understand? (Yes ma'am)"

But day dreaming became a habit of mine. No matter what, it was part of my lazy genes. I spent the next hour looking at nothing and glancing occasionally at my book to keep myself from getting scolded. We had a ten minute break after.

"That was amazing Shirogane san" Tama was the first to congratulate me just like before in my previous loop. "You were a genius on suggesting that"

"Indeed. I am impressed too" Meiya followed with Class rep behind her. "You are quite clever of using their facility for our own use. I would've opted to sneak into the base and destroy the radar"

"I thought it was pretty obvious" Class rep was as blunt as I remember. "He's clever and it's good to have a member like you as a part of my squad"

"Um… thank you?"

"He's certainly dedicated that much I am sure" Meiya added folding her arms in a samurai style. If only she had a katana she'd look a lot like those warriors of the old Japan. "I have witnessed some of his independent studies the other night. Regardless, we will be having field stripping for our next class"

**(1 Hour later)**

Field stripping. Another way of saying assembling and disassembling a gun. Yeah I remember this. I've done it so many times that I can practically do this in my sleeps. Heck I'm surprised how lame I must've looked when I first done it. Well everyone was a noob once so it's no big deal. Marimo was again our instructor and showed us how it was done.

"Ok… attach this here and snap the upper receiver then… done" I announced myself completed to the class. "I'm finished…"

"Eh? Already?" Marimo chan looked cute with her puppy like expression. In fact… she reminded me a lot about a puppy. She looked at her stop watch for a second before coming to my table. "Three minutes, thirty three seconds"

"No way" Chizuru stated in disbelief like the others.

"He must've cheated" Ayamine said from the table next to mine. I didn't want to hear that from a person like her. In my world she was lazier than me and stranger than anyone on the planet… well… except for Meiya of course but that's a different thing. "No two hands can do that quickly"

"Quiet. I'll check it" Marimo chan picked up my quickly assembled rifle and check the parts. "Hmm… I don't see anything wrong with it. But that was quick. Inhumanely quick if I must say"

"Shirogane isn't human…"

Talk about yourself Ayamine!

I wanted to blow a small fuse at Kei but I kept my attention to the instructor. "Have you done this before, Shirogane?"

"No. They don't allow firearms from where I came from but a friend of mine was a gun fanatic and showed me all kinds of pictures. You could say I learned from him" and when I meant 'him' I meat me from the other loops but they don't really need to know that.

"Hmm… so you've had visual training before doing this. I guess that counts" Marimo was complimenting me… I think. "Ayamine was the fastest one here to assemble her weapon in six minutes and seventeen seconds and yet a greenhorn like yourself obliterated that time with nothing but visualization. Heh I guess all that time exempted from draft had some merits to you"

**(PX) (Later that afternoon)**

**A/N: If you've played Muv-Luv Unlimited/Alternative, you'll know what PX is. It's the cafeteria.**

Right after our lecture the squad and I decided to head to the PX for some lunch. My body had grown used to the synthetic food here and Kyoudzuka oba san makes the best yakisoba filling ever! That reminds me. I still have of my instant ramen in my room. Maybe I can have those for midnight snack. All I need is hot water to finish it.

"You're amazing Shirogane kun! (Huh?)" Tamase was again praising my abilities. "You broke Kei chan's record by half! You're incredible"

"No I'm not"

"Do not be modest" Meiya added only to make me blush. I could never get used to all these compliments. "You are clearly superior when it came to assembling the weapon without fail. Perhaps visualizing how the weapon was made before building it would hasten our progress. Regardless, you are good"

"Though it's hard to admit I have to agree" Chizuru nodded in agreement. "You're far better than the rest of us"

"He is… special" Ayamine bobbed her head too only to make my face redder.

"Stop it you guys. You're gonna make me full of myself"

"Then we'll stop. (Hey now) Ahahaha" they laughed playfully at me. Though it was only for a short moment I actually felt really happy to hear them. They looked so childish and innocent that it's rather hard for me to see them as soldiers. It's even harder to believe that in two months time these girls will be the strongest TSF pilots in the history of the world. (Flash) Ah crap I'm seeing their final moments in my last loop again. These girls… really did give it their all…

"Hey… Shirogane?" Tama looked at me with her gentle eyes. "What's wrong? Your eyes are…"

Ah crap I'm crying again?

"Sorry. Just remembering some old things. Nothing serious" Even after all the crap the BETA and the world had to thrown at them, these girls really are amazing. They're strong, noble and never back down once they set their goals on something. If I had one wish that could be granted I hope that these girls would at least be happy once the war is over. In all the happy loops the only person who was truly happy was me. The others would move on, saddened by their lost but still they continue to move forward.

"But anyway, Shirogan. (Hmm?)" Meiya turned from her food to me. "If you continue the way you are now perhaps you can raise the bar for the entire squad. But that doesn't mean that we'll all rely on you"

"Hey now. You're gonna make me arrogant if you keep that up"

"True. Then that shall be the last compliment you shall receive from me, Shirogane"

"Hey you guys can just call me Takeru, you know? (Eh?)" I had to admit that I didn't like the way they say my last name. It makes me feel so distant from them. "I mean come on. We're all in the same squad so we as well get closer together. We'll be watching each other's backs out there so it'll be good to know each other better even if it is just in name" They all looked at me with a weird expression but I guess that was regular for this world. "Like for example. I'll call Sakaki san, Class rep"

"Hey wait a minute now!"

"I'll call Miki chan, Tama. (Tama?) Meiya and Ayamine. That sounds appropriate"

"Oh he's serious" Meiya added.

Ayamine nodded with her chin up. "Only mine seems normal"

"Would you look it if I called you 'Kei-chan'~ (…stop) Ok then it's settled!"

Tama squealed slightly. "But mine makes me sound like a cat"

"But it's cute^_^ Alright then it's settled! I shall now be called Takeru! Mwahaha!" the squad laughed at my overreacting action but it seems that I've gotten a little closer to them. Even if it was just names it still felt right to be called by my first name at least.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

After that little bonding in the PX I decided to head to the underground level of the base to meet with Kasumi… and of course Sumika as well. Kasumi was pretty much the biggest reason why I'm here in this present time loop will all of my memories intact. Well… maybe not all my memories but at least those that I still have. With them I can at least change the course of history for this world towards a happier ending.

Luckily Yuuko sensei gave me the high level security card to give me access to the floors below. Hanger 90 where the XG-70b was being constructed was still out of my jurisdiction but it wasn't like I needed to see it. As long as Sumika was kept in stasis in the brain tank that machine was pretty much useless. I even brought another 5 page for her research.

As I entered the chamber where the brain was held I saw Kasumi there standing in front of it. The stasis chamber where Sumika's brain was placed gave an ominous blue glow. It looked so mystical like something that was not of this earth. Perhaps it wasn't.

"…"

Oh Kasumi is here. "Hey there. Sorry for coming in unannounced. I thought this room would be empty" Kasumi backed away from me as I approached the tank. I guess that's no surprise since she never saw me before. "Excuse me. But may I speak to your friend for awhile?" the white haired girl looked rather surprised when she saw me pointing towards the floating brain. "This will only take a minute, I promise"

"…"

Kasumi backed away from the tank allowing me a few moments with Sumika. If anything I believe Sumika can hear me or perhaps even read my thoughts. I can't take that chance of an information leak. If I affect the world too greatly with my knowledge of the future there's a chance it might disrupt things that I didn't want. Yuuko sensei taught me that. I'll have to hold everything in until a few days' time. At least then history won't repeat itself too badly.

"Hey Sumika" I said in a low toned voice to the brain. "I told you I'd come visit as soon as I got time. I haven't made your Santa Rabbit yet but I'll try to make it today and hang it in front so you get to see it every day. Ah sorry. I know you probably know this, but I can't let you into my mind anymore. (…) But it's not that I don't trust you Sumika. It's just that I have so many things in my head that if you put in some more I'm afraid my head will explode. Ahehehe. Anyway I'm sorry that things had to turn out this way again. I know that you wanted to end this once and for all but… please… give me a little more time. My heart belongs to you and you alone but… I also want everyone around me to be happy. I will find a way. A way to end this. I promise you Sumika…"

"…"

Ah man I can't really tell if she's listening to me. Looking at this container with my reflection on it makes me feel like an idiot talking to himself, literally. "I promise Sumika, that once this is over I'll return myself to you. I'm also a little grateful that you keep sending me back in time for all the little mistakes I made. (…) Ah sorry. I guess that was a little too long for you to keep up. But I promise to come and visit you whenever I can ok? So while I'm at it be good with Kasumi here"

Blup… blup…

Oh? The bubbles are popping? Does that mean something?

"Haaa…" After a breath of sigh I turned my attention to Kasumi who seemed to be watching me from afar with her usual expressionless face. "Alright I'm done. I just needed that. So… what's your name? (…) Oh come on now. You're usually livelier than this. (…) Oh of course. I haven't even introduced myself yet. My name is Shirogane Takeru. You can forget my last name so just call me Takeru. (…) Hmm… no progress there. I know you can speak Japanese and all… but…"

"Kasumi… (Huh?) Yashiro Kasumi"

"Oh… I see…" that was faster than I thought. "So you probably know that I'm from another world, don't you? (Yes…) Well that's no surprise. I bet the 'brain' here told you a lot of things about me, huh? (Nod) Well that's good. Anyway since you know about her then how about a handshake? (Hand… shake?) Yup, a commemorative handshake. Come on, just put your hands on mine" she hesitated for a minute before agreeing to trust me. Perhaps she was communicating with Sumika at some point. "There we go! It's a lot easier when both sides cooperate. Well I have an early day tomorrow but I'll definitely come back and visit you from time to time so look forward to it"

"Ok…" She's the same as ever. Shy and innocent with little human interaction. I remember so many things about her from the operation Cherry Blossom to the time when we dated in… wait… dated? I don't remember dating her… but then again… I can remember seeing her in my classroom… crying and…

Wait a minute. I remember seeing her face and taking her out but… I'm pretty sure that she wasn't in the world I came from. Unless… unless my memories are being mixed with another me from another dimension! Ah crap, this brain of mine is getting more and more complicated.

"Hmm…" Kasumi stared at my blank face and quickly returned to watching the tank.

"Don't say it like that. Say… bye bye…"

"… bye bye…?"

"Yeah it's what people say when they depart. But then again maybe you should say 'See you' if you want to see them again, neh?"

"See you?"

"Yup! That's what I tell my friends nowadays. Ahehehe. Ow!" I felt a slight ting on my head like someone just knocked on my brain literally. It was a rather sharp pain like someone was trying to drill through my skull. Wait… could it be that. "Hey Kasumi. Did you try to read my thoughts just now? (gasp!)" Yup, just as I suspected. Kasumi still had that mind reading ability as a unit from Alternative III.

"There we go! I'll see you soon so don't work too hard" but just when I was about to leave I heard the door opening up behind me.

"Ara? Well this is rare" Yuuko sensei was the one who entered. She was dressed in her lab coat the same as ever. "I never expected Kasumi to interact with a monkey"

"Hey now, that's harsh" I said back to her with a slouched face. "Don't go calling people monkeys or they might get the wrong impression of you"

"Oh but monkey suits you just fine neh?" Yuuko sensei was cheerful I guess she must be making progress on her plan. "Come here Kasumi" Kasumi obeyed her cheery request like a pet and began whispering to the professor. Hey come on now, you guys do know I'm still here right? It's rude to whisper when someone knows what you're talking about. "Oh… I see…" Yuuko sensei glanced at me as she listened to Kasumi talk into her ears.

"Oi… you two"

"Ah don't worry it's nothing for you to be concerned about. But it did involve some things about you"

"That was an obvious lie you just said right now!" I barked at them loudly but comically. "And if it involves me then of course it's something that I should be concerned about! (Hai hai) Haaaa… anyway here" I handed her the five pages she needed for her work. "The next five pages"

"Oh I don't need those anymore" Eh? "I already solved everything from those fifteen pages. It didn't take a lot of work to figure out the rest so I won't need your help anymore. Thanks anyway"

Whaaaaattttt…!-? Wait! Don't panic Takeru! Remember… this woman is the master of lies and deceit! She's trying to trick you like every other time! Don't fall for her trickery because it'll be humiliating after seeing her in all those loops. Deep breaths… now… haaaaa… deep breaths.

"Haaa…" I blew away my voice and calmly got back on my poker face. "That was a good lie professor. You nearly had me there for a second" The annoyed expression that she grew from her wide smile proved that I was correct. "But I guess listening to your antics over and over has some merits"

"Heh. You're still a few hundred years before you can truly understand me kid" she calmly accepted the papers I handed and scanned the contents thoroughly. I double checked every page I wrote down and made sure that every symbol and numbers was in the correct positions. "Hmm… I see. Alright then, what's the favor this time? (Hmm?) Like we promised. For every five page you give I grant you one favor. So what is it? Unless of course you're finally opening up and doing this for charity" she grinned like a witch… which can't be helped because in other worlds she probably is one.

"Does that mean you trust me?" I asked.

"Not completely" came her honest answer. "But it's clear to me that you know a lot of things a regular civilian shouldn't so I have to keep a close eye on you. But tell me something. (What?) You've told me a lot about Alternative V but a few things about Alternative IV. Mind sharing what you know?"

"Well in all honesty I know little about your plans in full detail but I have the gist of it" I searched through my mind remembering every part of Alternative IV that I knew about. "From what I know, you're trying to find a way to understand or communicate with the BETA through the use of the 00-unit. The unit is then used to pilot the XG-70b to the hive scanning every BETA it comes into contact and destroying them in the process. (Hooo?) Well am I right?"

"95% correct" she answered me. "But considering what you've told me already during our first meeting you know more about the BETA than the machine. Care to share?"

"I can write you a book about the BETA but I'm afraid of the consequences. (Huh?) You've taught me before professor, that if I told you everything right from the start it may affect the future too much. I've witnessed my mistakes done over and over and I don't want it to happen again especially to you"

"Hmm…" she stared at me with a small hint of a smile and nodded. "It seems I taught you well. I never expected there would be a man who can actually understand me completely. It seems like the man that I fell for in one of your time travels was the right man after all. Ahohoho" her laughed seemed to fall back to a witch. "But nonetheless, you are right. Showing me every bit of detail from the future may as well destroy this world. Is that the reason why you're only giving me 5 pages at a time?"

"That's part of it. The other thing is because I want to use your powers to the utmost of my advantage"

"Exploiting my powers eh? Hmm… I'm starting to see why I fell for you. A cunning man who can tame this fox is worth my time" images of the night I spent with Yuuko san in the other loop flashed before me. Ah crap I don't need that right now. "Very well then. So what's the favor this time? I'm in a good mood right now so you can ask me anything. But keep it G-rated. We do have a minor in our presence" she glanced her eye over at Kasumi who blushed, reading her thoughts.

"I need you to develop a new OS (Operation System) for the TSF. (Hmm?) In this base the only TSFs that we have are the Gekishin series that are used by the regular army and Fubuki that are used by new cadets for training. They're less flexible than the Imperial Honor Guards Takemikazuchi or the American Raptor-22 and Eagle-15 but the thick armor makes them more durable than most"

"You're quite knowledgeable of our rival weapons. So what about it?"

"Developing a new OS that has both Cancel and Combo actions"

"Cancel and Combo?"

I then began explaining to her about the game Valgernon that I used to have in my old peaceful world. How cancel can make you stop the action you're doing just in case you've made a mistake and combo is adding a bunch of control commands in sequence so that the frame unit will perform those actions prior to its order. Almost like a game of course but not precisely. It'll be like making the TSF think like humans so when you fall you can still control the trigger and aim your guns at enemies while your mech attempts to stand up.

"Hmm… I see. So a new OS system huh? That's quite an intriguing concept you have but who'll I base those moves from?"

"Me. (Ara?) Put me in a simulator for three hours and you'll make a TSF twenty years ahead of its time. They'll be the core of every mech in the world and it will undoubtedly save hundreds of lives in the process"

"Hoo… you sound pretty confident. But I guess that shouldn't be surprising for a man who lived longer than I have. (Pause) Alright. I'll prepare the handiwork. Continue with your training as usual and tonight come meet me in the simulator room. We'll see how good you really are"

"Does that mean you believe that I come from the future?"

"I have a good hunch but… you have proven a lot of things already so I may as well believe it. If you can save this world I'll come along for the ride"

…

"Thank you…"


	3. Back to the Basics Shirogane!

**Chapter 3: Back to the Basics Shirogane!**

**(October 26, 2001 Thursday) (Yokohama Base)**

The next morning, I began my supposedly 'first' field training on the shooting range. I've carried guns during my training and fought BETA with them in the most desperate of situations in my time loops. As always, Tama was an excellent sniper with a rifle to boot. Her shots were quick, precise and downright deadly. She could practically hit a fly 500 meters away without even killing it. I should know… she showed me once.

"Commence fire on 100 meter targets! One clip per person only!" Instructor Marimo announced to us as we kept our fire from the 100 meter targets. I fired small bursts only to keep my stance in control and my form in shape. When I dated Tama and Ayamine both of them taught me the different positions to use when shooting. With all that time accumulated in my mind you could say I've had years of practice.

Ratatatatatatat…

Good. My aim hasn't dropped. My burst fire shots hit their marks. Though it wasn't a bulls eye it was quite impressive for a first timer. Besides I didn't have a scope to help my aim. Heck I'm pretty sure the Tama in my other time loops would be proud.

I already taught the squad about their bad habits of aiming and shooting at such speed. In a TSF we have the auto-lock feature which makes our weapon point to the next enemy we choose. Luckily our IFFs (Identification Friend or Foe) will be there too so the risk of friendly fire will be at a bare minimum.

Bang!

"Hmm?" I recognized the loud shot from Tama's personal rifle. It was a large gun almost twice her height and more powerful than our machineguns. I wouldn't compare myself to her skills in sniping. Heck this little girl can probably hit a fly a yard away without even killing it. I should know… I saw it with my own eyes.

"Hey Tama. (Nya?) How good are you at sniping?"

"Eh? Well… not good enough to brag. Why?"

"No it's just that I heard from Professor Kouzuki that you were a good shooter"

She laughed it off with her cat like smile. "Aha please. I'm not that good~"

"You don't need to be modest, Tamase" Chizuru came in after she finished with her round. "It's time to prove that even with a 'special' man like Shirogane, you're still top notched when it comes to shooting. (Nya…) We can't keep losing to him now, can we?"

"Well… I guess so" Miki chan surprisingly agreed. "I can try at least. Which target do you want me to hit?"

I pointed to the medium target which was about 500 meters from the firing line. "That one. If you use a sniper rifle like the one you have now, it should be a piece of cake. (Ok!)" I watched patiently as Tama got to her prone position. She taught me that move too. You could say that when we were dating she was my coach. Heck even in the other world she taught me how to use the bow and arrow and trained me hard enough to make me hit a bulls-eye.

Bang!

Chizuru and I held our ears for the shot before she passed me a pair of binoculars. "Here…" I looked at Tama's target and saw a hole right in the middle of it. "Impressed yet?" I was already impressed a hundred years ago. "Tamase, try another three shots. (Ok)"

Bang, bang, bang!

Three shots with only a few seconds in between and with each round she fired I saw the hole getting bigger and bigger. Regardless… I had to admit that Tama's skills were still light years beyond my own. But maybe it's just her natural talent.

"Whoa…" those were the words that left my mouth.

"How about you Takeru san?" Tama gestured to me. "Can you shoot long range too?"

"Huh? Well… not as good as you but I think I can"

"Hoo?" I can sense Class rep smirking behind me. "A long range shot in front of the expert? That's some nerve"

"Hey now. I'm not trying to compete with her"

"Either way, this should be good. But let's test that 'specialness' of yours. Why don't you try hitting that target over there?" I looked over. Wait. 1000 meters? Where did that one come from? I can barely see it on my binoculars! That's at least a kilometer away. She's not going easy on me, isn't she? "Can you do it?"

"Worth a shot" I answered looking a bit unsure. I thought the farthest this shooting range had was the 850 meter target, but now there was another one even farther. I guess this place was meant to train a man farther than his fullest extent. I slowly got on my stomach and kept my rifle steady. Tama didn't even use a scope to hit her target so I didn't need one either. But the targets we have are a big difference. "I should be able to hit it from here"

"Takeru san, why don't you use my rifle instead?" Tama offered which I politely declined.

"Nah that's alright. On the field, this little boy will be the only thing I can rely on. I can't have your rifle all the time" I adjusted my sights and aimed at the dark spot that was supposedly my target. "I'll only need one shot for this"

"Oooh… he's so confident~~"

"Don't you mean overconfident?" Class rep corrected her which made me pop a vein. Even in this world she was annoying.

Bang!

My shot went off without a hitch but I still couldn't tell if it hit or not. I quickly grabbed my binoculars and zoomed in from a distance. I saw my target… it was small… really small but I did hit it. Though it wasn't a complete bulls-eye I was pretty close to the center at least. Tama can probably do that shot with her eyes closed.

I lifted my gun to my shoulder with a proud face before turning to my squad who all had their own amazed expression. "That's amazing Takeru san!" Tama applauded with a loud voice. "You hit it!"

"It wasn't a bulls-eye though" I admitted.

"Yeah but even I can't shoot that good. You're about ten centimeters from the center dot! That alone is incredible!"

"You think?" she nodded hastily to answer my question.

Chizuru gave a 'hnn' sound to express her feelings. Even she was impressed. Maybe she thought that in some way that I would actually miss. Well… who cares?

"Lucky shot…" Ayamine said plainly as ever in her monotone voice.

"Well I guess luck might've played some part in it" I went along with her trying not to sound too overconfident with my own abilities. After all I was still just a grunt according to all of them.

"Try again…"

It seemed like Ayamine was challenging me to a fight. I shrugged my shoulder and quickly got to a prone position to make the next shot. I clocked my rifle, judged the current of the wind with the sight of the trees at the back and calmed my breathing. A steady hand makes for a stead shot and breathing control was vital to any sniper out there.

Bang!

My shot flied through whistling in the distance. The others quickly got their binoculars and looked at the target in the distance. Ayamine took mine so I couldn't tell how it was. I was pretty sure I hit the target since I heard the sound of paper being torn but that could easily be the dirt in the back.

…

…

…

"Hey… what's with the silence? Was it really that bad?" Class rep handed her binoculars to me. I then looked at my target which I was then amazed. "Whoa!" It wasn't a bulls-eye but it was a lot closer than my first shot. The bullet went through the line between the center dot and the outer dot. No. If you look closely I think I was able to hit more into the inner dot. Dang. If Tama in the other world could see me now she'd be proud.

"That was… incredible!" the Tama in this world lighted up like a Christmas tree. "That was amazing Takeru san! You managed to hit the center with the second shot and you did it without even using a scope! That was super cool!"

I rubbed my head embarrassed by her praise. "Aheh… was I really that good? I can't even see the target from here"

"Shirogane… super lucky…"

Rub rub… rub rub…

"Hey why are you rubbing my belly?"

"Grabbing some luck…" Ayamine was still the same in this world or the other. Strange.

**(November 1, 2001 Wednesday) (Yokohama Base)**

A few days later I've been getting nothing but basic training from our instructor. We've assembled our guns over and over and even blindfolded and ran around the tracks more than I could count. Heck it didn't even feel like a jog even with full gear. I could practically walk around with those things around me in my sleep.

Right now we were listening to Marimo chan's lecture on criticality and mission objectives. What took priority more? A human life or the mission? Back when I first came to this world my friends once asked me if I could die for another. They all answered yes, they were ready to die to protect someone precious to them. I don't remember my answer but I was certainly honest about it. I find it rather noble but also at the same time stupid… to die for another. If you died protecting… then you failed in your mission. Staying alive to protect that which is precious to you is more important to me. But then again… I guess it depends on the people and the situation.

I stared out into the window looking over the town which I once called home. It seemed so distant now even though I remember some small parts of it in my head. Mostly about me, Sumika, Meiya, Kasumi and the others. Wait… Kasumi? Was she there? Ah forget it. Thinking about my old life back home is giving me a splitting headache. I have to focus on the now. The past can come later.

"Alright. That's all for today. Dismissed!" Jinguuji sensei left the room after we all gave our customary salute. That was a good thing because I was feeling a little hungry myself. Lunch time was next too so lucky me.

"Finally. Everyone who wants to eat lunch, raise your hand!"

"Oh me me me!" As always, the energetic Tama was the first to answer my joking call. "I haven't had anything to eat since this morning"

"Great I'm starving. Anybody else?" I looked around only to find my comrades staring at me. "Eh? Uh… what's wrong? Don't you guys want to eat?"

Meiya breathed a sigh. "Perhaps I should not continue to be surprised at your abilities, but somehow… that was just…"

"Wait… are you guys talking about class or training? I mean… can't you girls do those moves too?" I replied looking like a klutz. Perhaps my reflexes of giving it my all was becoming too obvious. If I keep this up I might blow my cover.

"We can… but you're…" Ayamine added giving me her usual stare that she gives everyone that catches her interest.

Class rep seemed to agree as well. "Shirogane… have you… been conscripted before? (Wh…what?) The situation bugs me a bit. You were recruited less than a month ago and yet you can do everything better than us"

"That is true" Meiya nodded in agreement. "You are far from normal" Hey wait a minute! Didn't you guys say that you would never pry on someone's privacy?

"Staaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrreee…"

"Ayamine, stop that"

"But they're right though" Tama! You're agreeing with them too? "You can shoot, snipe and do hand to hand combat and everything. And you even know what instructor says even without paying attention. (Hmmm…) Nya? Ah! But we're squad mates! So whatever you did in the past is nothing we should know as long as it benefits the squad, right?" Too late there Tama, you pretty much glued them to me already. And here I thought I was holding back…

"Staaaaarre…"

They closed in me with their silent stares, simulating every possibility to explain my super-soldier powers. I can't blame them but that doesn't mean I have to stay here and answer their question. "Well anyway. I'm hungry and we only have a few hours before the next class so I'll see you guys at the PX. Bye! (Hey!)"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

I dashed off looking like a total doosh. Maybe it wasn't the best method to run away. I could give them the whole lie of me being a super soldier from Area 51. It worked on each of them with the Game Guy but… no I'd rather not. It'll probably be a whole fiasco again and I can't tell what might happen if I did tell them. Who knows… they might just send an army to uncover a facility that never existed and that'll be a mess which will be quite hard to cleanup.

Ah well I'm hungry. Might as well eat my way out and visit Sumika and Kasumi while I'm at it.

Wham!

Ow… what did I hit?

"Oww… sorry, are you ok?" that voice… I remember. "You're not hurt, are you" Yup. That carefree voice that I hear everyday back in school is difficult to forget. When I finally looked at the person who I bumped onto I recognized the facial feature quite clearly. Blue hair, brown eyes, soft colorful skin… no doubt about it. That's Mikoto Yoroi.

"Yo-"

"I sorry, I got to see the instructor, bye"

"Hey! Wait a minute!" I called out.

"Hmm? What? What is it?"

Yup this was the same Yoroi I had back in my world. Except the one in my world was supposed to be a… wait… wasn't she a girl too in my world? No wait. That can't be right. Yoroi in my world was a guy. (Flash) But then… why do I remember him as a girl in my world. And why is Kasumi there and why is Meiya's sister there too? Hell! What the heck is going on in my mind? Gah! My memories of the old world aren't making sense anymore.

"Hey, you know something?" Yoroi's bantering brought me out of my deranged state. "I've been in the hospital for weeks but today's the day I can finally come back"

"Huh? No one asked you about that" I replied, my eyes twitching a bit.

"And there's supposedly a new guy in my squad too. I can't wait to meet him"

"Huh? Oh that guy? Yeah he's…"

"Miki san said that he's really cool and is even better than her when it comes to sniping! She said that he was superman incarnate! Whaaaaa! I can't wait to meet him!" Listen to people when they're trying to say to you damn it. "Well gotta go. See you later"

"Hey!"

"Ah hello again"

"You haven't even left!"

"I didn't? But I already said goodbye"

"That doesn't count when… haaa… forget it" Arguing against Yoroi's natural silliness will simply tire me out. I should learn that by now after hundreds of conversation with her/him.

"Ah! Yoroi san!" Tama's cute squeal interrupted us.

"Ah Miki san! It's been too long! Hooo! Chizuru san, Meiya san and Kei chan are all here! Yay! It's like a mini reunion in the hall" The girls came out of the room hearing the loud yells I've been giving her but to no avail.

"Yoroi?" Meiya looked rather surprised and relieved to see her friend. "I see you've become acquainted with this man"

"Yeah I just bumped onto along the way. Anyway. I'll have to see the instructor first. Miki san. Tell me everything about that superman you were talking about in your letters"

"Like I said: That guy is m…"

"Ah! We only have an hour left! See ya! (HEY!)" And then she was gone… just as mysteriously as she came. Before I could even utter another word she was already too far for me to reach. Heck I don't think I can ever catch up with her pace even after years of knowing her. Even till today I still have some difficulties describing what kind of girl she is. She's either a klutz with a talent of survival… but also a natural airhead as well. In fact… those are the only three things I can use to describe her. Oh wait… (flash) I also dated her back in this world and my world… wait… no that can't be right. Yoroi was a guy. A guy! Definitely a guy!

"Don't take it personally" Meiya said suddenly to break me from my deep thoughts. "She's like that naturally. She does that to everyone"

"Ha? Oh? I mean… yeah… I guess…"

**(November 2, 2001 Thursday) (Yokohama Base)**

The following day, instructor Marimo allowed us to go on CQC (Close Quarter Combat) in the track field along with cadets from the other squads. We weren't the only a cadets in this base but we were the highest and the most skillful according to Yuuko sensei.

Naturally… Meiya decided to be my sparring partner for the session and each of us were equipped with nothing but our limbs and practice knives.

"HAAAAAA!" Despite being a member of the royal family, her long samurai hair and her slender figure, Meiya was a fine example of female soldier. She was strong, fearless and undoubtedly chivalrous. She had a strong sense of justice in her heart, but has a hard time letting it out. She cares for her twin sister in the capital very much but she also has a sense of duty. Sometimes… it's difficult to imagine what kind of pain she's holding inside.

Whoosh!

"Whoa!" that kick nearly hit me.

"What's the matter? Your concentration is wavering!"

"Why didn't you take advantage of that?" I asked returning to my usual combat stance.

"The pity of a warrior"

I cracked a smirk. "Don't regret it later" As a matter of fact, the one who taught me CQC was you Meiya. In one of my loops when we were dating in this world and my world, she taught me how to use knives, swords and hand to hand combat. In two years time you'd be a master of that field and I was probably your strongest student. So right now, I guess you could say that I know more than my own master.

"HAAA!" Meiya charged at me with everything she got. Her moves were predictable because I knew them and got him by them more times than I'd rather count. I parried her strike and countered with a punch only for her to back away. She was good back then but right now I was better. "Oryaaa!"

Wham! Pow! Crunch!

We traded blows and blocked each other's moves like we were dancing tango. Her round horse kick was and probably still is her most dangerous move as it has the ability to stun me for about a minute. I avoided her leg and blocked her fists and countered it, scoring a few lucky shots to the shoulder and the chest which was rather soft by the way… wait gotta stop thinking about that.

"Geh…" Meiya withdrew to a safe distance before returning to a stance. "To be honest, I did not think that you would be this skilled. I thought only Ayamine was the only one who could match me at close quarters"

"Oh? So you judged me by appearance?"

"Forgive me. But there are many who neglect hand to hand combat as they begin to excel in shooting" Yeah you pretty much said the same thing to me when we were dating too. But guns tend to run out of ammo and swords and knives tend to break. Ha… that takes me back to a number of lectures by both you and Marimo chan.

"But still…" I stated not taking my eyes off her. "You're not letting me win"

"I don't hold anything back to any opponent. HAA!" she threw a feint punch followed by a knee hit which I blocked and countered with my elbow. "Geh!" she withdrew again to a safer distance. "This… this will be a long fight"

I decided to taunt her to test her concentration. "Oh come on. It's barely been twenty minutes. Don't tell me you're gonna throw this fight already?"

"Silence!" we dueled with our eyes as I could hear Meiya's breathing. She seems to be tired from the all out attack and she probably didn't expect me to last this long against her. Judging from the way she darts her eyes back and forth she seems to looking for a blind spot in my defense. "You look as if you can see my every move"

"Why'd you say that? You saw yourself losing?" I teased which she answered exactly as I expected.

"Perhaps. But even so I will continue! HAAAA" Our battle lasted for about two and a half hours until our instructor decided to end it for the morning session.

**(Cafeteria) (AKA: PX)**

After that morning spar we all turned to the PX for a little rest and relaxation. We sat on the same table with some synthetic food on our plates and ate peacefully. But as always that was not meant to be.

"Takeru san, that was amazing!" Tama was once again praising me for my ability to fight Meiya toe to toe. "I can't believe you held Mitsurugi san to a standstill"

"No. It was not a standstill" Meiya corrected her folding her arms in front of her tray. "He thoroughly routed me despite all my attempts to break through his defense"

"But wasn't it a draw?" Mikoto questioned seeing our fight. But it was true that I routed her. No matter what she tried I could read her move like an open book. "Wasn't it? (No…) Eh?"

"Shirogane wouldn't let her lose" Chizuru added nodding from Meiya's expression. "Every time Mitsurugi withdrew, Shirogane would talk to her and not pursue because of the difference in speed. If Mitsurugi had been put in a time limit on defeating an opponent and proceeding to the next objective she would lose a lot of time. Shirogane on the other hand only needed to stall her until her time runs out"

"You're thinking too hard guys" I casually let my skills in but regardless I couldn't allow myself to hold too much back.

"Unbelievable" Meiya grunted annoyingly. "Your skills were so dominant that I cannot help but feel admired rather than irritated. (Hey now…) But regardless, I was able to cross fists with a worthy foe. I am satisfied with that. That only means that I have to train harder if I am to beat you. Rivalry is the source of great strength after all"

"Takeru, you're incredible!" Yoroi gave me a thumbs up sign as a sign of respect. He…. She was always like that. Easily amazed by other people's achievements. "I wish I hadn't been sick. That way I would've seen a lot of your special abilities! (Yeah yeah…) Eh? Don't tell me that you're still angry about yesterday? If you had told me who you were then I would've known right away that you were our squad mate"

"Like I said, I was trying to…"

"Oh that reminds me of a show I watched on TV when I was in the hospital" At least let me finish first damn it! Haaaa… I don't care anymore. "I watched so many fun things on TV that day. It was about a dog who waited for his master at the train station. It was an old movie series based on a true story"

Oh? She's probably talking about Hachiko, the dog that waited in front of the train station not know that its master had already died. For two years the dog remained vigilant, patiently waiting at the same spot believing that one day its master will return. Eventually the dog died of age and was buried on the spot. That's why in Tokyo we have a statue named Hachiko stationed somewhere in Shibuya. It's a rather touching story…

"Hmm… a dog…" I muttered to myself before my mind went back to the time I went on an unannounced date with Sumika one afternoon. A dog came by and she fed him my French fries to keep it happy. We growled at one another like two animals while Sumika pounded my head to keep me from acting like a kid. Oh… darn. Thinking about that time… really does bring tears to my eye literally. I have to stop thinking about her or else I'll lose focus.

"Shirogane?" Meiya called out noticing my watered eyes. "What's wrong? You seemed distant somehow"

"Huh? Oh no… it's nothing. It's just that… that movie reminded me of someone I knew back in the days"

"Was she a civilian?" Chizuru asked. "Was she evacuated?"

"Huh? Well… I don't really know. Sumika and I used to live next door. (Sumika?) Yeah that was her name. We were childhood friends back in the days when I was really young"

"Perhaps I could look her up for you" Meiya offered which quickly reminded me that she had her sources around the capital. If anyone could find a missing person then it'd be Meiya. She was a member of the royal family after all. "I have some contacts around the government. If it can help dispel your anxiety it may allow you to perform better in our training"

"That's true" Tama confirmed her ability. "I once had a friend who lived far away. It bothered me a lot not knowing how she was doing. But after Meiya looked it up I found out that she's living peacefully in a farmland in Hokkaido. She's even married now. I was so relieved I cried myself to sleep that night booo~"

"What say you Takeru? Simply ask and I will find her"

"Thank you Meiya but that's ok" I raised my hand up in response.

"You'll regret it…" Ayanime added smirking at me. I can't really tell if she was encouraging me or taunting me. Perhaps both.

"No. Even if you did… I don't think you'll be able to find her" the girls all turned to me from my choice of words. "Because she's… not in this world. (Gasp) You don't have to be sad about it. I actually knew that for quite some time" It wasn't a total lie. Sumika is dead technically speaking and only her brain was left down below near Yuuko's office. But I can't tell them that without revealing the plans to Alternative IV.

"Forgive us… we had no idea" Meiya apologized for pressuring me to use her network.

"Nah it's cool. I pretty much got over it" I really did…

**(Classroom)**

Once we finished our little awkward lunch, our next class was to be First Aid training. I've done the basics before and several advance procedures on the field in my loops. I've treated everything from basic wounds to a full field surgery using nothing but a combat knife, tweezers, needle and hot iron to close the wound. Despite that, the one who taught me to be reckless as a combat medic was Mikoto herself after all.

"Now everyone, I'm gonna teach you about the conditions of an injured person" Yoroi explained after we cleared the room of tables. "Just because the man is unconscious, bleeding or isn't breathing that doesn't entirely mean that he's dead. The most certain way to check a person's condition is by checking the pulse which can be felt from the wrist and the neck"

The others nodded to her explanation. She would make an excellent teacher if she ever graduates from here.

"Now let's demonstrate artificial respiration" Mikoto looked at me as she spoke. "Takeru, would you lie down? (Ok…)" I obeyed her command and laid down on my back with my face up front. "Good. Ready? (Yeah)" Mikoto pinched my nose and began blowing air into my lungs. There was a strange pressure but I should've gotten used to it by now. I guess remembering her as a boy made me like this. "You're pretty calm, Takeru san"

"You could say I've done this before" I answered with a smile. Usually I would be the one blushing but now I find myself looking at Mikoto blushing instead.

"W… well that's the gist of it" she stated after recovering from her live demonstration. "Now for hemostasis. (Hai…) Applying pressure for different kinds of wounds will have different affects. So it's best to consult a real doctor to apply the proper procedures. After all, basic medication is only a temporary relief effort"

"Yeah that's true" I replied standing back up. "If you don't find one it's possible the patient may suffer necrosis. (Hug!) Bwahh!"

Mikoto was clingy again. "That's correct! You're incredible Takeru!" Hey stop touching me. "You've done this before, haven't you? It almost makes me wish that I didn't have to go to the hospital last time. Tell me more tell me more!"

"Eh? Well… after you finished treating the wound it's almost best not to leave them. Loosen their clothes to allow air to circulate and also keep them warm to stop them from freaking out. (tight hug!) Oww!"

"WAAAAA! You're so awesome! Takeru you should be the one teaching us!"

"Ok ok! Just let go of me!"

For the next hour, Mikoto kept pestering me on how good I was in first aid. She kept using me as guinea pig on all kinds of scenario. The only thing that I didn't agree on doing was stripping down to my underwear.

**(PX)**

Dinner was served two hours later after training. Though most of the squad was exhausted I still felt like I can go for another four hours of running in the track field or shooting range. But it'd be better if I stayed with the gang to keep up my appearance as a rookie.

"Oya? Isn't that Mikoto chan?" I heard a rather loud voice boom over from the counter. A rather large old lady appeared to greet the cadets. I recognize her as Kyozuka Shidzue, the lady who works in the cafeteria. She's what you call everyone's stepmom. The woman was as tough as a hammer and she had an unbreakable smile over her face which seems to lighten up everyone's mood. I would call her my own grandma because she pretty much acts like one.

"Ah Kyozuka oba chan?" Mikoto replied cheerfully as ever.

"I heard that you were in the hospital. You recovered already? (Yup!) Wahh! This calls for a good celebration. I'll double your rations for today!"

"Yay! Thank you oba chan!" the woman then turned her gaze upon me with her usual smile.

"Oh? So this is the legendary rookie that I've heard so much about? He's a lot taller than I thought"

Oba chan… I haven't seen you in ages. But I kept my cool and acted natural. "Hello, I'm Shirogane Takeru. Nice to meet you"

Wham! Her killer pat on the back caught me off guard. "Hmm… not bad at all. Even after that whack you can still stand up straight. You'll make a fine soldier. (Wham) Ohhh? Strong muscles too. She told me that you were superman incarnate in both physical and mental stuff… so it wasn't exaggeration after all"

"Wait. Who told you? Marimo chan?"

Wham! "Hahahaha! You've got guts to say her first name out in public. (Ah…) Anyway, Chizuru chan. You'd better use him to the utmost. A strong man like this doesn't come every day"

"Of course" Class rep smirked at my direction. "I intend to do so"

"Hey now… don't tell me you're going to take advantage of me"

Ayamine gave out a fake surprised expression. "You just realized? (HEY!) Heh… smart but slow" You're the last person I want to hear that from!

Kyozuka oba chan laughed at us. "Ahaha! You're fitting right in, good man. I'll get you your portion so wait right up"

Are you eating well?

You getting enough?

Come to me for your food!

I think those were the first words that she said to me when I first came to this base. I was an amateur back then so it wasn't necessary for her to do that now. Right now I was the legendary rookie. Heh… that sounds about right. I was amazing in almost everything related to combat. But that's only because I had good masters to train me. Ayamine taught me about hand to hand combat, Meiya was my teacher of being a soldier judging through discipline and dedication. Class rep taught me about pain and tactical thinking despite she herself was a bad leader at the beginning. Mikoto taught me about First Aid which saved my life plenty of times before and Tama was my master in archery and sniping. So because of them I am the soldier I am today.

"That's Sergeant Major Kyozuka Shizue" Chizuru explained to me. "She's providing meal to everyone on the base"

"In other words she the cafeteria lady" Mikoto added.

**(Yuuko's office)**

I decided to come to Yuuko sensei later that night to procure some help. I came in with another five pages of her equilibrium equation for the favor.

"So what is it this time?" she asked me as if she was expecting my presence. She could tell immediately with the paper on my hand and the expression on my face that I had something for her to do. Even though I've seen her many times before I probably won't be able to get her calmness no matter how long I've lived.

"I brought another five pages for your research" I stated plainly with a small smile.

"You have exquisite timing" she stated to me with a curious brow. "I just finished analyzing the last of the pages you gave me. Though most of the things you wrote are crap… I have to say that my other self is a genius. Ahohohoh" I handed her the papers and stood at attention. "Sit down. You can leave your military procedures outside when you're in here" I obeyed her command and sat sternly on the chair. "So… what's the favor this time?"

"BETA from Sadogashima will attack the mainland on November 11th, Sunday. (Huh?) You've told me before that I shouldn't tell you anything from the future because it might affect the change of time too greatly. So right now we have a week before the attack comes"

"An attack huh?" Yuuko sensei gave a sly smirk. "Sounds interesting. Is this your knowledge of the future?"

"Yes. I remember precisely that BETA will launch a large scale attack that destroys a lot of villages along the path"

"Hmm… give me the details"

"The Imperial Army engaged the BETA after they surfaced but some of them broke through the first line of defense and were out of sight for awhile. (… and then?) They regrouped at the second defensive line and broke through that as well. They were on route to Kyoto but they were repelled. The BETA then shifted their target to this place, Yokohama base. Reinforcements from Atsugi failed to arrive on time so DEFCON 2 was initialized on our base"

"Did you know what their objective was?"

"Some people on the base thought that they were striking the weakest point of our defenses. I thought so too because this place had nothing more than a few Gekishin units, tanks and cadets to fill the gaps" but I knew what they wanted. What the BETA wanted. "But I knew the moment you told me, professor. This place… was and still is a BETA hive. (…) As their animal instincts derived from it. They were looking for the reactor buried deep under this base. To suck energy out from it"

Yuuko sensei looked for a moment taking all the information I've said so far. After awhile she returned her smile to me. "I see… from Sadogashima. So what would you like me to do about it?"

"I think you already know the answer, sensei" She said the same thing to me in my last loop. "I know that you don't trust me but this information might just save the lives of thousands of people. You're probably thinking that this is just a kid rambling on, I won't blame you. But what would you do if you had the power to save billions of lives?"

"What do you mean?"

"Your Alternative IV is proof that you want to save humanity from extinction. You have that power and you're using it to do everything you can. However I have the knowledge to save people's lives but like always my status as a cadet means nothing"

"And you're saying that I should believe everything you say? You're sounding a lot like an oracle"

"Maybe I am…" we traded smirks which seem to bond our trust even further. Though she did not trust me fully she had to admit that my information was credible because of her theoretical account. "So… what are you going to do about it?"

"Do I really need to answer that question?" she smiled at me putting the equation along with the other sheets of papers. "You probably know what I'm going to say before I even think about it. (Perhaps…) Hehehe… I can see now why I fell for you. You're pretty much the man I wouldn't mind doing it with. (Gulp…) But regardless, aren't you forgetting something? (Hmm?) You said it yourself that by telling me this it might affect time. Aren't you afraid of the consequences?"

"I'll deal with it when it comes. After all… I'm not afraid of death anymore"

Yuuko gave out a sly grin. I can't tell if she was annoyed or proud that she fell for a guy like me. "Spoken like a true man. Dealing with it as if comes by. Take all the things this world has to throw at you. Hahahahaha. Alright… give me the details of the attack"

"Does that mean you trust my information?"

"Well I owe you a favor as a part of our deal so I may as well listen. I may be a fox but I keep my promises" That's true…

I breathed a sigh of relief before explaining the whole invasion plan. "At exactly 06:20 a large herd size BETA will emerge from the hive and move south heading straight towards the mainland. The Imperial Fleet engaged them but lost. About an hour later they'll reach the old national highway and continue through the province of Niigata afterwards…."

I spent the next hour in that room explaining every bit of detail that was confirmed and told Yuuko sensei of the perfect attack formation. With the strategic thinking that I brought up in my head combined with years of experience reliving that situation I managed to make one strategy that could probably end the BETA attack before they even breach the second defense line. It involved very few risks and a lot of chances to wipe them out with one fatal swoop.


	4. Comprehensive Combat Skill Evaluation

**Chapter 4: The Comprehensive Combat Skill Evaluation… (That's a mouth full)**

**(November 12, 2001) (Southern Island)**

The mission went off without a hitch according to Jinguujii sensei. The BETA that surfaced from Sadogashima Hive came at the exact same time as I predicted and followed my every move without a hitch. The moment they rose, the imperial fleet bombarded them on both sides on the first line of defense and allowed them to pass to meet up with Army 12th Division. The 14th Division and artillery supported the defenders and stopped the BETA before they even had a chance to get the highway. One could probably say that they were easily mowed down like lambs to the slaughter.

There were still a few casualties up the frontlines but it boosted the morale of the soldiers at least. Once they saw a horde of BETAs slaughtered on their doorstep they believed that the human race might have a chance of defeating these aliens once and for all.

The base was put on DEFCON 2 for about an hour or so until we resumed our daily training after it was announced that the enemy was destroyed completely.

But today our group was going to the training regime known to every cadet as the Comprehensive Combat Skill Evaluation. It was every soldier's midterm.

When we arrived by boat, the first thing we saw was Yuuko sensei in her bikini sunbathing under the umbrella. No matter how many times I see this I still find it weird. I wasn't surprised… but it was still weird nonetheless.

"Ah you're here at last. Now then let's get started, neh?" She teased us seductively with her loosened bathing suit before handing out our order slip. I guess she was just here to cool off since her research wasn't going much without my help. Perhaps she's just here to make sure that I don't get myself killed. "Here's your mission. Don't get lost now"

Chizuru accepted the piece of paper and quickly read it before any of us. "Orders received"

"Remember. If it gets too much, just use the radio in your bag. But that also means failing the exams~"

After receiving our orders we formed around our instructor to receive our equipment. A few survival kits like knife and proper rations and a canteen to store fresh water. We had enough for a few hours trip but that was pretty much it. Everything else we'll have to scavenge for ourselves.

"Ah wait. Shirogane (Huh?)" Yuuko was calling me. "Come here for a sec. I need to talk to you"

"Yuuko…" Marimo whined. "We're about to begin our briefing. Can't this wait?"

"Oh don't worry. I won't take much of his time. I just need his personal opinion on something"

**(Marimo POV)**

I sighed at this before allowing Takeru to go to the Vice Commander. I can't really understand how that woman works even though we practically know each other since our school days. She may have a higher position in the U.N. than me but she's exerting a lot of resources on this boy.

Shirogane Takeru.

Ever since this boy arrived, Yuuko gave me explicit orders to monitor his every activity whenever he was in training. I thought it was strange at first since he looked like a regular teenage boy with no odd quality. But after the first two weeks all my judgments about him went out the window. Yuuko said that he was 'special' and he proved it time and again in every training exercise that I gave him. He was faster, stronger and smarter than everyone in squad 207. Heck he practically knows more about strategy than I do. I somewhat agree with Tamase that he's superman incarnate. He also has a strong sense of morals and justice which I find rather difficult to argue.

The other girls in the squad also seem to agree with me as well. Though they won't admit it thoroughly, they could tell that Shirogane was no average boy. He would make an excellent soldier perhaps better than all the veterans out fighting there.

During our shooting range training he can shoot a target just by judging the distance and raising the gun to the proper position. He can feel the wind on his face and tell where the bullet will hit before he evens pulls the trigger. Though he was not as good as Tamase, he was indeed catching really close. He also seems like a man capable of tactical thinking. He can analyze every scenario in a few seconds before making his judgment.

And as for the rest… he can outdo anyone if he actually put his mind into it.

But also… the thing that catches me off the most was his eyes. Every time he looks at me I could actually feel the weight of the world on his back. They were crystal clear but they seemed heavy and sad. Like somewhere deep inside he's struggling to keep himself san. Perhaps he had a bad childhood because the only person I know who had those kinds of eyes is Yuuko. Or… maybe I'm just imagining things?

"Alright everyone" I announced to the squad while Takeru was out conversing with Yuuko. I'll have to remain a professional instructor before I ask her about it. "In this exam we will simulate an operation that could occur on the field. During the operation, you had no choice but to abandon your TSF and are in a situation where Reinforced Exoskeletons cannot be used, so you have to escape the battle area. Escape is the primary objective. Understood?"

"Ma'am!"

"You must also destroy three targets in the area that are marked on your map. There are a total of three targets. It doesn't matter how you do it as long as it is done to delay the enemy's advance and as long as you finish on time. These are your secondary objectives. The operation will end in 144 hours when the recovery vehicle departs from the destination point. That is all the information we have at the present time. You do not know where the extraction point is so you may have to search your secondary objectives for more information"

I handed the girls each a map of the location which they analyzed with great accuracy. After that I allowed them some time to let Takeru join in. I briefed him on the same mission and he nodded professionally like a real soldier. However he somehow slipped up and called me Marimo chan again. Haaaa… perhaps all that time being exempted from draft made him more familiar with civilian life.

The squad quickly divided themselves up into three pairs with Takeru following Mikoto, Chizuru aiding Meiya and Miki partnering with Ayamine. They looked like capable cadets but I wouldn't be honest if said that I wasn't worried.

"Yo Marimo chan" Yuuko called to me tapping my cheek with a cold cocktail. "Why the long face? Worried about your students?"

"A bit…" I answered honestly. Yuuko was good at reading my expression she didn't need to be a mind reader to tell what I was thinking. "But anyway, Kouzuki san. (Hmm?) Would you mind telling me something?"

"Oh? Is this about Takeru? My my, I didn't know you were into younger men, Marimo chan"

"Please take me seriously. (Hai hai) Who is that boy… really? (Hmm?) I might just be an instructor but I'm not dumb. When he first joined he practically knew how to do everything. He can shoot almost as good as Tamase, he can fight both Ayamine and Meiya at the same time without even breaking a sweat and those two alone are capable fighters. He's also a great tactical advisor. He can predict so many moves before someone could even do them. He has all the characteristics of a perfect soldier"

…

"Are you interested?" Yuuko smiled at me as if teasing me to say something. "He is a fine man after all"

I grew a blush at the thought. "If you say that it's classified information I'll stop. After all you probably have some sort of experiment done on him"

"Hehehehe. Well you could say that he's my little pet project. But if it's his history… I might be inclined to share"

"No thank you" I politely declined. A person's history is his own so long as it doesn't affect the squad.

"Hoo? But aren't you interested? Why a boy so young like him can actually be that strong and wise at the same time? (Geh!) Don't you want to know what dark little secrets he had to hide to become what he is today?"

Indeed I was curious but I will not be drawn into Yuuko's trap again. She may have tricked me when we were kids but not this time. "No. I'd rather keep that to the cadets. I have no right to know someone else's past unless the person himself says it to me"

"Saying 'him' all the time makes me suspicious you know, ahehehe. (Yuuko!) Alright alright. I'll stop there. But I'll admit there are some interesting traits about him. (Eh?)" What does she mean by that? "Anyway. You can stop observing from here on out. (Huh?) I have enough data from him so you don't need to report his activity to me anymore"

"Uh… ok… understood"

**(Takeru POV) (Forest path)**

That was weird. Yuuko sensei never asked me to talk with her in any of my loops. All she asked was how I felt about the attack of the BETA and stuff. I guess even the smallest details of our future was changing. After we picked our teams we quickly split up and once again I was partnered with Mikoto since they all believe that this was my first time here and that my survival rating would go up if I stuck with Yoroi.

I didn't mind. I wouldn't want to change this part of the training course. Besides, we did pretty fine being like this. Mikoto was good with this kind of terrain and she had an eye for traps. Looking at this forest it kind of takes me back when I first came to this island. I was such an amateur and Yoroi had to help me with all kinds of stuff. (Flash) Aw crap no no. No time for remembering those old images. The time when she had to suck the blood out of my thigh was embarrassing enough, the part where she laid on top of me was something I can go without.

"Keep up Takeru. Just step where I step or you might set off a trap!"

"I know" I replied to her. "And keep your voice down. You might set off a sonic landmine"

"Eh? You know about those?"

"Yeah. They pretty much use them against the BETA since those guys make a lot of noise. But they're pretty weak so they don't really do that much of a pounding"

"Hoo?" This is good. I seemed to have earned some measure of respect from her. The others all seem to be respectful of my abilities to stand against them toe to toe so I guess that's good. We continued our march for about four hours, traversing through the hot environment. The others might have some difficulties with this since they're used to open field but I was already a seasoned soldier and believe it or not I've actually been through harsher conditions than this. The hive in central Asia and cold winters in Kyoto, compared to those two this little jungle here seemed like paradise.

"Wait Mikoto. (Eh?) Look there…" I spotted the trap about a meter away. It was hidden under a leaf and attached to a string. A common tactic used against unsuspecting soldiers. The moment the string snaps, the trigger is pulled and a rubber bullet is shot directly where the line was cut.

"Hoo. Good eyes. I never would've seen that"

"Can you disable it?"

She nodded confidently. I should know because a trap like this can easily be rendered useless just by cutting the string. With no external force it'll simply lie there until it is used again. Even though I just pointed at the general direction, Yoroi could easily see it. She must've been born with an external sense or something which made her this way. Well regardless she had a knack for being a scout.

We walked for hours and by then I already knew where every traps were before I could even see them. I was searching through my memories and remembered all the bits of details on how it went down the first time. I never was an outdoor person back then. I was the type of guy who'd rather be sitting at home playing Valgernon than to risk my life on humanity. Haaa… thinking about it now makes me look like a pathetic loser.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

After much later we quickly found our objective well hidden within the mountains. I remember this place. It almost feels nostalgic. I also remembered how Marimo chewed me and Mikoto for attacking it on broad daylight. But not this time.

"Waaa… it looks like a real base, doesn't it?" Yoroi was praising the construction worker's design of hiding the base in such a deep location. "But it looks like we won't make it from here. We should rest and go there when the sun is out"

"No" I declined plainly with an explanation in mind. "This exam was supposedly used to demonstrate how a real option would do. Our instructor clearly stated that we were behind enemy lines and our main objective is to escape. Think about it. If that base was crawling with guards attacking it at night would be the best option"

Mikoto once again widened her eyes in amazement of my strategic thinking. "Hooo! You're right again Takeru san! But it's quite a distance from here. Do you think we'll have time?"

"Once we find a way to blow the base up we'll leave immediately with whatever supplies we can get our hands on" I deducted judging from the area we were. "Also. If we blow the base up there's no doubt that 'IF' there were any guards they would be looking for us. So it would be best for us to make a good distance away before we stop for a rest"

"Waaaa… if you keep this up Takeru san I might just die of your amazing talent"

"Hey come on now. I get arrogant easily. (Hahaha) Well what do you think of my plan? (Eh?) I won't go with anything without my partner's approval. That's how teamwork bonds us"

"Ya! I agree with it. I don't even feel tired knowing that you're around me Takeru"

Ha. I wish that was true with everyone else.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

After agreeing with my plan, Mikoto and I made our way to the abandoned base. The useless Humvee was there along with several barrels of oil. I remembered being chewed up about that too. Bringing the fuel along to power the lifeboat by the 1st extraction point made us lose some points. I was probably too anxious to get done with the exams I didn't even bother thinking of the consequences of my actions.

Mikoto searched the base with nothing but a sheet to cover us from the rain. But I knew that. Without wasting too much time we plugged one of the oil drums near the generator building making it like a giant Molotov cocktail. We also left a trail of oil around the place to make sure that the whole place goes up in flames too.

Before long we were in and out before midnight and the explosion that occurred made a lovely firework that reminded me of the festival back in my old world. It looked rather beautiful from here.

"Alright that should've stirred the hornet's nest" I said to myself with a wide smile before catching up to Mikoto who was ahead of me scanning for traps. "That would make a good diversion so the other teams will have a good excuse to attack their targets as well"

"Yeah" my partner nodded in agreement. "But that was quick considering the fuse was improvised by your idea"

"Hey, anyone can make a fuse out of piece of cloth" I added patting her on the back. "But for now we should make it towards the forest. That way we'll have a better chance of staying hidden from pursuers. You alright with crackers for dinner tonight?" I joked at her to lighten the mood. This was my millionth exam after all so I wasn't worried but for Yoroi and the other girls this was probably their most exhilarating time of their lives. They're probably tense and want to finish this exam as quickly as possible but with as much possible points to raise their status.

Hissss…

"Wait Mikoto. (Hmm?) Did you hear that? It sounded like a snake" Mikoto stopped on her tracks and listened closely to our surroundings. The light from the explosion was enough to light the whole place so we can watch our steps for traps but I never thought that the snake would attack me at the same spot on a different time! Maybe we're close to its nesting ground or something.

"Yeah… I can hear it" she replied to me noticing several slithering sound coming from the rocks not far off from us. However it was still too dark for us to see. I can hear it getting closer and closer and still I couldn't make out the shadows. Damn it. I swear to you snake, if you bite me again I'll eat you for dinner and save your other half for snack!

Hisssss…

Damn it. Show yourself snake and fight me like a… well… a snake!

"Takeru, maybe we should just bwa?" Mikoto tripped on a rock and fell on her butt. "Ow…" and just as opportunity struck the snake made its move. The little critter was traveling on the wall of the cliff we were walking and made a preemptive strike. Luckily my eyes caught it just as it was about to leap towards Mikoto.

"Yoroi, look out!" I place my arm in the snake's path allowing it to bite me instead. "Gah!" What are the odds of the same person to be bitten by the same snake twice? One in a billion? Bah! This was humiliating.

"Takeru!"

"Don't move!" I ordered before lifting my arm up to see my old archenemy sink its fang into my skin. Luckily my skin was a lot tougher than before I can tell that the little guy was having trouble just trying to bite. With a little swift move I grab the snake by the neck and forced it to pull out. I know this thing wasn't venomous, in fact I'm sure that this was the same snake that bit me on my first exam. "Yup… it looks like I have dinner tonight"

"Takeru! Your arm!"

"Don't worry about it" I gestured to my partner who seemed to be panicking. "This is a non venomous snake. See? It has a round head, and the tail is a double row of subcaudal plates. The fangs are just for show. (But…) Relax. It's better that it bit me than you or else you'd be even more panicky" Besides you were the one who taught me about snakes in the first place and how to differentiate between poisonous and non-poisonous.

"But still…"

"Let's find a good place to rest up first then you can check this wound. Ok?" I pushed my offer to her before dashing off towards the woods for some peace and quiet.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

An hour later we found ourselves an open space in the woods to give us some cover. I would say that we were rather productive on our first day. We destroyed our objective and we were only about a few hours walk to the rendezvous point. Last time it took us a little longer because we waited a whole night before destroying the facility.

I made a campfire using large firewood that broke from the nearby tree and rested by the boulder. Mikoto urged me to check my wounds but I knew better that it wasn't poisonous. But there wasn't anything I could do so I allowed it. Heck after that little skirmish with the wild animal I took the snake as a trophy and roasted it on the fireplace. Somehow it seems fitting. It bit me I eat it.

"So how is it?" I asked feigning ignorance. She was only doing her job as a soldier and a comrade after all.

Mikoto made a relieving sound. "Emm… it's not infected or poisoned. But you shouldn't push yourself like that. What if it was poisoned I wouldn't be able to forgive myself. If you knew it wasn't then you should've let it bit me in the first place"

"Hey if it was poisonous it'll be a lot better if it bit me instead" I teased jokingly. "That way I'd have the best doctor in the squad to help me get better. Hehehehe" I saw her face grow red upon mentioning that. Maybe I came in too strong on that last comment.

"I… I'm not that good"

"What are you talking about? You taught us a lot of things about First Aid"

"But Takeru can do things better. You even know everything I taught you the other day"

"Ah you're talking about our First Aid training. Actually I was an acquaintance with Professor Kouzuki so she taught me a few things. But I actually learned a lot from you too. (Really?) Really. You're a good teacher Mikoto. You just need to have a little self confidence. Now. Mind wrapping this wound up for me? It's still bleeding"

"Ha? AH! Yes of course!" Mikoto flushed and quickly grab her survival kit which happily had a small roll of bandages for situations like this. Her technique was superb. She used the roll sparingly but yet at the same time covered my wound three folds to control the bleeding. It was a temporary measure until we find some real First Aid. "How do you feel?"

"A bit stingy but not painful" I answered with a smile to relieve her. "Now come on. The snake's probably cooked by now"

"Eh? Ha? You're really going to eat that? (Yup) I thought you were just joking! Don't! I'll find some fruits and mushrooms for you to eat!"

I simply laughed while I gorged on the reptile's burnt meat. Yoroi might not understand this but I kind of feel like that guy in that game Metal G…ar: Snake E-ter. He would eat a giant cobra raw and then scream out the grossness of the taste. Though mine was a bit smaller I had to start somewhere to reach his level hahahaha.

**(Two days later) (Nighttime)**

We arrived at the rendezvous point about a day and a half earlier than last time. As much as I wanted to complete our exam as quickly as possible, Yoroi and I had to wait for the others. They were probably doing their best so I had right to rush them. We made camp on the hill where it was easily defendable on all areas. I also made the campfire a little low so that it wouldn't make too much smoke and give away our position. Meiya chewed me up about that too.

In the mean time while we waited, Mikoto and I collected some fruits and mushrooms for ourselves and of course for the others. Once they get here they'll probably be hungry for a little treat.

Meiya and Chizuru was the second group to arrive. "Oh? Shirogane? You're here already?"

"You sound almost too surprised, Class rep" I replied with a soured face. "Were you expecting me to the dumb dead-last in the group?"

"Well it would be nice to beat you in one thing at least" she reasoned coyly. "Anyway, when did you two arrive?"

"About… two days ago, if I remember correctly" Yoroi answered which was then responded with a gasp of awe from the two. I guess coming here earlier than usual despite our distances from the meeting point.

Meiya however seemed impressed. "I see. And you set up camp without drawing attention to yourselves. I had not notice your fire until I was about a meter away"

"But how did you guys take out the facility so quickly? Don't tell me you rushed all the way here"

"Kind of" I answered our squad leader before taking a seat on a log that I brought from the woods. "We simply saw an opportunity so we took it. But then I got a little careless in the end" I gestured to my bandaged arm which they were again amazed to see. I guess having a war scar added to my credit. Mikoto blushed away from the thought. "Anyway we got some food if you'd like some" I offered them which they gladly accepted.

About ten or so minutes, Tama and Ayamine joined us for a little evening meal. We gathered around the campfire and recollect what we've gotten so far. As far as I remembered, Mikoto and I only got a sheet from our base. Meiya and Chizuru found a rappelling rope from their objective and Tama and Ayamine found a map with the location of the extraction point and an anti-material rifle that was probably big enough to blow a hole in a tank. I've seen it been shot a million times and still I have to be amazed by its incredible firepower.

We discussed our plan the same as we always did. Traveling around the island and traversing through a river to make up time. It was the same we plan we used in all my loops to reach our destination.

**(The next morning) (Somewhere in the woods)**

The next morning after we all got our rest, the squad moved onward towards the extraction point marked on the map. I looked above and saw the cloudless sky looming over. But that was simply a ruse. I know that in a few more hours this place will be pouring like cats and dogs.

We arrived at the river crevice somewhere between morning and noon. The water current was still fair so we had time.

"Looks like we'll have to cross the river" Chizuru suggested which the whole squad agreed entirely. They probably didn't want to waste time taking a detour crossing the whole. "It will take a lot of time for us to reach the other side. Mikoto, check the currents, will you?"

"Ok" Mikoto walked up to the edge of the cliff and saw the calm river flow. But that wasn't going to be much longer. "It looks safe enough. The water looks calm and shallow"

"Right then. Ayamine, get across the river and tie the rope around that tree so that we can get across"

"… understood" Ayamine was the best when it comes to crossing difficult terrain. She wasn't only agile but very energetic. She can pretty much climb Mt. Fuji and reach the top in a few days' time.

"Waaaa… fast as always Ayamine san!" Mikoto praised her. In just about thirty minutes or so, Ayamine was on the other side tying the rope with quick precision. But just as she signaled us that the rope was tightly secured I sensed the dark clouds looming over us. "Eh? Rain? At a time like this?"

"Right on schedule" I muttered.

"What is it Shirogane?" Ah crap, Meiya heard me.

"Nothing… it's not that surprising to see this place get a lot of squalls. With the jungle and all it'll take a lot of rain to grow the forest back the way it was" My reason was solid since this jungle looked like it needed a lot of rain to maintain its green environment. You could say that this place was the perfect location for a military training exercise.

"Kei san says that it's safe" Mikoto added. "It'll be awhile before the river floods up"

"Then we should cross while we still can. Shirogane, you go first" Class rep ordered and quickly enough I followed suit. The rain was cold but that alone was enough to sap the strength and morale from everyone. In this condition I'd prefer a rather sunny climate than to be wet and cold.

By the time everyone got across the whole river flooded in record time. Again I wasn't surprised about this. This rain was already predicted in my 'forecast of the future' and I know in exactly two hours and three minutes it will stop. But convincing my friends to believe that was a totally different story. I looked back and saw the five of them arguing over the same topic again, they'd either leave the rope and take the gun along with them or use the only round we have with that gun to retrieve the rope. Both had merits and I knew exactly where each of them had their uses.

I offered again the third option of waiting for the rain and like before they all disagreed and gave me the creepy look. And so we decided to have that time limit. If the rain doesn't stop within four hours, we leave with the other two options. My reasoning and logic were quite sound and I didn't even sound all that suspicious either. Besides… we couldn't do anything in this rain and force marching the squad through the squall will simply drain our strength.

The gang then reconsidered to my option and waited under the large tree for a little rest with one of us going on a twenty minute watch shift.

I took the first watch that moment and watched the rain poured on the river. Strange. Even though the rain was heavy… I could not feel them on my face. Perhaps my body had grown so used to them that they weight next to nothing already… or perhaps my prediction of this rain made me immune to it. It didn't matter. At least now… I had time for myself. Gazing into the deep rain looking at the flowing river I could not help but feel somewhat at peace.

So far everything that I wanted was going according to plan but looking at this position I could not help but feel nostalgic. No matter how many times I have to go through this endless prison of time… I am grateful for this brief moment of peace. In a few months time I will once again be facing the BETA and even in my other loops humanity barely stood a chance against them. We needed the power of the 00 unit that Yuuko sensei developed in Alternative IV and even then our chance in survival was slim. Will I still be able to change anything at all?

My eyes turned upward facing the rain as it fell to me. The weather was cold and windy but like it was trying to send chills down my spine. But the pain that I harbored in my heart numbed everything else. Even death doesn't seem to scare me at all. Ha. I guess the kid that screamed for his mommy is truly gone now.

But I can't afford to get careless now. I have to make my moments count. If I make the tiniest mistake whatsoever I won't hesitate to kill myself to go back in time. Perfection wasn't what I wanted but a peace of mind. Knowing that my friends and those that I cared about were all happy in this life is enough for me. Yes. Just focus on them for now and they'll handle the rest. The future that I want will be the one where everyone is happy…

If there is a god out there… I hope he hears my wish…

"Takeru?" Huh? Meiya? "It's my turn for the shift now"

"Oh really? I guess I lost track of time there" I rubbed my hair letting the water go down from my head. I guess I'm really soaked…

"Hey Shirogane? (Hmm? What?) Eh… it's nothing serious. It's just that you look… different somehow" Different? Maybe my constant reminiscing of this world and my old world was being shown on my face. "Perhaps it's just me but you seem somewhat calmer than usual. Your eyes… they look as if they're unafraid of anything"

"Hey come on now. I'm still afraid of some bugs in this world" I smiled in reply. "You're probably thinking too much. Anyway… let's switch. Thanks… Meiya… and…. I'm sorry. (Eh?) No… never mind" Sorry for not seeing your feelings for me until it was too late… and for everything else I'm about to do…

"Are you sure you're alright Takeru? Perhaps you should ask Yoroi to look at the snake bite"

"Nah…" I waved it off before leaving the girl in the rain to take my place. "I was just remembering some old stuff"

We shifted our watch every twenty minutes and in roughly two hours the rain suddenly stopped followed by the appearance of the sun. It looked like a miracle had occurred and the rain cloud was nowhere to be seen at all.

"Hey! The rain's gone!" Mikoto yelled with glee.

"And in only two hours" Chizuru added looking at her watch.

I looked closely at the river and quickly judged the current. "If this goes on, the river will return to its normal state in about an hour. And for Ayamine to get the rope that'll be four hours. Perfect timing as always"

"Takeru san, you're amazing!" Tama gave me a wide catlike smile. "You're like a prophet or something! You can predict the weather!"

"Hey now. That's going a little too far for me" But she wasn't entirely wrong either. "Anyway. At least we can have both the rope and the rifle shot"

"Perhaps the heavens are on your side today" Meiya added giving me the respectful look.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

We arrived at the extraction point no longer than an hour later. I remember this place well because the memory of being shot at for the first time was almost literally burned into my mind. This was the place where we pop the flares and await the rescue chopper only to get chased away by the gun turret operating in the area.

The squad moved in formation to secure the evac point making sure that there were no traps. Tama went in for a closer inspection and found a box hidden in the area. "Hey look, I found some smoke flares!"

Meiya looked around seeing that there were no vehicles in sights. "I do not see any other means of transportation. Perhaps we are meant to use these to signal for a rescue?"

"Haaa… we actually finished the exams on the fourth day! As expected seeing that we finished our mission earlier than everyone else"

"…I'll wave one" Ayamine offered but I stopped her.

"Wait" I grab hold of her shoulder with a serious tone that I rarely use. "Something doesn't seem right about this. I'll do it. (Eh?) That helipad is a sniper's hunting ground. The moment we pop flares there's no telling what might happen. I'll be careful" I grab two of the flares and slowly made my way to the pad while the rest of the squad hid behind the rock formation. I remember this spot quite well and I can even see the gun from here. It was hidden behind the outcrop camouflaged to look like a rock by the cliff.

I took a deep breath and pulled the flares waving it upward. Immediately I saw the helicopter appear out of the trees to pick us up. Here it comes…

Ratatatatatatata…!

The sound of gunfire alarmed the other cadets taking their reflex to duck and hide immediately. The shots were not directed at me but only at the helipad. But even so my legs quickly gave way and I ran as fast as I could to my comrades.

"The gun batteries! I saw the shots coming from that outcrop!" Tama pointed out which I already knew.

"I can't believe one of them is still functioning after all this time" Class rep seemed disheartened. I guess she was half expecting to pass the exams with flying colors.

"… the chopper ran away" Ayamine pointed out the obvious. But their sighs were quickly drowned away by the sound of the radio cracking sound.

"Yes, this is squad 207B" Class rep answered after gathering her courage.

Yuuko's voice was on the other line. "Ara? Are you guys still alive? (…) (Yes) I see. Good to hear. That aside, plans have changed a bit. I'm sure you all noticed when it shot you, but the gun battery on the island northeast is still active for some reason" that reason obviously being you.

"Can you deactivate it from there?"

"Nope. It's all automatic. What a pain" her voice didn't sound very convincing. Everyone in the squad already knew that this little accident was part of the exams. "So I'll give you a new evac point. (Understood…) Your new destination is, point E, is directly behind the offending battery. The helicopter has been directed there"

"We might get attacked along the way"

"Ara. All I can do is tell you where to go. That's all, over and out"

Click… she hung up.

Chizuru sighed at this. Perhaps she was also expecting this from the professor herself. "Well you heard her every one. Looks like we'll have to move onward to point E"

"Understood…" Meiya seemed calm. One could tell that she was also expecting something like this when she realized the professor would be the one to give the order. "We must never let our guard down after all. This exam is to test our very persistence of survival"

"It does sound like something the professor would do" Even Tama seems to agree with my thoughts.

"Talking about it won't get us any closer. We'd best move now while we can or else we might get shot again" I suggested to them which they all quickly agreed without hesitation.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

We quickly made our way back towards the forest using whatever light the sun could provide. Again I remember this part well. Somewhere around this area was the gun battery radome which calculated its target trajectory. I knew where it was but pointing it out on such a distance would make me look like I had binoculars built into my eyes. They're already suspicious enough during the shooting range where I shot the 1000 meter target without even using a scope and Tama said it herself that I was almost in equal footing as her.

"Shirogane, keep up the pace" Class rep urged me to go faster but the terrain was still too much for me to handle. "We can't slow the whole squad down just for you"

"Yeah yeah, I get it" I replied before taking the lead. "But you also have to be careful. Moving too quickly might trigger a nearby trap"

"Mikoto's taking point so we doing have to worry about that. If she spots a trap we'll know it"

"You also have to be careful about the gun battery. It didn't shoot the helicopter when it came down so it's probably a low altitude gun. (…) I know you want to finish the exams quickly but that'll mean nothing if we fail because we rushed in. Have patience and we still have plenty of time before we reach the rendezvous point"

Meiya turned around after hearing my explanation. "Though it may slow us down. Takeru does have a point. Rushing blindly to our target may fail us in this exam. We should remain vigilant and cautious at best less we encounter unexpected obstacles along our path"

"See? Even Meiya agrees with me"

"Alright I guess we could slow down a bit. The sun is already setting" Chizuru sighed in admittance of our arguments.

But right before we could move further, Tama yelled out halt to the group. "Wait! Hey… there's a radome over there. (Where?) There right at the center of the cliff near the gun battery emplacement"

"I can't get a clear sight from here"

Tama then grab the scope off the rifle and use it to get a better look at her target. "Yeah… it's a radome alright. I can't see anything clearly but the dome is missing a few pieces and I see something moving inside"

"The professor said the gun was automatic, right?" Mikoto recalled. "Then that thing is most likely the sensors"

"Yeah, it didn't react to the helicopter when it flew overhead" I reminded them.

"Sakaki, let us destroy the radome" Meiya suggested. "Since it is most likely to be the gun's sensors we should take the opportunity while we have it. It would save us valuable time in avoiding open spaces"

"Agreed" that was quick of Class rep. "Tamase, can you hit the dome from here?"

Our little pink haired archer nodded confidently. "Yes. There's no wind right now so I should be able to hit it without any problem" Now I can definitely see the change of expression Tama had on her face. She wasn't brimming with confidence like she used to but after seeing her shoot down that HSST shuttle across the horizon in one of my time loops I know that this little trick shot will be like shooting a cow at point blank range. I know you can do it Tama.

"Just shoot the top of the radome" Mikoto advised her with a wide open smile to give her that extra confidence. "Hit that and the rest of the dome is useless. (Yeah!)"

Tama took up a prone position with a clear line of sight of the dome. That was her usual position when she wanted to take a potshot at a target beyond her regular reach. Knowing well that she was still uncomfortable with being watched I decided to lessen the pressure off her.

"Alright guys, there's no need for us to stand next to her. Let's spread out and keep an eye for any sign of trouble. Because once that shot fires it might attract unwanted attention to ourselves"

Chizuru agreed with me which was quite rare. "Good idea. Someone might know where we are after that bombardment earlier"

We quickly spread out keeping an eye on our surroundings. Even though I wasn't expecting any soldiers or BETA to pop out of the ground we still had to act like we were in an operation. Tama aimed the rifle carefully, timing her shot with her heartbeat. She must almost be nervous, heck I know I would if I knew I only had one shot to change my entire shot.

Bang!

The bullet flew and thanks to my training in all those loops I could actually see it flying in the air like a brown flash crossing through my sights. The top of the radome blew off. Despite being made out of strong material such as iron the anti-material rifle cut through it like it was made out of cardboard.

"Target destroyed!"

The squad celebrated quietly at Tama's impeccable marksmanship. But I wasn't worried… maybe a few loops I was but now it seemed like a regular occurrence. We traveled for another hour or so to lose our imaginary pursuers and pitched camp near the edge of the forest. I could see the wooden bridge that we have to cross just a kilometer away but traveling now would simply be too much for the group.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Again we decided on a twenty minute guard shift. I took first watch after everyone had their share of their meal and went straight to sleep. I was beginning to like the peaceful serenity of being a lone guard in the middle of the night. It was calming and for me it was a time where I could reflect on my actions. But I was going to need more than twenty minutes if I was going to reflect my whole life. A year probably won't be enough either.

The stars above me glittered, shining brightly even after the squall earlier. The next one wasn't going to come until a lot later so we had time. Haaa… looking at this clear cloudless sky now, it kind of reminds me of the time I went out with the Valkyrie Company to pay respects to our fallen comrades by the cherry tree road near our base. Marimo chan, Captain Isumi, 1st Lieutenant Hayase, 1st Lieutenant Munakata, and 2nd Lieutenant Kazama. Everyone. I thank you from the bottom of my heart for teaching me so much. Though I may have betrayed your teachings by going back in time once more… it was due to my own selfishness. You guys are probably hating me right now eh? Hehehe… by the time this is all over I'll be waiting for a long lecture from you guys for sure. But for now… please… just watch me as I try to shape the future.

That's right. In this timeline… there's no time for doubt anymore. Time is on my side after all… and that's all I need to make this plan work.

"Takeru?" I noticed Chizuru calling me as she appeared from the shadows. "It's time for my shift. You can take your break now" I turned around to meet Class rep's face. The Class rep in this world was a tough soldier whose father was the prime minister of Japan. In the other world she was the representative of my classroom and the captain of the Lacrosse team. As far as I remembered she didn't have a father there but she had a mother who'd go out with a different man every day. I guess in both worlds she had a life of parental grief.

"Is it really that time already?" I asked feigning ignorance.

"You can stay here for another twenty minutes if you want" she said with a slight hint of sarcasm hidden in her words. The girl half expected me to whine but instead all I could give was a stare of longing. "W… what? Why are you looking at me like that? Do I have something on my face?" (Flash) The memories of the loop when I fell in love with Chizuru in both worlds were surfacing when I saw her blush. When she cried for me, smacked me, laughed with me and kissed me. They were all coming back. Perhaps staying close to a specific person brought all those old emotions back. Not good…

Images flashed before my eyes and for a split moment I actually remembered the feeling that I had for Class rep in those loops. On the outside she was as tough as a woman could possibly be but on the inside she could easily break like any other human.

"S… stop that" she said to me blushing even harder than before. "Your stares are… really powerful… you know that?"

"Ah sorry. I was just in deep thought again" I explained to her. "Anyway. I wouldn't mind staying for another twenty minutes if you want. You should rest Class rep. You'll need your strength for tomorrow"

"D… don't be ridiculous! I have a responsibility to the squad as well as a soldier. You should Rest now while you still can"

"Hehehe. Well if you want I can keep you company for the next shift"

She blushed at my teasing words. "Idiot. (sigh) Fine. But after this you're going to sleep. I need the squad up in full strength for tomorrow. (Hai hai)" We remained there, in silence keeping a watch for any imaginary enemy that may appear. But even though we were meant to be lookouts I couldn't help but look at think on how cute Class rep looked. I remember in one of the loops back in my world she took me out on a date to the illusion gallery in the city. It was a rather fun time and she seemed to enjoy it most when I was tricked by the elevator painted on the wall. Heh… I actually fell for that trick twice if I remember correctly.

"Heh… I looked like an idiot back then"

"You say something?"

I shook my head in reply. "No. Just some old memories popping back at the wrong time"

"A friend of mine once told me that you cannot erase the things that has happened in the past" Hmmm… perhaps those words held some truth. Even though I can ACTUALLY change the past doesn't mean I can change the things that I've experienced. "What's done is done. All you can do now is move forward. Remembering the past can actually make you stronger"

"Yeah… I agree with you completely Class rep" Even till today she remains strong, courageous and continues to move forward regardless of what may happen. "But can I ask you something? (What?) If you had the power to save people would you use it? (Huh?) Let's simulate a situation. You don't have to answer if you don't want to, ok?"

"You're acting really weird, Takeru" Ouch… talk about being blunt. "But I guess you've been weird ever since you've joined us anyway" Double ouch.

"Tell me. If you had the power to save people, would you use it? Despite the consequences that comes after?

"What kind of a question is that? Of course I'd use it. Regardless of what consequences that may come after, I wouldn't hesitate to use it. As a member of the U.N. Army it is our duty to use the fullest extent of our abilities to protect those that cannot protect themselves. No matter what happens, our actions will be remembered. I strongly believe that"

I smiled warmly at her. "Somehow… I knew your answer would be something like that" Thinking about it now. I wonder what Class rep would do if she were in my position. If she had the power to go back in time and become the casualty conduit, what would her actions be? "Anyway, thanks Class rep. (Eh?) I just needed to hear it from someone else. Thanks…"

"Umm… you're welcome"

I pat her shoulders and decided to get some rest. "Well I'm calling it a night. Don't take this watch too seriously now or else you'll end up like a zombie in the morning"

"Take…ru?"

**(The next morning)**

When morning finally came the squad had themselves a hefty breakfast of fruits that Mikoto was able to find from the nearby bushes. The few berries that weren't poisonous were a welcomed meal after such a long distance travel. We didn't need something that would make us too full to travel or too hungry to slow down.

Mikoto once again took point ahead of us keeping an eye on traps that may appear. Our formation was a tight solid one that moved in a quick pace. By noon we had already arrived at the wooden bridge that lead to the other side of the crevice.

"Can we… get across this?" Chizuru looked unsure of the unstable conditions of the bridge.

Mikoto felt the ropes holding the bridge and nodded. "The old ones seem to be fine. I can use the new one to fix some of the more unstable part. It can hold for another day or two if we repair it now"

"But the bridge on the far side is made of metal" Tama pointed out on the mentioned bridge.

"It looks a lot stronger and stable" I added. "No doubt it'll be much safer too. But to get there we'll have to cross through the jungle again and no doubt there'll be more traps and the terrain will slow us down"

"Agreed" Meiya nodded to me. "Doing that will require a significant detour. It's no different than the dangers that we face on this bridge"

Chizuru confirmed with us and quickly handed the rope equipment to Mikoto. "Yeah. We have to prioritize speed now. If we had any pursuers they will find us in the woods. Mikoto and Ayamine, can you fix the bridge? (Yes!) Good. Everyone else keep a lookout. (Roger!)" The two of them were amazing. Despite being hung on such a height they could easily get through the shaky bridge and repair the knots without even wasting breath.

After about an hour the bridge barely even shook anymore.

"Squad leader! It's ok now!" Mikoto yelled on the other side of the crevice.

"Understood. You two stay there and keep a lookout"

"Ok. But be careful! It's still very fragile!"

"Yoroi, stop shouting"

But she didn't. "The core of the bridge looks like it's rotting!"

"I don't think she can hear us" Tama deduced.

But I simply chuckled at them. "No, she'd keep talking even if she could hear"

Our squad leader sighed at this but was happy nonetheless that we were making headway progress. "Then let's cross in order of weight. Tamase will go first. I'll come in second. Meiya and Takeru will go last. Understood? (Yes) Stay alert until it is your turn"

We crossed the bridge quite easily and made it to the other side of the crevice before sunset. It's difficult for me to imagine how I looked back then when I was a complete amateur in this course. Being afraid of the tiniest things and always needed everyone's help to get through. Hehehehe. I can already see myself lying down here with a goofy smile on my face.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

After another two hour walk we made our way towards the new extraction point near the edge of the cliff. There was a helipad there and Marimo chan waiting right in the middle. Everyone could tell that this exam was finally coming to a close. With proud smiles, the squad gathered up their strength and courage towards the instructor. I remembered the first time we finished the exam. I jumped so high I thought I was flying.

"Evaluation complete! Squad 207B, form up!" We immediately stood at attention at the call of her voice. It somehow became a reflex when we hear her voice now. To me it has at least. But still I can't help but see Marimo chan as the cute Homeroom teacher we have back in my world.

"…" I could hear some of the girls breathing sighs of relief when they heard that our evaluation was complete.

Marimo smiled proudly at us and held her stopwatch closely. "This Comprehensive Combat Skill Evaluation is hereby complete. You've all done well" a silent cheer came around us but I knew that she had more to say. "I will now inform you of the result. (Eh?) (Ahem) Your methods of destroying the enemy facilities, plus capturing and using their items all get passing marks. Also, you neutralized the greatest threat in this exercise, the gun battery with minimal effort. (Sigh)" Eh? Why is she sighing? "Though I have to admit that you've all performed amazingly in this exercise… I have to say that I've not once seen a squad get this much score in this exam"

That… was a compliment… right?

"Does… that mean?"

"Not plan is ever flawless but here you have demonstrated that you've made the right choice. Theories are just theories after all. In the end there were no enemy pursuing you but you remained vigilant and were prepared for almost every possible situation. Besides… the main objective of this mission was to escape and that alone was done. Though it is rare for me to say this… the six of you passed this exercise with flying colors"

Tch…

I heard Chizuru choked a sob when she heard that. She couldn't hide the tears of joy well and it seems like everyone around her had the same reaction. But not for me. I remained steadfast and watched as the girls cuddled together in silent laughter.

But the next day… I came to remember one of the most important thing in this event…

"I CAN'T BELIEVE I FORGOT TO BRING MY SWIMMING TRUNKS AGAIN!-!-!-!-!"

Oh well I guess I'll have to find a seashell to bring back for Kasumi. I did promise to bring her a souvenir after all.


	5. Shirogane Takeru,The Legendary TSF Pilot

**Chapter 5: Shirogane Takeru, the Legendary TSF Pilot**

**(November 23, 2001 Friday) (Yokohama Base) (Shirogane's room)**

Shake shake…

Booo… five more minutes… I'm still sleepy. (Shake shake) Oh come on Sumika. Just five more minutes. I promise I'll get up then. (Shake shake and more shaking) Eh?

"… good morning" Oh it was Kasumi that woke me up today. I was wondering why the hands were smaller and gentler than Sumika.

"Uuuuuu… let me sleep a little longer~" I pleaded shoving my blanket over my head.

"No…" Kasumi pulled my blanket away exposing me to the cold air. "… good morning…"

"Ahh cold! Come on now, Kasumi" The cold wind immediately chilled me up from my bed. My bed head was quite a sight to behold too. "Ahh… what the heck. I'm up, I'm up"

"Bye bye…"

"Ah wait a second Kasumi. (bang!) Oh?" she bumped her forehead on the door with a loud thud. She rubbed her pained head with the back of her hand which made her look all the more adorable. Heh. She could easily pass on as my little sister. "You're better off not rubbing it. (…) Ahh look now it's getting red. (…) And when you hit your head you're supposed to go Agaaaa...!"

"A….gaaaa?"

"Yeah that's it! Oh… the reminds me I brought you a little souvenir from the southern island" I quickly shuffled through the things in my bag and brought out that seashell that I got earlier. It was in perfect mint condition that could be worth a few bucks on the market. "Now hold out your hand. (tweet) It's not something precious but we weren't exactly sightseeing there either so this is the best I could find. It's a seashell. You have to know what that is… right?"

"… yes…"

"It's a lot prettier than some of the other things in the lab so you can use it as decoration or something ahehe. Oh and if you hold it up to your ear you can hear the ocean" she held it up to her ear and listened closely. I half expected her to put on her bunny ears but that's probably too much to ask for. Though I'll admit that it would super cute if she did that.

"Thank… you…"

"You're welcome" I replied patting her head like a good kid. "Hey, when this war is over, why don't we all go for a swim next time? (twitch) Haha… I have a good feeling that you'll love it there. Maybe after winter though because it'll be really cold this time of the year"

"… bye bye…"

"Ah ok. See you later then^_^"

She walked out of my room but kept the seashell up to her ear. Even that alone made her look adorable.

**(A few hours later) (Classroom)**

Everyone was tensed when I arrived at the classroom rather early that morning. I guess they were all anxious to learn about the TSF controls as soon as possible. This is the very reason why they joined as Eishi cadets after all. Everyone listened carefully to what Marimo said and wrote down notes when they needed. It felt weird because I already knew most of this stuff but I looked a lot like a lazy student who didn't pay attention to the teacher. Haaa… I guess some things here never change.

"This concludes the basic movement lecture of the TSF" Marimo closed her book as she turned to face all of us. "As you can see, there's nothing that a human can do what a TSF can't do. So far these weapons have been the pinnacle of all existing war effort and have been the most effective weapon since the first landing of our enemies, the BETA. My advice to all of you is to learn all these movements as quickly as possible to become professional soldiers in the frontlines. I am expecting good things from all of you"

"Yes ma'am!"

"That will be all for the morning lecture. You are all dismissed. Be sure to skin through the entire control manual once a day. This afternoon, we'll be evaluating your Eishi aptitude test using armored suits. Finish your lunch before 1 PM, and then assemble in the dressing room. That is all"

"Salute!"

Once the instructor was out of earshot the rest of the squad gathered around for a little meeting of our own. They all seemed eager to ride on the TSFs and become real pilots but the book they were supposed to memorize was as thick as a brick. If this was a textbook back in my old world I'd probably faint already from stress.

"Hey, do you think we have to memorize everything from the manual?" Mikoto whined opening the first two pages and already he was lost on where to start first. But I did manage to get it in my head somehow. I wouldn't say I memorized everything, I just learned by practicing in the simulator and unlike them right now I've been in a real TSF before.

"Just looking at it makes me sleepy" Tama agreed with Yoroi, the book practically 1/12 of her size and height.

But then when Class rep came in I knew immediately what she had in store for me. "Well let's focus on getting some rest. Shall we go to the PX?" the rest of the group flashed a small hint of a grin knowing well what they had in store. Hehehehehe. They think that I don't know but they'll rue the day they tried to mess with me, Shirogane Takeru, the prankster king of the old world! Well… maybe not the prankster king but a good prankster nonetheless.

"Yeah we should" Mikoto agreed smiling with Tama and Ayamine.

"You are being too mean to him" Meiya added but her expression conflicted with what she said just now. She seemed awfully happy about it too.

The Eishi school tradition. Make one of the cadets in your squad eat so much that they'll puke in the simulator. I've been a victim of this prank before but thankfully their plan backfired when the simulator had no effect on me. I've done this before so in my other loops where each of these girls were my victim. Now let's see who will be my victim today.

"Now then everyone…!"

Tama raised a brow. "What?"

**A/N: I've played this event so many times that I never get bored seeing it over and over again.**

I grabbed Tama by the arm making her yelp in surprise. "Eh?"

"Tama says that she wants to completely stuffed after today's meal! (EH?)" I grinned evilly as I say the same thing all over again. "Ayamine, let's escort Tama to the PX together. (…) Mikoto, please bring Tama's food to her, if you don't mind. And get Kyouzuka oba chan to give her an extra large portion! (Haa…) Now Meiya, Class rep, don't just stand there. Help me bring Tama to the PX"

Tama looked around panicked like a scared cat that had just been caught in a trap. "U…u… u… umm! Everyone… this is a joke, right?"

I laughed. "Of course not! We planned this for your sake, don't trample all over it!"

Ayamine eyed me with suspicion. "Shirogane… do you…"

Mikoto's eyes widened in realization. "He knows!"

The group flinched while Tama panicked even more. "Nyaaaaaaaa!" she broke free from my grip but I quickly grab her again with both my arms around her.

"Wahahahaha! What could you possibly mean~? Let's go already!"

The little cat shivered around my locked arms. "Let goooooo! Save meeeeeee~~~! Everyone! Open your eyes~~~!"

Telepathic communication: 'Make Tama your new victim.'

Grin…..

The squad all saw my plan and agreed to it without words. Tama was now shivering even more and began to struggle away but failed. Chizuru approached us with a sly smile. "W…well it is an Eishi Training School tradition… someone has to uphold it"

"Good thing our squad leader is so understanding" I feigned innocent grinning even wider.

"That's no good at aaaaallll!" Tama broke free but Ayamine quickly grabbed her small head and lifted up to my face preventing her small framed body from escaping.

"Takeru" Mikoto called out. "How large is an extra large portion?"

"At least double a large"

"Uwa! That would be amazing! Alright then!" I saw Tama shivered as her legs kept moving but her body remained where it was, floating under Ayamine's mercy.

"Don't worry" Ayamine reassured her. "It'll only hurt at first. (Nooooo!)" Well… at least she attempted to reassure her.

Meiya frowned on bullying but I could tell that she was enjoying it inside. "I do not like this either but Tamase… you would be better off resigning yourself to your fate" and with all the squad against her, they were off. I grinned evilly like a villain and allowed them to conduct their little tradition. Well… someone's going to have to clean one of the simulator pods tonight.

"Hehehe. You fools, I'll never be tricked by the same prank twice now that I've known what awaits me"

**(Much later) (Simulator Room)**

When I arrive at the simulator room after wearing my exoskeleton suit I had a sense of anxiety from the other girls. That wasn't a surprise seeing that they were all embarrassed on wearing the suits for the first time. I don't know who designed them but they could've done something about the front chest and back parts which were only covered with skin tight fabrics. The girls looked really embarrassed when they wore the suits, which really made them look like greenhorns. But… I wished I could relive that sensation when I saw them for the first time.

Meiya and Class rep we covering their chest pretending to be folding their arms while Mikoto and Tama were hiding behind Ayamine who seems rather comfortable with it. Perhaps she's been in more revealing outfits before.

I have a good feeling that all female pilots are embarrassed about this.

I kept quiet on my comments and made as little eye contact as possible. It wasn't long then until our instructor returned to welcome us to our first simulation training. "We're going to start evaluating your TSF aptitudes now" the girl stiffened at attention but kept their arms folded around their chest. "Sakaki and Mitsurugi, enter the first two simulators. The rest of you stay here and wait your turn"

"Ma'am"

But just before the two girls got to the simulator pod I noticed Yuuko sensei entering the room. "Sorry to intrude~" she said cheerfully. "I see you're all having your aptitude test done neh?"

"Ma'am!" the others salute at the instructors command.

"There's no need to be formal around me you know. Ah but what the heck. So you guys done yet?"

"We were just about to start, vice-commander" Marimo stated professionally.

"Oh? That's too bad then. Any way Shirogane. (Hmm?) I'll have to borrow him for a while. (Eh?) Come come. We don't have all day"

"Yuu- vice commander!" Marimo chan complained. "We're still in the middle of the aptitude test. Please don't do anything to disrupt our training regime for today. Please wait until we've completed everyone's…"

"Sergeant Jinguuji" Everyone in the room including myself stiffened when Yuuko sensei addressed our instructor by rank. Not only that but she was also using her professional tone. That was the tone that you would only hear when she was absolutely serious. I've heard it before so it didn't affect me much but still it can send chills down my spine. "I understand the importance of the aptitude test but right now I require Cadet Shirogane on a very delicate task that only he is capable of doing. (Eh?) The details of the task is classified so I am unable to share and information. But I'm sure you know that already, Sergeant. However I assure you that he will not come to any harm"

"Ah…" Marimo paused looking at Yuuko sensei's serious expression. No surprise there. Even Meiya herself seems to be awed by it. Marimo chan glanced at me for a moment and breathed in. She probably wasn't expecting that tone to be used on her unless they were in the command center.

"I don't wish this to be a formal order, sergeant" Yuuko raised her tone slightly.

In the end my instructor surrendered. "Understood. Shirogane, go with her"

I saluted. "Yes ma'am!"

"Don't worry. I'll be sure to bring him back in time for his test" Yuuko added sound slightly more cheerful. "Come, Shirogane" I followed her out the automatic door and through the barracks. What was going on? Did I do something in this loop that changed the future already?

"Yuuko sensei? So why did you call me out?" I asked fearing the answer.

"Hmm? Oh nothing much. I just needed you to add the finishing touches of the OS system" EHHHHHHHHHHHH! "Why? What's with the sour face?"

"Then why'd you go and get all serious about it?"

"But isn't it a good thing?" she smirked. "You said it yourself that didn't have time so we may as well finish it today. Besides I already know your aptitude test scores from our earlier test so taking it again would be useless. Don't worry. Once this is over you can go back to the room and take your test"

"But did you seriously need to use your super serious tone? (Hmm?) Marimo chan and the others were pretty stiff when you used that tone"

"Ah but it was kind of fun neh? Having Marimo looking all scared and serious at the same time. It kind of reminds me of her when we were younger ahahahaha" I swear, Satan himself would shed a tear knowing what this woman was truly capable of. She was a devil incarnate, toying with people's emotions. "Oh by the way. You probably know this from your memories of the future but I've already ordered a batch of Fubuki training units for your squad. They'll be arriving in a few days"

"Ah… yeah. I remember you doing something like that. You wanted to order a new batch for us but that would take months off the factory line so you ordered the ones that were in the best conditions"

"Correct. It's a shame though I can't get new ones though -_-"

"Hey don't worry" I smirked back at her. "When the new ones come I'll even let you rip the vinyl off the seats" I knew that from Marimo chan back in my last loop. Yuuko sensei had a fetish for ripping new vinyl for some reason.

"Hooo… did Marimo tell you that?"

"The future her… yeah"

**(November 24, 2001 Saturday) (Simulator room)**

After that day I returned to my regular training routine with the other cadets. Most of our training now has been transferred to the simulator room so we had to wear our exoskeleton suits all the time. The other seems to be having a little trouble with the movement because they haven't gotten used to the shaking the TSF makes on every step. No one asked about the reason why Yuuko sensei brought me out of training which I was grateful but it seems to be brewing misunderstanding around them. Who knows… they might start thinking that I'm some kind of lab rat for the professor.

I acted natural and stayed with the group watching the simulator training view of Mitsurugi and Ayamine who were taking the basic control course. I could see how these two would work well together. They're both CQC experts. They tend to melee a target rather than shooting it from afar. But that only works when you're fighting another TSF. Against BETA however, swords and knives are pretty useless unless you really cut them thoroughly in half.

Right now Ayamine and Meiya were shooting at target balls that appear on screen. It was nice for beginners since these targets didn't really shoot back they just try to dodge your shots.

"Training Course E, complete!" Marimo announced from the control room. "Time: Fourty-five minutes. You may exit the cockpits" Meiya and Ayamine came out looking a little wheezy. Ever since the first time they entered they've been practicing to control their stomachs to keep them from getting sick every time. Tama however has a minor trauma in those machines since she was a victim of our little 'tradition'. The girls told me that when it was her turn she ran to the bathroom first and let everything out. It was a good thing though. She didn't have to clean her puke in the simulator but the janitor gave her an earful afterwards.

"Chizuru, Tamase, you two are up" Mikoto told them from the sidelines. The two pilots gulped a chunk of their saliva and headed to their respective cockpits with a weary expression. I guess it takes some time before they get used to it. "Good luck in there"

"Uuuuuuu…" I heard Tama simply groaned fearfully.

Once they were inside Marimo activated the same training course as the first group. Tama was good at shooting but the controls were still something she had to get used to.

"Training Course E… start!"

Chizuru went in first observing her surroundings. An excellent first move for a squad leader but that also made her a target.

"Tama. Three targets 35 degrees west. Distance, 300 meters! (Roger!)" Aha so that's their strategy. Chizuru was more used to the movements of the TSF now she had better control that way, Tama won't have to move that often and she can just pick the targets directly. With each shot she took, the balls disappear from the screen. Even the ones that were a kilometer away were not safe from her sights. "Four more targets south-south east! Distance, 450! (Roger that!)" If they keep this up they'll be professionals in no time.

Bang. Bang. Bang!

Before long the exercise was done and Marimo chan seemed happy about the results too. "Training course E, complete! Time: Thirty-nine minutes. You may exit the cockpits"

"Looks like we're next" I stated to Mikoto who smiled warmly but on closer inspection I can tell that she still had some uncertainly about her skills.

I entered the simulator and made myself comfortable in familiar surroundings. The inside of the simulator was no different than a real TSF cockpit. The controls were the same too. Feeling the two joysticks on both my hands and the buttons on each side, all my memories and experience fighting the BETA and rebels began to resurface. All my reflexes, the moves and heck even without the OS that Yuuko sensei is developing I think I can still do about 10, maybe 25 percent of my previous actions.

"Yoo hoo" Huh? Who's that? "Sorry for the interruption" I turned my screen on only to see Yuuko sensei on the other line.

"Yuuko sensei?"

"Yuuko!" Marimo barked out from the side of the screen. "Are you here to take Shirogane again?"

"Oh no please don't mind me at all" she replied innocently but Marimo and I know that her words were obviously less than innocent. "I'm just here to see how my little pet project was doing. Shirogane, give it your all out there"

"Ha? Uh… ok?"

Marimo eyed her old friend with a suspicious glare. As much she wanted to berate her she was still technically her superior officer. "You promise you won't do anything to interfere with my training?"

Yuuko gave her the puppy eyes. Yeah right. Like anyone would fall for that after knowing you for half their life. "Of course not. Like I said I'm just here to observe. Now go on"

Marimo didn't seem convinced though. But she closed the screen to continue nonetheless. "Very well. Shirogane, Yoroi, starting Combat Control, Exercise Course E" the screen on my cockpit then changed into an urban terrain with large buildings surrounding my TSF. Yup I know this place well. "Training… start!"

"Mikoto, you take left and I'll take right! (O… okay!) (ratatatatatatat)" I got the first three targets on my side with a single burst. This is good. That means I haven't lost my touch after being outside a TSF for so long. I quickly move my mech to the right but just as I suspected their movements were too slow for my taste. I had already input several commands three times before my machine coul do them. Another target came to my crosshair and with a pull of the trigger I blew it to bits. "Mikoto, you got two of them right behind you! (I… I got it!) I'm just about clear on my end. I'm heading to the next operation area"

"Alright I'll… try to… catch up!" Mikoto was trying her best I could tell but she was still timing her shots. Maybe she hasn't gotten used to the auto-lock feature the machine provided.

I'm not one to brag but that training course was a walk in the park for me.

"Training course E, completed! Time: Twelve minutes!" Marimo declared from the control room. In the background I could hear the other girls gasping at the awe of our performance. "You may exit the cockpit" Alright. That beats my old time by five minutes. Not too shabby for a guy who came from the future.

"Wait" Huh? Yuuko sensei? "Yoroi, you can come out. Shirogane, stay inside. (Eh?) You seem confident of your abilities. Perhaps a little extra challenge would spice your interest. (Yuuko!) Now now, you've seen his aptitude test. Why don't we see how far he can go? What do you say Shirogane? You up for it?"

I have a feeling I'm being reeled in for one of her traps but what the hell. "Sure I can go a few more miles"

"That's the kind of reply I wanted. It'll produce some nice data too for the training curriculum~. Escalate it to training course B. (EHHHHH?)" Training course B? I had that before in my previous loops. It's the course that simulates an operation where enemy had breached the base and that we're the last line of defense. The objective is to hold the enemies off until reinforcements arrive. There are two ways of winning. One was to simply defend the central building from taking too much damage or… Two: Eradicating the enemy completely before timer runs out.

"Yuuko!" Marimo barked out again. "Don't you think that's a bit much? He's only been in the simulator for twenty-six hours. I'll admit that his skills are extraordinary but that course is only for veteran pilots"

"Come on now. Have some faith in your student. Besides he doesn't seem to be refusing it either. Go on now. We can test the boy and see how much of a pilot he is neh?"

Marimo turned to my screen, her face marred with irritation. "Shirogane, you can say no if you want to! I'm not going to force you to take this course"

I had difficulties with this course back in my first loop because my machine couldn't react fast enough for me to catch the enemy. Usually this course would be done in teams but perhaps now… "Instructor, please let me take the course. (Eh?) I don't know how far I can go but if it's what the professor wants, then I can at least try. I won't fail…"

"See? See? Now stop your whining and get on with the program, Marimo"

My instructor groaned at her old friend. "Very well. Initiating training course B. (beep) In this operation, a large enemy force has made a surprise attack on the base. After a long fight it has been concluded that the enemy's main target is the communication array. All defenders in the area have been ordered to hold the position until reinforcements arrives but after a long series of fighting only a squad of TSFs are all that remains. Your primary objective in this mission is to stave off the enemy attacks from the radar for twenty-five minutes. That is how long until reinforcements arrive. The enemy size is about twelve battalions including tanks and TSFs"

"Twelve battalions!-?" I heard Chizuru outside my cockpit.

"There are several supply catch scattered around the base so use those to your advantage when you run low on ammunition. (Understood…) Operations timer on… Shirogane… are you ready? (…Yes…) Very well then. Operation Start!"

Once again the screen of my cockpit changed into random facility. There were buildings burning around me and on my radar I could see red triangles and large dots appearing on all corners. It had some static due to enemy interference but that was pretty much serves the point on why this course had to be done by squads. The communication array I had to defend had HP (Hit Points) So if it takes too many hits the meter goes down. There were a few automated defenses to keep me company but they're pretty much useless against Tactical Surface Fighters.

Start!

I quickly launch a counterattack on the enemy first. I've done this course a few times before but never alone. I took note of the supply boxes around me and waited. In this operation, the enemy commander was so sure of victory that he ordered a full frontal attack with everything he's got. I took cover behind the ruined buildings and disabled my IFF because as far as I know I didn't have any friends on this battlefield.

The first group arrived just as simulation predicted. Quickly I ambushed them destroying the bigger TSFs first because they were the biggest threat. The automated defenses could take care of the tanks that I let pass.

Aim. Shoot. Kill. Repeat.

These were the words that I taught myself during training. When fighting an enemy, don't think too much or you'll get distracted and that alone can cost you your life.

The next wave came right as soon as I destroyed the first wave. This one consisted of many more TSFs and larger tank divisions. They already spotted me so I simply charged at them harassing their lines with lead and fire. The A.I. of this course was rather challenging too because the next wave would come in the moment the previous wave is defeated. So it's pretty much a time attack thing.

"Alright! Let's see what you got" If I remember correctly there are a total of 7 waves of enemies in this course and each one larger and a lot tougher than the last one.

This wave was tougher because they use artillery to keep me pinned while the TSFs move in for the kill. Again it was still as simple as running, shooting and keeping your fingers crossed. On the fourth wave was when it got hard. This time the attackers came from three separate directions all headed towards the communication array. This wave required speed and skill as the automated defenses could only hold the invaders for so long.

Bang!

What the? Ah crap! One of the enemy mechs clipped my shoulder? I'm getting sloppy. I quickly jumped back to avoid its next attack and fired my gun as a countermeasure.

'Target destroyed' the mech exploded with the phrase showing up in a flash. I quickly move up to the next area and destroyed the enemy from a distance.

**(Marimo's POV)**

My chest tightened a bit as I watched helplessly on the screen where my young cadet was fighting. Though it was only simulation I had to say that the details the graphic designers added certainly made it very realistic. But of course that alone wasn't the thing that amazed me. What certainly had me gasping for breath was the sight of Shirogane's skill behind the TSF's controls. I looked through logs of his button bashing and saw that he had been pressing command after command repeatedly even before they activate.

Even against overwhelming odds, the moves he was doing were inhumane at best. He was doing flip kicks, boost jump and even moves that I never thought possible. It was as if he was treating the machine as an extension of his own body. I kept telling my students that there was nothing human can do that a TSF can't but after looking at what he was doing I have to say that a TSF can do so much more than man.

"Oryaaaaa!" Takeru gave out a war cry charging at his A.I. opponents with guns blazing with amazing accuracy. The fourth wave of the training course was annihilated rather quickly with fifteen minutes to spare. This time the fifth wave consisted of large attack force coming from all directions and this is exactly why this particular course required a squad to operate properly.

"Takeru's… amazing" I looked to my side and saw the other cadets looking at awe at the screen. Tama's eyes were sparkling as if she was looking at a child's magic show. I'm not surprised. I too was beginning to believe that I was looking at something totally surreal.

"He's holding out so many of them at the same time!" Mikoto yelled out just like always. It seemed more like she was watching one of those amazing war hero movies. "That's so cool! I could never do something like that! (Ratatatatatatat) Awesome! Just looking at him taking down those guys is making me dizzy already"

"But this is only simulation" Chizuru followed after with her comment. "In reality it would take more hits to destroy an enemy TSF. The simulation only calculates the approximate number of hits before it is actually damaged or disabled"

Meiya seems to agree but she still found herself looking quite bewildered. "True. But still, one cannot help but be amazed by his skills. To be able to move like, crouch down and shoot to improve accuracy and then to quickly switch to a knife in combat while at the same time dodging artillery is something that none of us can do. It is as plain as the eye can see that Takeru possesses skill far beyond our own"

"…"

Kei san simply nodded in agreement. It was difficult to read what she was thinking.

"Ahh! The building is taking damage!" Yoroi noted looking at the HP of the structure.

Sakaki saw it too and quickly looked at the top map overlooking the battlefield. "The last of the automatic defenses are gone too. Shirogane will be fighting alone out there"

"Don't you think this is kind of overkill?"

The squad leader shook her head in reply. "Shirogane accepted the challenge so there's nothing we can do about it"

I looked back to the screen with bated breath when Shirogane defeated the fifth wave after sustaining some damage himself. Remarkably he only had a few hits on his shoulders and not his body. Perhaps he was using the machine's own limbs as shields.

"Amazing… isn't he?" Yuuko directed her words to me. "I thought that his skills would be higher than the others just by a large margin but this thing widens the gap between them by ten folds"

"Professor…" I asked. "Just who is Shirogane Takeru? (Hmm?) There's no doubt now that this boy is anything but ordinary. In every training routine that I put him in, he comes through it with almost perfect marks. No cadet has ever shown this kind ingenuity. No… I don't think it's even humanly possible for anyone to achieve that mark at all. With or without luck either"

Kouzuki grinned at me in response. "Are you asking me as an instructor… or as Marimo chan right now? (Eh?) Ahaha. You're cute when you blush like that. But you are right though. (Huh?) Shirogane… isn't ordinary. In fact… can you still call him human after all this? (What was that?) No. I said too much. Forget it. Let's just watch the show without any interference"

Yuuko. I don't know if that's your way of luring me but leaving a sentence hanging out like that really makes me curious.

**(Takeru's POV)**

"HAAAAAAA!" I stabbed the chest of another enemy TSF with my combat knife, destroying it instantly. That was wave six. Just one more and I'll be free and clear. But I don't think I'll be able to do much. I've unconsciously used my arms and shoulders to deflect damage from my body. It's only natural for pilots to protect the cockpits since it is the most vital part in the TSF. But it's almost amateurish to prioritize survival over attack capability.

As I watched on the horizon where the next enemy wave was coming I took a quick glance at my mission timer which still had a good sum of minutes left. Grabbing whatever ammo I could get my hands on I decided to make a final stand in front of the communication array. It was down to half of its health bar so that means that it can only take on a few more direct hits. That also means that I can't allow any of the enemy to get too close or take any potshots. I kind of looked cool too, like one of those heroic soldiers making a final stand taking down as many enemies as he could before falling.

"Bring it on!" Yell out loud in battle for morale. "I'll take you all on!" It's funny. Thinking about the situation I'm in now, it kind of reminds me of the time when Yokohama base was attacked. It was a herd size BETA strike that was nearly unstoppable. Our defenses were weak at the time and reinforcements from Kanto and the other bases were unable to join us in time.

We lost a lot of good soldiers there. (Flash) Kashiwagi. (Flash) Hayase. (Flash)… everyone.

_"Just go Shirogane!"_

'NO!' Damn it. Why did I have to think of such a painful memory at such a time like this? Why did everyone have to die? Why should I be the only one who remains? Captain, everyone. Why did you all have to sacrifice yourself for me? Was it because I was special or… was it because you were all prepared to lay down your lives for the greater good? Were you girls so prepared to face death and still smile knowing you've protected something precious?

No! I won't accept that. I can't accept that! Just because you protected something you love, doesn't mean you can just go and charge into your deaths! Why don't you try thinking of the people you leave behind! God damn it, why am I thinking such a stupid thing right now?

**(Marimo's POV)**

My heart skipped a beat when I saw the charts coming from the monitoring computer. Shirogane's heart rate was increasing as well as his brainwave activities. Both of them were going off the charts.

"Emotional response…" Yuuko explained to my imaginary question. "I see. He can bring that out at the most desperate of situations. If you keep this up Shirogane, it might be difficult for me to let you go, hehehe"

"Yuuko?"

"Quiet" she shushed me quickly. "Look closely" I followed her face towards the screen looking at Shirogane. His body remained completely still in the cockpit and his eyes buried under his hair. But I could see it. Streaming down his cheeks only reflecting the light from the machine. He was crying. "Marimo. This is how a true warrior is made"

**(Takeru's POV)**

"ORYAAAAAAAA!" blinded by rage I could feel nothing but the reflex of my arms and the beeping of multiple alarms ringing over my ear. Remembering that battle in the base brought so much pain that I've been holding in, out into the open. The last time I cried was probably the time when I realized Sumika was the one who made me a casualty conduit and that was already… so long ago.

Bam!

I saw my damage calculator and saw that my TSF had sustained damage on the foot. That was fine. I don't need legs to fight. I kept my finger on the trigger and destroyed countless enemies that kept appearing on my screen. But no matter how many I destroy, they just kept coming and I had no more room to withdraw. That was fine. I was ready. Come on! Give me everything you've got!

Boom…

The simulator reacted to the explosion shaking my pod with a massive vibration. But I barely felt it. All I could see was the enemy in front of me. Everything was irrelevant.

Explosion after explosion followed soon after and before I knew it I was already out of ammo. I threw my gun at my opponent but surprisingly enough it just went through him. Go figure. This was a simulator after all. The more advance or creative fighting styles were not implemented here.

Switching to melee I grabbed my combat knife for the fifth time and charged at the last remaining TSF squad. They barraged me with a hail of bullets but I quickly dodge it by using the boost jump technique that I developed. I landed behind them and stab the first unit at the back working my way up to the front. On the last unit I simply threw my knife at the cockpit and gave one speedy uppercut but again obviously my fist simply went through the hologram.

Brrrr…

My cockpit gave out a strange hum as the screen changed back to the simulator cockpit. Marimo chan's face appeared to my side. "Training course B, completed!" she announced with a stern face. "Time: Twenty-three minutes. Shirogane, you may exit the cockpit"

"Understood…" I rubbed my weary eyes when I exited from the simulator. That wasn't good. I really need to stop thinking about the past and future or else I might become emotionally explosive.

But when I exited, Yuuko's face was the first I saw. "Not bad. Not bad at all. Though you did get a little sloppy in the end"

"Yeah. Sorry about that. I got distracted with some thoughts" I answered honestly rubbing my eyes. "So what was that about?"

"I just wanted to see something interesting, nothing special" She patted me on the back a few times. "But you defeated my challenge quite well. Though I didn't expect you to win, it was certainly entertaining. Come to my office later. We'll have much to discuss"

**(November 25, 2001 Sunday) (PX) (Breakfast)**

Sunday was a holiday for us cadets. Even though we are technically soldiers we needed a little time for ourselves to rest and recuperate. Heck even a guy like me can feel fatigue every now and then. This was one of the many reasons why I was glad that there was a cafeteria. At least that part of my old school hasn't changed at least. Grabbing a tray from the counter and some food from Kyozuka oba chan I joined my squad at our regular table.

…

…

…

I felt the weight of their stares when I sat down on my regular seat. "Uh… hey guys… what's wrong? Is there something on my face?"

Tama took a closer look at me and grab my cheeks in response. "Hmm… squishy just like a regular human. Artificial skin maybe?" Eh?

"That is a possibility" Class rep placed her hand on her chin as she looked closer at me as if appraising a diamond. "Perhaps using animal skin and silicon sensitive materials as nerves"

"And a supercomputer that can process billions of terabytes an second!" Mikoto added making me even more dumbfounded by what they were trying to say.

"There's only one way to prove it!" Tama then pulled out a magnet from her pockets and slab it right on my forehead. Ow… "They say that putting a magnet near a CPU can damage its internal systems by altering the currents inside and attracting and repelling the electrons. So how are you feeling Takeru san?"

"A little confused on what you're doing right now" I answered honestly because I have no idea what they were trying to do or what they were saying. What's a magnet supposed to prove anyway?

"It seems like that won't work. Why don't you try this?" Class rep then pulled out a radio device from her pocket and waved it near my head. "If he does have a CPU brain then the radio will pick up a frequency from his electronic signals"

"What the hell are you guys talking about?" I asked listening to the static on the radio, but so far all I could hear was some calm music on the other side.

"Nothing?" Meiya asked.

Chizuru looked at the radio and placed it by my ear as she was trying to find some sort of imaginary signal. After awhile she shook her head in disappointment. "No. Nothing at all"

Ayamine then opened up her mouth to add to my confusion. "My turn now… Takeru. (Huh?) … show me your hand. (Uh… ok?) Good boy"

"Hey I'm not a dog" I argued but quietly obeyed her request and stuck my hand out to meet hers.

"Hmm… calm pulse. (Huh?) (Prick!)"

"YEOWW!" the crazy girl just pricked my finger with a needle. What the heck? "What the hell was that for?"

"Just a test" came her monotone answer. She then pulled out a tissue from the nearby box and wipe the blood off the needle. She observed the tissue and smiled coyly. "… I was right… your blood is black…"

"EHHHHHHHH?"

"For real?" Mikoto was shocked.

"… I lied…" Wha? Why am I surprised there? Ayamine lies half the time! "Too bad…"

"Wait wait wait! Hold it!" I yelled out finally. "What the hell is going on? What are you guys doing? Tama, why'd you put a magnet on my head and Class rep, why'd you put a radio next to my ear and why the hell did you prick me Ayamine?"

The squad smiled guiltily at me. They looked like a bunch of kids that got caught red handed in a prank or something. Mikoto was the one who answered my question. "Actually Takeru san. The girls and I were just having a bet on what you actually are. (Huh?) We meant no harm really. It was just something to pass the time with. We were curious because you did so well in the simulator the other day"

Tama nodded too feeling ashamed for hitting me with a magnet. "When we heard Instructor Jinguujii that it was impossible for any human to do that we began to think that you were a cyborg or something"

Cyborg? Seriously?

"Well to be honest, I kind of persuaded her into believing that" Class rep confessed, her features stainless without even a hint of guilt. "But it was a rather convincing thought seeing that you're capable of doing such things. A supercomputer as a brain and metallic bones under your skin making you into a superhuman"

"For a moment there I actually believed her too" Mikoto admitted giving out comical tears. "But I'm actually glad you're not a robot Takeru san or that'll be too creepy for me and I had a dream that robots will one day take over the world bwaa!"

"And what about the pricking my finger thing?" I turned my sights to the woman responsible for giving me that little wound on my finger.

"Ayamine had a theory that you might not be human but a superhuman mixed with animal DNA" Tama explained to which the emotionless girl simply nodded in response. "But I'm glad that she's wrong though because I thought of what might happen if Takeru san was a human mixed in with the DNA of a bird. (Pause…) Oh… that would look so cool though if you were able to fly" Please don't start fantasizing about me being a half-animal.

"And what about you, Meiya? (Eh?) What did you think I was?"

The woman in question looked away from me for a second there with a small blush on her cheeks. "N… nothing. I had no thought in that subject"

"Eh? But Mitsurugi san, didn't you say that he was Nobunaga… heh?"

"Yoroi…" Meiya's eyes flickered at the talkative girl beside me. "I hope you know the consequences of finishing that sentence" A katana sheath was placed on the table giving out her full intentions.

Mikoto shivered from the sheer killing intent of the samurai and sealed the topic away for all eternity. The squad let out a soft chuckle at her which eased the tension. Geez. Maybe showing off to much of my own skills was giving them weird ideas.

"But it can't be helped after all" Class rep spoke up, turning her face to me. "With all your scores and your control logs and not to mention your unbelievable skills in piloting a TSF, the cadets around here have been circulating a lot of rumors about you. (Eh? Me?) Of course, haven't you noticed something strange around you?"

I looked around the PX for a quick second there and then began to notice several stares coming from the other cadets in the room. They don't seem to be eyeing me with any malice but more of an oddity. I felt like a rare animal being displayed in a public zoo. Perhaps I should've held back a little. I don't want my name to be on the posters or anything or on the headline of tomorrow's newspaper.

"Not only because of your skills, Takeru san" Tama added. "But also because you've been hanging around with Professor Kouzuki, other people start to think that you're a very important person"

"That is true" Meiya agreed. "There are not many people who are that close to the professor. She's easily the most powerful person in the base and seeing her talk to you in such a casual manner only adds suspicion to your identity"

"Hey now. Don't tell me you guys are thinking that I'm some kind of super-elite soldier from a special force now, are you?" my face twitched at the girls who responded with different expression. "As far as I know I'm still flesh and blood like you guys. I still bleed and feel pain like all of you. The only things we don't have in common are our skills. Sure I may be good in piloting a TSF, but Tama can still beat me in the shooting gallery hands down"

"But Takeru san can shoot almost as good as me"

"Meiya can still beat me up with her katana. Chizuru is more knowledgeable about tactics that I am. Ayamine can beat me any time when she uses her 'Space Tornado Ayamine' throw at me and Mikoto here can still teach me a lot about First Aid"

…

…

…

"Well… that is true… but"

"Takeru can still do all those things without our help" Meiya finished looking a little dull.

I let out a groan to all of them. "Oh come on you guys. At least be a little happy. We're all getting our TSFs today so we should be a little excited. (…) Ahh geez. Sometimes I wonder what would happen if I just disappeared. (Geh!) Huh?" I was stumped when I noticed everyone giving me the shocked look. Did I say something wrong?

Tama grabbed my arm so fast I dropped my spoon in the process. "Takeru san! You can't disappear on us now! You have to stay here or else terrible things might happen when you're not around!"

"That's right!" Mikoto grabbed my other arm in synch with the pink haired cat. "What if a meteor drops by or an enemy attacks? Who'll we call for help?"

"H… hey, guys, I was just kidding" They all breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing that.

"If I buy you yakisoba, will you stay?" Ayamine attempted with a bribe of some sort.

"How does that even work?"

**(After breakfast) (TSF Hanger)**

After we finished our meal and cleared up that little misunderstanding with the rumors about me being a robot, experimental soldier, cyborg, hybrid clone, etc. The squad and I decided to come to the hangers to check up on our TSFs. Our Fubukis were all parked neatly by the repair cranes for final adjustments and the engineers were working on fixing some of the loose knobs and gears that may have been damaged in previous operations. In the distance I could see some of the machines operating like clockwork.

"Wow… that's a real Fubuki!" Tama said as if she was girl who had just received a present from Santa. The Fubukis were training units, made specifically for cadets. They're cheap to make and not very durable but their greatest strength are probably their speed. "They're so much bigger than I saw in the simulator"

"Well they are the weapons that could match the BETA" Chizuru replied looking quite awed by the machine too. "They're not the best models around but they're occasionally used for cadets like us"

"But I wish I could I could pilot one of those Gekishin units they used on the battlefield" Mikoto squealed, looking at the giant mechs with two large round eyes. "They're so much more stylish"

"They won't give out regular military equipments to rookies like us" Class rep chuckled back at her. "We're not that experienced yet. If they start doing that they may as well give a handgun to every civilian in the country"

"…perhaps only for you"

"What was that?" Oh boy not again. Ayamine seemed to have fired the first shot on this argument.

"…Nothing"

"That didn't sound like nothing"

"… you're hearing things"

"What!"

But luckily for us, our instructor came in just in time to stop the fight from continuing. "You two are never going to stop fighting, are you…? (salute!) Have you finished your breakfast? Well, you can use this time to look around if you want. (Ahahaha) But you still can't get in them just yet. The engineers are still adjusting the TSFs and personalizing the cockpits"

"The professor's really overdoing it…" I stated feigning ignorance. "… though the mechanics who're making this happen are incredible too"

"Indeed. However… from what they said, the TSFs were already in good conditions, so they only need a new coat of paint. They're not exactly brand new but to be honest I'm amazed we were sent so many in such good condition"

"You mean… there are some in bad conditions?" Mikoto inquired.

"Professor Kouzuki originally filed a request for new ones but that would take at least thirty days to arrive, so she had to settle for these" Marimo answered looking at the machines that were being refitted for us. "I have to say that she personally handpicked the best ones for this squad personally. (Eh?) Seriously now. I can never understand what goes through that woman's head. Why does she even bother to give us well conditioned tools and…" she turned her eyes towards me in particular when she stopped mid-sentence. Uh oh. I'm not liking the glare here. "Anyway, get used to them as quick as possible. We'll have a simulation training early tomorrow and a mock battle using paintballs the following day. I have things to do but keep an eye on the clock. Dismissed"

"Salute!" Once our instructor left through the door, the squad quickly moved up to the catwalk to check out their personal machines. I guess they were all equally excited about piloting their own TSFs.

But out of all of them, I noticed a particular TSF hidden at the very back of the hanger. A giant mech larger than the Fubukis and painted in dark purple was a machine I knew well. It was the TSF that Tsukuyomi brought to help Meiya under the direct command of her sister, Yuuhi, the Grand Shogun of Japan. I turned my attention to Meiya who eyed the machine with great discomfort.

I spoke up. "A Takemikazuchi?" I pretended to be ignorant. After all, it wasn't something commoners like me get to see every day. As it was scripted in my previous loops, Meiya turned to me with a surprised expression. "What? Is it really that big of a surprise? (Glare…) H… hey now don't glare at me like that. You're scaring me"

"You… you knew about this?" she asked.

"I know what it is, at least"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

We walked down to the floor level of the hanger to meet the large mech on display. If I remember correctly, this unit was The Imperial Household Department special TSFs for exclusive use of the Imperial Honor Guards. The Takemikazuchi, a robot named after an old god of war. A fitting name though…

According to my memories in various loops, this thing usually stayed inside the hanger, forever staring into the empty void, collecting years' worth of dust in the process. In my last loop however, Meiya and the survivors of Valkyrie Company used these units to make a last ditch attempt to destroy the BETA core hive. I've seen how this thing moves and what it was capable of doing… but then again… it all depends on the pilot as well.

"… you are a strange man" Meiya said to me just like she did last time when I spoke the name of the machine.

"Ayamine's much stranger"

She darted a look to me with a blush on her face. "Idiot… I did not mean that. You know that this is a Takemikazuchi and yet you act so calm and natural like it was the wind that comes to your hair"

"Well I'm just a rude guy" I joked. "That's all I'm really good at"

"I find that that difficult to believe. You say those things despite your outstanding performance in basic and simulator training?"

"It's not like I was given much of a choice. I either had to learn it or…" I paused thinking that I may have answered wrongly.

"Or what?"

"No… it's nothing" I covered it up looking away. "Let's just say that my skills aren't what you think they are"

"Does this have to do with Professor Kouzuki?"

"Yes and no…" was my answer.

Meiya nodded satisfied. She knew that it was best not to ask someone of their privacy despite the fact that I knew everything about her. Well… almost everything. "Very well. I shall not ask then. Forgive me for inquiring" We both stopped and stared at the purple mech that hovered over us like a giant. From this height it didn't look as intimidating as before when I first saw it. I never got to pilot one because I was busy riding the XG-70d in our assault on the BETA core hive.

"Uwaaaa… a Takemikazuchiii!" Tama who seemingly appeared out of nowhere rushed up in front of us. Ah crap, if I don't stop her she'll get the spank again from Tsukuyomi for sure! I looked around and right on schedule there she was. The green hair and red armor was easy to distinguish. And not only that, but the Three Idiots were standing there along with her were hard to miss.

"Tama, stop! (Ara?) Listen. I think it's best not to touch it" she looked confused at first but decided to agree and step away from the machine. She quickly rejoined Ayamine who was staring at a mechanic who was fixing the joints and having difficulty because of the woman giving her the strange eye. "Phew…"

"… Takeru?" Meiya looked at me with a puzzled expression.

"Ah sorry" I apologized for acting so panicky for a second there. "But that woman over there is glaring at us so I thought that she'd be upset if Tama touched it, right?" Looking at them now I can't help but compare those four with the ones I have in the other world. Tsukuyomi was a shotacon ninja maid who served Meiya and was an excellent chef and not to mention a very caring and loving woman. But here, she's hardcore soldier with enough experience that would make this training school look like a place where they train toddlers how to walk.

The Three Idiots by her side were also very different. Here they're Tsukuyomi's subordinates and members of the Imperial Honor Guards and highly respected to boot. But in my world they were The Three Idiots who were incapable of doing anything correctly. The nickname feels so natural and I somehow still remember it. It's kind of difficult to call them anything else.

Tsukuyomi approached us first. "Meiya sama"

"Tsukuyomi… 1st Lieutenant" Meiya was surprised to see them. Perhaps a part of her wasn't expecting them to be the ones to deliver this highly respected machine. "W… what is it?"

The green haired woman shook her hands in fright. "Meiya sama! Please do not speak to me so formally! I am unworthy of such treatment"

Kamiyo, the (three) idiot with the smooth purple hair spoke up too. "She's right! We of the Imperial Honor Guard may have high ranks, but we're mere servants to the imperial bloodline" Meiya seemed disheartened to hear her say that but I guess I can understand her feelings. She was directly part of the royal family but the government decree that she doesn't exist in this world. She and the Shogun are twins after all and that would only serve complications around the royal bloodline.

"Although it is belated, congratulations on passing the Comprehensive Combat Skill Evaluation" Tsukuyomi said in a stern yet unhappy voice. Her three subordinates did the same.

"Congratulations…"

"You… do not seem too happy about it" Meiya deduced from the tone of their voices.

The green haired Eishi shook her head in response. "I have been saying for some time now that I cannot understand why you remain in a place like this, Meiya sama"

Meiya frowned at her comment. "I am here on my own free will"

"However! Meiya sama, there is no need for you to…"

"I will not forgive you if you finish that sentence"

Tsukuyomi backed down, realizing she was overstepping her boundaries. "M… my apologies. I have gone too far"

Meiya seemed to feel for the loyalty of these girls but still she could not allow herself to rely on their protection. "I apologize for forcing such inconveniences upon you. You must all find this place constraining compared to the royal barracks"

"We are unworthy of such words. There is no need for you to be so considerate of us, Meiya sama" The green haired girl then remembered the giant mech behind her. "More importantly, Meiya sama, we have prepared a Takemikazuchi for you. By all means, please use it for whatever operation that may come to you"

"I am very well aware of my position" Meiya replied looking at the purple machine and comparing it to the Fubuki next door. Putting those two together, the Fubuki looked like something the girl scouts would use to sell cookies in the neighborhood. "Even a Fubuki is too great an honor for a mere cadet"

"Please stop this. Meiya sama, you need not…"

"Cease your prattling!" my squad mate cut the woman off her words. "You should remove it at once. Others are sure to wonder what this is"

Tsukuyomi's face softened at her reply but remained steadfast nonetheless. "This Takemikazuchi exists for your sake, Meiya sama. We have been ordered to bring it to you. (Geh…) Meiya sama, you know better than any of us who is thinking of you…" That 'who' is obviously her twin sister, the Grand Shogun. "I beg of you, do not coldly refuse such considerations… Meiya sama"

Meiya paused on her thoughts, her face marring expressions of pain and longing but could not show them openly. "… do as you wish…"

The Honor Guards stood at attention. "We thank you for your understanding… I shall take my leave then" The four of them bowed shallowly before departing but not without giving me the cold eyes. I already half expected it seeing that they never fully trust me in the first place. Hmm… wait.

Trust… hmm… yes I think I can put that to my advantage. Though I can't get Tsukuyomi to trust me… perhaps if I work it the other way around perhaps I could actually use that to form a professional bond between us and of course her subordinate.

"That was unsightly, forgive me" Meiya apologized.

"Ah that's ok. If its family business then it's not something I should be poking my nose into" I replied smiling warmly at her to relieve her of some stress though I doubt it worked. "I'll pretend I never even saw it"

"Thank you…" and with that, she left along with the other members of squad 207.

Alright it's about time now. In about ten minutes Tsukuyomi will be coming back to give me a little warning in advance for getting close to Meiya. But I've seen her before in this world and the other. No matter what strong vicious tiger aura she may give out on the outside she's still a woman on the inside. Her strong loyalty and dedication may be her greatest weakness yet. I killed time by gazing at the Takemikazuchi admiring its brilliant stature and weapons. If only I had this during the battle of Sadogashima Island I would've been able to save the Captain and everyone else. But I guess that alone is too much even for me, eh?

"What are you doing?"

Right on time Tsukuyomi… and the three idiots. I turned my head to them as they reappeared from the same room they entered earlier. "Oh? Tsukuyomi san"

"I do not recall granting you permission to address me by name, Shirogane Takeru" Yikes, still putting up the cold hearted bodyguard act huh. No surprise there.

"Ah sorry about that. It was reflex, honest. I address everyone here by name once I learn it"

"Then I shall repeat" Tsukuyomi made a huff noise. "What are you doing?"

"Watching the Takemikazuchi" I answered somewhat … honestly. "I didn't touch it if that's what you're asking"

"That is not what I was referring to" I already knew that I'm just playing dumb to get her. "But regardless. You did not deny that you are, Shirogane Takeru"

"It seems so" Tomoe, the (three) idiot with brown spiky hair added confirming my facial identity. "There's no mistaking it"

With her subordinates behind her, Tsukuyomi took a step closer to intimidate me. I did not back away. "What are you?"

"You already said it" I replied holding firm on my stance. "You called me Shirogane Takeru"

"You choose to play dumb?" Ebisu the (three) idiot with blonde round hair seemed to have taken my reply as an insult.

"Why is a dead person training here?" When Tsukuyomi first said that to me in my first loop I was really shocked and awed on what she meant. At first I thought that it was some kind of word play but later I realized that the Shirogane Takeru of this world died a long time ago during a BETA attack.

"If I was dead, do you think I'd be standing here talking to you?"

"Why did you alter the UN Army database and infiltrate this facility?" Kamiyo stepped up as if she was trying to interrogate me.

"For an Honor Guard, you really do like to throw questions around without answering themselves"

"Are you mocking us!-?"

"You couldn't do the same to the government's information?" Tomoe added which only reminded me about the professor's deal. She said that she'd make me a new identity but I guess even she can't cover her tracks well enough for the Special Forces to track her down. "I can't imagine you thought no one would come after you"

Ebisu followed, just like the script. "Why are you trying to get close to Meiya sama?"

"Aren't you girls jumping to conclusions here?"

Tsukuyomi took a step closer and this time I knew how to counter her threat. "Depending on your answer, you may have to die again on this very day…" this was the moment Meiya would come and interrupt us but I made sure to steer clear of any open areas. It will be minutes before she'd find us.

Meiya and everyone else told me once in my loops that my glare had weight upon it. Tsukuyomi was using this technique to subdue me with fear and to derail my thoughts but now I know how to beat that glare. Tsukuyomi, I'm sorry about this. I respect you and you may have the longest experience of life and death in a single timeline but against my memories of pain and suffering, your threats are nothing more but a puppy's bark.

I focused my mental energies to my emotions and opened my eyes. I can feel the weight of my gaze and how it would paralyze an opponent in a duel. For a split second there I actually saw Tsukuyomi's eyelids widened slightly. The three idiots behind her also felt my stare and backed away a bit.

"I think you're overstepping your boundaries, 1st Lieutenant Mana" I remembered her last name barely in the nick of time. "For one thing, threatening a cadet of the U.N. army in their own base can strip you of your rank and title. It would create distrust between the two factions and that would go unfavorably to your side. Not only that, but your actions will also stain the reputation of the Honor Guard. I doubt the Grand Shogun would be please with what you've done"

"Why you…"

"But you are correct on some levels though" I added showing a smug face. "You are talking to a dead man. But no matter what your conclusion or your beliefs are. My loyalty is to my squad and my mission"

"Your mission?"

"Ara… it looks like I said too much. Forget it"

"Why you!" Kamiyo sheathed her teeth together. "You dare mock the Honor Guards?" I gave her another dose of my stare which seems to made her back off. "Geh…" Heck even the other two behind her seem to have felt it.

"Anyway, that information is classified. So I can't tell you much. If you don't like it then you can take it up with the officer in charge, Professor Kouzuki" the name seemed to have rung a bell in their nerves. Wow. Yuuko sensei's name must really be popular out there in the world. These girls even know about her.

"So you work directly under that woman?" Tsukuyomi asked, her tone losing some of its earlier hostility. "Hmm… then it is obvious now that you are no ordinary man. You are dangerous"

"What are you doing!-?" Meiya had impeccable timing as always. She arrived just the moment before Tsukuyomi could do anything to me. "Tsukuyomi, Kamiyo, Tomoe, Ebisu! You are still here? What are you doing?"

"Go easy on them Meiya" I pleaded which then made Tsukuyomi fume.

"You address Meiya sama in such a…"

Meiya stopped her. "It is alright. I have allowed it"

"Meiya sama, that man there is dangerous! Do you have any idea who he is?"

The princess looked at me with her clear cerulean colored eyes. There was not a doubt in my mind that she did not know me but the same time she believes that I do not know her. We both wanted to keep it that way and perhaps it's for the best that she doesn't know who or what I really am.

"I do not" came her unsure answer. "But I do know that this man is superior to me in nearly all forms of combat. I have only known him for a short while but he has earned my respect"

"Meiya sama!"

"That is enough, step away from him"

"Meiya sama!" the three idiots said in unison.

"I will not warn you again"

Tsukuyomi bit the side of her lip to keep herself from lashing out. "Very well then. Come. (But…!) Kamiyo… (Y… yes ma'am…)"

The four girls bowed again before departing to the opposite side of the hanger. I was grateful because I didn't want to be their enemy. I just needed them to distrust me a little and make them think that I had an external motive for being here.

"That must have been unpleasant for you" Meiya sighed towards them as she turned her head to meet mine. "Forgive me"

"You didn't do anything wrong. And neither did 1st Lieutenant Tsukuyomi. Well… she did threaten me but not without good reasons"

Meiya eyed me strangely for a moment there. Her was gaze solemn and puzzled as if she was trying to find the words to fit my description. "Takeru? (Yeah?) Those girls you saw were Eishi from the Honor Guards. Tsukuyomi in particular is one of the highest ranking members in that group that protects the royal family bloodline. Usually the people would quiver in fear in sight of one yet you did not even flinch. I do not know whether to call that bravery or plain foolhardy. You are indeed, strange"

"Hey now. Don't call me weirdo just yet. I have a lot of good traits in me… it's just that you haven't seen them"

"You must have some idea of where my origins lie. And yet, why are you so casual?"

I already know Meiya san. I know that you are the sister of the Shogun but because of this information I cannot allow myself to reveal it to you. "Hey like I said, I'm a rude guy. Or perhaps you wish me to address you as Meiya sama like Tsukuyomi?"

She blushed faintly at my words. "Idiot. Of course not. It's just that… there's never been anyone who acted such a friendly demeanor in my presence. I… do not really know how to react"

"Well just act as Meiya then. (Huh?) If Meiya stops acting as Meiya then it's obvious that you're no longer Meiya. As long as you do things as you have been I have no interest in your family line. Who you are and what you do with your life is your decision alone. No one else can tell you otherwise"

Because… Meiya… what I really want now… if for you and your sister to be happy…

"Your words are childish"

"Ouch… now that hurts" I acted as if I was stabbed on the chest with a rusty knife. We laughed and made our way to our squad. Our little misconduct however was just beginning.


	6. Little White Lies Part 1

**Chapter 6: Little White Lies (Part 1)**

**(November 27, 2001 Tuesday) (Takeru's room)**

Shake shake…

"Uuuu… Kasumi… not now" I was having a peaceful slumber that morning and my sleeping position was just so perfect I could just lie there for the whole day. But Kasumi shook me up from my perfect position. "Can you come back in like five minutes, Kasumi? I promise I'll be awake by then"

Shake shake… shake shake…

Ahh the shaking is too much. "Alright alright. I'm up, I'm up" I slowly got up from my bed and looked at Kasumi who was staring at me from the side of my bed. She looked rather in a rush or something. "What's wrong Kasumi? You seem really eager today. (…) Haaaa… well thanks for waking me up anyhow but I didn't even hear my clock… ring? Eh!"

07:14

"Bye bye…" and without another word Kasumi was gone. HOLY crap no! I'm gonna miss roll call! Ahh hell no! Marimo chan is gonna chew my arm out for this! She'll be having me running laps around the track field in full gear or worse yet, cleaning the toilet for a week! Ahhh! No no no! I have to get changed and get to the field! Wait… today's Tuesday so we have… lecture! Yeah that's it! To the classroom!

If I remember, she said that we have a lecture about more advance controls on TSFs. So it's either the simulator room or the classroom! AHHHH but those two are on different buildings and I don't know where to start! GWAAAAAAA!

**(Classroom)**

Haaaa… I somehow made it in time for class. But it's barely morning and already I'm exhausted. Running from the barracks to the simulator room and then to the classroom at full speed is not good for my body. A man my age should be resting and saving his energy for something really important. Besides, I spent last night writing another 20 page of the equation of the equilibrium of Yuuko's theory. With it, Alternative IV will make a significant progress. I also needed a few favors for this week.

"Takeru?" Hmm? Oh Ayamine? "Here…"

Oh melon bread. "Thank you" I unconsciously took the bread from her hand and put it in my mouth. Big mistake there.

"Shirogane!" Geh! Marimo chan. I can't believe I got caught on such a simple move. "You can have your breakfast after the lecture! Put that away immediately!"

"Y… yes ma'am"

"…heh… too easy" Ayamine muttered under her breath giving me the prankster satisfied grin. Damn you woman! I should've seen that one coming! You took advantage of my drowsiness and hunger!

"Anyway I have an announcement to make. (Eh?) Due to the recent changes of the base's curriculum, A U.N. Undersecretary will be arriving here to conduct an inspection of the base. (Eh!)" I wasn't surprised. This event was also burned into my memories as well. Tama's old man was the Undersecretary of the U.N. and this formal inspection of his was just something of a standard procedure that is done once a year. It doesn't really affect the military base but it postpones our entire training regime until the inspection was completed.

However this inspection was different due to the letters that Tama sent to her dad a couple of weeks ago. She told him a bunch of stuff that were exaggerated and soon enough a misunderstanding grew between them. I remember what the old man told all of us and how I was given the most painful pile drive ever by Ayamine.

I listened to the instructor for a few minutes and slowly made my way to Yuuko's office to deliver my prediction of the future.

**(Yuuko's office)**

Haaa… I was so angry at Ayamine that I don't even feel hungry anymore. That melon bread was the only thing that I had for breakfast so I had to make due. When I entered the office I found it in a complete mess… like always. I don't think anyone other than me, Kasumi and the professor ever comes to this place.

"Oh? Is it my birthday, today?" Yuuko was sitting on her favorite comfy chair typing something on her computer when she noticed me entering the room. The moment she saw the stack of papers in my hands she knew what to expect. I quietly handed her the papers and allowed her to scan through them one by one. From this point I've given her more than half of the equation and enough ammunition to continue the project for another week or so. The professor flashed a grin and nodded before putting the papers on top of the previous pages that I wrote for her. "Alright. Seeing that you've given me this much, something big is about to happen, right?"

"Yes" I nodded.

"So? Are you going to tell me or should I start reading your mind?"

"Tomorrow on November 28, when the Undersecretary of the U.N. comes, a HSST destroyer class vessel will drop from orbit and head straight towards Yokohama base"

"Oh? I can hardly believe that you were able to say such a thing with such a calm expression"

I was surprised too. Back then I usually panic whenever I remembered something big. Now I felt calm. That's probably because I know how the professor will act and when. "The attack is orchestrated by the group supporting the Alternative V plan" Yuuko's face turned dead serious when I mentioned that horrid plan. Though it preserved humanity, it still meant sacrificing billions of others to be left fighting an unwinnable war. "Though I don't know all the details I remember you telling me that this plan was done to make sure that humanity won't attack Kashgar, the Core Hive of the BETA"

"Hmm… I can see where this is heading" Yuuko was smart so I didn't need to explain every bit of information regarding this event. "And I suppose you want me to stop that from happening"

"If you do not, then Tama will simply use the 1200mm Trans-Horizon Cannon in the base to shoot it down from a distance. She will miss twice before hitting it with the third shot. However because of this even we may lose significant time and resources when we can divert them to fighting the BETA"

"Hmm… you're pretty dedicated in saving humanity as a whole, aren't you? Very well I can add security and some other force to keep an eye out. There won't be anything that goes in and out of that ship without me knowing"

"Thank you, Yuuko sensei"

"What's the matter with you" she asked me with a curious look on her face. "Did something happen this morning? You look like you've just been handed down by Marimo"

"Let's just say I've been given a sucker punch by Ayamine"

"Ah… that explains your depression. To be taken advantage by such a young girl. I can already guess that it had something to do with bread. (Eh? How did…) You have some sauce on your face" Oh… well that was embarrassing. "Alright then, what else? (Hmm?) You've given me twenty pages of the equation and only one favor. This genie still has three wishes to grant"

"Well… it's complicated"

"More complicated than having a person come from the future and tell me that a ship is going to crash at us at the exact date and time?" Heh… well you got to admit, she got me there.

"Good point… well you see… it started like this…"

**(PX) (Lunctime)**

After a long period of explanation and putting a little theory of my own, Yuuko sensei and I had a long discussion on how to counteract the coup d'état that was supposed to come on December 5. We had about three cups of tea, a loaf of bread and jam and talked for so long that my mind went numb during the finishing touches. But in the end we came to an agreement on a plan that might just turn the tide to our favor.

But right now that wasn't the time. I had to focus on current situation where Tama's father is coming to visit. In my previous loops the same thing happened over and over and if I remember correctly in my last time travel I was attacked by Ayamine, Meiya and Chizuru into a triple reverse pile driver, slash and punch combo and thrown in the men's toilet to rot. Haaaa… I hope that doesn't happen to me this time.

"Eh? Oi, Takeru!" I heard Mikoto calling me from our usual table. I nodded in response grabbing my tray from Kyozuka oba chan and joined them. It looks like they all know the situation and that the inspector coming to visit is Tama's old man.

But again I feign ignorance and ate peacefully. "Hey. Why all the long faces? Something bad happened?"

"It's a bit complicated" Chizuru answered darting her eyes to Tama.

"Yes… well" Meiya sighed. "The Undersecretary who is coming tomorrow"

"Oh you mean Tama's dad"

"Eh? You know?"

"Yuuko sensei told me" I lied of course. I already knew that from my previous loops. "So what seems to be the problem?"

"Miki san told her father in a letter that she was the squad leader, and now we're in big trouble!" Mikoto explained. However I think she's exaggerating a little bit there. We're not the ones in trouble, Tama is the only in trouble here. "So what do we do, Takeru?"

"Hmm… what do you suggest Class rep? (Eh?) From what I heard from Yuuko sensei, our squad will be in charge of escorting the Undersecretary around the base for the whole day. We can pretend and make Tama to be the squad leader for the day but I doubt we can keep up that act" And the other reason was the fact I didn't want to suffer the same fate as I did back in my other loops. "If anything Tama, I'd like it if you'd come clean to your dad instead. (Hannnnyuuuu)"

"I agree" Chizuru nodded after a short pause in thought. "Tamase. You brought this upon yourself by creating a misunderstanding with the undersecretary it would be best to tell him the truth before the situation worsens"

"Uuuuuuuuu…" Sorry Tama. I would like to help you again but after experiencing the same thing hundreds of times I feel that it would be in my health's best interest to just let it slide.

"But can't we do anything?" Mikoto asked me looking like she wanted to cry.

"We could use a small act… but doing that might… no… we probably shouldn't"

"Takeru san…" No… no please don't beg Tama. I can't possibly resist your big round innocent eyes. "Takeru san…T_T"

"Pleading won't work on me" I stated but my face contradicted my words.

"Takeru san… " Why the hell, are you repeating what she said Mikoto?

"Shirogane… -_-" Ayamine not you too!

"Don't tell me you guys are ganging up against me" a bead of sweat fell down my cheeks as the three of them loomed closer to my face. I can't even enjoy a peaceful meal without them trying to pull a fast one on me.

"Perhaps it is because they know that you will submit eventually, Takeru" Meiya explained to me. "They know that you cannot resist. No matter how strong you are, you have the tendency to help those in dire situations. Perhaps it is in your blood to help others in times of need"

"Why don't you plead to Class rep instead? She's the one in charge after all!"

"That's because you're easier to convince" Mikoto answered plainly with fake comical tears in her eyes. "If we get you to agree then Chizuru will agree too"

"Emm hmm" Tama nodded too. What the heck? "Chizuru san always asks for your opinion before she makes a decision. And sometimes she even goes with what you say without a thought"

Class rep's face turned red as a tomato at the comment. "T… that's not true! I was just asking a fellow member of the squad for advice. A… a good leader always listens to the member of the team"

"…you only ask Shirogane…" Ayamine deduced darting her eyes away.

"You say something?"

"… you're hearing things…"

Chizuru was busy fighting Ayamine now and with her distracted, Tama took the opportunity to grab my arm and beg. Ahhh no. Her big round eyes and cat like plead was affecting me. "Takeru san… please…"

(Flash) Hearing her begging at me brought images of the time I fell in love with her on both worlds. My feelings for Tama were resurfacing too making my face blush with excitement. (Flash) Ah crap! Do I need to remember those images when I took her into my arms and bed and stuff? Damn it, me!

"Takeru san…" During my distracted moment Mikoto suddenly grabbed my other arm pleading with just as much innocence as Tama. "Please help Miki san…" (Flash) AHHHHHH! No no no no no no! Anything but those! Now my old feelings for Mikoto in my previous loops were resurfacing as well! I'm even reliving those past images when I… AHHHH NOOOO! I'm going to lose!

"FINE! ALRIGHT ALREADY! JUST LET GO OF ME!" I shook them off from my arms and brought my food tray to my face. I was sweating like a dog in heat and my crotch was acting up on its own just remembering those old times with these two. God I'm pathetic.

"You will?" Mikoto hugged me even tighter folding herself around my arm. "Yay! I knew we can count on you Takeru!"

"D… d… don't touch me! Let me go!"

"Thank you Takeru san!" Miki hugged me on my other arm, her small frame literally just curling around like a cat purring to its master after being fed a delicious meal or being scratched playfully. "You're my hero!"

GAHHHH! Nooo!

**(A little later) (PX)**

After I was able to pry myself from the two and settle my body heat down to its regular level I quickly offered my usual suggestion to the gang proposing Tama as the squad leader for the day with everyone else acting according to plan. The squad leader armband was the only thing we needed. But as I spoke the same to the squad I still have a hard believing that we were able to pull this little ruse off and trick one of the most important people in the U.N. so easily. Perhaps it was luck or just the fact that it was Tama's old man.

"So does everyone understand?" I asked the group to which they nodded excitingly in response.

Chizuru simply shrugged her shoulder. "So in the end we'll be going with this plan after all?"

"Oh come on Chizuru san" Mikoto defended. "It'll definitely work. If Takeru's the one who made it then there's no way it can fail, neh? Besides we're doing this for Miki san's sake. Everyone wants to see their father happy, right?"

Chizuru's face soured. Darn… I guess Mikoto doesn't know that about Class rep's parental history. They're not exactly on the best of terms right now. Her father was the prime minister of Japan and he resented the idea of her joining the U.N. armed force here in Yokohama base. In my world though, she had a troubled childhood with her mother who was worked as an 'escort' for clients.

"Alright fine" Class rep said finally. "Stop making me look like the bad guy already. Even if I did object to this plan you'll all just beg like what you did with Shirogane"

"Uuuuu… come on Class rep, don't say it like that. I'm weak against begging"

"Sometimes I think you're too soft on them, Takeru"

"Then it's settled" Meiya announced. "Tamase shall be our temporary squad leader tomorrow. But we will need some equipment to complete the ruse"

"I already got some ideas for that" I answered. "I'll need your help Meiya. As for everyone else we should start practicing calling Tama, Squad Leader Tamase"

"Nyaaa. It sounds weird" Tama's face blushed slightly being called a squad leader. I'm not surprise, the sense of power and authority over others can be very intoxicating.

"Then we shall be in your care tomorrow, Squad Leader Tamase" Meiya added getting on with the program making Tama blush even redder.

"Good, good. You're getting it. Now for saluting… we'll just do it when she orders and…"

"Hey… Takeru"

"Hold on Mikoto I'm getting to you. Chizuru will be second in command and Meiya will be third. As for Ayamine…"

"I'm not talking about that" Eh? "It's those two Eishi over there. They're giving us funny looks" Huh? Eishi? I turned my head to where Mikoto was gesturing and saw two TSF pilots eyeing us with the 'funny' expression. Oh yeah I remember them. They're the Eishi who complained about Meiya's Takemikazuchi in the previous loops. (Flash) Ow… seeing them quickly reminded me of all the beating I took to get on their nerves. I really had it in for me and they probably would've done worse if Tsukuyomi didn't interrupt.

"Just ignore them" I replied. "They're probably just wondering why a handsome guy like me is hanging out with girls like you ahehehe"

"But their eyes…"

"Ignore it. We have bigger problems to handle with Tama's dad and all" But despite what I said, the girls appear to be really bothered by their stares. The two Eishi were waiting by the food counter for Kyozuka oba chan but they're probably waiting for one of us to leave so they can pick on that person instead of the whole group. As I tried to rile the group to focus on the task at hand they kept taking glances at the two Eishis. "Do they really bother you guys that much?"

Tama nodded slowly. "They're really glaring at us…"

Geeze at this rate the same this really will happen again. I guess there's no way I can avoid this

Breathing a sigh, I got up. "Class rep. (Y… yeah?) Whatever happens in the next hour, don't let Meiya out of her seat. (Eh?) I'm going to the rest room for a minute" The two girls looked confused for a moment but I left already before they could even protest.

If I get close, they'll come talk to me on their own like they did in all my other loops. Timing my path to the bathroom I counted from one to ten and waited for their call.

"Hey you, cadet" Yup, right on time too.

"You mean me?" I feign like a complete greenhorn being ordered suddenly by his superiors.

The female Eishi walked up to me with a smug on her face. "You see anyone else around here?" Wow… if they keep this up they'll be following the script that I kept having in my other loops.

"Oh… sorry. Is there something you need, 2nd Lieutenant?"

The male Eishi walked to my flank and gestured his chin to our table. "Is that your whole squad over there? (Yes)" I nodded in reply.

"No seventh member?"

"No. There are only the six of us" I answered standing at attention following military regulations. "I know of no other members unless they're planning to transfer another one today. I was added to this squad only last month myself"

"Then what about that special TSF in the hanger? The brand new Imperial Honor Guard model, Takemikazuchi? Whose is it? I heard it was one of yours" the male Eishi took a step closer but I held my ground. Compared to Tsukuyomi's glare their eyes were like comparing an anaconda to a mouse.

"Geh!" I saw Meiya standing up in the distance. She was probably planning to interrupt their interrogation again like before but thankfully Class rep managed to stop her in time and put her back to her seat.

"Yes" I answered with a bob of my head. "It is part of the squad. It was transferred here yesterday along with the other Fubuki units"

"Whose does it belong to?"

I frowned. They were getting impatient and their arrogance was showing. "Forgive me, but I cannot answer that question. (Eh?) Sorry but in regulations, all cadets are to be assigned the standard Fubukis. The Takemikazuchi belongs to the Imperial Household of the Honor Guards so I have no say about it. But as a personal opinion it looks like a well made machine"

"Oi… do you have any idea who you're talking to? You're a rather insolent little brat"

"I would think that you would have better things to do, 2nd Lieutenant. (What was that?) I can tell that you've been recently promoted. Your attitude says it all and showing your Eishi patches clearly in the open is not something you should be bragging about"

"Hoo… the rookie got guts" the female Eishi said to me while her partner looks like he's about ready to blow. Their arrogance and thickheaded attitude were beginning to tick me off. Just because you just graduated doesn't mean you're any different from the people in here. "You really should try to understand your position, boy"

"No ma'am… I believe it is people like you who should understand your positions. (What?) We are at war yet you still have time to prance on useless things. It's no wonder lost to BE-"

Wham! His fist connected to my stomach.

"Takeru!" Meiya stood up again and forced her way out of Class rep's grasp. But I raised my hand up to stop her.

"I'm fine. He just touched me" I held a smug over my face to keep them going.

The male pilot gritted his teeth and held his fist with a slight hint of confusion. I was expecting the punch so I braced my whole body for it. His knuckles must be hurting. "Arggh… you still don't get it? BRAT" he slammed another two hit combo and I took them straight on without any attempts to dodge.

Though they weren't as painful as before, those punches still hurt. Even with my daily routine training they still manage to hurt my body. Heck feeling that reminded me of Sumika's Drill Milky (-Way-) Punch and I have to say that her finishing move was more painful than theirs.

"Are you finished, 2nd Lieutenant?" I returned to my original posture and smirked. That alone ticked the two of them off. "Your punches are a little weak. Perhaps you were promoted out of pity" I felt another two hits straight to my face but again I laughed it off.

"Shirogane! That's enough!" Chizuru got up to protect me but again I signaled them to stay back.

"This punk think he's so tough?" the male Eishi lashed out at me throwing another hit. But even after all punishment they gave they were nothing compared to the pain I've felt my whole life living as a Casualty Conduit.

"Takeru!" Mikoto and Tama stood up but Ayamine managed to hold them back.

"I expected those granted with power and rank would think of the benefit of humanity. Instead what I see are a bunch of kids with no real life experience" my taunts were just making them irritated. I darted my eyes to my right and saw Tsukuyomi there along with the Three Idiots. She was about to stop the fight but I quickly gestured my eyes that I didn't need her help. Her intuition as a warrior can tell what my intentions were in that moment. She nodded and slowly backed away.

Whack! Wham!

My mouth tasted like blood and iron. My cheeks slowly began to swell though not as bad as before. After awhile the man stopped to catch his breath. He was panting heavily like a dog and the sweat on his brow was dripping like raindrops.

"What's the matter? Lost your voice after that?" I spat out a drop of blood from my mouth and smiled. My teeth were still perfectly fine. "You piece of sh-"

"Enough!" Meiya? Damn it. Don't step in front of me like that or you'll get caught up in this mess too! "This man has done nothing wrong. He is only answering your questions to fullest of his authority. The Takemikazuchi unit belongs to me. You need not continue this anymore"

"Out of the way cadet! This is between him and us"

"I will not! I cannot stand in silence while a member of my fellow squad is being harassed by ingrates!" Meiya. You're only making this worse.

"I agree" Class rep? Not you too. "This man has answered your questions and has not touched you or retaliated in your assault! Such conducts is simply not within U.N. army standards"

"That's right. Takeru didn't do anything wrong!" Mikoto, great…

"Stop hurting him already!" Tama? Geez. If I wanted all of us to get into trouble I would've thrown the first punch on this guy a long time ago.

"…" Great. Now even Ayamine was sticking her neck out for me. Guys… you really are all too good for me.

"If you wish to harm him, then you will have to go through me" Meiya was now barking back. She knows full well that doing that can get you punished.

The Eishi was now gritting his teeth in anger. "I said get the hell out of my way!" Wait! No don't! Meiya!

(Flash) Images of Meiya in both worlds crossed through my mind. My feelings for her, the memories of those happy times, painful times, sad times and the time we bonded. Our wedding… everything. I felt like a dam burst in me in that split second. The blood in my veins boiled with rage and my muscles tightened so hard that I felt like my arms had become rocks. Everything went in slow motion and I could barely even feel the air in front of my face.

And right before I knew it, I grabbed that man's fist before it even had a chance to scratch Meiya's skin. I felt an uncontrollable anger burning inside me just like the time when I felt powerless to do anything. That same shameful feeling that I never wanted to experience ever again…

"Eh?"

I focused all my energies into my eyes and gave the Eishi the same look that I gave to Tsukuyomi earlier. His eyes widened with so much fear that it looked as if he was glued to the ground. Oh I knew he was afraid of me now but I wasn't going to let this little incident pass on without punishment. Before he could even react, I punched him with my free hand and send his body flying in mid air. I sent him up a few meters off the ground; his tooth and gum were all twisted together making a rather unpleasant sound. His drool mixed in with his blood and teeth as he fell on the floor, eyes rolled backwards…

"What the…?" the partner of that man jerked back in fright. "You son of a…" she threw a punch at me but my super-soldier reflexes quickly grabbed it and countered with a kick to the stomach. I heard her ribs crack and the blood from her mouth on my arm. She fell backward and straight to the tray rack making a huge mess of the cafeteria.

…

…

…

…

…

The room fell in a deep silence, no one spoke, and even the grill that oba chan was working on was quiet from my sudden outburst. By the time I came to my senses I suddenly began to realize my own actions.

Aww crap. If I allowed them to beat me to a pulp I could get let off with a warning or suspension but the military will never be able to overlook hitting a superior officer. I could get corporal punishment for this. Ahhh hell… what do I do now?

"That's enough…" I looked back and saw Marimo chan standing there with two MPs on her flanks. Hey those were the guys that were guarding the front gate. I never got their names though. Marimo eyed the situation carefully with her arms folded. Her eyes darted to the two Eishi on the floor and then the six of us. "Shirogane… you do know what this means… don't you?"

"Yes ma'am…" I'll probably go to a small court martial and get my punishment later.

Marimo sighed and quickly ordered the MPs. "Arrest those two and bring them to the infirmary in the east building. (Yes ma'am) Shirogane, standby in your room and wait for me"

"Yes, Instructor Jinguujii"

By the time the guards dragged the two unconscious Eishis away, the PX resumed its regular activities. Owww… the after-pain was really getting to me. I must've pulled a muscle going to such speed to catch that punch.

"Takeru, are you alright?" Meiya looked at me with a worried expression. Her hands made their way to my cheeks as if trying to ease my pain. I flashed a smile to reassure her.

"It's no big deal. Though I guess it does hurt a little"

She evaded eye contact for a moment before replying. "Why did you not evade? You could've done so easily…"

"Hey. I'm actually more worried about those guys. I hope I didn't kill them" I joked.

But her expression did not change. She must've known why I did that. "You… knew… what they wanted to do, did you not? That's why you asked Sakaki to keep me in my seat"

"I had a hint" I replied bopping my head down a chuckle escaped my lips. "You could tell what they're thinking just by looking at their eyes. But honestly I didn't think they'd take it that far" That was a lie, obviously. I knew what those two were going to do the moment I saw their ugly mugs on the counter.

Tama followed up patting my stomach softly. "Takeru san, are you really ok?" It's nice of them to worry but touching it won't exactly make the pain go away.

"Really now, don't scare us like that" Oh? Kyozuka oba chan. "You had us all worried, sandbagging like that. What would these girls do if their champion gets too wounded before the real fight starts, neh?"

"Ah… sorry about that oba chan. Did I really worry you guys?"

"Kyozuka san" Meiya looked to cafeteria lady. "Do you have a wet towel? It might reduce some of the swelling"

"No. It's ok. All I need is a little rest"

But oba chan wasn't gonna take no for an answer. "Don't be such a big man and take the offer. One man can't win the war alone. Here, put this over your face for awhile and let it cool" She placed a cold towel over my face and put Meiya's hand over it. "Meiya chan, make sure it doesn't fall off, ok? (Ah… o… ok) Thickheaded people like him tend to have slippery faces nyahahaha"

"Thanks… oba chan…"

"No worries. Despite all the hits that guy worked on you, you look pretty good. But you'll have to fix the tray rack the moment you get back. It's your fault that it broke"

"Sorry about that. I'll be sure to fix it, I promise" I bowed my head in apology.

"It's fine though. I never liked those two anyway. They never had any respect to people other than themselves. Geez if only there were more people were like you Takeru…" Kyozuka gave me a pat on the head laughing loud enough to fill the room. "But never mind about that. Get yourself checked out before Jinguuji sees you. Hopefully she'll cut you some slack if she sees some of those wounds on you ahehehehe"

I seriously doubt that.

"Come on" Class rep offered me her shoulder. "I have a First Aid kit in my room. It's much closer than the infirmary"

"You have so much to deal with, Chizuru chan" Kyozuka laughed.

"Haaa… you're the only one who says that, Kyozuka san"

**(Barracks)**

The squad and I walked in silence when we passed the barracks. Meiya held the towel over my head while I leaned on Chizuru. Tama and Mikoto led the way.

"Ahh man… I'm definitely gonna be sent to the detention barracks for this" I whined out loud.

Chizuru gave a 'hmph' sound. "There's a possibility for that. After all you did hit two superior officers. You'll be lucky if they let you scrub the latrine for the the rest of your life"

"But Takeru san didn't do anything wrong" Tama stated but she was wrong. I did hit two soldiers out of anger. Though it was also out of self defense, the rules clearly dictate that attacking a superior officer is insubordination. "They were the ones that started the fight"

"That's not completely right Tama" I replied smiling. Gotta keep smiling if I want to keep them from looking all depressed. "I did hit them back… and even more they might be put out of commission if I hit them too hard"

"But Takeru san only fought back when the man was going to hit Mitsurugi san!"

"…" I felt Meiya's hands flinch. She must've realized now why I suddenly began counterattacking.

"Well I probably would've hit them back eventually" I lied again. "Those guys were pretty much asking for it anyway. Well the worst case scenario is that I get sent to the stocks for awhile"

"We'll sneak in food for you" Mikoto offered but again I refused.

"That's alright. It won't be that bad, I think. Ah… hey Class rep? (Eh?) You do know we've already passed your room, right?"

Chizuru's face brightened realizing her folly. "Ahhh… right sorry! Come on. Here"

"… let me…" Ayamine offered putting my free arm around her.

Class rep barked. "I'm perfectly fine. I can handle this on my own"

"… you're struggling with his weight"

"It's ok Chizuru san" Mikoto waved her off. "We'll bring Takeru to his room. Just bring the First Aid kit there and I'll get right to treating him"

"… fine" Class rep surrendered and hesitantly let go of my arm. "Just put him on the bed and put the towel over his face. That should keep the swelling down a little" Is it me or did she look sad from letting go of my arm? Ah well…

**(Takeru's room)**

I lay on my bed as instructed and quickly enough Mikoto started treating me. Though there wasn't really anything to treat other than some bruises and scars. The swelling was healing properly and I could feel my left cheek again. Meiya wet the towel again with tap water and placed it over my face. Though they really didn't need to come to my room for it.

"Heeeeh so this is what Takeru's room looks like" Mikoto said as if she had arrived in another person's house. What's there to be surprised about? All our rooms look alike anyway. I wanted to say that to her but stopped when I saw her expression soured. "It looks really… empty"

"Hey. Is that your way of complimenting someone else's room?" I mocked, lifting the corner of the towel so I can see. "Aren't all our rooms like this?"

"Yeah but… how should I say it? It lacks… taste"

Tama nodded in agreement. "Yeah. More like it… lacks life. Even my room has a little something that distinguishes it from everyone else" She must be talking about the Saintpaulia flowers that she raised inside. I remember it because she gave them to me as a present in one of my time loops. "Takeru san's room doesn't… even feel like Takeru"

"Even Kei chan's room has some smell and sweat to it" Ok I could live without that little detail Mikoto. "Even though she doesn't put much in it I can already tell just by walking in that this is her room. Haaa! Kind of like an animal marking its territory!" Ever heard of something called decency? Geez.

"Well that's no surprise" I answered back. "I usually spend most of my time training or with Yuuko sensei so the only time I use this room is when I take a shower or sleep"

"Ahh! I know. I'll bring some posters from my room to decorate this place!"

"Are you even listening to me?"

"Miki san can also put one of her flowers in a pot and put it on his table neh?"

Tama beamed with glee. "Yeah! I can spare a few since they're fully grown now! I can get one of the pots from Kyozuka oba chan and use that! (Yeah!)" Please don't start marking the room on your own. I'll have to remember to lock the door to keep them out. I don't want them wasting their time on such trivial things.

"… I'll start exercising here" And I definitely don't want this place to start stinking like you Ayamine!

"Bah whatever…" I said in defeat.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

A few minutes later, Class rep arrived with the First Aid kit and began tending to my wounds. The squad hung out in my place and soon enough I began to feel like a kid being spoiled.

"Hey you guys. You don't need to hang out around here anymore you know" I said to them. "Our instructor will be here any minute now so it's best if you guys go or you might get shared with the blame"

"She's still filing a report" Chizuru explained. "So it will still take awhile for her to get here. Now. Stand still. (Ow!) I said stay still. It's only alcohol, don't be such a baby"

"But it hurts!"

"You took a beating and you didn't even complain! Now suck it up!" Geez. Even Class rep can be such a mom when it comes to me. "There. That should do it. Though I can't say much about the swelling. They'll heal up in time. Now let's work on the chest. Take off your shirt"

"There's no need for that!"

"Stop complaining and obey! When it comes to the healthcare of the squad, the medic outranks everyone!"

"… useless" Ayamine stated again in her monotone voice.

Mikoto laughed. "You'd best give up Takeru san. Like oba chan said: One man can't win this war alone. If it hurts then I'll help you. (Wha… no!) Oh come on now, don't be shy. We're all friends here" They might be fine with looking at each other but I just have that childish embarrassing feeling when I take off my shirt. "Come on. Here we go… whoa…" Mikoto forcefully removed my T-shirt only to stop dead on her tracks.

"Oooh…"

Eh? What's everybody staring at? My body can't be that bad now can it? They've already seen me in my exoskeleton suit so they shouldn't be surprised by this.

"A… ahh…" Even Meiya seems to be in trance.

"What? What's everyone looking at? Did I get hit that badly?" I looked at my chest and saw it perfectly chiseled. Damn. I guess all that training in my other loops finally paid off. I'm practically growing more muscles than odors. There weren't any swelling or bumps but my stomach really did take a beating.

"Takeru… you're superman" Ayamine said to me, her face a little flushed.

"Hey now…"

"Waaaa… so these are really muscles?" Mikoto poked at my six-pack. "They're really hard and smooth at the same time! It's my first time seeing them. Waaa… a real six-pack! Takeru, you're amazing! Ara… you have a scar here"

Oh? That guy must've been really packing a punch when he gave me that first blow. I was bleeding slightly on my lower chest.

"That guy got me with a cheap shot" I complained with a huffed sound. "Sorry Class rep but can you bandage this for me? (…) Hey… Class rep? (…) Oi! Hey there!"

"Eh? Ah! What?" Chizuru jumped slightly after realizing she'd been staring at me. "Ah! Yes, the wound! Of… of course" She took a piece of cotton and dip it in alcohol to apply to my wound. Her hand was shaking a bit though. Was my chest really that odd to look at? "H… how's that?"

"It hurts a little but I'm sure you don't want me complaining again" I teased smiling goofily. "A little to the left. Ow!"

"S… sorry!" Class rep jerked her hand back with a mad blush.

"Nah it's cool. The pain will go away soon enough. Heh… You can continue"

"A… alright…"

While Class rep was tending to my wound, I noticed Meiya also looking quite at awe at my body. "H… hey… please don't stare at me like that. It's embarrassing to be looked at"

"Ah! F.. forgive me. It's just that I've never seen… such a finely tended body before" Meiya admitted her interest. "We've seen men in the base before but th… they're never this muscular. It may be impolite for me to ask Takeru, but how long have you been training your body both physically and mentally?"

If I had to answer that question honestly, I would say about a thousand years excluding all the other loops that I haven't seen yet. "Umm… about a year I think. I can't really remember when I started working out. I've only transferred here a month ago myself"

"I see… then you must have really disciplined yourself to your training. This explains how you are able to perform so well both in basic and in the simulator. I should strive to do the same"

"Yeah. But just stick to what you're doing now and you'll be fine" I suggested leaving it at that. "Anyway, Class rep, are you done?"

Chizuru looked up to me with her face gone completely red. "Y… yeah. Just let me… put the band-aid and we're… we're done. (Tap) Eh? What's this?" She pulled out something from under my bed. Oh that's my bag. The one I brought from home. I haven't even opened it ever since I arrived back at the base. My stuff should still be in there.

"Hey that reminds me" I announced to the group. "You guys didn't finish your lunch, did you? (No…) Well I think I might have something that will give us that little extra boost. Take it as my thank you gift for treating me" I then pulled out six packs of instant ramen that I was able to bring from my house. "It's not much but they're really tasty from where I came from"

"What are these?" Tama looked at the object I handed out strangely. "It says… ramen… pork… curry?"

"Yeah. They're kind of a delicacy and easy to make. Mikoto can you get some hot water from the heater over there?" I pointed towards my desk where the water heater was located. Every room was given one so that the cadet can get hot water for their daily needs. Marimo chan was grateful for them because she loved to drink her coffee first thing in the morning. Even in the other world, Marimo chan was the same.

"Are these… ration food for civilians? I've never seen one like this before" Class rep inquired opening the pack to see the hardened noodle inside. "This pack says… spice and powder?"

"Yeah just add those ingredients in the cup and pour hot water and let it boil for three minutes" I explained to them. For crying out loud. I guess this world has no more use for instant ramen cups anymore. "I only have two flavors so take your pick"

The girls took one of the random cups and quietly followed my instructions. Though it was supposedly a casual thing they treated the ramen cup like it was some kind of military exercise. When three minutes was up we all tasted our little treat. Haaaaa… ramen, one of the pinnacles of the Japanese food industry. It can't get any better than this. There are so many styles of ramen back in my world. Tokyo-style, Takayama style, the chilled Hiyashi ramen and I kind of miss the butter corn style that was a specialty in Hokkaido. But my favorite would be the all time popular miso-ramen with eggs and extra toppings.

"FUOOOOOOOOOOO!" Tama's whole body almost literally burned in front of me. Her eyes beamed with such strength and audacity that it shook me up. "This taste! This flavor! SUGOOOOOOOOOIIIIIIII!"

"My tongue is literally burning from the spice! I've never tasted so many colorful flavors at once!" Mikoto followed soon after, her body burning with passion as she sipped off the broth inside the cup. "WAAAAAAAHHHH it's so good, I almost returned to my previous life and my previous life was a cow too! I can actually see the grassfield below me right now! Haaaaaaaa….." Hey… don't go to heaven just yet. We have a war to win, remember?

"Hey, it's not that good… is it?" I guess having cafeteria food for a long time can really ruin your taste-buds. Unlike me however I've had this for years now.

"The smooth noodles slide down into your mouth and the warmth of the broth really gets into your stomach" Class rep also seems to be enjoying this but her emotions were contained. "And the aftertaste just makes you… dying for more…!" Whoa… ok I take that back, her emotions were barely being contained. In fact I can actually see fire coming from her back.

"The ingredients are well prepared and easy to make" Meiya followed, her hands shaking on the plastic spoon. "The contents are so little yet satisfying. And the smell and the taste are such divine… haaaa… am I worthy of tasting such flavor? May the gods forgive me for my negligence in surrendering to such things"

Wow… these girls are so… what's the word for it…?

Overreacting? No… but that's probably the closest thing I can think of.

"…"

Eh? Come to think of it, Ayamine's been awfully quiet. Didn't the ramen affect her too? Perhaps her emotionless body was still strong.

"Shi…ro…ga… ne…" I saw the eyes of the tiger glaring at me from the bushes. A volcano erupted inside Ayamine's mind and I can sense her desire for more ramen. As she sucked the last of the broth and noodles I can even feel her killing intent directed on me.

Please don't hurt me…

**(Two hours later)**

After I was able to get the girls out of my room I decided to take their advice and get some much needed rest. My body still ached from that brawl earlier and even a tough soldier like me can still get wounded no matter how strong I was. But soon enough I was rudely disturbed from my nap when a voice called me from the door.

"Cadet Shirogane!" Eh? Oh was that Marimo chan? "Cadet Shirogane, open this door!" Ah she must be here to deliver my punishment.

I quickly got up and fixed myself on the mirror and realized I still wasn't wearing my shirt before answering. "Yes ma'am. Marimo chan? (Glare) Ah I mean Instructor Jinguujii"

"I had hoped you would fix that habit of yours, Shirogane" she scolded me which I replied with a soft chuckle. She was just about to continue when she realized I was still topless. Her eyes widened for a second and her face flushed at the sight. "C… cadet. At least make yourself proper before presenting yourself to an officer"

"Huh? Ah sorry. Excuse me for a minute" I grabbed an extra shirt from my locker and put it on.

Marimo chan let out a sigh before entering my room. She darted her eye around as if inspecting my room for any oddities. After a satisfied scan she returned to her professional posture to address me. "You probably know that I'm here because of the incident in the PX. (Ma'am) I would've given you a lecture about it but you already seem to know that what you did was wrong. (Ma'am) So I'll just be blunt and tell you about the punishment decided to you" I braced myself expecting the worst. "Shirogane Takeru. In the next 24 hours you are hereby put under arrest and will spend that time in the detention cell. (Eh?) The first judgment was to have you court-martialed and spend the next week in there but in light of new evidences your sentence has been lightened"

"In light of… new evidences?" I raised a curious brow. There has never been a case of new evidences before. But then again I didn't exactly beat those two jerks before either.

"The two Eishis that you fought earlier today were found to be wearing exoskeleton suits outside of operation area. (Huh?) They're being submitted to corporal punishment after recovering in the infirmary"

"They were wearing those TSF suits?"

"Yes" my former English teacher confirmed. "You do understand that those suits are only to be worn during missions and not for personal use. Also, your squad also came to petition me at my office one at a time. Each of them spent an average ten minutes with me and even Ayamine silently stared at me for five minutes straight. I'm busy too you know…" she sighed tirelessly at this. Perhaps she had this sort of experience before. "And when I went to the PX, Sergeant Major Kyozuka held me up for fifteen minutes. I lost half my meal time because of her"

"I… apologize. I didn't know they'd do that for me" I lied again. I totally knew they'd do something like that. So even in this world… I've been accepted.

"It's only been a month since you were added to the squad but already you've built up a solid relationship with the rest of them. This is all the more reason for you to think about your squad but I guess you already know that" Huh? I did? "Some of the other cadets in the cafeteria said that you didn't retaliate to the attacks until Mitsurugi was put in harm's way. You thought about your actions and accepted the consequences. You even took the beating yourself, didn't you?"

"I wouldn't go that far, ma'am"

Marimo chan simply chuckled. "But I guess I should be telling them that. If you had allowed those Eishis to simply beat you to a pulp, you probably would've gotten away with a simple warning. (Eh?) But you could've at least waited for a few more minutes too. I brought those MPs to arrest them but by the time we got there they were already on the floor" Oh yeah… Marimo did have those two guards from the gate to arrest the jerks much later. "If Mitsurugi had not interfered you wouldn't have retaliated to their attacks and you'd be free around this time"

I let out a joyful smile off my lips. "Heh… well they were just doing what they thought was right. Don't punish them for it"

"I'll give them a lecture later on. But for now, I will have to escort you to the detention cell for punishment. Understand?"

"Yes ma'am" I got off easy this time. Phew for a second there I was actually thinking of things much worse like being fired from the squad or shipped off to a boot camp or something. Marimo chan must've really pulled it off for me too. I'll have to thank her somehow. Hmm… "Ah Marimo ch—I mean, Instructor, wait. (Hmm?)" I grabbed a cup of ramen from my bag and handed it to her. It was the least I could do after everything she taught me both now and in the future. "It's not much but please take this as a replacement for your lost lunchtime"

"What's this? Instant… ramen?"

"Just add the ingredients, add hot water and let it boil for three minutes" I said to her with glee. "I promise you'll love it"

She looked at the cup just like Tama did but nodded. "I don't take bribes, Shirogane" Ow… that hurt. "But I'll accept it as a gift. Come I'll escort you to the detention block. (Ma'am)" She placed me in handcuffs to complete the act of punishment.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

But just when we walked out, I noticed a pink haired figure out of the corner of my eye. Is that…

"Tama? (Geh!)" the figure in the corner flinched at the call of her name.

"Cadet Tamase…" Marimo called out to her making the little girl come out of hiding. She saluted and stood at attention. "What are you doing here out this late? You have an important role tomorrow when the Undersecretary arrives"

"Y… yes ma'am. Just… taking a midnight stroll" that was a poor excuse Tama but nice try though. "But everyone else's… ah!" I then heard a bunch of silent footsteps from the corner and shadows lying in the open.

Marimo saw them and sighed. "The four of you, come out now" My whole squad was there all appearing from the corner like kids that were caught in their own prank. "For what reason are you all out here at this time of night? Don't you know that you all have an important mission tomorrow?"

Chizuru rubbed the side of her arm, ashamed to be discovered. "Ah… I was umm… going for a little walk to the PX"

"Emm hmm…"

Marimo turned her eyes to Mikoto. "Bwah! I was umm… I was counting the stains in the corridor!"

Then to Ayamine. "…random whim"

Then to Meiya. "I was… I … I umm… I was…"

"Coming back from your independent training?" I gave her a proper excuse which she used almost immediately.

"Y… yes! Th… That is correct! You guessed well"

Marimo simply sighed for the fifth time that tonight. It was obvious as the clouds and stars in the night sky why these girls were out here and sneaking in the corner like that. They must've been really worried about me when they heard the instructor calling my name from my door.

"I'll look over this act just once" she said finally. "Return to your rooms for the night and prepare for tomorrow. Understood? (Ma'am) Good. Shirogane, follow me"

"W… wait instructor!" Class rep called out when she noticed the handcuffs on my wrists. She looked at them with a frown. No surprise there. If you see someone wearing one of these somewhere you'd probably think that he's a criminal. "H… has Shirogane's punishment been given yet?"

"Yes" she answered. "He'll be spending the next 24 hours in the detention block. All details regarding the judgment are deemed classified until the following week"

Meiya stepped up looking as if she could not accept my punishment. "But Instructor. Regarding the recent incident, I should also…"

"That's ok guys" I smiled warmly at all of them. "It's just one day and I'll be out in no time. It'll be a good change of pace to have nothing to do for awhile. I need rest to heal up these wounds so no training for a day fits me just fine. Don't get depressed about it"

"But still…"

"Ah… I know" I interrupted her. "Why don't you guys do something for me and we'll call it even"

"Eh? What is it Takeru?" Mikoto asked.

"Make sure you keep up the act for Tama when I'm not around or else all we've discussed will be for nothing" They looked surprised at first but then began smiling when they remembered about our plans to make Tama the squad leader for the day.

Meiya smirked and nodded in response. "Very well. We shall do our best to ensure that your plan works without fail, Takeru"

"Yeah, don't worry. It'll be flawless" Mikoto added sharing a smirk.

Marimo then coughed up to grab our attention. "Listen. The longer you keep him out here, the longer his punishment will be in the detention block. Go to your rooms for now and wait for me. I have a lecture to give all of you once I'm finished with Shirogane. (Eh?) Don't think that he's the only one I'm going to talk to about this incident. Regardless of his crimes you are all still part of the incident. I'll go to each of you one by one later tonight. (Ma'am) Shirogane. Come"

I followed the instructor but not before waving my hands at my squad. It's quite saddening to be apart from them but at least now I won't have to suffer the fate of triple pile driver combo from the girls. Well… at least something good came out of this incident.


	7. Little White Lies Part 2

**Chapter 7: Little White Lies (Part 2)**

**(November 28, 2001 Wednesday)(Takeru's POV) (Yokohama base) (Detention center)**

I spent that morning waking up in a very uncomfortable bed that day. No wait… I doubt you can even call this tatami mat a bed. It was more like a rag that's been hung from the wall just so you can sit on it. The darn thing was hard and even more so when you lie down on it. Hell even the pillow they gave me was like sleeping on a rock and don't let me even get started with the smell and the insects infesting this area. I also had to keep my handcuffs on at all times so it's hard for me to train.

Haaa… but I have to say that this was a good thing for me… health wise of course…

If I repeated the procedure of my previous loops, the triple combo pile driver would obliterate me and again I would be under the mercy of those three girls. Staying in this cell was probably the best thing to happen to me today.

The place wasn't bad either. I get three square meals and all I have to do was sit around looking at the wall. It was rather quiet too since I was the only inmate at the moment. It gave me time to think about stuff and find some peace of mind for the duration of my stay in this base. But before I could even think of a topic to reflect about, I suddenly heard the door to the cell area opening.

"Shirogane Takeru, you have visitors" Eh? A visitor? Not just a visitor but visitors, with an 's' at the end. Who could it be? I hope it's not the girls because they should be welcoming Tama's dad right about now.

I noticed four figures outside of my cell and quickly I recognized them as…

"Tsukuyomi and… the Three Idiots?"

"What did you call us!-?" Oops I said that out loud unconsciously.

"I do not recall allowing you to address me by name" Tsukuyomi said in a plain monotone voice. "But it matters not at the moment"

"Ah sorry. I'll try to be less clumsy" I rubbed my head in embarrassment. "So what's the purpose of this visit? Hopefully you're not here to kill me"

"You may put your worries to rest" she answered me. "I will do you no harm this day. (Phew) I am here regarding the incident yesterday. (Oh? The PX?) Yes. Though it vexes me to say this to you I am still bound by my honor to show my appreciation. I give you my thanks for your consideration of Meiya sama. (Ah…)" She then glared at her three subordinates to do the same though their faces looked like they wanted to say something completely different.

"Thank you…" the three girls looked rather cute and irritated at the same time.

Giving a satisfied nod, Tsukuyomi continued. "However… our suspicion of you has not been cleared, do not forget that. Do not take this of an attempt to be friendly with you. (Aha…) But… there is the fact that you are indeed odd"

"What do you mean by that?"

"You are either very bold or perhaps truly ignorant of the known world but surely you must know that you have been in the presence of one of the members of the Imperial Royal Bloodline"

"What? You mean Meiya?"

"Ora! You dare speak her name so casually!" Kamiyo lashed out at me which she stopped midway from my prison bars. Haha what irony.

"Enough Kamiyo" Tsukuyomi instructed making the little girl back away from my cell. If only this was a cartoon then I would be sticking my tongue out taunting her like Nobita did to Giant in Doraemon. Hahaha… darn I miss that show around here. "Meiya sama has already given him permission. We have no say regarding how he speaks to her. (Tch)"

"But ma'am! He may just be doing that to get close to Meiya sama!" Ebisu added from behind. "And his skills in that incident proves that he is not normal"

"Ahehe…" I laughed a bit unable to resist the sight of that girl backing away from my cell bars.

"That is true" Tsukuyomi replied turning a suspicious glare at me which I smiled back. "Shirogane Takeru, you must already know why your punishment has been lightened to a small amount of time in the detention center. (Eh?) Regarding the two pilots that you've assaulted earlier, I've discovered from my sources that they had taken their armored exoskeleton suits out of combat area at the time" Ah… Marimo chan did say something about that. About those pilots taking their suits out with them into non-combat areas. "The rules clearly states that these suits are to be worn inside dangerous areas and are not meant for personal use. You probably know their capabilities as well"

"Yeah, every Eishi has one at least"

"Which made me question your skills" Huh? What is she talking about? "The first pilot that you incapacitated took a direct blow in the head which made him lose conscious. That was to be expected. However the second pilot that you've successfully knocked out wore her exoskeleton suit on her body. The suit alone can absorb great amount of shock but despite that she suffered three broken ribs and questionable amount of pain"

"Whoa… was my kick that strong?" I asked.

"Indeed. The doctors in the infirmary also believed that if she had not worn that suit at the time there may be a chance that she could've been injured beyond service for a week" Yikes, note to self, watch your strength. Tsukuyomi eyed me from outside the prison bars and remained silent for awhile before continuing. "I have also read your profile from the base archives and I can see why Meiya sama is so infatuated with you. (Huh?) Perfects scores in shooting, sniping, First Aid, survival, CQC, tactical thinking and strategy planning and outstanding skill in TSF piloting. Usually I would think that all of this was simply made up to set a degree in the U.N. military force. But after seeing your actions yesterday I believe that you are something else entirely"

She looked as if she was quoting everything she said from a book or something and memorized it by heart. "Ahehe… well I'm not one to brag but I am quite good at what I do when I put my heart into it"

"True. But regardless your previous claims also seem to have merits. (Ha?) My sources also say that you have a personal attachment to Professor Yuuko Kouzuki. Though they may sound idiotic at first I have also heard of some rumors regarding you as well which only adds to your suspicion" Hey wait. Don't tell me she heard about that false rumor about me being a cyborg or a superhuman or a clone mixed with animal DNA. Because the last time people mistook me for that I got slammed with a magnet, pricked by a needle and experimented to see if I had a cybernetic brain and those alone were done by my squad.

"Starreeeee…" Tomoe eyed me with a funny look and for a second there I actually saw a magnet coming out from the sleeve of her shirt.

"Hey now, don't go calling me a weirdo just yet" I pleaded.

Luckily the guard outside interrupted us. "Hey. You guys. Only 3 minutes per visit. Make it quick"

Tsukuyomi sighed. "Though I do not know who you are or what you are Shirogane Takeru, it is clear to me that you are someone that Meiya sama relies on. (…) Though it pains me to say this, there is something I personally wish to ask of you. (…) Please don't-"

"I won't hurt Meiya" I cut her off knowing her request way ahead of her. She gasped for a second there but her expression remains solid. "I told you before. My loyalty is to my squad and my mission. I would never do anything to harm them even if it kills me. You should've know that when you saw me sandbagging those punches in the PX"

Tsukuyomi's expression softened a bit upon remembering the incident. She kind of looked like the Tsukuyomi in my world, soft and kind. "Yes. Perhaps I should not have wasted my words on something you already know. I shall take my leave then"

"Take care out there and try to loosen up a bit. Your subordinates could use a little gentle nudge after awhile" I joked to her, which she paused for a moment to listen before leaving. The Three Idiots glared at me too still not trusting me. But that's fine. I didn't need their trust right now, just their skills and attention. Haaa… at least now I won't have to worry about the HSST falling on our heads.

**(Marimo's POV) (PX)**

It has been exactly one hour since the Undersecretary-General, Tamase Genjousai arrived at the base this morning. Though the visit was mandatory for inspection it was something that Yuuko stated as a useless but necessary thing to do. I welcomed the Undersecretary at the gate along with Chizuru. The base CO decided that she would be the one to escort him through. I could tell that she was unhappy about it seeing that her selection was due to the fact that she was the daughter of the prime minister after all.

After our formal welcome with the 21 firearm salute we escorted the Undersecretary through the command center to meet up with the staff there. The base CO gave his greetings along with the other members of the intelligence division and surprisingly, Yuuko as well was there. Afterwards we made our way to the PX and that's where Chizuru decided to take her leave and wait for us at the barracks.

Haaa… they told me about their plans to make Tamase their squad leader and to be honest I wasn't entirely sure about what to do. Cadet Tamase simply wanted to impress her father but because of those letters she sent to him a grave misunderstanding took place. For Takeru's sake I decided to go along with it and pretended I had no clue to what they were doing. As long as they keep it down I won't have to suspend them from action.

We arrived at the PX about five minutes later where the rest of squad 207 was stationed to meet with the Undersecretary. It's a shame that Shirogane wasn't able to join them.

"Salute!" Meiya ordered notifying the squad of our presence.

I nodded and introduced the Undersecretary to them. "Undersecretary, this is the Yokohama Base Eishi Training School cafeteria. (Hmm…) I hereby introduce you to the cadets of Eishi Training, Squad 207"

"Hoo…" Genjousai nodded to the group as if inspecting them. "Humanity's future rests on your shoulders. Can we count on you? (Yes sir!) Good. Very good…"

It was a brief talk but also formal to ask that question. Once he was done I decided to continue with the tour. "From here on, Cadet Tamase will guide you to through the rest of our public facilities. Cadet Tamase!"

The said cadet quickly remembered her position and stepped in front of us. "Ah! M—ma'am! Right this way, sir!" Once this is over I'll Shirogane, you'll be answering to afterwards. Haa… seriously just how can that boy persuade these girls to go through with it? Is it his charms or his incredible ability in all forms of combat that earned him their respect?

The Undersecretary-General and Cadet Tamase traded eye contacts for a brief moment. I knew that the Undersecretary was her father and I've heard rumors from the intelligence group that he dotes on his daughter greatly and treats her like a child regardless of her age.

"Oh yes, yes indeed. How very dependable!" Eh? "You look very dependable Tama ^_^. But I'm a little sad that you won't be calling me Papa" I made a face for a second when he said that. The rumors appear to be true.

Cadet Tamase had a surprise expression on her face but quickly hid it as best she could. "Pa… papaaa… uu… I'm a cadet now"

"I see… yes indeed. You're armband says it all" I looked over to see Tamase and indeed she was wearing an armband that says Squad Leader. From my point of view it was obvious who would think of such a ridiculous idea. I can't even believe that Shirogane would even think that such a small prop could actually fool the Undersecretary.

Tamase then led her father through the hallway leading to the barracks. Luckily, the only squad needed to escort the Undersecretary was 207. Everyone else had gone to their routine training for the day so there would be no one who could point out that Chizuru was the squad leader.

Usually by this time I would dismiss myself to my office to continue with my work there but sadly enough I just happen to have made an agreement with Shirogane last night. The boy practically begged me to follow the progress of the squad just in case of any mishaps. He must also be really worried about his squad, heck he even said that he would clean the toilet for a whole week if I did what he asked. In the end I decided to follow his request and continued with the escort.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

We arrived at the barracks about five minutes later where Sakaki and Ayamine were waiting by their rooms at attention. Tamase led the Undersecretary through and thoroughly explained some of the facilities like the gym, track field and such. Genjousai looked rather pleased to see his own daughter leading him and more so when she gave out orders to the other cadets. He even patted her a few times on the head like a pet and laughed it off goofily without a hint of worry.

By the time we came in front of Sakaki and Ayamine I noticed a long silence between them.

"Tamase, salute" Yoroi whispered to her comrade which she immediately remembered. I'll let that little incident slide for now.

"Ah… s… salute!"

The two cadets obeyed raising their hands to their heads. "We've been waiting for your arrival!"

"A… at ease!"

The Undersecretary observed the two fine young cadets and nodded with a satisfied smile. "Ah I see so you're Tama's subordinates? You all look like fine and capable soldiers. I expect much out of all of you. Ahohohoho"

"…" I looked to my right and noticed that Ayamine wanted to say something. "… you're Tama too…" Geh! Ayamine! I know what you're trying to say but can't you keep it to yourself at least? "…Tama Papa" she added still with a plain looking face. "… mustache…"

I wanted to palm my face at that moment but kept my expression straight. Ayamine's words were simply adding petrol to an easily flammable situation. Chizuru's eyes were also darting to her comrade but could do nothing to stop her from continuing. Even Meiya and Mikoto were beginning to sweat.

"H… hold your tongue!" Cadet Tamase ordered out suddenly which caught my attention. "Don't just stand there, step aside! (…)" Ayamine's expression remained unchanged but I'm pretty sure she was surprised to hear that from her friend.

"… my apologies, squad leader" she backed away from us bowing in reply.

The Undersecretary seemed proud… rather… to proud. It looked as if he was just taking this whole inspection as an excuse to visit his daughter. Perhaps that was the case. But I remained silent and continued watching their little play, moving on.

"That was dignified! Well done Tamaaaaa!" the father patted his daughter's head like a pet. "Such a good girl, I'd like to see you give more orders. Hmm? How about it?"

"Y… yes of course papa!" Wait! No! If Tamase abuses her power I might have no choice but to stop this. But before I could even open my mouth, the cadet had already sealed her fate by issuing another direct order. "Y… you over there!" she pointed to a figure in the distance. Wait… isn't that Yashiro Kasumi? What is she doing here of all places? She wasn't there a minute ago.

"…" the girl looked in our general direction upon hearing Tamase's yell.

"If you've got nothing better to do, go clean the latrines" Tamase ordered to which the white haired girl simply paused at before using her rabbit like hair-accessory to signal a nod. At least I think it was a nod. Oh boy. I have a feeling that she might just go and clean every restroom in the base. I don't really know much about Kasumi nor do I get to see her every now and then but I do know that her passive personality will allow her to do even the craziest of things.

Was this the reason why Shirogane begged me to keep an eye on them? Haaa… I don't know anymore. I'll just watch and see how this turns out. As long as the Undersecretary is happy I'll not be the one to upset him.

"Hmm?" Genjousai's expression changed when he noticed Sakaki's face. "You? Weren't you with us earlier?"

The real squad leader of Squad 207 stood at attention. "Yes sir. I am Cadet Sakaki Chizuru"

Genjousai nodded with some measure of respect to the girl. "You must be very tired, dealing with all those stuffy bureaucrats earlier… splendid work I must say"

"N… no it was nothing. Thank you for your praise, sir"

"Sakaki kun, you're one of Tama chan's subordinates, correct?"

Sakaki nodded in reply. "Sir! I could never repay our squad leader for everything she has done for us"

"Yes, yes indeed. I've heard that you're stubborn, won't listen to people and easily misunderstand things just like your father"

SHOCK!

My eye began to twitch hearing the conversation. I heard that Tamase wrote to her father but I did not imagine that it would be that blunt. I kept my expression firm but still it was becoming difficult to maintain. Cadet Tamase was crying comically and shaking in her shoes. Her eyes darted to me for help but I could not. I was already doing them a huge favor by turning a blind eye to their charade. The result of this was all because of the letters Tama sent to her father. But even so, it seems that the Undersecretary was too busy doting her daughter to realize that he was blowing it all out of proportion.

"… ah…" Chizuru remained calm and backed away breathing a healthy dose of air to cool her nerves. "I… see…"

"Don't cause my little Tama too much trouble now, you hear? (S… sir…)" With a proud nod, the Undersecretary moved on to Yoroi who stood at attention beside the group. "Hm? And you are…?"

"Sir! I am cadet Yoroi Mikoto"

Genjousai's eyes widened along with a wide smile across his lips. "Oh hoo?... so you're that Yoroi kun whose chest is even flatter than Tama's?"

DOUBLE SHOCK!

Shirogane… I'm really starting to see why you wanted me here. This little squad inspection was becoming a tour from hell.

Yoroi's face was marred significantly with tears and snot coming down her nose. She looked like a child who had just been teased by her friends of being super-flat-chest. "I… I … I hate you! You know how sensitive I am about thaaaaaaaaaat!" Ah… she ran away.

"Takeru san… help me~" I heard Tamase beg to the man in the cell. Unfortunately though I doubt he could even hear her if she screamed. She then darted her eyes to me which I ignored. As much as I wanted to help her, she was on her own in this battle. Besides it was too late. Even after this I will have no choice but to give them all punishments for assisting in an impersonation of an officer. If they kept this low they may have gotten away with it, but now it was too obvious for me to ignore completely. A week scrubbing the toilet will do and they can join Shirogane along as well.

The Undersecretary then turned his eye to the last cadet, Mitsurugi. His eyes widened with a rather shocking expression. That was to be expected considering how much Mitsurugi resembled the Grand Shogun. "Hm and you are…?"

Mitsurugi stepped up. "Yes. I am cadet Mitsurugi Meiya! (…) Hm? You have nothing to say regarding me?"

"It is a matter of life and death" came his answer. That wasn't a surprise. But even though, I can still deter that Tama wrote about Mitsurugi was bad.

"Aaauuuuuu…" Tamase san. Even if you beg like that I don't think anyone here will be able to forgive you. If anything, I'll even consider you extremely lucky to escape with your limbs intact.

After the brief conversation with the squad I noticed the Undersecretary darting his head around the room as if looking for a certain object. "Oh? That's odd? I heard that this squad in particular had six members. The last one being a boy whom I've heard so much about. (Eh?) I was hoping to see my new son in law along with the rest of his unit ahohohohoho!"

TRIPLE SHOCK!

Tama! What the hell did you write about Shirogane in your letters!-?

"Haaaaaa!-?" the girls all had their mouths opened wide in shock. I guess this was it.

"Sergeant Jinguuji" the Undersecretary called me. "Do you know where I can find the boy? I wanted to ask him when I can start expecting grandkids! Mwahahahaha! Isn't that right, Tama? Mwahahaha! (Hauuuuuu…)"

"Ah… yes… sir" I replied solemnly bowing apologetically to him. He's already jumping way ahead of time into grandkids. I was absolutely embarrassed on how to respond after he saw my squad at their poorest performance ever. "Unfortunately, Cadet Shirogane Takeru is occupied with another task and will be unavailable until later time"

"Hoo that's too bad. Though I have wondered if some of the rumors I've been hearing about him were true. (Eh?) They say that he's superman incarnate or a cyborg made by Professor Kouzuki or perhaps a super soldier trained in the harshest conditions or even a man whose brain was replaced by an animal of unnatural intelligence! Hahahaha!"

By the time Genjousai left the barracks under my care, I felt like every ounce of energy in me was spent. This has probably been the longest and most painstaking inspection I have ever had in my life. I gave a hint of warning to the cadets that they were going to be punished for this later and they didn't seem too surprised for it. They must've known that this was going to come eventually with their poor performance.

"Tamase…" I heard Sakaki stated after we were out of earshot but I could still hear them well. I turned around and saw the squad surrounding Cadet Tamase in a circle formation. "Can I… talk to you for a minute?"

"Nyaaaa!" Miki's face lit up like a startled cat. "N… no. I have some independent training to do! Perhaps later!"

But Meiya grabbed her arm before she could escape. "You may cancel them…" her eyes darted like swords at the little girl. "There is something urgent that we wish to discuss with you…" Her hands were shaking… they were shaking with rage. Again Tamase tried to escape but then Ayamine grabbed her by the head with her powerhorse grip. "Good Ayamine. We shall escort her like that"

"Wait, everyone, please calm down! This is a joke isn't it?" The little cadet pleaded but failed. She wiggled her body and left and right and to everyone's surprise she tore away from Ayamine's grip. "Nyaaaaaa! Takeru san! Save me!"

"Tamase! Cease your struggle and desist immediately!"

"I'm not stopping for anything!"

"After her!"

Haaa… from cadets of Eishi to little teenage girls. When this is over Shirogane, you're taking responsibility for their actions.

**(Takeru's POV) (Detention center)**

"Hachoo!" I let out a rather loud sneeze. The cold floors and walls were really not to my liking and the blanket that they provide here barely cover up my feet. If this keeps up I might just end up with a cold that could take me out of commission. Well it was winter after all and snow would be coming over this base sooner or later. The worst thing about being in a detention cell was that there was absolutely nothing to do. I was bored right down to my mind and the only interesting thing that happened to me this day was when Tsukuyomi visited.

Haaa… I'm bored. I wonder if the guard outside would go to my room and grab my Game Guy for me? No… I doubt that'll work. It looks like the guy out there is too busy sleeping to even go to the bathroom. Judging from the amount of sunlight I can see through the window I'd reckon it's somewhere around noon so the inspection is probably done by now. That means I have about 14 more hours before I get out of this dump.

Usually I'd pass this kind of free time down with some exercise but the pain caused by that jerk that knocked me over still stung. I already did a couple of sit-ups and pushups and even shadowboxed for about three hours. That alone can match up to a morning exercise already.

"Well you certainly know to keep yourself occupied"

"Eh? Oh… Yuuko sensei?" The professor came to visit me.

"I heard about your little brawl yesterday. How do you feel?"

I stood back up and approached her from the opposite side of the bars. "Not as bad as the first time but it still hurts. I'll probably feel a few of these bruises in the morning. But it's not like I wasn't expecting it"

"Hehehe… you talk about 'time' as if it were something you had at that palm of your hand" Yuuko sensei said to me in a rather seductive manner. "I wonder how it feels to not fear death. To not worry as time continued onward into the future? It must be a real paradise for you… or a prison of space and time. I guess it depends on how you use it"

"Time is the cruelest of kindness. That's what you told me before" I remembered that phrase well because it had proven itself over and over again because I experienced all the hardship and suffering through time.

"Hoo? It seems like 'time' really has taught you something after all"

"Heh… you know something sensei. (Hmm?) During my very first loop… this is probably the place where I first met the 'you' in this world" Yeah… if I remembered correctly, this is pretty much the same cell that I was held for a whole day before Yuuko sensei found me. "You were strange. The moment you laid your eyes on me you gave me clearance to everything I needed. I considered it odd at first but after that day… I'm actually quite grateful that you took me in"

Yuuko made a strange face. "What's wrong with you? Being sentimental at a time like this"

"Sorry. Just seeing this place and you on the other side of these bars feels rather nostalgic. So what is it? (Hmm?) You obviously didn't come down here to check up on me without good reason. Otherwise you'd just send Kasumi here instead" Oh that reminds me. I wonder if she's scrubbing the toilet like she did back in our other loops. Tama got pretty full of herself that time and began ordering stuff around without even realizing the consequences.

"Sharp as always" Yuuko grinned evilly for the first time I've seen in awhile. "It almost makes me glad that I have you on my side. But you're right. I have some news. (Oh?) First of all, your squad seemed to have made a complete fool of themselves in front of the Undersecretary. But I'm probably sure you knew the outcome already"

"Trust me sensei. I tried to change that part of history but no matter what I do it seems like God himself wants to ensure that we repeat that path over and over again. But at least I was able to avoid their wrath upon me this day"

"Is that the reason why you're glad to be in detention right now?"

"Partly, but I have to admit that it's just sooooo boring. There's absolutely nothing for me to do here!"

"Were you expecting TV, soft cushion and first class treatment? It's called a detention center for a reason" Yuuko sensei pointed out the obvious. "But anyway, I came by to tell you that a lot of important people have been poking into your file"

"Eh? Ah… you mean 1st Lieutenant Tsukuyomi? Yeah she dropped by here earlier with the Three Idiots. She said something about the Information Division. She said that I was a threat"

"Hoo? Those people too? The First Section of the Household Department Information Division to be precise. Hmm… I should've expected this considering how your reputation has been skyrocketing through the roof now"

Huh? My reputation has been… what? I never heard anything about that.

"What do you mean? About my reputation?"

"I've been updating your profile for quite awhile now since we first met" she answered looking a little exhausted from all the work she's been doing for the last couple of days. "It would look strange if you were still registered as 'dead' in the profile so I created a whole new story for you. But even after doing that I guess that the Imperial Honor Guards have their own network of information as well. Not only that but it seems that you've also been turning heads on very important people out there. (Huh?) When I updated your profile today I saw that there were at least a hundred and sixty people who looked through it"

"What does that mean?"

"It means that there are some people out there who are interested in you, Shirogane" She answered coyly as if it didn't concern her. "It shouldn't be surprised since you've been hanging around me for a long time too. I guess you could say that by being a close acquaintance of mine gives you credibility. I locked your personal profile down to a 'Level 5 information security clearance' so only those with proper authorities can see it. That way I can tell immediately who's interested in you"

"Wow… I never thought I'd be that big"

"Losing confidence, are we? (No… it's just) Well it doesn't matter anymore. Anyway the main reason why I came down here is because I wanted to tell you that the new OS for the TSF are ready"

"Hmm? That fast?"

"Actually it was done yesterday but I just made the final checkups on it. Besides, with all the battle data that we've been accumulating for the past week it would've been done faster if I had more free time. Haaaaa…"

"So it'll work like I imagined?"

"Better than the last one, I promise" She nodded in confirmation. "You can use it during the mock battle tomorrow"

"The mock battle?" An image of the time when Class rep, Ayamine and I pitted in that fight came to my mind. It was brutal seeing that those two can't get along any better than a mongoose and a viper. Because of their inability to get along we had to train for another five days before being able to resume our course. And not to mention that both of them had to sleep in my room and that of course led to a lot of misunderstanding and embarrassing moments that I'd rather not delve back into.

"What's wrong with you?" Yuuko sensei asked noticing my long pause. "Your face is all red. Ah… did something embarrassing came back to you?" She teased me.

"N… no! Of course not!" I lied. I think lying has become a new habit that I came to develop these past few hundred years. "But anyway sensei. There's one small favor that I forgot to ask you. Can you put the new OS system in Ayamine and Sakaki's TSF as well? (Huh? Why?) Well you see in tomorrow's mock battle, Marimo chan is gonna assign the three of us together against Meiya's group. And you know how bad those two get along like rubber and glue"

"I see…" It seems like I really didn't need to spend any time with the detail. Knowing Yuuko sensei, she'd probably put two and two together before I could even finish. "So you want them to test the new OS on them. Not bad considering that they'd be so distracted with the new functions that they don't have time to argue. Is this your way of thinking? Heh… such a soft but effective method. Alright, I'll work the engineers till death tonight and install them on the other two machines. I'll even do this one for free if you get me the results I need"

"That won't be a problem"

**(Marimo's POV) (Marimo's Room) (Later that night)**

I returned to my room after I escorted Undersecretary Genjousai to the command center that evening. I was dismissed immediately by the base's CO so I took the opportunity to rest for a bit. The paperwork in my office will have to wait for tomorrow after the mock battle. I'm already exhausted just watching my squad made a complete idiot out of themselves. To make it even worst, the Undersecretary-General already knew that Tamase was only role playing as the squad leader from the start but he chose to play along with it just for fun.

I was planning on punishing the cadets for their discretion but after hearing how much fun the U.N. had I decided to let this one slide. Besides I didn't even feel like going back to them. Doing that will probably just exhaust me even more.

Looking at my watch I realized that it was already nine o'clock. Two more hours until Shirogane gets released from his cell. There wasn't anything for me to do right now and going back to the office would be a waste of time. I don't even have to the strength to go to the PX either. Maybe I'll finish my report on the inspection now and kill some time with a little music.

But just as I reached over to my computer I saw the plastic ramen cup that Shirogane gave to me yesterday. He said that it was some kind of instant food that just needed hot water to boil. I've never seen one packed like this before and it certainly didn't look like military standard ration. Who knows how it would taste like?

Groan….

Ah… my stomach is complaining. I don't care anymore. I'll just have to settle for this then. Now let's see. There's an instruction manual printed on the cup. That's rather useful. Step 1, open packet half way, add ingredients then add hot water and wait three minutes before eating. Sounds simple enough.

I followed the instructions to the letter and waited for exactly three minutes. Strangely enough there only seemed to be two smaller packets inside the cup which contained spices of some sort. I wonder if these things were the rations that they hand out to civilians. Well it certainly did have an attractive aroma and the utensils that it provide means that I can be eaten anywhere at any time as long as you have hot water present.

Three minutes is still a long while so I decided to kill some time looking through my computer while I'm at it. During the last few weeks I have been undergoing a research of personal interest. Hidden in my personal file was a folder based on Shirogane Takeru. When Yuuko asked me to keep tabs on him at first I made this file to record every abnormal activity about him. He was strong, smart, athletic and far more capable a soldier than the other girls in the squad. From his files, the boy was born and raised here in Yokohama but that's pretty much it. It didn't say where he lived afterwards or where he was stationed. It was as if his activities had just stopped.

Even though it has only been a month, the boy seemed to have developed a solid relationship with his squad mates. Cadet Mitsurugi respects his strength and his superiority as a soldier and Cadet Sakaki relies greatly on his tactical thinking and would often ask for his opinion before proceeding. Ayamine has a rather acute admiration for the boy as well after they faired equally in hand to hand combat the other day. No. To be honest I believe Cadet Shirogane would've won completely if he had gone all out. As for Cadet Tamase and Yoroi, those two look up to Takeru like an older brother who can do anything. They cling to him closely and rely on his strength sometimes to carry them through.

In the duration of his stay, my observation concluded that Takeru was nothing more but a boy with rather unique talents. However my conclusion appears to be mistaken once I came to see his aptitude test on the TSF simulator. His heartbeat, brainwaves and muscle control all seemed to be inhumane. He controls the Tactical Surface Fighter like it was a toy, moving it in almost impossible manners. I've checked his control logs over and over and from what I can tell his fingers alone moved a lot faster than the computer could even input them onto the system.

I believe that this was the time that I began to develop an interest in the boy. Despite that I was no longer needed to observe him I find it rather difficult to stop myself from continuing. Not only was he a natural soldier on the field, he was a capable strategist and a gifted individual on a machine. Another reason why he also teased my interest was the way he responds to Yuuko. As far as I know no one has been that close to her, ever yet he converse with her like they were relatives.

I've never been one t judge on rumors but after the aptitude test got leaked throughout the base, people have been jumping to rather strange conclusions on Shirogane's true identity. Most of them are pretty much speculations but that's only because the boy tends to be around Yuuko most of the time. They're beginning to say that he was an experimental child bred for a new breed of super-soldiers, some say that he's a robot and I think I heard from Cadet Tamase that he was a man mixed with animal DNA or something.

Well I guess its 'human-nature' to make answers in the absence of truth.

I think I'll re-read his profile once more to get some answers.

Click… click… access denied…

Eh? Wait. That can't be right…

Access denied…

Clearance Level 5 required? That's impossible! I was checking through Shirogane's file yesterday and there wasn't any problem then. With a level 5, that only means only those who have access to the archives can look at it.

Just who is Shirogane Takeru?

**(Takeru's POV) (Yuuko's office)**

The moment the clock struck eleven, the guard at the front door immediately released me from captivity. My form of punishment wasn't really that bad considering that I had all that time to lick my wounds and rest. The food was pretty much the same too but I didn't have a choice on what to pick. Haa… maybe I'll settle for another cup of instant ramen back at my room. It's better than anything I've had until now.

I took a detour around the barracks because I couldn't take the chance of those girls still being there to vent their hostility towards me. Fool me once, shame on me, fool me twice, shame on you, fool me thrice, I'll kill myself!

I took the long route around the base then the emergency elevator towards the underground facility leading to the labs. That reminds me, I haven't visited Kasumi or Sumika in awhile now. I should probably get to that after I finish my visit with Yuuko sensei.

By the time I got to her office I noticed that the place was still a mess. Are all mad-scientists this messy in their labs?

"Oh good timing" the professor said to me as I entered through her security door. "The engineers just sent me a message saying that they should be done installing the new OS system tonight. That's pretty fast considering that it was suddenly brought to them just a few hours ago. Usually things like this would take days to work out"

"That's good to hear" I replied taking my seat opposite of her table. "That means we can go on ahead of schedule and use them on the others once they've been proven useful"

"I've already ordered three more of them to be produced later tomorrow if things go according to plan. But anyway, that's not why I asked you to come here"

Oh that's right. Yuuko sensei brought me here to discuss something important. Something serious enough that she didn't want the risk of anyone else hearing about it. "Yeah. You called me so suddenly. Is something the matter?"

"It's about the coup d'état that you told me about a few days ago" Oh that… "I asked some of my sources around the Kanto block and they've confirmed it. A man named Naoya Sagiri is indeed rallying supporters to his cause on a corrupt government. His influence goes across the country and even now more than two hundred soldiers in the frontlines share his vision. However… even with my connections I don't think I can stop it from happening"

"I expected that much" I replied looking professional. The rebellion that made this country lose time and resources was fast approaching and considering what happened last time it took a lot of our moralein the process. I understand these people and their plight for justice but if their justice means taking it into their own hands then they're no different than the ones they intend to destroy. Yuuko sensei and I spent countless hours here discussing what we could do to prevent it and so by then we came with a solution that may use that rebellion to our advantage.

Or… at least my advantage.

"Anyway I've already ordered the things that you wanted" Yuuko sensei then took out a solid password-lock-briefcase from her table and pushed it towards me across the desk. I opened it and checked its contents before nodding in return. "The measurement is the same size as Mitsurugi so they should match. As for the other things you requested… well they're all in there"

"Do you have any doubt that this won't work?" I asked for her honest opinion. If I knew that Yuuko sensei was sure on something, it would ease my burden quite a bit.

"The plan we made should be full proof" She answered after as short breath. "We even made a backup just in case something goes wrong. But in the end, this whole thing all depends on how well you perform in the final act. You'll either get recognition from the Shogun… or resentment…"

"I've taken a lot of hatred back in my old world, sensei. I think I can take one more person's hatred"

"Spoken like a true man" She smirked. "But anyway, take that briefcase and keep it safe. People might get a different opinion of you if they see what's inside"

"I'll do that. Thanks again for everything"

"Just try to keep your end of the bargain" She added mocking me. "I'm actually looking forward to your speech performance nyahahahaha"

**(Brain lab room)**

Bringing the briefcase with I visited the brain room on the other side of the lab. "Yo Kasumi chan! Ara?" She wasn't there. That's odd, she's usually here talking with Sumika. I wonder where she could be. Oh well. It's not like she'll be gone all the time.

Walking up to the brain, I saw the canister bubble up in front of me. I was sure that it never did that before so I can only assume that Sumika was trying to communicate with me. My smile grew warmer as I closed in on the brain.

"Hey there… Sumika…" I said plainly to the brain which it did not reply to. No surprise there. "Sorry I haven't been able to visit you for awhile now even though I promise I did. It's just that there's a lot of stuff that's been happening lately that my schedule's up tight to my neck. Heck I even have to look into my timeline on the perfect moment to visit the rest room. (…) But anyway, I should probably tell you about the things that happened while I was gone. Well you see… it started like this…"

Though it might look weird to other people, talking with the brain actually made me feel like I was really talking to Sumika. Of course she was a lot more talkative that this and would be making opinions and comments to everything I said, like 'That's stupid' or 'What the heck does that even mean?' and many more. Hahahaha. Just thinking about it can make me picture her cute childish face. She really is an idiot after all hehehehe.

I spent the next half-hour in that room talking to Sumika and telling her everything, from the Comprehensive Combat Skill Evaluation to my training inside the simulator. She bubbled up to me a few times which I could translate to laughing or a puzzled look. Heh. I guess I know her so well that it doesn't really matter if she could talk or not because I already know what her reply would be.

"You're funny…" Eh?

I turned around and saw Kasumi there, wearing a napkin over her head and a mop and a bucket in her hands. From my point of view she looked a lot like a janitor of some sort. (Flash) Oh yeah… if I remember correctly, Tama got a little high with power and ordered her to clean the restroom. So that must mean that she just recently came back.

"Oh hey there Kasumi" I waved, greeting the girl. "Sorry, I was talking to… someone and…"

"I know" she cut me off. "She says that you're… funny"

"Ah? Oh… ah… thanks?" Ah that's right. Kasumi can probably communicate with Sumika telepathically or something. "Anyway, I'll be leaving now. I'll come by more often whenever I can and hey… I know! Kasumi, you know to play cat's cradle? (…) If you don't I'll teach you! It's fun when done in groups. Tomorrow after the mock battle I'll come right over, ok? Well… see ya"

But before I could get out the door, Kasumi grabbed the sleeve of my uniform. "Wait…" She asked me, placing the mop and bucket on the wall.

"Huh? What is it?"

The girl grabbed her favorite sketchbook from the nearby table and slowly began drawing on it. I took a peek but her hair covered most of it. Heck even her bunny shaped ears on top of her head was looking pretty cute. She shuffled from color to color give each of them a brush on the sketchbook. They took shape rather quickly yet they also look kind of childish just like the girl who was drawing them.

"… it's done" Kasumi said after a few minutes later. She opened a page on her book and showed them to me.

My heart melted for a second there. It was a picture of me and Sumika in the theme park. Though the colors were a bit disoriented I could tell what it was about. Heh… Sumika took me there after she had won the cooking contest back at Meiya's place. We went through the rollercoaster that scared the pants out of me and then we watched that power-ranger copy of a show in the show line. It was fun despite… what happened afterwards. But the strange thing about the picture was that there were a bunch of suspiciously black hooded figures hiding in the background. I don't remember seeing them in my world but then again… I was probably too focused on Sumika to see anything else.

I was also rather woozy after coming out of that rollercoaster too so my visions was kind of hazy. For all I know, Godzilla could've been there and I wouldn't even notice.

"Did Sumika show you this, Kasumi?" I asked the bunny haired girl in which she replied nodding her bunny ears to me. "I see. Thank you. It reminds me of a lot of things I'm actually grateful about"

"… See you" she said to me.

"Yeah. See you tomorrow after the mock battle" I replied holding a happy grin. "Heck I'll even win just for you, Kasumi chan" Her face reddened as I said her name with the suffix. Maybe she didn't like it.


	8. I Will Make the Future

**Chapter 8: I Will Make the Future!**

**(November 29, 2001 Thursday) (Yokohama Base) (Takeru's room)**

Shake shake…

"Auuu… Kasumi?" I opened my eyes the moment I felt a pair of hands shaking my body around my bed. Kasumi was there, looking at me with her big round eyes. "Good morning. Why are you waking me up so early? It's not even six o'clock yet" I checked my clock again just to make sure I wasn't wrong. Yup, I still had a good solid hour before this thing goes off and roll call to kick in.

Shake shake… shake shake…

Kasumi continued to shake me on my bed, her big eyes still staring at my face. "… good morning" she said to me with a soft voice.

"Yeah… alright, fine. I'm up" I didn't want to waste her effort so I quickly force my body upward. Despite all my training and all my dedication on saving the world and crap, this laziness was still part of my character. I wouldn't be Shirogane Takeru if I wasn't lazy.

Shuffle…

Eh? Oh… She even readied my exoskeleton suit. "Thank you. Do you usually wake up this early? If it's troubling you, you don't really need to this every day. I can pretty much wake up with the alarm clock. (…) Well… umm… anyway, I'm about to change now. (…) So would you mind waiting outside? (….?) Are you really gonna stand there while I take my clothes off?"

She immediately knew of her fault and turned away with a reddened face. But it was a bad thing to run in such a small room. Bonk! Ow… that must've hurt.

"… agaaaa…" Kasumi stated rubbing where her head hit the door.

"Don't run in the hallway" I warned but a little too late now. Heh… even after a thousand loops I still can't get enough of her cute silliness.

**(TSF Hanger)**

Breakfast wasn't even ready yet I made my way to the hanger to meet up with the squad. I wasn't surprised that no one was there yet. After all it was still rather early for me to be up. Heck I'd still be in bed if Kasumi didn't wake me.

The ticking and cracking of cogs, and gear working tirelessly around the place produced some rather comforting sounds. The night shift engineers had just finished their final touches and were now preparing for today's training. Mock battles are pretty much just a field-exercise for Eishis to get used to live combat. Our ammo was replaced with paintballs and all of our TSFs would be equipped with special sensors to detect the amount of paint that was inflicted upon their bodies.

"Eh? Shirogane?" I looked to the source of the voice to find my instructor there with the head engineer by her side.

"Oh… Marimo cha—I mean… Instructor Jinguuji"

She glared at me again with her sweet looking eyes. "Cadet, I'm beginning to think that you have no intention of changing that habit of yours. (Sorry…)" That's odd. Back in my last loop I think I was able to get rid of that habit so why is it coming back to me now? "So why are you here so early? Roll call doesn't happen in another half hour"

"Well… my… alarm clock woke me up earlier than usual" I answered. "Besides, it's our first mock battle so you could say I'm pretty excited"

"It's good to be motivated but it's also good to have a good night's rest for the next day. If you're too exhausted for the following battle then getting all pumped up will be useless. (Ah…) Just try to get some rest whenever you can, ok?"

"Yes, ma'am…"

"It's still rather early too. Have you had breakfast yet?"

"No ma'am. I came straight here after I woke up. There wasn't any food in the PX"

"Want to go together? (Eh?) It's still early so no one will be around. The best food is often served up first" Wait a second… I'm getting a little dejavu here. Did I eat with Marimo chan once before? It's a little hazy but I think it happened once, in school. Ah… it's at the tip of my tongue, I swear.

"Uh… sure" I answered unconsciously before I even realized what I even said. My instructor seemed pleased and immediately dismissed the engineer behind her to deal with what's left with the work.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

We grabbed our trays from the counter where Kyozuka oba chan was and picked a table where it was secluded from the rest. The whole cafeteria was deserted and only the sound of the kitchen's grill seemed to making any noise. But Marimo chan was right though. The best meals were indeed served up first. The toast and butter and synthetic pork were the first things to usually vanish from the menu leaving only fish, rice and vegetable soup for the rest of the cadets. I casually picked my share and joined my instructor for a little day time meal.

The sun wasn't even up yet so you can basically still call it nighttime.

"Hey… instructor" I called out to her as we sat on opposite ends eating. I felt a little embarrassed to be eating with my exoskeleton suit still on. "Do you eat breakfast this early, every day?"

She laughed at my question. "Of course not. This is a special occasion seeing that it's the squad's first time piloting a TSF in live action. If I did this everyday I'll be contradicting what I just said to you earlier"

"Huh? Oh you mean the soldier should rest whenever he can. I guess you're right there"

"After your morning mock battle, we'll have a lecture on advance TSF controls in the simulator. But considering the skills that you've shown in your earlier training routine, I don't think you'll have a hard time finishing it"

"Oh come on now ma'am" I whined at her compliment. "I may be good but that doesn't mean that there's nothing left to learn" Besides… everything that you teach me now is pretty much the thing that made me into this awesome pilot that I am now. I'll never get bored as long as it's about TSFs. Heck I can pretty much listen to your lectures on how awesome they are and still remain awake.

"That may be true but… seeing how you dominated all of our training courses by a factor of ten I'm beginning to wonder if you were conscripted before" I think Class rep gave that same hunch to me once or twice when we were still in basic training. "It's obvious to anyone here that you're no ordinary man and your abilities in combat and tactical thinking are far beyond that of a human being. (Really?) Usually when people ride on the simulator for the first time they'd get nauseous or wheezy from the vibration and their brainwaves get erratic. But you… you barely even flinched"

"Maybe my body is just that good. ^_^" I joked.

"Yes I'll admit that your physique is amazing but you also seem to be very knowledgeable about tactics, strategy and weapon designs. I've taught many batches of students in this training school and some of them are even far older than you. But none of them has ever shown the skill and ability you possess" Uh oh… I have a bad feeling about this conversation. It looks like all the excellent progress I've been doing is just adding to her suspicion. But I'm only doing that because Yuuko sensei asked me to.

"Oh come on now. I'm not that good" My sweat was coming down already.

"Don't be modest. I have seen your scores and your control logs in the simulator and compared it with the other cadets stationed here. By far none of their skills even came close to what you've achieved" I was getting uncomfortable here. And the sound of silence hanging in the room wasn't helping either. "There have been a lot of people asking for a hero in these dark times, Shirogane. And for some reason, seeing you excel in training gives me hope that we may one day defeat the BETA. But even so… your talent is the very thing that I am unsure of"

"…" I opened my mouth to speak but I couldn't find the words to say. Marimo chan was serious, dead serious on my abilities but she was still afraid of it. Perhaps my emotional explosion during the last simulator training scared her.

"So I'll ask again, Shirogane. If the information I inquire is classified then I'll understand. But… just who are you…?"

…

…

…

A long pause ensued in the PX as Marimo and eye traded stares. There was no way I could tell her that I was from the future, and telling her that crazed super elite soldier from Area 51 was out of the question. I flinched back at her glare and braced myself for what was to come but just when I was about to give up… my eyes suddenly noted on my instructor's eating utensils. She was holding onto them firmly with her hands but at the same time they were shaking. Was she afraid of me or afraid of something else entirely?

But seeing her now and watching her serious expression I couldn't help but remember those times when I spent with her. She was kind, sweet and gentle and easily scared of larger insects. Whenever a student had problems she'd be the first to comfort them and give them the strength to move forward. Was this not the same Marimo from back then?

It was then did I realize what was bothering her. She was acting just like the girls in my squad when they thought I wasn't human. She must've been worried about me and what I might be going through to become the super soldier that I am now. Geez, Marimo chan. Even though you looked so serious you still worry about your students.

Breathing a sigh I decided to go along. "Heh… it looks like I can't hide it forever after all. (Eh?) You are right Instructor; I don't think the term 'human' fits my description at all. I can't tell you the details but if you want, you can ask Yuuko sensei about it. My life… has been a repetition for quite some time now. Even after going back to the starting line for the millionth time I still couldn't do anything right and the people that I cared about often paid the price for it"

"W…what do you mean by that?" She asked for the sake of the conversation.

"I've learned through to time that I was naïve. Nothing more than a boy who can still cry when he's lost or scream out loud when he's afraid. But then I met these amazing people that changed me into who I am now. People who taught me about life and how fragile it was. How people struggle against reality, hoping for a better future in the horizon" I paused for a moment looking into my soup bowl to see my own reflection, only to see the faces of the people that I've lost in the battle against the BETA. My teachers, my friends and my comrades… all of them. "If it were not for them I'd still be a child that never learns to grow up. But like everyone that I ever cared about, they died so that we could live. I am grateful for their teachings and the life they had given me. I only wish I had a chance to thank them"

"… ah…" I can tell from Marimo's expression that she only understood half of what I was saying. She remained silent seeing how emotional I became.

"I've seen so many things in my life. Sometimes I see myself dying in the frontlines protecting the ones I loved. Sometimes I see myself being the only one who lived a happy life while those around me go through the same pain I didn't want to go through. No matter what I did, the pain that I inflict hurts the people I care the most. Perhaps it… is something of a curse in me" I looked at the clock above the cafeteria and noted that the sun was coming up already. "Ah… I'd better go. I don't want to be late for roll call or else Class rep will bite my head off" I stood up from my seat to leave, only for Marimo to grab the sleeve of my suit.

"W… wait Shirogane…"

"It's best we leave it at that, Instructor Jinguuji" I replied, gently pulling my arm away. "People will misunderstand things if they saw us like this and I don't want to hurt anyone else in my life… especially you…" I walked away and not once did I look back. Sorry sensei… I wish I could tell you the whole truth… but I doubt you'll believe any of it at all.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

I returned to the hanger to cool my head off. Saying all those things to Marimo chan made me rather uncomfortable to be around her. I can't blame her for being suspicious though. After all, with my incredible skills and shady activity I've been doing around with Yuuko sensei I would even suspect that I wasn't ordinary.

"Ara? Shirogane?" I looked up only to find the said scientist coming from the control room. "Your timing is impeccable as ever. If I didn't know better I'd think you can see the future" Huh? Was that supposed to be some kind of joke? "Anyway, the engineers have just finished with the OS system installment. The controls should be more inclined to your way of moving"

"I see… that's… good"

Yuuko sensei must've noticed the low tone of my voice when she raised a brow of curiosity. "Hey… what's wrong with you? Usually when we talk about this kind of stuff you'd be jumping with joy. Did you eat something bad at the cafeteria? (Ah… no…) Hmm…" She poked at my suit as if trying to press an imaginary button to make me spill the beans. "Heeh? You're no fun when you're depressed. At times like these I'd usually get Yashiro to read your mind but you're surprisingly cunning to avoid that kind of trick"

"Ah… sorry. It's just that. I have a lot going through my mind right now and… I don't really have anyone to talk about it"

"I can always pretend to listen, if you want"

"I can't tell if you're trying to annoy me or cheer me up professor"

"If you want to change the future, the first thing you should change, is yourself, Shirogane…" She added looking at me with a sly face. "But I think I'll spare you the lecture on it. Come, you can be the first to test the new OS in your machine"

**(Marimo's POV) (A few hours later) (TSF Hanger)**

I've been feeling rather gloomy after my conversation with Shirogane this morning. Well I deserved it after what I did to him. I pressured the boy into a corner and made him spill his history to me. Though I couldn't tell what the boy was talking about I could see through his eyes that he was letting out some of the built up sadness that he had been holding back. His eyes spoke more than his mouth and by the time he finished I believed for a moment there that he must've been crying inside. The weight on his shoulder didn't seem to have lightened either… if anything… I think I may have made it heavier for him.

Takeru didn't even finish his share of the food and left it there in front of me like it had no value. When he left the table, I stared at his tray of food as steam from his vegetable soup cooled down. I didn't even notice the cadets coming in when the bell finally rung signaling the roll call.

I didn't even feel hungry after that conversation either so I decided to skip breakfast and head straight back to the control room to finalize the operations.

I talked with the head mechanic on the faults of the TSFs and found out that the only thing that needed tuning were the paintjobs. Yuuko must've convinced a lot of officials to get us the ones in such good conditions. But I wonder if it had to do with Takeru being in the group. Regardless, the squad should have a good time using these in combat.

Bump…

Eh? Ah darn. I'm thinking too deeply I'm not even looking where I'm walking.

"Sorry about that" I apologized only to discover that the one I bumped was a little girl. "Oh? Yashiro? What are you doing here?" I remember seeing this girl a few times in the base. Yashiro Kasumi. She's supposedly under Yuuko's guardianship but I don't know why she was needed in this place. She doesn't talk much and mostly stares at people from the corner of the room. Sometimes I tend to believe that she could read people's mind.

"… agaaaa…"

"Agaa?" That sounded like something people would say when they're hurt but the way she said it sound like something that her mind programmed to do when hit by an object. Before I could even open my mouth to speak again, the girl walked off towards the loading docks where I was heading. To my surprise, Yuuko was there. "Oh? Professor Kouzuki?"

"Ah Marimo" She noticed me immediately. "Just the person I wanted to see. There's something I wanted to ask you. (Huh?) What are the teams for today's battle again?"

"Eh? Why are you…?"

"Just asking, nothing much" She answered looking anything but innocent.

"Umm… well. I already decided to split the squad in two so, Sakaki, Ayamine and Shirogane against Mitsurugi, Tamase and Yoroi"

Yuuko gave me a grin and nodded. "Hoo… just as he predicted. Such precise calculations too. So that's how he's going to get his team together. (Huh?) No it's nothing. Hey, could you bring out a Mobile Command Post for me? (Eh?) I'm gonna monitor Sakaki's team with it"

"W… wait a minute… what're you talking about? You already changed the victory condition to total annihilation without my-"

"Its fine, its fine" she tried to reassure me but I seriously had my doubts on it. "I'm not trying to change it anymore. There's just something I wanna watch in more explicit detail"

"Then why can't we both watch here in the control room?"

"It's a little… something I want to make sure"

I gave a suspicious glare. "Just what are you planning this time? The head mechanic said that you've been running and ordering around this hanger for the past few days with Shirogane. What have you done?"

"Nothing at all. Scout's honor" Yeah right. I would've believed that if she had passed the scout's test years ago. "So I'll leave it up to you. Don't delay on the… eh?" she stopped momentarily when Yashiro began tugging her sleeves. "What is it Yashiro?" She knelt down to Kasumi's height and listened to her whisper. I don't know what the little girl told her but when she finished, Yuuko's face had grown stern. "I see…"

"W… what? What is it?"

Yuuko sighed and simply looked away. "Just something I didn't expect. Anyway Marimo, you're squad's waiting for you. You should attend to them. Just bring out the command post for me, ok?"

"Ah! W… wait! Professor!"

We quickly got out of the control room to meet up with Sakaki and the rest of Squad 207. Everyone was accounted for. Even Shirogane was there standing at attention with the others.

"Salute!" I saluted back at the squad and command them to be at ease.

"Yes, yes, hello there everyone" Yuuko added gesturing her hand at them. "Well it looks like you're all going off to your first mock battle. Good luck out there but don't go breaking a leg just yet, understand? Or else the mechanics will chew your ears off. (Ma'am!) Alright then. Marimo, you deal with the rest"

"Ok. The teams of today are as follows. Sakaki, Shirogane and Ayamine will be group one. Mitsurugi, Tamase and Yoroi will be group two. Sakaki and Mitsurugi will the respective squad leaders. Understood? (Ma'am!)"

**(Takeru's POV) (Hanger doors)**

After we were given our initial instructions for the mock battle I immediately made my way to my TSF along with my team mates for this battle. It was just a brief explanation that we weren't going to be practicing with live ammo but with paintballs instead. As expected, Yuuko sensei was already there waiting for us.

She gave my two comrades the short version of the new OS that she installed into their TSFs. "… so you heard us. Understand?"

Chizuru looked a little unsure of the new installment but didn't deny it. "I understood, but getting a new OS on such short notice is a little extreme. Won't we have to reconfigure our CPU to the program? It might take some time to adjust ourselves to it"

"It'll be fine~~" Yuuko cooed to them. "I'm not joking or exaggerating when I say you can figure it out just by fiddling with it"

"But will it really work?" Ayamine asked with no hint of high expectations for it.

"We'll be gathering movement control data too, but please win and prove to everyone how good it is"

"I'm not sure about this" It seems to me that they're not all that motivated to try the new OS at all. Alright… it's finally high time I did something about it. Time to put all that manipulative training that Yuuko had shown me during the pass years to good use.

"Maybe this wasn't a good idea after all, professor? (Hmm?)" I began looking rather disappointed, rubbing my head to complete the act. "These girls already know about my bizarre skills in the TSF but I don't think they'll be able to mimic it using a new OS"

"Eh? What do you mean by that, Shirogane?" Class rep asked looking a little curious.

"To be honest. This is actually one of the reasons why Yuuko sensei brings me to her lab. She wanted to replicate my moves onto the TSF and make it perform all the things that I did without even using any talent"

Yuuko grinned mischievously when she saw through my ruse. She shouldn't be surprised seeing that this was similar to the method she was going to use against those two. "Indeed. Since Shirogane was the only person alive that could pull it off I thought that maybe I could implement that into the OS program, making the TSFs act like Shirogane instead. If I like the result, the data you give us could be used in TSFs all over the world. (Eh?) This squad had been chosen as of concept test pilots for all humanity"

"… hnn…" Even Ayamine seems to be taking interest now.

"You girls should be honored" Yuuko continued feigning disappointment like I did earlier. "I was going to let professional pilots come and test it out first but Shirogane begged me to let you girls try it out first"

"… for all humanity" Class rep's eyes sparkled with determination.

"… sounds nice" Ayamine agreed which is actually pretty rare for those two to come to terms.

I decided to add the final push for the persuasion tactic. "But since you girls don't seem confident about it we may as well switch back. Yuuko sensei, how long will it take to return the OS system back to its normal state?"

"W… wait a minute!" Hook. Line. And sinker. "We never said no to anything yet!" Class rep hastily stopped me from saying anything more. "We'll do it! Just give us a shot with the new OS for now!"

"You sure?" Yuuko asked knowing well what the answer was. "We could always change it back in a few minutes. (N… no!) Alright then. You should be able to win just doing what you normally do, so have fun with it. Now then, move out! (Understood!)" the two girls dashed off towards their TSFs with fires in their eyes. Yup… I'm pretty sure they're motivated now. "Shirogane… (Hmm?) It seems like you know how to persuade people, after all"

"Well I had a few pointers from a witch" I replied before saluting playfully and heading off towards my TSF. I heard Yuuko laughed behind me.

**(Ruined city) (Training Area 2)**

I felt a familiar feeling around my body as I sat in the cockpit of my Fubuki. While the auto walk system was leading me and my group to the starting point of our training area I quickly familiarized myself with the controls. The combo system and delayed reaction were now down to a minimal but it still wasn't good enough to catch up with my controls. Judging from the speed that the computer could do with my actions I was probably back to at least 27% of my original strength. The completed version of the new OS was three times faster than this and can easily synch in with my thoughts.

But I guess this will have to do for now. After all, our squad will be sent to the frontlines soon facing the rebels in Kanto.

After a few minutes, we arrived at our starting point overlooking my old city. The ruins of my favorite street where the arcade I used to visit every day with Mikoto to play Vagernon was in shambles. Heh… it feels like so long ago that I had such a fun time with that girl… I mean guy… whatever. I remember this street well from multiple loops. I had a date with Class rep once and visited this place with Sumika and Meiya to buy a few things for their personal use. It's kind of difficult to forget since they made me the pack mule for the day.

"This is 01" Class rep called out to the command post. "We're in position. Awaiting orders"

"Understood" I heard Marimo chan on the other line, her face suddenly popping up in a small box beside my computer screen. "02, 03 and 05 have arrived as well. Deactivating auto-walk system and unlocking weapons control. The condition of this battle is total elimination of the opposing team. Training will commence in 3…2…1… Start!"

"Here we go!" I leaped off in my TSF to get used to the new OS. Yup I was right, despite all the progress we've made the system was still incomplete. It was still slow to my standards but at least it was better than the old ones that everyone else was using.

"Waaa!" I heard Class rep crash upon moving her mech. "Wh… what is this?"

"The controls… they're… overreacting!" Ayamine struggled to get back on her feet but was having a hard time regaining her balance.

"Are you guys ok?" I turned back my mech for a moment to check on them. "They're much more sensitive now, so you've got to be gentle. (Arraaa?) But you can do incredible stuff with them because they're so responsive. Just give it a shot!"

"… you make it sound… so easy"

Blip…

I noticed a spark on my radar. "I've got contact! Radar blip, coming at two o'clock!" I quickly move up front to investigate. If everything goes as it did back in the future, Meiya would be the one luring us into a trap with Mikoto backing her up. My comrades quickly got back on their feet and followed the radar blip that I sent them.

"This is 01. We'll attack the two in front!"

But they knew our plan and began to use evasive maneuvers. "This is 06, they've split up! Ayamine, one of them is heading towards you!"

"This is 04, roger… enemy contact!"

Ayamine made contact with her opponent which just happens to be Meiya and began firing when it came to her crosshair. The two mechs traded bullets but they were too skilled to be taken out by such cheap shots.

"This is 06, I'm moving in to cover 04!"

"01, copy that!" I quickly joined Ayamine providing fire support but Meiya was still too fast for my bullets. She used the ruined buildings as cover and made her escape without exposing herself. "04 and 06, work together and drive them into the main road! We'll attack them on both sides. (Roger!)" Yoroi and I traded small bursts at one another and slowly I pushed her back to the building where she was using as cover. Those three already know how strong I was and knew that it would be impossible to face me head on so they decided to take me down with tactics instead.

They think that we're walking straight into their trap again but I already know their plan ahead of time. Once we get you to the main road, Tama will reveal herself.

"We've got them!" I yelled.

Class rep noted and quickly moved into position. "Now we'll surround them and cut them off! 04, 06, cover me!"

I saw a gun flash in the distance. "Class rep, they're gonna snipe you! (Eh?)" Tama cleverly deactivated her IFF and hid between the buildings for a clear shot. I fell for that trick before but not again. "Scatter!"

Bang! A paintball flew through my screen just missing Class rep's legs by a few inches. That was close but not as close as the last time during my last loop.

"This is 01, no damage!"

"This is 04, Tamase located" Ayamine shared her visual screen with me and locked on Tamase's unit.

"Alright! I'm going in!" I smiled before charging at full speed towards the pink haired sniper. "04, back me up! (Copy that) Class rep, keep the others busy while we deal with Tama. (Understood!)" I fired full auto on my 36mm machinegun to keep Tama from getting a clear shot. Considering her sniping skills in hitting a moving target I couldn't let my guard down around her when I'm at this distance. "Alright I got her pinned! Ayamine!"

"I see her…" Ayamine took up flanking positions around Tama dodging the shots as she approached. She was getting used to the new OS already. Her movements were a bit sloppy but I can definitely see the improvements at such short time. By the time she got close she fired a large burst on Tama's unit.

Orange color plastered the TSF.

"Direct hit to Tamase's power supply, right arm and leg" I heard Marimo announce the imaginative damage on her frame. "Fatal damage sustained. 05, cease movement" I could picture Tama's disappointed face on her deafeat. Though her unit wasn't really damaged she obeyed nonetheless.

"Alright! We'll move to the others! Class rep, we'll back you up! (Roger!)" I quickly jumped back to avoid Yoroi's offensive and counter with a clear shot of my own. Yoroi made a blunder there to stop moving just to take a potshot at me. In a real fight, flexibility and accuracy might make the difference between life and death. She knew this but had a hard time adjusting.

"Damage to Yoroi's right arm and leg!" Marimo announced. Oh that's smart. Using her arms to protect the cockpit and power supply. But that's not going to work twice once you open up. Ayamine and Class rep fired long burst from her sides and before Mikoto could even move her arms around to protect herself her body was painted with orange. "Direct hit to Yoroi's power supply. Fatal damage. 03, cease movement"

"That was dangerous!" Class rep complained to us but it didn't matter since we took her down.

Ayamine seems to have the same idea too. "One breath too slow…"

I then noticed Meiya's unit slowly making its way below me. She seems to be determined to resist down to the last moment by taking a more defensive position behind the old train station. "Meiya's the only one left! Don't let her get to that plaza or we'll have a hard time getting her! (Shirogane!) Don't worry Class rep, we can do this!" What was the control for that dash tackle again? Ah I remember now. Crouch, speed, boost, then boost twice and brake when you reached your destination.

Of course I wasn't gonna tackle Meiya but this move allowed me to go faster than a regular boost jump. I blocked her path and surprised her at the same time.

Wham!

Ayamine jumped down on Meiya's shoulder and leaped to Chizuru's side. "…Shoot! (Roger!)" We fired our guns and no matter how skilled Meiya was, there was no chance for her to avoid such an attack. Heck I don't think I could possibly escape that quickly either.

"Direct hit to Mitsurugi's engine. Fatal damage sustained! 02, cease movement" Marimo announced sounding rather pleased on the other line.

Then Yuuko's voice butted in. "So how'd it go?" she probably knew the answer already but what the heck? It wouldn't be Yuuko if she didn't ask.

Sakaki breathed a sigh before answering. "This is Sakaki… mission accomplished!"

"Scenario complete. Everyone, return to your starting point and await auto-walk command" Marimo ordered to which we all obeyed to the letter. To be honest I'm actually quite amazed to think that Ayamine and Class rep would work so well. Despite how much they squabble with one another they were still a team and the new OS distracted them so much that they can't even bother with one another. But even without that it's actually quite amazing how we literally creamed Meiya's team so easily. I guess I'll have to admit more than ever that Yuuko sensei really is amazing.

**(Yokohama Base) (TSF hanger)**

After we returned to the hanger, our TSFs were quickly sprayed with clean water to get the paint off as quickly as possible. The engineers really hate it when the paint dries up and they'll be forced to clean it up manually by hand. Usually this wouldn't be a problem until they realize that the paint alone may tighten the joints and limbs of a machine. And usually the cleaning crew would be ones responsible for making sure that they'd run back on optimal efficiency. Luckily, only Meiya's team had paint on them so we were fine

We then reported back to Marimo and Yuuko who had a wide grin on her face.

"This concludes our mock battle training in those ruins" Our instructor declared. "This afternoon will be simulator training using the data from this exercise. Dismissed!"

I walked up to the railing when the two women were out of sight. I looked at my hand and noticed that they weren't trembling like they used to. Back when I first got inside a TSF I had this uncontrollable excitement running through my body. Heh… I must've looked like a kid who had just gotten his dream gift perfectly. Man… was I an amateur or what?

"…Takeru" I heard Meiya call me. "… What did you do?" Huh? Oh she must be talking about the mock battle. She must've realized from how Class rep and Ayamine fought moved during the fight and knew immediately that something was amiss. "I am asking what your team did to their TSFs! (Ah… umm…) The fact that we lost to you is no surprise but… those movements… were just so…"

"That's right!" Mikoto agreed coming beside me. "I know that you can pull off some crazy moves Takeru, but how can Chizuru and Kei chan do the same?"

Tama followed after. "You were even better than usual too Takeru san! I couldn't track your movements even with the accumulated data control!"

They pushed me to a corner in which I sweated like a pig. But lucky for me, Yuuko came to my rescue. "Was it really that incredible?"

Meiya quickly jumped to her. "Professor!-? I had suspected something to be amiss ever since you appeared this morning!" Class rep and Ayamine turned their eyes away for a moment looking partially guilty for not telling their squad mates.

"Ah come on!" Mikoto whined. "You guys clearly weren't moving like you usually do! It's obvious that something was different in this battle! It was too one sided to be called a fight!"

Yuuko simply laughed at their reaction. "If you're that shocked, it must've been a huge success. (Eh?) The TSFs for Sakaki's team are running an OS that implements brand new concepts. (New… concepts?) You all know of Shirogane's amazing piloting technique, right? (Yes…) Their TSFs were using OS compilated with his style. What you saw today were moves that Shirogane originally wanted to perform but couldn't because of the technical constraints"

"EHHHH!"

"Ah but in truth, I was only able to get his basic movements. Everything else that this boy does is still far from being completed. (EHHH!)"

"Are you saying that those moves that Sakaki and Ayamine were able to do were only just the basics?" Meiya looked more surprised the others. I guess the warrior in her knew that if this was only the basics my more advance moves would be almost impossible to copy. "Are those the movements that you have been envisioning this entire time?"

"Well… pretty much" I answered looking rather embarrassed. "But I didn't think they'd work this well. I had some time in getting used to it though"

Mikoto groaned at this. "No wonder we can't beat Takeru. When I saw you disappear from my screen I thought you vanished like thin air. Who'd ever think of making a TSF do something like that?"

"Maybe we got stuck thinking that the TSF was a machine or a weapon" said Tama

"That's true, I guess" I replied shrugging my shoulder. "But in the end it's just my habit of piloting"

"Professor…" Marimo returned, her face marred with irritation. "Why haven't I heard a word about this before?"

"Oh that was quick?" Yuuko whistled calmly. "Umm… didn't I tell you about it? (Not one word…) Ah well, details. We can worry about it later. Anyway, if we keep up with the progress, we might make the TSF smarter. I was quite surprised with the results too. Despite our current patterns have been revised and polished in real time combat for years now, Shirogane has been able to create a totally new version in just days. It completely revised everything that we've done to a whole new level"

Hey wait a minute now…

"Does this mean, his manner of thinking is fundamentally different from ours?" Meiya calmly stared at my figure as if she was reappraising a diamond she merely thought to be a worthless piece of stone. "Truly unique. There is simply no way for us to match against him"

Hey come on now. If you guys keep praising me like that I'll grow arrogant!

Yuuko then patted my head like a pet. "Ah my little pet project is producing some great results after all. (Hey!) Ah that reminds me. Shirogane also requested that the girls in 207 will take part in developing the new OS. (Eh?)" Huh? I did? "Indeed. He recommended me your skills. With Sakaki's observation skills, Tama's sniping ability, Ayamine's hand to hand combat, Mitsurugi's talent with the sword and Yoroi's flow of movement those data might just save a million lives in the frontline"

"P… professor!" Marimo complained. "You can't just. (Why not?) But at least report it!"

"Why? Everyone who needs to know about it is right here"

"I don't mean that! This could affect the entire U.N. army! If you ask for their help they'll"

"Wait stop right there" Yuuko raised her hand up to stop her childhood friend from continuing. "Sorry, but I don't plan to let anyone else use it yet. (Eh?) This is part of my 'research' and besides… Shirogane is part of it. I don't think it'll be something he'll be comfortable talking about in the open"

"Ah…" Marimo's eyes softened strangely when she looked at me. Wait… what was Yuuko talking about? What would be something that would make me uncomfortable? Is this another plot of hers? "Very well… I understand"

"Very good. I also swapped the OS in the simulator room so use them at your leisure. If there's something you don't understand, ask Shirogane for detail"

**(Later that evening) (Brain room)**

After we've completed our training for today I decided to visit Kasumi and Sumika again to tell them of our victory. I don't really know what they talk about but at least they don't know what I was thinking either.

"Oii… Kasumi, Sumika, I'm back~~" The white haired girl simply twirled around to look at me. "Hey there. Did I interrupt something? (Shake…) Oh good because I got to tell you something"

"… how did it go?" she asked out of the blue with a small smile creeping up her lips.

"The mock battle? Yeah we won hands down. The new OS you and Professor Kouzuki made is simply just amazing. The word 'good' doesn't even begin to describe it. It only took me a few seconds before Class rep and Ayamine got the hang of it"

"That's good…"

"Well I did tell you that I'd win for you after all. I'm pretty good once I set my goals straight… aheh… maybe that's the reason why I fail in school all the time. (…) Anyway, I brought you something too" I fiddle with my pockets and brought out some strings I was able to borrow from Tama before she left for simulator training. "Tada! Let's play cat's cradle! (…) Oh come on now. I did promise you that I'd show you. It might not look like much but it can be fun if you know how to play it. So how about it? You can show Sumika too once you get the hang of it"

"…"

"Here's a simple one. They call this one the Soldier's Bed. Now if you pull the string here and… ah… hey…" the girl barely even allowed me to finish when she walked out of the room. "Wait, Kasumi… ara?" Strange. I'm getting that dejavu feeling that something like this happened before. I know that something important was about to happen but oddly enough I can't seem to remember. "Kasumi, you're acting really weird right now. (…) Ah come on. I said wait~"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

I followed her into the professor's office while still holding onto my cat's cradle. "Hey! You can't just barge in here when the professor not around. (…) Hey come on now. What's gotten into you?" Now I'm really sure that something important was supposed to happen here, but what was it? It's at the tip of my tongue I'm sure of it.

"…" Kasumi scanned around the room but found nothing.

"Kasumi? Hey? What's the matter? There's no one here right now so why don't we go back to the other room, ok?" She turned around to me confused for a second but was later startled when an unsuspected voice sounded behind me.

"If you're looking for the professor, she went to the Command Center. (Uwa!-?)" I leap forward holding my arms up with the cat's cradle still holding firm. A human figure emerged from the book racks in the office so it was a rather obvious place to hide. "Greetings. I don't think we have met"

"Eh?" Wait… I know him. He's the guy who I met in this room back in my last loop! That smug, that suit, that Indiana Jones hat and that blue hair! He's… he's umm… he's… Ah that's right! He's Yoroi's dad! Yoroi Sakon, the legendary man who was part of the Imperial Ministry of Information, Foreign Affairs, Section Two!

…

…

…

…

Man… I'm surprised I actually remembered that title.

"Sorry for startling you. That was not my intentions" He apologized slightly with a chuckle before approaching me. "Oh? Cat's Cradle. I used to play this game when I was a kid. I didn't know they still do this here" He placed his finger in the strings and fiddled with it, creating a perfect Soldier's Bed. "There. It seems like I haven't lost my touch in this game. Hahahaha"

"Ah thanks" I unconsciously thanked him. "H… hey wait a minute!"

"You're a very elaborate fake… hmm… well made even" Wait I think I remember this part well. This is the part when he…

Yoink…

"Ow-ow-ow-ow-ow-ow!" Yup just like last time too. He's yanking my face with his bare hands like he was trying to rip a mask off. "Hey! Stop that! My face isn't made out of rubber!"

He simply laughed it off. "Ahahaha… you're a funny man"

"Do you yank people's face the first time you meet them!-? Ow…" I removed the cat's cradle from my hand and rubbed my poor cheeks that he pulled. "I feel like my face was going to rip apart"

Yoroi's dad stared at me with an interested face. "Ho… Shirogane Takeru… the real one… odd…" I made some distance between us to keep him from grabbing my face again. That's when I realized Kasumi was holding onto my arm, slightly shivering from fear. I can tell immediately that this man was not someone you should play around with. Despite his rather irritable personality I can judge from his figure that he knows a bit about hand to hand combat.

"Kasumi, stay behind me" the girl followed and quickly hid herself from the man's sharp gaze.

"If you need someone to cling to, why not a big, strong man, like me?" He humored which I did not laugh at.

"Sorry but I think she'd prefer someone she trusts rather than a complete stranger who appears out of nowhere"

"But are you not the same, Shirogane Takeru? (Huh?) You're simply a man who appeared out of nowhere and became a hero in the eyes of this girl" What do you mean by that? "But anyway. I apologize for the future. (Eh?) I wish to conduct some test if you don't mind" he suddenly pulled out a dog whistle from his pocket and blew in it. I don't know what he was playing but it surely wasn't Fiddler on the Roof. "Did you hear that?"

"Hear what? That's a dog whistle" I pointed out. "Of course I can't hear that"

"Hmm? Not a dog? Then perhaps a cat then?" He pulled out a yarn string from his pocket and dangled it in front of me. "Here kitty kitty, kitty. Here kitty"

"I'm not a cat!" I barked out.

"No? That's a shame. I've always wanted a cat for a pet but my parents never allowed it because I was allergic to them. They say that if I got anywhere near a cat I'd die sneezing" No one asked you about it! "Well then, how about this?" If I didn't know better I'd think he was trying to annoy me or something because the next object he pulled out was a bright red cape. "Toro Toro! Come at me"

"I'm not a bull either!" But despite that I can't help but picture myself with horns charging at the man at full speed and breaking his neck in the process.

"No? How dull. It makes no sense" You're the one not making any sense here! "I was hoping that you would be mixed with some animals that I am familiar with. Oh well. Perhaps another test then" He then pulled out his cell phone and place it next to my ear. "Hmm… no interference either. So you're not a robot"

Robot? Wait a second! Don't tell me that he's doing this because of the rumor of me being a super soldier, cyborg and man mixed with animal bullshit! I've had enough that with my squad and my instructor. I don't need some other guy pulling my hair and doing some weird experiment on me.

"Wait, are you coming here about the rumors me being a cyborg and stuff? Because I'll save you the time, it's not true"

"They're not?" He tossed the cape away feigning a disappointed expression. "I've lost interest. (Hey!) Ahaha… it seems I've made you angry, Shirogane Takeru"

"You just realized that? And repeating my full name over and over isn't exactly helping. Who are you anyway?" I asked out the sake of my position. After all, this was the first time we've met.

"Ah yes. Self introduction is always mandatory in meeting one another" he chuckled slightly. "In all honesty… I am… a subtly suspicious man" That I can figure out on my own thank you. "By the way, if I described just how subtle…"

"No no, you don't need to explain that. I got it"

"Then what is it you wish to know? You're an indecisive man, Shirogane Takeru kun" Yeah I guess so but… hey wait… NO! You're the one who can't decide on what to talk about! Don't blame me! Gah! Man this guy really is Mikoto's dad. His sluggish behavior and his ability to derail my thoughts and our conversation are all the same.

But before we could continue our conversation, the lights suddenly flickered on revealing Yuuko sensei by the doorway.

"I was wondering who was making all that noise" She said boringly. "It's only you…"

Yoroi's dad lowered his hat a bit to greet her. "Good evening to you, Professor Kouzuki"

Yuuko walked up to my side, patting Kasumi's head to calm her down. "The Imperial Ministry of Information has no manners at all. I never gave permission to… come to think of it, you never even asked for an appointment"

The man raised his hand up in defense. "Oh please don't be mistaken. I was simply taking a walk around… and this room just happened to catch my attention. When I stood in front of it, the door simply opened"

"You've got a clever answer for everything"

"Ara… if I stopped talking, I'd never get anything done ahahahaha…" His laugh sounded genuine but at the same time empty and dry like a mime, trying to pull off a standup comedy show that required a lot of talking.

But he could tell that Yuuko and I weren't laughing at all. "You didn't come here just to make small talk, I take it?"

"No I was merely introducing myself to him"

"I already know who you are" I stated out to get that man to stop.

"Ho? That's surprising. Did I say it when I was asleep?"

Yuuko gave out a grunt. "If you have nothing to talk about then hurry up and go. I have no use of you today"

The man bowed politely to her. "We can't have that now, Professor Kouzuki… you're wasting your lovely face. Oh? Now that I look closer you appear to have bags under your eyes. Are you getting enough sleep? (HEY!)" He extended his hand out which I immediately slapped it away before it could even reach her. "Ara? That hurt Shirogane Takeru"

"You just don't touch people whenever you want!" I barked out.

But his surprised expression simply turned to a smile. "Ah if this is about me pulling your cheeks, I apologize ahahaha" His eyes then darted to Yuuko. "It seems you've made quite a guard dog for yourself Professor Kouzuki. I did not know you fancied younger men. If I had known this I would've asked for plastic surgery or a youth potion. Did you know that such legends are made from the relics of the Aztecs and…"

"Okay, you can stop there" Yuuko sighed. Man… this is definitely Mikoto's legendary dad. Only a man of great caliber can tire Yuuko sensei this much. "So say it already. What did you come here for?"

"It's about the XG-70 deal…" The XG-70. The Susanoo Nigata. The weapon that Alternative IV is centered on. "… are you interested?"

Yuuko's face brightened a bit hearing this new topic but she kept her guard up at all time. "I see… so the U.N. army had to handle this through a third party to open negotiations between us?"

"America sees the U.N as a nuisance after all. They don't want anything more than act amicably"

"So, that means you can move all of them here, right?"

"That would be a little… problematic" Yoroi answered his face still full of mystery. "The plan may have been abandoned but that doesn't mean that they'll simply give it willingly without a price. Even if it junk to them now, garbage that is interested by another is simply another opportunity waiting to be exploited" They were probably talking about the parts of the XG-70 unit. It was an American program to begin with but after the beginning of Alternative V they scrapped the unit and left it to rot in a hanger somewhere. Now Yuuko wanted to continue that project herself.

"So it's impossible even for you"

The man again raised his hands in defense. "No, no. Quite the opposite actually. If your plan progresses smoothly, Professor Kouzuki, they'll hand it over without question. People like us always prioritize what benefits us the most and the faction they are loyal to. But I'm sure they wouldn't mind having you indebted to them"

Yuuko gave him a glare. "You look like you wanted to say something"

"Ohh… now, now, let us be civil here. I am only but a pawn of another player and I've been trained not to stick my neck out when I shouldn't. Besides… I have to be careful of what I say or else you might unleash your new guard dog at me"

He must be talking about me. It was rather true though. As much as this man was a friend, he wasn't someone I could trust just yet. I doubt he wants anyone to trust him at all with that crazy personality of his.

"That's true" Yuuko smiled for the first time in this conversation. "But trust me on this. This boy's bite is far worse than his bark. As much as I want him to pound you to an inch of your life I still have use of your talents. So anyway, can we get to the point yet? I'm getting bored of random topics and unlike some people I do have work around here"

"Oh my… was it really that boring?" Mikoto's father feigned shock. "Then perhaps I should talk about the origin of the dodo bird. (No thank you) Dodos were originally… (Yoroi Sakon…) There's been unrest in certain parts of the Imperial Army" Eh? What about the dodos?

The coup d'état…

Yuuko and I traded a quick look at one another and knew immediately what this man was talking about. We've known about the rebellion that was going to happen way ahead of time and have made countless preparations for it. In truth there was no real way to prevent it but like all events such as this it was also an opportunity to be exploited.

"Not interested…" Yuuko replied almost immediately.

"… this unrest is far larger than the sorts that the imperial army has ever faced before, Professor Kouzuki" Yoroi added as if he was trying to make a statement. His hand remained in his pockets forever allowing me to wonder what was inside them. "If this goes on. A political vacuum may ensue in the Japanese Government. Naturally, there's no guarantee that Yokohama Base will be unscathed by it. The Anti-Alternative extremist group may take advantage of it as well"

"Hoo… You know all of this yet you can't do anything about it? The Ministry's losing its touch, Sakon"

"Yes, it's truly embarrassing despite all the resources available to us" The man in the suit gave out a polite nod. "But we do know that they have infiltrated the Imperial Defense, the Internal Ministries, as well as… a couple of shadows from the intelligence agency"

"Hmm… I see. So that's how the XG-70 is tied to all of this" Yuuko gave out an evil grin.

"So? What do you think? Pretty interesting story, don't you agree?"

"It's ok but nothing that I haven't already known yet"

"Hoo? Your sources are improving, Professor Kouzuki" Yoroi gave out a nod in respect for the woman. "Then perhaps it's high time that we end this little charade and move on to the main topics at hand" I knew there was more to this conversation than meets the eye. He was simply adding those stories as a buildup to some mighty conclusion.

"It'll be a nice change of pace after all you've put me through these past years" She replied looking rather relieved to finally get somewhere in her project. "So what is it?"

The man gave a silent pause for a moment before finally continuing. "There have been a few strange orders recently. (Strange orders?) The Imperial and the U.N. armies both gave a top priority order through improper channels" He must be talking about he orders that Yuuko sensei gave to prevent the two catastrophes that I predicted for her during the past month. "The first was sent to the Imperial Army Commander in Chief on November 10th. The second was sent to the U.N. Space Armada Command Center in America, yesterday morning. That, along with the mobilization in the Imperial Army, making everyone twitchy"

Yuuko simply smirked at his play. It was obvious that the man knew how those orders were sent but had no evidence to prove them yet. He had his money placed on Yuuko and was certain that the dice would roll in his favor.

"Ohhh… are you trying to be the 'uninvolved detective' from Foreign Affairs, Section Two?"

"Not at all. I was merely wondering if Professor Kouzuki would know anything about them so I gave my theory. But honestly I never expected them to actually believe in it" Dude, seriously. No matter how hard you try to act all innocent not even a kid would trust you if you gave them all the candy in the world. "However, after I heard that precise coordinates had been sent out, with orders to monitor the HSST at that point, I became interested in it. But of course the order that took my attention was the order to shoot it down if there were any signs of trouble or suspicion. Ahh you can only imagine the pilots' faces when they safely landed back on the base. How frightening"

"So you're saying I had something to do with it?" Oh great, now even Yuuko sensei was playing the innocent card. It was like seeing two standup comedians playing a show without any interest if the audience was laughing or not.

"There aren't that many people besides yourself, Professor Kouzuki, who could do such a thing"

"That'll be enough of that. You're making me sound like a small time gypsy who cons children and idiots for money. Even I can't predict everything"

"Ooooh? In that case, when the BETA surfaced from Sadogashima, why were there reinforcements waiting in just the right place to intercept them?" Yoroi added reminding me of my counter-strategy to destroy the BETAs when they came popping out. "Not only, but the strategy that the commander thought of was almost too perfect as well. With all his forces directed on the beach the BETA were mowed down before they even became a threat"

"Then congratulation on his success then" Yuuko replied sarcastically not even interested in that battle anymore.

Yoroi cast a suspicious look at all of us as if he was trying to crack us. But he knew that we were better than that. I've seen a lot of evil glares already and I'll admit that Yuuko sensei's was probably the most frightening one that I've seen yet. So everything below it didn't really affect me anymore. "The favor of the gods or the devil's power? Have you found a way to gain their allegiance?"

"Perhaps… but in truth I would say that I've gotten something even better" Yuuko cast a glance at me which only opted the man to grow suspicious of my true identity.

"Ah… so this dead man walking here has something to do with it? I would love to hear an explanation"

"Maybe he does, maybe he doesn't. It matters not to you or your master"

The man walked up closer which made Kasumi back away. "Aha… saying that makes me more interested in you, Shirogane Takeru. (Huh?) Call it a child's habit but when there's something that catches Professor Kouzuki's interest a lot of people tend to want it for themselves. I wouldn't mind owning you right now either" Hey I'm not an object that you can just pick up and throw around. "But anyway. It seems that I have overstayed my welcome here. Perhaps we will meet again, Shirogane Takeru"

"Aren't you going to visit your daughter, Mikoto?" I asked to which he raised a brow in surprise.

"Oh? It seems that you weren't lying when you said you knew me. You also seem to know my son quite well. (Daughter…) Ah yes. My son who is like a daughter… ah wait no… my daughter who is like a son. I easily mistake her as such seeing how masculine she is from time to time. Her breast size doesn't really help that much either"

"Is that really something a father should be saying about their daughters?"

He laughed. "Ah well, my moral standards are not always to people's liking. But anyway, please take this" He handed me an object which I could only recall as an Easter Island Head. It was those mysterious statues that people never really knew about even until now. "It's a souvenir from one of the places that I've traveled. It'd make a nice decoration"

"Ah… thank you and… wait! That's not the point!" I barked out looking like a complete idiot thanking him and accepting the gift.

"Ahaha… you're a very funny man, Shirogane Takeru. I'm glad we've met" and without even waiting, the man was gone just as mysteriously as he appeared.

By the time he was gone, I felt like all the energy I had for that night was sapped away like a vacuum. It kind of reminds me of the first time when I first met Mikoto back in my old world. Man… just talking to her requires a large amount of strength.

Yoink… yoink…

"Eh? Oh what is it Kasumi? (Yoink…)" She was looking at the souvenir the man gave to me. "This Easter Island Head? It doesn't look like it's bugged so it should be safe. You want it? (Yes…) Ok"

While Kasumi was playing with her new toy, I noted Yuuko sensei taking a sigh before approaching me. I guess even was affected by Yoroi's personality. "It looks like your prediction is coming to light now, Shirogane. (Yeah…) To be honest I did have my doubts that it would go this far but after hearing it from that man himself… I can't help but believe that what you say may actually be true. (Hey now…) Hmm… regardless. I'd like to see that smug off his face for once"

"And the XG-70?"

"If everything goes according to what we planned, we should be able to procure it without a hitch. But if it does work… I might just give you a kiss"

"Hey now. Don't do that, I'm begging you"

"Anyway… there's also something I wanted to ask you. (Huh? What is it?) It's about Marimo" About Marimo chan? What could she want to know about her? "Has she been asking you questions lately? Like your history or your mission or something of that sort?"

"Huh? Well… now that you remind me, she did ask me a personal question this morning. But I think she's only doing that because she's worried about me. (Eh?) Marimo chan may have been a little forceful I'll admit but she really does care about her students. She tried to let me release some of my pent up emotions to ease me up a bit. But I didn't want to make her worry about what I was right now"

"I see…" Yuuko seems to have understood something. "That explains why she's been trying to access your profile for awhile now. (Huh?) I'll be honest with you Shirogane. When you first arrived here in this base, I asked Marimo to report any abnormal activities from you. (From… me?)" Wait I think I remembered Marimo chan saying something like that when I first met the squad. She said that Yuuko sensei had asked her to report any abnormal activity that I may do. "I already told her to stop but despite what I ordered she seems to be investigating you for her own interest. Heh… (What? Why?) Who knows…? But it seems that she has developed quite a fascination of you. Haa… you're really a magnet for problems, do you know that? (Huh?) Anyway. Let me handle it. I already made up a perfect cover story for you so it should drop all the rumors about you being a robot and such"

"Ah yes. Please do. I don't think I can handle much more of their experiments. Even that man tried to rip my face off!"

"Hai hai. I guess you could say it's partially my fault" If it is your fault then please do something about it. "But let's leave it at that for today. Go to your room and get some rest. I'm sure you're just as exhausted as I am"

She was right. This conversation took so many turns and twist that I already lost track of time. It was almost pass midnight. "Yeah… I think I'll do just that"


	9. The Worlds I came from

**Chapter 9: The Worlds I came from **

**(November 30, 2001 Friday) (Takeru's room)**

I woke up pretty early that morning when my alarm clock buzzed above my bed. It was rather odd since I've gotten used to Kasumi waking me up every now and then. She must be so busy with the professor that she doesn't have time for me at all. Oh well I can't exactly keep relying on her either. I have to wake up on my own some times. We have simulator training today so I'll have to prepare my exo-suit as well after breakfast.

But just as I put on my uniform to head off towards the PX, I heard a bunch of light footsteps coming from outside my room. Just when I reached for the door, it suddenly flung open whacking my whole head over to the ground.

"Ow…" The whack on my forehead wasn't exactly the wakeup call I needed. As I got back on my feet I realized that it was Kasumi herself who was on the other side. "Oh… Kasumi? (Twitch…) If you're here to wake me up you're a little too late. But please, do knock before opening the door"

"… good morning"

"Ah yeah, good morning to you too. I'll see you later, ok? And say hi to Sumika for me, will ya?"

She nodded to me politely. "… see you…"

Even though her voice was monotone and emotionless I can still feel the hint of sincerity from the way she says them. Kasumi was special in many cases and I think that deep down she was still a little kid who could use a friend or two. I'd like us to have the same relationship that we had when we returned from the Core Hive. (Flash) Ah… darn it. I got to stop remembering painful things or it'll be emotionally unstable.

**(PX)**

When I got to our usual table in the PX I already noted that the rest of the squad had already assembled and were having breakfast together. Some of them still looked rather sleepy but I guess it's hardly a surprise seeing how well they did during yesterday's simulator training and mock battle.

"Oh Takeru!" Mikoto called to me waving her hand up. "Where were you yesterday? You missed our super independent training last night!"

"Ah so you guys got the new OS?"

"Yeah! Everyone went all out that time. When I rode on the simulator I felt like the TSF was just as fast as I was"

Class rep explained to them. "Shirogane wasn't even here last night. In fact… I don't think he even returned to your room until this morning"

"Ah well… you could say I was out for awhile. The professor really can take awhile to finish with things" Using the professor as an excuse really was the best after all. It's like a platinum excuse for the whole base or something. They seemed to have accepted it and allowed it to slide, not asking anymore questions about my disappearance.

"Oh, that's right Takeru san" Tama called up next. "The patterns for the new OS are all based on you, right? (Yeah… why?) Ah nothing. It's just that the way my TSF holds a rifle reminds me of you, Takeru san"

"Yes… I would have to agree" Meiya nodded taking a bite off her fried fish. "The way you hold your combat knife and sword also reflects on it"

"Close quarter combat too" Ayamine added. "…your punching stance…"

Ah I remember now. This also happened in my previous loop. They once told me before that TSFs tend to share the habits of their pilot and since the OS was based on my perfomace it would only be natural that my habits remained with them.

"Didn't the instructor tell us about this?" Class rep inquired. "TSFs tend to share their Eishi's habits after all. Seeing that the new OS was developed from his concept it shouldn't be a surprise to think that our TSFs would act like Takeru. You'd actually think that we're inside of him"

"… shock!" Ayamine feigned a shocked expression towards me. Even an idiot can tell what she was thinking of.

Chizuru gave a grunt. "What are you imagining this time? (Nothing…) Haaa… Anyway, all we need to do is get used to the new OS. But once our individual data builds on top of it, it'll eventually go away"

Meiya nodded again in agreement. "It may not be different from how humans acquire habits of another, over time. Though it may have Takeru's technique, it does not mean it is Takeru. It is simply a machine copied with his abilities. You could say that it was just born yesterday"

"A being that was born with the experience of a soldier?" I wondered looking at my hands. Is it possible that every time I died I kept jumping back in time or am I just another thing entirely?

"Takeru?"

"Ah sorry. My head isn't focused right now" I apologized. What the heck am I thinking right now? I should focus on the present and the current plan that Yuuko and I are plotting.

"You have been spacing into space a few times in the last week" Meiya notified me. "Sometimes during training you look a bit distracted. But despite that you are able to perform admirably. Is something amiss?"

"No it's just that… I've been having a lot of things going through my mind lately. With Yuuko sensei calling me out and everything"

"There are even times when you leave the room in the middle of the night" Chizuru said to me with her arms folded. "It's difficult to miss it seeing that we stay in the same barracks. Does this have to do with the professor as well? (Y… yeah…) I see… but at least notify one of us when you're gone. Sometimes you don't return at all until the morning time"

"How do you know that?" Ayamine asked raising a brow to Chizuru who suddenly blushed at her own blunder.

Mikoto also found it strange on how Class rep knew about that. "Yeah. I know that Takeru goes out a lot but how do you know when he comes back?"

"W… why does that matter?" Class rep tried to cover it up but failed. Ah… she must've been waiting for me again. Seeing her all red and embarrass makes her look cute. "Wh… why are you smiling? I… I just happened to notice it when I was guarding the barracks the other night. (…lies) What was that? You just don't learn to…"

Ah crud not this again. Class rep and Ayamine fighting is becoming more and more of a routine now; it's really getting on my nerves. I thought that pitting them with the new OS would at least make them more considerate about one another but they haven't improved at all. It's like they were natural born enemies that cannot agree to get along no matter what.

"…wanna to take this outside?" Kei offered up the challenge which Sakaki bit almost immediately.

"Sure… now's better than never" The two of them stood up from their tables and glared, their fists balled and waiting to make contact with flesh and bones. This was really going to get out of hand if this goes on.

"H… hey guys, please stop this" I pleaded. If this goes on I might have to give them a piece of my mind like I did in the previous loop. "Meiya, please stop them"

"… I do not think that is my responsibility" She replied not wanting to take part in their argument. But I know full well that she was annoyed by their constant bickering too.

I turned to Mikoto for help. "Mikoto, do something!"

"I don't know Takeru. If you keep wandering out late at night, you might get sent to the detention barracks for this" I've already been there two days ago. "It makes us worry about you. Though I guess it's fine if you're always on time for roll call"

"Hey! At least listen to me! And look at their direction!"

"I wonder if oba chan will let me have seconds for today" She's useless at a time like this!

"Tama, stop them!" I pleaded to the last member who had a shot.

The pink haired girl quickly got between the two raging teens and pushed them apart. "Takeru's right! We shouldn't fight!" Her small figure was enough to attract the two making them back off a bit. I guess cuteness had its way with raging bulls.

"Watch your back during the next mock battle" Our squad leader warned, taking her seat with a silent huffed sound.

But such threats meant nothing to Ayamine. "… don't worry. I'll get to you before they do" They glared again at one another as if preparing to strike at any moment. Geez. Where's Marimo chan when you need her? "… you might just shoot yourself"

"What was that!-?"

Alright that's it. I've had it!

"ENOUGH! Both of you, cut it out!" I never thought I would actually have to raise my voice on them again. For once I thought that if I changed the future just a bit I would be able to get them to cooperate with me. But after looking at how they fight in my previous loops it was obvious to me now that they have no intention of getting along one another. I slammed my fist on the table stopping their annoying bicker immediately. Geez, they're really acting like kids and they're actually the ones who would be saving the world in a couple of weeks from now.

"…" The two of them backed down, a bit frightful of my sudden outburst. It's not surprising seeing that I rarely use this tone on anyone. Heck even Meiya herself froze at attention.

"For god sakes… do we really have time for this!-?" I barked out at them not holding back any of my pent up annoyance. "This is stupid. Class rep, Ayamine, I don't really understand why you guys hate each other's guts so much but if you waste our training time beating each other up… I'll never forgive you! This isn't why I made that OS. I made it so that people like us might actually get a better fighting chance against the BETA. If you two will continue acting this on the field you'll get all of us killed! And when that happens you'll only have yourselves to blame! Understand? (…) Geez if only the world can actually cooperate with one another, we would've beaten the BETAs a long time ago"

"…" They remained silent but I can see in their eyes that they were wrong. Ah… unbelievable. I'm not even hungry anymore…

"I'm done for today. Meiya, handle the rest. (Ah… Takeru!)" I walked off taking my tray to the return stand before heading off to the barracks. It's not like me to go out yelling at them but just seeing my friends fight with one another just irritates me. Humanity was on the brink of extinction yet people like them continue to argue with one another like it wasn't their problem. It's because of people like this that's holding us back.

Arghhh! Man, this is almost like the time during the school's sports festival when we had to play the Lacrosse. Haa… those were good and bad times indeed.

But I guess I could understand them. They didn't have reality thrust into their faces like I did. They haven't seen the true extent of the BETAs and what they were actually capable of. But I have… more so than anyone else on this planet combined. I know what they are and what they can do and what they're going to do if humanity gives up. We'll all be made into genetic material in which they feed on. Another source of power for their endless growth.

"Takeru!" I stopped for a moment to meet Meiya who chased me. "What's wrong with you? You did not seem like yourself back there"

"No… it's just that I have a lot of things on my mind right now. Sorry…"

"Do not apologize. What you said was absolutely correct. Perhaps it will put those two in their place" Meiya reassured me. "I shall also give them a piece of my mind so come back and finish your breakfast"

"No. I need to go see Yuuko sensei" I lied. I didn't really need to see the professor but using her name as an excuse always gets them off me. I just needed to be alone right now. "She cut most of my meal time in half to continue with her project so I don't have that much time actually"

"I see…" Meiya looked at me worryingly. "Then it would be best not to keep her waiting. But Takeru… (Hmm?) Please don't push yourself too much. If you are tired you simply must rest. Like our instructor once said, an exhausted soldier is of no use in the battlefield"

"Yeah I'll keep that in mind" I decided to take the rest of the morning off cooling my head in the courtyard. The cold breeze there should be able to get this frustration off me.

**(Evening) (TSF Hanger)**

After our simulator training, I thought about doing a little checkup on my Fubuki parked in the hanger. The OS still needed tuning with the computer grid so I thought that I could give the mechanics there a hand. So far all of the data accumulated in the new system has been reliable. My habits really did stick out on the machine like a sore thumb. But hey, they weren't exactly mine, per say. The stances I put into it were purely based on fighting games like Gekken 4 (Tekken) and of course, Valgernon. Most of those techniques are basically copies of Kaul Phoenix and such.

"How's that, Shirogane?" the engineer called out to me after he readjusted the joint's pressure system.

I moved my TSF's arm up and saw that they were going smoother than before. But even so it wasn't enough to bring me to my full strength. I needed the machine to go just as fast as a real Valgernon robot, something to go just as fast as Kaiser. If I can't get it to at least 35% of my total strength then my chances of putting our plan to the rebellion will be lessened greatly.

"Yeah, that's better. Now let's try putting it down to seventy pounds" I heard the mechanic yelp at my request.

"Seventy? Oi oi… anything less than this and your arms will be flying off. The joints are supposed to stick, not thrown around"

"Then let's try a hundred pounds then" I offered not backing off my request. I needed to make this work no matter what the risks were. Hey… after all… death isn't something I was afraid of anymore.

"Haaa… fine. But if the arms tare themselves off, you're the one fixing it"

"Sure…" I moved the arms again noticing the shorter time of its action-delay sequence. Darn… not good enough. It's better but still not good enough. I wonder if I can persuade them to lower it to fifty pounds. With that I should be able to do back flips easily. But if I consider the weight of the gun I might be able to…

"Shirogane…" Huh? Who's that? "Shirogane, if you're in there, come out"

"Okay coming…" I opened my cockpit. "Oh? Instructor Jinguuji?"

Marimo chan stood there in her usual uniform staring at me from deck. I quickly lowered myself to her floor and saluted.

"I've been looking for you. There's a matter that I've been hearing that I wanted to discuss with you" She began, her arms folded around her chest. "I heard that you aren't in your room much after lights out recently"

"Eh? Did Class rep tell you?"

"It doesn't matter who told me" she answered me. "But don't worry. I'm not criticizing you. I… I just want to know if you're ok"

"Yes of course" I replied truthfully. It wasn't like Yuuko sensei was hurting me or anything, we usually just have a lot of things to talk about and sometimes I usually go down there to visit Sumika and Kasumi.

"Is the professor calling you out late at night? (… yeah…) Haa… well there's really nothing I can do about it. I know that Yuuko is working on something and that you happen to play a big part in it, but please note that you're worrying everyone. (Ma'am…) J… just make sure your body doesn't suffer from it"

"Yes ma'am, I understand… Thank you very much for your concern instructor Jinguuji"

"…" I noticed Marimo opening her mouth a little but she seemed hesitant to continue. "Shirogane… (Yes?) About our conversation yesterday. I know it was a bit sudden but I guess I was a bit out of—"

"Hello~~ Shirogane kun" Yuuko's voice suddenly interrupted our conversation. "How's the new OS coming along and… oh Marimo? What are you doing here?"

"I was just checking up on Shirogane" she replied not a bit ecstatic to see her friend. "Listen professor. I know that Shirogane is part of whatever experiment you have down in the labs but you have to remember that he's still a soldier and that he needs his rest. You should consider about his health too"

"Oho ho ho ho… when it comes to progress, some things must be sacrificed" she said it almost too casually for my liking. "Anyway Shirogane. Do you mind keeping Kasumi, company later this evening? She's been looking kind of down lately"

"Eh? She has?"

"Yes. Apparently she's been looking rather glum ever since she came back this morning. I know you have your manly urges but going to her is almost criminal"

"Hey! I didn't do anything to her!" I barked back. Why do you always have to fuel the flames of misunderstanding? I wonder if she was upset because she wasn't able to wake me up like before.

"Hai hai. I believe you" she replied as if my words were just wind to her face. "Anyway, just keep her company for tonight. Bring everything you need from your room. Ah and something to keep yourself entertained too"

"Wait you want me to sleep down there too?"

"Just for tonight. Come on now. You know Yashiro doesn't have many friends so she could use a little contact once in awhile. Do you want her to be sad?" Oh great now she's using that guilt technique on me. Well it won't work this time!

"Sure fine…" Damn it! My mouth is going against my mind.

"Great! See ya then" I have a bad feeling about this. This feeling of dread that recognize clearly as a time when Yuuko sensei is about to unleash one of her diabolical plans against me. Back in my world it usually involved Marimo chan cosplaying but here I can only imagine it to be ten times worse.

"Yuuko!" Marimo called out to her friend.

"Don't worry. I'll make sure he reports for roll call tomorrow"

"That's not the point! Why go all the way for him to move down there for a whole night?"

Yuuko flashed a grin. "Would you prefer if I ask Yashiro to stay in his room? (GEH!)" No no no! Please don't! Anything but that! The last time Kasumi stayed at my place, Ayamine black mailed me into submission and not only that but the girls kept giving me the funny eyes too. Heck, when she spoon fed me the whole squad turned their backs on me like an outcast. God that was painful. "Well then I guess you know the answer"

Marimo let out a sigh in defeat. "Very well then…"

**(Barracks) (Takeru's room)**

After I finished tuning my TSF to the best possible output I quickly returned to my room to gather the things I needed for my little camp-in with Kasumi. I don't know why Yuuko sensei thinks it would be a good idea for me to stay down there. If anything, the girls will probably think of some other rumors to spread around the base and who knows, they might throw in another experiment or two to prove that I'm not a cyborg.

Now let's see… a change of uniform for the morning, a few cups of ramen for the night… oh boy. Looks like sharing my personal supply of ramen with the others really drained it all. I only got a few cups left and I don't think there's a convenience store nearby that sells them in this world. I'll just have to make do with what I've got. What else should I bring?

Ah, my Game Guy. I'm sure Yuuko sensei wouldn't mind if I brought this along. The little thing was trouble with the girls but hopefully she'll let it slide. Who knows, maybe Sumika might react to it, hehehehe…

Hmm… I wonder if Kasumi will like it too. She doesn't go out much so maybe she doesn't play with this kind of thing. I can bring her cat's cradle strings again but that would only go so far. Maybe a storybook or two. Hmm… I have a bookshelf here with some random books about science, math, physics and… yoga for the idiots? Geez no wonder soldiers here are in such a bad mood, there's absolutely nothing to do!

Maybe I can tell some old stories like little red riding hood or Hachiko to her. Oh well… can't help but try, neh?

"Shirogane" Eh? Meiya? "Shirogane, are you in there?"

"Ah yeah, one moment" I quickly stuffed all my necessities in my bag and zipped it up before answering the door. "What is it?"

Meiya had a surprised expression on her face when she saw me with my backpack. "I was just about to ask you the same thing. You look as if you are going a journey"

"Huh? Oh didn't I tell you guys? I'm going to stay at the lab for tonight. Yuuko's orders. I'll still report for roll call tomorrow morning. (I… I see…)" I explained to her rubbing my back boringly. "So what is it? You look like you wanted to ask me something"

"Ah… no, it's nothing of great importance. I was simply wondering if you would like to take a jog with me on the track field. I'm doing my run for tonight"

Ah that's right, she and I did promise to take a jog together one of these days when I first moved here to the base. I guess after everything that's been happening around me, it must've slipped my mind. "I wish I could but Yuuko sensei told me to report downstairs immediately. How about tomorrow? I promise I'll go with you then"

"I understand. Your task comes before personal matters. I shall reschedule for tomorrow then" She nodded. "But… Takeru. (Hm?) No… it's just that… please take care. I don't know what the squad would do without you"

"Hey now, have faith in yourself" I pat her shoulders for reassurance. "You'll do just fine without me. If Class rep can keep her head straight and keep the squad going, I'd have nothing to worry about. And if anything happens I know that everyone else will do their best"

"Heh… you certainly have faith in us, Takeru. Considering how well you've been performing this past month, we've grown a certain reliance on you"

"Aha… you overestimate me" We both shared a laugh with them. "Well anyway see you tomorrow"

"Yes. Please deliver my regards to Yashiro as well"

**(Brain room)**

I arrived at Sumika's room not long afterwards. As expected, Kasumi was there, telepathically talking to Sumika… I think. I would know if I was psychic, but sadly I don't think my brain has the capacity to do that kind of thinking. Heck and thinking of all the technical details it involves requires a lot of brain power… and despite what people may believe… my brain is actually one of the worst models made in this world. Hehehehe… that almost makes me sound like a product that could be sold on the B-Bay for a cheap price.

"Yo Kasumi!" I yelled out. "I'm sleeping over today, sorry to intrude! (…) I brought cat's cradle to play with! (…) I brought some instant ramen for snacks if you want to eat. (…)" Is she ignoring me or is she so engrossed with talking with Sumika right now? "Hey I got a Game Guy that you might be interested in playing. (…)" Oh yeah… it seems like she's really upset about me waking up this morning. "I'm not wearing my pants today!"

"…?" Oh the girl twirled around with her bunny hair standing up straight but became relaxed when she realized I was lying.

"Aha! I got you good hehehehe" I gave her a laugh to which she pounded me gently for it. "Ahaha… sorry. But you were ignoring me so I had to come up with something to get your attention. (…) Anyway come on. Let's play cat's cradle like I promise. Come on I'll show ya" I quickly brought my strings out and handed one to her. "Ok this is probably a simple one so try this first. You hold the string with your index finger and your thumb and then twist it here and… eh…?"

Wait was, it twist and twirl and then twist again or was it twirl twice and then twist? Ah… umm…

Blink… blink…

"Ahaha…ha…ha. Umm… wait a minute Kasumi. I'll show you how to do it in a second. Ah… let's see now" Twist twirl twist? Or was it twist then reverse? Ahh… Kasumi's staring at me. I'd got to do something fast. "Ah why don't we stop with the cat's cradle for awhile? Here let me show you my Game Guy. It's got this cool function of games that you can play with"

As I showed Kasumi the Game Guy she seemed to be intrigued by the colorful character it was showing. I guess that's no surprise seeing that she's just a kid so things like this can get her attention easily. Kids her age are always attracted to colorful and funny shaped characters.

Hmm… if I remember correctly, I think I have a game that she might be interested in. Gold Digger. It's a game that requires a lot of thinking and strategy, a thing that I wasn't exactly good at. You play as a famous gold digger and as the character suggest, you dig for gold. But you have to strategize on which area you dig and using explosives too. She was hooked it immediately thanks to the main character being a mole and everything.

I coached her through to level four when she finally got used to the controls. She seemed to be hooked to it so I decided to kill some time talking with Sumika instead. Her brain floated there as if lifeless but at the same time conscious of my presence outside of the tank.

"Yo Sumika, it's been awhile, eh?" I began with a toothy grin plastered on my face. "Well not really, since I just visited you a few days ago. If you must know I've just lashed out at Class rep and Ayamine this morning. But in my defense, they were the ones who started it. I mean… I know those two fight one another on a regular basis but come on. We're in a middle of a war against a species that is bent on destroying all of mankind. If those two can't get pass their difference then well… they might end up regretting it surely"

Blup… blup… her bubbles were my only response.

"Haaa… maybe I can cut them some slack on it but you have to admit that it's silly for us humans to be fighting one another while a bigger threat looms over the horizon" But I can somewhat agree with what Tsukuyomi said to me once. She wanted not only to save the human race but preserve our culture as Japanese as well. The Tsukuyomi in this world won't agree with me on this but we both know that if humanity dies, the Japanese culture will disappear along with it. And the only ones who would ever remember us would be our exterminators.

Blup…

Yoink…

Eh? Someone's pulling my sleeves. "Hmm? What is it Kasumi" She pointed towards a tray of food that Yuuko sensei left for us that night. I guess she really did want me to spend time with her tonight.

Kasumi pulled me to a corner and quickly place her share on her lap. Her large dress seemingly made a table with its hard fabric. Wait… something about this feels familiar. I remember something like this happened before in my last loop. What was it again…? I knew that it involved food, and the girls getting angry and…

"Here you go…" Kasumi picked up a slice of mackerel from the tray and offered it up to me in a very Sumika-like manner.

SHOCK!

There it is! That's the reason! She spoon fed me that day which made everyone all angry at me! Wow she's even doing it just like Sumika did back in my world, with one hand under the chopsticks to keep it from falling.

"Ah… Kasumi, you don't really have to do that" I explained to her throwing a sweatdrop off my head.

"…am I doing it wrong?"

"Huh? No it's just that… hey is Sumika telling you to do this? (…) That's not the kind of thing you do"

"… so I was wrong? (No!)… would it be better if I didn't?"

"Well… I guess…" I looked around me and try to imagine the crunched up faces of my squad mates if they saw me doing this again. Luckily the professor allowed me to stay down here in the labs for the night so no worries about that.

"… go ahead…" She offered the fish back up again with a monotone voice.

Ah heck, no one's watching so I might as well. Chomp! Hmm… tasty…

"There's more…"

"Ah ok…" Chomp!

…

…

…

Ok I don't know why but I get a feeling that Sumika's brain is staring at me and not in a good way either…

We spent the half hour eating in the lab but mostly I just ate from her plate. After we finished our meals she crawled up to my shoulder watching me play the Game Guy. She seemed intrigued with the little gizmo and the cute, colorful characters it projected. I played a few puzzle games that I haven't gotten into and worked my brains out to the point of exhaustion. Strategy was probably one of my weaker points in life.

"… haaa" I heard Kasumi let out a yawn after awhile. She looked rather dopy and her eye lids were on the verge of closing. But she wanted to continue watching me play and was forcing herself to stay awake.

"Are you tired, Kasumi? We can stop here and play tomorrow if you want" She shook her bunny ears sideway and frown. "Hey, I know you want to have fun and all but you also need your energy for tomorrow so you can play longer. Come on, I'll make your bed and… (Yoink) Eh?" She pulled up my sleeves to keep me from getting the mattresses. The girl really looked like she wanted to say something but can't find the courage or the words to say them. She had a small feint blush appearing on her cheeks and her eyes darted sideways. Oh? Ah… I get it. "Alright fine. (…haa?) Come over here you can sleep on my lap"

Fwup…

The girl came onto me almost immediately like a little sister hugging up to her big brother. Within minutes she undid her hair bands and let out her silky white locks down. I placed her head on my lap and used the napkins as a pillow. Her hair was so long and so soft that they weight almost nothing in my hands. She smiled a bit for me when she laid there and let out a quiet 'hnn' sound when I ran my fingers down her hair.

"Haa…"

I let out laugh. "Alright I'm doing this only for tonight ok? If I keep this up you might get all spoiled" She puffed her cheeks in defiance of my command which only made me even laugh harder. "Ok… once in awhile then. Now go to sleep"

"No…"

"Eh? What do you mean no? Don't tell me you can't go to sleep on your own" She eyed me from my lap as if trying to find a way through to my mind. Sorry but mind reading won't work on me anymore and projecting those images of the past to confuse my mind an't gonna cut it either. I took every precaution of this to make sure that I won't have any external interference. "Alright. How about if I tell you a story? (…) I don't have a lot or any fun ones but I remember my mom telling me a few stories when I was a kid myself"

"…"

"I think it was about a boy named Momotaro as some would come to call him 'Peach Boy'. He lived in a village long ago and was sent from the heavens to fight the oni… and then…"

My story on Momotaro was probably a Japanese old folklore tale that my mother and grandmother used to tell me. It revolved around a boy was came from a peach and was raised by farmers as their own. In time he befriended a dog, a monkey and a… birdlike creature. Was it a rooster, chicken? Ah wait… it was a pheasant, yeah. I think… stories like that often changed as time moved on. Heck I only know the rough details about it, let alone the whole story. But my version of the story didn't involve giant robots, aliens and stuff because that's just silly.

"You two seem to be having fun" Our story was interrupted when Yuuko sensei entered the room. Kasumi's eyes twitched at her. "Hai, sorry for intruding. Was I interrupting something important?"

"Not really" I answered stopping on my story much to Kasumi's irritation. "We were just playing around. What brings you here, Yuuko sensei?"

"I just came to deliver a gift" She handed me a chip-like object. "Hai. Here you go, the final design of S.T.O.S Mk. II, properly wrapped and ready for use"

"S.T.O.S? Mk. II?" I inquired while taking the chip into my hand.

Yuuko seemed happy that I asked. "That's short for Shirogane Takeru's Operational System. It's the latest information on all the data we've accumulated through Squad 207 from yesterday's training regime. Of course it's still not complete but with this chip, your TSF should be able to operate at least 10% better than before. (Ah…) You said that in the upcoming coup d'état you needed every edge you can get your hands on. Well this is the best I can give at the moment. Anything I develop after this will just be a rush job. So keep it safe and once you install it into your TSF, destroy it immediately. (Yes ma'am)"

"But there's something I wanted to ask, Yuuko sensei. (Hmm?) Why did you ask me to come here? I mean I understand that I can visit Kasumi chan any time I want but I feel like you wanted me here for another reason"

"Hoo? You've grown sharp…" she flashed me her evil grin which I recognized almost instantly when I saw it. "Truthfully there was something that I wanted to talk to you about. (Huh?) In your other world… tell me about it…"

"Eh? What brought this on?"

"Just curious" she replied sheepishly. "Unlike a certain man who was lucky to be chosen, I have no experience whatsoever in traveling between worlds. You however have done it so many times you're practically an entity that shouldn't exist. Yet here you are, sitting right in front of me, proof of your existence"

"What do you mean by that?"

She slowly took a seat by the pile of empty crates and stared grinningly at me. "It means that you are something that I cannot explain quite clearly… and as a scientist, I hate that. You told me when you first came here that you came from another world entirely. A world with no BETA, correct? (Yes…) But have you ever considered it to be the other way around? (Huh?) I mean have you ever once considered that you may originally be from this world and was sent to that world so suddenly"

"Hey now, that's crazy" I answered back unable to take that kind of pressure. "I never really thought of it though. But if anything, I believe that I really came from a world without BETA. I remember growing up in that city going to school almost every day… Sumika waking me up, Meiya san making a strange thing to make the day exciting, Class rep with her usual arguments with Ayamine and of course Tama and Mikoto. Oh and you can never forget Tsukuyomi and the Three Idiots too"

"… Tell me about it" Yuuko sensei requested which I raised a brow in question. "Tell me a normal day in that life of yours before you came here"

"Umm… ok" I thought for a moment and remembered that day when Meiya first came to my school. She created a big uproar and brought well renowned chefs from all over the world to my classroom just to fix me lunch. The line of white top hats stretched on from my classroom down to the hallway and into the track field. Of course I found it rather bizarre and amazing at the same time. I thought of this as nothing more of a dream and decided to play along with it by ordering them to recreate the old Chinese Manchu Han Imperial Feast. Of course I only got to eat a portion of it during the food contest about a week later.

Though sensei only asked me for a single day, I began to blabber things I did for the week. How she was the one who organized the cooking contest and how Mikoto came to be Tsukuyomi's target, being a shotacon and all. Despite the dishes I had to eat, and the tough choice that I had to make, the loops I had in that world also made me go through everyone's path.

I remember the date I had with Sumika, Meiya, Ayamine, Tama and Class rep. All of them were different experiences but each of them filled with so many happy memories that I could just cry.

By the time I began to tell her about the Lacrosse game we had against her class, Kasumi was already sleeping on my lap snoring like the child that she was. I must've lost track of time too because I can't even tell if it was day or night in this underground bunker.

"Hnn…" Yuuko sensei smiled seeing my smiling expression. "Once you really get talking you have a hard time stopping, you know that?"

"Ah… sorry" I apologized for getting carried away with my stories. "It's just that… I never really had a chance to talk with anyone about it. I've just been so busy with planning the future that I almost forget where I came from"

"So what else do you remember? Other than falling in love with all the girls and living happily ever after, do you remember anything else? Like when you had your first child or when you were married or perhaps even your parents?"

"My parents?" I thought for a moment remembering the two who flew away on a world tour vacation that wouldn't end until Christmas Eve. Those two were always reckless and irresponsible at times but they were still my family that I cared about. "Well… let's just say that… they're… kind of aloof. As for the other memories of my future and past… I don't quite remember. They're all a blur to me for some reason"

"What about the 100 page equation? How are you able to remember every part of it?"

"Well… back in my last loop, I asked Kasumi to input those equations in my head. I don't really know how I can remember it but whenever I think about it, those numbers and symbols just popped out my head. Like when you think of the number 2, you immediately connect it to number 1 and 3. I think of just one part of the equation and the rest just follows"

"Hmm… interesting" Yuuko said to me. "So you're saying that Yashiro from the future implanted all these memories into your brain? (Yeah…) Hmm… then there's a possibility that you brain may not have everything that it requires. (Huh?) No matter how much you try to change, the human brain can only store so much before it starts to reject other ideas. Like a child's brain that can be receptive to all sorts of knowledge, both good and bad"

"Yeah… so what's the point?"

"What I'm trying to say is that even though you have the knowledge of the future, some of them may still be dormant inside that head of yours and will only be activated when a certain situation reminds you of it. For example the 100 page equation. You think of one part and then you quickly remember the whole thing" I nodded and began to see a pattern in her words. "Try to remember a single event that happened in your life and the moment you do it quickly unlocks all the situations that led to that event"

"Yeah… that might be true. But what does this have to do with me?"

"The reason why you don't remember some part of your memory is because you have nothing to remind you of it. A certain part of your memory requires a trigger of some sort which can either be something that reminds you of it like an object or a feeling of nostalgia" She paused for a moment shifting her seating position. "Remember the time when I gave you that extra test during your simulator training a few days back?" She was probably talking about training exercise B that I managed to finish barely in the nick of time.

"Yeah I remember. What about it?"

"During that situation, what did it remind you of?" She asked as if expecting an interesting answer.

I thought back for a moment and tried to remember that situation. It was the time that Yokohama base was attacked by a large herd of BETAs. The entire Valkyrie Company perished there leaving only squad 207B left in its wake. We lost a lot of good people there and many more inside the base. The feeling of powerlessness overtook me and despite everything we tried to do, the BETA overwhelmed us.

"It was an incident that happened" I explained to Yuuko sensei, choosing my words carefully, not to give out too much information unless I want to destroy the future. "We were attacked by a large enemy force. Outnumbered and outgunned on every side, my friends started dying. When I saw the radar building in the simulator being attacked, it reminded me of the time when I couldn't do anything at all. Seeing my friends die forcing me to abandon them while they fought bravely against our enemies"

"So it was an emotional trigger?" She asked to which I nodded hesitantly. "I see… that's pretty common. So that's how… (Hmm?) That will be all for today. (Eh?) Its way pass bedtime and growing boys like you need their strength for tomorrow. Take care of Yashiro while you're at it" And without even waiting for my reply, the woman was gone through the front door like a light.

Kasumi had already fallen asleep on my lap and snuggled onto my shirt like a cat purring to its master. I couldn't move at all because I was afraid that I might wake her up. She looked so peaceful there that it's difficult to imagine her to be anything else but a kid. But then again, I guess the same thing can't be said with Tama since she's pretty much a loli in form. I decided to spend the night like that, leaning on the wall with one hand rubbing over the girl's hair making her relax and hopefully a lovely dream for tonight.

**(December 1, 2001 Saturday) (TSF Hanger)**

Ah… maintenance course. An exercise that we don't normally have even during our basic training a few weeks back. It was a course that taught us how to make field repairs on damaged TSFs and how each cogs and silicon wires can be reattached in case of any worst case scenarios. Marimo chan taught us this course with the aid of the head mechanic who gave us tips and tricks on how to operate quickly and efficiently.

We were all given a broken piece of a TSF during that exercise and were tasked to repair it up to optimal conditions. My piece was the nerve system of a Fubuki which serves as a connector to the Eishi's controls. Without it, the pilot won't be able to move his TSF at all. You could say that I was the most difficult part to fix. I've been given this test before in my previous loops and I remember breaking it a few times before finally making it operational again. Heck, what was I thinking trying to attach the red and blue wires together? That only happens in movies.

"I'm done" I announced the instructor before putting the lid back on the broken piece of the machine. Marimo chan and the head mechanic observed my piece and nodded satisfyingly to the result.

"Hmm… good work" Marimo said to me. "This was actually one of the more difficult pieces. I see no fault in it"

"It's not as good as a new part but it'll work fine until we can get a replacement" I answered looking a little tired. Fixing a small piece of TSF took a lot of time and I can only imagine what these mechanics go through every day to ensure that our mechs won't break down in the middle of an operation.

"Right then, wait here for the others to finish" Marimo said to me diverting her eyes to the girls who were working on their piece with some difficulties. "It'll be another hour before lunch so… eh?" she stopped momentarily when the head mechanic called her into the control room. "I'll be right back…"

While the instructor was talking to the mechanic about the joint ports of the TSFs I decided to look at my squad to see how they were doing. Back in my previous loop I couldn't do much training because the girls were all hostile to me due to the time Kasumi spoon-fed me in the PX.

Meiya seems to be working at a steady pace on the radio transceiver so she'll probably be done in ten minutes or so. Tama was handling the hard drive alongside Mikoto who was taking on the data accumulator. Those weren't vital parts of the TSF but it made handling on the auto-lock feature much easier. Ayamine was doing the camera link control which was the 2nd hardest part to repair compared to my joint nerve system.

Everyone seems to be doing well so I guess I'll just install the new OS system and then take a short nap in the…

Clang!

My thoughts derailed when I heard a loud clanking sound coming from Chizuru's work spot. She dropped her wrench when she was trying to pry a bolt off the piece she was working on. Hmm… the emergency SOS beacon? Now there's something that you'd have difficulty in doing.

The darn piece was built to last a rough impact landing. It was a piece that would operate the moment the TSF was considered disabled by the A.I. The Eishi would then have the option of turning it on in the worst case scenario. I once operated on this little gizmo and had a hard time prying the lid open but it seems like Class rep was having more trouble undoing the loose nuts and bolts from the port.

"You'll have an easier time using a strap wrench with those bolts. (Eh…!)" I said to her before taking the said wrench from her toolbox to undo the nuts. As I expected it easily came loose because of the self-tightening feature this wrench had. "See? Easy as pie. It's all about using the right tools for the job" I said to her with a wide toothy smile.

"Ah… um… thank… you" She blushed slightly at my assistance. Her eyes were unable to focus on mine. I guess she's still bothered by my words the other day.

"Don't worry about it. You're pretty out of it too. What's wrong? You look upset"

"It… it's nothing…"

"Are you still bothered because you were shot down during simulator training? We still won anyway, so don't sweat it"

"N… no! That's not it!" I already knew that Class rep, I just needed a topic to talk to you about hehehe. "I… can… I can handle the rest of the repairs myself! You'd best leave before the instructor finds out about this"

"Hai hai… I'll go" I immediately made my way to my Fubuki to install the new OS updater that Yuuko sensei gave me last night.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

As expected, the system became a lot smarter than it did a few hours ago upon installation to the update. The joints reacted better to my speed and there was less action delay speed to all my movements. At this rate I'm probably back to at least 38% percent of my total strength.

Hopefully I'll be strong enough or at least fast enough to take on a Takemikazuchi toe to toe. I've seen how Tsukuyomi operates them and even without the new OS she can make her TSF move like it was a part of her body. It's no surprise how she became such a high ranking member of the Honor Guards.

But… I can understand how Tsukuyomi became an Honor Guard… but what about those Three Idiots? I know they're probably just as good as their commander and I've seen them fight during the rebellion but it hardly seems fitting for kids their age to be operating machines like those.

"Shirogane, are you in there?" My train of thoughts derailed when I noticed Meiya standing in front of my cockpit.

"Yeah I'm in here" I answered before taking the OS data chip out of the CPU and then smashing it to bits. If I let it fall into the wrong hands, Yuuko sensei will never forgive me. I opened my cockpit door and saw the Shogun's sister standing there with a small smile. "What's up? Did you finish your training?"

"Yes, it was of no difficulty" she answered. "Handling tools and spare parts is a daily necessity for Eishis. But that was not the topic that I wanted to discuss with you. (Huh?) You performed quite well in front of Ayamine and Sakaki earlier"

"What? I was just helping out and acting normal, nothing big"

"It is also quite difficult to pretend that nothing happened after experiencing such things. But you've put them in their places. Hopefully they'll start considering our feeling before arguing"

"Yeah hopefully. Anyway I'm pretty much done tuning up my TSF. Wanna go and have lunch together?"

"Certainly" she answered pleasingly.

**(PX) (Lunctime)**

"Haaaaa…" Mikoto let out a long sigh after she finished her meal ahead of everyone else. We sat in our usual table again eating peacefully and passing the time with random topics that came to mind. But just when I thought that this peaceful lunchtime was going to pass without a hitch, I found myself to be proven wrong again.

"What's the matter Mikoto?" I asked looking at the girl with a bored expression. "Are you still hungry after all that?"

"No. The food was good… but tasting the soup today just doesn't have the kick anymore. It used to be my favorite but now it just tastes bland"

"Indeed" Meiya seems to agree. "The tuna lacks some flavor and I can feel that it has no substance at all. Perhaps the ingredients have been changed recently"

"I feel it too" Tama came in with the saddened expression. "I can taste oba chan's love in the food but for some reason it loses its regular sweetness. It doesn't have the soft, spicy and salty flavor"

"Really? It tastes the same to me" I replied taking another spoonful of rice into my mouth. Nope. There were no changes at all. If anything it still tastes as good as oba chan makes.

"Haaa…" Mikoto sighed again. "The food here is good but I get the urge of wanting to taste Shirogane's instant ramen again. (…)"

"…!" Ayamine's eyes flashed at me as Mikoto mentioned the said the name of those meals I have in my bag. I could sense some measure of killing intent resonating from her stare.

"Ah… those?" I acted calm but sweating somewhat inside. "I still got a few of them left in my room. I guess we have enough for one more round for everyone. You can all pick it up from my place after today's training"

"Yay!" Tama cheered. "I'll have the pork curry flavor this time"

The squad let out a small laugh. But just as I was about to take another bite off my fish, I noticed Kasumi suddenly appearing from the hallway. Her small figure, black clothes and silver hair could easily be distinguished from the rest of the cadets and officers here in the base.

"Oh? Yashiro?" Meiya noticed her first. "That's odd. We rarely get to see you here in the PX"

"… good morning" She said to all of us which we replied in turn. But to be honest it was already way pass morning since we're having lunch already.

"So what is it Kasumi?" I asked thinking that the professor may have sent her to pick me up. "Did Yuuko sensei asked you to bring me to her?"

"…no…"

"Uh… ok… do you want to have lunch with us?" She nodded in response so I took that as a positive sign. "Alright come over here. You can have my share too" Kasumi immediately took the seat beside me and staring emptily at everyone as if they were a part of the furniture. She rarely shows emotions but deep down I can tell on her ever reaction that she was a shy and rather sensitive girl. "Alright. Do you want rice, fish or some soup first? Oh and oba chan made some synthetic beef for today as a special treat"

"…hai…" She responded looking at my tray. She eyed the food but didn't touch them.

"Uh… do you want to use spoon and fork instead or do you want chopsticks? (…)" Ok the silent treatment isn't exactly working either. "Umm… ok… how about we start with the carrots? (Hnn…) Eh?" Ah wait, I remember that Kasumi hates carrots. One time when we were eating I noticed her pushing the vegetables to the side of her plate. Hehehehe. It was a typical thing for a child of her age to do. Despite her rabbit cosplay costume, she hated carrots the most too. Hmm… cosplay?

Wait… I'm remembering something. (Flash) Eh? Marimo… chan… wearing a costume? When was this? I remember seeing my teacher wearing a rather lewd costume but I can't remember any specific details. Umm… it was around the time when Meiya first started living in my house. I… remember being pulled into the Physics prep room and then… AHH! Yeah! Yuuko sensei! She was the one! She's the one who made her dress like that! I remember now. Marimo chan lost to Yuuko sensei in a bet when they at school long ago so she became her pet in cosplay.

And if the Yuuko in this world is anything like the mad genius in my world… she could probably do that to Kasumi as well.

"Takeru?"

Eh? I noticed the squad looking at my face which held a vivid expression.

"What's wrong Takeru san?" Tama asked with a quizzical face. "You look like you just had a revelation about something"

"Ah? Oh! Ah it's nothing. Just something that I remembered when I was still in school" I replied embarrassingly. "Anyway, here Kasumi. Why don't you try the meat first? (…) Hey… come on now you know how to use a chopstick, don't you? (…) Oi… don't tell me you're asking to be… spoon fed? (Geh!)" the whole squad flinched upon hearing my revelation. The girl kept her stare fixed upon me as if trying to telepathically talk to me. I felt a little jolt in my head which could only mean that she was trying to read my mind too. Sorry Kasumi but that an't happening.

"… ahhn…" Kasumi opened her mouth to me as if to be fed. My eye twitched and as turned around everyone else had the same expression as me.

In the end… I had no other choice but to comply. "F… fine! I'll feed you but only if you eat carrots along with it" Her mouth immediately closed upon my gesture to her least favorite vegetable dish. "Come on now. If you want to be fed you have to obey my rules. Now open wide~" I stab a meat slice along with a slice of carrot and dangled it in front of her. "Say ahhnn~"

…

…

…

"… ahhnnn… (chomp)" Good girl!

"That's good Kasumi. If you eat more of these you'll get stronger tomorrow" I said to her sounding a lot like a father doting on his own daughter. "Now try the fish this time. The meat blends the taste with the carrot so it won't taste as bad. (…) Hehehe with me around you'll grow big and healthy in no time. Alright now say ahhnn~"

"…ahhnn…"

"Takeru…"

"Hmm? What is it Meiya?" I asked the girl who seemed to be looking rather… jealous of Kasumi's position. "Is something wrong?"

"Is it not already obvious?" She pointed out. "I know that you that you and Yashiro have a closer relationship than most but don't you think you're taking it a little too far? You look as if you are doting on her"

"…energetic… you two are" Ayamine added once again not making any sense with her words.

"But don't you guys think it's cute?" Mikoto inquired waving her hands around. "Hey Takeru, feed me too!" Hey now, don't go jumping onto someone else's spoon. "I'll have the fish please! (…no) Eh? Why not? Come on, just one bite!"

"I'm not doing this because I want to! It's just that I owe Kasumi a few things myself. (Huh?) She's been working with me on developing the new OS system so this is the least I could do to pay her back" It was a proper excuse. After all, Kasumi did help make the OS more accurate. "She's been working with Yuuko sensei too you know"

"…" the squad gave a defeated sigh. They simply had no way in arguing with me. I guess that had to be a first.

"I guess it can't be helped" Chizuru replied after groaning a bit. "But you shouldn't take lightly of your own actions. Some people might misunderstand from afar"

"Oh? And what were you girls thinking about when I was feeding Kasumi?" The girls immediately turned bright red as if having a rather pleasant but embarrassing thought come into mind.

"But Takeru san…" Tama called to me. "The way you do it kind of reminds me of papa. When I was younger he always spoon fed me like a kid. (Hehehe…) Somehow looking at you do that kind of makes you look like a father"

"Oh come on now, I'm not that old yet" I bantered out looking a bit embarrassed myself. "It's not like I can even think of starting a family at this age" It's true. Those who usually start families are often in their early or late thirties and only after they've acquired a secure income rate.

"… Takeru papa"

"Hey don't start calling me papa Ayamine or I'll be calli-" (Flash) Eh? What was that? I saw an image flash before my eyes just a second ago. It was a bit fuzzy but I distinctly saw two silhouettes standing there in front of me. (Flash) The image was becoming clearer but still it was unfamiliar to me. I don't remember standing on an empty grass land like that before.

The image flashed again and again as if trying to remind me of something that happened long ago. This was exactly what happened when Kasumi and Sumika could enter my mind to show images of my past loops. But these images were being generated from something else entirely.

_"Daddy! Good luck!"_

Huh?

_"Daddy! Bye bye!"_

_"Daddy! Come home soon!"_

W… who's saying that? That small silhouette over there? Is she calling out to her dad? Strange… I don't remember this.

_"Daddy! See you soon!"_

Dad?

I could hear the child wishing her father well, shouting loudly into the stars as if he had already passed into heaven. The woman next to her appears to be the mother, her long colorless hair dangling freely into the night sky and her loose clothes fluttering from the gentle wind. From my perspective, it felt more like an unmoving picture that has been drawn on the wall. The two girls seemed to be the focus point of the art and the scenery seemed familiar to Earth itself. However like a painting… I could not change my point of view. The only things I could see were their backs and the grassland and stars above.

Where is this place? I'm definitely sure that I've never been here before. I don't remember being in an open grass land because I've been in the city my whole life. And…

"Takeru?" I was brought out of my train of thought when I heard Class rep calling me. "What's the matter with you? That's the third time you've been staring into space now. It's starting to get annoying with everyone here talking"

"Ah…? Sorry… I just got… a lot of my mind right now" I felt really woozy after that sudden flash of memory.

"Are you ok Takeru?" Meiya inquired taking a closer inspection of me. "You look a bit pale, like you've just seen a ghost. Perhaps you are unwell"

"I've been feeling a little strange" I can't take this. The image is lodged in my head but I can't seem to remember what it was all about. All I can remember is hearing the little girl shouting into the night sky wishing her father well. I need to talk with Yuuko sensei about this. "Sorry Kasumi but I have to run. Class rep, please tell the instructor I'll be a little late for afternoon training and I'll make up for it with extra laps. Bye"

"Ah? Eh? Takeru!"

But by the time she was able to get up I was already long gone. I don't know why but that picture that appeared in my head feels like something I should know.


	10. Hero's Time off

**Chapter 10: Hero's time off**

**(December 2, 2001 Sunday) (Takeru's room)**

Haa… I could barely sleep last night after yesterday's bizarre vision. The echo of that kid's call for her dad was just so pure and innocent that it kept ringing at the back of my head. I can still remember that picture. Even though it was a bit blurry I can feel a sense of longing from that place. I wanted to discuss it with the professor but unfortunately for me she had to report to the command center to finalize the operation for the coup d'état. I had no other choice but to bear with the vision for now.

During training, that image kept repeating itself to me like the sequel of a movie that I missed a long time ago. It kept rolling over and over and whenever I saw it, I felt a small ting of emotion poking at the front of my chest. Was that something I should remember? A piece of memory that's been lodged in my head that I've only just remembered? Well whatever it was, that memory kept distracting me from my training and Marimo chan scolded me for day dreaming in the middle of simulator combat.

Click… click…

Hmm?

Knock knock…

Who can that be at this hour? It's barely even five o'clock so it can't be Kasumi. She usually comes in right away without knocking and shakes me up.

Knock… knock…

"One minute…" I answered, making myself look a bit presentable before opening the door. For all I know it could be Marimo and she'll probably give me another lecture if I look like mess in front of an officer. "Who is it?"

"Shirogane, it's me" Eh? Yuuko sensei?

I quickly opened the door to find the professor there looking like she's been up all night preparing something. "Professor? What is it? Is something wrong?"

"That's what I was about to ask you" She replied looking a bit bewildered. "I thought I told you that we were going to have a meeting yesterday. I stayed up all night waiting for you in my office. (Huh?) Didn't Yashiro tell you anything?"

"Kasumi?" I thought back for a moment. "Well she did come to visit me in the PX but she never said anything about meeting you" Well I did spoon feed her so that might've distracted her from her original purpose of visiting me. "But then again we did do a lot of things after lunch" I quickly brought Yuuko sensei into the room to prevent eavesdroppers from listening.

"Is that the reason why she's all dopy last night? (Eh?) When Yashiro got back I was actually surprised to see her smiling so brightly. I should've known something must've happened to put her in such a good mood" She gave me a sigh which I responded with a half hearted laugh. "Well anyway. Come to the office later tonight. It's Sunday so you have the day off. I'll need to finalize something with you. (Ma'am…) There are only a few more days now so I hope you're prepared. (Yes ma'am…) Oh by the way… (Hmm?) It seems like another one of your predictions came true today"

"One of my predictions?"

"You told me of the incident in Mt. Tengen, remember?"

Ah yeah I remember now. That was pretty much the trigger that started this whole rebellion, the last straw for Sagiri and his troops against the government's injustice.

"Oh yeah. If I remember correctly, the volcano blew up destroying most of the land around it" I added remembering the details of my first sortie many loops ago.

"I've arranged some rookies from Yamanashi base to aid with the evacuation of squatters so we won't have to deploy troops from here"

"Thanks. I'll write ten pages of the equation and deliver it to you tonight" She nodded in agreement of our earlier trade deal. "The squatters there are all elderly people and they want to stay there even if it kills them. (…ohh…) And it took a long while to do so and because of that we lost some TSFs on that mission. So please try to force them out as best as possible but be gentle with them"

"… Very well. I'll tell them that. I'll go make the arrangements and… eh?" But then Yuuko stopped when she noticed the door to my room opening again. To her surprise, Kasumi was there.

"…!" The silver haired bunny girl was equally surprised as well to see the woman in my room and of course even more so when she noticed I was already awake.

"H… hey there Kasumi, good morning" I greeted her with a cute wave. "Sorry but Yuuko sensei woke me already" She gave a small and rather childish glare at the professor which Yuuko raised a brow in reply. I guess she doesn't like it when someone else does her job for her.

"Hoo? So this is what you do every morning?" Yuuko inquired darting her eyes to both of us. "I was wondering why you wake up so early. Usually you'd stay in your room all day long"

"…" Kasumi then turned her glare to me. I guess she really doesn't like it when I wake up first because it pretty much erases the reason for her to visit me. "… hentai…"

GEH!-? What the hell? Where did she learn that word?

"W… wh… what do you mean by that!-?" I asked.

Yuuko sensei simply laughed, adding to my irritation. "Well it seems like you've been judged Shirogane. (Hey!) Yashiro, (…) Why don't you try reading my mind now and tell me what you see?" Wait… what? Kasumi no! Don't!

But I was too late, Kasumi had already focused her mind on the professor and quickly enough, her face suddenly turned bright red like a Christmas tree. This was the first time I've ever seen Yashiro this embarrassed. But it's not surprise seeing that this was Yuuko's brain we were talking about. Even a man like myself can barely scratch the surface of that diabolical-genius brain of hers.

"… ha…!" Kasumi let out a gasp and darted her eye left and right towards me and the professor.

"Hey hey hey!" I yelled out. "What are you showing her!-? Is that even G-rated? Kasumi stop looking at her head. They're all lies!" But the girl kept her focus fixed on the woman as she barraged her with more lewd images.

After awhile Yuuko let out an evil grin. "So…? How was it? (Huuu…) Did you like it? (…) Hoo… such a good girl. Then how about these?"

"Stop it! You're a terrible influence!" I yelled out again but as always it failed to catch Kasumi's attention. However this time, when she was finished, Kasumi's eyes widened considerably.

"…!" The girl gave out a yelp before she suddenly turned to me with an expression I can't really explain. Her face was turning a shade of pinkish red and her body was quivering slightly like she just saw a scary movie. "…" And right before I knew it, she bolted off through the hallway at full speed with her tail between her legs.

"H… hey what did you show her!-?" I demanded from the professor who was whistling innocently in the open. "Hey! Don't just whistle things away like it was nothing! Kasumi never ran that fast before! And the look she gave me was more than suspicious!"

"Who knows~?" She grinned towards me before leaving me to my own imagination.

"Ahhhh! Yuuko sensei!"

**(PX)**

Sunday off…

Though it was only one day, it was a day every cadet on this base love the most. A little break from all the stress and training was welcomed even for me. Though a few people like Meiya and Chizuru continue on with their independent training I had a chance to kick back and relax to loosen my muscles for a short while. No man can go on forever after all.

"Takeru san!" Oh? It's Tama and Mikoto.

"What are you guys doing here?" I asked taking a sip off my tea cup. "Breakfast is about over already. If you're looking for food you'll have to wait for lunchtime"

"We already had breakfast" Mikoto answered. "But Miki san and I thought we'd play a little game here in the PX. No one usually hangs out here after a meal time"

"Yeah lookie lookie" Tama showed me a small pouch on her waist which contained a few toys that the soldiers of this base considered fun. "I brought tons of things to play with too. Beanbags, marbles, and a few cat's cradle strings!" Yeah… thanks to the BETA invasion all forms of entertainment that were present in my world disappeared and were replaced with advance military technology. TV nowadays is considered a luxury for homes and all electronic devices are focused mainly for military needs.

It seems rather disheartening to see that kids their age would never get to experience something like Valgernon ever again. It was thanks to that I became so experienced in the TSFs.

"Oohh you made new bean bags, Miki san. I've never seen this cloth before"

"Kyozuka chan gave them to me so I had plenty of materials to make a whole new batch. Wanna try em?"

"Sure! And Takeru san, you can use this" Mikoto quickly pulled out a kendama from her pocket which I remembered almost instantly. "I bought this from the nurse when I was hospitalized a month ago. I only just remembered it now so I brought it just for you Takeru san"

"Ah… thanks?" I accepted the gift hesitantly. I've played with this little object a few times back in the days and during my other loops. It seemed like a simple little thing, to put the ball in the small hole and then flipping it again. But I really suck at it. In fact… I think I suck at all the retro games I once played when I was a kid. They're just something I don't do anymore. Heck I don't think anyone in my world play those kinds of games after they've graduated from grade school.

The three of us played for awhile shuffling through the games but after awhile I began to think going through the simulator training was more enjoyable for me. At least the visuals there were more entertaining.

I played the Kendama for about ten minutes. Though I was able to get a few shots in I still suck at it compared to everyone else. Bean bags and marbles were no different either. My hand eye-coordination was only good when it came to video games so retro games like this are pretty much out of my league. Hell even Cat's cradle was a challenge for my fingers.

"Ara? So this is where you guys were" We looked up from our table noticing Class rep entering the PX. "You guys playing Cat's Cradle? Mind if I join?"

"Sure" Tama handed her a string. "Yoroi san and I are trying the dancing butterfly. Shirogane's doing Mt. Fuji on his own"

"Hoo? Doing a difficult Cat's Cradle singlehandedly? Can you do it?" She said to me as if teasing a challenge.

"We'll never know unless we try" I've done Cat's cradle before in my loops and always the string snaps from my pinky or my fingers would feel all kinds of cramp. "Ok… first put your pinky here and then twist the string a bit then… aha! There!" I declared proudly holding my tied up fingers up to the group. "Alright Mikoto, pull the center string up and it'll be Mt. Fuji!"

"Are you sure?" My transgender friend asked looking at my string a bit unsure if it will hold. "Your string looks a bit fragile Takeru san. It feels like if I pull it it'll snap"

"Come on try it. It'll hold I promise" I smiled confidently at my work. But just when Mikoto pulled the string, the whole sting suddenly snap out just as she predicted. "Bwahh! No! Not my Mt. Fuji! (See?) That's because you pulled too hard Mikoto!"

"Hideyoshi Toyotomi built a castle in one day and it fell on the next day as well" Class rep said to me in a proverb tone. What the hell does that even mean any way? "It means that the legacy you build will only last as long as you take time to build it"

"Darn it! I'll do it again and make it work this time!" I declared before pulling the string again to its proper position. "Ok, first twist and put my pinky here and… eh?" That's odd, the string snapped on the third move. "Ok I think I got it. Put my thumb here and then, twist it and then… ha?" It snapped again! "Wait wait wait! Put my thumb here and then my pinky and twirl? EH!-? (Ahe…) D… don't laugh just yet. I got it now! First twist, put pinky, move thumb… BWAH!"

"They say that if one kept trying they'll get it eventually" Class rep mocked me. "But I think that the more you keep trying Shirogane, the worse you get"

"SHUT UP!" How can making a simple Cat's Cradle be so hard!-? "Alright what if I do twist, twirl and then… Excalibur!"

"Haa?" the girls simply stared at me with a bemused expression. "Excali… wha?"

"Darn iiiiitttttttttttt!"

"I was wondering why it was so noisy here" Meiya interrupted my loud banter appearing out of nowhere. "It was only you Takeru"

"Oh Mitsurugi san, wanna play Cat's Cradle with us?" Tama offered holding a spare string up to her. "Everyone's doing it. Look even Chizuru san is trying the Soldier's Bed"

"I appreciate the invitation but I must refuse" the Shogun's sister raised her hand in rejection. "I'm more inclined to play another game. I was hoping Sakaki san would entertain me in a game of Shogi. But it seems you are busy"

"Ah I'll take up her place" I offered up quickly putting my Cat's Cradle away.

"Hoo? Running away from the current challenge?" Class rep teased as if trying to irritate me back to that game of strings and twists.

"Shut up! I'll come back to finish that later!" Shogi was a Japanese style chess game. I played it before when I was a kid when it was really popular but it somehow left my mind when I discovered console games with 3D graphics.

Meiya and I set up the table near the gang and placed the pieces in their proper position. Back in my previous loops she defeated me hands down without even having the silver generals or bishop which was a huge handicap for her. But now it will be different. I'll definitely beat her in this loop.

**(15 minutes later)**

"Damn it…!" I cursed out quietly to myself. The game that we had was a rather quick one and Meiya offered that she would not have the silver generals and bishop like before. I made a good opening move using the Mino Castle style which was pretty popular for beginners like myself. Meiya then tried to ram through my defenses using her lance and pawns which were quite effective in numbers I must say.

I thought I broke her formation by eliminating her knight but it turns out that she lured me during the middle game. Instead, my Mino Castle broke off into tiny pieces and my king was left exposed to her gold generals. But I quickly countered her counterattack using the Shirogane do or die (banzai!) maneuver: Rushing all my troops into the battle, leaving my generals to protect the king. By the time I broke through her defenses, we figured out that this game was a tie.

"Very impressive Takeru" Meiya praised at my abilities. "No one has ever gotten me to a draw before other than Sakaki. Your tactics were ingenious that it kept me guessing what your next move would be"

"Yeah but considering that I had more pieces on the board, I'll have to admit defeat"

"Nonsense" the soft girly chuckle escaped her lips. "Those were the conditions I set for myself. How the game proceeded is all skill. I had thought to lure your entire army with the false rook charge maneuver but it seemed to have failed. However… (Hmm?) If you had brought all your generals to the frontlines, it would've been a different story. Instead you chose to use your strongest units as defenders"

"Well the purpose of the game was to capture the enemy king while trying not to let the enemy do the same to you" I defended. "Besides… I don't like leaving a man behind" And I meant that phrase in more ways than one.

"I see" Meiya nodded though a part of her seemed to be against my motto. "I will not argue against your code of conduct. But sometimes the mission is much more important than a single human life"

"Didn't you just reject my code of conduct just now?"

She laughed. "Yes… yes I did. I contradicted my words. Forgive me. (Hehehe…) Now. Let us play with a full table this time"

"Hoo! Now that I can accept"

**(2 hours later)**

Tap…

Another draw…

In two hours time Meiya and I played 5 games of Shogi, each game with a unique handicap to make things interesting. By that time, lunch had already started so the PX was rather noisy which made it difficult for either of us to concentrate. But despite that, all we could achieve was a draw.

Our last game took longer though. We both had all of our pieces and made excellent first moves to counter the other. This time however it seems like both Meiya and I had the same idea. We both tried to use Anaguma Castle formation using our generals and lance units as spearheads. But the common thing to happen to happen when both sides use the same technique is that they often lose the same amount of pieces. In the end, neither of us had enough range unit to check each other's kings.

"Waaa…~" Tama cooed in awe when both Meiya and I decided it to be another even game. "Another draw? That's incredible. I thought only Chizuru chan was the only person who could match evenly against Mitsurugi san"

"His tactical thinking is indeed something to be wary of" Meiya nodded in approval. "He could see most of my traps and counters and prepared the pieces before triggering any of them. It was as if he could read the tide of battle quite easily" That's because in my other loops I remember every move that you performed. It was like having walkthrough for a game which can tell you the strategy on how to defeat a boss and all the tips and tricks.

"Yeah but even so, I couldn't beat you" I replied sounding a bit disappointed. "Even in that last match I couldn't break through your solid defenses. You used a wedge formation for attacking to pin my pawns down"

"Some people say that a good defense is a good offense, but I turn the concept in the opposite direction" Hehe so she used the wedge attack formation out there so I couldn't pass. That's certainly something Meiya would think of.

"Don't praise him too much" Class rep added mocking me from the sidelines. "He might be able to do complicated stuff but when it comes to basic games he's pretty useless"

"Gah! Come on! Do you have to be so mean?"

"Ah look yakisoba!" Mikoto pointed towards the counter which everyone followed. "Let's hurry before they run out!"

"Hey! Listen to me when I'm depressed at lease!"

**(Hilltop tree)**

After I finished lunch I decided to head to my favorite spot in the base perimeter to relax and enjoy the rest of my break period. Though the view of the forest and the city had changed the calmness that this hill brings me remained untouched. The humming of the wind, the splash of the ocean and the warmth of the sun was all I needed to bring me back to my old world.

Thinking about it now, I remember that this was the day Yuuko sent me back to my old world using that machine she built in her labs. Though it may have been only a few hours I can still remember how I used to live. So blissful… and not a single care in the world. Only worrying about my exam scores and what I would be having for my next meal.

And Sumika… Meiya and… everyone…

Darn… I guess I'm feeling really homesick seeing this place.

It's hard to believe that a few years ago this place used to be a thriving city… full of people and life, brimming with culture. Now it has become a training ground for Eishis to hone their skill in mock battles. Sometimes I wonder if those pilots really know what history they're stepping on. It's shameful… really.

"…!" Hmm? I heard someone gasp behind me. Was there someone else here?

"Who's there?" I demanded in a professional tone readying my hand held weapon which just so happened to be the yakisoba-bread I made in the cafeteria. I saw a silhouette move behind the large cherry tree which only aroused my suspicion. "Come out and show yourself now!"

"…meowa… meowa…" Ok that was probably the worst imitation of a cat's voice I've ever heard. You could've at least put the 'a' away from the meow.

"Are you trying to make a fool of me?" I asked taking a step closer to the silhouette. "Show yourself cat!"

"Woofie… woofie… bark…" Now you're trying a dog? That's even worse than the cat imitation earlier! Who the hell are you!-? "Bububububububu…"

"What kind of an animal makes that kind of noise?" I inquired as if I was asking the cherry tree.

"… a platypus" Ah that voice… is that…

"Ayamine?" the dark haired girl showed herself finally which made me lower my guard. "Geez. For a moment there I thought you were some kind of strange animal sneaking up on me. What are you doing here? (…) Are you meditating or admiring the view? (…) Hey say something…"

"Something…"

"… are you trying to tick me off?"

"… maybe…"

"So what are you doing here anyway?" Heh… her usual behavior doesn't surprise me but it can still get on my nerve. "Have you had lunch yet? (…nod) Oh? That's odd, I don't remember seeing you in the PX otherwise you'd have sat with us. (…)" She replied in silence again. This was really becoming a habit.

"Shirogane… you're sharp today…"

"Hey I've got good qualities as a person too, you know" I teased back feeling rather insulted that she underestimated me. "If you don't want to tell, then fine, I won't ask"

"… I like it here. (Eh?)" Was she talking about the view or the weather? "…I always come up here"

(Flash) Now that she mentioned it, I do remember seeing Kei come to this hill back in my world too. I think there was a dog here that she named after me and it loved to sit on my stomach whenever I was around. Hehe… thinking about that little mutt kind of reminds of me the things that we did here. (Flash) Oh… that's right… Ayamine first kissed me on this hill back then. When I was distracted by the sunset she snuck up on my face and planted her lips to mine. I was shocked and yet at the same time I felt an unimaginable joy growing in me.

"…Shirogane? (Huh?)" Ayamine brought me back from my train of thoughts. I must've drifted off longer than I expected. I really need to stop doing that. "You're weird…"

"You're the last person I want to hear that from!" I yelled back, waving my yakisoba bread like a club. When Ayamine caught wind of her favorite food in my hand she immediately went to predator mode. "Eh? My yakisoba bread? You want it? (…nod) Well sorry but it's mine, nyahahaha! Gweh?" My laughing was easily stopped when the girl grabbed my arm with a strong tight grip.

"… I'll kiss you for it…"

Images of our first kiss flashed through my mind again. Even though it was a short kiss, I remembered every detail of that kiss like it just happened yesterday. The taste, the texture and even the expression she had when she finished. I leaned on this very tree here… and… ah crap stop remembering!

"N… no!" I declined her trade offer. I can already feel my face turning red as I spoke incoherently.

"… perhaps you want more…?" What the hell was she spouting this time? All this because for some yakisoba bread? "… want me to do more than just a kiss?"

The hospital scene was the next thing to pop into my brain when she said those words to me. The time we bonded kept repeating like they were obeying her monotone voice. It was like a bizarre seductive version of Ayamine and strangely enough it was working on me. My lower limbs were shaking a bit and my crotch felt rather wobbly too. My manliness was being put to the test here! Come on Takeru pull yourself together. You've experienced this kind of behavior from her on a daily basis since high school so there's no way you can fall for such cheap tricks again!

"…" I gulped a chunk of my saliva downwards picturing the old time and imagining new things that might occur if I chose my words carefully. "I… um…."

"Shirogane… is cruel to make a girl say such things"

Stab!

"Alright! Fine you can have it! Just stop making me feel so guilty!" I quickly surrendered my snack to her, courteously with both hands as if to present it as an offering of some sort. "Here! My personally handmade yakisoba bread! Made in the cafeteria and— (Snatch!) Hey! I wasn't even done with my grand speech just yet!"

She ate the bread in about 0.15 seconds before I could open my mouth to protest. It almost looked like the thing never even existed at all. Did she eat it all in one bite? Well she does have the largest appetite in school, me coming close to second so I guess that's no surprise.

"…tasty…" She held her hand out to me. "… any more?"

"That was the only one I had" I breathed out a sigh. This was starting to feel like talking to Mikoto. It was wearing me out. "I can only make one of them a day and only if we have yakisoba"

She feigned a sob sound. "… I'm sad now…"

"Don't go sighing over a piece of bread! I'll make you another one tomorrow geez, was it really that good?"

"… saddening-ly good"

But in a moment that she let down her guard, I suddenly took notice of an envelope tucked behind Ayamine's pants. "Eh? What's that behind you?" She quickly noticed her folly and hid it under her shirt. "Hey was that a letter?" Could it be another letter from, Sagiri Naoya? If it is then it probably contains the details regarding the coup he was planning. Did she just receive it or was it an old one that she plans on reading? She never reads any of his letters. Anyway… I know that it had to be from him, definitely.

"…it's nothing…" Ayamine's face had that defenseless expression again. That expression which I've only seen during the rare loops in time. Even a kid can tell that she was lying but I know that she was serious and she didn't want me poking into her personal life.

I knew how uncomfortable she was with her secret and so I decided to feign like a friend. "Oooohh… let me guess. It's a love letter. (…!) Hehehehe… I never knew you were so popular Kei chan. Did someone confess to you? (….)" Uh oh… I think I just made it even worse. Her expression was now changing to a pained one. "Well it's none of my business. I've been keeping a few secrets on my own so I have no right to pry on other people's secrets. But remember to keep it to yourself, ya hear? As long as it doesn't affect the squad or your training, it's fine with me"

"… you're not interested?" she asked as if probing for something. There wasn't any reason for me to pry. After all, I already read one of her letters back in my last loop.

"Curious, yes. Interested, no" Was my answer. "But as a friend and a squad mate I'll keep it to myself. If it's a love letter I'll definitely gossip about it here and there hehehe"

"… I'll hit you…"

"Hey, threatening me isn't gonna work either" I countered raising my hands in defense. "Remember, I can hold my own against you and Meiya at the same time during our last spar"

She approached me threateningly with a small smirk. "…I might give you amnesia"

Oh boy… her Space Tornado Ayamine throw is perhaps the only move in this world that I can't defend against. Whenever she uses that against me I'd feel unimaginable pain all over my body. "Ok now that wasn't funny. (…) Hehehe… well I got no more reason to stay here"

"… you leaving?"

"Well I was planning to eat my tasty snack in peace but I met a rather unexpected person today and got to see her cute side so I'm satisfied. Later. Don't stay here too long or else you'll catch a cold"

**(December 3, 2001 Monday) (Simulator training room)**

The following day, our squad was given a simulator mock battle to further improve our combat abilities on the TSF. Most of the group had already finished with the training course and were just fooling around and that's when I decided to challenge both Mikoto and Tama to a small fight at the same time. They both agreed to it believing that they have improved somewhat in battle but I wonder how much…

Our battlefield was the usual urban terrain and on this course I decided to play with them to see if they can read through an easy ruse. I moved my mech to a spot with good cover and a translucent building with a lot of windows so I can see through them.

As expected, Mikoto and Tama were moving carefully and separately to keep them from revealing their locations. They even deactivated their IFFs to keep them off my radar. Heh… a common move but that doesn't mean I was going to hold back either.

**(Marimo POV)**

It was another simulator training today. As I planned, Squad 207 was now performing a free session against each other to evaluate their combat abilities. Everyone was performing admirably as expected with Mitsurugi and Ayamine excelling in close quarters and Sakaki coming in third. Tamase and Yoroi were also doing well in their own fields as well, trying not to be a burden on the squad.

And as always, Shirogane exceeded my expectations again by doing all those incredible acrobatics. Ever since the professor installed the new OS into the simulators the squad has been improving at an outstanding rate. And surprisingly enough Takeru's abilities soared even more than before. The boy was performing more and more daring moves, reacting faster to a fall and shooting with greater accuracy.

It shouldn't surprise me any more seeing how he did without it but still… his scores alone can rival the squad.

While Mitsurugi's team took a short break by the waiting room I observed Shirogane's free for all battle from my screen. He requested both Yoroi and Tamase to fight against him which they agreed almost immediately.

"I spotted Takeru!" Yoroi said to her partner after she spotted the boy hiding behind his favorite defense area. "Miki san, cover me! (Roger!)" Tamase opened a barrage against Shirogane's position while Yoroi moved in closer to get his target. The battlefield of choice was an urban terrain. "I got you now Takeru!"

"Not quite!" Shirogane jumped out of his hiding spot and returned fire using both hands to fire guns on each target regardless of their positions. "Catch me if you can!" He leaped up again to avoid Tamase's fire.

"That's not going to work this time!" Tamase countered firing at the boy which almost struck him. "We've seen all of your acrobatic moves, Takeru san! I've been reading your control logs for days preparing for this! (Bang bang!) (Whoa!) Geh! If only you'd stop moving for a second…"

"Wahh! Watch where you're shooting Miki san!" Yoroi berated dodging a shot from her partner. "That one almost hit me. (Sorry…) I'll chase after Takeru and transfer his coordinates to you. Keep up the fire but watch out for me. (Ok!)"

"Heh, you won't get me that easily!" Takeru returned the taunt as if challenging them. It seems that he was luring Yoroi into a trap. But that's impossible seeing that he was the only one fighting on his side. "Come on Mikoto, let's see how much you've improve since we last fought? Try to keep up"

"Geh! I'll get you this time Takeru!"

Shirogane led Yoroi around the training ground like a game of tag. I don't know what he was planning but he seems to be pretty confident to speak on an open communication channel.

"Ah Yoroi san!" Tamase called out. "Be careful, you're getting out of my weapon's range! I won't be able to shoot Takeru from your position if you go too far"

"Roger that!" The chase lasted for about a minute until Shirogane slowed down in a blocked path. It was a wide area enough for TSFs to move in but no quick exits. "I got you now!" They exchanged fire destroying all the buildings beside them. "Geh! I know all your moves and habits Takeru! There's no escape!"

"Hey not bad! But you've fallen right for my trap! (Eh?) Take this!"

"Bwah! What the?" Shirogane threw his knife up distracting Yoroi for a moment before launching his counterattack. Fortunately the knife simply passed through Yoroi's frame. But unconsciously, Yoroi moved back to dodge it. I'll have to discuss this with the engineers to implement moving objects to damage a target. "H… hey!"

"Hahaha! That's the oldest trick in the book. Later!"

"Ahhh! Takeru, no fair!"

"This is war. There's no such thing as fairness. Mwahahaha!"

It looks like the boy was enjoying himself in there. To think that he'd be using top military grade training equipment as a form of entertainment. He seems to be running away from Yoroi but… eh? (Beep beep) Oh… so that's his plan…

"Miki! Takeru's (brrrrt!) going over… (ratatata) He's trying to… (Boom!)" Shirogane was firing continuously, creating as much noise as possible to prevent his opponents from hearing each other.

"Say again 03?" Tamase jerked back trying to increase the volume of her communicator. "I can't hear you from all the shooting. Where are you?"

"I'm… (bang!) shooting back… to… (boom!) Can't get a… (ratatata)"

"Come again 03. I can't hear you at all"

"Miki chan! Takeru's chasing me! I'm leading him towards the main road. We'll ambush him there! I'm activating my IFF! Hurry!"

"Roger that! I see you. Moving to the main road now" Tamase rushed to her ambush position, readying her gun in a crouched position. But little did she know that Shirogane was leading her to his trap.

Immediately a TSF appeared in front of her crosshair. "Takeru's right behind me! Take the shot!"

Bang!

Tama reacted as if on voice command and sniped the oncoming TSF that followed only to be amazed that she hit straight at the cockpit. She froze and I could tell from her expression that she couldn't believe that she managed to take out the ace of the squad. But sadly enough her dreams of victory were about to be crushed by an unfair player.

"We… did it…?" She muttered out quietly before going to a full burst cheer. "We did it! Yoroi san, we actually did it! We beat Takeru!" She was so excited about her kill that she didn't even know that she was tricked.

"AHH! Miki san! Behind you!"

"Eh?" But before she even had the chance to defend herself, Shirogane cocked his weapon and fired at her at point blank range. "Nyaaaaaa!"

It was a rather clever trick from my point of view. While Shirogane lead Yoroi to the outer edge of the training field he used the open channel to imitate her voice and falsified information to Tamase. The only thing that he needed to do was to form a trap of his own and activating a feint IFF to create the bait. Tamase wasn't able to tell which was friend or foe thereafter. In real TSFs though the communicator was far superior to the ones in the simulator so you could say that Shirogane took advantage of the training course's faults.

"That's enough for free session training" I announced. "Change back to your regular clothes and assemble in front of the simulator room"

**(Takeru's POV)**

"Ahhh! Takeru, that was a dirty trick you played" Mikoto whined to me when I got out of the men changing room. I half expected her to be angry but still I couldn't help but smile. "I would've gotten you if you didn't keep firing like that"

"Hehehe. In a real battle, your enemies won't play fair either" I replied chuckling a bit. "You'll have to take whatever advantage you have even using your enemy's weapons against them"

"But you let Miki chan shoot me. That was dirty!"

Tama looked rather sullen too for shooting her friend. "Sorry. I really thought I had Takeru san I didn't even check the IFF. Haaa… I really thought we won there for a second"

"Well if you knew that I was posing as Mikoto you probably would've hit me" I admitted. "You guys were pinning me so heavily I had to resort to using tactics against you. If I kept fighting you guys head on it was only going to get me killed"

"There's no point in whining Yoroi" Meiya interrupted us. "Though he may have used an unexpected ploy, it is obvious that he did it to test how strong both you and Tamase. Takeru is strong but this also proves that he isn't only thinking about fighting but considering the motives of his foes. Learning from past mistakes makes you stronger"

"Ahhh… Mitsurugi san also sides with Takeru?" Mikoto complained. "Next time Takeru, I'll definitely win! Watch out for me!"

Hehehe… hearing that from her kind of reminds me of the Mikoto back in my world. Back then she/he and I played Valgernon any time we could and he'd always kick my ass. But whenever he loses he'd always complain it to me openly. I guess that's probably one of the reasons why we became friends. He was honest about his feelings.

"Alright fine" I submitted to her which Mikoto raised a puzzled expression. "I'll give you two my share of lunch today as an apology. But next time if I win you'll have to give me your share of yakisoba as punishment. (Yay deal!)"

**(Takeru's room)**

After our day's training was done and my evening independent training completed, I returned to my room for a shower. Tomorrow was fast approaching and if history hasn't changed yet I'm pretty sure the coup d'état will begin soon after. I can only hope that Yuuko sensei kept her end of the bargain.

"Yo…" Eh? "What's with that expression?" Yuuko sensei? What is she doing in my room? Wait… this is my room, isn't it? "Usually when a man sees a woman in his room, dirty thoughts are the first things that run through his head"

"Wha…? What are you… doing here?" I asked feeling a little surprised to see her in my room.

"Visiting. Isn't it obvious?" She answered plainly. "Yashiro tells me that you usually come back around this time of day so I thought I'd drop by to give you this" She handed me the briefcase which contained the items needed for the coup. "You left this in the lab"

"Ah! The briefcase. I knew I left it somewhere" That little briefcase contained all the necessary items needed for me to end the rebellion in my favor. Without it I'd probably be repeating the same history I did back in my last loop.

"Geez. You said that you wanted to save the future but you're not even taking it seriously at all"

"Sorry. I had a lot of things to do this week. Actually… I was just thinking if you were keeping to your end of the bargain"

She gave me a grin in return. "Hoo? You make it sound like I'm a person who doesn't keep her promises. Hehehe… I may be many things Shirogane, but I'm no liar. Besides, I have to keep my end of the deal for those pages you gave me. Anyway, here…" Yuuko handed me a bunch of papers as her tone got dead serious.

"What's this?" They were information about certain individuals whose name I never even heard of. Each paper was attached with a photo and a detailed skimming of their behavior. But when I read the top of each of those pages I knew I didn't need to ask any more questions.

'Supporter of ALTERNATIVE V'

Each of them had that tag glued to their names. I darted my eyes to Yuuko who seemed to already know what I was thinking.

"Those are the supporters of the ALTERNATIVE V plan that are stationed here in Japan" She confirmed my suspicion clearly. "There are some in America and some inside the U.N's inner circle. Some of them are politicians, bankers and top mechanics from different companies. I've already tagged a few of them and have located several bunkers where they'll be hiding during the incident" Yuuko was very thorough. She even had their jobs, habits, favorite food and families listed here. "But unfortunately I can't move against them without sufficient proof to convict them"

"I guess that's where I step in"

"Phase 4 of the plan is crucial as well as phase 6" She reminded me. "No matter how you do it, you must make sure that you secure the help of the Shogun"

"You make it sound so easy"

"Isn't it? With her help we can arrest these men and cut off ALTERNATIVE V of its resources. I have people that I trust in the FBI and CIA handle those in America but my sources here are strictly monitored by a lot of people. So the only one I can rely on is you"

"Persuading the Shogun to come with me is no problem… but getting her trust is a different matter"

Yuuko grinned at me unconsciously. "Is it? It only took you a month to get close to all your squad mates. A single girl shouldn't be too troubling?" That's true… but that's only because I know everything about them through my loops. For the Shogun however… I know very little, other than that she's spiritually attached with Meiya and longs for them to be with one another. Getting her trust and consent will be another matter entirely.

"The kind of relationship you're talking about takes time to develop Yuuko sensei. The best I can do is get her trust"

Yuuko seemed to agree with my theory since she herself had to take some time in trusting my information. "I guess that's true. Relationship needs time and bonding to grow…" She flashed me an evil grin. "… or a very traumatizing moment with one another… (Huh?) Nothing. You just gave me an idea" Uh oh… somehow I don't like the looks of that grin. What was Yuuko planning this time? "But regardless... just remember one thing Shirogane. No matter how you see her or how she acts, she's still a girl, Shirogane"

"Huh?"

**(December 4, 2001 Tuesday)**

I spent the duration of Tuesday mostly in my room and in the PX. Our instructor gave us a surprise holiday due to some sort of emergency meeting with the other staff officers. I can only guess that they were discussing about the recent activities that the anti-government protesters that were marshaling in the capital. Sagiri Naoya was gathering his troops around the city in large numbers pretending to be peacekeepers and according to what Yuuko told me, his supporters now rise up to at least two thousands.

The American 7th Pacific Fleet had also arrived at the eastern sea border of Japan too. They say that they were there for a training exercise… but obviously the masterminds of this coup put them there so that when the rebellion breaks out they'll be able to respond immediately. The supporters of ALTERNATIVE V must've been planning this for a very long time now if they were able to look this far ahead.

With no training to pass the time and Yuuko sensei in the meeting room I isolated myself from my squad for today saying that I wasn't feeling well. They respected my need for privacy and left me alone for the day but I still get to see and talk to them in the PX.

Ayamine didn't show much change either in her behavior. She kept quiet about the letters and acted normally like she always had but I knew deep down inside she's probably conflicted on what to do. I don't know if she's read them but if she did then it can only spell trouble for her career as a soldier. She's probably wondering if she should sell her ex-fiancé out or remain quiet and let it come to pass. But none of that matters right now. Changing this part of history will only slow us down after all.

**(PX) (After dinner)**

I spent the duration of that night staying in the PX to calm myself. I needed the fresh air and the silence to keep my head clear. Haa… looking at this scenery of a peaceful night makes it hard to believe that we're actually being invaded by aliens. The twinkling stars and moon reminded me much of the time I get to talk to Sumika before we go to sleep. Even now the picture of her face keeps popping in my head.

"It's so peaceful, that you can almost hear the geckos, isn't it… Shirogane Takeru?"

"Yeah… it is…" I replied unconsciously. Eh?

By the time I realized that someone was sitting in the PX with me I jumped in an automatic combat stance to meet my guest. Surprisingly enough it was none other than… Mikoto's dad.

"… it's been awhile now, Shirogane Takeru…"

"Y… y… y… yo!" I pointed at him with an ecstatic expression. How the hell did he appear so suddenly like that? And how the hell did he get so close? I thought I had enough training to sense whoever approached me.

"Yo?" He laughed in a sense of mockery. "I see you're familiar with the forgotten Gondo birds of the lost island of Tarantae. Impressive"

"What are you doing here!-?"

"I was hoping to get Kyozuka's world famous vegetable soup but it seems like the chef has closed the cafeteria early. What a pity" he answered, avoiding my question somewhat. "But anyway, I brought a steak sandwich all the way from New York. Would you like to try them with me? It should be way tastier than the synthetic food they give you around here"

"Huh? Oh thank you…" I unconsciously accepted the small plastic wrap which was about the half the size of my arm. Are all steak sandwiches this big? H… hey wait a minute! "Wait! That's not the point! You distracted me again, didn't you?"

"Ahahaha, you're a funny man, Shirogane Takeru"

"Now I see why Yuuko sensei always seem to have the urge to kill you"

"Hohoho… she has the tendency to be that way but I use my charms to win her over eventually" He added giving out a Santa Claus laugh. "However I have to be a little more careful on what I say or else her new pet might try to hurt me"

Sighing in defeat I took a seat across the man and opened the package he gave me. It was indeed a steak sandwich and it was still warm too. The smell and the aroma were something I haven't smelled in a long while.

"So honestly… why are you here?" I asked out of curiosity's sake

"I came to visit Professor Kouzuki but she wasn't in her office when I came. Now I feel blue…" Don't feel gloomy just because you don't get to see her. Geez. If anything I doubt she'd want to see you right now. "But in truth I wanted to come and talk to you, Shirogane. (Eh?)" That's odd… his tone suddenly changed. "No. Perhaps that question is too personal. But I am curios to what Shirogane's relationship with Professor Kouzuki" You just said the question out loud! And stop referring me as a third person! "Ever since I saw you talking casually with her I could not help but be suspicious. (Huh?) Professor Kouzuki isn't someone you can simply walk up to and talk like there's nothing wrong. Whenever she speaks to someone, she sees them as nothing more but a pawn that can dance at the palm of her fingers"

"Huh?" What does he mean by that?

Sakon simply laughed again at my puzzled expression. "Even I am nothing more but a useful pawn to her. One of her more useful pawn, if you will. But sadly she has grown a wish to see me eliminated. Hahahaha… that makes me sad" Then at least act sad you blabbering idiot! You're talking about your own life here! "But you… however. When she looks at you I immediately knew that you are something special. She doesn't see you as a pawn but more like a thing that she has interest in. And you have to believe me when I say that whenever she's interested in something, big vultures tend to flock around it"

"What do you mean by vultures?"

"I mean that some people in high places want to know more about you. Hohoho…" He added again with a laugh. I think laughing is the only way he has of continuing this conversation. "I have to admit that out of all the people in the suspect list of the Imperial Ministry, you yourself have bopped up to the top ten ranking. Aren't you honored?"

"Should I be?" I asked.

"I don't know why the professor has taken an interest in you but it seems sincere. As a matter of fact… I think she has changed slightly ever since you came to her life, Shirogane" She did? I don't think I can see the difference. Yuuko has been acting like the Yuuko I remembered in my previous loops. "We are nothing more but pawns to her, pieces of a game that she wouldn't hesitate to sacrifice to achieve her goal. Whether it is the relative of the Shogun, the Prime Minister's daughter or my own… she would not hesitate to cast them aside for the greater good"

Wait… I remember this. (Flash) Yes… I think Yoroi san here said the same thing to me back in my previous loop. That he wouldn't hesitate one moment to sacrifice those that he cared if it meant saving a million more. At first when I heard him say that I got a little annoyed but I can also say that he wasn't wrong either. The man was thinking of humanity as a whole and he was prepared to give up the things that he cherished the most, even his own daughter.

"…"I opened my mouth to speak but could not find the words to counter his.

"But you I believe she would pause for a moment's thought" Yoroi continued in his serious tone. "I can see it in her eyes when we last met. She sees you as something else entirely. Perhaps her equal? No. Her partner? I doubt it. Perhaps… a checker she wishes to use as a last resort? Hehehe… I don't know whether I should call you blessed or cursed, Shirogane Takeru"

"Is that so?"

"But I believe that I am no different from her" The man leaned back to his chair bopping his hat down. "Even I would not hesitate to sacrifice that which is precious to me. But I will not let those sacrifices go to waste. I fully intend to make them in the time and place where they will have the greatest effect"

"That's a lie…" I put my foot down to his words stopping him from continuing that last sentence. Sacrifice? Don't bullshit me.

"Hoo?" He grinned at me as if to challenge my statement. "And what makes you say that?"

"Because I know that no self-respecting father would dare give up his own child for the sake of others, no matter what the cost may be" I hardened my face to meet the man's gaze which continued to smile at my direction. "Even you Yoroi san… are one such person. What you're saying now is simply something that you trained yourself to speak. But what you're thinking is a totally different thing. It's true… you are indeed very much like Yuuko sensei… but in all honesty, you're a little far behind what she's capable of. You hardened your heart and soul to say those things but no matter how much you try to convince yourself, the truth still lingers deep inside"

"…hnn…" Yoroi's smile dropped a bit but he kept his cool. I can only speculate that his silence was a sign for me to continue. But it's true. I can sense the hesitation in his voice. He may willingly sacrifice his own daughter for the sake of humanity… but that was only half the truth. I have seen how parents react to their children. Many of the adults have strange and painful histories altogether. Some of the lovely memories they share and some of the lessons they learned.

(Flash) I saw Chizuru's mom flash before my eyes. Despite her saddened life of enduring her daughter's hatred she continued to be by her side, showing what little love she had to offer. The woman was tough and probably even tougher when she realized that her daughter never returned home. I won't say I envy her but I can't say I pity her either. A sense of respect for that woman remains in my heart.

(Flash) Miki's dad was next to come to my visions. His soft feature and crazy mustache that resembles his daughter's hair cracks me up every time. He cared for his child greatly and even went to extreme lengths to resolve Tama's fear of being watched. I know from a personal experience that no matter what people offered him… he would never trade anything that his daughter loved. He would fight down to his last breath before he allows anyone to harm her.

Heh… I should know this well because when Tama and I started dating in my world, her dad shot me a few times with his bow. I can still remember the stinging pain on my butt.

"You also told me that Yuuko sensei wouldn't sacrifice me until the last possible second and that she would hesitate to throw me away. But if that's true… wouldn't you be the same?" Our eyes made contact and we remained that way for about a minute before I continued. "I'll admit that you're unique and you have a way of making people irritated… but in the end, the REAL Yoroi that you have locked in your heart will no doubt disagree to what you're saying now"

I've never seen Yoroi's dad in my world but knowing my experience with parents… he is no different.

Though it was hard for me to see, I can tell that Yoroi's smile disappeared for a second there before he flashed me a more confident one. I don't know if I had any impact in his way of thinking but at least now I know that he was still human enough to show his true feelings.

"Hmm… the more I talk to you, the more I want to know more about you, Shirogane Takeru" He said finally after a brief serious pause. "You really are an interesting man. I'm starting to see now why the professor is so fascinated by you. Perhaps I should be one of the vultures that flock around you"

"Should I be worried?"

"Not at all" He answered me sharply. "I simply do not wish to go against the words of a guard dog for the benefit of my own welfare. (…) Ara… it seems that our little conversation is making both of us uncomfortable. Perhaps we should talk again in better circumstances"

"Yeah…"

"But in any case, please take this…" He handed me a strange looking doll that reminded me of a strange animal I once saw. It had a funny nose, wings, beak and two big round eyes the size of marbles. "I shall give this to you. It's a souvenir from the Lost Continent of Mu. If you bring it with you, you shall be blessed with good fortunes. But if you lose it, you shall be cursed for all eternity. Ahahahaha…" If anything this doll reminded me of the present that Chizuru gave to me in one of my loops. I think the name was Chop kun. "I hope to have another pleasant conversation with you, Shirogane Takeru"

"Ah… uh… ok?" I unconsciously accepted the doll with a small smile. But just when the strange man was about to leave I raised myself up. "Hey wait a minute, Yoroi san. (Hmm?) Can I ask you a question?"

"Wasn't that a question already?" Huh? Oh… now that you think about it, yeah it was a question. Silly me.

"If you had the power to save everyone, even the ones that you cared about… would you use it?" This question itself seems to be popping into my head often now. I guess it was sort of a trivia for people like me. "Would you use that power regardless of what the consequences might be?"

"Such philosophy doesn't sound so mysterious when it's coming from you, Shirogane kun" He replied thinking about his answer. Well… at least I think he was thinking. His poker face was really hard to crack so it's difficult for me to say what was actually going through his mind. "But I guess it would really depend on the consequences. If the price I pay is worth the prize… then perhaps I might use it. (…) Does that satisfy you, Shirogane kun?"

"Not exactly…"

"Hahaha… then I apologize if I do not meet your expectations"

"If it were me… I think I'd use it to save everyone. (Hmm?) Even if I have to lose an arm, a leg or a part of me. As long as I can use that power to save everyone, or at least those that I care about I'd still use it even if the prize isn't worth the cost. (Hoo…) I'll just deal with it when it comes"

"You truly believe that it is possible to use such power?" He chuckled but not as bemused because he can tell that I was serious. "You make it sound like you're some kind of super hero from TV. It seems childish but not beyond reach. Such powers alone can change the world"

"Then why don't you and I make a deal?" I proposed to him which the man raised a brow in interest. "Nothing too serious but if I can prove to you that such ways exist, you have to do something for me"

"Ah… hahaha… I am indeed very flattered Shirogane Takeru, but you must know that I am a married man and I don't swing in your sense" I broke a small laugh at his taste of jokes. I'm beginning to see why Yuuko was irritated about him but I can also see that he's a man with a good sense of humor in serious situations.

"If I can prove to you in the following week that I can change the world with what I have… you will visit Mikoto" The man paused at the mention of his daughter's name. "She misses you dearly and I think that all children must at least know how their parents are fairing and vice versa"

"Interesting… and if you lose?"

"I'll bring you one of Yuuko sensei's underwear"

"AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Interesting… you're a very funny man Shirogane Takeru. You certainly have a great of humor. Such things are rare nowadays" He laughed out so loud that I can even hear it echo in the hallway. "But what if I don't wish to make such a deal?"

"Then I'll throw this doll to the garbage dump right now and we'll both be cursed for all eternity"

Yoroi nodded as if I had earn some measure of respect from him. His jokes didn't deteriorate but he can tell that I was serious. "Hooo… scary. But interesting… very interesting. I want 'you' even more now, Shirogane kun. If you were under my care… I would have a difficult time sacrificing you as well. Professor Kouzuki has made a true hell hound for herself" He coughed up a small laugh before nodding in agreement. "Very well Shirogane Takeru. You have yourself a deal. A very impressed deal as a matter of fact…"

I extended my hand in shake which he accepted in turn. In that night… I seemed to have made a deal with a second devil for my plans…

**(December 5, 2001 Wednesday) (Yokohama Base)**

My eyes darted upward automatically when I heard my alarm clock sounding off by my desk. Click… 04:10 AM. After last night's talk with Mikoto's dad I could hardly even sleep at all. I was nervous on how things would end up, how they'll end and what the aftermath would be like. Though I did say I would worry about the consequences as they came, I can't help but fear the future. The last time I did this by preventing my squad from going to Mt. Tengen I jump started a rebellion. Who knows where this will lead to!

Ah forget it… worrying about this now will only tire me out before the big fight. I might as well use this time to get ready. Putting on my military uniform and jacket I took one last scan on the briefcase that Yuuko gave me. Everything that I needed was here. All to complete Phase 3 of the plan.

I sat on my bed and waited, listening to nothing but the sound of my heartbeat and the ticking of my alarm clock. This morning was long… and it was going to be even longer when night falls again.

"DEFCON 2! DEFCON 2! All available units, remain on standby in full gear! Repeat! DEFCON 2! All units, standby in full gear and prepare for combat!"

The alarm echoed out into the hallway waking the whole base like a beehive that had been struck by a stone. This is it… this is the moment I have been waiting for. The very reason that I killed myself! There's no turning back now! Come on… Shirogane Takeru… let's go and change the future!


	11. The Red December Part 1

**Chapter 11: The Red December (Part 1)**

**(December 5, 2001 Wednesday) (Squad 207 Briefing room)**

I was the first to arrive at the briefing room when the announcement was made. As expected not even Marimo chan was there to give the mission detail. All around the base, I could see storms of heavy activities buzzing around like a hornet's nest that's just been stirred from its peaceful slumber. Soldiers were running out of their barracks arming themselves for battle, engineers were making their way towards the hangers prepping whatever machines that will be needed for combat and officers of every rank were moving to where they needed to be. It was probably the nature of the army to rush whenever an emergency announcement occurs.

"Takeru!" I snapped my head towards the door where my squad entered. A few of them seemed to have just woken from their sleep. "You're here already?" Chizuru seemed skeptic of me being early.

"I was taking a walk when they made the announcement" I answered honestly. "Looks like something big is about to go down"

"Do you know what's happening?" Meiya asked to which I shrugged in ignorance.

"Hey I know just as much as you do. I just got here myself"

It wasn't long until Marimo came by. "Attention! (salute!)" She ordered. "As you all know, DEFCON 2 has been declared. All units in Yokohama, Kanto and Chiba base are currently prepped on standby. I want you all ready for anything that may occur"

"Ma'am… what is happening at the moment?" Mikoto asked out of curiosity's sake. It's obvious that no soldier can handle the stress without knowing what's going on. "Are we being attacked?"

Our instructor shook her head in reply. "No. We've just received word from our base in Kanto that a coup d'état has broken out. Fighting has ensued in the capital and members of the Imperial Honor Guards and the Imperial Garrison are now locked in combat. The Defense Ministry has been alerted and conflict is within the Yokohama base operational area. Should the fighting be moved here then the U.N. army will treat any trespassers as hostiles and retaliate if need be as an act of self defense"

"A coup?" Tama repeated in disbelief. I guess such news is pretty shocking even to me when I first heard it.

"Will the U.N. be taking actions?" Chizuru inquired.

"No. At least not without the Japanese Imperial Government's permission" Marimo answered taking her place by the stand. "Our network division is working on gathering intelligence on the situation while the U.N. council members are being called for an emergency meeting session. As far as we know, the rebel forces have taken nearly all of the capital's infrastructures and are pushing even deeper into the city. That is all the information that we have at the moment. I'll try to update you on what comes after. Until then, all of you will be on standby in this room. Understood? (Ma'am!)"

But just when Marmo finished we heard a knock on the door. A figure which I can easily recognize as Kasumi entered. "…good morning"

"Kasumi?" I raised a brow. "What are you doing here?"

"…" She was holding onto an envelope that had Yuuko's name on it and handed it to Marimo. "…here…"

"Oh… umm… thank you" Marimo accepted the envelope and scanned the contents for a moment.

Kasumi then approached me and raised her hand up as if she wanted to feel my face. I knelt down to her height and smiled. I guess Yuuko san was still busy talking with the CO down in the command center to bring the information along so she sent her here to deliver it. "… good luck…"

"Yeah… thanks Kasumi. You keep an eye for Yuuko for me" I added with a small smirk. "She needs someone to watch her back, after all"

The little girl smiled at me and left after rubbing her hand on my cheek. "…bye bye"

"Hey, remember what I told you" I reminded her. "We don't say that when we want to meet again"

Again she smiled and nodded. "Ok… see you…"

Once Kasumi was out of the room, Mikoto approached me. "What was that about, Takeru?"

"She hangs around the professor all the time so I get to meet her almost every day" I replied giving a valid excuse. "She's rather shy and doesn't go out much so be nice to her when you guys meet"

Mikoto simply chuckled. "That goes without saying"

"If she's a friend of Takeru, of course we'll be nice to her" Tama added to my relief along with Tama who nodded playfully in return.

"Attention!" Marimo announced once more. "I've just received new updates on the situation at hand" She scanned through the papers in the envelope and read the details to us. "As I've explained before, the rebel forces have secured nearly half of the capital. We've recently just been informed that the Ministry of Defense, those few that continued to resist, have just surrendered. There is also a possibility that the Honor Guard has engaged the rebels around the Imperial Palace. Though this of course is still unconfirmed"

"Geh…" I saw Meiya's face stiffened when she heard this. Hopefully her sister will still escape in time with the aid of Yoroi.

"According to our sources in Sendai, assault forces are now being gathered to retake the Shogun and the capital" They're probably going to take troops from the first defense line around Sadogashima Island. Leaving our defenses that weak against a BETA invasion may prove to be our very downfall. "Also… the ring leader of the coup has just been identified as Captain Sagiri Naoya from the Imperial Defense Army 1st Division's 1st TSF Armored regiment."

"…geh…" I looked over at Ayamine's direction and saw her fists clenched. She must be just as surprised as everyone here.

We remained silent and allowed Marimo to finish. "Also our intelligence confirmed that the coup d'état forces has stormed the provisional hall to assassinate the current members of the government. (…!) Fortunately the Prime Minister, Sakaki Korechika and the heads of the Defense Ministry have already been evacuated to a fortified bunker of undisclosed location" It looks like Yuuko sensei's plan worked. During our discussion, I asked her to make an emergency escape plan for the members of the government when the ball drops with no one but her and those she trusts knowing. I don't know how she did it but at least now I don't have to worry about his safety.

"…ha…" This time, Class rep was the one felt tense. I don't really know whether she's happy or content that her father survived the coup.

"However… there were many cabinet members who refused to withdraw. Apparently Capt. Sagiri executed them himself calling them traitors of the nation…" The squad didn't know how to react so they all just stood there, taking the information as it came. I can't even begin to imagine what they were thinking right now. "That is all the information that the Vice Commander has written here. I know that you are all anxious and as Japanese this must also affect us greatly but do not put your feelings on the battlefield! Squad 207 will remain on standby until the situation has been minimized to DEFCON 4. (Ma'am!) You are free to walk around the barracks to gather whatever equipments you need. But you are not allowed to enter any other areas until notified otherwise"

**(A little later)**

No one left the briefing room at all since Marimo gave the details of the situation. No one talked or even made as much as a sound. They just stood and sat there in their own corners minding their own thoughts. This first sortie must be really rough on them.

Heh… saying that to myself kind of makes me feel like a war veteran.

I decided to approach Chizuru to see how she was handling it. "Hey there Class rep" She looked up to me from the window with a weary face. "Feeling nervous?"

"I'd be lying if I said no" She answered trying to sound joyful but failed. "I'm actually quivering all over. If the fighting escalates, we'll be deployed to our first real battle. It's actually hard not to get anxious about it"

"Yeah… I guess it must be hard" I replied feigning discomfort as well. After all I was pretending to be a rookie in this loop. "But hey… at least your dad made it out alright. You should be happy about that"

She looked away from me, darting her eyes back out the window as if to gaze at something else other than me. "Y… you're right. I guess there's one good-news for me"

"Cheer up. If anything, this whole rebellion will end with a snap" Heh… that was a lie, if I ever heard one. This coup wasn't going to end that easily and I doubt it'll end peacefully either. "Anyway, if you need someone to talk to, look me up any time"

She returned her eyes to me. "Why… are you so kind, Shirogane?"

"Hey now, saying that makes me sound like a mean person"

"No it's just that… the way you speak… it sounds different. Almost like you're… sad about something"

"I'm only sad when people around me are sad, Class rep" I reasoned illogically. "So cheer up… if not for your old man than at least for the rest of us. Otherwise I'll have to let Mikoto bug you until you go mad"

She finally released a small smile reassuring my worries. There we go… a little smile at a dark time can brighten things up. "That sounds like a very viable threat… thanks… Shirogane"

"Oh come on, just call me Takeru" I flashed a confident grin which seems to lighten her load just a bit. At least with her father safely kept in an undisclosed location she won't be distracted by his death anymore. But she wouldn't let her feelings get in the way of a mission. Sakaki is strong and professional so I know that she'll be fine. But it would relieve me a bit knowing that at least one of us is focus.

We all waited in that tiny room, some meditated while a few of us remained silent. But as a professional soldier I was starting to get bored. All this waiting is only gonna drive the gang mad if it doesn't get to me first. Maybe I can pass the time back in my room with a little Game-Guy.

After a short while, Yuuko sensei arrived to the briefing room along with her personal com officer, 1st Lieutenant Elena Piatif. She's that blonde girl who can't seem to take her hands off her headphone for some reason.

"Salute!" Marimo ordered which we all followed as soldiers' regulations.

As expected, Yuuko simply waved us off. "I keep telling you to quit it with the salutes. I'm not into military regulations. (Ma'am…) Anyway, sergeant, have you briefed the cadets on the situation?"

"Yes. I've already given them the basics and the information that you sent us earlier" Marimo replied looking a bit unsure. "But… are you sure that it's alright to give them all these details?"

"Why not? This isn't just any squadron of cadets, you know" Yuuko pointed out knowing well most of our background and history. "It's a personal squad granted to me as the Vice Commander of the base. I need them to know at least this much. (I… I understand…)" She then darted her eyes to me with a small smirk. "Ah that's right. Until this mess has been cleared up, I'm returning Shirogane back with you lot. Have fun with him but don't break him, understand? He's my little pet project after all. (Eh?) Anyway, I'll also be informing you about the course of action the U.N. will take"

Marimo's eyes widened. "Has the council already voted to a decision?"

"Apparently so" she answered. "The United Nations Security Council has decided to incorporate the American 7th Fleet currently deployed in Sagami Bay. This will be officially announced in about two hours from now at 07:00 hours. At the same time, Yokohama base will begin to receive the American Army as an extended stationed force"

"So the U.N. has decided to intervene?" I asked already knowing the answer.

"We're still waiting for the 'go' signal from the Japanese government. Our intelligence officers including the Undersecretary General, Tamase Genjousai, are making contact with the Prime Minister right now so we should be able to move out soon. Be prepared for anything"

I then noticed Lt. Piatif moving her hands over to her headphones listening to the incoming chatter on the other line. "Vice Commander Kouzuki, you have a call from the Pacific Field Army Headquarters. It's about to begin"

"These rebels have explicit timing" Yuuko sighed. "The coup d'état forces are about to make public statement. Lt. Please open a channel. (Ma'am…)"

The squad then turned its attention to the television in the room where Sagiri's face came to light. Yup there's no mistaking it. That was indeed the same man who led the rebellion and the same man who I met in my old world as a doctor. From what I can tell, the signal was being broadcast in the capital's parliament building. I recognize the background well because I've seen it a few times in the news channel back in my world.

"My beloved countrymen…" Naoya began with a strong determined voice. "I am Captain Sagiri Naoya of the Imperial Mainland Defense Army's Imperial Garrison Regiment. As you are all well aware, our empire is now the front line in a war against invaders who wish to eradicate humanity. My comrades and I risk our lives day and night fighting to protect Her Highness, our countrymen, and all of human society. That is the sacred duty entrusted to the government and to us, its soldiers, and a duty that must be fulfilled more than any other"

I can now tell why so many people followed this man into rebellion. His determined face, his strong demeanor and his charismatic voice were all the traits of a leader. If I was under his command I probably would've followed him to my death as well. He had that kind of influence whenever he started talking.

Not wanting to interrupt, we allowed him to continue. "However… despite that, can we truly say the government and the Imperial Army have fulfilled that duty? I am sure that you all remember the recent news on the disaster evacuation effort at Mt. Tengen" That was supposedly the mission that we were to be assigned. "The report itself told a wonderful story of soldiers who volunteered to evacuate them, risking their lives to secure the safety of our people's lives and worldly possessions. Of course, there's no doubt that the operation was planned and executed in order to save their lives"

Here it comes…

"However, the true nature of the operation was no more than an efficient forced relocation, done with no regards whatsoever to the rights and wishes of those who had returned to live there" He's going to spout some nonsense about the mission again which is probably true. "In reality, those soldiers were trainquilizing the residents in their sleep, a method no different from kidnapping them, only to move them into a refugee shelter. Crammed in temporary structures which barely protected them from the wind and the rain and not even sufficient food and much less medical care. (sigh) Utterly… blameless civilians were treated like common criminals"

My squad flinched slightly at his words. They seemed to be affected by it. I guess that's just how powerful this man was.

"My fellow countrymen, that incident alone is merely the tip of the iceberg! A great many of the military operations carried out in Her Highness's name are solely conveniences and safety of the government and military while ignoring the needs of the citizens they are meant to protect! Not only that, the servants of the state who use it for their selfish gains have not even informed Her Highness of this situation! If this continues, Her Highness's heart and the people will be broken and Japan's days will be numbered"

"Haaa… how dull…" I heard Yuuko sensei muttered to herself. "And here I was expecting something more dramatic, yet all he's doing is just making people depress"

"The patriots who gathered with me in the nonpartisan strategic research have joined me in rebellion to put this country back to the right path! We wish no harm to Her Highness or the people. The ones we must destroy are the traitors eating away at Japan, the villains ruining this great country!" His speech was getting more intense as it dragged on. He must've prepared this way ahead of time. "Countrymen, we have now declared martial law, and although this will worry and inconvenience you, especially those in the capital, we ask that you bear with it for the time being"

Traitors, villains, heroes and corruption… does humanity really have time for all of this when we're facing extinction? If they're humans then at least make some use out of them. I sympathize with you Sagiri san… but I do not believe that your method justifies your goals.

"To all foreign government, U.N. armies and the American 7th Pacific Fleet" He was now directing his words at us. "We are in complete control of the situation, and the fighting is subsiding as we speak. This is our problem and ours alone"

Yuuko switched the monitor off before he could finish. "That's enough. I thought he'd be more interesting than that. Sergeant, please continue on standby here with the squad. (Yes ma'am…) Shirogane, come with me"

I saluted in reply. "Understood…"

"Lt. Piatif, stay here and call me when you've received word from Gen. Radhabinod. (Yes ma'am)" Yuuko sensei then led me out of the briefing room to discuss the latest part of the plan.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Phase 1 has been proceeding smoothly just as you said" Yuuko said to me as we continued walking down the hall to avoid eavesdroppers and possible spies.

"That means everything is going well?" I inquired hoping for the best possible result.

"Not exactly. We've evacuated civilians and military force from the major part of the capital to separate locations under strict guard. They won't be anywhere near the combat zone. However, some of them refused to leave no matter how hard we tried" She explained to me which I nodded in return. I guess there are some people who still refuse to leave their homes just like the old lady in the mountains. "And like you said, the rebel army gained total control of the Prime Minister's Residence, the Imperial Parliament, all ministries, as well as other key government agencies all at once"

"They've been planning this far longer than anyone, not to mention they had the support of the Leaders of the ALTERNATIVE V plan. Besides they were the garrison guards after all so they had all the intel they needed from the start"

"That's right" Yuuko nodded darting her eyes left and right to keep watch on anyone that might come across. "Speaking of the supporters, it's also been confirmed that the ones that are urging for the go-ahead with ALTERNATIVE V have gone underground in their secret bunkers"

"Do we know where they are?"

"We do. But I can't do anything until Phase 4 of our plan comes to play" The evil scientist breathed a sigh at me, a little tired from everything. I think this is probably the first time I've seen Yuuko sensei this way. "I have no doubt that they're coordinating with the rebels, giving them information anonymously from their hiding grounds. Some of their spies might've also infiltrated the U.N. so we can't be sure whose part of this"

"So we go as planned" I declared to her sounding all the more determined. "I'll proceed with Phase 3 and do my best to stall the rebels"

"Yeah, you do that. During the latest report they also seem to have secured locations that you marked on my map., including the water purifier and power plants. I have to say that if you didn't tell me about it, this feat would've impressed me" She gestured me with her pinky. "And also… just as you predicted the Imperial Honor Guards have not yet engaged the rebels. It seems like the last thing they want is a complete outbreak of war between the royal family and the rebels"

"That's good. And the Shogun?"

"No word yet. But after you showed me the outlines of my 'future plans' I wouldn't be surprised if she appeared outside our doorstep"

"So are we going to be deployed yet?" I was feeling a bit anxious and a bit trigger happy too.

"The U.N. council will persuade the prime minister to give in. In the mean time, the 11th army will be handling relief aid across several provinces. I've already made arrangements for your group to head towards Hakone where you will be undergoing a rearguard assignment. Anyway, we shouldn't linger. There's no telling who's watching us. (Yes…) Oh and do not speak of the plan unless I engage it, understood, Cadet Shirogane?"

"Ma'am!"

**(A few hours later) (TSF hanger)**

After the squad refitted themselves into their exoskeleton suits we were instructed to come to the hanger to finalize preparations for our TSFs. The OS that Yuuko sensei installed were probably messing up the data processor so it'll be hard for the mechanics to get used to it. By the time we got there our Fubukis were given a new paint job for combat. It wouldn't matter really if we fought against BETA since they attack pretty much everything that's alive, but the human fighters we'll be facing will have a harder time spotting us on their screens.

"Uwa… that smell" Mikoto whined plugging her nose from the stench of paint. "If we have to adjust our cockpits like this I'll suffocate"

"Well its combat paint" I pointed out to her. "We'll definitely be less conspicuous"

"Yeah. Our TSF numbers are in dark gray so they're harder to see"

"That means there's a real chance we'll be deployed" Chizuru added.

Meiya nodded. "It would appear so…"

Clink…

I turned around to our mechs and saw the engineers working on loading the live bullets onto our guns and extra cartridges. They're a lot heavier than those paintballs we've been having in our mock battles so it'll be harder to move.

"Live rounds…" Ayamine looked at those large bullets like they were gold. She probably didn't expect to be pointing those things at humans either. It's a real shame that our first battle… really had to be against those that we were trying to protect.

Hmm?

"W…w… w… we have a problem!" Tama came out shouting like a frightened cat that was chased out of its home. "Something bad is happening outside!" Eh? Something bad? "The Imperial Army's outside the base!" Oh yeah I remember this part too. I discussed it with Yuuko sensei. The Imperial Army will show up the moment we took in the American forces. I was annoyed at this at first but I guess it was a common response when a foreign army lands on our shores. Even now I still think it's stupid for man to fight one another while we have a real enemy to contend with.

"Relax Tama" I calmed the girl down patting her head. "It's nothing to be afraid of. They're just following orders. It's all just an act of politics. No one's gonna shoot in this base"

"Y… you sure?"

"Definitely. They might have us surrounded but that doesn't mean the U.N. isn't without its muscles either. They'll probably just stare at each other for a few hours before they all begin singing like they were best friends"

"You… you really think so?"

"I know so" I answered her with a wide toothy smile. "They're soldiers. They're not stupid enough to go around shooting people without a good reason. Come on. Our TSFs are almost ready. You have to get used to the new OS before we get deployed, ok? (… ok)"

Tama walked off to her mech along with Ayamine and Mikoto to prepare themselves for the coming battle. Man they really do look like greenhorns prowling around like that. But I guess I could say the same for myself. During my first sortie I was panicking around and constantly kept myself moving to relieve me of stress.

"I'll go ahead too" Class rep said to me. "Don't leave the hanger until we've been given orders to do so. Understand?"

"Don't worry. It's not like I'm gonna go over to the PX to sneak in a meal" Hmm… now that I think about it, we haven't even had breakfast yet. I wonder if I can ask oba san for a quick grub. The others are probably too worked up to eat but I'm starving.

"You seem awfully calm about this" I turned around and noticed Meiya standing there in her suit. Ah… crud… seeing her up close and next to the cockpits of the TSFs reminded me of things I'd rather keep to myself. Ripping those skin tight suits and then kissing and then… bwah! Stop stop stop stop! No need for that now. Bad thoughts, bad thoughts! Go away my impure desires! I'll call you when I need you!

"Y… you think so?"

"I have always wondered… have you been in battle before?"

"Hey I'm just a cadet like the rest of you. But in all honesty I actually had a few fights when I was a kid so I guess it's no surprise that I'm a lot calmer"

"I see… so you had a rough childhood too…"

"I wouldn't say rough. It's actually quite normal to have bullies in places" I added looking a bit annoyed. "In times of war, every happy memory is welcome, neh?"

"In times of peace, one needs to be vigilant" Another voice interrupted us which I quickly recognized as Tsukuyomi. She arrived with the Three Idiots donned in full battle gear. They must be getting ready to deploy as well. "Meiya sama…"

"Oh Tsukuyomi?" I raised a brow wondering why they were here. I thought they'd be outside observing the two forces in a stare-off.

Meiya seemed surprise to her as well. "Ts… 1st ? W… what are you doing!-? If you know of Her Highness's peril, then why are you here!-?" Uh oh… this also happened in my previous loop too. If I don't stop Meiya quick she'll try to slap Tsukuyomi again.

The Imperial Guardian nodded. "Yes… if I may speak… guarding Meiya sama is the task Her Highness has bestowed upon us"

"Do not speak such nonsense! You must know full well what is happening at the Imperial Capital at this moment!"

Again the green haired maid nodded. "I am fully aware of it and that is precisely why I cannot leave you, Meiya sama"

Meiya's face grew stern as she heard this. "Do you fully understand the meaning of those words you just spoke!-? Forget about me and go already! Why won't you just go?"

"I cannot… even if you order me otherwise, Meiya sama… I cannot do it… (…you!)"

Meiya looked as if she was about to throw a slap but I quickly stopped her just in time. Never in my previous world have I seen these two argue before and for Meiya to throw a slap would probably end their relationship as mutual friends forever. "Enough Meiya!" I held her hand down to keep her from lashing out just in time. "There's no need to go that far!"

"Stay out of this Takeru!" She tried to break free from my grip but my hands were held firmly aroung her arms. "This does not concern you"

"When a member of my squad is involved, it makes it my problem and you have to understand how Tsukuyomi is feeling right now!" I snapped back not wanting to see any of these girls get hurt both emotionally or physically especially if they were inflicted by one another. "She's a member of the Imperial Honor Guard, she knows exactly what her duties are that's why you have to understand that she's also conflicted by this! (Geh…) She can't go back on the duty that the Shogun entrusted her but at the same time she wants to go back and ensure that the imperial family is safe. If the shogun gave them this task, they're honor bound to fulfill that role. (…) You told me before that duty is everything… so please… don't bar them from completing their mission"

"… Takeru…"

"Don't do something you'll come to regret" (Flash) I quickly saw images of Meiya and Tsukuyomi in my world and remember how close they were. Meiya trusted the woman like a sister and probably her closest attendant. "She's your friend and I'm sure that you don't want to do this either…"

…

…

…

"…enough" Tsukuyomi interrupted us. "Do not say any more Shirogane Takeru"

"I'll say whatever I damn please when I feel it" I barked back to her. "If people can't get their emotions out in the open how can they expect people to understand one another? (…)" She remained silent allowing me to continue. "Would you rather I allowed her to slap you? Do you actually think that's going to make things better? Do you really believe that taking that hit will solve anything? Don't make me laugh!"

"Enough Takeru…" Meiya said finally, unclenching her fist. Her face softened after realizing that her anger was nothing more but a child's agitation. "I see my faults now"

"Meiya sama…"

I released my grip on Meiya and took a step back. At least now she was calm. "Tsukuyomi, forgive me. I know not what came over me"

"No… I would never think of such things, Meiya sama…"

"It would be inconceivable for any of you to disobey her orders… I should know that full well and yet… I am… truly sorry"

"It doesn't matter now" I said to her. "You're just stressed out from being deployed on the battlefield so it's natural that you wouldn't be thinking straight"

"Yes… I apologize for releasing my anger on you as well" She nodded solemnly to me. "My actions alone will only make our squad more nervous than they already are"

"It's fine. But anyway, Tsukuyomi, if you don't mind me asking, do you know if Her Highness is safe? (…?) You should have contacts back at the Imperial Palace who could tell you what's happening there" I was asking not only for Meiya's conscious but for my sake as well. The Shogun will be playing a crucial part in our plan to end this coup without too much bloodshed.

"You three, leave us" Tsukuyomi nodded and quickly dismissed her subordinates away for a private conversation. After making sure they were out of earshot, the lieutenant continued. "The Honor Guard 2nd Battalion and the rebel forces are setting up on opposing positions. From what I last heard, the rebels are facing away from the castle, so no weapons are being pointed towards Her Highness, but the number of troops encircling them continue to rise to more than hundreds"

"From what you last… heard?" Meiya asked out of fear of what be happening now.

"Yes… this information was last given to me around 07:30 this morning. Since then I have lost contacts with my informants in the Imperial Capital and have failed to report in since" 07:30… about an hour ago. "But worry not. The 2nd Battalion guarding her is the elite of the elite. And most of the troops around the Chiba Province are being reinforced as we speak"

I bop my head down thinking of Yuuko's plan. So far everything that I've said is coming true. Thankfully the troops from the first and second defense line shouldn't be worried seeing how they defeated the BETA invasion a month ago. "I see… so the assault troops that is being gathered to suppress the rebels are going to be taken from the Shinetsu final defense line and if I'm not mistaken they'll also be gathered from the Kanto defense base and from the secondary defense line"

Tsukuyomi's eyes quirked a bit from my intel. "Yes. That is correct. How did you know such detailed information?"

"It was a hunch seeing that those bases are the only ones close enough to respond to the Imperial Capital's defense. Any other base will probably take hours to even reach the province in time"

Meiya also seemed to be amazed by my information and was listening intently as if hearing a radio broadcast. But in truth I've already known everything from the start. Preventing it now will simply delay the inevitable conclusion. I don't know if my words will be able to change their minds but the least I could do is try. If it doesn't work… well… I always have that bottle of diazepam in my pocket just in case. But I really do hope this works.

"Takeru… your deductive skills are something to be praised about" Meiya said to me with a hint of respect in her tone.

"If you hang around Yuuko sensei as long as I have, you tend to pick up a few things here and there" I replied saving a chuckle for last. "Anyway you should probably get to your TSF. If we get deployed, you'll want your machine to be in its optimal efficiency"

"Ah… yes you're right. I… will see you then" Meiya left to her frame, leaving me with Tsukuyomi who seemed to be holding something back. I was getting ready for another one of our debates.

"I thank you for speaking up for me" she began in a calm manner. "But you should not have done that. What I did was inconceivable to a member of the royal family. It was not your position to intrude on a personal matter"

"Meiya can be strict sometimes but she does it out of the goodness of her heart. Some people just need a little nudge to go in the right direction. The same can be said for Class rep and everybody else here. Besides, if members of the royal family started fighting against their own guards that can only end in disaster"

"True… which is the only reason why I am thanking you" She added before taking a step back. "Even so… if you had allowed her to hit me, it would've been resolved quicker"

"Hey, your subordinate would've said the same things too. Though they may look like a bunch of idiots they're very loyal to you Tsukuyomi"

She sighed to me. "But yet I am surprised at you. (Hmm?) How were you able to deduce such tactical thinking with such limited information? The Imperial Army and the U.N. do not share military strategies with another so how is it possible that you know of our formation"

"Is this another part of your interrogation?"

"I am merely inquiring how you are able to know of the military strength this country has" She explained in a low pitched voice, not taking her eyes off me. "The only reason why I am not taking any actions against you is because of Meiya sama's orders. But yet… despite everything that has happened I cannot help but find myself suspicious of you, Shirogane"

"Oh trust me. You're not the first person who said that. If anything I think the whole world is suspicious of me" I laughed it off taking it as a joke. "But anyway Tsukuyomi san… I actually wanted to be alone with you for the moment to ask you something… (Hmm?) Give me a straight answer: What do you think about this coup? (Huh?) With the situation as it is now it's obvious that this can only end in bloodshed. And with more and more rebel forces gathering around the Imperial Palace, it's obvious that the U.N. and American army will intervene. After all… if Japan falls then the frontlines against the BETAs will crumble"

"Are you trying to state something? Speak your mind. I have no time for riddles"

"I was simply asking for another person's opinion. But to make it fair… I think this whole conflict… is rather pointless"

Tsukuyomi's face grew hard when I finished my sentence. Uh oh… it looks like I hit the same nerve like I did in my last loop. "If you're calling our nation's sovereignty 'pointless' then I cannot ignore that"

"Don't you think it's pointless? Humanity is on the face of extinction yet we continue to fight each other using what precious resources that may as well be better off spent fighting the BETAs"

"Then I shall ask you this" Tsukuyomi straightened her poise and her eyes at me preparing to engage me in another battle of words. I already half expected her to do so after all she did argue with me back in my previous loop. Back then I didn't have the answer… but only because I was naïve. Believing everything in the world to follow my way. "What if the U.N's objectives were heavily influenced by a particular nation's desires for world domination?"

"You're talking about America, aren't you? (…) There's no need to cover up your words when what you mean is already obvious. After all, America is one of the last remaining countries on Earth that hasn't been swallowed up by the aliens and E.U. has been bogged down to merely half its strength"

"You face facts…"

"I face reality… no matter how harsh it may seem to others" I replied holding my words firm. We made our clash and both of us knew that only the one with the strongest resolve will be able to win.

"Then I shall use a different analogy. What would you do if your squad, while engaging an enemy experienced internal strife and fell into dire straits as a result?" This was the same question that she asked me back then, the question that damaged my resolve. "Then my unit, which happened to be deployed in the same area, came to you and offered to help resolve that strife. (…) If you do not accept your squad will die and if you do, then most likely the problem will be resolved and you will win. However, accepting would force your squad to be incorporated into mine"

"So what you're saying basically we'll become your slaves, losing all our freedom in the process, am I right?" She nodded in affirm of my assumption. "Then in that case, my answer is already obvious. I would happily accept your offer"

"Hooo… so you would choose victory and survival over everything else? You care not of the aftermath?"

"You misunderstand" I countered stopping her from continuing. "Like I said before Lieutenant, my loyalty is to my mission and my squad. When both of them are going to be jeopardized because of a petty infighting then I will gladly accept whatever help I can get to resolve it. In accepting your offer I complete both my mission and saving my unit altogether. And just like you said we may as well be forced to be your subordinates. But nonetheless I will take it. And secondly… I care deeply of the aftermath. If victory comes at a greater price I will do everything in my power to see it resolved"

"You would do it even if it against what your squad desires?"

"I'll bear their resentment forever if I have to. But their survival and the survival of the human race is what I desire the most. That… and including the total annihilation of BETAs. Heh…"

"And if we should somehow establish contact with the BETAs, would you surrender to them even if it means humanity's survival?"

"BETAs don't even see us as living beings to begin with. But if a peaceful coexistence can be found I'll take it. Besides… wouldn't you be glad if all the fighting stopped?"

"Your words resemble those of the U.N…. perhaps even that of Americans"

"If that's how you think about it, Tsukuyomi san… then how is it any different from what you are doing right now?" I pointed out darting my eyes in Meiya's general direction. "You had a choice to return to the capital to aid the Honor Guards but instead you chose to remain here by Meiya's side"

"Don't test me, Shirogane Takeru. The duty I perform is by order of Her Highness and—"

"Is that a reason… or just an excuse?" I can tell from my point of view that she was getting really irritated with my words. If there weren't so many witnesses and armed guards standing around she probably would've hit me by now. "Would you have acted any different if Her Highness didn't give the order? (…) Heh… I guess that wouldn't matter. But since I've answered your questions, I guess you won't mind answering one of mine"

"It seems fair" She agreed un-balling her fists. The calm warrior in her was showing itself. "If you will keep it strictly within our argument then I will listen"

"If you were given the power to save everyone, would you use it? (Eh?) If you had that power… or perhaps even the option to save those that you cared about, would you use it, regardless of what the consequences may be?" She eyed my face sharply, her glare feeling like a dagger pointed at my neck. "Would you sacrifice your pride, your honor, the spirit of the Japanese people for that power?"

"Such things can never be bargained for"

"Even if it means saving Meiya?" Her eyes flashed open like an unsheathed sword for a split second. Heh… this battle of wits is mine. "Saving the Shogun, perhaps even the emperor? Would you use it and sacrifice that which you hold dearer than your own life?"

…

…

…

There was no answer. She simply stood there, biting her lips to keep herself from lashing out. With no words to reply I gave her a smile. "Heh… there's actually a trick to that question" I added before giving her a playful punch on her shoulder. I then walked away towards my TSF, only to pull up short when Tsukuyomi called out to me in name.

"Wait Shirogane" I turned around to see her determined eyes gazing back at me. "What would you do if you were given that power?"

I flashed a grin. "I'd use it. No matter what I have to do to achieve it. I'll worry about the consequences later. If I can save everyone… nothing else will matter"

"That sounds like a fictional theory"

"Wanna gamble on that? (Huh?) If you think that such powers don't exist then you won't mind placing a little bet on it"

She gave a roughed up groan in reply. "I have no interest in making deals with people I do not trust"

"It's not a deal, just a bet" I replied waving my hands up defensively. "If I can show you that power, you'll allow me to give you one order"

"And if I win?"

"I'll take back everything I've said until now and tell you everything that you want to know, including my identity and my mission. (…) How's that…? Does that sound interesting to you?"

Tsukuyomi eyed me, trying to find a hint of a lie in my voice. "You seem pretty certain that you cannot lose in such a gamble if you're putting such high stakes. How can I trust that you will deliver what you offered?"

"If I don't, you can call me a liar for all eternity. But of course I can say the same for you. We don't trust each other, which makes this bet all the more attractive"

The woman paused for a moment, thinking about the bet. From every point of view it was obvious that this gamble was on her side. But of course she doesn't know about my knowledge of the future. After a brief pause she nodded. "Very well… but I will hear of my conditions first if we are to continue. If the lost is not equal to the reward then I cannot agree to it"

I thought about making a bet with Tsukuyomi san for a long time and remembering her in my old world made me want to do something extraordinary. I just wanted to see if she was anything similar to the woman who took care of Meiya back then.

"… make me dinner" I said finally which the Honor Guard replied with a curios brow raised. She was probably expecting something else or perhaps something lewd. "If I win… you'll make me dinner"

"Is this some kind of joke?" She asked with her face marred as if insulted. "What you're asking is a simple meal compared to all the information you have? Don't mock me"

"Those are my conditions" I replied smiling. "I don't know why but I have a feeling that you'd make an excellent chef. (…) So how about it? Wanna give it a shot?" After being with Yuuko sensei for so long I've learned the basics of how to manipulate people and draw them into my web. Gathering all the experiences I've accumulated in my previous loops, I may have put the trick down to good use. The offer I had was almost perfect. Compared to the price I had to pay it was like trading a 500-yen coin for a gold bar. Not only that, but her personal-curiosity-of-me only adds to her temptation.

"I don't know what you're planning Shirogane Takeru… but if you dare go back on your word…"

"Yeah yeah… I can guess what you'll do to me" Hook line and sinker… looks like I'll be having a good meal in a few days. I hope…

**(A few hours later) (Briefing room)**

After the squad finished adjusting their new OS and personalizing their cockpits we were immediately summoned to the briefing room for an immediate update on the situation. As to be expected, the Prime Minister of Japan has decided to accept U.N. military aid. It seems to be going a lot faster too now that Sakaki's father is alive to hasten our progress. He seemed to have made contact with the Undersecretary-General Genjousai, Miki's father and have cleared up some of the misunderstanding.

Marimo lined us up together before giving us the details of the situation. "Attention! With the acceptance of U.N. military aid to suppress the coup d'état, Yokohama base will now be officially entering the conflict. Our top goal for this operation is the safety and well-being of Her Highness, the Shogun. This will be our first deployment so I expect everyone to perform their duties to the utmost. (Ma'am!) The rebel forces have also severely criticized this decision, calling the government traitors who sully Her Highness's name by selling out the country to the U.N." They seem to have an intelligence group of their own to be able to send such harsh message to everyone on such short notice.

The supporters of ALTERNATIVE V must be laughing in their seats right about now believing that when this coup ends, the rate of their supporters will go up substantially. But they'll see who gets the last laugh in the end. We'll catch them all in one fell swoop.

"…" Meiya and the others seemed responsive to this insult and were probably more or less anxious to get into the fight. I can understand how they feel… but surely there's no reason to… wait… that's odd… where's Ayamine?

"…" Oh there she is. Her sigh gave her away. She was staring emptily into the moon ignoring the whole briefing. I can only believe that she's thinking of Sagiri Naoya who is supposedly her ex-fiancé.

"Cadet Yoroi, the lights please" Marimo then opened the large map screen on the blackboard showing our upcoming mission. "The U.S. 7th Fleet, deployed in Sagami Bay is already en route to Tokyo Bay to lend support. The American 132nd TSF Armored Battalion, which made landfall this morning at this base, is to be sent to the capital as soon as it's ready" With the U.N. granting permission for the U.S. to be an extended force they have a perfect excuse for landing their own troops to the battlefield as well. I guess I'll be meeting with Major Alfred Walken again

"…" The gang looked up to the screen and memorized every detail that was coming from Marimo.

"The 1st TSF Armored Battalion and 5th Airborne Support Battalion from this base have already been deployed. The 4th and 5th Armored Battalions and the 2nd Airborne Support Battalion are currently awaiting orders. The 3rd Armored Battalion will be sent to the second defensive line since the Imperial Army left it weakened" Our instructor took a small breath before continuing. "The remaining force will remain here on standby"

"…haa" Everyone took a wheeze believing that they were not going to be sent out to the frontlines. But sorry guys, no chance in that happening…

"In addition to this formation, our squad will be deployed at the same time and tasked with rearguard duties. (…!)" The squad flinched. Our first deployment… I can still remember how frightening it was. "Based on the significance of this mission, every soldier and factor must be taken into consideration. Our mission is to defend Tougashima Fortress. The area of operation will be the southeastern shore of Ashinoko"

"Ashinoko?" Tama inquired. "You mean Hakone?"

"Yeah, the one near Mt. Fuji" Mikoto answered allowing the instructor to continue.

"Also, the Imperial Honor Guard's 19th Independent Guard Unit stationed here at Yokohama base will accompany you on this mission. The area we are being deployed is under the control of the Imperial Army from Atsugi base. They may taunt or insult you but do not fight them. You have to understand that they're also worried about Her Highness's safety"

"I have a question" Class rep raised her hand. "What if they challenge us or attack us, would we be allowed to defend ourselves? In this situation… with the U.S. army with us, if we appear in an Imperial Army controlled zone they may look to us as the aggressors"

"I wouldn't count on that" I answered to her sparing Marimo the details. "The Americans may have muscled their way into this conflict but they're not crazy enough to go and pick a fight. The Imperial Army probably briefed their soldiers as well and if they're loyal, they won't go against the words of Her Highness regardless of how they feel"

"Correct" Our instructor nodded in agreement to my words. "Let us put some faith in those outside of the U.N. army" Chizuru backed down, satisfied with my answer. "I'll continue with outline of the planned routes. At 19:40 hours, we'll travel North along the National Highway 16 ruins in Type-87 Self-Propelled Engineering Support Units, then along the road towards Ebina City. From there we will resupply and continue along the highway to our objective. And since there may still be a chance that our squad may end up in real combat, I will command all of you directly from my TSF. My call sign will be 00"

"Ma'am!"

"We'll split into two fire teams, and I will also command the support vehicles that will be accompanying us. I know that this arrangement is unusual but we have no choice" The squad had no complaints since they'd rather have an experienced commander on the field to show the ropes. "Sakaki will lead team Alpha with Ayamine and Yoroi. Mitsurugi will lead team Bravo with Tamase and Shirogane. If there's anything you wish to do before we depart, now is the time. Once you're done, report to the hanger in 30 minutes. Dismissed"

Marimo and the squad left not long after to finish the preparations for the coming battle. But the only one who didn't move was Ayamine. Ever since the briefing the girl had been drifting off in her own thoughts, listening only when necessary. Darn it… she must really be bothered by the fact that her ex-fiancé is out there fighting the government in father's name.

Taking the opportunity that we were alone I decided to walk up to her to see if I can ease some of her pain. She must be feeling very conflicted on how to act in this situation.

"Hey Ayamine, it's almost time to report to the hanger. (…hmm…)" I opened up cheerfully trying to get her attention but it seems like that approach wasn't going to work. "Hello? Anyone in there? (…) Hey Ayamine, you ok?" I pat her shoulder which brought her back to reality. "What's the matter? You've been out of it since the briefing. Is something bothering you? (…no…) Ok… that's probably the worst lie you've ever said to me. Come on, don't you trust your comrade?"

"… it's none of your business"

"When my squad mate is feeling conflicted I tend to make it my business" I answered folding my arms together. "If you go into our first operation like that you'll make everyone worry about you. Even Tama seems to be in a better mood than you. (…)" That silent treatment can't possibly last forever. "Does it have something to do with those letters? (…!) Don't be so surprised. I knew something was up when you threatened me back in the hilltop. But don't worry, I haven't told anyone about it"

"… are you suspicious?"

"Hey what makes you say that? (…) Geez… I was hoping that the first real emotion I get to see on your face was happiness. (…eh?) But now seeing you sad makes me sad too you know" I rubbed my head embarrassed from what I said earlier. "I promised that I won't press you if you don't want to talk about it but when I see you make a face like that I can't ignore it. (…) Ayamine… please, if you're troubled, it's alright to rely on others. Especially when they honestly want to help you. So don't go bottling up all that emotion for nothing"

"… are you sick? (Huh?) Shirogane… you're too kind today"

"Hey! Come on now, not you too! Saying stuff like that makes me sound like I'm constantly mean!"

"Do you trust me?"

"What kind of a question is that?" I whined. "We're going to be fighting side by side on the battlefield. If you trust me for covering your back, I'll have to trust you for covering my back"

"… are you being honest?" I paused for a moment amazed by her question. "… how can you possibly trust me?"

Ok now this is simply getting annoying. But I guess trust is something that you earn, not something you buy out of a pawnshop. "Fine…" I said finally, earning her full attention. "If you think I'm lying, Ayamine… then…" I pulled out my sidearm pistol which was standard for all Eishis. "… shoot me"

Her eyes visibly widened at my action when I handed her the pistol. Unlike the soldiers here who can only carry weapons when they're on duty, Eishis like us are required to keep a handheld weapon with them at all times. After all, TSF pilots are pretty much the highest commodity around here so they must have a chance to defend themselves against aggressors.

"…" Ayamine darted her eyes to my face and my gun. I could tell that she was surprised and was probably trying to see if there was any hint of a lie in my words. "… stupid…"

"Then don't hesitate" I replied pushing my gun up closer to her to which she backed away. "I'm trusting you whether to shoot me or not. If you did shoot me you'll probably be convicted but I'm pretty sure that you can escape before that happens. But no matter what, right now for the next five minutes, my life is in your hands. If you have any doubts that I don't trust you, then clear it here and now"

"… tch" The girl bit her lip annoyingly but she couldn't help but shed a small tear for me as well. "Takeru… idiot…"

"Hey it's idiots like us that makes smart people look smart" I added before tucking my gun away. "No matter who you are or where you came from Ayamine… you're a member of Squad 207… and that alone is enough for me to trust you. Now come on. Let's get to the hanger or else Instructor Jinguuji will chew our ears off for being late"

"…It's your fault Shirogane"

"Hey don't go pointing blame on others when you're a part of it! Now come on!"


	12. The Red December Part 2

**Chapter 12: The Red December (Part 2)**

**(December 5, 2001 Wednesday) (Nightfall) (Tougashima peninsula)**

One could only imagine the tension everyone was giving out when we were finally deployed on the battlefield that evening. Though it has only been two hours, everyone seems to be up on edge. It almost felt like a single stray shot from a rifle can make them explode already.

We left the base escorting a large convoy of trucks and tanks to our destination. Most of them were carrying relief supplies for the civilians since the government was too unstable to send any kind of help. As we made our way towards the peninsula I couldn't help but get a sense of familiarity of this old feeling resurfacing from the bowels of my chest. The fear, the adrenaline, and the passion all mixing into your veins felt good.

I looked at our map and waited but not before noticing something amiss. Mikoto was trailing behind in our formation. "This is 06 to 03, you're falling behind. Keep up with us Mikoto"

"Ah! Y… yeah sorry" Mikoto's frame was lagging behind for some reason. "It's just that the convoy seems to be lagging behind too"

"That's the duty of the rearguard unit" I explained to her. "They're meant to fall behind to keep enemies from surprising us. Focus on your task for now"

"… 03 roger that"

"Hey… we're all nervous Mikoto. Don't be shy to show it. It's a natural thing to happen. (Y… yeah) If you're really that nervous then why don't we talk for a bit? (Eh?)" I'm sure Marimo chan won't mind if I can relieve some of their tension away. Anxiety builds up a lot of stress overtime so it would be best to just blow them now before it becomes a problem. "Tell me about your dad… (My… dad?) Yeah. Seeing how you're aloof most of the time I have a gut feeling that you're old man might be the same"

"Hey that's mean, 06"

"Hehehe… so? Aren't you gonna tell me?"

She paused for a moment thinking if it was a good idea to chat on a free channel like this. "My dad… is probably even weirder than me" I already know that. "He's not that special. He works for a government subcontractor, so he's always running around the world. (Wow…) Ahehe. He never thinks twice about anything… leaping headfirst into dangerous places. And sometimes he puts everyone around him in danger too… it's really tough living with him"

"Do you miss him? (Eh?) As a child it's only natural to miss your parents"

"S… sometimes I guess. I'm not really sure" How can you not be sure if you miss him or not? It's as clear as the stutter in your voice. "What about you Takeru san? Do you miss your family?"

My family…

Damn… I guess I haven't thought about them in a long while. My mom and dad… in my world. They were probably your average Japanese citizens with no unique traits. But even so… they're the kind of people I remember even until today. Hell… I can even remember Sumika's parents from my earlier days. Heh… they'd often come over to share their souvenirs and food from their long trip. There was even one time that Mr. Kagami gave me a model of Gund-m which led me to be inspired by Valgernon.

"Yeah…" I answered finally after a long pause. "I miss them every day. In fact… I wish I could see them right now…"

"Really? Where are they?"

"… they're with me… all the time"

"…oh…" I didn't need to say anything more for her or anyone who was listening to understand what I meant. In truth I haven't seen my parents for a very long time now. I can barely even picture their faces in my head. I read my profile before and knew that the Shirogane in this world was killed and his parents died during the first wave of the BETA invasion.

"Hey it's not a problem" I replied smiling. "I already knew that a long time ago. My parents are gone but you still have yours. You should cherish what time you have with him. Maybe you should give him a call once this is all over"

"Hmm… yeah… I will. 03 out"

Hmm… mom and dad… I wonder how long it's been since we last met. Mom was a great cook and her food was something I'd kill for. And my dad was a regular businessman who always had time for me whenever I needed help with studies. But I guess I stopped relying on them since I entered Hakuryo high.

It would be another hour before Marimo contacted us. "00 to Fire team leaders" I steadied my stance and listened. "Reports from the recon team show no sign of enemies in the operational area. We'll proceed as planned, through Mt. Byoubu to the old checking station ruins. After we've secured the peninsula, Alpha and Bravo teams will move to their assigned positions. The support team will then begin construction of a command post on the outskirts of the civilian sector. Under no circumstances are you to open fire until I give clearance, understood?"

"This is 01, copy that"

"This is 02, roger that"

Meiya and Class rep seemed really tensed up too. They're reacting to every small detail and obeying without any complaints. Were they this anxious when they got sent to their first battle…? Oh wait… that's a dumb question.

After awhile, we've arrived at what appears to be Hakone. A small settlement built near the mountain path. And there… I could see a rather familiar resort near the slopes. Looking at it reminded me of the time the gang and I were brought to the hot springs a long time ago. Hehehe… we had such fun back then. I kind of wish I could spend another day there with everyone, living happily and joyfully without a single care in the world. Hahaha… I remembered, Marimo got so drunk that she began to show her old Mad Dog wrestling style. Even Yuuko sensei seemed to be terrified of her.

Not only that but Meiya also got so wasted that she began swinging her sword and talking lewdly like a complete drunkard. Tsukuyomi gave her an earful then. Man… those were fun times and Yuuhi… Yuuhi? Wait… (Flash) Argh… damn it. W… why is Meiya's sister there? She wasn't with us back then, was she? I can't remember all the details but I can see her laughing and getting scolded by Tsukuyomi along with Meiya.

Could… could this be a memory that's locked in me? Could I be mistaken? I'm not sure anymore. (Flash) Now I'm getting a different image. Now I'm standing with Yuuhi… near a Christmas tree. H… how? How is that possible? I don't remember seeing a Christmas tree that time. This is getting really strange now.

"This is 00 to all units" Marimo's voice broke my painful train of thoughts. "I'm here to update you on the situation. Fighting has broken out in the capital" I heard the gang flinch slightly at the report. I guess the battle's finally starting. "It's unconfirmed, but it seems a foot soldier fired at the Honor Guard in the Imperial Palace. The Honor Guard 2nd Regiment responded with full force. Capt. Sagiri ordered a ceasefire, but could not get control of the situation. The 1st TSF Armored Battalion along with the American 117th TSF Armored Battalion are landing an assault force at Shinagawa Pier. They're currently engaging enemy forces"

"… hmm…" I turned my frame towards Meiya to see how she would react. She must be holding herself back seeing how her sister was involved.

"However… our mission has not changed. Everyone keep all channels open. We'll move in separate teams and continue the mission as planned. 00 out"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The convoy arrived at the peninsula at exactly 09:10 PM, about an hour earlier than my previous time loop. Once we got there, Marimo ordered the trucks to unload relief supplies to the people and begin construction of a temporary command post near the main road. The Imperial Army there didn't even flinch when they saw us. In fact they welcomed us with open arms. Most of the civilian populace in the area had already been evacuated to shelters so we had no worries about collateral damage.

But despite all our work I had to admit that it was rather quiet… too quiet for my taste. Even though people were killing each other in the capital, all we could do now was to wait for further orders. We can't see or hear any gun shots from here but the flashes of light in the distance along with stray shots in the skies can pretty much tell us what was actually happening there. The only way I can end this stupid conflict is to follow the plan I've orchestrated with Yuuko sensei. If everything goes according to my previous loop she'll have the Shogun coming straight to me again.

I opened the suitcase by my seat and check its contents. Everything I needed was here.

"It has finally started snowing…" Meiya opened a channel to me. "It's difficult to believe that this area was once under BETA control" I remember it snowing the same time when I came here back in my last loop. We're in higher ground now so the capital is probably covered with it.

"Yeah…" I tucked the suitcase back and answered. "Usually the areas that they come through are thoroughly clean of everything, even trees. Yet this place retained some of its natural beauty"

"You sound proud…"

"Why shouldn't I be?" I asked. "I like to think that this is Mother Nature's way of fighting back: Showing us the true spirit of endurance. Because no matter how many times the BETA levels its forest, its mountains down to the ground, they'll continue to grow again and again like a weed in their backyard"

Meiya showed a small smile to me. "You have a knack of making jokes in the strangest times, Shirogane"

"Hehe… blame Mikoto for that. But I was serious about Mother Nature though. It proves that not only humans are fighting against them but Earth itself. It rejects them no matter how hard they try to control this planet"

"That sounds rather relieving" Meiya nodded before turning towards the general direction of the old royal palace in the area. "Takeru… have you heard the story about this place? About the Honor Guards that held their ground here"

I remember Meiya telling me this story once in my previous loop too. It was the regiment that fought with tooth and nail defending this place. "You mean the Honor Guard 24th Regiment? (…?) Yeah I've heard about it from a veteran awhile back. It was a group comprised of the 3rd Regiment that was tasked with protecting the Imperial Palace in Kyoto"

"You know them?"

"I know 'of' them but nothing more but rumors"

"Indeed" Meiya nodded turning her attention to the old palace again. "They were fortunate enough to only have to fight small scale battles here during the months before the mainland was taken. However… no matter how much the Honor Guard wishes to protect the Shogun, choosing to stay for the sole purpose of protecting this building… is difficult to believe"

That's what they reported only… but in truth this palace is supposedly a secret escape route for the Shogun. The reason why that regiment protected it was because of the exit. If they fell then the chances of the royal family's survival will be squandered as well.

"Perhaps that was their way of preserving Japan" Heh… preserving what's left of it. "But anyway we shouldn't talk anymore. We're supposed to be on lookout duty and—(beep!) Ah hey! What the? You idiot. Using an encrypted channel without permission! If the sergeant finds out you'll be in big trouble!"

"Forgive me… there's… just something I wanted to ask" Darn in. Back in previous loop I was the one who opened an encrypted channel now she's the one doing it? Geez even the small details were changing too. "Takeru… for what reason are you fighting? (Eh?) I know why everyone else is fighting for but you… it feels different"

I raised a brow confused. She was partially right. I wanted to save humanity but also I wanted to defeat the BETA and change the future. "Why do you think that?"

"Because when you fight… it seems that you are more driven by a goal that I cannot understand" She closed her eye as if trying to remember something. "When we first had our simulator training, Yuuko sensei issued you a challenge on Training Course B. You fought valiantly against incredible odds and yet you came out victorious. But during the last part of that exercise you seemed determined not to die. You battled like a man possessed. It was… amazing yet frightening as well" She paused for a moment to gather her thoughts. "I am not the only one who thinks this. Everyone in the squad feels the same when we look at you"

"Look at me?"

"Yes… whenever I look at you… it feels as if you carry the weight of the world on your shoulders"

"You're describing me like I'm superman. I'm not that great"

"Aren't you?" She countered. "Your eyes and action speak more volume than your words ever could. You training, your skill and knowledge all exceed ours by a greater margin. How can we consider you to be anything else? Sometimes I wonder if you are the great hero this world has been waiting for. (…) I apologize… I must be asking a lot of classified information from you. I shall hang up…

"No… wait. (Hmm?)" I stopped her in a second's notice. I breathed a sigh at her face on my screen. "Do you mind if I tell something that happened to me a long time ago? (Eh?) It might not answer your question but it'll help you understand why I'm determined to live through this war"

"Takeru…"

"This happened a few months ago before I joined with the squad. There was… someone… an old friend of mine who I cherished dearly…"

"Is this… Sumika?"

I shook my head in reply. "No. It was someone else. There was another girl who loved me with all her heart but I was too dense to see it. I cared for her and she cared for me too. We laughed, fought and played together at some point but when the BETA came… I… I couldn't do anything to save her"

"Do not be saddened. You must've done everything in your power to save her"

"No… I probably had another option but she chose death instead" (Flash) I saw the image of Meiya confessing her love for me in the BETA core hive when I finally fired the particle cannon that brought the turning point to the war. "When we together one last time… she confessed her love for me and I did not know how to respond"

"No blame goes to you. It was because of the BE—"

"No… the BETA didn't kill her… (Huh?) I did…"

"…!" Meiya was shocked. I guess she wasn't expecting that out of me.

"Though the BETA did wound her, I was the one who pulled the trigger that ended her life" I added, remembering every detail of that event. "She wished it, saying that she preferred to have me… the man that she loved to send her to her grave"

"I… I apologize… I did not mean to bring out such painful memories. I shouldn't have begun this conversation to begin with"

"No Meiya" I stopped her. "You're probably just worried about the Shogun in the Imperial Palace, just like everyone else. And you're probably thinking the same thing like the rebel forces believing that the current government is corrupt. That's why you're feeling so conflicted with everything that's been happening"

"No that's not…"

"But understand this. The reason why I'm fighting this war is because of my mission. (Mission?) Yes. It just so happens, that humanity's survival and unity overlaps with my mission, so call it a lucky draw"

"Does this have something to do with Professor Kouzuki?"

"No. This is my mission alone. A goal that I've set up"

"I… I see… then…"

But before we could continue, Tama's face appeared on my screen. "Takeru san, Mitsurugi san"

"What is it?" Meiya closed her encrypted channel quickly before responding. "Did you spot something?"

"N… no, we're just supposed to report in"

"This is 06, nothing to report" I answered with a confident smile, looking all to the world like I've just been staring at an empty dot in my monitor. "It started to snow though if you count that as something to report. What about your end?"

"Uh… yeah. Nothing to report either. I'll send confirmation back with the commander"

"Meiya?" I called out to my unit leader.

"Ah… this is 02, nothing to report either"

Geez everyone feels so tense. I guess Tama is worried about the war and her father who's probably taking the heat of this political conflict.

**(December 6, 2001 Thursday) (01:47 AM) (Squad 207 operation area)**

The night was really dragging on for hours. Man… guard duty is so boring. I guess those guys guarding the front of Yokohama base must be really bored to their bones. No wonder they're so twitchy. I can barely even watch the same scenery for more than five minutes before turning away. So far we've reported all clear to the command post and the situation at the capital only appears to be deteriorating rapidly. The Honor Guards were been able to fend off the rebels from the Imperial Palace but the last we heard, civilian casualties that refused to be evacuated were at an all time high.

Damn it, I wish I could do something to help them but right now I have to stick with the plan. If I don't then more unnecessary deaths and time will be lost.

I checked my clock on the monitor and noted area. The Shogun should be appearing in this area any minute now. I guess it's time for me to act. Tama's frame was still on guard but I think she could use a break. "This 06. I'll take the rest of your shift Tama"

"Eh? But your guard routine doesn't start in another 10 minutes, Takeru san"

"That's fine. If I keep sleeping like this I'll never be able to wake up. Besides, you look like you could use a little rest yourself. I'll watch over the area for you"

"Ah… umm… ok. This is 05, Tamase, entering standby mode at 01:50 hours"

"Copy that" I took her spot near the old fortress overlooking the town. It won't be long until the Shogun appears with Yoroi's dad. I'll have to be ready. "Hey Tama. (Hmm?) I'm going out to wash my face by the lake for a bit. A little stretching will do me some good. Cover my TSF for a little while, ok?"

"Roger. Don't take too long now"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Brrrrrr! Damn! Was it this cold when I last came here? My exosuit keeps my body's temperature in check but I can still feel the wind blowing at my face.

Hakone…

Man…I haven't been here since our elementary school fieldtrip. I remember buying snacks here saying that it was for a friend then our sensei caught us and we were punished outside the classroom for a whole day. And after that I bought a wood staff out of whim before we climbed Mt. Fuji. It wasn't until we reached the top slopes of the mountain when I came to realize how stupid it was. I think I threw away mine and Sumika kept hers in her room saying that she might need it again.

Heh… I never thought I'd actually see Hakone like this. Haaa… I may as well wash my face before I prepare myself. The Shogun is going to be here in a few minutes so I may as well look presentable at least.

Splash…

Ahhh…! Even the water is freaking cold. I'm totally awake now. Geez I wonder if it would be better if I came here during the summer. My teeth are already chattering. Oh that reminds me, I should have something in my First Aid kit that can help with the cold. I think there's a small heat pad here… and… scopolamine…?

That's right. I gave this to the Shogun when she rode and… when I gave her 3 dosage I was ordered to give her triazolam but was too afraid to stain my own hands with blood. Heh… I was pretty naïve that time. Hopefully I still won't need to use it until absolutely necessary.

I quickly grab the suitcase and head straight for the meeting point. If all went well this will be where we meet. I kept my sidearm with me just in case and waited at the entrance to the woods. My TSF also had a remote control which I can use to pinpoint the night vision monitor to my direction.

Twack…

I heard a dry leaf breaking nearby and two sets of footsteps approaching me from the dark. That was it… it had to be them. I quickly brought myself out of my hiding place to show them that I meant no harm.

"Who goes there!-?" said an elderly voice. "State your name and your intentions!" I can only guess that it was the Shogun's personal caretaker. She goes wherever the Shogun goes.

I quietly activated my TSF's night vision monitor and linked it to my side screen. Yup. I recognized that figure anywhere. It was indeed Yuuhi and the person in front of her must be the Grand Chamberlain, another way of calling the Shogun's 'caretaker'. Now that I think about it, wasn't Tsukuyomi called 'Chamberlain' by the Mitsurugi group back in my old world? Heh… I guess that can't be a coincidence.

I quickly deactivated my tracker ID so that my comrades won't be able to locate me or eaves drop on our conversation. Tama will probably just think that it's the mountain's magnetic signatures interfering with our radar so she won't report it until five minutes or so.

"She really does look like Meiya" I said quietly watching as the caretaker approach me into the light.

"Answer me already!" But she held her voice when she saw my TSF from the tree lines. "That's… that's a TSF with U.N. markings!"

"Yes" I answered finally. "That is correct. I am a member of the U.N. army. You are in our operation area. Please state your names or will be forced to relocate you two to a detention area" The woman probably noticed the black armored suit I was wearing. Usually cadets would be wearing white exosuits but they were lacking those in the base so they gave me a spare black one instead.

"Such insolence! Why are you…"

"Please be silent" the voice at the back commanded to which the elderly woman followed. "The armored suit he's wearing proves that this man is a U.N. army Eishi"

I smiled trailing my voice to the woman. "Yes. And it is good to see that you are safe… your highness… (…!) Do not be alarmed. I am not here to harm you"

"You take us to believe your words?" the caretaker barked back. I guess she still didn't trust me. "What proof do you have?"

"If you won't believe me, then please listen to Section Chief Yoroi Sakon. He can vouch for me" I turned around and saw the said man appearing where I was hiding earlier. "Isn't that right, Yoroi san?"

The said man smiled as he approached me from behind with a wide grin. "Hooo? I thought I was really quiet there Shirogane kun. You sensed me well" Not really. I just knew that you were coming so I was prepared. In fact… I don't think I even heard you coming at all. I simply acted on the timing and instinct. "When I said that we should meet again in better circumstances I never expected to be here in the middle of nowhere"

"You can thank Yuuko sensei for that" I answered. "She was the one who assigned us here after all. Though I guess you can figure out that much on your own"

"Hahaha. If she shared this much information with you then it must mean that she trusts you greatly. That's rare…"

"Let's cut the formalities for now. I only have five minutes until Tama reports that I'm missing"

"Yoroi…" The Shogun opened up to the man. "… are you acquainted with this one?"

The man faced me with a small smile before nodding to Her Highness. "Yes. He is called Shirogane Takeru. You may find him strange but I assure that he has my absolute trust. His skills are perhaps… beyond doubt. I do hope you know who you are speaking with, Shirogane"

"Of course" I lowered my head down in silent bow. "It is an honor to meet you, your highness"

"It is fine. Please… raise your head" I obeyed her command and stared straight at the face of Yuuhi Koubuin… the Grand Shogun. The single person with the highest authority over this country. Her long purple hair, slender figure and colorful skin were something to be remarked upon. Damn… just looking at her can already make me feel… tiny. Like a middle-class person gazing up to a high-class citizen. "You must be an excellent soldier if Yoroi gave you such high praise. It is a pleasure to meet you"

"Hmm… at least you have some manners" the grand chamberlain added which only piled up to my annoyance.

Yoroi gave out a laugh. "Well considering the company that he keeps with him, manners are not his strongest point" He must be talking about Yuuko sensei. I guess that's to be expected. All sense of regulations are pretty much out the window when she's around. "But we have little time. Shirogane, where is…"

"Our HQ is in Odawara West Interchange ruins a few miles from here and our command post is currently being constructed at the old checking station" I answered before he can finish his question. "Right now this area is probably the least defendable position in our military formation so I wouldn't recommend that we stay here"

"Hmm indeed. Our enemy moves with great haste. This is not good. You are well aware of things" Yoroi then turned to the Shogun with an apologetic bow. "My apologies, your highness, but for now please go with this man"

The caretaker gasped. "Y… Yoroi! Are you mad? Who knows what this man is capable of?"

"I will have to say that fortune smiles upon us this day if Shirogane is here" He replied showing a small smile in my direction. "He is perhaps—no… he is THE only one who can ensure that Her Highness does not come to harm. He may look young and may act strangely at times but I assure you that he will do everything in his power to succeed. (Haa?) He's just that kind of man. Ahahaha" Was that even a compliment?

"B… but!"

"It is alright" Yuuhi said to cease them from fighting. "I shall impose upon this 'Shirogane'…"

"Thank you your highness" Yoroi then turned to me. "Shirogane, is it possible for Her Highness to join you in your TSF cockpit?"

"Yes but it will be dangerous" I answered. "But Yuuko sensei gave me this should you decide to wear it" I quickly opened the password-locked suitcase and took out the exoskeleton suit that was kept there. It was in Meiya's measurements so I have no doubt that it should fit her twin sister as well. Unless of course their… um… chest sizes are different.

"Hoo? An exosuit? It seems like you came prepared for everything, Shirogane. Did you predict this coup d'état as well?"

"We don't time for silly questions, remember?"

"Ahaha. Indeed. I shall comply for now. Grand Chamberlain, if you would"

"Bah… if you insist" the elderly woman annoyingly accepted the suit and gestured the Shogun to a corner of the forest. "Your highness, please come this way. And you two stay out there where I can see you! (Hai hai…)"

Mikoto's dad and I stepped out just in front of my TSF while waiting for the Shogun to change. The suit is really difficult to put on if you don't know the sequences. "Oh Yoroi san, I almost forgot. Please take this" I opened the suitcase again to hand the man a two way communicator and the list of people who were part of the ALTERNATIVE V plan.

"Such strange things. You really are unique, Shirogane Takeru"

"I know that you have another job to complete but I ask that you postpone it and contact Yuuko sensei through this radio once you're out of the base perimeters. These are her instructions"

"Hoo? Such extreme measure to use a 4th party to deliver a message to the 3rd party" He accepted the items and tucked them into his coat pockets. "You seem to know everything that's going on Shirogane. You don't even seem the slightest bit confused. May I ask what your intentions are…?"

"…" I opened my mouth to give my usual response but was interrupted when I noticed an open broadcast from Marimo's mech. "Sorry but I need to take this. (Hmm…) This is 06, go ahead"

"This is Command Post to all units" Marimo's face appeared on my view screen. "Our patrol and rearguard assignment has ended. Everyone prepare for battle. Ten minutes ago, we've received information from the Imperial Household department. After hostilities flared up around the capital, the Household Department decided last night to evacuate Her Highness, the Shogun, from the Imperial Palace. However, this occurred 90 minutes ago and several other units have been evacuated to act as decoys"

Just as it was scripted. "Yoroi san…" I connected his radio to my headset so he can hear what I'm hearing.

"However, about 30 minutes ago this information got leaked" Marimo continued. "The rebel forces are currently sending units out to every nearby fortification. As a result, fighting in the capital has virtually ceased" I guess there's one good-news. "It is likely the rebels may appear in our area as well. All units prepare for combat and standby for further orders! 00, out"

I quickly turned on my tracker to keep Tama from getting suspicious before turning to Yoroi. "It seems like your plan worked, Yoroi san. (Hmm…) You intentionally leaked information about the Shogun's escape to stop fighting in the capital. Now that everyone is out to find her the battle will certainly end with small skirmishes along the countryside"

"I shouldn't be surprised to hear this from you Shirogane Takeru. But even so you have a strange way of scaring me"

"The rebel forces are not acting on their own in this matter" I said to him making sure no one was listening to us. "You know this better than anyone. There are a lot of people out there who really want a Japanese civil war and it will only benefit them if the Shogun was killed in the process. (…) Not just America, but members of the Japanese government are probably using this coup to their advantage. They'll also try to frame this whole incident on the U.N. which will jeopardize our relationship with the rest of the world. The people sympathize with the rebels and that's why the Shogun is here to end it all"

"Are you saying that there is a better way to end this conflict?"

"I make good on my word Yoroi san. So please…"

The man gave me a sigh. I'm actually quite surprise that he hasn't done anything to derail my thoughts. He must really be serious about this whole situation. "Very well. (Eh?) I don't know what you may be planning but I am actually quite excited to see it through. If you manage to pull it off… then you may just impress not only me… but the whole world"

"So you'll…?"

"I will follow Professor Kouzuki's instructions. If it's a request from her I have little reason to refuse it"

"Great…" I gave out a sigh of relief. Things are finally starting to take shape. So far so good. "It looks like they're done. I'll go and make the call. You take the Grand Chamberlain to the Command Post. (I understand…) Oh and before you go. Take this…" I tossed him the strange doll he gave a few days back. "You'll probably need it more than I do. Besides… I need you alive if I want you to keep your promise"

"… heh…" The man let out a laugh before disappearing with the Grand Chamberlain, muttering something beyond my hearing.

I quickly contacted the base to continue with my plan. "This is 06, Shirogane to command post, requesting top priority connection, over"

Marimo's face appeared again. "This is Command Post. You have permission to use an encrypted channel. Give your report"

"I'm here to identify 3 civilians that have appeared in the vicinity. (Huh?) They turned out to be Her Highness, Koubuin Yuuhi, her Grand Chamberlain and the Imperial Ministry of Information's Section Chief, Yoroi"

"W… wh—what did you say!-? Her highness came with so little protection!-?

"Section Chief Yoroi and the Grand Chamberlain are on their way to your position right now. Please ask them for details"

"Roger… and… Her Highness?"

"Section Chief Yoroi suggested that she is to be taken under my care inside my TSF cockpit since it's the safest place at the moment. Yoroi san was able to procure her a spare exosuit so she'll be fine"

"I see… that's especially true… given your superb piloting skills. Alright I'm closing all encrypted channels" Marimo closed our private line and quickly contacted the others. "Command Post to all units in Squad 207. Form a circle-1 formation around 06 and keep a lookout in all directions then await further orders"

I can hear my squad mates slowly closing in on my position. With my part of the plan done, all I need to do now is to bring Her Highness to the safe point and somehow earn her trust and convince her to convict several high individuals who are plotting this coup. I quickly sent an encrypted message to Yuuko sensei through a hidden channel that she gave to me a few days back.

'Phase 3 complete'

I sent the message to Yuuko and quickly threw away the suitcase in the lake to hide all evidence. After my squad assembled, Yuuhi approached me. "Your highness, please come this way. It might be ageh—!" I stopped momentarily and turned away when I saw Yuuhi san in the Eishi exosuit-armor. She looked extremely gorgeous in it and somewhat lewd too if I may add… and like all the standard black military suits I can faintly see her skin sticking out of the suit's exterior. Perhaps her chest was a little bigger than Meiya. I felt a trickle of blood coming down my nose.

"Is something the matter?"

C… calm down Takeru. Just think of her as Meiya and… (Flash!) Ahhh! No no no no! Ok no thinking of Meiya that's just making it worse! Thinking… umm… think of a guy! Mikoto? (Flash) AHHHH! Come on! Why are my manly urges poking themselves at the worst possible time? I didn't know that the Shogun's body would make me feel so…

"N… no… it's nothing" I said finally after taking a deep breath. "Please come this way. There's not a lot of room so we'll have to share the seat. You're probably used to a TSF cockpit, right?"

"Yes. But it has been a long time since I rode in one"

"The suit alone will keep your temperature and head balance. But just in case, please put on this safety jacket and attach the safety harness on the four points"

She boarded my frame and quickly adjusted herself to my lap. It wasn't a first class ride but it beats the hell on walking.

"The U.N. models are much more different than the ones we have. I do not recognize any of the controls"

"Well it is a Fubuki, one of the earlier models but it can pack a wallop with the right pilot. Oh and please take this" I pulled out a pill from the first aid kit at the side of my seat. "It's Scopolamine… an anti-motion sickness pill. Since you haven't ridden on a TSF for awhile there's a good chance that you may feel nauseous"

"I understand. But I am fine at the moment. I shall take it the moment I feel ill"

Her speech pattern really does resemble Meiya. Calm and in polite like a true noblewoman. "Very well. I will connect your headset to mine so you can see and hear everything that's going on. Is that ok with you? (Hai…) But you will have to follow one condition. (Eh?) Please try not to interrupt our conversation. Regardless of what you may think or feel, we are cooperating with the American army in this operation and we are the U.N. so your words will not have weight other than Tsukuyomi, who is with us"

"Tsukuyomi?" Yuuhi looked surprised. "She is here? Then that means…"

"Yes. Your twin sister, Meiya Mitsurugi is a part of my squad" I added confirming her suspicion which seemed to have grown. She looked like she wanted to say more but the incoming transmission stopped her. "We'll discuss more of it when we reach a safer location, your highness"

"This is 00 to all units in 207" Marimo called to all of us. "Listen up. Central Command has just been informed of Her Highness and is now in direct contact. I'm patching a line through"

Yuuko's face turned up along with 1st Lieutenant Piatif. "Hello~? Anyone there? Is this thing on?"

"This is Squad 207, reporting in. We read you loud and clear, Command"

"That's better" Yuuko flashed a satisfied grin unnoticingly at my face. What was that about? "Good. It looks like fortune is still smiling on us. I'm pretty sure you all know what's at stake here but I'll say it anyway. With the arrival of Her Highness, the Shogun, Squad 207 is now at the top of our priority list. We can't provide any direct support at this time since all forces are in play but at least now we will be able to maintain contact until you reach the harbor. Lt. Piatif will explain the details of the mission and your escape route. Lieutenant, if you would…"

Piatif took the center monitor and quickly began reading through our mission details. "As of right now, Squad 207's survival has been raised to the highest echelon of the operation. The U.N. 13th and 15th Armored divisions are engaging the enemy at Atsugi base in attempt to recapture the facilities but due to the enemy's strength they will not be able to hold them out for long. The main enemy force has split into two groups, one advancing along the Tokyo-Nagoya Expressway and the other passing through the Odawara-Atsugi highway. The Imperial Army is already engaging them at Mt. Myoujingtake and won't last long against their numbers. Because of the importance of this mission, the 19th Intelligence Division will be providing their support to Squad 207"

Great. The intelligence division. Any help getting us to our destination faster will be a blessing. It's not direct support but they can give us short cuts and information on the enemy when needed.

"And now for your escape route" Lt. Piatif opened up a bird's eye view of the battlefield showing directly where our enemies were coming and where we needed to go. "With the emergency sessions and the lack of troops, 20706 will split from the squad and proceed south-south-west through the woodland areas" Huh? Wait a minute. This isn't part of the script.

"W… wait…" Marimo interrupted. "You want Shirogane to be isolated from the squad?"

"Not entirely. We have reasons to believe that the enemy may know the exact location of Her Highness. That is why they're moving with such precision through all of our defenses. Unit 06 will meet with the 33rd Imperial Army stationed near Susono City ruins and will be escorted from there on. Squad 207 and the Honor Guard 19th Independent regiment will act as decoys, leading the majority of the rebel forces away through the New Atami road and then the Izu Skyline ruins in old Mishima City. The U.S. 108th Armored battalion will attempt to create a diversion for you. As you proceed through the road, you'll pass through the Hiyakawa tollbooth which is the final chokepoint in the operation. We've concluded that the enemy will attempt to ambush you there. If Squad 207 can pass through that area then your chances of a survival will be for certain"

It was logical. The mountain areas here were long and connected with each other through a series of mountains and valleys. Getting through them or over them was going to take a serious challenge… or at least… a good Eishi. But… why was I being separated? Was this part of Yuuko's plan?

Wink…

I noticed the said scientist winking at me from the background. She was definitely up to something.

We remained silent and allowed the lieutenant to continue. "From there on, Squad 207 will proceed to Shirahama coast where the 9th Fleet from Yokohama Base and the U.S. 7th fleet will be waiting and then return home via sea. The selection of formations will be handled by the team leaders. The Prime Minister, Sakaki Kurechika has accepted U.N army help under the condition that Her Highness's safety takes full priority over all others. Regardless of what the losses are… the primary objective is to bring Her Highness, Koubuin safely to Yokohama base. Therefore 06's safety is now our new top priority. 06, do you read?"

"Th… this is 06, I copy"

Lt. Piatif began typing down on a nearby computer to add something to my map. "I'm plotting you way points around the mountain area. Enemy activity should be minimal in these locations. You will leave immediately after debriefing. Squad 207 will leave five minutes after 06 depart"

And without another word, we were gone…


	13. The Red December Part 3

**Chapter 13: The Red December (Part 3)**

**(Takeru's POV) (Mountain path)**

I left the squad immediately the briefing was done. With nothing more but my TSF and my courage and of course my skills in piloting, I marched through the rugged terrain of the countryside. Her Highness, the Shogun, Kobuin Yuuhi remained with me, as a passenger by my seat. Though it was rather uncomfortable I got used to it since I've done this with Meiya in my previous loops. Yuuhi of course was a lot lighter than her sister.

About ten minutes later I lost contact with my squad and Central Command. Lt. Piatif requested that I remained in complete radio silence until I reach the final waypoint which was Susono City. I don't know why Yuuko sensei decided to split me from my main unit but in times like this I guess military regulations come first. She probably has some sort of plan buried in this while the rest of my unit played decoy.

The waypoints that Piatif gave me were precise areas that marked no enemy contacts. Though there were a few stragglers I had to avoid, it wasn't something I had to deal with. Complete radio silence meant that I had to turn off almost all my electronic systems that would give me away, including my IFF tracker ID. That way, if I should get spotted by a rebel, they'll probably just think that I'm a surviving unit fleeing the battle zone.

"Shirogane…" Yuuhi spoke up to me after a long paused. Her voice was a blessing since this dead silence was really bothering me. I love peace and quiet but when you're this anxious, any sort of comfort was welcome.

"What is it your highness?"

"Forgive me. I know that we should remain silent in this situation but I wish to ask you about the things you said earlier"

"What I said earlier? Oh you mean Tsukuyomi san?"

She nodded. "Yes. Earlier you also mentioned Mitsurugi Meiya. (Yes…) If she is here along with Tsukuyomi then why is she not using the Takemikazuchi that I sent her? It must've been procured to your unit not long ago"

"Ah the Takemikazuchi? The purple one?" That special TSF that Meiya refused to drive no matter what. I heard that the unit belonged to the Shogun but she hasn't ridden it ever since her last campaign to retake the mainland.

"Yes, that is the one I seek. Why does she not use it?"

I scrubbed the back of my head for answers. "Well. It's hard to explain. She said that she doesn't want any special treatment. Even when Tsukuyomi san asked her many times she refuses to ride it"

Her Highness' face sulked a bit. "Is that so… (Sorry) There is no need to apologize. That sounds exactly like her" A smile and a small laugh appeared but my senses tell me that it was rather sad and lonely, like she was forcing them out. "I do not believe she has once accepted a gift from me. (…) Shirogane? (Y…yes?) If I may ask… what sort of person is Meiya?" She asked me the same question back then too. "I wish to know how she is like day-to-day. (…uh…) Can you not tell me?"

"N… no it's not that" Man. If she asked me that a few loops ago I probably would've stuttered big time. But if I combine all the loops I have with Meiya together, I can probably write you a series of her with each volume thicker than a Persian Carpet. "It's just that. She's… very simple and yet… complex at the same time"

"Huhuhu. Please choose the words that you find the easiest to use. Your informal way of speaking with me is rather a refreshing change"

"Ah… ok then. Well… Meiya is… stubborn" That is probably the main word in which you can use to describe her. "She thinks of the other members of the squad more than anyone and always thinks she could do more to help them. Everyone in the base respects her. She's dutiful, responsible and will loyal to those that she trusts. But…"

"But?"

"… sometimes I worry about her" That girl can really be a pain in the neck whenever she puts her mind onto something. Back in Mt. Tengen in one of my previous loop, her pride made her abandon her duties putting me in a difficult position. "She often keeps too many of her problems inside and never shows them to anyone. She pushes away those who care about her and believes that she can hold the weight of the world on her own. Often I'm afraid that one day her life may just break her eventually"

The Shogun remained silent for a time before nodding as if visualizing the girl I just described. "If that is how she appears to you Shirogane… then she must depend on you're a great deal. (…) From what I heard from Tsukuyomi, she would never allow others to discern such weaknesses of hers" Ah… so Tsukuyomi has been feeding her information about Meiya too. "You have my gratitude. With you, I believe I come even closer to understanding her"

"Ah please don't worry about it Yuuhi san. It's all just… eh?" W… wait a second. Did I just call her Yuuhi san?

"Huhu… Yoroi was right. You really are a strange one" Guuuuu… a strange man calling me strange? I feel like giving that man a punch right now. "But anyway Shirogane. (Hmm?) There is another matter that I wish to ask. How did you know that Meiya and I are twins? (Huh?) Save but Tsukuyomi, myself the emperor and a selected few, her identity has been a closely guarded secret. Even among the members of the royal family does not know of her. (…) So I wish to know how you came across such dangerous information"

Ah crap. To be totally honest about this, you were the one who told me back in my previous loop! "Well… a member of the U.N. intel group told me about it" Maybe if I used Yuuko sensei, it might get me off. Her name hasn't failed me yet so I may as well use it and see where it goes. "I didn't believe it at first since it sounded a little skeptic but when I saw you back at Hakone… (…?) Well… you look and act just like her"

"I see…" Huh? Did she buy it? "I shall believe you for Yoroi's judgment. What else do you know of her, Shirogane? If you know of her true identity then surely you must know more"

"Well… I know that she was adopted by distant relatives of the Shogun, the Mitsurugi family and has been like that ever since"

"Hmm… that is true. You know much about us" Yuuhi looked away towards my monitor as if trying to view the scene that blurred outside thanks to my constant movement. "She and I are twins related by blood after all. (…) Our house, the Kobuin have a long-standing tradition that twins are cursed children who divide this world" She said that to me too back in my last loop. Back then it made some sense seeing that it was a sort of Japanese tradition to be superstitious but now… after looking at it from a human perspective, it sounds ridiculous.

"…" I wanted to speak up but remained silent for Her Highness to continue.

"In accordance with our customs, she was adopted by our distant relatives. That is why we have not spoken or played with one another since our infancy" No wonder these two seemed so distant. Even though they're complete strangers to one another the ties which bound them spiritually longs for one another. There are indeed ties in this world that are stronger than blood. "If her lineage did not bother her so, she would've lived a content and peaceful existence. But because she was born with the same face as I, the government trained her to be my double instead"

It was logical since we also used the same method when we negotiated with Sagiri in my last loop. But that little façade would've worked if that accidental shot never happened.

"Her birth caused her to be thrown out of her main house and forbidden from speaking of her true origins" Yuuhi then turned her eyes back to me and spoke. "And because she is my sister, she was to be treated like a tool to the government"

That was the reason why she was assigned to this particular unit. Squad 207B was special in more ways than one. With the Shogun's sister, the daughter of the Prime Minister, the chief of intelligence and the Undersecretary General, and of course the General of the Imperial Army… one could only believe that Yuuko made this squad for one particular purpose.

"I think she knew that as well" I replied not taking my eyes off my monitor. "I think she knew what she was getting into when she was assigned to the U.N. Army" Even though she said she was here on her own free will; she was still a political hostage after all.

"Yes. I am ashamed to say that my existence forced this upon her. It is also possible that I may be a disappointment…"

"That's not true your highness" I spoke up carelessly which she opted with a confused look. "Though you two haven't seen each other, I know from personal experience that she cares deeply for you and worries constantly about your safety. She must understand the pain you're going through more than anyone, Yuuhi san" Ah crap there I go again. "Ah… sorry…"

"Do not be" She laughed for a moment there. Wow… even though it was just for a few seconds I had to admit that she looked really cute when she smiled. "It is comforting to hear my name spoken by another in such informal manner other than the Grand Chamberlain and the Emperor"

"But what I said earlier was the truth. Meiya knows what you're feeling better than anyone. She's probably conflicted about this whole rebellion as well just as you are" Yuuhi looked directly at my eyes bewildered by my words. "I… know that this may sound absurd… but I don't think any of us are right or wrong, your highness. The government tries its best to save the people but their greed prevents them from giving it their all. Cpt. Sagiri wants what is best for the people but killing is not the way to do it"

"Do you have a definitive answer then to satisfy both their needs?"

"No… not yet at least" I answered honestly. "But if you give me time… I'm sure I can find it"

Again the Shogun laughed at me. "Huhuhu… you are indeed a wondrous man, Shirogane. It is no wonder why Meiya depends on you so much. I am impressed on how you came to such a conclusion. Though somewhat naïve, I find comfort in them"

"But… you your highness. (Hmm?) You resemble Meiya san very much"

"Do I seem that way to you?"

"Yes. You too hide away your problems and discomfort under your smile. If something bothers you, you should let it out"

"That is kind of you to say, Shirogane. But I am comfortable with things as it is" Huh? What does she mean by that? "I am content with my position. Be it forever torment, I will bear it alone. What Meiya went through… I consider it unforgivable" She ruffled through her overcoat and handed me a small looking object. "Shirogane… (Yes?) I have a favor that I wish to ask of you. Once this mission is over, please… give this to her" It was a doll, s small handmade doll, about the size of my hand. It was old and worn down from age. It was the same doll that she gave to me in the previous loop. "This is… proof that I have spent time with her. Though it was nothing more but a few days… I cherished that time greatly. (…) It is the only thing I chose to bring with me"

The doll was really small and probably worth nothing but a few coins in the market. But what that doll symbolized… was more precious to the Shogun than money could ever buy. To think that she would hand such an important object to me, a complete stranger. I reached out to take it but stopped midway and decided to fold her hand around it.

"Will you no do it?" She asked, a bit puzzled.

"It's not that I don't want to do it your highness. It's just that… I think it would be better if you handed it in person. (But…) One day your highness… both of you will find a way to open your hearts to one another"

"No… the world as it is will not accept it. In the end… we both agree that neither of us have sisters" She spoke genuinely from her heart. Though as much as she wanted to give it to her in person, Yuuhi knows that Meiya will reject it just as she rejected the Takemikazuchi. They both were born into these positions where their lives were set from the start. A position where their fates were decided by others.

How can I possibly break that chain? How can I set these girls free from their duties which they follow zealously?

"Very well…" I accepted the doll once again with a heavy heart. "I will give this to her…"

"You have my gratitude"

Beep beep, beep beep

Hmm? An incoming transmission, from HQ? "Ah excuse me one moment your highness. I'll connect you to a conference. (static)"

It was then Lt. Piatif's face appeared on my screen. "This is HQ to 20706, respond"

"This is 20706, I read you. I'm about to reach the fourth waypoint. Has something happened?"

"No change in your mission objective. I'm here to update you on the situation at hand" She opened up a map screen on the side showing the current happenings on the operation. "Just as we expected, the insurgent army have divided their forces into three groups to cover the southern province. Most of their troops are concentrated here so it is no doubt that they may know the location of Her Highness indefinitely. Squad 207 has joined up with the American Army's 66th TSF Armored Battalion under the command of Major Alfred Walken and is making headway into Kameishi pass where they will be resupplied for the trip to Shirahama base. They've successfully lured a large portion of the enemy force so you have a clear route to the coast"

That's no surprise that they're progressing faster than usual. Without the Shogun they shouldn't be burdened with her getting acute motion sickness. If they keep this up they should reach the Hiyakawa toll booth in a matter of hours.

"Command, understood. But there's a problem. (Hmm?) I wasn't able to recharge fully in Hakone base so I'm low on energy and oxygen supply as well. I don't know if I'll have enough to reach the harbor"

"Copy that" Piatif replied to me. "The Imperial Army 33rd TSF Armored Division is followed by a supply unit. Rearm at the rendezvous coordinates once you've made contact with them. Be wary though. We lost contact with several scout divisions in your area a few minutes ago. There might be another enemy unit that is hiding under our surveillance" Another unit? It's possible that the enemy may have lots of ambushes hidden around here. But to keep their IFFs offline may confuse a lot in their own ranks.

"Roger that. I'll keep an eye out for anything suspicious. ETA to Susono City, ten minutes. Do we have any intel on what's to be expected in the ruins?"

"It's a barren city located between two mountains. As far as we know, it's been abandoned since the BETA came to the mainland. There are a few buildings still standing but they haven't received maintenance for a long while so any seismic activity both big or small may cause a shift in their balance. I would advise against staying inside the major parts of the city"

"Understood. I'll keep that in mind. 06, out" I broke contact and immediately switched to my manual control. "Your highness. I'm going to do a little maneuver that'll get us to the city faster but it's going to get bumpy"

"I understand. Please do whatever is necessary and do not hold back. The lives of many soldiers depend in your success. The suit should allow me to absorb most of the impact. Shall I lock my harness as well?"

"That might be a good idea but I'm more worried about your head" The move I'm about to do will probably jumble this whole machine up and down and thankfully the primary pilot has safety belts to keep him/her down on his/her seat. Her Highness on the other hand will probably be hitting the ceiling more times than I'd rather hope. "I think it'll best if you hold on to something to keep you from jumbling. Put your hands around my neck. (Eh?) It's the safest method so please bear with it for now"

"I… very well… I shall impose on you" She looks pretty cute when she blushes.

Doki…

Oooooo…k… her chest… poking me… not good for my health. Stimulation… very high…

Maybe this wasn't such a good idea. Bah! It doesn't matter now. I have to get there faster and end this stupid fight. That's my only job. The rest will be up to Yuuko sensei.

**(Susono City ruins) (A few minutes later)**

Susono City. I don't think I've ever been here before but I heard that one of my classmates back in my old school had relatives in the countryside somewhere around the city. Just as HQ told me, the city was in a total state of disrepair. Buildings were leveled down to the ground, some leaning on another just barely supporting their weight and the road looks like it's seen better days.

Hmm maybe there's a good spot where I can plant my feet in. Ah! There… that park with all the tall buildings surrounding it. That'll be perfect.

"Your highness, we've arrived" I said to Yuuhi san who immediately let go of my neck. This was a perfectly good spot for defense. With all the tall buildings around, it hides my TSF from sight and with multiple exits I can easily escape one road if an enemy attacks. All I need to do now is open up all my channels and wait for the 33rd TSF battalion. "Alright, we should be safe here for the mean time. How are you feeling?"

"I am well" She answered sounding a bit weary. I guess that last jump I pulled must've taken a lot out of her. "Though I must admit that I am a little… shaken from your earlier stunt. Your ability with the TSF is amazing just as Yoroi said. I have never seen movements like those before. It was… quite an experience"

"Ahehe… sorry the after effect should go away after awhile. I'll open the hatch to get some air. If it gets too cold, I can adjust your suit temperature"

"No… this is fine with me" She replied taking her seat by the first aid kit. "I am already troubling with my safety. You need not burden yourself further" I opened the hatch and allowed the cold breeze to come through. This wasn't only good for the Shogun but for me as well. The oxygen supply in my TSF was running low and since the cabin is pressurized no external air can be allowed in. Not only that but for the pass few hours I've had a second passenger inside the whole time so I wasted nearly double of what I'm supposed to have.

"I'll shut down my engine as well to save energy. In the mean time it'll be best if you get some rest, your highness"

"No… I am fine" Sheesh, even I can tell that was a lie. According to my memories of the future, Marimo told me that Her Highness hasn't had any sleep ever since the coup d'état began. If anything I'd probably be dead tired right about now. I'd offer her one my stims but I don't think she'll accept it willingly. Haaa… no point in thinking about it. Might as well get comfortable while we wait.

…

…

…

"…" Hmm? What is she looking at so intently?

Beep…

She's looking at the city so intently like it was something out of a movie. Maybe… she wants to…

"Your highness" I spoke up finally earning her attention. "Maybe it would be better if we stretched our legs a bit. (Huh?) Staying cramped up in this small cockpit can't be good for any of us. I could use a little walk myself. I'll keep the scanners of my TSF on so we won't get caught by surprise"

"Ah… very well" She really did want to go down after all.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

By the time our feet settled on the ground, Yuuhi san took stock of her surroundings looking as if she had stepped into a new world entirely. I guess it's no surprise. After living in the palace for so long she must've forgotten how it was like on the outside world. The ruins here symbolized how far humanity had lost from the alien invaders. It served as an example to those who opposed BETA. Everything that millions had accomplished in years was blown away by an external force. A few millennia worth of progressed all destroyed by beings that did not acknowledge our existence.

"So much death and destruction" I heard her mutter when she walked into the park. She looks as if she was saddened yet at the same time enchanted by the scenery around her.

I shared her sympathy which is exactly why I want to stop this stupid civil war with as little casualties as possible. We can be using the strength we have now to fight against those monsters rather than each other.

**(Marimo's POV) (Hiyakawa Tollbooth)**

"Don't stop for anything! Keep moving!" I yelled out to my squad as we made our way towards the final checkpoint of the operation. We had made much distance between us and the enemy but despite all the obstacles that we put in the way they continued to pursue us relentlessly. About twenty minutes ago we joined up with the 66th U.S. Armed Battalion and were now rushing even faster to keep our ruse.

As far as Headquarters have planned, the enemy believes that Squad 207 holds Her Highness the Shogun. With most of their troops being led out into our area, Shirogane should have an easy time meeting with the 33rd Imperial Armored Battalion. He should then have a clear line to the coast and then straight towards Shirahama harbor.

"This is Hunter 1 to all unit commanders!" Major Alfred Walken called us through a clear channel. "Alpha Company has pulled back to a safe distance. The enemy force has been weakened considerably and is now slowing their pursuit. But we cannot afford to be optimistic. Continue with our guise as decoys and don't slow down for anything. Once we cross the tollbooth ruins there's a good chance that the enemy may surrender entirely"

"Roger!"

"Hunter 4, Hunter 5, take your units to the tollbooth and reinforce Heat Company to secure our position"

_"Hunter 4, roger"_

_"Hunter 5, roger. We're moving out"_

I was amazed how the F-15 Strike Eagles moved faster than our TSFs. I read about them and heard that they're the most successful American Tactical Surface Fighters that can be mass-produced. Though they were a little more expensive than Fubukis and Gekishins they proved to the backbone of the American Army.

The one that accompanied Major Walken himself were the infamous F-22 Raptors. Nearly twice as fast as a Fubuki and more heavily armored and not to mention equipped with the latest stealth field technology, they were a nightmare to every opposing pilot. Some even dubbed it the 'perfect weapons against humans'. As far as I know each Raptor Eishi has managed to hold a successful 7:1 kill ratio against all massed produced TSFs which only counted to their legend.

_"This is Heat Leader of the 174th Company to Hunter 1, respond, over"_ I heard a voice on the com which caught my attention.

"This is Hunter 1, I read you Heat Leader. How are you holding?"

_"We've withdrawn back to the last checkpoint at the old tollbooth. (…?) A Company of Type-94 Shiranui appeared out of nowhere and ambushed us. We suffered minimal casualties"_

"Type-94s? Damn. They must've been saving that unit for the last push. Do not let them reach the highway. It's our only exit point from the battle zone"

_"We've set up defense positions around the tollbooth already. But it doesn't look like they're following. (Huh?) It's like… they're just standing there"_

"What do you mean by that?" Walken asked sounding a bit dumbfounded. I too found it odd. If I remember correctly, the only units carrying out the Type-94 prototype training are the Fuji Instructional force. A regiment I know personally well as the elites. Some of the instructors there received their training from Russian tutors back when the TSFs first came into service. But if they were saving that unit… then why aren't they renewing their attack?

_"I mean it like I said it. They're just standing there"_

_"This is Alpha Company"_ Another voice echoed from the channel. It must be the captain of the unit covering our rear. _"The pursuing units are pulling back. They're holding positions at the highway intersection while another detachment is withdrawing. We're moving back to join you, over"_

"What the? Have they given up on the chase?" Walken seemed bewildered like I am. Something isn't right. The enemy has more than enough firepower to wipe us out yet they're not putting any punches. "Something's wrong. Central Command, this is the 66th TSF Armored Battalion, requesting 19th Intelligence division update, over"

Lt. Piatif reappeared on our screen. "This is Central Command, go ahead"

"The enemy forces appear to be diverting their troops elsewhere and are making suspicious activities. Can we get some intel on them?"

"Roger, awaiting confirmation. (…) Message received. It seems that the enemy are diverting some of their troops to the rear of their formation near Atsugi Base and the Hakone mountain outpost"

"Rearguard?"

"Yes. According on our latest intel, Imperial and U.N. reinforcements have retaken the capital and are hitting all of their troops from behind. They must be trying to keep themselves from getting surrounded which explains their sudden withdrawal" I see. That must mean that our forces are hitting them hard on each sector making it impossible for them to maintain a solid formation. "Our decoy plan also seemed to have spread their pursuing task force, minimizing their effectiveness"

"I see…" Walken nodded. "That means this rebellion will end earlier than expected. But that doesn't explain why their most elite forces are standing right outside of our choke point. (…) Hmm… Central Command. What's the status of the unit carrying Her Highness?"

"Vice Commander Kouzuki is now personally advising that unit for the duration of the mission" Eh? Yuuko is taking command? I guess it's to be expected since she is somewhat Shirogane's legal guardian around the base. "From what we last heard, he has just arrived at Susono City awaiting the 33rd Imperial Armored Division to meet up with him" I see… so he's safe… that should relieve some tensions off the girls.

"The mission is going smooth…" Walken deducted sounding not a bit happy at all. "… too smooth for my liking. Is there a possibility that the enemy knows about our decoy plan?"

"That may be a possibility. But for now we should continue with the plan. Once you've crossed the Hiyakawa tollbooth, you'll meet up with several divisions from the 11th U.N. Pacific Army. After you've resupplied, we'll feed false information that the Shogun has been secured. That way, we can force the enemy to surrender to us without a fight. Continue on with your mission. HQ out"

"I… don't like this at all" Walken stated out plainly towards all of us. "But regardless, we shall follow with the plan. Team leaders, focus on a Trail-1 formation to maximize speed. The 207th platoon will take the center with the 19th Honor Guard protecting the left while the 66th covers the right"

"Major… if I may" I opened up solemnly. "Perhaps it would be better for us to hold here. If the enemy knows of our decoys then they might try something"

"I've already taken that into consideration. If something goes wrong we'll act but for now, follow procedure and move quickly. Once we cross the chokepoint the enemy may just surrender to us entirely"

"R… roger that"

Shirogane… please be safe…

**(Takeru's POV) (Susono City ruins)**

Hmm… too long. This is taking way too long. We've already been here for about ten minutes now and still I've heard nothing from the 33rd Imperial TSF Armored Division. I've already tried every frequency but all I get in return is static. The weather condition here was also proving bad with the wind catching up. I allowed Yuuhi to wander around the park for awhile but keeping within my sights at all times. I also had the scanner on my TSF set up to warn me if it detects other heat signatures other than our own within 300 meters.

There shouldn't any stray animals near here. After all, the BETAs pretty much exterminated all sorts of wildlife from the face of the Earth. They kill, consume and pretty much eat anything that wasn't them.

Haaa… may as well get comfy. Taking my ration pack I decided to set up a little camp by the old drained fountain to keep myself alert. The U.N. military rations were based on the European and American style so it had everything you needed from everyday crackers to small bite-size sandwiches. There was enough in my TSF to feed me for a week just in case I get trapped in a hot zone. The Comprehensive Combat Skill Evaluation taught me that many times already.

"Hmm? Shirogane?" Her Highness noted me having a small meal and relaxing.

"Sorry. I was just a bit hungry" I answered honestly. After all I haven't had a meal since yesterday. "Would you like some Yuu—I mean… your highness?" Damn it. That name seems to be slipping out of my mouth like I've been saying it a hundred times already.

"It is alright. You need not fear saying my name when we are alone. It sounds almost natural when it comes from you, unlike those in the palace who speaks of it with stutter" Well she is the Shogun and the daughter of the emperor. How can someone say her name so casually? "But I am rather amazed. (Hmm?) Despite all the troubles you are facing, you are surprisingly calm. If I were put in your condition I would not be able to rest at all"

"I learned the hard way that worrying about it won't make the problems go away. Even if you don't think that you're hungry you still have to maintain your body's intake" I offered her a sandwich courteously with two hands. "Here, have one"

"I appreciate your offer but I am—"

Grumble…

…

…

…

Was that… did she… could it be that… did her stomach just… made that noise?

"Uh… umm…" A part of me wanted to laugh because I never expected something like this to happen but I'd better pretend that I didn't hear it. "It's not as good as the things you have in the palace but it's still tasty. Please try one"

"V… very well. I will impose on you once more, Shirogane" Her face bloomed with an embarrassing blush. Hehehehe… even for the Shogun she's still human after all.

_"No matter how you see her or how she acts, she's still a girl, Shirogane"_

Yuuko's words from before echoed in my head. That's right. Ever since I met the Shogun I've been treating her like a totally different person. I'd bow down whenever she passes and respond formally when she asks a question. But no matter how much power one has… in the end, they bleed, cry, feel and die just like everyone else.

Yuuhi san was no different either. In the end… with all that power put under her wing… she was still just an ordinary girl.

I handed her the sandwich which she munched on carefully. Even though it was just a bite size piece she ate it slowly like a monk working on a piece of clay.

"Here, have some tea" I used the top half of my canteen as a spare cup and handed it to her. Military conduct advised having coffee in your canteen because the caffeine keeps you awake and alert. But I can't take their relatively bland taste so I put some of my favored tea instead. "It's Bancha tealeaves. Not the tastiest, but they do the trick for me"

Yuuhi accepted the cup and looked rather amazed by its taste. "This tea is well made. Boiled to the right temperature and contained carefully. Did you prepare this yourself, Shirogane?"

"Yes. I did. Class rep said that I should bring coffee because it keeps me awake but I'd prefer taste rather than use. (Class rep?) Ah yeah. She's my squad leader. Her name is Sakaki Chizuru. She's a little uptight with all the regulations so it can get annoying at times" In fact… the person who taught me how to prepare tea was Class rep. Back when we were dating in my old world, she taught me all the cultural things about my country and even gave me lessons on tea ceremony as well.

"Sakaki? (Hmm?)" Does she know Chizuru? "Could it be… the daughter of Sakaki Kurechika?"

"Class rep's dad? You mean the Prime Minister?"

"Yes… so she is within your squad as well? (Yeah…)" She sounded a bit surprised. "That cannot be a mere coincidence for both Meiya and her to be in the same unit"

"Well… every member of my squad has a rather difficult background. I don't probe around in their lives so I don't really know the details"

"It is fine" She gestured it off. "I was merely surprised to see two important individuals to be in the same unit as yourself"

"Ahehehe…" I can't tell her about Yuuko sensei or the ALTERNATIVE IV plan or else it might jeopardize our entire operation. "I was actually surprised myself" I laughed it off to keep her from getting suspicious.

"Perhaps someone grouped you together for a special purpose" Wow… Yuuhi wasn't too far off there. It's true that Yuuko sensei brought these extraordinary people together in one squad to achieve her grand plan of destroying the Core Hive here on Earth. If one would look into their backgrounds alone they'll know immediately that this is no ordinary group of Eishis. "One can only imagine…" She put her meal down before taking another stroll to the back of the fountain.

"W… wait your highness. It's too dangerous"

"Do not worry" She reassured me. "I shall not travel far. I merely wish to see more of this place before we leave" Ahh… geez. I guess I have no choice but to follow her. This place should be abandoned so it's physically impossible for the enemy to even be here. But I couldn't get too overconfident. War has taught me that I shouldn't take things for granted. Paranoia was just being cautious.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

We traveled to a small building at the corner of the park which used to be a bakery. The place has been picked clean by looters a long time ago. Barely anything, even small electronic equipments were taken. Heck, even the cash register was gone and those that took it didn't even bother taking the money with them.

"…" Yuuhi doesn't seem to be taking this well either. The more she sees the destruction of this place, the worse she seems to get. I told her to take a break and rest a bit but she can't seem to have any peace of mind while her people continue to kill each other. "What a place this would've been before the war" Hmm? What is she saying this time? She was staring at the worktable behind the cashier and saw a framed photograph standing in place. The picture was a bit pale and the faces in it were out of focus but I can tell that it was family portrait. A mother, father and their two children, all smiling happily like they had no care in the world.

"…" I picked the frame and blew away the dust that had collected around it. Such a happy bunch. I hope they're just as happy as they were back then.

"I never once knew of the world before the war with the BETA. (Hmm?)" Yuuhi began sounding like she was reminiscing some of her old memories. "I have only been able to visualize it through the words of the Grand Chamberlain when she took care of me when I was but a child" The Grand Chamberlain? That old oaf that came with her? "Before I went to sleep she would often tell me such magnificent stories about those times when she was but my age. Large cities with neon lights that never sleeps, sky train rolling continuously without fail through the countryside, skyscrapers that beckoned to reach the very sky themselves"

Those words… almost describes the world I came from. The Grand Chamberlain must've known how it was like. A life of pure bliss and without worries of war. I almost forgot how it felt like.

"Shirogane…"

"Y… yes?" I found myself standing at attention to her beck and call.

"Have you ever wondered what the old world looked like? (Huh?) How things used to be before the BETA came? I often dreamed of it but never knew how it would look like. I have only seen it through photos and portraits"

"I uh…" I can write you a book about that world. Heck I'm even fortunate enough to see it.

"Huhu… forgive me. I am merely rambling out now" She stared into the distance as if trying to visualize how this city used to be at the peak of its time. "But I can understand how they feel. (Huh?) Even though I can only visualize them from pictures, I can tell that the old world was beautiful and glorious in its time. The rebels simply to bring that world back believing that it is a cause worth dying for" I guess I can sympathize with that. After all, what I wouldn't give to have things the way they used to be. No BETA, no war in Japan… no TSFs. Just me, my friends all living ordinary lives of regular teenagers. Heh… saying that almost makes it sound like a fantasy story.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

We returned to the park a few minutes later after touring the nearby block. So far there's been no sign of anyone living here for at least a few months. Everything that could be used had already been handpicked by looters a long time ago. Even the office buildings were stripped of all electronic equipments.

"Has there been no word from the reinforcements at all?" the Shogun asked which only added to my curiosity. The 33rd Imperial Armored Division should've been here before us but yet there's no been no contact whatsoever. I opened up all channels in my coms so they should be receiving my signal.

"Not one" I answered suspiciously as well. "They should've arrived by now with the supply unit. The terrain west of here shouldn't be that difficult if they follow the road. I'll contact HQ for an update"

"But wouldn't that be breaking the radio silence code?"

"I know it's out of regulations but they would've contacted us if something was wrong" I didn't like breaking the code either but this long period of waiting was starting to get to me. "HQ, HQ, this is 20706, requesting top priority channel for contact, over. (Bzzzzt… static noise) HQ, this is 20706, requesting an update on the situation, over. (Static noise)" That's odd… I'm getting nothing but static on the other end. "HQ, I say again: This is 20706, requesting an update check, over"

"Is something the matter?"

"I'm getting nothing but static on the other lines"

Yuuhi looked to me a bit puzzled. "Is it possible that we are out of range?"

"No I don't think that's possible. I was able to reach them when we were a few kilometers away from the city and we were surrounded by mountains too. They should still be reading us. Hello? HQ, this is 06, please respond"

"What about the possibility of enemy ECM?" The enemy's Electronic Counter Measures?

"That's a possibility. But that'll only work if the enemy is close" I quickly activated my Fubuki's remote control system and used its cameras to look around. The possibility of the enemy getting a jump on us was pretty low since this city doesn't hold any strategic value other than its roads. Besides, the rebels are probably too busy fending off the Imperial Army hitting them from the capital. "Nope… nothing"

"So what could be the problem?"

"Well… the weather condition could be worse back at HQ so it might be hampering our ability to contact. But worrying about it won't change anything. We'll wait for another ten minutes. If they don't show we'll leave. (Huh?) My mission takes top priority at the moment and reaching Shirahama harbor base was the last instruction issued to me. If the 33rd Imperial Armed Division doesn't get here then I'll have to assume that they've been delayed indefinitely"

"Very well…" Yuuhi agreed to my plan fairly quickly. "I shall agree to your decision. I will not stop you from performing your duties"

"In the mean time, please get some rest your highness. (Eh?) It would be best to save your energy when you really need it. So please…"

She gave out a hmph sound. "Forgive me. I know that you mean well Shirogane, but I cannot rest until I see that this matter has been resolved"

"My instructor once told me that a soldier needs to take all the rest he can get. If you go out on a battle too exhausted then getting all pumped up will be useless. I know that you're worried about your people, but please understand that they're worried about you too"

Yuuhi then returned a defeated sigh. "Very well. I shall take my break by the fountain"

"Thank you Yuu—I mean your highness" Damn it, that name just keeps popping out like I've been saying it over and over. "In the mean time I'll try to reestablish contact with HQ or the 33rd Division. They should still be receiving my transmissions. (I understand…) Alright then…" Hmm… odd. I've tried every possible military channel to contact base but so far there's been no response. There's a clear signal so that means that my message was getting through. It's like their phones are ringing but no one's answering it.

I decided to leave a recorded transmission instead to keep replaying on the other line until someone answered. I made up my mind that if the reinforcements don't show up then I'll bail out of here.

**(A few minutes later)**

Yuuhi and I stayed at that fountain for about five minutes or so until the Shogun began to show some signs of rest. Her eyes were closed but her conscious remained active at the time. I can read her vital stats coming from her suit so I can tell how she was feeling right now. The thing gave everything a doctor needed from her brainwave level down to her blood pressure. It was like a doctor's diagnosis in a blink of an eye.

Hmm… it's been seven minutes already and still no word from HQ or anyone for that matter. It seems like we really are cut off from the rest of the Army.

"…" I darted my eyes to the Shogun who rested calm by the fountain. The poor girl must be under a lot of stress right now to be considering her own well being. Whoever put so much pressure on her really should've considered how she would feel as well. But… I guess I can say the same for myself. I wasn't exactly put in this position by choice. Sometimes I tend to forget that I don't belong in this world.

Damn it… what's taking them so long? We should've been out of here half an hour ago. The energy supply on my TSF isn't enough to make the journey to Shirahama base but I can probably meet up with the 33rd Division on my way there. However… the possibility of my TSF shutting down midway was more likely to happen.

Maybe if we waited for another ten minutes. Haaa… man… I'm getting sleepy myself. I haven't slept a wink since yesterday and my supposed break during our guard duty in Hakone didn't go as planned seeing how I prepared to meet with Her Highness.

A shot of stim should keep me awake for a few more hours. The suit had its own injector on the back of my shoulder so I can apply the drugs automatically whenever needed. Geh… I never liked injections ever since I was a kid. Even now I find them rather stingy.

"Are you not tired?" Eh? Oh… Yuuhi. "You seemed troubled. Perhaps you too should rest, Shirogane"

"Ah… no it's alright. I got enough rest to keep me up"

"Huhuhu. Now you are simply contradicting what you said to me"

"Huh? Uh… oh right…" Damn it and here I thought I was the wise guy. "I already took a shot of adrenaline boosters so it should be ok. But I don't think it's a good idea to wait here any longer than necessary. I'll ready the TSF for movement and—Hmm!"

Clank…

"…!" What was that? It was feint but I clearly heard a noise on the other side of the road just a second ago. Acting on my military instincts I pulled out my sidearm and covered Yuuhi using my body as a human shield.

My TSF scanners aren't picking anything but there's definitely something there. Cocking my gun I shouted out. "Who's out there? Show yourselves now!" Did the rebels sneak by while I wasn't looking? It would be bad if they did because against this pistol and their weapons, they'd have the advantage.

"I won't ask again! Come out where I can see you with your hands up!"

…

…

…

Silence was my only reply. Are they trying to mess with me? The scanners on my TSF aren't picking anything but I can see two silhouettes standing there. Squatters maybe?

"Wait Shirogane" Hmm? Yuuhi? "Please put down your weapons. They will not harm us. (Huh?) No… I am certain that they are incapable of harming us" Incapable? I don't know why, but her word seems ring true. I lowered my gun but kept my gaze on the area. But then to my surprise, Yuuhi walked up to them.

"W… wait Yuuhi san!"

"It is fine. Please stay there" She then kneeled down to the floor and smiled gently to the figures. "You may come out now. It is safe. The man will not harm you. (…) Huhuhu… he may look scary but he is very kind I assure you" Who is she talking to? Can she see them? "You need not fear us. (…)" But still the two silhouettes remained silent shivering slightly.

…

…

"…" I opened my mouth to speak until I heard another ruffle in the ground. There's no mistake now. There are indeed people there.

"Will you not come?"

I thought about telling her to give up and move in forcefully but I stop on that idea when the two figures decided to show themselves in the light.

Ruffle…

Eh?

They're… kids…


	14. The Red December Part 4

**Chapter 14: The Red December (Part 4)**

**(Takeru's POV) (Susono City)**

They were kids…

Children about 8 or 10 years old at best, if I'm not mistaken. They were wearing heavy coats that covered their entire bodies, except their hands so it was no wonder why my thermal scanners didn't detect them. Combined that and with the cold weather we were having, it shouldn't be surprising.

Seeing that these kids couldn't possibly hurt us, I decided to keep my gun in my holster while Yuuhi cooed them over to her side. With that soft gentle smile and her head lowered to make her less intimidating they approached her. She must be really good with kids…

There were two of them. Both girls. From the looks of their face and hairstyle they appear to be sisters. The youngest of them was holding onto a… Doraemon doll with its eyes popped out long ago… or at least I think its Doraemon. The colors are so faded and its face seemed to have been sewn over and over with other pieces of fabric.

"Hello…" The Shogun began with a kind voice. "Forgive us… it was not his intentions to frighten you. He was merely performing his duties. (…) What are your names, little one? (…) Ah… forgive me. It was rude of me to ask for your names without giving my own" Despite their non-responsive faces, Yuuhi san continued to show all of those expression like they were natural. "My name is Kobuin Yuuhi and this man is Shirogane Takeru"

"…" No reaction whatsoever. Usually anyone who saw her face or heard her name would immediately go on their knees and bow down like they were in the presence of a god. These children were innocent. They knew nothing of the known world so they had no reason to bow to her.

"Rin…" I heard the eldest muttered out. "My name is… Oyamada Rin"

Yuuhi flashed a small laugh in response. "Huhu… it is an honor to meet you Rin. And this would be?" The little girl let out a shy yelp and retreated to her sister's back. She kinds of remind me of Kasumi when we first met back at Sumika's brain room, except she wasn't holding on to her bunny stuffed doll (Usa-san) with her.

Grumble…

I heard that familiar grumbling sound again. But this time it seems like that sound originated from the two girls.

The Shogun gave a chuckle. "You sound hungry. Here…" She handed over the unfinished sandwich bite. "It is not much, but please accept it" The girl at the back sniffed the thing first like an animal identifying if the thing was edible. And with a blink of an eye the thing was eaten just as fast as Ayamine ate my yakisoba bread. "Now… will you tell me your name?"

"Eiko…" the girl said finally after a brief pause. She remained hidden behind her sister's back with her doll covering half of her face.

"Huhu… it's a pleasure of to meet you Eiko san" Yuuhi's words sound almost too natural. Maybe this is what people would call being a 'natural with kids'. "Does your family live here? (Nod) You should not be out this late at night, you will only cause them needless worries"

"…" The girl opened her mouth to speak again but when she noticed that I was approaching the two of them backed away like I was the plague itself. "Big… scary man…" Uuuu… I'm not scary. It just so happens that my black Eishi suits makes me look like a villain in a manga comic book. Seriously… just give me Kamen Rider's mask and his scarf and I'm good to go in conquering the world.

But Yuuhi seems to find that amusing. "Ah… forgive this man. He may be strange and scary at first glance but inside he is a good man" Uuuu… now she's calling me strange? When she says it, it sounds more insulting than Yoroi's.

"Did you come… from the city?" the one called Rin asked.

"Yes we did…" Yuuhi answered back humoring the two of them with a small conversation. "We came from the great city of Kyoto. I believe you've heard of it"

"Then… you can help oba san" Huh? Her grandmother? "Oba san's been sick for a long while now. Dad used to say that people in the city can cure anything"

"Is your grandmother ill?"

"Yeah. She's always tired and always sleeping" Rin answered. "She usually comes out to play with us. But not anymore"

"I see" Yuuhi sulked. "My condolences to you. But I am afraid that I am no doctor. My medical skills are not at its best" I guess that's no surprise seeing that she always have a doctor to treat her when she's ill.

"But oba san…"

"I truly wish I could help your mother. I truly do. But I am restricted here at the moment" I darted my eyes to the girls and saw a hint of myself in them. Yeah. It was feint, but I can clearly see myself in their position. The feeling of powerlessness. I know that feeling all too well. Unable to do anything while those that I loved slowly die in front of me, unable to protect them from the BETAs… the feeling of being just so… useless.

But what I felt in me is probably incomparable with what Her Highness must be going through. Unlike me, she's charged with protecting everyone in the country. I can only imagine what she's feeling right now.

Heh… what the hell am I doing? Isn't this the reason why I came back in time in the first place? If I had the power to save everyone… would I use it?

Heh… never thought I'd have to ask myself that question.

"I have a First Aid kit in my TSF" I said finally after seeing enough of Yuuhi's self loathing of her incompetence. "It might not be much but I have some medicine and painkillers that we could to help. (…?) Isn't this what you wanted, your highness?" She did not need to say anything. Her face was so transparent that you could see pass her eyes. If I was an Imperial Soldier she would've ordered me to help them. But she knows that I'm already burdened with her safety.

"I…" She spoke up but the kids beat her to it.

"Can you help oba san?" the elder sister asked her eyes looking as if pleading for a positive answer.

"I don't really know what I can do but I have some training from an experienced medic from my squad" Mikoto had taught me how to treat almost all kinds of basic illness from flu to fevers. I think a little home visit would do the mother some good. "Hold on, I'll get my stuff and we can bring some food along too"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Heh. I never thought I'd actually get a chance to help squatters. Meiya would've done the same if she were in my shoes. Besides… if doing something like this can ease Her Highness's pain just a little bit then I should do it. Why hesitate now?

Now let's see… the First Aid kit should be right… ah… here it is. Small and portable, standard issue medical tools. Everything a medic needs to set up a temporary triage center. They even provide a retractable stretcher to move patients from the battlefield. I guess I'll bring that too just in case.

"Shirogane…" Hmm?

"Oh your highness? What is it?"

"I… cannot stress enough how grateful I am. Even though I know that you are already encumbered with your duties and not to mention your mission"

"It's fine. I would've done it even if you didn't ask. Besides… I don't think I can live with myself knowing that I could've done something to help someone"

"But what about…"

"I know that my mission takes top priority but considering that my TSF doesn't have much energy left, I'll have to consider the ability to combat attackers"

The Shogun gave out a sigh. "You are taking a huge risk for a cadet. I am… eternally… grateful"

"Hey you would've done the same thing if you were in my position Yuuhi san. (Fufu…) Ah! I mean, your highness" Damn it. Why can't I get that name right?

"Worry not. I give you permission to use my name freely, Shirogane. (Eh?) I do know why, but the way you say it makes me feel… at ease. Though it is merely words, it is all I have to offer back as a token of my gratitude"

"Uuuu…" The way she says it makes me feel… itchy inside. I wonder how the others would react if they knew of this.

"Is something the matter?" Geh… and her small blush are getting cuter by the second. It reminds me too much of Meiya. (Flash) Eh? (Flash) (Flash) What the hell? Now I'm getting even more confused with these pictures of Her Highness in my memories that I can't seem to remember. "Perhaps… it is… unsatisfactory to you…"

"Ah… no it's not that" I stuttered back looking slightly flushed myself. "It's just that… I get the feeling that Tsukuyomi san would kill me if I started using your name so… openly"

"Huhuhu… yes… that does sound like her" Yuuhi gave me a small laugh. "But she is merely performing her duty. I will tell her about it once you've accomplished your mission so be at ease"

"Ah… but… I don't think it's proper for me… a soldier of the U.N to say it so casually"

"Then perhaps when we are alone?" She added.

"I… guess… that's… alright" I hid my face away from her holding back my blush. "Uh… anyway, I'd better get to it before reinforcement gets here"

"Yes. I shall accompany you. (Huh?) I cannot let you go on this cumbersome task alone. I feel that I too bare some measure of responsibility for sending you there"

"That won't be necessary" I protested. "It'd be better if you stayed here and wait. We don't know how they'll react if they see you there" Back in my previous loops, when the old lady in Mt. Tengen saw Meiya, she got on down on her knees like she was in the presence of a god. And that was only because she was thought to be a relative of the Shogun. If the real Shogun appeared… who knows what might happen?

Yuuhi seems to understand what I'm trying to tell her and nodded back. "Yes… you are right. But… even so I would like to help. These people are suffering because of my incompetence. Even if it a little… I would like to ease you of your burdens"

Haaa… now she's starting to sound like Meiya. Stubborn and prideful until the very end. But… I can't blame her for wanting to help. "Alright… fine" I said finally with a defeated sigh. "You can follow me to the entrance but that's it. Once I'm done we come straight back here"

She smiled in gratitude. "I am grateful"

**(Marimo's POV) (U.N-U.S Army meeting point near Hiyakawa tollbooth)**

We arrived at our designated location about thirty minutes after passing through the Hiyakawa tollbooth. As Central Command said, the main bulk of the U.N. 11th Army and U.S. 7th Fleet were stationed at the forest road, stretching out in a wide line formation. With them covering our backs, it was certain that there was no way our enemy would be able to catch up even if we slowed down to half of our current speed.

After our arrival, we were ordered to resupply at the outpost and prepare for further orders. I was proud of the squad and praised them for keeping a calm head on their first sortie. Though they saw only minimal combat I was glad that they were able to pull through without breaking ranks.

"This is Hunter 1 to all units in the 66th Armored Division" Commander Walken interrupted my thoughts as the engineers began recharging my TSF's energy supply. "Form up with the battle units once you've finished resupplying. The rebel forces have halted their march outside of Hiyakawa and Mt. Izu. They appear to be forming a last ditch stand around the area" So… even in defeat these men were prepared to lay down their lives on the very things they believe in. "Alpha and Bravo Company will take position with the surviving force of the 174th battalion. The 207th Platoon will hold our rear line along with the 19th Honor Guard Independent unit"

"This is 20700, copy that" I answered along with my second in command.

"High Command doesn't want an all-out-battle if it can be prevented. Once Her Highness has been secured, the rebels should come to terms and surrender. In the mean time we'll create a roadblock here to prevent the enemy from coming any closer to Shirahama base"

"Understood…" I see. It should come as no surprise seeing how their forces have been stretched to such an extent. With barely enough troops to cover their own rear, they'd be foolish to charge at us right now with the forces they've mustered. I decided to pull myself together and ordered my squad into position. "Alright you heard the man, team. 02, remain with your fire team. (Roger) 01, I'll be taking over command of your group in the mean time. (Copy that) Set up positions behind the battle lines and prepare for combat"

As my squad followed my orders to the letter I took my time to view the enemy's battle positions on the other side of the Mt. Izu. There were a lot of them. Judging by their numbers I'd say there were at least eight maybe nine battalions of TSFs.

They had the same series as our except for the U.S. Army's Eagles and Raptors.

Though I'm glad that the fighting has stopped, I had the strangest feeling that something was dreadfully wrong. Our enemies gave up too quickly. I expected them to come charging in guns blazing knowing that it Her Highness's safety that was at stake. But strangely enough they don't seem that eager to lose their lives in a heated battle. I've known plenty of Imperial soldiers back in my days and most of them are too prideful to live in defeat.

"Something's not right…" I heard Walken said on the radio to my agreement. "They don't even look like they want to break through us at all. (…) I don't like this one bit. This is Hunter 1 to Heat Leader. What's the enemy's status at Hiyakawa?"

_"This is Heat Leader. No change in the enemy's formation. They're still standing there. Same goes for the ones up by the intersection. It's like… they're waiting for something"_

"I'm getting a bad feeling about this. Our enemies are too passive to let this slide. Just what are they planning?" I had to agree with the Major on this. The enemy was indeed very passive. It was as if they didn't care if they had Her Highness or not. "Hunter 1 to Central Command, respond, over"

Again Lt. Piatif returned to my screen. "Command here. What's the situation?"

"No movement from the enemy. Something is very wrong here. What's the status of the unit carrying the Shogun?"

"All clear at the moment. We're getting reports that the rebel troops are thinning in the north so it's only a matter of time before they're completely surrounded"

"Any abnormal activities?"

"None that we've heard so far. Continue with your guard duties until told otherwise and—(bzzt…) Wait… standby. (static) This is Command, we read you. (…) What?" Huh? The lieutenant's face changed for a moment there. "… are you sure about this? (…)" She appears to be talking with someone on the other line and the news they're bringing seems to be pretty grim. "But… (…) Yes I understand. However… if they did that then… our rear group can still… (…) All… gone? (…static) Yes ma'am, I understand. I'll brief the team right away"

My chest tightened by her serious expression. Something must've definitely gone wrong if the lieutenant was this stressed.

"All units, we have an emergency situation developing in the west" She began once more with a commanding voice earning our attention. "We've just learned that the 33rd Imperial TSF Armored Division that was moving to meet up with the unit carrying Her Highness, the Shogun, was ambushed at Osaka base. (…!)"

"What? Impossible! How did the enemy get through our defenses?" Walken barked out. "We had at least a company holding up at the North West border of Osaka and Nara! How could they let them through so easily?"

"The enemy had dropped Tactical Surface Fighters behind our lines using Antonov An-225 aerial transport units captured from the 671st Imperial Air Force Division stationed in the Atsugi base. The troops we had at Nara were caught in a pincer movement and had to pull back before they were completely surrounded. Osaka base is holding but won't be for much longer. Also… the units we sent to recapture Hakone have failed in their assault due the steadily increasing number of enemies appearing on each side. The joint task force has withdrawn and is now regrouping in Hyogo"

"Wait… if they take Osaka… then they'll create a circle around the Shizuoka Prefecture" Hold on a second… from Hakone to here and then… Osaka. If the rebels captured Nara base… Atsugi and Hakone and holding here then… no… it can't be!

"Yes…" Elena Piatif nodded in confirmation of our fears. "It becomes clear now what our enemies have intended"

"We've been had…" Walken muttered cursing silently to himself. "It's now obvious what they plan to do. We been thinking that we were the ones holding them at bay… but instead, they were the ones holding us back. If they captured Nara, and then take Osaka base and not to mention putting their foothold in Atsugi and Hiyakawa… then right dabbed in the middle of this whole battle line… (…!)"

… is Susono City.

"Correct" Lt. Piatif finished with a nod.

"A clever tactic for rebels" Walken praised them bitterly. "Do we have any way of contacting the unit carrying Her Highness?"

"We've been trying to reach him ever since we learned of the enemy's counterattack but so far all attempts to reach 20706 have failed. The enemy may be using ECCMs (Electronic Counter-Counter Measure) to block our coms"

"Then we have no other choice but to break through their lines by force"

"Negative" The lieutenant countered the Major. "We've also received intel that the enemy may have possession of artillery batteries captured from the capital. The possibility of them airdropping those into the battlefield is high. A direct charge will only result in heavy casualties"

"Does high command have any plans to attempt a rescue?" I asked feeling a bit tense myself. Shirogane was now deep behind enemy lines, alone and undersupplied. If he was alone I wouldn't worry since a single combat unit has a pretty good chance of escaping the battlefield. But since the rebel knows his exact location, it was already certain that they won't let him go without a fight.

"A plan is being formulated at the moment. Until then, all units are to remain on standby until needed" Hold on. What kind of an answer is 'A plan is being formulated'? Are you… are you telling me to simply wait here while one of my cadets is off fending for himself?

"The enemy made a clever move that caught us off guard" Walken added sounding both irritated and respectful of his enemies. "Moving recklessly now will only cause unnecessary problems" As much as I hated it, Walken was right. The enemy has made a good move driving us out of the battle zone completely. I can't let myself fall apart here. But other than myself… I can't say the same for the other girls. They must be feeling a little nerve wrecking knowing that there friend is out there on his own.

But… they must also have faith in him. Though his enemies may be numerous they will get a big surprise when they meet the boy in battle. He is no rookie when it comes to piloting a TSF.

**(Takeru's POV) (Susono City)**

We followed the girls to the deeper part of the city to an old hotel located off the main road. The building looked more stable than those around it so it'll probably last longer. I wouldn't count on it holding against a 120mm cannon but it should be able to weather the storm and snow from time to time.

I tried to persuade Yuuhi san to staying with the Fubuki just in case if something happens to me she'll be able to escape. But just like her sister, she was stubborn and persistent and insisted that she followed to the house at least.

From the outside of the hotel I could see lights flickering in a room on the third floor. There must be a backup power generator still working here.

"Follow me. This way…" Rin gestured with her sister following in tow like an inseparable pair. I'm surprised how well these girls are able to navigate through the terrain. They can crisscross through the ruins like the back of their hands. If it were me, I'd have a hard time just getting to the other side of the road. There are so much rubble and debris from the war that even the roads were too crooked to walk on.

"Does a family truly live here?" Yuuhi asked out of the blue. The land wasn't really that bad. There's a small farmland on the field next to the hotel. I think that place used to be a garden or something. There were stash of dried fruits and vegetables hanging outside of the entrance and piles of firewood on the 2nd floor terrace. Heck there were even a few barrels outside to collect rainwater. Unfortunately rain wasn't going to come any time soon.

Hmm? What are those two markers by the garden? Memorials?

"Looks like they were ready to stay for at least a month or two" I replied judging from the rate of the supplies that were left. "It looks pretty homey. Just add a good coat of paint and it should be as good as new"

"It is no laughing matter"

"I was being serious…" I added. "But anyway your highness. I think it'd be best if you stayed out here. (Eh?) You promised that you'll only follow me to the entrance of their home, didn't you? We don't want to make a scene, especially since that your location has to be kept secret. I have enough medical experience to treat any normal illness or injury so just leave it to me, ok?"

She seems hesitant but she knew that showing her face around here would not be good. "Yes… I did promise you that. Then I shall leave the rest to you, Shirogane san" She handed me the rest of the First Aid supply and got out of my way.

"Thank you, your highness. Oh and just in case something happens, please take this with you" I handed her my sidearm which was fully loaded already. "You should be able to handle something like this, right? (Yes… of course) Ok then. I'll keep in contact with my headset and checkup on you every ten minutes. Don't wander off too far from here, alright?"

"Yes, I shall…"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

I quickly followed the two sisters up the stairs to the well lit room at the end of the hallway. Inside, I could see even more items needed to live here. A few toys in one room, a few bottled up water and a fireplace where the family would cook their meals. This whole hotel had become a home in a sense.

"Hello… is anyone there?" I called out to announce myself to anyone else in the house. "Hello? Is anyone here?"

"Nii san, over here" Rin called over from the lit room which I immediately followed. I knocked and calmly entered. And there she was. Standing in front of me was and elderly lady sitting peacefully on the bed with her hands clasped on a ladle. "Oba san! Oba san!"

"Hmm?" She noticed the girls and smiled. "Ah… Rin chan, Eiko chan… where have you two gone? Do you have any idea how late it is for you to be up? I was worried sick all night!"

"But oba san! We found one! We found a person from the city"

"From the city?" She looked up to the door and noticed my figure right away. "Who is it? (Ah…) Haa…? A soldier? What are you lot doing all the way down here!-? If you came for valuables, go and search some other place! We have nothing of value here!" Yikes. Cranky old lady isn't she?

"Oba san, this man said he could help you" Rin reasoned to her. "He said that he has medicine and everything"

"Oh? Is this true?"

I nodded back. "Yes ma'am. Sorry to intrude on you like this. My name is Shirogane Takeru. I came under the request of your granddaughters hearing that you were ill. (Oh?) I came to help… with whatever I can do…"

"And what do you want in return? We don't have any money and if you are looking for something shiny there's a jewelry shop next door" What does she take me for? She's talking to me as if I'm some kind of villain in an anime or something.

"Uh… nothing in return, ma'am. I swear"

"Hooo? That's a first I've heard. Usually the visitors we get here are all selfish idiots who think they run the place when they have nothing to show for it"

"I'm not asking for anything in return, seriously!"

Her face then darkened over to me. "Could it be that… you're after these little girls!-? You monster! You'll have to kill me if you want to get anywhere near them!"

"I told you I'm not after anything! I just came here to help!" Now she's taking me for a lolicon? What the hell is wrong with this woman? I came here offering help and she's totally labeling me as the bad guy.

"…" The old lady turned silent for awhile. Her eyes darted to me as if appraising a product. "You appear to be telling the truth. Such honesty is rare nowadays. (Huh?) Come, sit. I do not have much to offer but porridge" I somehow ended up following the old lady's invitation and sat by the floor table on my knees. This place does have a scent of home, despite its state of disrepair. "So… you came here, offering help. But what can a young lad like you possibly do?"

"Well… that only depends on what's wrong with you. (Hmm?) They said that you're sick so I thought about giving you a checkup"

She let out a small laugh. "Ahaha… is that what they said to you? (Yes…) Dear me. It seems that there has been a small misunderstanding. (Huh?) Young man… I already know what is wrong with me. It's as obvious as the stars in the night sky. I am not sick… I'm merely getting old. Hahahaha… I am in my eighties already so it shouldn't be a surprise. You'll get them too one of these days when you get to my age"

"Geh…"

"Ahaha… your expression is priceless my boy" Ok this old lady just went from grumpy old whino to a caring grandmother. What an unexpected change. "But you need not worry. I still have a few good years ahead of me. Unlike my son and his wife"

"Oh that's right. Are Rin and Eiko's parents around too?"

"No…" Huh? "They passed away only a few months ago. You must've passed their graves when you entered here" She must be talking about those two markers outside of this hotel. So those were the parents. "That old fool son of mine. He thought that he could reopen his father's old hotel business here in the middle of nowhere. In the end all he ever succeeded in doing was sending his poor soul to an early grave"

"Wh… what happened?"

"Worked himself to death. His wife was frail and weak to begin with. But even so… he never gave up on his dream. Such a foolish boy" Hey now… is that really something you should say to your dead son? "He was so focused on getting this place running again he forgot his duties as a father"

"…"

"Sometimes… elders like us have a hard time accepting that our time is up" Huh? What does she mean by that? "We struggle… hoping that one day that we would relive our past glories. We try to resist the new world the children bring. Haa… how that husband of mine filled his head with dreams. He should've filled it more with responsibilities"

"Ah… sorry. I know how painful it is to relive past memories"

"Ho…? You sound like a wise man just now. (…?) You don't need to concern yourself with me. You're young so you should live while you still can"

"But at least let me give you a proper checkup" I offered, bringing my First Aid kit to the table.

"I already told you. There's nothing you can do to help me. I already know that I'm old and I know my body better than anyone. (But still…) Such a persistent child. And here I thought you were older than me" Well… technically in my brain I am older than you gramps but as a figure of a person I'm about sixteen years old. Wait… was it sixteen or seventeen? Ahh man… I've been around for so long I can't even tell how old I am anymore"

"Still…"

"Listen. It would be better if you leave. I am grateful that you came to help but sadly… you cannot prevent someone from aging. Time is the cruelest kindness… they say" (Flash) An image of Yuuko sensei appeared before me as she said those words.

But just before I could try once more to convince her, another voice beat me to the punch. "Please allow him to treat you" Huh? That voice… Yuuhi?

"Oh and who's this? A young man with an equally young lady soldier on a trip together? It almost seem like you're eloping" Hey!

Indeed, it was Yuuhi who appeared from the corner of the doorway. Even though I specifically told her not to, she disobeyed anyway. "I apologize for my rude entrance. Though it is as little as words, this man genuinely wishes to help in whatever way he can. I ask that you do not turn away his kindness so coldly"

"But I already told you… there's nothing you can do to—! Ha—!" Ah crap, she's seen her face. "A-are you… no, it cannot be…"

"Your sights do not betray you" Yuuhi subjectively spoke. Perhaps she's more used to this kind of treatment. "I am who you truly believe I am…"

"Then… y-you really are? H… how is this even possible?"

"I did not mean to intrude into your home unannounced. But my subconscious reacted to it"

Quickly enough the old lady got down on her knees and head and bowed. "P… please! Such words are wasted on me!" This was pretty much the same reaction that the old lady in Mt. Tengen gave Meiya when she saw her face. "… to think that I would actually meet you… with my own eyes. I am… truly… truly… blessed"

"It is well. Please raise your head"

But the old lady did not. She remained there as if her head had been glued down to the dirty surface. "My deepest apologies for my comment earlier. Had I known who you were…"

"Nay. It is alright. Please… raise your head to my own"

Slowly and painfully, the old lady rose back to meet Yuuhi's gaze. "Ahh… it truly is you. My prayers have at last been answered by the gods. (Huh?) Please forgive this old fool. I know that it is a grand offense to make a direct appeal but I would like you to at least hear my only wish!"

"Of course. I shall listen… but only if you allow me to sit by your side"

Like a wave of motions, the old lady moved like she had been brought back to her youth, giving us a cup of porridge to eat and a glass of fresh water to drink. I wanted to say something but the situation demanded my silence.

"Forgive my crimes" She began with a tearful sulk. "My foolish husband filled my son's head with dreams of running this old place and ended up dying for it with his wife. It left the responsibility of their children to me to be raised as my own. I have done the best I can but truly I worry endlessly for their future. (…) I appeal to you. Please grant this withering body a wish if that is possible. (…)" A wish? What could it possibly be now? "I beseech you. Take my granddaughters to a better place"

…WHAT!-?

"My family was born and raised here… but these children deserve better than a withering home like this. They deserve a better life, a chance to prove to this country and to this world that they are worth living. My heart and soul belongs to this city and it shall claim me just as it claimed my son and husband. But these two… they were not born here. They are innocent in all of this. I cannot allow the mistakes of my family befall on these two. I cannot force them to be what they are not. If they remain here they will have no future. But in the city or someplace else… I know that deep in my heart they will find their own path"

"Oba… san…" my voice muttered out unconsciously to her as my eyes darted to the two innocent children that she spoke of. They were oblivious to what was going on and they truly did not understand why their grandmother was bowing so lowly to us.

"I am truly sorry for wasting your time. All I truly desire is to give these girls a place in this world. I would gladly pay it… with my own life if I must"

Yuuhi seemed taken but remained still as ice. "…" Her voice barely above a whisper reached my ears. "I understand. I shall find a way to grant your wish… under one condition"

"Anything that I have to offer is yours" This woman… is really…

"Please allow my guard to treat you" Huh? Was that the condition? "It is the least… I am able to do for you. Both of us have our reasons for wearing these" She must be talking about the U.N. markings on our armored suits.

"You grace me too much with your words! To have your own guard treat me. I am unworthy of such treatment!" Yuuhi then turned her eyes to me for a moment before nodding off like it was some sort of signal.

"Then… if nothing else, I shall leave you"

"W…wait a minute, your highness" I gave chase feeling a bit concerned for her. I followed the Shogun to the terrace on the other end of the hallway overlooking the garden. "Geez… what was up with that?"

"Forgive me for not following your instructions" She apologized out of the blue, even though it's a little too late for that now. "I know that you did not wish me to enter because you know how people will react to my presence… but I could not simply sit idle while others suffer"

"But… are you really going to take those two kids away from here?"

"If I am able, I will… (Hey now…) (sigh)" This is really starting to look very familiar to the incident I had in Mt. Tengen. "It seems like… I am only adding more burdens to you, the further we go. Even though I know that you are already carrying the weight of this whole operation on your back"

"I decided to treat the old lady by my own decision. Though… I guess I shouldn't be surprised by this. (Hmm?) Meiya would've done the same thing if she was in your position right now. (No… she…) Yes she would. You two have that same stubborn pride that makes you act before thinking. But unlike her… you can really be a bit selfish for yourself"

"The tone of your voice has the hint of mockery" Ahehehehehe… she's right. "You… truly are strange… Shirogane"

"Please, just call me Takeru. I keep telling my friends to call me by my first name all the time"

"Do not be so mellow" She replied having a hint of a blush on her cheeks. "We have not known each other that long to begin speaking each other's name so casually"

"Well… you gave me permission to say yours, your highness, so I may as well give you mine" Even though I wanted to scold her right then and there… I couldn't help but feel that I've grown a little closer to both Meiya and her. I felt… happy…

**(Marimo's POV) (Joint Army area south of Hiyakawa tollbooth)**

It's been exactly thirty minutes since our last transmission with HQ. We've been listening in with Major Walken's commanding officer who was feeding all of us intel on the situation currently at hand. From what we last heard, Osaka base had fallen under the hands of the coup d'état forces which means that all variable areas leading to Susono City has been cut off indefinitely.

We also heard that more rebel forces have joined up with their main army in Nara and began to fortify their positions for a long siege. HQ confirmed that Shirogane was still alive, but they have not been able to contact him still. They must be using a long string of ECM to block all sorts of transmission from getting through. The only way we could possibly contact him would be to use a high powered transmitter from an orbiting satellite. But such resources are rare and precious nowadays and I doubt they'll be able to get one to alignment at such short time.

Shirogane…

"This is HQ to Hunter 1" Lt. Piatif reappeared on my screen.

"This is Hunter 1. Go ahead HQ" Major Walken too.

"A plan has been formulated by Central Command in an attempt to rescue 20706 from Susono City" Thank goodness. At last we're finally moving. "Due to the sensitivity of this information only your platoon and Squad 207 will be briefed on this mission. (Understood) As we know at the moment, rebel forces have begun scouring the Nara province with search teams, scouring each area with precision. We can only assume that they know where Her Highness is, but not her precise location"

"Then we have a brief window of opportunity. There's a lot of room in Nara"

"Precisely. But they've stepped up in their search and it will be only a matter of time before they reach Susono City. (…) Here is the outline of your next mission. Squad 207 and the 66th Company, along with the 19th Honor Guard Independent unit will head to Wakayama Imperial air-base immediately to be refitted with Type-C armaments. They will then be loaded onto modified C-17 aerial transport vehicles and dropped into Susono city via the mountainous route"

"H… hold on a second!" I protested. "You wish to send cadets into the battlefield?"

"I agree with the sergeant" Walken nodded, finding this mission rather absurd. "I understand in sending my company and the Honor Guards but why send cadets?"

Piatif nodded before answering. "Our intelligence has discovered that there is indeed someone with the ranks of the army feeding enemy information. As we do not know who is collaborating with the rebels, we have to assume everyone as a variable suspect. (Hmm… I see…) Once we've confirmed that your unit is airborne, the task force consisting of what remains of the 33rd Imperial TSF Armored Division and the 19th U.N. Armored battalion will launch a diversionary assault on their defense line to the west. This should cover your entrance to Susono without detection"

"Understood. But what do we do after we've made contact with 20706? You can't expect us to hold out forever"

"Your mission will be to hold ground for at least three hours time. That will be the time needed for the Imperial Army to gather its strength and push from the north and for the U.N-U.S joint force here to attack from the south"

Three hours? Holding on for so long… but nonetheless we'll have to see it through.

"Understood HQ" Walken and I nodded in confirmation. "We'll head to Wakayama air-base right now. I won't be able to bring my entire company with me so I'll bring the platoon I have instead"

Shirogane… hold on… we're coming…

**(Takeru's POV) (Susono City) (Ten minutes later)**

Haa… well I guess that's that. I spent a while with the old lady who seemed more receptive to my presence. I gave her a thorough checkup like how Mikoto taught me and gave my diagnosis. Just as she told me… the woman was indeed suffering heavy illness of age. Doctors would say liver failure, lung failure and such but never 'because of old age'. Everyone needs to have a reason to die and it mostly has to be logical or scientific at least. I gave her a few painkillers and medicine to help with the slight cold she was having but from there on… I have no skill whatsoever to help her.

This woman was dying and I have no doubt that she only has a few years left in her. But even so… she continues to care for her grand kids. She must be worried to her heart about their future.

I walked out, leaving the old lady for awhile to speak with Yuuhi san who waited patiently by the terrace. Looking down from that place you could see the amazing view of the city. Even though it was nothing more but ruins and empty plots of land, there was a strange sense of beauty in it that drove me to stare at it.

"Oh… Takeru…" Yuuhi called to me. "Is it done?"

"Yes your highness" I answered back nodding as well. "I gave her a full checkup. She's suffering from liver failure. She also has a few old wounds on her back but nothing too serious since it's been covered a long time now. Even though she's a lot healthier than most, her age is really… getting to her" There was no lying in that. Age will get to us… eventually.

"I see. So there's nothing you can do for her?"

"Not much with the First Aid kit. Even with the best medical equipments all we do is prolong the effects. (…) She's strong… for an old lady. (…) So have you come to a decision? (Hmm?) Are you really going to bring those two girls with you? (…) A friend of mine once told me… to never make promises that you can't keep. Unless… you want to bring them along for real"

"I understand how you are seeing things, Shirogane. But… I also understand her feelings"

"Haa… I guess we'll just have to figure things out when the time comes. (…?) If you're determined to help… then do so without regret. Don't hold back once you've a decision your highness"

She smiled at last. "Thank you. Your words are… comforting"

"Hey no problem. If anything I'd… huh? (tug… tug) What's that?" The ground's shaking.

"An earthquake?"

I shook my head in response. "No. It's too rhythmic to be earthquakes and too frequent to be a tremor. (tug… tug… tug tug… tug tug…) Now there's even more. They almost sound like… footsteps!" Of course! Tactical Surface Fighters. "It must be the 33rd Imperial Army Division! (…?) They must've arrived already"

"Shouldn't they have contacted you?"

Yeah… if they were here they should've at least announced themselves. Or were they trying to keep the code of radio silence? Either way it doesn't matter. At least now we finally get out of this place and finish the mission.

"I'll try to get in touch with them your highness. Please wait here. (Yes… of course)" I quickly got to the ground floor to make contact with the nearest TSF. Maybe if I…

Oh… wait… I could simply call them through my radio. Silly me…

An open channel will do. "This is 20706 calling 33rd Imperial TSF Armored Division, please respond. (…) 33rd, this is 20706, please respond. (…)" Odd… they should be getting my transmission if we're this close. I can see the silhouette of a Gekishin in the distance but they can't see me. "33rd, this is 20706, please respond if you're hearing this. (…) Eh?" Maybe if I boost the signal a little bit. "33rd, do you copy, over?"

"This is… the 33rd Imperial Army Commander" Yes! Finally a response. "We read you…. 20706. What is your status?"

"We're fine at the moment but we need an immediate evac and medical team at my location. There's a civilian that requires medical attention, over"

"Roger… we'll… send a team over to you. Is Her Highness, with you?"

"Yes she's with me at the moment. No change in that. My TSF also needs to resupply. Have an engineer team ready as well"

…

…

…

"33rd? Are you guys there?" There was a lot of static coming from their line. Heavy transmission maybe?

"Roger that 20706. We read you loud and clear" Ok that's better. Don't leave me hanging like that, geez. "Switch your ID tracker to this frequency and we'll send a unit to recover you… over"

"Eh? Uh… ok. Switching now" Why does he want me to switch? So my tracker would look like an Imperial Army code? Maybe to camouflage me. Nice touch… "ID switched. You guys are pretty late. What took you so long? (…) Hello? 33rd? Are you guys still there? (…) 33rd this is 20706, do you copy still? (…) Have we broken contact? Hello?" Something… doesn't feel right. They're pretty late for Imperial troops but they must've had a rough detour themselves.

Tug… tug…

Oh that's one of them right now. "Hey! Over here!" I waved up to the Gekishin with my hands raised. Eh? Wait… something's wrong here. Wait… those markings… aren't those?

Whirr…

What the?

Ratatatatata!

I reacted upon instinct when I saw the gun barrel pointed at me. I ducked into the closest building I could find and hid underneath any cover I could find. Basic training really saved my hide today.

"Shirogane!" Yuuhi's face appeared on my screen. "What's going on?"

"Your highness, find some place to hide, now! (Eh?) These are… rebels! (But how did they…?) I don't know but right now it will be best if you take cover! Take the girls and the old lady to the basement floor but keep in contact!"

"I… I… I understand"

But how was this possible? How the hell did they find me so quickly? HQ should've contacted me when things went this bad. The joint task force should've been able to hold them away from Susono… but ah crap no time to think about that now. I have to find a way out of here and get to my Fubuki. I should be able to fight them off with that.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"This is Oni 3 to Oni 1" said the soldier who open fired on the boy a few seconds ago. "U.N. pilot has escaped. The information was correct, it appears he is alone"

"Oni 1, copy that. Continue to pursuit. First platoon, continue scouring the area and keep up with his tracker ID. Second platoon, secure the perimeter around where he transmitted his location. Her Highness is surely there"

"Oni 4, roger"

"Oni 5, copy that"

"Oni 2 here. Is it alright for us to engage, sir? The commander never gave clearance to engage the U.N. pilot"

Six more TSFs joined the commander on the outskirts of the city which he dismissed immediately. "This battle is raging for far too long already. Securing Her Highness is our top priority. I will accept full responsibility for our actions. (R… roger that sir) Third platoon, hold the outskirts and make sure he doesn't escape. Oni 19, take up sniper position on the mountain and keep watch on the city. If you get a clear shot, don't hesitate. (Copy that…)"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Damn it… there's a lot more than I thought. I'm counting at least two… maybe even three platoons. They must have the whole city under their control already. But how did they find us? Better yet… how did they know where we are? Wait… aren't those two questions the same thing? Ahh! What the hell? I just need to get on that Fubuki!

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Back in the hotel, Yuuhi had just brought the family to the basement just as instructed. It was cramped, dark and rather damp but it certified to be better than dying.

"Are you unharmed?" She asked the elderly lady who seemed to be tired after all that running. "Please sit and rest"

But the old lady simply sulked. "Good heavens. The hotel… our home. My husband and my son… life's long work…" They ran immediately when they heard the gun shots and when they got to the second floor, several stray bullets destroyed the floor grounds completely. Barely half the building remained standing after that barrage. "All of it… gone…"

"Oba san!" the two girls cried over to their grandmother, petrified with fear.

Yuuhi could not help but worry about this. She moved to comfort them but found herself restrained by her leg. "Agu…"

"Ah! Your highness!" the elder noticed her wince in pain. "Oh… your leg"

"Tis a minor sprain. But what of… you…? Ha…!" Yuuhi looked at her hands and saw dots of red liquid plastered on the palm. It was blood but sadly it was not hers. "These are…" She turned a horrified look to the woman. "You're injured!"

"Ah… that old wound has opened again" The old lady replied rather calmly even though her back cloth was now painted in red. "That son of mine was never good at anything"

"Please let me have a look. (Fwup…) It is deep. There should be some bandages in the First Aid kit upstairs. Wait here"

"Please… leave it be. (Huh?) I know when my time is up. There is nothing more you can do…"

"Do not surrender yourself so easily!" The Shogun barked… for the first time she was angry of her own powerlessness. "There is still time to save you! I know it. I can treat it myself" But when she reached for the door, she found that it would not move neither in nor out. "Eh? The door? No… it can't be…!"

"This building was weak from the start" The old lady added lying down on the wall to rest. "Even the floor gives way, eventually…

"The passageway… it collapsed!"

"It is enough your highness. Please do no more for this old fool who raised even greater fools in her time"

"I will not stop. Please… just hold on a bit longer" Yuuhi scrambled, quickly reaching for her headset. "Takeru! Takeru, can you hear me?" The boy's face appeared on her screen with a sour expression.

"What is it your highness? I'm getting a bad signal from you location"

"You must return to the hotel immediately. The old lady…"

"The old lady? Why? What's wrong? What happened to her?" He asked, also feeling a sense of dread come over his face.

"Her old wounds reopened and we cannot get out of the basement. The floor collapsed under the barrage earlier. (static) Please Takeru, do you read me?"

"Grrr… damn it! Alright just hold on" He barked back. "Yuuhi san. Your suit contains a number of automatic sedatives at the wrist area. It automatically injects into your bloodstream whenever you press the lower button on your shoulder. I think you can remove it manually"

"Y… yes I believe I can do that" Following the boy's instructions, the Shogun removed the dual canister from her hands guard and applied it to the woman. "This should ease the pain. Please be strong"

The grandmother shook her head and gazed deeply into the Shogun's eyes. "You have done more than my son or my husband ever did in the past few years. Yet you and a complete stranger did all of this out of the goodness of your heart. (Do not speak…) I am… so… happy. (Eh?) There really are… still… good people in this world. People like you and that boy. (…) So long as people like you continue to exist, I can rest easy"

"Save your strength. Your grandchildren still need you!"

"Death cannot be cheated so easily. I know my body better than anyone else. I know that it is a sin just by touching you. But… all that I ask… is that you grant my final request. (…!) Take my granddaughters away from here. They… they deserve so much more than what I have to give"

"Yes of course!" Yuuhi spared not even a second to answer her plea. "I swear to you that I shall find them a home where they can be happy. I promise… just do not die on me"

"Ahhhh… my heart feels… so light to hear that… I am… truly blessed. This day… truly is… the best day of my life"

"Oba san!"

"Oba chan!"

"Elderly!" Yuuhi called out. "Please you cannot leave now! Just a little longer, I beg of you"

"Do not cry for me. Your tears are… wasted on this old fool. We elders… have made a grave mistake… already"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Damn it! Even more of them! Just how many TSFs did the rebels bring here? There's far too many for me to even begin counting. They're probably tracking me through the ID that I switched earlier. Cunning bastards. I lost their trail about a minute ago but they're patrolling the area like crazy. They haven't spotted my TSF yet since I hid it well between those buildings.

I have to hurry if I want to save Yuuhi san and even more so now that she told me that the old lady is injured. I'm close now… but I can't afford to be careless. One wrong move and I'll probably be blown to bits.

Ratatatatat!

Whaaaa! What the hell? Where is that guy shooting at? He couldn't have spotted me with his scanners. Eh? He turned around…? Ah… he's probably just trying to scare me out of the area. Spook a cornered soldier into a panic frenzy. Clever but not clever enough.

I made a break for it for my Fubuki. There she is. Still sitting there in one piece. For some reason looking at it from this perspective, it looked like something out of a manga. Back then, I unconsciously let my TSF kneel with one hand holding on the raised knee to support Her Highness. Now it looks like the machine was welcoming me back.

(Flash)

Eh? What the? (Flash) What are these images now? The battle with the BETA? Operation Babylon? Why am I…? (Flash) Tsukuyomi… (Flash) Marimo… (Flash) Everyone. (Flash)

Yeah… you're right. If I am to protect them… I'm going to need this power. To think that my subconscious is slowly drawing them out, what great timing. No need to hesitate now.

"Your highness, it's me. I've reached the Fubuki. Get everyone ready for extraction. We can fit the whole family into the cockpit. It'll be a little cramped but at least we'll make it. Once I break through, we're leaving. (…) Hello? Your highness, are you there? (…)" Hey… don't kid around. This an't funny. Why aren't you responding? (Flash) Wait… don't tell me that… something's happened? "Your highness, are you there? Yuuhi san! Please answer me! (…) No… no no… no no no no no no!" She couldn't have… no! I won't let it happen! She has to be alive! "YUUHI! GOD DAMN IT! REPLY!"

She couldn't have been killed. No… the rebels wouldn't dare. But even so… I can't let them continue… I must… I must save them. I will save her!

"Ooooooooohhh!" Let's go Fubuki…!

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

A spark appeared on the rebel's screen. "This is Oni 4, I've detected an energy spike. It's… a Fubuki class showing a U.N. ID code"

"He must've gotten to his unit" the man on the other line replied looking solemn. "It doesn't matter. It's only one unit. First platoon, take him out but check your fire as well. Second platoon continue scanning the area for Her Highness. (Roger)"

"Oni 3 here. I don't like picking on the weak… may as well make this one quick. Eh?" But the woman stopped on her tracks when she noticed the signal moving in erratic ways. "What the? Oni 1, something's wrong with my radar. This can't be right…"

"What is it?"

"His movement pattern is… What the!-?" She stopped again when the said Fubuki appeared. "There he is! All units, fire!" Bullets hailed out loud, crushing through buildings and rocks alike. "He's falling back! Chase him!"

"Oni 5 here, I got him" But just when he thought he was going to surprise the 'rookie', he got smashed right on the face with a fist. "Gahh! What the? Where'd he go?"

"Doryaaaaa!" Shirogane let out a war cry and kicked Oni 5 to the ground. "Get the hell out of my way!"

"Oni 6, Oni 4, go support Oni 5. I'll cover you!"

"Roger that!"

"Understood. We got right… eh? Where'd he go? He was here—gahhhh!" He was cut off when a hail of bullets came crashing from the other side of the building. The bullets struck the spine and the power supply, rendering it inoperable for combat. "What the? He shot me!"

"Oni 6 is down! I'm moving into… ARGHHH!"

"Oni 4, respond! (…) Oni 4, what happened?" Oni 3 looked rather pale as she saw three of her comrades suddenly taken out in a flash of a minute. "Oni 4, Oni 6, do you copy?"

"We copy… but that unit is not normal!"

"He's heading straight for you!"

Oni 3 looked up and saw her target dead on sight. "I got him. He's mine! (Whoosh) Huh? He's gone! Where's he going to attack from? Left, right? No… from above?" She looked up but saw nothing there. "No? Then—GAHH!" She didn't get to finish when several bullets nailed her roughly on the back. "From behind? Impossible! How can he be that fast? (Gun noise) Gehh! I won't fall that easily" She returned fire but to her horrors, Shirogane simply dodged through them like they were darts. "N… no way! I can't get a lock on him!"

"Oni 3 what's going on over there?" The commander demanded only hearing gun sounds and panic yells from the other line. "Oni 3!"

"That can't be! How is he doing that? This is Oni 3, send back up now! This one is… a monster! GAHH!"

"Oni 3, come in! (static) Damn it! Second platoon, have you found Her Highness yet?"

"Negative. We've just began the scans. We read a few heat signatures in the basement of one of the buildings but… huh? GAHHH!"

"Oni 9 here. The enemy unit just knocked out Oni 7. No fatal damage but his unit isn't responding anymore. He must've hit the transmitter directly! (Bang!) Gah! He just took out our rear guard! Requesting backup! I repeat, we need back—"

"Oni 9? Second platoon, respond!" The commander was now sweating buckets when he heard his men crying out for help. All he could hear now on the other line was gun noise and lights of explosion in the distance. "What the hell? The intelligence unit said that it was supposed to be one Cadet. How is he taking us on so easily? (…) Tch. Third platoon move in and secure the area, forth platoon will support. Kappa Squad, I want you to take the south perimeter and secure the building with the heat signatures"

"Kappa 1, wilco. On our way now"

"All other units stay focused. Our enemy is no ordinary Eishi. If he can take out two platoons without inflicting a single casualty… then there's no doubt that he's good"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Haaa… haaaa… haaaa" My radar is clean now. No sign of anymore enemies inside the city. I didn't know there were so many of them around the hotel. That first group must've been trying to hold me while the rest of them searched for the Shogun. Their numbers were useless since the streets are so narrow. I easily took them on one by one. Swords have no effect here either so I had to resolve into using my knife in close quarters. I didn't want to use my 120mm cannon because a single stray shot could kill someone.

They didn't seem all that experienced inside urban terrain either since their movements were too predictable. Unlike me however… I've been doing mock battles and simulators in the city for years! Out of the 9 units that I took down, I didn't kill any of them. I'll call that an impressive feat to say the least.

But no time for that now. What about Her Highness? Oh… wait a second… I could've just activated her tracker beacon remotely and check her vitals since both our suits were linked. Stupid me…

"Your highness, are you alright? (…) Hang on I'll get you out of there" They must be underneath all that rubble. Good thing they were at the bottom. "Here we go…" I lifted the building up and tossed it away. There they are. I'd better check up on them.

Brrrr…

I made my TSF kneel again and got out of the cockpit to check up on Her Highness. Thank god, it doesn't look like she was hurt. Tsukuyomi would never forgive me if there was a scar left on her. "Thank goodness you're safe your highness. I was really worried there. (…) Your highness? Are you ok?" She seems rather quiet. Did something happen?

"I could not do anything. (Huh?)" She spoke up, her backed turned to me. "Even with all my power… I could do nothing to save her" Who is she? Ah! The old lady! Where is… oh…

Down there at the other end, covered in a thin blanket was a figure, cold and lifeless. The two granddaughters who were all that remained of the family were sitting idly by their grandmother, looking as if believing that she'll jut pop back, alive.

"Why must this happen?" She asked me, her face still turned to the wall. Even I couldn't answer that. If she had asked me that a few loops ago I would've said, it was the ALT V supporters fault or the Rebel's fault… but now… I don't think anyone is to blame. "She was… innocent in all of this when we came. If we did not come to her, she would've still been living a normal and content life here! But I… I merely killed her…"

"Hey… blaming yourself is right"

"Why not? I asked you to help her, aid her… but because we were here… she was caught in the crossfire. Who is there to blame but myself?" She choked a sob. This was… perhaps… the first I've seen her… cry. (Flash) No… I've seen her cry before. "Sometimes… I begin to wonder if this title befits me. I cannot even save those that I have been charged to protect"

"You're being too hard on yourself. It's not your fault"

"I tried… I did everything that I could. Even went beyond what I thought possible… yet… even so…" She raised her hands to her face which I then noticed that they were bruised down to the knuckles. I turned my eyes to the doorway leading out and saw stains of blood there. The poor girl must've been trying to force her way out to get help… but couldn't.

"Your highness… Yuuhi. You're wounded. Please… let me treat it"

"Please remain silent Shirogane. I wish to… stay here… just for a little while longer… (Stop it…) This pain will calm me. (I said stop it…) I know that it won't bring her back but… still even with this, I will atone for my weakness and—"

I spun her around and forced her face to meet mine. "I said cut it out!" Her teary face was full of pain and sorrow. She had been holding all of that inside her for so long… it finally became too much for her and decided to come out. No… more like it was finally forced out. "Do you really think that tormenting yourself will make things better? Don't be a fool!"

"Unhand me!"

"Sulking around for the death of others isn't going to help!" Wh… wait a second. Why am I feeling so frustrated? "Do you really think that's how she wanted it? To make you feel bad after everything that's happened?"

"How would you understand!-?" She barked back struggling to get off, but it only made me hold her tighter. "How could you possibly understand how I feel?"

"Well I don't understand! (…!) I don't know how it is to be a leader who has to care about a whole nation but what I do know, that no one man can do it alone. (…) You may be the Shogun, but that doesn't necessarily mean you have to hold the country on the back of your shoulders! Because even so… even with all that power… even with all your strength, your status…" (Flash) (Flash) (Flash)! Even with everything that you've seen… everything that you are that makes you different. "… you're still a girl!"

"…!"

"You cry, you laugh and you show a beautiful smile to kids. Yes, you're Shogun and yes I know that you have a great responsibility. But you can only go so much before you finally break down!"

"That's because I'm…"

"Don't be a coward and hide under such excuses!"

Whack!

Her slap… it hurts but the pain in me numbed that already.

"Do not speak anymore Shirogane!" She tried to run but I held her even tighter. "Ah…!"

"Sorry, but I can't let you run off on me! Not after what I've been through to get here!" Come on Shirogane… you've yelled this much, may as well finish it. "Hit me again and again if it'll make you feel better, but it won't brink the old lady or anyone who died, back! You're wrong to try and hold everything on your own!"

"But… I'm doing… all that I can…"

I smiled warmly at her. "Yeah… I know" She finally opened up. "And even till now… you're doing… a terrific job. (Eh?) You… really are the Shogun, your highness. You care so much for the people that you even cried for a single life. Even now I think you're even more incredible than before"

"…!"

"I see the truth now. (…?) You said that you're saddened about your sister… Meiya because she was treated as nothing more but a political tool. But that was a lie… and I fell for it completely. (…) You're not sad for her, you don't even shed a tear for her and you know why? (…) It's because you envy her.

"…!" That struck a nerve on her.

"I can see it now. You don't want this. You never wanted any of this to begin with. The responsibility, the title, the stupid crown or any of the privileges. (…) Not all of us can choose where or how we are born. But… we have the right… as humans to choose how we want to live"

"Shirogane…"

"The only thing you want… is to be with her…" In the end… she cannot hide what she truly wants. Even if her mind, heart, body, and soul continued to convince her otherwise… she longs for her sister and her… to be together once more.

Their bonds tie them together. It wasn't anything physical or mental… but something else.

"…" Looks like she finally calmed down after that little lecture. I should be relieved… but now my common sense was finally starting to kick in. Oh double crap. Shirogane… do you have any idea what you just did? You just yelled and lectured the most powerful person in Japan who (by the way) has the power to kill you with just a simple command of one of her loyal subjects. Just the mere thought of it can get you executed with a firing squad.

"Ahhh…" When those thoughts finally sink in… my legs grew weak.

"You can let go of me now… Takeru" Huh? Oh right…

"Sorry your highness. I… I don't know what came over me. I was just umm…"

"No… you are not at fault. I was not in the right state of mind at the moment" Oh… so she's not angry? That's good. "You are… right in almost every way" She then approached the two girls who had been listening this whole time. "Come Rin… Eiko san…"

"What about oba san?"

She let out a comforting smile to relieve them of their worries. "You need not concern yourself with her. She's… merely going to meet your parents now" The two of them seemed to have understood what she meant and slowly accepted the Shogun's hands. "She is… at a much better place now. Ah…!" Hmm? Her leg…

"Yuuhi san!"

"It is nothing. Just a sprained ankle"

"Yeah but you won't get far with that leg. Here… sit down" I gently put her down to the floor and quickly took a look at the leg. Somehow… this scene reminds me of the time I helped Meiya in Mt. Tengen. "Hmm… looks like nothing's broken. But I'll wrap it up just in case"

"Even with everything that has happened… I am only adding more and more worries to you. I am truly sorry, Takeru"

"Heh… it's nothing. I'm pretty much used to this already" Helping others out in their time of need. Heh… perhaps they're right about me. Perhaps I am more inclined to help when people really need me. "There… that should do it. Not too tight but not too loose either. Give it a couple of hours and your leg should be as good as new. How do you feel?"

"Hmm… it does not hurt as much" But then she quickly turned red when I touched her leg. "Umm… you may let go now"

"Ah right… sorry. Now let's get out of here before this whole building collapses on top of us"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Bwah… fresh air at last. The ventilation down the basement was horrible. I'm glad we made it out of there.

"Everything that the old lady and her family worked on… destroyed" Yuuhi muttered out looking at the ruins of the hotel. "If a single family can make a home for themselves here then many more can learn from their example. (…) Though this may sound strange… I am somewhat glad I had the honor of knowing her… even if it was only for a few hours"

"Yeah…"

"But regardless. Let us not linger in the past. How do you plan on getting us out, Takeru?" Oh… good point. I haven't had the time to think of that yet. My TSF doesn't have a lot of energy left either. I spent most of it battling the first group. I doubt it'll last more than a few hours of combat. I'm also low on ammo and oxygen supply so… there's a hilariously good chance that I might die of suffocation before the rebels get to me. "Do you have no plan whatsoever?"

"Well… I wasn't exactly expecting the enemy to find us"

Boom!

Whoa… what the heck? That was a huge explosion! It came from the east side of the city. Was that… an artillery barrage? Whoa… it destroyed a whole block down to the ground. They must be using HE-shells (High Explosives) to maximize damage.

"Hold here your highness" I instructed her before climbing onto my TSF to scan the area. "Oh… that can't be good"

"Takeru, what do you see?"

"A contingency of TSFs. A lot of them in fact. They're marching onto where the artillery rained down earlier. (Boom) (Boom!) Whoa… even more now?"

"What do they intend to gain by destroying this place?"

"A tactical advantage" I answered gritting my teeth together. These bastards are finally taking me seriously. When they saw two of their groups fold to a single enemy unit they rethink their plan to adapt to my situation. The enemy commander knows that numbers are pretty much useless in these narrow corners since TSFs will have a hard time maneuvering. So by destroying the buildings here, it pretty much becomes an open field. It's understandable they're not targeting my unit directly since they can't risk the chance of the Shogun being at the same location as I am. They intend to box me into a corner.

"Waaaaahhh!" Huh? "Wahhhh!" Eiko?

"Ahh… Eiko, please remain calm" The girl… is crying. No surprise… she's not used to such loud explosions. And to see one so destructive must be truly frightening even I'm feeling a little chill going down my spine.

"This isn't good. They're closing in!" I can probably hold them off but… without cover… this fight might turn a little one sided.

"Waahhhh!"

"Eiko!" The big sister, Rin, tried to calm the girl down too but it wasn't working. "It's ok. Shhhhh… everything's going to be alright" Damn it… I can't focus this way. What can I do?

…

…

…

"…" Hmm? Yuuhi? "Shirogane…"

"Y… yes?" What the? Her tone changed…

"Please stop them… (Huh?) Though my words are meaningless to others now… I… I order you… under the name of your Shogun Kobuin Yuuhi. Stop them, whatever the cost…"

If you had the power to save those that you cared about… would you use it?

…

…

…

Yes… she would…

"Yes… your highness!" I roared…


	15. The Red December Part 5

**fChapter 15: The Red December (Part 5)**

**(Susono City)**

The rebel commander watched unblinking as his men slowly approached the city through the fires of the city. He expected nothing but total victory over against one soldier. But his earlier defeat caused him to be cautious over this opponent who bested many of his finest.

"All units, move in cautiously" He warned his men. "Make no mistake. This Eishi is an expert in close quarter combat. The U.N. wouldn't assign a single guard on such a delicate mission. Oni 19, keep watch on the area below and provide cover for Kappa and Ronin Squad. (Copy that) Oni third platoon will move in first"

"Oni 12, roger that" The soldier moved his TSF up, scanning his surroundings. "There's too much smoke to tell which is which. Everyone, keep your IFFs on to prevent friendly fire"

"To think that we would need this many to take down one unit"

"He took out nine of us earlier. He must be from some special division of some sort. Keep your eyes open for anything"

But just as they approached, a gunshot was fired from the other side of the smoke. It missed the TSFs but quickly enough they retaliated with full force.

"Enemy sniper! Ronin Squad, open fire!" Bullets hailed left and right but no one could tell where they were shooting with all the smoke. "Damn it! I can't see in this condition! (GAH!) Ronin 4! (He got me!) Suppressing fire, over there!"

"Kappa 2, moving in to assist Ronin Squad, Kappa 5, 6, you're with—BAHH!" He fell before he could even finish his sentence.

"Kappa 2? Damn! Kappa 3, take your unit and find that sniper. We'll cover you"

"Roger that, moving in now" The three of them moved into the smoke, and soon enough they were blinded by it. "Geh… the area is too thick! The thermal scanners are useless here"

"BWAHH!" The escorts that followed him fell back when their heads were shot simultaneously.

"Kappa 4, what happened?"

"H… he's got me. My TSF won't respond. I think he shot my nerve systems directly"

"How's that possible? He couldn't get us just by our IFF readings. (Bang!) Tch! There you are! (Ratatatata) (Bang!) Bah! H… how did he?"

"Kappa 3? Kappa 3, respond! (…) Damn… it! How is he targeting us? If we can't get a read on him from the thermal scanners, neither can he!"

"Unless…" Another pilot muttered pausing for a moment in thought. "All units, hold your fire. (…?)" And just like that when he ordered his troops to stop firing, Shirogane ceased his attacks as well. "As I thought. He's locating us from our weapon's trajectory. He judges our position from where we fire. (…!) He's tricky and also very resourceful. (…) Moving through here will only result in heavy losses. Oni 1, advise replanning"

"Granted, Ronin Leader" The commander nodded back in response. "Do what you must but do it quickly. The intelligence unit just informed us of an attack in Osaka Base. We don't want this battle to drag on any longer than necessary"

"Understood. Kappa 1. Take your squad west and engage him from there. Once you've confirmed his position, we'll provide covering fire while you get close to him. (Roger). Oni third platoon, take cover behind the buildings"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

**(Takeru's POV)**

Hmm… odd… they stopped firing. They must've figured out how I was shooting at them so well. Shooting through this thick building really saved me. Some of their bullets came through but a few of them only grazed my armor. I must've hit at least four or five of them from this position. With the smoke as cover I can pretty much surprise them from anywhere in this city.

Beep beep…

Gah… I'm really low on everything. Ammo, oxygen and energy supply. If I reroute all my remaining energy to coms and combat systems I should be able to last a good solid hour here. But of course that also depends on how many enemies I'm actually facing. From what I've seen so far they must have a whole company here. The ones I took down earlier had already ejected from their TSFs and withdrew from the battlefield. I doubt they'll want to linger anywhere near here while a battle is raging on.

"Takeru…"

"Hmm? Oh your highness. Are you safe?"

"Yes. We found the place that you mentioned below the Mt. Fuji museum" Yes. I knew it. "It's a strong room with ten inch thick steel wall. Perhaps even thicker…" Museums like that usually have strong rooms built under them to keep precious items and to keep them away from burglars. It should be strong enough to keep Yuuhi san and the two girls safe from friendly fire. Even an artillery shell would have a hard time cracking through it.

"Alright. Keep yourself in there your highness. I'll try to finish up the battle here and meet you there as soon as possible"

"I understand. I shall remain here with Rin and Eiko for the time being. (Alright then…) But… (Hmm?) Please…"

"Huh? What was that Yuuhi san?"

"N… no it is of no importance. Just… return safely Takeru"

"I won't fail you"

Beep beep…

Hmm? Ah crud, more enemies? They must be trying to outflank me this time. They're taking a huge risk coming into the city by themselves but it also gives me an opportunity to isolate them. It's time like this I'm actually grateful for the single shot function for the 36mm machinegun. I'll have to find them before they find me.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

What remained of Kappa Squad entered the city ruins, scouring the area for any signs of their invisible prey. Four of them were all that was left from the first assault and all of them eager to avenge their dishonored comrades.

"No movements here" Said the leader of the squad.

"No seismic detection on my side either. Only rubble sounds and echoes.

"This guy… is like a ghost"

"We have the whole city locked down. He couldn't have escaped. (Beep beep) Huh? (…!) There he is, over there! All units engage!"

"Too slow!" Shirogane charged in smiting his knife directly onto the leader's neck. "That's one!"

"Gahhh!"

"Kappa 1, this is Oni 1, what's happening?"

"We're trying to pin him down but he's moving too fast! Ronin Squad, we need assistance! Th… this guy's picking us off with a knife! (GWAHH!) (Gun noise) (Explosions) Idiot! Don't use your 120mm rounds here! The buildings are too fragile! One wrong move and you'll bring this whole place right down on top of us!"

"Ronin Leader here, we're moving in now. Hold him off until we get there"

"How is he moving like that? I can't see him!"

"Kappa 1, he's right behind you! (Gahhh!) Im… impossible!"

"Oni 1 to Tengu battalion, form in and assist Ronin squad. (Roger that!) All other units, remain outside the city perimeter. Once we have the enemy distracted, Konoha Squad will search the area for Her Highness"

"Sir. What if…?" An officer questioned. "What if she's not there? This could easily be a distraction"

"A single soldier like this one here wouldn't fight with tooth and nail without something to protect. He's desperate… but yet he refuses to kill anyone. Do not underestimate his skills"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Good. That's the third group I've taken down so far. Luckily the only units they've been able to send out are Fubukis and Gekishins. If a Type-94 Shiranui shows up, the difference in our combat abilities will far surpass these two that I've been fighting.

But there's no way I can keep this up forever. If the enemy commander can spare this much on a risky run then he must have more of them on the way. That explosive shot was risky too. One wrong shot and this place can fall like an unfinished domino. Tch… looks like I won't be able to hold them out much longer too. If I eject now, I can probably escape through the sewer passageway that Rin and Eiko showed me…

…

…

Wait… that's it! Hmm… it might just work… but it's risky…

Ok… first thing I need to do is to create the perfect bait.

No use second guessing…

Come on Fubuki. Just hold on a little longer. We might actually pull this off.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Ronin 3 here, target marked on map. He appears to have activated his IFF ID tracker"

"Does he intend to lure us with such an obvious bait?" She mocked. "No matter. Ronin 3, take point. Surround that ID signal. Move in pairs and try not to get into those tight streets or he'll pick you off. (Copy that) Tengu battalion, follow us closely and provide fire support. (Roger)"

"(Blip) This is Ronin 2, I'm getting another signal north of the first one. Are you sure it's only one unit?"

"He's probably trying to fool us by sending out false signals around his unit. Switch to ECCM mode and link up on channel 3. Don't take him lightly. This Eishi is obviously skilled in both guns and close quarter combat if he was able to take down Kappa Squad"

The large group marched forward, treading carefully in the wolf's den, ignoring all form of bait Shirogane threw at them. No matter how tempting or how incorrectly placed they were, they stood firm.

"Tengu Leader, can you get a fix on where he's broadcasting that signal? His Fubuki shouldn't be equipped with any complex countermeasure so it should be easy to track him"

"On it…" The man replied holding onto him transmitter. "Got him… he's… (WHAM!) GAAHH!"

"What the hell? He came straight through the building! (Gun sound) D… damn it! Shoot him!"

"Oni 19, provide support, over!"

"Oni 19 here. I can't get a lock on him. My targeting reticule can't keep track. Switching to manual control"

"Right then. Konoha Squad, move out! All other units, keep him pinned down until we find Her Highness. (Understood!)"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

That's right, keep on coming. Bring your friends along too if you have any. The more the merrier. (Boom!) Come on! Bring it! I can take anything you can throw at me! (Whirrrr…) "Get the hell out of my way!"

WHAM!

For crying out loud. Just how many of them are there? I thought the only force I had to face with this many numbers were the BETAs. The resources they're using here could've been used to fight them instead of each other! Can't they see that this whole rebellion is nothing more but a pointless cause that will only end up destroying what's left of humanity!

Ratatatatatat!

I don't really understand fully what their reasons are for making this coup. But I know that the only people who will benefit from this conflict are the people running ALTERNATIVE V. Hopefully by now, Yuuko sensei is making headway progress with Phase 4 and 5 of the plan. If not… well… there's always a box of diazepam in my pocket.

Wham! Bang!

That's it… a little more push and they should be sending the cavalry out too. (Bang!) Whoa! What the? A sniper? From its trajectory, the shot came from near the artillery batteries. That's going to make things a little harder. But nonetheless… I can't afford to slow down. As long as I keep moving, he won't be able to get me.

These guys don't appear to be used to urban combat. That's no surprise seeing that they've been fighting the BETAs on open ground for the past few years. Unlike me, I've been having mock battles and simulator training in cities and narrow corners for centuries! When it comes down to combat in tight spaces… I'll always have the upper hand!

"Oooooooohhh!"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Back in the Mt. Fuji museum, Her Highness the Shogun was comforting the two girls to the best of her abilities. The sound of gunfire and explosion could still be heard on the other outside. Although it was quieter, the fear of death still lingered within them.

"Shh… it is alright now" Yuuhi said to the crying girl cooing her calmly. "Everything will be alright. The monsters will not find us here. (Guuuu…) (Sob) Please… wipe your tears. Your grandmother would not like to see your saddened face"

Eiko sniffed a few times before finally stopping. Tears continued to roll down unconsciously from her eyes her face still wrought with some measure of fear.

"There… that's better. (…!) (Bang…)" Another tremor appeared, shaking the area around them. The two girls, scared down to their minds, quickly hid under the Shogun's arms, hugging her like a safety blanket. "Do not be afraid. Even now, Takeru san is fighting them. (Nii san?) Yes. That boy is facing them with all his might. He will prove victorious, I am sure of it"

"But… they're so many…" Rin added remembering the sights earlier when they ran through the streets.

Yuuhi also had to admit that there were parts of her that had doubts on the boy's survival. He was definitely outnumbered and outgunned yet… despite all odds, he charged at them facing an overwhelming enemy, head on. But with those in mind… all she could do was smile back at the girls.

"Have no fear…" She said to them. "Though he may look like a scary man… and strange at times… that boy is no ordinary person. He will… he will…" She pondered in her words. "He will be victorious. In that… I truly have no doubt…"

"Is he… special? (Hmm?) Is he special to you?"

A blush formed around her face as she heard Eiko ask the question. She paused for a moment… and smiled back in return. "In all my life I have considered everyone around me to be special. Every living soul living here, both good and evil… to be important to me. (…) Even those that I have never met before in my life. (…?) But now… I never thought that I would meet someone… to be my conscious. (…?) So yes… he… Takeru is… special… to me… and my sister…"

Rumble…!

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Is that all you've got!-?" Takeru cried out on an open channel as he tore through another TSF, breaking its limb with only his combat knife to break the joints.

"What the hell is up with this monster?" The remaining units of Ronin Squad could barely even believe their eyes either. A single unit cutting them up without even putting much effort into his attacks was unbelievable. "Flank him! Konoha Squad, Tengu battalion, move up behind and encircle his position! If we strike him from all directions, he'll have no choice but to surrender! (GAHHH!) Ronin 5?"

"It's alright. He only grazed me!"

"This is Tengu 6. We're pushing him back to the main intersection. He's retreating to the Samano Park. There are a lot of tall buildings there so we won't be able to hit him from a distance"

"Right then. Split up into teams. Ronin 5, 3, with me. Tengu Squad and Konoha Squad will enter from various streets to pin him. That way he won't be able to escape. (Roger!)"

Back at the base camp, the rebel commander overseeing the operation listened in on his com. "Konoha 1 to Oni 1. We have the enemy unit trapped. Send in the search party while we keep him busy. (Hmm…) Oni 1?"

"Proceed with the attack but stick in pairs. That unit has already taken many of our troops out. Don't give him any more advantages. (Roger!) Hmm… something's… not right"

"Tch…! That bastard isn't going down!" Ronin 3 roared out as he continued to fire his gun along with his squad only to have all of his bullets hit nothing but buildings and air. "How can he maneuver so quickly in these narrow streets?"

"Don't give him any ground. Empty your guns if you have to but don't let him get any closer!"

Ratatatatatatat!

But as more and more bullets flailed about, Shirogane proved too quick for any of them to hit. Immediately the boy withdrew to the park where he first came and held his position behind the tall buildings surrounding him.

"Right! We have him now! Tengu Squad, Konoha Squad, move in now!"

Twelve TSFs charged in, guns and blades drawn. They all expected to find their prey cornered at last. But when they arrived… all they saw was an empty park.

"What the? Where'd he go?"

"He couldn't have escaped! There's no way for him to go. (…!) Huh? There! Above us!" The rebels looked up and gasped in horror as they saw Shirogane there, his legs spread to support him between two buildings with his gun aimed directly at them. "Open fire!"

"I got you now!" Without a hint of hesitation, the boy fired, his explosive rounds impacting on the surface, crushing the floor beneath his enemies.

Echoes of screams, doomed yells and gunshots could be heard over the radio as a large part of the city crumbled down to dust. The rebel commander was horrified and even the men behind him could not believe what they were seeing. The main bulk of their company, consisting of three fully equipped Tactical Surface Fighters all taken down in a blink of an eye.

"N… no way…" the com officer gulped a chunk of his saliva, gawking at the sight in disbelief. "Sir. I lost contact with the attacking units. Ronin 1 is responding. (…) She says that all of her units are fine but they've been disabled due to the enemy attack"

"He lured us…" The commander gritted his teeth together, holding back the fear and anger that was building up inside of him. "… just who the hell are we up against? (Sir?) Send in the reserves. We'll finish this battle right here and now. (Explosion!) What? What happened?"

"Enemy air raid!"

"What?"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Haaa… haaaa… it… really worked?" Phew… I never thought that plan would actually work. The moment I thought about the sewer pipes that Rin and Eiko showed me earlier, it gave me an idea of breaking the enemy's backs. After a quick scan of the lower area of the city, I discovered that the weakest area that was prone to crumbling was the park where all the tall buildings were located. Combined with the weight of their TSFs and the shot from my 120mm cannon, the already weakened floor tore itself down to bits. The buildings around followed in afterwards, crushing anyone in their paths.

The TSFs are durable so at least with this mess the Eishis won't be suffering any major injuries.

I worked the theory in my head from an anime I once watched on TV once before but I never thought that it would actually work. And to think Sumika once told me that watching anime is never good you. I'd better tell her this once I get back. Hehehe. The Mt. Fuji museum is also a good distance away. They may have felt the tremor but it shouldn't affect the building.

But that's pretty much it for my Fubuki. My enemies weren't the only ones who sustained damage from that blast either. I wasn't able to escape in time. My boosters, arm and auto-lock system are all busted. I can still fight but I won't be able to pull out any of those stunts again. Sorry big guy. I've put you in some rough times.

Boom…

Huh? What was that? An explosion? The tremor shouldn't have reached that far. Huh? Is that… an attack plane? (Whirr…) Those markings! It can't be… Americans? What are they doing all the way out here?

"This is 00 calling 06, respond" That voice. It can't be… Marimo chan? "This is 00 calling unit 06. If you are receiving this transmission, switch over to our secondary channel immediately"

Secondary channel? Ah! Right. "This is 06. Sergeant Jinguuji, is that you? How are you…"

"No time for that Shirogane. I'm patching you through to Major Walken to confirm the battle plan. Listen well"

Immediately enough the man's face appeared on my screen. It really is… it's really the Major. "This is Major Alfred Walken of the 66th U.S. TSF Armored Division. You've done well holding out this long. But the battle is not over yet. (Y… yes sir) We're coming in right on top of you so hold your fire. (Yes sir) Is Her Highness with you at the moment?"

"No sir. She's hiding in the Mt. Fuji museum at the moment. I'll transmit you her exosuit ID"

"Excellent work. Right then. This is how we'll do it. Team leaders, report! (Sir!) We will drop in different area designations to prevent ourselves for being overstretched. The enemy still has us outnumbered but we can still break the main bulk of their army. We still maintain the element of surprise so we will hit them where we can cause the most amount of damage. Squad 207 will drop on the hill overlooking the city and take out the sniper and their artillery. (Copy that!) The 19th Honor Guard unit will drop inside and secure the Mt. Fuji museum from any stragglers and set up a temporary Command Post there. (Understood) The rest of my platoon will hit the enemy from their rearguard! Our rendezvous point will be the museum. Remember: Our objective is to hold the enemy, not destroy them. Survival is your highest priority!"

Whoa… they're really dropping from those planes! I've only seen this happen a few times and mostly it was done by the enemy. But to actually see my friends drop down feet first into the battle was almost ridiculously strange.

I'd better call Yuuhi san as well. I don't want her getting worried about me. "Your highness, it's me. Are you alright?"

"Yes. We are well. Are you… unharmed?"

"Yeah. But it looks like we're in luck too. I've just made contact with reinforcements. (Reinforcements?) Yeah. The Americans, my squad and Tsukuyomi's Honor Guard unit are here to help. We're pushing the enemy back right now. I'll meet up with you at the museum in a few minutes. (Very well…)"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Enemy troops dropping all over sir!" the rebels were now confused with the arrival of their enemy's reinforcements. Still recovering from the earlier bombardment the commander gritted his teeth to assess the situation. "I can't raise Oni 19 or the fourth platoon! It looks like our second division was wiped out by that bombing run"

"Damn it… they outsmarted us with our own moves!"

On the field, Marimo and her squad dropped in safely behind enemy lines with guns raised. "Everyone split up! 02, 04, find the enemy sniper and take care of him! (Roger!) 01, 03 and 05 will knock out the artillery cannons while I provide cover. (01 Copy that). Make it quick! Regroup at my position once you've completed your task"

The battle was pretty much one sided and before they knew what was happening, the rebels were already on the verge of defeat.

"This is Akatsuki battalion, we're being hit by the Americans!"

"What? That's impossible! I don't see anything on my IFF…"

"It must be their latest model. The F-22… Raptors!"

"Fall back! We have to find a way to link up with the Commander!"

"But sir! We're caught in a pincer! If we retreat now, we'll be wiped out!"

"We'll be wiped out all the same if we stay here!" He barked back but quickly turned silent when he received a transmission from the commander.

"This is… Oni 1 to all units. (Commander!) I'm ordering a full retreat. (…!) There's no need to waste your lives on an unwinnable battle. Retreat to the second defense line in Nara base and await further command. I will hold the enemy here. (B… but sir!) That is my final order to all of you. Good luck" He closed his communicator and immediately got on board his Gekishin. The men around him could do nothing but stare confusingly at their commander. What was there left to do but to follow what he asked for.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Ok… everything looks clear around the museum. The main entrance is welded shut so Yuuhi had to enter through the cracked open window. No signs of the enemy either. Tsukuyomi's group had just arrived as well so we should be fine. But right now I'm more worried about Marimo chan and the others. The new OS that Yuuko sensei developed should give them an edge in maneuverability but they still lack proper combat experience.

"Shirogane" Hmm? Tsukuyomi? "Where is Her Highness? (Huh?) I said where is Her Highness!" Yikes, talk about being annoyed.

"S… she's in the strong room in the basement floor. I'll patch you through my coms. (Beep) Your highness, Tsukuyomi san wants to speak to you"

"Tsukuyomi?" Both of their faces appeared on my headset. Tsukuyomi gave a motion of a bow before answering.

"Your highness. I am relieved to see that you are safe" Geez she's only polite with Meiya and Yuuhi. Back in my world she used to call me Takeru sama all the time. "Are you harmed in any way?"

"Nay I am well. Shirogane has already treated most of my injuries. I am also glad that you are well, Tsukuyomi"

"I am unworthy of your concern. (Fufufu…) In any case. I shall send one of my subordinates to ensure your protection inside. (I understand) Ebisu, go to Her Highness. (Yes ma'am) The rest of you keep watch"

"Shirogane…"

"Y… yes your highness?"

"How goes the battle? (Eh?) I wish to know what is happening outside"

She must be worried for the rebels and the American who were fighting in this pointless conflict. I can understand that. "The rebels are retreating at the moment but there are still fighting in various areas. It's hard to tell from here so my information is limited. (I see…) Sorry I can't tell much"

"You need not apologize. You are not at fault. Please keep me updated for as much as you can. (Oh… uh… of course) I appreciate it" She's being too formal now. I guess with so many people listening, she can't show her true colors. It's kind of sad how she has to hide all that stress inside of her. But she'll endure. The Shogun is… strong.

Boom!

Judging from the sound of that explosion it looks like Major Walken and his men are working their way back to us. Those Raptors really are impressive. With a 7:1 kill ratio, even I wouldn't want to meet that thing on the battlefield. They're faster, stronger and more maneuverable even with the OS system I'm equipped with.

**(Marimo's POV)**

That's the third one. These soldiers truly are veterans on the battlefield. To be able to move like that with minimal errors is certainly something to be admired. I've defeated at least three of them but the fourth one withdrew when he knew that he was outnumbered. With this, my squad finally got their first experience in combat.

"This is 00 to all units, report in"

"This is 01. We've destroyed the enemy artillery batteries. It seems like they've abandoned the position long before we arrive"

"This is 02. Enemy sniper has withdrawn from the position as well. We encountered minimal resistance in our area and routed the enemy"

"Right then, good job everyone. There's no point lingering here. All units regroup on me and prepare to withdraw. (Roger that) (…!)" Hmm?

"01! There's one right behind you!" What the?

"GAHH!" Sakaki! "01… no damage! Wh… where did he?"

"Impressive. To be able to block my attack so quickly" Huh? He's speaking on an open channel? "Your markings… they're the same as the one that destroyed us. Are you a part of his unit as well?" …! Those markings! Red star with white edges… he's part of the Kyoto Imperial Garrison! "Show me your skills!"

"Geh!"

"01, get out of there!" Tamase rushed in along with Cadet Yoroi. She let out a few rounds but the man was able to dodge them skillfully. "H… he's fast!"

"Don't let him get too close, Miki chan! We'll get him together!"

"This is 01, don't let him get too close! Keep him at a distance with your rifles! (Roger!)" The three of them continued their barrage but as expected the enemy pilot was no mere war veteran. He was an expert. All members of the Imperial Garrison must have served in at least thirteen missions at least before being a member. If his TSF has two stripes below the start then he must be ranked as a Captain. The Cadets will stand no chance.

"Too slow!" He barked out in his open channel as if taunting us. Thankfully, Sakaki's unit was able to dodge his sword. The man was using the same unit as mine but with Type-A equipments. That means he's outfitted for close quarter combat. "Hooo? Not bad. (Teeeeehhhh!) You won't hit me with such weak attacks!" He deflected Sakaki's counter with a sword and threw her off balance. "What's the matter? Is that all you three got?"

"H… he's too strong!"

"03, he's coming right for you! (AHH!)" Oh no… Yoroi!

Acting on my instincts, I jumped between my cadet and the enemy pilot with my blade drawn. "S… sergeant!"

"All of you, fall back now!" I ordered. "This is not an opponent you can take on! (But…) That's an order. 01, lead the squad to the rendezvous point. Don't stop for anything! I'll follow you soon enough. (Y… yes ma'am!)" I swung my blade in an arch, only to have my opponent back away. "You won't get pass me!"

"Hmph! You certainly have more skill than the rest of them. But you're not the one I'm looking for! Taaaahh!" Our blades clashed and sure enough, this man seems to have the upper hand in terms of specs. My unit was equipped with special drop armaments Type-D used for various operations so it's obvious that I wouldn't have the necessary gear to hold him. But I have to hold him here. I have to hold him long enough for the Cadets to escape to safety.

**(Takeru's POV)**

Hmmm… this is taking too long. Marimo should've been here by now and so as Major Walken. Could they be encountering a heavier resistance? Impossible. After they lost the bulk of their company back in my tunneling plan, they wouldn't be able to regroup until their rearguard shows up with their reserves. Do they even have reserves?

"This is 20701!" Hmm? Class rep! Alright! They made it! "We're approaching from the south side of the city. 00 is currently engaging the enemy behind us!" Huh? Marimo is what?

"This is 06. Where's 00's location?"

"She's supposedly following us but we lost contact"

"And you left her alone!-? (…) Where is she?"

"She… she's two kilometers behind us. She ordered us to move on without her" She what? Damn it! That does sound like something Marimo would do for the cadets but… to go on alone? That's insane! None of the soldiers we're facing now are rookies. They're all skilled and seasoned fighters who killed before already! I know that she's a trained pilot but… (Flash) I just don't want that thing to happen again. I don't… (Flash) I don't want to lose people who are important to me. Especially the one I regretted the most.

Because of me… in my last loop. Because I was so sulked about my failure she… she died for me.

I won't let it happen again. (Beep) Marimo's ID tracker is still working on my radar but I can't use it for long since it'll drain a lot of my energy. "This is 20706 to 01, I'm moving in to assist 00. 03, can you pass me her location? (Roger. Passing now) (Beep)" Hmm… on the hill near where the artillery used to be. A lot of open ground there. "Right then. 02, 01, take position here near the museum to prevent enemies from passing! 03, 05, take up sniping position by the west passage. There's a lot of buildings you can use for cover! (Roger!) 04, hold at your location!"

Wait for me sensei… this time… I will definitely save you.

**(U.N. Command Center, near Kyoto)**

Kouzuki Yuuko watched patiently in her seat a single screen amongst dozen that were in that small command center in the middle of nowhere. She deafened herself from the talking and muttering of those around her to focus on the task at hand.

That was of course… until an expected visitor finally arrived at her doorstep.

"You're late…" She sighed to Yoroi Sakon who seemingly entered the facility from the shadows, avoiding the guards with little effort. "You were supposed to be here an hour ago"

The man simply laughed pretendingly at her irritation. "Ahahaha… my apologies, professor. Security around this place was more difficult than I previously thought. A spy would have a rough time simply entering the base without being seen"

"Of course they would. I was the one who set up security after all"

"Ah… that explain things" He muttered lowly to keep himself from attracting too much attention. Not that he needed to as officers around here learn quickly to ignore the people that the professor talks to for their own safety. "But I assure you that I came with all haste when Shirogane kun told me that you requested a favor. I would've also gotten here sooner if it were not for the traffic. (…) Not to mention this bad weather. The roads are barely visible… and who can forget with the coup d'état going on"

"You always have an answer for everything, don't you?"

"If I didn't, there wouldn't be anything to talk about now, would there?"

Again the professor sighed. She had grown a major tolerance for this man and his terrible sense of humor. A tolerance that has been tested over and over since they first met. "Haaa… anyway I asked you to come here for a reason"

"Please do tell. I assure you that you have my undivided attention. It is not often that I get asked by someone so beautiful"

"You are beginning to irritate me. (Apologies…huhuhu) I'm sure Shirogane has given you something already"

"He gave me a few items and a few people to track down. I've already contacted the agency and gotten their location just as you instructed me on the com. (…) So do you plan on taking down your mortal enemies in one fell swoop?"

"Are you trying to second guess me, Yoroi?"

The man laughed dryly at her question. "Ahaha, I would never dream of going against you. Especially, knowing that boy is still around here, somewhere. (…) But anyway, you still haven't answered my question"

"I will answer it when I feel like it" She replied holding firm on her word. "But the people I asked you to arrest…"

"Yes. I've issued the command to some of my informants. They're working on the forged warrants of their arrests. It will take some time for it to complete seeing that the government is currently paralyzed here"

"I don't listen to excuses. Only results"

"Hai hai… I understand. But you must know that what you're asking me is costing me a rather large sum of debts. I hope you can live up to your end of the bargain… professor"

Yuuko smirked at him, noting his change in tone. "Shirogane is working on it. I'll repay you later if it doesn't go according to plan"

"Hooo? A simple kiss and we can easily call it even"

"Go and die somewhere, Sakon…"

The man simply laughed aloud to Yuuko's irritated face.

**(Outskirts of Susono city) (Marimo's POV)**

Gahhh! Tch…! He… he's strong. His moves are accurate and almost flawless. His form, almost impeccable. I've held my ground against this opponent but despite all my best efforts he continues to dominate me in terms of skill. But this should be good enough. With this at least, the girls will be safe. He won't be able to chase them into the city where Shirogane is. He'll be able to protect from anything the rebels had to throw.

"So you would sacrifice yourself for the lives of your comrade?" The enemy commander continued to speak in the open channel but I refuse to answer his taunts. "An admirable trait. I salute you as a commander. I almost regret having to destroy you" Geh… but I won't give him the satisfaction of an easy victory.

Twang, pow!

We clashed our swords again and again but it already obvious who was the victor. This man was clearly superior to me in all forms of combat. As expected from the elite units that protect the capital. But if I charge in head on with everything that I've got… and overload my boosters I may be able to take him down along with me. It's risky but there's a good chance that it might work. Heh… it's strange thinking that plan up now. I kept telling my cadets never to do anything reckless but here I am, doing the complete opposite. Heh… I bet even Shirogane would be giggling under his breath when he hears about this.

Well… no point in hesitating now. How did Shirogane put it back in the last mock battle? 'Shirogane do or die?' Hehe… that boy really does have a language of his own.

"Hmm?"

Activate boosters. Maximum input and close the emergency coolant systems. I'll only have one shot at this.

"That move…!"

"Oooooohhh!" There's no going back now. I'll risk this last attack to take him down with me! Here I come! "Teeeeehh!"

CLANG!

As expected, our blades clashed once again but this time my booster continued to push him back preventing the man from escaping. At this rate, it'll take at least one minute before my energy core detonates from the extensive overheat. If I can keep him for just that long then at least…

"Do you think such tricks will work on me!-?"

Shwang…

N… no way. He cut through my legs with his second blade! (Bang!) Gahh!

"It was very admirable to sacrifice yourself in taking me down. But… you're not the first person to try that maneuver on me" Damn it… my controls aren't responding. The countermeasure for the fall must've activated already. Even the emergency ejection sequence isn't complying. That means… I won't be able to get out! (Bang!) Geh! "I applaud on your attempt but it was futile. Nonetheless I shall give you a merciful death…" His sword… is ripping into my cockpit. Gaaah… I'm… bleeding too? "Do you have any last words? Any regrets you wish to say?"

Heh… nothing I say now will matter here. But if there's any regret then maybe I have only one. I never got a chance to apologize to Shirogane about that time… when I asked him. "Takeru…" his name slipped my mouth. Even in death that boy seems to be the only thing that comes to mind.

"If nothing else then I grant you a merciful de—"

"Doryaaaaa!" Huh?

Wham! A sword appeared out of nowhere and slammed him right on the face.

"Gwuoooo!" What the? Who threw that sword? "You'll never lay a finger on her while I'm around!" That number sign…

"Shirogane!-?"

"Marimo chan! Are you alright in there?" It is… it really is him! But how did he? "You're engine and power supply has been damaged. Can you shut down your internal systems? (Uh… yes) Good. Looks like he cut your legs through and through. Hold on. I'm going to open your hatch and get you out of there!"

"Wait! Shirogane, behind you!"

**(Takeru's POV)**

Whoa! That was close. A few seconds later and I would've lost half my body already. That guy seems to be the commander around here. His Gekishin has a different insignia on his shoulder which could be any rank. Thankfully I was able to find out where they were fighting because of this guy. His open channel broadcast could easily be traced here.

"That number!" Hmm? "You…! You're the one. The one with the 06 painted on his shoulders. The one who broke the back of my company and tore through my ranks?" That proves it… he really is the commander. But why the heck is he speaking on an open channel? "Who are you? (…) Hmph… then let our blades speak if you will not!" He's armed with two swords? He must be really confident in his skills to be able to wield both at the same time. It looks like I'll have to bring this guy down before I can help Marimo chan.

"Ooooohhh!"

Clang!

Geh… he's good. He's aiming directly at my cockpit so he intends to end this battle to the death. But even so… it won't work on me!

Clang! Crack! Crunch!

What the? He blocked my attack on his underbelly. Reflex? Let's try that again. Haaaa! (Clang!) Deh? He blocked it? Alright then how about this!-? (Twang!) Huh?

"Did you really believe that you can stop me with such cheap attacks?" Huh? He's taunting me? "I knew it. You only aim for the parts where you can disable me. You do not aim anywhere near my cockpit. (Eh?) Is that hesitation or are you simply too afraid to taint your own hands with blood? (Geh…) Though I am grateful that you spared the lives of my subordinates I cannot overlook your transgression. If you wish to rout me then you will have to kill me!"

Tch… I can't hit him at all. He's focusing on defending the transmitter and the conduit limb controls. Those are the most heavily armored parts of the TSF yet… he protects them knowing that I will try to hit them.

…

…

He knows…

"What's the matter? Are you not taking me seriously at all?" He was challenging me, taunting me to kill him. This guy wasn't looking for a fight at all. It almost looks as if he was asking me to kill him. "If you do not try… then I will simply have to force it out of you!"

Huh? No! He's headed straight for… "Marimo!" I blocked his attack just in time but that sprint really took out a lot from my energy supply. I've drained up my primary source and switched to backup. That means I only have about five minutes to end this fight.

"As I thought… you really are good" Is he praising me now? "But you can't beat me like this. Come!"

Gah! (Clang!) Damn it… with two swords he can strike almost twice as fast as me. I can't protect myself and Marimo at the same time! If this goes on… both of us here will die. (…) Is there no other way? Do I… really have to… kill him? (Clang!) But if I do… then… no… I refuse to falter now. I just have to go faster… go stronger. Even if it is answering to him I'll do it!

"Too slow!"

"No! You're slow!" Down, up, draw weapon, spin crouch, boost!

Wham! Wham! Whack!

"Not bad! But still not… huh?" Not fast enough? Then I'll go even faster! (Wham!) "Gah! That's… not possible!" Still too slow? Then let's go even faster! (Wham!) Faster! Faster! I have to go faster than this! "Geh…! I… can't even see!"

Now! This is my chance!

"GAHHH!"

Yes! I did it! Parrying that last blow I went on and overcharged my right booster spinning me right behind his unit almost instantly before he could counter with his second blade. I wasn't able to hit any of his neural systems but I was able to land a direct hit on his energy supply. If all goes right, his TSF will explode in approximately 30 seconds.

"W… well done…" Huh? "Such skill and speed. Never… in my whole life have I seen one with such talent" Hey… come on now. Don't fool around. "You were so fast that all I could see was blurred sights. Hehehehehehe… my men were right… you really are a monster"

"H… hey…" I spoke out unconsciously. What the heck is he doing? If he doesn't come out, he'll die. "What are you doing in there? Come out already"

His laugh echoed from the other line. "Hahahaha! So you can speak after all! That's good. At least I got to hear my opponent's voice"

"This is no laughing matter! I only hit the side of your energy supply. Your secondary system should still be operational! Get out of there before it explodes!"

"Stop it kid. There's no point in trying" Huh? What does he mean by that? "To be defeated in this manner… is good enough for me. I wanted to go down as a warrior and you've granted my wish. For that… I thank you"

"Go down as a warrior? Don't give me that crap! Why are you throwing away your life when you still have a chance to live?"

"That's because… this is how I wanted to leave this world. (…?) Sorry… even in the end… I am ashamed to admit… that I am… a coward" Coward? What is he talking about?

"Hey! Stop fooling around!"

"Naoya… I'm going on ahead of you" Naoya? This man knows the rebel leader? "I'll see you soon. Warrior of the U.N." No… no no no no no! Stop this! Eject! Hurry! Get out of there!

Boom…!

**Th… that idiot!** Why!-? Why didn't he just come out and surrender!-? He didn't have to… gah! He didn't have to die like that! He could've just… ejected and… and… ARGHHHHHH!

"Shirogane!" Gah… M… Marimo. "Are you alright in there?"

"Y… yeah… I'm fine" At least physically. "But I… I…"

"I know what you were trying to do. But right now I need you to focus" Sh… she's right. I can't afford to break down now. I need to keep my head straight. I came here to save Marimo so…

"Alright I'm good" I replied trying to sound calm but inside my mind was conflicted with what I was going to do. "Hold on Sergeant. I'll get you out of there" Her cockpit seems to have sustained heavy damage. The lid had been cut open by a sword so it was physically impossible for the pilot to eject. If I pull out from where it was cut then it should be alright. (Brrrr…) There, it's open. Marimo's there too. She's wounded on the stomach but nothing too serious. I should get back soon. My TSF doesn't have that much energy left and enemy reinforcements can't be far now.

"To the U.N. Army Commander…" Huh? That's voice… "I am Sagiri Naoya of the Imperial Mainland Defense, 1st Division, 1st TSF Armored Battalion" It is! It's really him! "Cease all combat operations immediately. We have no intention of fighting… I repeat: we have no intention of fighting. The unit stationed here acted against my orders and the commander has paid the price for it"

The commander? Does he mean that guy I just… killed?

"We have our reasons to rebel, and now we stand on opposing sides. But we do not desire conflict. (…!) We have come for Her Highness, who you have taken from this is belated, I propose a sixty minutes ceasefire between us starting immediately. I swear on the honor of Her Highness Kobuin Yuuhi, we shall keep our word"

The one hour ceasefire… again?

"However… I would also like you to take this time to consider your options well. Your actions is alone is unacceptable to our country, interfering in our affairs. Use this time to consider it and take the most realistic action possible. (…) I will call you again on all channels in sixty minutes. If you do not answer, we intend to use all means at our disposal to control the situation. Do not forget that. Sagiri out"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

I remained silent along the way to the museum. The enemy wouldn't attack us… for as long as Naoya was calling the shots here. As far as I know, everyone in the rebel army respects him and follows his ideals down to their own deaths. But… right now my mind was more conflicted with what just happened. That man who I fought with earlier… he… I… I killed him. But he refused to eject. I thought that if I hit one of his core structures, he would be forced to come out and surrender. But instead he… he chose to die. No… it still doesn't change the fact that I was the one who landed the killing blow.

What he said also bothered me. He called himself a coward. As far as I know… he didn't seem all that afraid to face me. He knew from the earlier battles that I was already an excellent Eishi… yet he…

Brrrr…

Huh? What the? My controls… they're dying out? No way! Ah damn it! My energy supply! I must've used them up when I overcharged my boosters.

"Shrogane? What's going on?" Marimo called out to me. I didn't have time to open my cockpit so I carried her out by hand. She must've figured that something was wrong when I stopped completely.

"My energy supply just ran out. Hold on. I'll get some help" Hopefully my short range transmitter isn't affected by the power lost. "This is 06 calling all units in Squad 207. Is anyone hearing this?"

"01 here. What's your status?" Ah Class rep. You can always trust her to be ready to respond to an emergency broadcast.

"We're fine. I was able to rescue 00 but my Fubuki is drained. We'll need another rescue. (Understood) Can you send Mikoto too? The Sergeant got injured in the fight"

"Roger. I'll send 03 there right now. Major Walken and his group just arrived as well. He's asking all team leaders to report to him once you've arrive"

"Understood, we'll be here" Haaaa… at least now we won't have to worry about being attacked. Even they aren't dumb enough to come charging straight into the city. Well… no point hanging in here. I'd better get out while I still can.

Oh boy… it looks like my TSF also took some hits during the fight. The head looks scratched up and the body had a few holes on it. Luckily, it wasn't anything serious. Sorry there big guy. Looks like I really pushed you through your limits. But you really came through for me, even in this time loop. I'm really grateful to have you around. No Eishi could ask for a better TSF.

Anyway I should probably tend to Marimo chan. She's still there sitting on the hands of my Fubuki groaning in some measure of pain. "Instructor, how are you feeling?"

"It's nothing serious" She answered smiling. "Some shrapnel punched through my suit and punctured some of its systems. I already applied some painkillers so don't worry about it"

Yeah right… "Of course I have to worry about it. It won't be good for you if you keep bleeding like that. Wait here, I think I still have a few rolls of bandages left" Yup there's still two rolls left. Luckily I kept them in my suit pockets just in case of emergencies. "Alright, lift up your hands and let me see that wound" She reluctantly moved her bloody palms away and showed me the cut. That doesn't look like your every day wound. There was a large piece of metal sticking out of her stomach. Leave it like that and it'll definitely be a problem.

"It doesn't look good, does it?" She asked wearily. Her sweating face can easily be read.

"There's a large piece of metal stuck there" I explained to her honestly. "If left alone any longer, it could sink into your stomach and damage your internal organs. I… lost my First Aid kit in the fight so I'll have to remove it by force"

"Don't bother. We can simply wait for the others and… ugh…!" Does she think I'm stupid? She only applied the sedatives only a few minutes ago, so it won't work immediately.

"There's no telling how long it'll take for them to reach us. We have to remove it now or risking your condition getting worse"

"And how do you intend to do that?"

"By hand… (…?) I know it's not the proper procedure but if we leave that shrapnel where it is, it could puncture your kidney or even hit your spine!" Marimo seems to understand the situation and finally decided to cooperate.

"Alright… what do you need me to do?"

"Relax a bit and sit up straight. Try not to look at the wound either or you might go into shock" I allowed her to sit back on the thumb of my TSF and looked up to the sky to avoid looking at the wound. There's a lot of blood coming out of her. If I don't close it now, she might faint from blood loss. "Alright, I added some extra sedatives from your suit. I'll pull it out now… here goes"

Marimo bit her lips together to bare the pain. She groaned and screamed silently a few times as I slowly pulled that sharp piece from the side of her bellybutton. The feeling of her skin and blood was mixed on my hand. After a few seconds, the object was forcefully removed. Judging from the material and the silicon wires attached to it I think this must be a part of her cockpit.

I tossed that thing away and got right on bandaging her. The cut was about the size of three of my fingers so it can be pretty dangerous to leave it like that. After about two minutes, I emptied both rolls of my bandages and tied them up tightly to prevent infection.

"How are you feeling now?"

"M… much better now" She said through pants of breaths. "The painkillers are finally kicking in so I can hardly feel anything. (Thank goodness) Heh… it's strange. (Huh?) We were actually sent here to save you, but it turns out that it was you who came to save me"

"Hey it's no problem. Take it as thanks for everything you taught me till now. (Hahaha…) Hehehehe. Can you stand?"

"Yes. It doesn't hurt anymore" And right on time, Mikoto made her appearance. "Looks like she made it"

"This is 03 I've spotted them"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Mikoto took us back to the museum where I met Major Walken and the others. They had turned that small building into a mini Command Post with various equipments stored inside. All forms of electronic communications were at risk of being intercepted by the enemy so we had to rely on what we were given.

It was then the gang briefed me on the situation at hand. The U.N.-U.S-Imperial Army was massing for an attack but due to so many defectors they had to resort into gathering what was left of their divisions in far off provinces. The main bulk of the army will push through the enemy defense lines and relieve us within three hours time. It sounded like it involved a lot of luck to me.

I brought Marimo to the command post and laid her down in the ruined museum. There were a few of us just like before… in my last loop. The museum was a well built structure so it should hold if it took a few hits.

"Sergeant…" Hmm? Ah… it's the major. "How's your wound?"

"Nothing critical. I am still fit for combat, sir"

"Good. Because we will need every pair of hands available" Strange… was the major always been this tall? "You there, soldier"

"Huh? Uh… yes sir" I saluted in reply.

"Are you the unit in charge of protecting Her Highness? (Yes sir) Name and rank"

"Huh? Well… Eishi Cadet 1st Class, Shirogane Takeru, sir. (A Cadet?) Yes sir. I'm part of Squad 207 under Sergeant Jinguugi"

"Strange… I was told that an officer was escorting her" An officer? Does he still mean me? "Regardless. You've done well to hold the enemy this long. But right now we must assess the situation. It seems that High Command was right about a leak in our intelligence. To have the insurgent leader appear right here in front of us proves that someone has been directly feeding the enemy intel"

I backed away and allowed Marimo to speak. "We were thinking this whole time that we were baiting the enemy when they purposely drove us out"

"Indeed. And they even suggested a ceasefire which means they think that there's no risk. It seems almost unnatural"

"With all active wireless communication blocked, we can only guess the state of affairs behind us" Oh? Tsukuyomi is here too. I thought she'd be with the Shogun. "They've completely encircled Susono with all their forces so they have no need to be anywhere else"

"True. They'd be wasting manpower anywhere else. And since our forces were crushed at Atsugi, reinforcements will be delayed. (…) We will need to hold the city for three hours with the limited resources we've been given. (sigh) It won't be easy… and considering the fact they announced this sixty minutes ceasefire" He's probably suspicious of everything like he did in my previous loop. "They may try to kidnap the Shogun using infantry instead"

Marimo stood up. "I know I cannot prove this, Major, but I believe they will uphold their sixty minutes ceasefire. (Hmm?) Members of the Imperial Army promised on Her Highness's name. Changing their minds now is virtually unthinkable"

"I agree with the sergeant" Tsukuyomi added taking my instructor's side. "These men and women have risen up out of lamentation of Her Highness. They would not dare shame what they worked so hard to achieve"

"Hmph… you believe the enemy to such an extent" I understand what the Major is saying. A foreigner would have a hard time believing or understanding Japanese honor but as a Japanese citizen I know instantly that Sagiri would keep his word. "Nonetheless, their stalling for time is convenient for us. That way we will only need to defend for two hours. But we should not take anything to chance. We will fortify our position around the temporary CP and prepare for an infantry attack just in case. My unit will cover the north and east. The 207th platoon will cover the west while the 19th Honor Guard unit will keep watch around the base. (Sir…) Also to keep the chain of command going, I request that all team leaders stay inside until we confirmed an enemy attack"

I guess that's also understandable. Having our officers in the base can safely assure that we'll still have order in case of an attack. Besides, Marimo lost her TSF in the last fight too. An Eishi without a machine to pilot is just another foot soldier.

Guard duty… again. Somehow this situation kind of reminds me of my previous loop when our whole detachment was ambushed by Naoya's men. I was panicky and always thinking of the worst case scenario. I even went as far as suspecting Ayamine to be the source of the information leak. (Flash) Ayamine… I wonder how she's doing. She didn't seem all that complacent when we were given this assignment. She's probably conflicted about her ex-fiancé out there and everyone around her. Hell… even I would be confused…

Class rep should be holding fine with her father safe and sound but her situation also appears to be conflicted with her emotions. She can probably handle the stress of the battle but considering that this is her first battle… things tend to go wrong.

Tama should be doing well. She's off guarding the south passage near the hotel where the old lady once lived. Tama's dad was the one who proposed and forced the Japanese government to accept U.N. support so he's probably taking all the political heat at the moment. He's also the one responsible for accepting the U.S. Army into our system as well.

Mikoto should be alright. Even though she now knows what her father is really doing she won't let it affect her work. Right now she's working with Marimo and the other American soldiers setting up our defenses. Mikoto's strong. She'll pull through… just like she pulled through being imprisoned for four whole days.

As for Meiya… well… like her sister… she's probably confused on how to react. She personally volunteered patrolling the farthest part of the city saying that she was the most agile out of all of us but I'm sure she just wanted to stay as far away as possible from Yuuhi. God… how hard is it for those two to understand? Meiya wants to be with Yuuhi again and it's obvious that Yuuhi wants to be with Meiya again! Why can't they just be together like regular sisters and be happy? Has Japan become a place where happiness has been branded a taboo?

And this rebellion… the whole cause of this whole misery is the one that ticks me off the most! People killing each other for ideals while all of humanity is at stake? Where's the logic in that? The United Nations the Japanese Government, the American Army and the rebels! They're so self absorbed in fighting for what's left of the earth that they don't even realize they might be fighting for a world that may no longer exist in the future. If only there was some way to bring them together, unite mankind together, the BETAs would never stand a chance.

Arghhhh! Just thinking about it pisses me off. This is ridiculous. I need to calm down a bit. Maybe a little break in that old coffee shop will cool me down.

Hmm… patrol point doesn't seem to have that many roads so I stay here I should have no problem whatsoever.

Tap…

…!

"Who's there!-?" I yelled out the moment I heard a piece of pebble shifted in the silent night. My soldier instincts kicked in and immediately I drew out my sidearm in the direction where I heard the sound.

"W… wait don't shoot! It's only me" Huh? That voice… is that…?

"Mikoto?" The blue haired girl came out in the open with her hands raised. "Geez, don't scare me like that. If it wasn't for the gun's safety I probably would've fired a warning shot already"

"Sorry, sorry. I was just thinking too hard and got distracted"

"Alright then. So what is it? (Hmm?) You obviously came here looking for me so I guess you have something to tell me"

"Ah… well not really" She answered looking strangely cheerful. "I was kind of wondering if you were doing alright. (Huh?) Since you were tasked with protecting the Shogun and all, you must've been in a lot of pressure. (Yeah… I guess) I was really worried but seeing you here makes me feel a lot better. Ahahahaha" Ok… that smile, that laugh… I can pass it like it was made out of air. The girl must be forcing it all out.

"Are you feeling alright?" I asked raising a brow. "You sound oddly perky. You don't need to force it out, you know"

"I… I'm not"

"You look as if you just swallowed a whole bottle of antidepressants"

"Hey! That's rude Takeru! I'm always acting this way when I'm around you"

"Then you'd best leave. (Huh?) Since you can't be yourself around me, its best if you stayed at the command post. You won't be able to rest otherwise. (…-_-…) Well if you have nothing, I'll be off"

But she grabbed my arm before I could take another step out of that shop. "W… wait. Don't go. Since I'm here already. Why don't we talk a bit?"

"If you promise not to force yourself. (O… ok…) Good. I'm a bit tired myself. I only had an hour rest since I left Hakone and not really a lot of time since I arrived here so I'll be a little annoyed. (Y… yeah) Hey don't worry about it. You're tired and in a tough situation so it's ok to be nervous. Come on take a seat"

"…" Mikoto finally dropped that smile of hers and sat on the chair opposite of mine. "… -_- …" She was quiet. Frighteningly quiet if you asked me. I guess being surrounded by enemies was stressing her out.

"If you're tired, you should get some rest"

"Y… yeah" She stuttered, her hands suddenly finding their way to her overcoat. "But you know… Takeru… I thought you'd be more tired than I am since I figured that that you were the one protecting Her Highness. So I thought I'd cheer you up a bit"

"Hey now, you give me too much credit"

"But you were amazing. When we saw the city being attacked from above, we really thought you were a goner. But you looked really cool fighting those guys on your own. I almost felt like I was watching a movie. (Ahehehe) Not only that… but I think things would be a lot worse if you weren't around"

"What makes you say that?"

"Well… it's just something about you that calms me down. Just knowing you're and all that scary stuff doesn't seem so scary anymore"

"Heh… well if I can keep you calm… then that's fine by me. But don't rely too much on me. Otherwise I won't be able to laze around all day"

"Hahaha… that does sound like you Takeru. But right now I'm also worried about Her Highness"

"You mean Yuu—er I mean, the Shogun?"

"Yeah…" Mikoto made a sulky face. "I heard from Sergeant Jinguuji that she hasn't been sleeping at all since the coup began. She must be worried about her people. (…) Right now the Honor Guards are taking care of her so I don't think we need to worry"

"She'll hold. She's the Shogun after all" That girl is a lot tougher than she gives. Though stubborn like her sister… she can be very selfish and demanding at times.

"She even said that she would be bringing these two kids along too" Kids? Oh she must mean Rin and Eiko. "As expected, she treats everyone equally. Neh? (Yeah…) Ahahaha… thanks… Takeru"

"Hey, now what's that for?"

"For everything" Huh? What does she mean by that? "The others probably won't admit this but, you're kind of dependable. Your skills and knowledge were amazing ever since you got to the training school. Your new OS also gives us a lot of hope" Uuuu… don't bring that up. I'm only this good because I had more time training and combat experience from my other loops. "Your seriousness also calms me down. Like an adult or something. (…) Ahaha… I think that everyone in the squad feel the same way"

"Hehe… you think so?"

"Ahaha… I feel like I'm in one of those military dramas. After a scene like this, one of us is supposed to die"

"Hey now. Don't say things like that or you'll jinx yourself"

"Ahaha… that's true" There it is… that's the smile… the laugh that Mikoto normally gives. No faceless act, no forcing it out. Just your typical regular laugh. "Ah well… I have to get back soon. I still need to recalibrate the motion sensors around the base"

"Yeah… see ya… take care"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Haaa… this strange eerie silence really is really getting to me. A few minutes ago all I could hear were gunshots and explosions… now it was all just dead quiet. It's like that battle with the rebels didn't even happen. I looked up… to the stars and saw the boundless, endless space. If it weren't for the BETAs I'd probably say that space wouldn't be a bad place to live in.

"Takeru?" Bwahh!

"C… Class rep?" I pulled out my gun from its holster out of instincts. "Geez! Don't scare me like that! You nearly gave me a heart attack!"

She gave me an annoyed face. "As a guard, you should be on alert at all times. You're lucky. If I was an enemy, you wouldn't be standing there. (Guuuu…) It's alright for you to daydream in class since you do that every time but could you not do that when we're out here?"

"Ah… and… Hey! Speaking of guarding… shouldn't you be at your post about now?"

She waved me off. "I already finished my shift. One of the American Eishis is taking over for me"

"Ok… so why are you here?" I asked lowering my gun. "You could take this time to rest up, you know?"

"Already had my share of nutrients and stims so it should keep me awake for another six hours" Grrrr… this girl has an answer for everything, doesn't she. "Anyway, I wanted to check up on you. (Huh?) I thought you'd be hungry at a time like this so brought something for you" Ooooh! Rations? (Grumble) Guuu… my stomach reacted upon it. Now that she mentioned it, I didn't exactly had the chance to finish my meal when we arrived here and I had to share mine with Rin, Eiko and Yuuhi. "Ahaha… I knew you'd be hungry. It came along with the supplies so Sergeant Jinguuji ordered me to distribute it to everyone"

"Ah… so that's why you're out here"

"Pretty much. You're the last one out here after all" She placed the small container on the table and turned away. "Well that's it. I should head back now"

I stopped her. "Wait, Class rep. (Hmm?) Wanna eat with me? (Ha?) Having a meal alone is boring. Mind keeping company for a moment?"

She seemed hesitant for a moment but agreed to it eventually. "Alright, but only because you asked me to"

We both took our respective seats in that old destroyed café and ate our separate meals. Class rep seems to be doing well to be that cheerful. Her dad is alive now so she should be happy but… why do I have the feeling that a part of her was conflicted by it. Is it because her dad was the Prime Minister and he was holding out on the people? Perhaps he too played a small part in this coup. After all… Naoya was blaming that the government was becoming ineffective.

"Say… Class rep. (Hmm?) Your dad is the prime minister of Japan, right? (Yeah… that's right) What's he like? (Ha?) I mean as a person. I mean since he's your dad I'm sure you know him better than anyone" In my world I've only seen Chizuru's mom but never her father.

"Well… you could say that he's you average man" Average? You would call a man who runs the government of a country 'average'? I wonder what it would take for her to say 'unique'. "He's stubborn, prideful and a workaholic. But other than holding a position in the office, there's nothing special about him"

"I… I see…" It seems like her family is a sensitive topic. I don't want to delve into something I'm not supposed to. If there's anything I know in life in all the loops I've been, is to never interfere with other people's problems unless it involves you or someone close to you. Right now… her relation with her father doesn't have to do anything with me. "But if your dad is the government then why are you in the U.N. Armed force? (…) If that was the case, wouldn't you have received an exemption from draft?"

Class rep shifted in her seat with her eyes darting away from me. Perhaps I shouldn't have asked that. "It's… complicated. (Eh?) There are a lot of things that are involved in it. You wouldn't understand it"

"Ah… that's ok. I didn't really mean to pry… I just wanted something that we can both talk to kill the time. If you don't want to talk about it, that's fine with me"

"I don't know much about my father but I remain in contact with him until a few years ago" Huh? She remained in contact? "Back then I used to write him letters all the time. Soldiers like us get to send letters once in awhile to keep in touch with those outside of the base"

"Oh? What did you write about?"

"The usual things. How I was doing, my team and telling him that there's nothing to worry"

"Then… why did you stop?"

"I don't think he ever received them since he never wrote back to me… or perhaps he didn't want to write back at all. (…) I stopped trying afterwards to focus with my training. So other than seeing him on TV… I don't know anything else"

"Oh…" So Class rep hasn't spoken to her dad ever since she enlisted. It must be rough but I guess still cares somewhere deep inside. After all… if she didn't care then she wouldn't have gone to his funeral back in my last loop. "Sorry…"

"Don't be. It's just a little distraction after all" How can she put on that smile knowing that it pained her just to say that? "Anyway I should get back. I wouldn't want to be a slack like you. (Hey!) Ahahaha…" Geez… that Class rep. Even now she hasn't changed a single bit… heh… (Flash) Always thinking that she could hold all her problems on her own. It's alright to rely on others too you know.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Haaa… a little break will do me some good. I thought I'd be a lot more nervous being surrounded by enemies but somehow I feel pretty calm. Back then I had a hard time just trying to stay still. Heh… what a headless chicken I must've looked to everyone. It's only been twenty minutes. I have time to rest a bit…

"Takeru san?"

"GWAHH! (Ehh?) T… Tama?" I fell off my chair when she called out my name so suddenly. "D… don't do that! Are you trying to surprise me?"

"N n n n n… no! Of course not! I was worried about you so I came to check"

"Geez…" What is this? Are these girls ganging up to scare me? "How did you even find me? This place was supposed to be a hidden spot for me"

"I track your suit's ID" She explained so innocently. I completely forgot that we could see each other through our suits. "Sorry. I didn't mean to disturb you"

"That's ok…" I replied giving out a wheeze. "But don't surprise me next time, ok? (Kay…) So what is it? (Huh?) You were looking for me?"

"Ah… right. Well… um… nothing really. I was just worried about you Takeru san. (Huh?) Well… it's just that I uh… umm. (…?) Uh… never mind! I uh… I'll be going now! Thanks Takeru san!"

"Hey wait look out… (Bonk!) (Crash…!) (Ungaa!) … for that shelf" The poor girl was talking, bowing and walking at the same time and didn't even see that coming. Oooh… that must've hurt. "You ok?"

"Uunnngaaaa~~" I'll take that as a no. "My head hurts" Considering her size and that shelf, I'd stay the spot is dead on. "Owie owie owie…"

"Don't run around like that. Come here" I placed a small chunk of snow on her head and let the bruise go down. "There, all better" Not first class treatment but it'll do.

"You're amazing Takeru san"

"Huh? This? This is nothing compared to what Mikoto can do with a single piece of cloth"

"No… not that. I meant you. (Huh?) You're really incredible. Even when you were pressured with protecting Her Highness against so many enemies, you held them out. We saw how you were fighting from the planes"

"Oh yeah. You guys dropped here from those aircrafts, didn't you? (Yeah) How did it feel to be dropped like that? I've never had any simulation on being airdropped before" Well… I've been dropped from orbit on the XG-70 before but that's different.

"It was scary at first but most of the controls were done by the computer. We just dropped and the boosters did the rest. (Hmm…) Imagine yourself being dropped from 30000 feet above the ground and then trying to slow yourself down upon impact"

"That's… pretty hard to imagine" I replied, picturing myself falling from a plane with nothing but a parachute to save me.

"But dropping down from that was incomparable to what you did Takeru san. (Hmm?) We saw it. The Major even said that your plan was clever. Luring large numbers of enemies in one location and then destroying them all in a single shot of your 120mm while standing in air between two tall buildings"

"Ahehehe… well they didn't leave me any options. I had most of the advantage myself. There were a lot of buildings so they didn't have a lot of places to maneuver and they were pretty much beaten up when I got to them"

"Still… I'd say you were incredible"

"Ah come on stop it. You're embarrassing me" Getting compliments and praises isn't something I'm used to… even now.

"But you know… I met one of the American officers a few minutes ago" One of Walken's men? "Her name was umm… Irma… Irma Tes… Irma Thes…luf?"

(Flash) A picture of the officer appeared in my mind. "Irma Thesleff?"

"Yeah that's the one! You know her Takeru san?"

"No… I don't" In fact… I barely even remember her name. (Flash) But yet… why do I get the feeling that I should know her? (Flash) Blonde hair, blue eyes and an athletic body. I'm sure I've never met her before until my last loop. (Flash) But why do I see remember seeing her next to Marimo chan and… everyone? And why is she with me in a steam bath? And… Lt. Piatif? Ugh… my mind is hurting the more I think about it.

"Takeru san?"

"Ah… sorry. Just a little headache. I haven't had much sleep since we left Hakone. Anyway, you were talking about Irma?"

"Yeah. She's really nice. I thought that she was an American at first but she's originally from Finland" Finland? I thought most of Europe was overrun by the BETAs during the first years of the war. "She said that her father died protecting his country from the BETAs and that she had to join to the army to get her family into the United States"

"Oh yeah. It's one of the only few ways for refugees to be accepted into America" I can understand it well. America is a powerful nation but even it has its limits. With the influx of refugees flooding all over the world, they could only sustain a few million people at a time. I heard that even Japan has a number of foreign refugees as well.

Refugees are treated like third rate people. Separated into districts with less food, no medical treatment and shelters are mostly nonexistent. All of them routed through labor camps around the countryside. The only way a family can get out of there is to serve the country that shelters them. If a single member of a family serves in labor force or in the army and gets discharged, that person gets full citizenship and is granted the privileges of that country.

"You know of it Takeru san?"

"I read about it somewhere"

"But she's great though. Her dream is to one day retake Finland and rebuild her home country. And then she'd make a grave for her father and build a house next to it. She even wants to stay in the army after she gets discharged. (Really?) Yeah. Oh and did you know that my name in Finland actually belongs to a boy?"

"Is that so?" A boy's name huh? "Let's see… Miki… Mi-ki… Mike? Mi-ke~~ Mmmmeeeeeekkkkeeee"

"Uuuu… the way you say it sounds weird Takeru san"

"Yeah, well you can't help but try to sound it right" I let out a laugh.

"Buuuu… (Eh?) I'm really proud of her. Buuu…" H… hey wait a second. Why the hell are you crying? "Even with her country is gone… she's still fighting. Fighting for her dead father. (sob) She's so dedicated and so determined that she even promised me to take me around her place when we beat the BETAs out of Europe! Guuu!"

"Hey… hey! Wait… why are you crying all over me?"

"She's so amazing. (Sniff) She's in danger here but she has time to worry about me and even tried to cheer me up" Yeah… that alone makes her amazing, I'll admit. "Even though her country is gone… she's still fighting for her family and her dead father. She's doing everything she can… to take it all back. And yet… papa… it's possible that my papa might be the reason why she's here" Well technically that's true. Tama's dad was the one who proposed that the U.N. Base accept the American Army but only because the situation called for it. "What if the coup d'etat had something to do with what papa did and the… American Army here?"

"Whoa… hey now, don't go jumping to conclusions!" Technically it's no one's fault. The only ones that are to blame are the real scriptwriters of this whole rebellion. The ALTERNATIVE V supporters. They're the ones masquerading this whole event to make it look like a civil war to further their plans in completing the migrant fleet.

"But what if it's true?" Geez. Now Tama's panicking at the worst possible time. "If it's true then all the lives that have been lost are because of…"

"Stop right there! No more out of you!" I barked out at last. "If you keep thinking like that you'll never win. (Eh?) Everything you say are merely speculation" Though most of it are right. "You can't be sure of anything unless you've seen it with your own eyes. You're just stressing out because of the situation right now. You've been chased, shot at and now surrounded by enemies so it's impossible for you not to be worried. But if you can't calm down, you're gonna get yourself or maybe even someone killed!"

"…" And stop crying! You're making me look like a bully here, you know?

"If you die, the whole squad might just collapse… and if that happens, how are you ever going to fulfill your promise with the Lieutenant? (…) Haaa… if you can understand this much, then focus on surviving first. Once we get back to base you can ask your dad about it, ok?

"Y… yes… I understand"

"Hey… we're all tired so I understand what you're going through. But right now we need you to focus on here and now. (H… hai) Good. Now… it's best you get back to your post or else Marimo chan will chew your ears up good"

"Ah… haha… yeah… she'd probably do that. Thank you… Takeru san"

"Anytime. Just live through this and we'll call it even"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Ahh crap. This is getting us nowhere. Back in my last loop I was the one who visited the girls now they're the ones visiting me. Even the smaller details were changing. If this was a game, I'd probably have a list of option presented to me in bold letters suggesting what to do next. If I had to go all the way in explaining this situation… I guess you could say I am in some kind of game. A big game of life and death that sent me to a parallel world with only one 'save point'. Hahaha… wow… just thinking about that makes me sad…

Ah well… thinking about it won't get me anywhere. More importantly this coldness is really getting to me. I need to take a leak.

Hmmm hmm… hmm hmm… hum hum… hummmm… hmmm…

Zip…

"So bold…" BWAHHHH!

"A… Ayamine? Is that you? (Hnn…) D… don't move from that spot! I'm… uh… a little busy at the moment so just… stay there!" Sheesh… that girl was so quiet I didn't even notice her come up close. I'd better finish my business before meeting up with her.

Zip…

"You done?" Grrrr… she's definitely messing with me.

"I'm gonna pretend I didn't hear that"

"You can go back and finish if you want" What the hell is she picturing in that god ridden brain of hers? "Hmm… pervert" Gahh! In which part was that private business of mine, perverted!-? Gahh! Just listening to her makes me want to just jump off a cliff and hang myself.

"Soo… why are you here?"

"Random whim" Hey now! You came all the way out here just to say you felt like it? "Bye bye…"

"Don't leave without saying anything you dumbo! (…?)" Ah… crud. I'm so overly stressed that I went out and yelled at her. "Sorry. I'm just… not in the mood for one of your loop conversations. (…) Come on… sit down with me and have a drink" I offered her what was left of my tea in return. "Sorry if I don't have yakisoba with me. They don't exactly provide that kind of stuff to the frontline soldiers. (Hnn…) So… are you going to tell me why you're here?" Since she's not in her post, someone else must be guarding for her. Even Ayamine isn't that ignorant to keep her section unguarded.

"Dunno…" She replied. "You don't like company?"

"It's not that I don't like company, it's just that… sometimes people need a reason"

"Shirogane… idiot" Hmm… I guess I can relate to Ayamine's stress. Seeing that her ex-fiancé appeared right in front of her she's having a conflicting moment on what to do. Back then I suspected her to be the mole in our ranks and got her pissed off at me. But I know now that Kei wouldn't betray her comrades… even for a former lover. (Flash) Even in this world she has a complicated relationship with Naoya.

"Haaaa…" I breathed out a sigh. I really wanted to end this coup d'état scenario with the least amount of casualties but Yuuko sensei had to go and ruin everything. What did she intend to do when she sent me up here?

"So… unshaken" Hmm? "Shirogane… are you not scared?"

"Huh? Well a little bit yeah"

"You don't look it" Well unlike them I've had life-threatening situations before. "Very suspicious"

"Hey don't go implying things" I said to her in a mock tone. "I could say the same for you. But you're pretty hard to read anyway. (…) Hmm?" What the? Her expression changed for a second there. "I didn't know you could make that face. (…!) Aha! Victory is mine! Kei has a cute side to her. She made such a doting face that I almost couldn't recognize! (Hmph…!) Hey don't get angry. You dropped your guard so it's ok to show how tired you are"

"Haaa…"

"Hey… don't tell me you came all this way just to see if I was doing alright"

"What makes you say that?"

"Well you're not the first one" Heh… pretty much everyone except Meiya came to visit me. "The others already came by to cheer me up though I did tell them to get some rest"

"How is… Her Highness?"

"Hmm? The Shogun? She's fine. A little tired from all the fighting but she'll pull through" I guess it's natural for any Japanese to worry about the Shogun. Yuuhi is after all, highly respected not only by the soldiers but by every citizen of Japan.

"Hmmm…" What is she doing now? "Idiot…"

Stab!

"W… what the hell is that suppose to mean?" She's smiling. She just called me an idiot yet she's smiling. "Do you take pleasure in annoying me? (Yes…) Gwah!" Instant reply. "You really enjoy tormenting others, don't you?"

"You just realized that?" I know that Ayamine can be a pain for Class rep but does she have to do me as well? Haaa… but you know… despite her teasing atmosphere I can tell that this was all just an act. She's probably just trying to hide all that trouble inside of her using her usual cockiness and annoyance to cover it. She's usually good at hiding her feelings since that was pretty much her natural way of doing things but now… it seems like her stress has made a crack in her mask.

"So… are you going to tell me why you're really here? (Hmm?)" She feigned ignorance. "Listen. As much as I want to play a game of loop conversations with you, I'm too tired to go on. (…) I know you're exhausted from all the fighting but be a little considerate on how I'm feeling too. (… sorry…) Well as long as you won't tease me until we get back to base" I laid down on the bench area gazing back at her. "So… how does it feel to be out on the battlefield for the first time?"

"It's… strange…" I'll take that as Ayamine's version of scary. "Everyone's feeling anxious"

"Well what did you expect? Everyone here is probably scared to death. We have enemies on all sides, we're cornered and we don't have much of a clue if reinforcements will be able to reach us in time. I think it's justified to say that we're in a deep pickle here"

"What about you? Why aren't you scared?"

"That's because I know how to keep myself calm"

"… you had fights before?"

"Well…" In all truths, before I came into this world the only combat experience I had was with Sumika. Her Drill Milky (Way) Punch has enough power to send me flying but I doubt you could call that a fight. Well… there was also this one time when my dad sent me to that dojo which I quit after a week of training. "I've had my share of friendly fights before"

"Hmm… a natural response"

Oh come on! "Anyway, what about you? Have you ever fought be—Hm? (Beep)" A transmission from Marimo?

"This is 00 to all units. Our guard duty has just ended. Return to base immediately. (Huh?) The Commander has come up with a contingency plan and wishes to share it with everyone. Report back to base as soon as possible!"

A contingency plan? I thought the plan was to hold this city until reinforcements arrive? Ah well, what else is there to do?

"Ayamine, let's go…"


	16. The Red December Part 6

**Chapter 16: The Red December (Part 6)**

**(Takeru's POV) (Mt. Fuji Museum)**

We arrived at the museum in about five minutes or so along with the rest of the company. Our guard duty was a lot shorter than I expected. Usually they wouldn't call us in until the last minute. I can see Major Walken and his men and Tsukuyomi and her subordinates except for Ebisu. She must be with Yuuhi at the strong room.

"Squad 207 has assembled" Class rep announced in her professional tone.

Marimo nodded to us before returning to speak with the Major. It looks like the wound on her stomach isn't improving either. Everyone appears to be assembled so that means they must be planning on something big.

A few minutes later she approached us. "Alright, listen up, all of you. I know that was more than you expected but the situation doesn't seem to have lightened. (…) Since it's inevitable that we will be facing off with the coup d'état forces, I want you all prepared for anything. That means setting up defenses around the perimeter that we've created. (Ma'am!)" A map of the city appeared on my headset as she spoke. "Sakaki, Ayamine, Mitsurugi. I want the three of you taking on ground offensive at the center most of our formation protecting the west entrance. No one is to break through. Understood?"

"Ma'am!" The three of them saluted in unison.

"Tamase. You will take on sniping position at the center covering as a secondary defense line. (Ma'am!) Yoroi and I will remain here as a final line of defense along with the Major. (Yes ma'am!) Shirogane" I stood up at attention when my name was called. "Is your TSF still operational?"

"Yes ma'am. Though it's low on energy"

"Use one of the damage units scattered around and make all the necessary repairs. I want everyone to be at the best when the enemy strikes. (Yes ma'am)" Marimo took a sigh before continuing. Whatever their contingency plan was, it definitely wasn't something good. "I won't lie to you. There's a good chance that you may get shot and maybe even killed out there. But this is war and no one is exempted from facing the dangers it brings. (…) I will now brief you on our emergency contingency plan. Since our numbers are so few, there's a good chance that we may be beaten back. If our second defense line should fall to the enemy, the 19th Honor Guard unit will disembark and take Her Highness through the old sewer route"

"Huh?" Wait… sewer route? The same one that Rin and Eiko showed us?

"During the old reconstruction of Susono City, the sewers were redirected throughout the city. One block in particular leads directly behind enemy lines and into the lowlands of Shizuoka" Hmm… an exit route huh? It's risky considering that we won't be able to use our TSFs when we get to the other side. "Should the worst possible outcome occur, all remaining units will make a final stand here at the museum. Once we have confirmation that Her Highness is safely away, the rest of us will disembark and follow them to act as rearguard against enemy infantries"

A tactical withdrawal, with a backup plan to compensate for the losses. It sounds like something out of a movie or video game to me. There might even be a good chance that the enemy knows about that path too so they're leaving it as a last ditch option. The route that they have to take will be long and narrow… a straight arrow line leading directly to their destination with no twist or turns to provide cover.

"To prevent the enemy from pursuing we will collapse the passage behind us using explosives once all of us have crossed through"

"Why don't we just let Her Highness through the passage?" Class rep asked.

"The passage we're taking is long and extremely dangerous" The instructor reasoned. "We don't know the area well and the passage will take too long to scout ahead. There may also be a chance that the enemy knows of this sewer entrance as well so we won't use it unless absolutely necessary" So that's their plan. I guess this is to be expected since it's obvious that we'll be facing the enemy with full force. No more surprises, no more backup. Just survival… of the fittest. "If there are no more questions, I want you all to make all the necessary preparations for the oncoming assault. I expect the best from all of you. Dismiss"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Uuuuu… this waiting around is simply impossible. We're redoing the exact same thing all over again! If this keeps up, there's no doubt that Her Highness will call in for a negotiation and Meiya will probably try to be her double again. Ughhhh! Is there really nothing I can do? I came back in time to change history, not repeat it!

"Takeru, are you listening?" Huh? Oh… right, Mikoto…

"Sorry about" After the instructor gave us the details of the plan I asked Mikoto to help me fix up my Fubuki. Field repairs are often done with engineer teams but in situations like these the Eishis are required to know a few basic knowledge of their weapon. I can't fix any of the parts directly but I can at least fix my auto-targeting reticule and nerve systems. "I was thinking about something"

I was already on board my Fubuki and had Mikoto bring in one of the damaged enemy units that could provide a few spare parts and some energy. Even basic field repairs like these can be easy if a fellow pilot is helping out.

"That's ok. I already connected you to the damaged unit. How is it?"

Brrrr…

Quickly enough, I could see some lights slowly returning to my controls and my Fubuki was slowly coming back to life. "Yeah, the charge up procedure is working well. It shouldn't take more than a few minutes. (Ok…)" Haaa… setting up defenses, arming explosives, preparing for battle. This procedure seems all too familiar for me. I have to do something to change this… but what? Usually my memory of the future has all the necessary details to prevent this kind of disaster but right now I pretty much have no clue to what might happen.

"Hey Takeru… (Hmm?) Why don't you go and help Chizuru san set up the explosives? I can handle the rest here"

"You sure? It'll be hard controlling two TSFs at once even with the remote"

"Don't worry, all I need to do is get it to walk. She could probably use a hand down there"

"Alright. But call me if you're having any problems. The instructor might chew me up if she learned that I abandoned my post. (Yeah, yeah)" The sewer entrance that we were going to use for our contingency plan was built right behind the museum. It looked ideal for a last ditched defense plan and a good escape route.

"…"

Hmm? Who was that? I thought I heard a pair of voices nearby. Could it be… enemies? No… it couldn't be. But if that's the case then it might be worth investigating. I readied my sidearm just in case and turned on my flashlight.

_"This mission takes top priority… you know that"_

"Yes… but…"

Now I'm definitely sure there's someone there. I can hear two voices. One male and one female. They appear to be hiding in this alley for some secret meeting.

_"You remember the deal with the colonel. She dies and our families get full citizenship"_

"You don't even know if we'll live through this"

I can't understand the male voice but I can understand the female's voice. The guy's probably speaking English. I never really paid much attention in Marimo's class both in this world and my world.

_"I have a daughter waiting for me at home, Irma. Girls like her living in the labor camp can be dangerous. If it will get her and my wife out of that hell hole then I'm willing to die for it. You should understand how I feel. Your family is no worse for wears"_

"Yes… I know, Wesley"

_"Then do what you're told. Remain in contact in the same channel we've been using. I can't have you backing out on us now after what we've been through together. Do you have any idea how lucky we are? You know that there are plenty of other refugee soldiers who are willing to kill to have our luck! An early discharged! I'm telling you now, Irma, that this kind of opportunity won't come to you again! (…) If you falter now then we're both doomed. Now are you with me?"_

"… I… I don't…"

Tick… ah crap! I stepped on a piece of plastic.

_"Who's there!-?"_ Whoa, whoa! Hey… wait… those are American Eishi suits. _"Come out with your hands up, now!"_

"Wait Wesley!" the blonde haired woman lowered his gun down. "It's alright. It's only one of the cadets" I was right. They were the American Eishis. But what are they doing in a place like this. "Are you alright?" She was using her suit's translator so I can understand her. "Sorry about that. My partner is a little anxious with the whole situation"

"Ah… no it's alright. It was my fault for intruding" I bowed in apology. For some reason, I think I may have interrupted somewhat of a romantic moment. "It's just that I heard some strange noises so I came to investigate"

"I see. Well that's probably my partner barking as usual"

_"Irma, wait! This kid may have listened in on us!"_

"Shut up Wesley" Oh boy… they seem to be arguing. Maybe I dropped in at a bad time. "I'll handle this. Go and help the commander or something!" The guy looked pretty steamed when he took off with the gun still in hand. "That was unsightly… sorry about that"

"No it's ok. I should be the one apologizing" I bowed lowly in apology.

"Don't take his words too hard. He's rough on the outside but he has his reasons. Deep down he's a kind and gentle man" Oh… so maybe I was right. They must've been having a romantic moment just awhile ago before I interrupted. "But you… (Hmm?) Are you a member of Squad 207? (Yes…) Ah… then you must be Takeru Shirogane… ah… or is that Shirogane Takeru? I don't know which of those is the first name and last name. Sorry"

"Ah just Shirogane Takeru. Shirogane is my family name" That's right. In Japanese culture, our first names are given last. Unlike the western or European style which state their given names first.

"I see. I've heard a lot about you, Takeru san" Eh? She knows me? "Your squad mate Miki Tamase told me a lot about you. She called you the legendary rookie of the base. (Ahahaha) Hehehe. By the way, my name is Irma. Irma Thesleff, from Finland" Irma Thesleff? Ahh! This is the woman that Tama was telling me about. (Flash) Ugh… those images again. "You shouldn't be wandering around with the battle coming close at hand. (Yeah… sorry) Don't be. After all. Both of us are fighting for our very survival, aren't we?"

"Yeah. Sorry to suddenly pop in like that"

"I told you, its fine. I'll tell Wesley that you didn't mean anything bad"

"Thank you. But if I may ask… what were you two talking about? It sounded pretty serious (…!) Is it something I shouldn't ask?"

"Ah… no. It's just that… it's rather private" Guuu… I really did drop on a romantic moment. Sorry Ms. Thesleff. I'll make amends on this somehow. "Well if that's all then I'd better follow him or he'll never let me hear the end of it"

"Ah! Wait Lt. Thesleff. (Hmm?) I just wanted to thank you. (Huh?) For cheering up Tama for me. Even after everything that's happened. You helped her out just a little bit"

"…" Huh? Her smiling face suddenly dropped. "Oh… that… it was nothing. I didn't really do much. I just thought that I'd talk with some of you cadets. Tell her to keep smiling more often. This world could use someone like her"

"Yeah… I will…" (Flash!) Aghh! What the? What am I remembering?

_'Hunter 2! Why did you shoot!-?'_

Huh? Wait… what is this? Is that, Major Walken's voice I'm hearing? Why is he…?

_'Hunter 2! 2nd Lt. Thesleff, cease fire at once!'_

Wait… I remember this. (Flash!) Yes… in my last loop. She was the one taking up sniper position and then open fired at the rebels during the negotiation. But… why am I remembering this just now? Is it because I talked to her? Ugh… the images are becoming clearer in my head. It's as if I can relive that moment just a few seconds before everything went to hell. If only she didn't panic and accidentally shot the rebels… we could've ended the rebellion right then and there. (Flash) It… it was just an accident… right?

"Hey Wesley, wait up!" Irma went off, following the man that stormed out.

No… it couldn't be… she couldn't have done it… intentionally… could she?

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

I ran through my options and clues as I made my way back to the museum. Something isn't right here. I'm starting to remember the smaller pieces of that time when we were ambushed by Naoya in my last loop. The negotiations we did went well, surprisingly well and we would've gotten him if that shot never came. I always thought it to be because the pilot panicked during the negotiation and open fired but now… I'm starting to believe that something else was brewing.

If Yuuko or Yoroi's dad were here they'd probably say that all the event leading to the aftermath of that shot seemed all too convenient and I might actually have to agree with them. That shot… couldn't possibly be an accident. But if not… then why would Irma do it on purpose? She couldn't be… a supporter of the ALT V project. No… that's impossible seeing that she has no political influence whatsoever. But then again… it does explain a few things. (Flash) I remember seeing her a few times when we talked about the plans back in my previous loop but personally… I've never spoken to her until today.

Maybe I'm just thinking too hard. Maybe it was just an accident and I'm just taking it the wrong way. Gahh! But even so! I can't seem to get it out of my head. If she really is a supporter of ALT V then there's no doubt that she could be out to assassinate Her Highness! Those guys would like nothing more but to have Japan's defenses crumble under the thumb of the BETAs. Without the Shogun to rally them, the whole country will be steep in infighting for a very long time and without leadership… the Imperial Army will split into factions and begin fighting each other. Brr… just thinking about it makes my skin crawl.

But what can I do? I don't exactly have proof about this and I can't exactly tell everyone that I'm from the future or else they might think I'm crazy. I'm lucky enough just to have Yuuko sensei believing me in this. If it wasn't for her I don't think any of this would be possible. Hell… I don't know where I'd be if it wasn't for her. If she didn't believe me I would never have met with Marimo and the others again. I might even be left stranded for life in the old Hiiragi town.

Arghhhh! This is just so frustrating. I'd better go and help Class rep. Maybe she might know something.

"Shirogane Takeru…" Hmm? Who's that? "I've been looking for you…" Oh it's Ebisu. It must be someone else's turn to guard Yuuhi. "I see that you are working diligently on your task… the U.N. Army seems to be competent enough"

"Ah yeah… I was just about to help my team with some explosives"

"Cadet Sakaki has already completed her task and has returned to her post" Oh… Class rep's done already? That was fast considering how fragile the bombs were. "But it matters little. Come with me. (Huh?) Her Highness has summoned you. Be quick" Huh? Yuuhi's calling me? What could this be about?

**(Mt. Fuji Museum strong room)**

The strong room…

I was never able to visit Her Highness ever since Tsukuyomi arrived. The ventilation in this place was better than the basement of the hotel so it's easy for us to breathe. Deep inside, I saw a giant vault door where all the precious items of the museum were stored. Pendants, relics and fossil stones all found in Mt. Fuji were there.

Ebisu escorted me in and right in the corner of that room was the Shogun, sitting peacefully with Rin and Eiko sleeping peacefully on her lap. She looked like a big sister doting on her siblings or maybe even a mother at this point but I'll keep those comments to myself for now.

Tug…

Ow… what the? My head suddenly hurt for a second there.

"Your highness. I've returned with Shirogane Takeru" the blonde haired Honor Guard bowed politely to which Yuuhi returned in kind.

"You have done well. You may leave us now. (Hai…)" Ebisu turned and walked away leaving us alone. I kneeled down in respect but stopped when Yuuhi gave out a small chuckle. "You need not bow Shirogane. Such gestures do not befit your face" Uuuu… I guess she's right. Mannerism is pretty much my secondary concern in this situation. "Please, come and sit with me"

"Ah… ok then" I hesitantly sat next to the wall to which made Yuuhi raise a brow.

"What is the matter? Come closer. (…) Is there something wrong?"

"N… no your highness. It's just that…" Ugh… I can't even look at her directly in the face. "I… feel weird being around here after what I said to you"

"What you said to me? (…) Ah… fufufufu" She's laughing? "You mean the time when you scolded and lectured me back then? (Geh~) Fufufu… worry not. I hold no malice against you for that incident. I was perhaps… not in the best state of mind. The old lady's death… pained me more than I expected. Had you not yelled at me then, I would still be mourning for her lost"

"Ah… I see…" She then returned her hand to Eiko, who was now sleeping blissfully on the Shogun's lap. She still held her Doraemon doll close to her chest which made her look so adorable. "I see they've calmed down"

"Yes… despite all their youthful energies they're still humans. Fufufu… at some point I also envy them very much. Ignorant of the world… living, blissful and content lives. I almost feel jealous. They do not understand the true meaning of lost. Even when their grandmother passed away they shed only a few tears in sorrow. (…)"

"Sometimes… the only thing we can do is move on and cut our losses" It's true that losing those that you love will hinder you. I know that experience firsthand when Marimo was taken from me. I remember that painful feeling like it had been engraved on me for life. Her face and her voice becomes nothing more but a memory. Back then I had a hard time accepting it and thought that it would be better if I had died. But… after awhile I realized then that mourning for the dead will not bring them back. The only thing the living can do for the dead was move on.

"You speak wisely, Shirogane"

"No… it's just something my teachers taught me…"

"Your master must've been a wise person" Yeah… they all were. Each and every one of them.

"Oh by the way. How are your hands, your highness?"

She looked up to her bruised and bleeding knuckles which she quickly remembered. "They are well. Your bandages stopped the bleeding already. They still hurt but they're not as bad as it once was" Back then, Yuuhi was trying to pry the door of the basement hotel to retrieve the First Aid kit on the third floor. She got so annoyed that she punched the darn door out of anger. "You need not worry. Ebisu has already told me that they will heal in time"

"That's good. But don't do anything like that again your highness. It could—"

"Please. I already told you that you may use my name when we are alone. (Eh?-! Ah… well…) It is safe I assure you. In fact… I'd prefer it. (Guuu…) Does it bother you that much?"

"No… well… yes… but not in the way you're thinking. I kind of… It's just that… ugh… I can't even say it outright"

"I do not mind. But… anyway, Takeru. (Hmm?) I summoned you here for a reason. Tsukuyomi already informed me of the current situation and the contingency plan that they have prepared for me" Ah… I guess that's obvious since Her Highness doesn't like being kept in the dark. "Which is why I wanted to speak to you before the time comes" In other words… she's going to do the same thing she did back in the previous loop. (Flash) She's going to speak of her plans in negotiating with the rebels and then Meiya will interrupt and become her double one last time. Afterwards… well… I think it would be best if I didn't think about it.

"…hmm…" Eiko muttered in her sleep, wrapping her free hand on the Shogun's exosuit.

"I wish it would not have come to this" Yuuhi began, once more. "But because of my ignorance and incompetence, you have been dragged into this conflict. (…) Not just you but the Americans and the U.N. as well. It is all because I failed in my duties that so many lives are put into such risks. Had I been more alert, this would never have happened" No… that's not true. "The people could be using the resources wasted on this fight to be fighting our true enemies… the BETAs. Truly our country should be ashamed… all because of its pride and honor"

"I agree your highness" I answered. It seems like our logic was one of the few things we had in common. "But… I don't really understand it at all. (Hmm?) Well… in truth, I wasn't exactly raised in this Japan, so that's why I don't really know about all this honor and pride"

She nodded in confirmation. "I see. Tsukuyomi said as much about you. You were living off the mainland when you were very young and had only returned because the situation demanded it. It is an admirable performance. (Ahehe) If you must know. Japan has changed much in terms of culture ever since the 2nd World War many years ago. (…) Our history is based strongly on a single concept—Honor. That alone gave way to our code and our way of life. It is the worth of someone's life, the influence they hold and their seat in power. All our military actions and domestic… have all been linked tightly with it. The Japanese people of the old world consider honor to be more important than anything else"

"But don't you people still consider it to be the most important thing?"

"Yes… many of us still do. But as you can see there are also many who would consider honor to be nothing more than a nuisance. (…) Sometimes these two parties conflict with one another and it is then you understand that it is impossible to satisfy one group without upsetting the other. Such is the way of our race"

"But what is honor if you have nothing to show for it?" I asked. "It's not like we can continue living on like this. People are starving, dying and suffering because of it. And it's obvious that not all of us agree to this concept of honor. Is pride really worth the effort, even if it means that others suffer?"

"If you asked the emperor that… perhaps he may just agree. (…!) Do not be so quick to judge him so. You must also understand that he is ruling a nation. And one thing a ruler must have the pride of self governance. Without it… where would a country be?"

"But that's not how rulers are! (…?) Are you telling me that people should simply follow what their leaders tell them too? That what they are always right? I don't know what it's like to be a leader Yuuhi san, but I know they weren't put there just so they can tell people off!" (Flash) The image of the two Eishi pilots that I fought in the PX the other day came into my mind. It's because people like them are given power that the rest of mankind has to suffer for it. "I know I might sound strange to you right now but… do you mind hearing me off?"

"Please… go ahead. I do not mind"

"From where I came from there's a system where the people rely on. They elect leaders. Those who are capable, popular and well liked by the majority of that community. Like for example… the Prime Minister of Japan or the President of the United States"

"A system of voting, correct?" She inquired which I nodded. "That's a system we call democracy"

"Yes but I think you're not seeing the whole point. Don't you see? Rulers governing a country because of their own pride aren't rulers! They were put there to do a job, to lead, to be an example. They were put there to make sure that every citizen under their rule will have food on their table… a roof over their heads and protect them from whatever harm that comes by. That is what I believe, makes a true ruler. (…) Even if some people should hate them for their actions, they should carry that hatred with dignity. If a ruler will put the pride of his nation before his own people then he doesn't deserve to rule at all"

…

…

"You speak as if you wish to be a leader… to bring those ideals to fruition. (Sorry…) Do not be. I find that your ideals greatly oversights our own. (Huh?) I agree with you fully, Takeru. Rulers do not rule because it is their right. Crowns are inherited… like any object that is passed down. But nations… are earned through your loyalty"

"I… I know I'm probably spouting a lot of stuff right now your highness. But… it's just that… I don't know how or what to do when it comes to leading. (…) All I'm saying right now is probably just some stranger's fiction"

"Huhuhu… you are more suited to leading than you give yourself credit. (…) In all my life, I have never anyone quite like you before, Takeru. Your unique perspectives in life in these dark times have changed some opinions in me as well. I am sure that someone will take notice of you one day"

I gave out a laugh. She was probably just trying to cheer me up. "Yeah. I just hope they'll be listening" We both shared a small laugh at that moment. Something to brighten the early morning with.

"One day, Takeru… you will have your answer. But for now… please know that you have my trust. (Thank you… Yuuhi san…) Ahuhu… it appears I have wasted your time. (…?) I thought to bring you here to discuss about the situation… but I see now that you need no lecture from someone like me. Surely, the world can learn a lot from you if they only stop to listen"

**(Mt. Fuji Museum entrance)**

I left Yuuhi san afterwards to clear my mind. Looking at the clock, we only have about roughly twenty minutes before the ceasefire time ends. I have no doubt that Her Highness will do the same thing and propose to speak with the rebels in person. Though I admire her plan to end this conflict without further lost of life… Meiya will probably have to sacrifice her position as well. There's also a good chance that the same catastrophic events will occur again. Dammit… there has to be a way. A way to satisfy all parties without infuriating the other! Something that won't take life, let Meiya keep her status as a relative of the Shogun, end the rebellion and let them see it our way. But how?

Ughh… come on Shirogane, THINK! You had a perfectly laid out plan for this! Where the hell did it all go! Did you kill yourself to change the future? Didn't you want to relive this nightmare all over again just to save the ones you love? To save everyone? Where is your resolve god dammit! Where is that determination you spouted out when you looked at Kasumi! Are you going to tell that all of it was just the spur of the moment! Don't screw with me!

"SHUT UP!" I know that! Arghhhh! This is just so frustrating and pounding my head on the wall isn't helping either. I'm doing the best I can because I'm the only person who can do it. What can I do! God! Sumika! Someone! Tell me what I need to do!

…

…

…

Haaaa… who am I kidding? Sumika's in a brain tube right now and god's probably got more important matters to do than dealing with the survival of one particular species. If only… if only I had that power. The power to change the world. I wanted it so badly that I forgot that there's no way to retrieve it. Ugh… I'm just going in circles here. Maybe a little stroll will help me.

Tug…

Uh… whoa… what was that? I felt another major headache just a second ago. This one was way stronger than the last one.

"Hmm? Shirogane?" Huh? Oh… Marimo.

"Sergeant Jinguuji?" I noticed the woman standing in the middle of the barred entrance which was now open. She seems well but that wound on her stomach didn't really have much time to heal. "What are you doing here?"

"I was about to ask you the same thing. Weren't you supposed to be setting up your Fubuki?"

"Mikoto is handling the recharge right now. She told me to help out with Chizuru but she's pretty much done too"

"Hmm… I see" Marimo gave out a sigh. "I guess this is the best any of us can do at the moment. We may be on a break but that doesn't mean you just wander around aimlessly. (Yes ma'am) Our defenses are stretched thin at the moment and to hold the city for two hours for reinforcements seems… will be tough"

"Yes ma'am. I understand. Oh… and uh… how's your wound?" I gestured to her stomach which she blushed to.

"It doesn't hurt as much as it used to. Yoroi already gave it the proper treatment. I won't be able to help you in a fight but that doesn't mean I can't do my part. Should worse come to worse… I will be charged with scouting ahead in the sewer passage" So Major Walken has her to be a scout huh? I guess that's logical since Marimo doesn't have a TSF anymore. But even so… sending a wounded soldier as a scout? That shows how desperate we really are. "But… I'm also worried about you. (Hmm?) Are you alright? After what happened?"

She must be talking about that guy I killed. It affected me a lot more than I expected. It wasn't like death was something I haven't seen before. I've seen plenty of it during my loops.

"I'll be fine" I answered back. "I can't stay gloomy over the past forever, now, can I?"

"Killing can never be an easy thing. But it's good to see that you won't be holding others back. Don't ever let your troubles burden others"

"Yes ma'am… I'll remember that" But still… I wonder. "Hey… Sergeant… (Yes?) What do you think about the coming fight? (…) Do you think we have any chance?" It was obvious that the balance of power was on the rebel's side. They had about hundreds of TSFs on the other side of the city and we had nine… thirteen—if you count the Imperial Honor Guards of course. Even with my skills or the advance F-22 Raptors, it won't tilt the fight to our side.

Honestly… I have some faith that we can. You must do your best when fighting against the enemy. If you think about losing before the fight begins then you already lost. (…) Haaa… but in truth you're right. We're outnumbered and unmanned. It will be difficult…much like Osaka Base which had walls around it. If only we had a fortress of our own, we would stand a chance against them"

"A fortress huh?" Well if you think about it, having to hide inside a fort doesn't seem so bad either. Back in the old days, wars were fought inside and outside of castles. It usually takes about a handful of men to hold against an army… but considering that we've advanced into aerial battles now; walls have become nothing more but something to keep your neighbor's dog from getting to your lawn.

"Well. Get yourself some rest while you still can. The Major will brief us on the defense plan in ten minutes. He will be speaking with Her Highness as well" I guess there's really no changing this event.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

I took another breather down by the ruins of the hotel where the old lady and her two granddaughters used to live. I don't know what brought me here but seeing this place somehow calms me down. About an hour ago, this hotel stood to be the sturdiest building in the city. Now it was nothing more but smoke and ruin. The floors leading to the living area where the old lady received us was still standing but I have a feeling that much of it could fall at any second.

Hmm? Oh… the grave marker of the parents. Two giant slab of stones were placed next to each other with their names carved down on them. There were even a few crayon drawings of a woman, man and smiley faces all over it. Eiko must've done them out of her parent's sake.

Poor girls…

To lose their entire family at such a young age. At this time they're probably ignorant about life and death and how fragile they were. I guess I envy them a little bit like the Shogun does.

Tug…

Ugh… not again. This splitting headache is really getting to me now. (Tug!) Arghh! What the hell? I feel like I'm being drilled on the head inside-out. Maybe… I'm just a little tired. (Tug!) Ohh… ahh… crap. I can't walk like this. I need to… find a place… to sit down.

…

…

…

Tug!

Ahh! Dammit. The closer I get to the ruins of the hotel, the stronger my headache becomes. I feel like I'm being… drawn to the place.

Clack…

Hmm? What's that? A table? It must've fallen out from the upper floors. Oh… and beside it… were the two bowls of porridge that the old lady served us when we arrived. They're pretty much cold now. I would've loved to try them… even just a little. Sorry, I couldn't save you in time, old lady. I only wish I had that power. But what can I do? The only ability I have in fighting… everything regarding politics and economy are pretty much useless.

'If you have the power to protect everyone… would you use it?'

I don't need to ask myself that question. I would answer yes every time no matter the consequences were. Haaa… I don't know what to make of it right now. So much for being a hero Shirogane. You got all that skill but you're still as useless as you were when you first came here. If this goes on… you won't be able to protect those that you care about. You can't protect anyone.

…

…

Oba san… just what am I supposed to do?

Tug…!

Ahhh! This is futile no matter how I see it!

"This is 20700 calling all units" Marimo's face appeared on my headset as she spoke out. I opened my ID channel and accepted her transmission. "Our guard duty has just ended. Her Highness, Kobuin Yuuhi has summoned all of us to report to the CP immediately. However… we cannot drop our guard. Cadet Mitsurugi. (Ma'am) You'll be on the lookout while we discuss our defense plan. (Understood…)" So… it's happening now. All over again…

"This is Shirogane calling 00" I called back. "Request permission to stand guard with 02 as well. The area will be too large to cover alone so an extra pair of eyes can help"

"Hmm… alright. Permission granted. 02 and 06 will stand guard at the entrance of the museum. Everyone else, fall in. (Copy that)" I sighed…

Oba san… count me in your list of fools too…

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

I got to the main entrance of the museum about five minutes later to hear that everyone has reported in. As expected, Tomoe and Ebisu were out patrolling while Kamiyo was inside taking care of the two kids. Tsukuyomi was by Her Highness's side consulting with the others.

Meiya was there, looking at the ruined city from the highpoint, keeping watch on an enemy we were all sure that would not appear. We kept within earshot of the meeting and listened in to the conversation when needed. It was saddening. I know how much Yuuhi wants to see Meiya but thanks to some ridiculous rule and superstition they can't even talk to one another. This isn't right. The Japan I came from was nothing like this. Tradition is good to be kept. Even my own family keeps several Japanese traditions on a yearly basis, but when it interferes with the lives of people, I have to draw the line.

Maybe… maybe if I talk to Meiya I'll be able to understand.

"Hey…" I broke the ice between our patrols. "How are you feeling?"

"Hmm… oh… Takeru" She seems unfocused. Her eyes look like they're awake but considering how weak that response was, I can tell that she isn't handling the situation too well either. "I am… well enough. But… I would rather not be disturbed. We are supposed to be on guard after all"

We could see the whole city from here or… what's left of it at least. There were a few office complexes standing at the edge of our defenses, some roads but everything else was ruins. Not exactly the best view but we take what we can get.

"Sorry. I guess I'm just a little jumpy like everyone. It won't be long until we have to fight again" Maybe if I keep her distracted long enough here, she won't go to Her Highness and propose her plan. Ah… no… that won't work. She's too prideful for that and I'm not clever enough to stop her.

"When I first came to this training school I always thought that we would be fighting against the BETAs. I never thought that we would be pointing our weapons on our fellow man"

"I know how you feel. I'd rather be out there in the frontline fighting the aliens than sit back here" After all… it's what I came to do… "What do you think of this war, Meiya? (Hmm?) What do people hope to gain from this? All this fighting? Do you think it makes sense to you?"

"Of course. These people rebelled because they are discontent with the injustice of our government. Though I do not agree with their methods… their goals… disturbs me"

"But shouldn't we be fighting the BETAs instead of fighting each other? No matter how you look at it, it just doesn't seem to fit"

She gave me a sigh in return. "Your confusion is understandable. After all… you've only returned to Japan recently. Just know that it is what people believe. Those who are voiceless in times of war. Those who have no part of it. The rebels are the voice of their discontentment. (…?) People do not wish to be controlled or manipulated and that is why they are showing it through force. (…) I… cannot explain it very well either. But simply know that I understand and—hmm?" Uh oh… it looks like the discussion behind us is finally heating up.

Yuuhi must've presented her plan already but I missed most of it because I was too deep in thought. Meiya seemed to have heard them too, that's why she stopped.

I can hear Major Walken protesting and Tsukuyomi telling him to hold his tongue. It won't be long until Meiya goes off.

"…" I can hear her grunting under her breath. Even though her back was turned to me I can tell her feelings almost too easily. Her body language was far too obvious. She was listening intently on the conversation behind us. There was no stopping her now.

"Hey… listen…" I tried one more time to stop her but it seems like her mind is finally made up. She gently shoved my hand away and walked towards the meeting but not before she gave me a small hint of a smile. It seems like there's nothing I can do now. A part of me wants to just go there and tell her to stop but that will probably just break our bonds. She's determined to do their part and to do it without any regret whatsoever.

I look down at a puddle of water next to my feet and saw my face there.

'Just what are you doing?' Was the question I wanted ask myself. 'What can I do?' is the question I wanted to ask back. All I can ever do is fight. I don't understand this honor crap, politics or leadership. I just know what's right and what's wrong. That's it.

…

…

…

"Takeru…" I said my name as if speaking to my own reflection as another person. "You're an idiot" Yeah… I am. "If you want to change the world. Then do it with your own hands" But how? I just don't know what to do. "Yes you do… you just can't face it" What do you mean? "What is it that you want the most right now?" What I want? I want the beat the BETAs and save humanity. "No no no… that's our goal. What is it do you want… right now?"

What I want? (Flash) What I want… what I really… truly desire right here and now? (Flash) Is to end this civil war without killing and to save Meiya and Yuuhi. I… I… what I want right now… is to change Japan!

"Then you know what you have to do…"

Yes… I know now! I know what I want…! And I'll get it the only way I know how! Even if I had to taint these hands with blood, I will do it.

That's right. What the hell am I waiting for? I have all the time in the world! I've got nothing but time in me. Might as well do something stupid for once!

Meiya was right there now. About to speak her mind to the Shogun. As much as it pains me to break their short reunion, I have to do this.

"Excuse me!" I called out at long last with my voice held stern. All eyes immediately turned to me as I abruptly interrupted their meeting. "Please. Wait… don't make any rash decisions just yet"

"What are you doing, cadet!-?" Walken scolded me. "Do not tell me that you both abandoned your post!" I quickly ignored him, lowering myself on my knee as I met Yuuhi's figure. Meiya was about to speak so that must mean that I must've arrived just in time. These two haven't met since they were born yet they longed for one another. It took an entire rebellion to finally allow them to meet.

"I'm sorry for interrupting this discussion… but… I would like to propose another plan before you agree on anything"

Yuuhi noted my tone and listened. "You are… Shirogane, are you not?" She acted like we barely knew one another…

"Yes your highness. I am Shirogane Takeru of the 11th U.N. Pacific Army's 207th Training Squad" I answered back professionally. "I understand your highness's need for action and a swift end this rebellion. I also understand that the pain you're going through is deeper than our own. But to simply go and speak with the rebel leader will only delay much of the inevitable"

"…" The others remained silent, listening to my plea.

"I know I may sound like an idiot right now… but would you at least hear me out?"

Tsukuyomi barged in. "Cadet, you are overstepping your boundaries and—"

"Be silent Tsukuyomi" Yuuhi ordered which the woman in red armor bowed back in apology. "I will hear this plea of yours… Shirogane"

"Thank you Yuu—er umm your highness" I raised my head back up to meet her face. She looked solemn… and kind… waiting to hear whatever I have to say. I braced my heart and steeled myself for this. "I know that I have no status, power or influence in this world. I know that I am just one soldier on the battlefield. I have no proof of what I'm about to say… but I wish you to hear it from me directly. (…?) Your Highness, Kobuin Yuuhi of the Imperial Family. I… Shirogane Takeru, hereby promise you that I will end the killing"

…

…

…

It was an empty promise but one that I have to make.

"And how do you intend to do so?" She asked.

"…" Everyone braced for my answer, listening intently like my word alone will change the world.

"I will challenge… Cpt. Sagiri Naoya… to a duel. (…!)" This was the only way I know. "I wish to fight him… one on one… with you as our witness. (…!)"

"Wait! Cadet!" Walken barked out. "Are you insane? That man will…"

"Major, hold your tongue when Her Highness speaks!" Tsukuyomi barked back again holding her anger when Yuuhi raised her hand in gesture for them to stop.

The Shogun gazed into my eyes as if searching for a hint of doubt in them. I held my ground and kept my knee on the floor. "You wish to end the killing yet you seek once more… blood. Are you not contradicting yourself, Shirogane?"

"I will uphold that promise your highness. We may have only met this night… but all that ask is for you to put a little faith in the very people you swore to protect! (…!)"

"You are asking me to take a lot of faith…"

I bowed my head again in apology. "If I fail… then you need not worry about it" I felt her body flinch for a moment as if trembling in fear. "I'll pay for it with my life…"

…

…

"Very well… (…!)" She… she agreed? "I shall put my trust in you, Shirogane"

"Thank you your highness!"

"Hold on a minute!" Walken barked out at last. "Cadet! You are in way over your head! You should consider yourself lucky I haven't thrown you out for insubordination!"

"Wait Major" Marimo spoke up on my behalf. "Though I do not agree with Shirogane's methods… We have to agree that holding the city with our current numbers is near impossible. The best we can hope for now is stall for more time"

"And what makes you think he'll even accept it? It's obvious already that he despises the U.N. and any foreign power in Japanese soil"

"Tsukuyomi can offer it to him" I stated out which everyone turned their heads to me. "I may be a soldier of the U.N. but I'm still Japanese in birthright and in blood. Naoya will understand. He won't accept a duel with an American and he wouldn't dare challenge a member of the Imperial Household Honor Guard. With the Shogun as witness, he won't be able to refuse. If it's any consolation… I'm the best candidate for the duel. And while we're fighting, we can also tighten our defenses around the city"

"And how do you intend to do that?"

"We make Susono City into a fortress" I quickly showed him an aerial view of the city on our headsets. "Look here. This is where we are. Right now the enemy has almost unlimited areas to attack except from the south which is blocked by an almost impassable mountain. There are two office complexes on the northwest and northeast of our perimeter. The structure are already weak so a few shots on the support will topple them all down like dominos. We'll be able to make a two line defense with them"

"The enemies can simply jump over them"

"That will be their weakness" I added pointing towards the TSF. "There's one thing I've noticed when using boosters on a TSF. You can't maneuver when you're in the air and you can't use your boosters again until you've touched the ground. In other words… they're sitting ducks in the sky and will be easy picking"

"…" Walken paused for a moment there. It seems like my offer is getting through to him. "I see. I guess the best way to hold a focused attacked will be a multi-layered defense. (…) Though I have to agree with your defense methods… how will you proceed with this duel? Even if it just something to stall for more time, he'll probably see right through it"

"That's easy… I'll give him an offer he can't refuse" It's a long shot but that doesn't mean I can't try it and find out.

"…" The Major doesn't seem to be taking my words very seriously. No surprise… after all I'm just a cadet with no reputation whatsoever. If only he knew that I was actually older than him. "You're asking all of us here to take in a lot of faith"

"I don't have anything to show for it. But I know that this plan will work"

"Like I said: You're asking us to put a lot of faith in you, kid. You'll be up against veterans. Not mere soldiers"

"Major…" Marimo chan? "Though it will be difficult to believe. Shirogane has proven himself to be an Eishi of exceptional quality. He is far more talented than most cadets and knows well what the risks are. If anyone can match their skill… it will be him. He has my vouch on this plan"

"And mine as well" Tsukuyomi? You too? "I have read his files and saw him during the mock battles. He is indeed, talented"

Walken didn't seem convinced though. Even with both team leaders petitioning for me. Ahh man… I'm seriously resisting the urge to hug those two. "Haaa… to put everything on a boy"

I groaned at this in agreement. I understand why the commander is so hesitant. "Major… I know that this wasn't exactly what you signed up for. Right now you're probably thinking that our country is being fighting over something as ridiculous as pride and I agree. But you have to understand that Japan is constantly at war with the alien invaders. They're living with the knowledge that they could die the next minute. If anything… I'm pretty sure that everyone here is caught up on a lot of stress. If you give them just one more nudge… they'll probably go insane already"

"…"

"I've never been to America so I don't know how it works there. But what I do know that the Japanese people are already on their last leg and will probably go crazy if we don't stop this rebellion! I'm willing to give my life for it"

"…" The tall man seems to be judging me. But somehow… I feel as if I was taller than he was. "Hmph…"He let out a stuffy grunt noise. What does that mean exactly? "It seems like no matter what I say, I won't be able to change your mind or anyone other than my soldiers. (Eh?) Fine… we'll do things your way for now. But if anything goes wrong, I'm pulling the plug right away and moving on to our contingency plan, understood? (Yes sir!) Right then. I'll have my men gather what explosives we have left and plant them in the office complex on the northwest and northeast. What's our formation, cadet?"

I can't help but smile at Walken at that moment. I don't know whether he's doing this out of kindness and understand or because he had no other choice but I'm certain that I had some measure of his trust.

"Right. Our defense will consist on three teams" I began pointing all the figures on the aerial map. "Team one will be in charge of holding the outer perimeter. Squad 207 will hold position on the outer edge of the city along with the 66th American company. 01, 03 will hold the west while Major Walken and his men hold the east. 05, Tama, will hold the secondary defense line and act as sniper support. This will prevent the enemy from overwhelming us. 02 and 04 will join hold the northern position near our dueling ground. That way, if things go bad, they'll provide cover while Tsukuyomi takes Her Highness to safety"

"Hmm… so we only need to worry about 3 points of attack along the main road. But I'm not letting you go alone. I'll have one of my men support with the sniper. Irma, you'll be joining with 20705 in support. (…) 2nd Lieutenant Thesleff, do you understand?"

"Huh? Ah… yes, Major" the woman stuttered out which made me even more suspicious.

I decided to ignore it for now and continue on. "Should at any time I fail in my duel with Naoya, we'll try to hold out for as long as possible. The 19th Honor Guard unit will provide whatever support they can. If they breach the first and second line of defense, we'll retreat to the museum and go on with the evac through the sewers as planned"

"Your whole squad will be at the thick of the fight. I won't be able to guarantee your safety"

I stood up to meet Walken's face. "Soldiers in the frontlines are risking their lives day by day against the BETA. It's our duty… no… our obligation not to give anything less"

…

…

"Hmph… so… this war has taught you cadets something after all" Guu… I can't tell if that's a compliment or just a simple comment. "Very well. This formation will have to do. Does anyone have any objections? (…)" No one spoke. Even Meiya remained silent to my plea. "Then we'll do this his way. I want everyone to work now! We'll place those explosives in the respective buildings and detonate them when the situation demands it. (Yes sir!) Cadet Shirogane. (Sir!) I want your TSF at optimal condition when the time comes. Take whatever spare parts you need from the damaged units around here and prepare yourself for anything. (Yes Major!) 1st Lieutenant Tsukuyomi… (Sir…) You'll transmit to the rebels to inform them of our intentions the moment the ceasefire time ends. (Yes sir) The rest of you remain on standby until then! (Yes sir!)"

Right then… no turning back. If I'm going to change it… I will have to do it, the only way I know how. I may not know much about politics but if there's a chance… just a slim chance for it to work… I'll do it. Come on Shirogane… let's end this!


	17. The Red December Final Part

**Chapter 17: The Red December (Finale, Final, Last, End, Fin, Over, conclusion, credits rolling… umm… 'Part')**

**(Susono City) (Takeru's POV)**

Five minutes. Five minutes left before the ceasefire ends. This has got to be the longest five minutes of my life. Ever since I gave my idea to the group, the whole company has been working non-stop to prepare for the inevitable clash with the rebels. Even I was doing my share of work, adjusting and repairing my Fubuki to the best of my abilities. I fixed all the glitches in the system and made sure that the OS operator was working. That OS is probably my only ace in the hole against Naoya.

Brr… my hands are shaking and not because of the cold either. I know I told myself that I'm not afraid of death anymore but that doesn't exactly mean I like it either. I don't really remember what happens when I die. Usually I'd wake up again in my room, forgetting everything that happened to me in the previous life.

Everyone else had gone to their designated points as I instructed them. Class rep and Mikoto were now guarding the west entrance to the city and Walken and his men took care of the east. Tama and Lt. Thesleff had also dug-in on the secondary line to provide sniper support. I'm still suspicious of her… but I still didn't have proof other than my own hunch.

Well… too late to worry about anything now.

Squeak…

Huh? What's this? (ruffle) Oh… it's the doll Her Highness gave to me to give to Meiya. I must've left it in the cockpit when I was fighting with the rebels. Oh… crud. It looks like I tore a piece of it as well. Umm… let's see… do I have a stitch somewhere around here? Duh… of course not. Why would military provide soldiers with yarn balls and needles?

But… I guess this little thing does look cute. It was a doll… or at least think it's a doll. The faceless round thing on top must be the head and the extended ends must be the arms and legs. Oh… maybe if I just tighten the knot up and tie them together? (ruffle) And a little bit of this and… Excalibur! Tada! Now it's not just a doll but a doll with a bow tie! Ahahaha… and who would've thought that playing Cat's Cradle can teach you how to sew? Ahahaha… aha… haha… ha…

…

…

Ugh… somehow, just picturing myself doing this makes me feel pathetic. Maybe I was more suited to be a seamstress instead. Feeling good for achieving something so trivial is probably just my nerve trying to escape reality. Ugh… I'm such a coward.

"Shirogane…"

"Huh? Oh… Tsukuyomi… san? What are you doing here? I thought you'd be with Yuu—er Her Highness"

"I was asked to bring you a message from Her Highness" A message? From Yuuhi.

"Couldn't you have told me through my headset? We're still connected after all"

"She asked me to deliver you this message in person. Though she knows that she cannot take sides in this fight, she wishes you fortune in the upcoming battle…"

…

…

"…? (…?) That's it?"

"Yes. I believe those were her exact words" Fortune in battle? Is that like saying to wish me good luck? Hahaha… somehow that really does sound like something she would say in public. "Haaa…" Hmm?

"What's wrong Tsukuyomi? You look tired"

Her face suddenly turned stern when she looked at me. "The opponent you face is an expert in nodachi. (Huh?)His swings are powerful, quick and decisive. Facing him head on will be foolhardy"

"Hey… what are you…? (Whoosh!) Whoa! Hey! What are you doing?" She threw a heavy karate chop at me! If that had hit me, I would definitely be hospitalized for sure.

"He focuses on using both hands to a single swing. (Whoosh! Wham!) One hit and it is sure to cut you. Parrying will also be difficult since all the power goes to the weight. (POW!) To counter such strength, you must find a way to produce as equal amount of power as him. Turning his own strength against him will be useless since he too is an expert in combat"

"Hey! Ow! Stop that! What are you… trying…?"

"The nodachi was made to cut through the thickest armor. The only thing it lacks is precision. That is why he will undoubtedly focus on striking your body. (My… body?) HAAA!"

"Whoa!" That was insane! That hit would've paralyzed me, even if I had the exosuit on.

"If you do not protect your body… then you've already lost" Gahh… I fell butt first on the ground… "That is all the help I can provide you, Shirogane. I wish you luck on your fight" Huh? Wait… a minute. Did she just… train me? (…) Wait… is she worried about me too?

"Hey, wait. (…what?)" She stopped for a moment to listen to me. "… Thank you… Tsukuyomi. (…) But you could've at least warned me before you pulled those karate-chops on me. Those moves of yours would've really hurt if I didn't dodge in time"

"The fastest way to earn experience is through real live combat. Nothing more. Besides… I know how good you are in hand to hand. (…) I have done all that I can here. I must return to Her Highness now"

"Ah wait…"

"What? We do not have time for idle chatter right now"

"Please… just wait a moment" Haaa… I can't really focus right now. And I don't need any more distractions as well. "Can I ask a favor of you? (…?) Can you give this back to Her Highness for me? (…?) It's something that she wanted me to give to Meiya"

"Then you should give it to her. (No…) Hmm?"

It just wouldn't feel right to give something so precious through someone else. Something like this should be handed in person. Even if it is just a ragged doll… it should be done right. "Tell her… that I can't do what she asked. That… she should give it to her in person. If both of them just pulled out some time to talk… I'm sure their hearts will open up to one another"

"…" Tsukuyomi hesitantly accepted the doll, with her eyes closely darted at me. "So you know, don't you? (…) You know their relation"

"What? That Meiya and the Shogun are twin sisters? (…!) Yeah… I kind of knew that from the start. It wouldn't take a genius to figure that out. Just take one good look and you can tell"

"So… you also knew what Meiya sama was going to do… that's why you interfered"

"You can tell what people are thinking if you know them long enough" I answered with a small smile. Tsukuyomi can't seem to make up her mind whether she's angry, happy or anxious about this. "I was surprised though. (…?) For a moment I thought that these two are totally opposite… but after spending time with both of them… I began to think that they're connected in more than just blood. Those two are too prideful… stubborn, all the same, ready to take any action necessary to do what must be done. (…) Hehehe… Meiya thinks just like her and knows how she's feeling better than anyone. Even though they're different in status and in upbringing… there's no force on this planet that can deny that these two are definitely sisters"

"… Your words are dangerous"

"The world can go against me but it won't change the truth. (Hmm…) Well… that's all I have to say. We shouldn't delay any longer. But please… give it to her for me"

Tsukuyomi reluctantly accepted the doll and nodded. "As you wish. Until we meet again… Shirogane" Heh… if we get the chance to meet again. However I guess they could say that I wasn't exactly honest during the mission briefing though.

I didn't create this plan just so we can buy more time for reinforcements, but also give me a chance to at least talk with Naoya. His rebellion and his cause seem all too fitting for his image but somehow I get a feeling that there was something else behind it. The man that I killed earlier called himself a coward and that alone still puzzles me. If anyone can provide me with the answers that I need, it would be Naoya.

"This is Hunter 1 to all units" Walken's face reappeared on my screen. "120 seconds remain until the ceasefire treaty ends. Report to your TSFs and prepare for combat. (Sir!)" Looks like this is it. My little own personal judgment day. I should probably get back on my TSF too before we move out. After all, I am the one who made this plan. "I will now brief you on the operation at hand. Our main objective right now is the safety of the Shogun. Plan A is as instructed by 20706. We will attempt to negotiate with the rebel commander in an attempt to buy more time for reinforcements. Should the duel be accepted, all units will move to their designated points and keep watch for the enemy. Sergeant Jinguuji will maintain contact with us from the Command Post and provide strategic information should the need arises"

"… understood Hunter 1" Marimo replied from her location.

"Should negotiation fail or should 20706 fall from his duel, we will immediately switch to Plan B and hold the line defense. Hunter 2 has rigged the office complex on the northwest and northeast with explosives and will detonate them to create an improvised wall. The enemy will march through us in numbers but luckily the area outside the city is nothing more but farmland. They'll have no cover whatsoever. But if the situation worsens and if we are all pushed back to the 3rd defense line we will immediately switch to Plan C, which the Honor Guards will escort the Shogun through the sewer drainage system"

"Roger that!"

"Our formation will be as follows. 20701 and 20703 will defend the west passage to the main road. (Roger!) 20705 and Hunter 2 will hold the second defense line and provide sniper support. (Understood!) 20702 and 20704 will escort 20706 to the dueling ground in north and will hold that passage should we switch to Plan B. (Copy that!) Hunter 3, Hunter 4 and myself will be holding the east passage against the main bulk of the enemy's force"

_"Wesley, Hunter 3, roger that"_

_"Gregory, Hunter 4, roger that"_

"The operation will commence in one minute. Prepare to move to your designated points once we open communication. (Roger that!) Remember. Survival comes first. Don't get bogged down in one place. If you think that you can't hold them, with draw immediately. We don't need any heroes in this war. (Understood) Prepare for contact… Walken out"

Here we go… let's just hope he'll accept me. (Flash) Naoya. Strangely enough I seem to remember seeing him back in my old world back in one of my loops. He was a respected doctor then, not a soldier or a rebel either. He looked like a real samurai in both universe and cared deeply for Kei. Perhaps… this was his way of atoning for himself.

In all truth, I didn't exactly choose Meiya and Ayamine to be my escorts out of randomness. I wanted them to watch this fight closely. After all, they're somehow indirectly tied to this coup one way or another.

**(60 painstaking seconds later)**

"Cpt. Sagiri…" Tsukuyomi spoke up exactly when the ceasefire ended. She spoke through an open channel so everyone could hear. "I am 1st Lieutenant Tsukuyomi of the Imperial Honor Guard 19th Independent unit. (…) Respond. I am Lieutenant Tsukuyomi of the Imperial Honor Guard"

Static rolled on the other line. Are they even receiving our communication?

"I am Cpt. Sagiri Naoya of the Imperial Mainland Defense Army Capital Garrison Regiment" There it is! He responded. "May I hear the results of your deliberations?"

"This transmission is not meant to answer the question you posed"

"Then what is it meant for?" Both of their faces appeared on my screen.

"A member of the U.N. Army here wishes to speak with you with a proposal in resolution of the current situation in our sovereign nation. (What?) I have been tasked to be his mediator between you to confirm his credibility"

"I refuse" Geh! At least wait for a moment before you answer. "I understand that you are mediator but the U.N. and the American have no say regarding our political affairs. There is no reason for them to be involved"

"Her Highness does not require further conflict. She expressed her thanks and sympathy towards the U.N. and American Armies for their effort to bring an end to this affair. What he offers is a swift end to this event without the need to further bloodshed. Or… are you saying that have no intention of ending this without more death?"

"…" Sagiri paused. His eyes closed as if deep in thought. I can only assume what was going through his mind. "Is it true that Her Highness approves of their plan?"

"That is up for you to decide whether she agreed to or not"

…

…

"Very well. I shall speak with the U.N. officer" Alright! Go Tsukuyomi! Phew… but now… I guess it's my turn. I know I won't be able to speak like Tsukuyomi… but her training in mannerism in my world should give me some measure of respect.

"I thank you. I shall patch you through to him now. (Beep) Shirogane… the captain will speak with you now" Tsukuyomi's face disappeared on my screen leaving only Naoya there to gaze at me with his death glare.

"I am Cpt. Sagiri Naoya of the Imperial Mainland Defense force. To whom am I speaking with?"

Alright Takeru… here goes. "Greetings Captain. I am Eishi Cadet 1st Class, Shirogane Takeru of the United Nation's 11th Pacific Army stationed here in Japan"

"Shirogane… Takeru? That's a Japanese name…"

"Yes. I am Japanese in blood and birth. I am glad that you accepted my offer"

He gave me a gruf noise. "I will hear your proposal before I agree to anything" Geez… he wasn't like this at all back in my world. He was more of a caring doctor than a soldier.

"Yes of course. (…) But before I begin, I must confess that 1st Lieutenant Tsukuyomi wasn't entirely honest with you. (…!) She is not to blame since I forced this plan onto her. Her Highness, Kobuin Yuuhi doesn't fully approve of my plan. (…!). The recent battles that have been raging across Japan has been the met with bloody conflicts. We of course are of no exception as your men assaulted us to complete their mission. There have been far too many casualties already and it is obvious that your strength outnumbers our own. That is why I proposed this solution. (…) Sagiri Naoya… I hereby challenge you to a duel of honor"

"What?" His face did not break.

"One on one. No tricks, no interference. Just one last fight to end it. The winner takes all"

"Explain yourself…"

"It is as I said. The two of us will fight until one falls or surrenders"

"And you said that you would end this without the need of further bloodshed. You are contradicting yourself!"

"I don't need to be lectured by you" I replied calmly. In this situation, you have to remain calm or else your whole act will blow. "But you can see now why Her Highness disapproves of this plan. (Yet you still…) We argued for a while before she finally agreed to my proposal. Under one condition. (…?) That she would bear witness to our fight personally. (…ah!) I disagreed… but she wishes to see the conclusion of this proposal that she painstakingly accepted. I know little of honor Captain, but I do know that she wishes to see this fight with her own eyes as proof of her faith in you"

"…" He returned to his silent state and began thinking again. "Her Highness… really agreed to this?"

"That will be yours to decide" Come on Naoya. Even a guy like you can tell that this is nothing more but a delaying tactic. But even so you can't resist the temptation of fighting against foreign powers with Yuuhi watching.

…

…

"Very well… I shall accept your challenge" Yes! Atta boy. "But I will know the terms of our duel first"

"Of course" I nodded back. It's expected. Even a kid won't eat a cookie without knowing what's in it first. "The terms of the battle are as follows. If you win, I will hand over custody of Her Highness, Kobuin Yuuhi and the 19th Honor Guard unit to your care without any further resistance" Of course I had no intention of giving up Yuuhi. The prize was simply something to entice him.

"I see… and should you be victorious?"

"Then you will order all your soldiers in the rebellion to disarm and stand down" It's a win or lose situation. The reward and the lost must be equal to satisfy a deal on both parties. "Are these terms acceptable to you?"

"Yes. I agree. Where shall we meet?"

"Here…" I opened up a map of the duel sight located a few kilometers up north. "Our battleground will be at the open ground 2 kilometers from the ruins of Shizuoka Prefectural Susono High School" It was an open land that was leveled down to almost nothing after the BETA destroyed the city. The only thing standing there were a few sparse trees and an old burnt down building, a perfect place for a duel.

"Very well. I shall head there now"

"No. 1st Lieutenant Tsukuyomi requested that she and her subordinate go there first. That was her condition. You and I will wait for her contact"

"No. That is unchivalrous. I shall arrive first to meet Her Highness"

"I understand how you feel but know that she must ensure of Her Highness's safety. (…) You know that is the task given to the Honor Guards, do you not?"

He nodded back. "I understand. I shall not hinder them from performing their duties"

"Very well then. I will meet you there with two other members of my unit. (What?) We don't trust each other Naoya, but we know we can trust the words of the Honor Guard"

"I see. Then I shall head there with two of my escorts as well. I'm sure you will have no complaints. We will wait for the lieutenant's transmission until then. Sagiri out. (Beep…)"

…

…

…

Haaaaaaa….! Finally! After his face faded from my screen, my body literally dropped down from all the tension like I was made entirely out of butter. I thought I was going to crack when we kept talking. Even if it was only for a few seconds, it felt like I've been talking with him for over an hour. His stare was downright frightening. Almost as fierce as Tsukuyomi but it didn't have that coldness like hers or else I would've noticed.

Slap slap!

No time for rest Takeru! You still have a mission to go on! Keep your head in the game! "This is 20706" I called up to the team. "Sagiri Naoya has accepted the challenge. I'm now moving to Phase 2 of Plan A, over"

"Roger that 06" Walken said back to me. "Nicely done. 1st Lieutenant Tsukuyomi will move to the designated position along with her subordinates. All teams, move into your designated positions now. 20701, 20703, take the west entrance as planned. My unit will hold the east. (Roger!) 20705 and Hunter 2 will hold the second defense line. (Understood) If nothing else we proceed as planned"

Hunter 2…? That must be Lt. Thesleff. (Tug!) Ugh… my head.

I know I have no way of knowing if she's part of ALT V… but I just can't sit here and do nothing while the risk still remains. If worse comes to worse… I have to at least put a safety on it.

"Lt. Tsukuyomi, do you read?"

"This is 1901. What is it?"

"Do you mind leaving one of your escorts behind between the first and second defense lines? (…?) I don't like to leave a gap between us when the fighting starts. I know it's a short boost jump from here to there but I don't want to take any chances. Anything can happen on a battlefield after all"

"Hmm… I understand. I will have Kamiyo guard that section. The meeting will start soon. Tsukuyomi, out"

Right then. At least I have one measure taken care of. I'll have to move out too. "Meiya, Ayamine. You two ready? (Roger that!) Link up but stay behind me at all time. You also have to show yourselves to the enemy or else they'll get paranoid"

**(A few minutes later)**

Ughh… all this waiting around really isn't my style. I'll make a terrible guard for sure. Tsukuyomi and her subordinates already went ahead to make sure that the area was clear and I know that Naoya wouldn't break his agreement either. He's a man of honor and will hold his word. Besides, he wouldn't do anything shameful, especially when the Shogun was here.

"This is 1st Lt. Tsukuyomi calling Shirogane Takeru and Sagiri Naoya" There she is. "The area has been secured. You and your escorts may approach" Alright then. Here we go Fubuki…

I shouldn't let Meiya and Ayamine get too close or else it might trigger a conflict. "06 to 04 and 02. Take up positions by the edge of the city. I don't want you guys getting too close"

"04, roger that"

"02 here. Isn't that a little risky Takeru? Shouldn't we at least escort you to the dueling grounds?"

"No. If this turns out to be a trap then I want you guys to provide cover for Tsukuyomi and Her Highness while they escape. (But…) Relax. I'm not going to die. Ok? (…) Don't you trust me?"

"Of course I do! It's just that…" Meiya… you really are worried about me just like in the previous loop. Even when your own life is in danger you still think of other people's safety. "Just… be careful… Takeru"

"Will do. Over and out"

We arrived at the dueling ground a few minutes later with Naoya waiting for me on the other side. It seems like he had the same idea as me, putting his escorts far from our battle. His Shiranui looked intimidating even from this distance. Compared to my Fubuki he probably outdoes me in terms of specs and weapons. The only advantage I have now is the superior maneuverability of Yuuko sensei's OS and that alone doesn't count as much.

When we stopped at our starting points, Tsukuyomi spoke up again. "Both of you! Show the proper courtesies in front of Her Royal Highness, Kobuin Yuuhi, Grand Shogun of Japan!" Courtesies? Oh right. I should present my face outside of my TSF and bow. The air outside was colder than I expected. It began to snow just when we exited our cockpits.

We looked up to Ebisu's Takemikazuchi and saw Yuuhi there standing atop the hands of the TSF. She looked different from when I last saw her. Perhaps this is how she appears to everyone in Japan. Divine, majestic and strong. But I knew the real Shogun. I've seen it and touched it with my own hands. Deep down that doll of a face was nothing more but an ordinary girl who wishes for nothing more but the swift release of her burdens as Shogun. It's sad to see such a girl bear the weight of a country on her shoulder at such a young age.

"Are you… Sagiri?"

Naoya bowed in response which I followed. "Yes, ma'am! I am elated to by the honor of receiving an audience with you. I am Captain Sagiri Naoya of the Imperial Mainland Defense Army 1st Division, 1st TSF Armored Regiment"

"It is well. Both of you may raise your heads" We followed her command and stood on our feet. "It is most unfortunate that we should meet in such manner" Wow… she's speaking almost the exact same words as Meiya when she was negotiating with Naoya in my last loop. It just shows how similar those two are even though they've never seen each other for many years.

"I am deeply distressed by the great pain and worry I have caused you, your highness. However… I beg that you let me continue until all the traitors nesting in the capital are vanquished, and all the corruption drained from the government"

"I regret forcing you into such position through my own incompetence" Yuuhi nodded to him. She was speaking on the microphone so we can hear it in our headsets. "As you said in your broadcast the other day, there is indeed a gap between the government and myself. In which how the nation is and how I wished it to be. But I am sure that there are many people who are using their strength to save our country, our people and our world"

"My apologies, your highness. The bloodshed that was spilled here was indeed unnecessary and I have no excuses for the actions my subordinates took. But the fact that the government actions carried out in your highness's name differs from what you desire, my men and I can no longer remain silent. I swear to you that those who use your highness's name to shield themselves from responsibility will pay. (…) My men and I have sworn to it, that we shall give our very lives to eliminate those that would do this country harm"

"I understand…" Yuuhi nodded again, gesturing him to stop with her hand. "… I too wish to end the bloodshed of this conflict as quickly as possible… which pains me for making this decision that will decide our fate. As the cadet from the U.N. Army has told you, I shall see the end result of my order here. No doubt that many will see my act as a sign of hypocrisy to what I have spoken"

"Your highness…" Naoya bowed deeply as if touched by her words. I'm amazed. Yuuhi really is the Shogun no matter how you look at her. "I swear to you that I will end your suffering as quickly as possible"

"Both of you have my blessing in this duel… and may the side of justice be victorious. (Pause) …" She cast a quick glance in my direction before allowing Tsukuyomi to speak.

"This battle has been justified by the words of Her Highness. As it is decreed by law, the same rules apply. Sagiri Naoya. As the challenged, you have the right to choose the conditions of this duel"

"No guns. Our TSFs will decide this fight" He tossed his rifle away and detached the ammo cartridge on his shoulder. I did the same. The weight from that thing would've killed me otherwise. I felt a strange sense of excitement and fear lingering in me. I really want to get this guy to talk with me, even for just a few minutes but it looks like he's not in the mood for a pleasant chat. I'll have to wear his down a bit to get him to take me seriously.

"BEGIN!"

…

…

…

He's… not attacking? Ugh… just as I thought… this guy really is an expert. Even against a mere cadet he's not taking this lightly. I thought I'd surprise him with a few quick hits to turn the tide but he doesn't seem too keen on cooperating. Hmm… just like Tsukuyomi said, he's using a nodachi style using both hands to inflict maximum damage. Back in my world when I married Meiya, Tsukuyomi taught me the art of self defense with a single dachi hand style.

I practiced on a weekly basis using real and wooden one handed swords and always kept in mind to keep a tight grip on my weapon. While one hand holds my sword, the lower hand usually comes free after each strike to provide an extra move either attack or defense. I remember my lessons well. After all… Tsukuyomi and Meiya did 'literally' beat them into me along with several other instructors. Even the Three Idiots had their turn but they mostly enjoyed beating the hell out of me.

…

Blink…

Here it comes!

"Toooohh!/Doryaaaaa!"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

When the first clash of blades echoed from the battlefield, Yuuhi could not help but feel a certain unease creep up her fists. She had seen many battles before and many deaths that she would simply cast away as another casualty of war. But something in this fight bothered her. She couldn't tell what it was but it was there. Her stomach churned with every blow struck and her heart skipped a beat when she saw a close cut. Even her breath would gasp for air and her eyes would close occasionally to each motion. Surely something was worrying her deep down.

But she was not the only one. Watching on the sideline with similarly worried faces were the rest of Shirogane's team. Meiya tightened her grip on her controller, venting the irritable anger of being unable to help the boy whom she trusted with her life.

Kei's unbreakable face was also marred with expressions unseen by many. Her heart was breaking into pieces, torn by the actions of her former fiancé and the boy whom she had only known for a few months. In all her life she never once thought that she would see such a sight or experience such conflict. She could not even tell which side she was supposed to be rooting. All she could do now was watch… and wait for the outcome.

Miki was also in distraught. Even though she was far away from the duel she could see the fight from the camera of her comrade's units. Her rifle was held steady but her arms and legs were shivering to every thought that came into her mind. She slapped her cheeks in that moment, reminding herself of what Shirogane told her, not to think too hard to demoralize yourself. But how can she help it? The boy whom she came to trust was battling for his life while she remained behind once more.

Mikoto was also having a hard time watching. Even with the meditative breathing that she learned from an old yoga book she got from one of the veteran pilot wasn't able to cool her head. She tried to ease it down by comparing it to an action movie she saw when she was still in the hospital but reality seems to snap back. She muttered out soft words of cheering, offering what little morale she could provide.

Chizuru also couldn't take her eyes off the fight. She knew Takeru was good in TSF combat… way too good for a regular cadet even. She even considered of offering him the position of Squad Leader in her stead. And of course with good reasons. The boy was a natural leader even though he didn't know it. He kept his head cool even when worse came to worse and every member of the squad, including herself, trusted his judgment with their lives.

Back in the museum, Marimo too was watching the fight from the Command Post. As the two professional pilots fought, she couldn't help feel the chill move down her spine. Takeru was fighting with an elite member of the Imperial Army, soldiers who fought in countless battles before her. Back when she was a recruit, she knew many of them personally and fought with them side by side as an Eishi. She knows well how deadly these men can be and how talented they are behind the arms of a TSF.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

But on the other end of this battle, Irma Thesleff ignored the fight completely. Instead, her focus was concentrated on the scope of her gun gazing down at the Shogun. In her mind she was conflicted on what to do but in her heart, a decision was already made. Her love for her family outweighed her conscious. Her finger was readied on the trigger… all she needed now was a clear shot. But of course she would not betray her friends so easily.

She knew what her family had been going through when they first arrived at the States. To be treated like third rate citizens was not something that her family or any family has to go through. She wants the best for them and even if it meant putting blood on her hands… she would do it.

The voice of her partner in crime, Wesley echoed on her headset but she blocked them out to keep her focus. She didn't need him to tell her what was at stakes here. The man had just as much a reason to spill blood as she does. His family was also third rate citizens and he was prepared to die for them to have a better life.

"…" But amidst the silence she could hear the gasping breaths of her sniper partner, Miki over by the radio.

Her gentle side showed itself. "Hey, don't worry now. (…!) If you keep yourself tense like that you won't be able to shoot straight. Have some faith in your friend"

"Lt… Irma…"

"I'm sure if you keep smiling he'll definitely win, neh?"

"Umph… yeah!" Miki let out her usual cat-like squeal and resumed her duties.

Irma felt a tinge of guilt build up in her. But no matter what the outcome was, she was going to do it… she really was going to take the shot, the moment an opportunity presents itself.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Tch! Just as I thought, he's really good. I was able to land one quick blow at his frame but his shoulder shielded most of the impact. He's really using every part of his TSF in this fight. I was able to get lucky on the first draw but ever since then neither of us have been able to strike each other. It almost feels like we're in one of those locally acclaimed Kendo tournaments. Each of us has to move when the other does or be forced into a defense.

And just as Tsukuyomi said, his blows are indeed heavy. He puts his entire weight onto the strike hoping to finish the clash in one or two swings. He eliminates all unnecessary movements to each technique and draws focus onto his legs and then to his arms when he strikes. It's like he's battering my sword with a metal baseball bat.

I first thought that Naoya would rush onto me too but ever since this match started he seems to be taking his time. I thought that by setting a time limit for our reinforcements he would be rushing in and trying to end this fight as quickly as possible. But so far all he's been doing was playing around with me. Is he trying to wear me down or is he really that sure that our reinforcements won't be able to break through their battle lines?

Anyway, he might have the advantage in terms of specs but if I can get him to fall, then it's over. His OS is still the same as the old version so if he falls, there'll be a five second delay which I can catch him off his guard.

If I hit right below his knee, it'll force him to fall. A single tackle boost is all I need to make the match mine. Right then… no backing out now.

"Tooooh!" (Clang!) Ugh… his blows are also getting heavier with each strike. I won't be able to take much more of this. I'll have to do it the next time he strikes. "HAA!" There!

Clang!

Right! Release blade, switch to knife while spinning! "Gooooh!" (Whack!) There! I got him!

"Not quite!" What the!-? No way! He activated his left jump boost in reverse causing him to spin back out, canceling the 'brace for impact' countermeasure built in the OS. That move is totally insane! I guess it should be expected from war veterans from the Imperial Elites. "This fight is mine!" Damn! Without my sword, I'm a sitting duck. "Toooohh!" Wahh! He's going to hit me! I've got no choice now. I'll have to block it with both knives and focus on a counter.

"I'm not finished yet!" Focus now Takeru. Dual knives are quick but they aren't going to make a dent on the armor of a Shiranui. The most I can probably do is scratch his paintjob. (Clang!) (Clash!) (Whack!) Geh! Haaaa! (Gong!) Alright! Now I got him! I forced him to use one hand to block a quick strike but now all I have to do is grapple it down.

"This… this technique is…"

"Take this! Doryaaa!" (Clang!) N… no way! I tried to imitate Ayamine's Space Tornado Throw but he was able to dodge it by boosting the other way.

"I see now. So you must be the one the men spoke of" Huh? What is he talking about? "A U.N. Fubuki with the number 06 painted on his shoulder. The one with extraordinary skills that held off an entire company of TSFs alone for twenty minutes" Damn it looks like he knows about me too. I won't be able to surprise him with any of my tricks. But the strange thing is… why is he speaking on an open channel? Is he expecting me to respond or something? "Surely you're no ordinary pilot. I have difficulty seeing you as a cadet"

"…" I braced myself for another attack. After all, this guy can pretty much fight in his sleep.

"But I cannot stop now. I have already walked the path of death. Until I complete my objectives have been completed, my men and I will gladly give our lives for it!" His objectives? (Flash) That's right. His main objective was to eliminate all the corruption in the capital but due to my interference and allowing the Prime Minister and most of his cabinet members to escape in time his mission remains incomplete. Back then when he trapped us in the Izu Skyline ruins, all of his objectives were met and all that he needed now was the Shogun to complete his coup. So that's why he's fighting with such rigor. His mission wasn't complete yet.

"Sagiri…" I opened up my communication channel to speak with him.

"Hooo? Finally have something to say?"

He dropped down his stance to speak. Alright… now is better than never. If we're going to talk, we'll talk. "I don't understand. (…?) I don't understand why you're continuing this rebellion. You're a noble man who earned respect from the people. So why are you doing this?"

He paused at last before answering. "I understand that we may look like the villains to the world. I do not blame you. Our methods may be cruel but our goals remain pure. I must thank you, Shirogane. (Huh?) Thanks to you I have been allowed to meet with Her Highness just once. I don't expect you to understand us. (Then why…?) But that does not change the fact that this matter is of the affairs of Japan. The U.N. and the U.S. Army have n right to intervene" He's looking at this matter politically. "I am shameful for causing this rebellion but if you must know… everything that led the fighting here… was all to fulfill America's desire!"

"…" I see… back in the capital, it was said that a rebel soldier fired upon the Honor Guard. But in truth it was actually an agent of the ALT V supporters. They wanted the American 7th Pacific Fleet to be deployed here to gain more authority over the east. It didn't matter if the Shogun lived or died, the country would have to show their appreciation to the foreign powers one way or another. So that's how they plan to do it. But even so… if they received orders from a trustworthy source to ceasefire then why… "…!" Wait… does that mean that they were planning to go on even with Yuuhi's command?

"I will bear the sin for allowing it to happen and will understand full well that I cannot atone for it. Even when humanity is facing extinction by the hands of an alien race I still resort to this method"

…!

_"Sorry… even in the end… I am ashamed to admit… that I am… a coward"_

The final words of the rebel commander that I killed formed around me.

I see now… so that's it, isn't it? The coup, the rebels, the U.N, the Americans… none of those really mattered anymore, does it? But even so… Sagiri really does care about the people. He cares for the country and its countrymen so much… that he lost sight of it. The only thing that they desire now is an honorable death.

I gripped tightly on my controller and stared back at him. "Then tell me something Naoya" I spoke at last after a brief of silence. "If you feel that strongly for the people, this country and for Her Highness… then why do you continue to kill? (…?) Blood will only achieve to spill more blood, death brings death. After what you've done now… can you truly say that it is for the better of the people? (…) Yes. I know it's true that the government vexes you but that doesn't give you or anyone the right to take justice into their own hands and kill indiscriminately! What do you hope to change by killing those who have only been doing what they did was right?"

"Japan will change as long as the Shogun exists!"

"Stop calling her like she's the solution to all your problems! (…!) She's just a human like everyone else! (… you…) Shut up! Just who do think you are? Why does she have to fix the mess that you caused? You think that if she says the word, then everything will just fall back into place? Don't fuck with me! The world doesn't work that way!"

"…"

"Japan has every right to be ashamed of itself! Look around you! Look at what this country has become! Our own soldiers fighting each other, people starving because of the government and we're so pathetic that we have to put all of our burdens on one girl. (…!)"

"When everything comes to place you'll—"

"That time will never come! (…!) I understand that what you've done for this country came from good intentions but that doesn't change the fact that you struck people down to achieve your goals! You're no different than the government itself! (…!)" That got his attention. "Even if your true intention was to convey Yuuhi's will to the people, that doesn't grant you the right to strike those who could not convey it! If you did… then by no means do you have the right to blame the government for saving what little they can!"

"…"

"Japan isn't made from one person, Naoya. There's no such thing as a country without people! You knew that, but even so you lost sight of it and became so engrossed with your own hatred that it blinded you from everything else! The mission took such a priority that it didn't matter who lived or died anymore all you have left are self serving excuses! (You're wrong!) You just told me! You said that you and your men would give your very lives in destroying the corruption in the government! You don't give a damn about the people!"

"We did it to protect those that (WHAM!) Gah!" I punched him right on the face when he dropped his guard.

"I said… DON'T FUCK WITH ME! If you had any concern for the people you wouldn't have started this rebellion in the first place! The only thing you want now is an honorable death by the hands of your fellow man. Blood brings only more blood and death only brings more death! There won't be an end to it until someone finally stops! This isn't what Her Highness wants!"

"…"

"Look at you! Look at yourselves, the proud members of the Imperial Army! Look at what you've done to your own country! Look at what you've done to the very people you've sworn to protect! You destroyed everything the people have brought themselves to rebuild. Leaving nothing but misery for others while you perish! And all because the government did not satisfy you. (Sniff) No… you guys are worse. You're worse than the BETAs! At least the BETAs never pretend to be righteous!"

"…!"

"You're so afraid of this world, the BETA that you came crawling back here with your tails between your legs! You never cared what other people thought about you, you just wanted a place to die! (…) As if your death will bring anyone happiness… (sniff)" Ah crap… I don't believe this… I'm actually crying. This man… this man is just like me.

He wanted to protect everything precious to him and he doesn't give a rat's ass of what other people thought. If we had met at another time I'm pretty sure… no… I'm certain that we would've been great friends. We have pretty much the same idea but somewhere along the way he simply lost it. He lost hope… he lost faith in the human race…

Damn it Sagiri! Why couldn't you just… why couldn't you just…

…

"Why can't you just face the facts that your time is up!-? (…!) Why? Why is it that you lost faith in us? Why don't you have any belief in the people? (…) Did you finally give up on hope?"

…

…

…

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Naoya closed his eyes in silent thought when Shirogane made his declaration. He rejected it but deep down, his men began to wonder if it was true. When they first joined this fight it was due to the simple idea of driving off foreign power from their homeland. But now… after a brief calm… it began to become a lot clearer? The only foreign power they've been fighting are the Americans and since most U.N. soldiers stationed here were Japanese, it made very little difference. Truly now… what were they fighting for?

"Shirogane…" Naoya managed to mutter out in a voice just beyond a whisper. "You…"

"If you still don't understand, Naoya then I'll show it to you!" Shirogane drew out his stance readying both his knives in their proper positions. "I'll make you understand. Even if I have to beat it into you with my own bear hands!"

Sagiri simply let out a caring smile. Even though he finally admitted a long time ago that he was wrong… he never thought that he would meet someone who could read him just by fighting. Though a part of him wishes to spite his anger back… another part of him could only nod back in respect. "… you, Shirogane… you are… strong…"

"Toooooohhhhh!"

Naoya braced himself and readied his stance. The time for words was over. "TAHHHHHH!"

They clashed at the center and with it the very earth shook beneath them. No one doubted now that this battle will decide the very fate of the rebellion. After hearing the debate on both sides, it was still uncertain who will win.

The two of them battled and amazingly enough, though with many great disadvantages, Shirogane was able to fight in par with his opponent. With every strike and every parry, the boy masterfully counters them with moves beyond what the regular Eishis could do.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Beep beep…

Three minutes left of oxygen supply? Damn! I've got no choice. I'll have to end it here and now if I want to decide everything. (Wham!) There! My sword. If I can get my hands on it, I can penetrate his armor and land a critical blow. I'll have to rely on my speed rather than my weapons. (Whack!) Right then. I have him in a deadlock. NOW!

Speed boost, grab the sword and speed boost back for a quick counter. I knew it. He doesn't have the time to move back and block at the same time. (Twang!) Geh! He threw a random slash? (Clang!) No choice! It's now or never!

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"I have you now!" Just then, Naoya raised his blade downward, clashing it against Shirogane's sword, breaking it in half. Catching with the momentum, Sagiri continued his flurry cutting a portion of Shirogane's left arm, body and leg and before the boy could react to the attacks his TSF was stabbed right in the stomach, breaking his primary energy supply. "Go on ahead of me. I shall be joining you shortly…" The world held its breath once more and time itself seemed to have forced itself to stop.

No one moved and before everyone knew it, Shirogane's energy line dropped to a near zero. Yet even as the seconds rolled by, it felt as if eternity itself grew shorter.

"Shirogane!" Meiya barked out and was about to rush in with Kei but was stopped by Tsukuyomi.

"Cease your movements, both of you! (But…) The match has not yet been decided" The girls turned back to gaze at the fight looking somewhat stunned and bewildered.

For a split moment it truly looked like it did, until the boy's voice boomed over the channel.

"I'm not through yet!" Naoya gasped in horror to find his opponent still live and breathe. He attempted to retract his sword only to find his arms locked down by Shirogane's TSF.

"But… how is that possible? I hit your energy supply!"

"I knew you'd try to end this battle the moment you took me seriously. I already turned off my primary energy core and switched to backup. (…!) And so from this position… I can't miss!" Using what little strength his body had left, Shirogane tore a piece of his own armor and aimed it right at the spot where he desired all along. "TAKKKKEEEEE THISS!"

WHAM!

The large piece of metal pierced the armor of Naoya's Shiranui. The lights in Naoya's frame died in an instant. A wide crack can be seen even from afar. In that moment of triumph, Shirogane knew immediately that this match was decided.

…

…

…

A long and dry pause echoed again. Silence was the only exchange and the wind carried it with them, spreading it throughout the land. And before everyone knew it, two minutes had already gone by.

Naoya, finally regaining his balance quickly drew his blade out of his opponent's frame. His faced expressing a man confused. And out of all the things he could've said that night… he simply asked.

"Why?"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Why?" Naoya asked me as if I had the answer. "Why didn't you kill me? You had the perfect opportunity to do it yet… why do you hesitate?"

Pffft… I can't help but chuckle. Ah crap… no… no laughing. I'm a little hurt right now. That last blow he did to me knocked my entire cockpit like a wrecking ball. My suit wasn't able to absorb all the impact so I was thrown back to my seat rather roughly. Geh… damn… I'm mouth taste like blood and iron put together. My suit should've automatically applied the painkillers but it'll take awhile for them to take effect.

"It's because… I made a promise" I said out finally after a short breather. "I made a promise to someone. (Promise?) Yeah. It's silly… I know. But… I felt like… I couldn't face her ever again if I broke that promise. I promised her that I would stop people from killing each other. I thought that maybe… just maybe… I could stop them, bring them to their senses. Right now… she probably wants all this fighting to stop too. (…!)" It seems like he knows who I'm talking about. "Can you understand now? Blood will only lead to more blood Naoya and death will lead to nothing but more deaths. (…) Do you really think that this manslaughter you brought upon Japan is something that she'd want?"

_"You reap what you sow Artyom: force answers force, war breeds war, and death only brings death. To break this vicious circle one must do more than act without any thought or doubt_"

_-Khan from Metro 2033-_

"…" Naoya seemed speechless. He seems to be taken. "This is the path I have chosen to walk on. I can no longer retrace those steps. It's far too late"

"It's never too late. (…) You understand well that you've strayed from the path you came. But you can still stop it. You can end this catastrophe before it can claim any more lives. (…?) If you had the power to protect everyone Naoya, would you use it? (…) Right now… you have that power. You're the only one who can save the lives of the thousand people caught in this coup. You can save more Imperial, Americans, and U.N. soldiers if only you would give the word"

"Shirogane…"

"If you still have any faith left in this country… then show it to us. Show it not just to your soldiers, the Shogun or me… but prove to Kei that you're still the man that she still cared about!"

"Kei!-? How do you…? (…) I see… so that's how it is" He breathed a sigh before continuing. "So… fate… has tricked me… again" He rose back up to meet my face. Somehow his Shiranui doesn't seem all that intimidating anymore. "Shirogane… (Hmm?) You really are… strong"

(Flash)_ "Shirogane… you really are strong" _Those words. He said that to me too back in my world.

"Then… you'll…" Wait… does that mean he'll…

"Shirogane… I shall leave the fate of my comrades in your hands. Teach them what it means… to believe in hope… just as you have taught me"

He extended his TSF's hand in a shake… and I accepted it with a full on smile. "You can count on it. (Tug!) Arghh! (…?) (Flash) Huh? (Flash!) (Flash!) (Flash!) No… no it can't be! (…?) Naoya, get back! (Ah!-?)" Damn it, I was careless!

Ratatatatatat!

Boom!

"Gahhhh!" One of Naoya's escorts suddenly blew to bits. But that shot didn't come from Lt. Thesleff. It came from… the rebels?

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Panic and confusion ran among the soldiers when gunfire was shot out. In that moment, even Naoya himself seemed confused. He watched where the gunshots came from and he couldn't bring himself to believe that the fire came from his own men.

"All units, stand down!" He ordered. "Cease fire immediately!" But the rebels did not comply. They continued firing, destroying another one of Sagiri's escorts. "Gah!"

Shirogane knew immediately what was happening. Though he was too naïve to admit it at first he knew that his mortal enemies, Supporters of ALTERNATIVE V was now playing their cards. (Flash) Another vision entered his mind showing him Irma Thesleff aiming for the Shogun.

"Ebisu! Look out behind you!" The Honor Guard that he called out quickly moved away placing Yuuhi back into the cockpit before the shot came. She was able to dodge it just in the nick of time.

Walken barked out completely outraged. "Hunter 2! Why did you shoot!-? Hunter 2! (Bang!) (Bang!) Hunter 2, respond! 2nd Lt. Thesleff, cease fire immediately!"

But the woman did not respond. She simply kept firing, switching off her communicator to silence all distraction. She kept her crosshair at her target and followed it to the ends of the earth. She knew that no amount of apology will ever earn her forgiveness… but she had made her decision.

"This is Hunter 1 to 20705! Stop Hunter 2 now!"

Tama looked around but her mind went into confusion. She didn't know what was happening or why her partner was even shooting. "Stop it Irma! You're shooting at our own allies! (Bang!) (Bang!) Irma! Please stop it! (Click) Haaa!" Irma did not hesitate at all when she fired at Miki. A single shot to the spine disabled her unit permanently. "Ir…ma…"

Walken was now confused. But he still needed to take command. "Damn it all. All units, report!"

"This is 20701. Enemy units have begun assault on the west. But… they're shooting at each other!"

"What?" Walken burst out before turning to the enemy battle lines. And true enough the cadet wasn't lying. The rebels were now shooting at each other. "What the hell is going on? (Bang!) Damn it. Hunter 4. Stop the rogue unit!"

"Roger that. I'm on it—GAHH!" But the unit Walken commanded burst into flames before it even had the chance to go anywhere.

"What the?" Walken looked to his back where the shots came from only to find one of his own, pointing a gun directly at him.

"Don't move Alfred!" Wesley warned, turning off the safety of his 120mm cannon. "I don't want to shoot another friend if I don't have to!"

"2nd Lt. Wesley, what is the meaning of this?"

"My job as a father! (What?) I don't expect you snotty Americans to understand! After all, you've had everything served up to you on a silver platter! (…) My family had to endure 3 years of suffering in that labor camp. 3 Years Walken! I'm not going back home to tell them that they have to stay there for another day!"

"You… you'd give up the lives of your comrades just for that?"

"They're my family! I'd give my life for them if I have to! (Keh…!) I said don't move Walken! I don't want to hurt you! (Beep) Irma! Hurry up and finish the job! (Roger!)"

"So… both of you are in on this?"

"I'm sorry Alfred but I can't let my wife and daughter live in that hell hole anymore. I don't expect you to understand since you don't have a family of your own. (…) We're all going to die here anyway. May as well make it worth something! This is how it's going to happen and you can't stop us!"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Back in the north, Shirogane and Naoya were finally recovering from the earlier shock. Seeing an entire platoon moving up to them, Takeru knew that there was no way to outrun them. There was only one way he can complete his mission

"This is 20706. Ebisu. Take Her Highness and retreat to the museum! Don't take the south route! The sniper will pick you off from there! Take the western passageway. There are a lot of tall buildings along the path! Tsukuyomi… (Yes?) I'm leaving the rest to you. Regroup with 01 and 03 and withdraw to the third defense line! (Roger that!) Meiya, Ayamine, go with them!"

"But Takeru! You'll be isolated!"

"It doesn't matter! The mission takes top priority! All of Japan will go down if we can't protect Her Highness! (But…) Go! I'll catch up with you!"

Meiya bit her lip to keep herself from lashing out. "Un… understood. Don't you dare die"

When Meiya and Ayamine left to add protection to the Honor Guards, Shirogane returned his attention to Naoya. "What the hell are you doing Naoya!-? Move! (…!)" Takeru rushed forward grabbing the man's sword and cutting the first enemy that came in his way. "There's a lot at stake here! I can't have you spacing out! Call off your men!"

"I already have! Most of them aren't responding!"

In that moment, a rebel TSF platoon appeared from the smoke. "This is Hanyo 1 to all units. The completion of the mission takes top priority. Everything else is secondary. Understand? (Understood!)"

"This is Captain Sagiri Naoya! Hanyo Squad, cease ll combat immediately! (Ratatatatat!) Tch!"

"Get out of the way Naoya!" Shirogane rushed in to the man's defense blocking the bullets with his borrowed sword. "Go on! Meet up with Tsukuyomi and the others. I'll hold them off here!"

"Don't be a fool! That's a whole squad of Shiranui. You'll be killed!"

"My boosters are already fried! I'm not taking you down with me! (…!) Don't worry. I have no intention of dying. But right now you're needed elsewhere. (…) I know that there are a lot of things you don't understand but your real enemy isn't who you think it is. Right now you have to focus on what's important to you. (Ah…!) If you can't protect everyone… then at least protect those who are precious to you. Please Naoya… protect them… Protect the Shogun and Kei… for me"

Sagiri gritted his teeth. His anger building up on himself. "I understand. I will definitely protect them! I swear it!" And with a heavy heart, the man flew off, leaving the boy to tend with a bigger problem at hand.

"This is 20706 to 1901. I sent Cpt. Sagiri to join you! Do not fire on him! (Roger!) Haaaa… alright then. Bring it on!"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Yuuhi waited in horror as things went from bad to worse as time went on. Just when she thought that the killing was about to stop, an all out war occurred in the middle of the city. Even though she could not see outside the cockpit, she can still hear the gunshots and explosions happening around her escort's frame.

"This is 1901 to all escort units" Tsukuyomi called out. "We're withdrawing back to the museum. Switch to box formation with 1904 at the center. Keep in pairs at all times and watch each other's backs out there. (Roger!) I cannot raise Commander Walken at the moment so all units are free to engage at will! (Copy that!) We'll regroup with the units guarding the west passage and head to the museum. (Bang!) Tch! Kamiyo. Eliminate the enemy sniper! (Roger!)"

"This is 1903" Tomoe called out. "Four enemy units coming in from the north—wait… no… six of them! Gekishin class!"

"All units, you are clear to engage! Fire at will!"

"20702, engaging!"

"20704, engaging!"

The two sides traded shots at one another hoping to score a lucky hit. Bullets whistled pass and machines creaked and crumbled into dust.

"This is Raijin 4. Engaging U.N. TSFs"

"This is Raijin 3. Engaging!"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Back on the rebel fronts, the men and women there were now confused on who to shoot. They could not determine which unit was friend or foe and they feared that they would be shooting their former allies in the process.

"This is Satori! Stop firing! This is a direct order from the commander! All units cease fire—AHHH!"

"Satori! Damn you all!" The onslaught went on and on until no one cared any longer who they were fighting.

"This is Noe 6. Respond Noe Leader. Noe Leader?"

"This is Suzuchi. 1st Lt. Yamada has been killed. I'm taking command of Tanuki battalion!"

"Look out! Incoming missiles!"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Irma! What's taking you?" Wesley barked out to his partner in crime who was having some difficulty taking out her target.

"I'm getting on it!"

Walken couldn't believe it. His own men turning against him. As a commander, this was probably one of the worst nightmares that he could get.

"You'd sell out your comrade and your pride for your own benefit Wesley!-?"

"I don't need another lecture from you, Alfred. My family doesn't have a country anymore. But the least I can do is give them a proper home! (…) I'm sorry that it had to come to this but I can't let you interfere"

"Can you truly face your family after all of this!-?" Walken moved forward only to pull up short when his former friend clocked his gun back at him. "Tch…!"

"I don't give a damn of what you think! I never wanted to join the army in the first place! I was a businessman when I left my country! As long as we complete our mission, nothing else mattered!"

"Are those your final words? (Huh?) If they are… then I'm truly sorry, Wesley" And without letting his opponent know, Walken raised his rifle and boosted out of the area. His former subordinate open fired but missed as he cursed his name out loud. "This is Hunter 1 to all units. Hunter 2 has gone rogue. I repeat: Hunter 2 has gone rogue! You have permission to destroy the unit! (Roger!) Sergeant Jinguuji, do you copy? (Yes!) We're now switching to Plan C, set off the charges!"

"Understood!" And quickly enough a rhythm of explosions echoed at the edge of the ruined city, leveling a whole city block down to the ground.

"Alfred!" Wesley barked out charging to his commander, guns blazing.

"You always were naïve" But right then, Walken reappeared behind him and without a hint of hesitation he unleashed a full volley on his former ally. "You never think to look behind you. That's why I always assigned you with a partner…"

"Ugh…"

"Goodbye… Wesley…" And with that, his friend's TSF burst in flame. Walken gave no time to mourn as he moved on back to his position. "This is Hunter 1 to all units! We're falling back to the third defense line! All units, regroup at the Mt. Fuji Museum!"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Ooooooohhh!" Shirogane charged. Though he was clearly outnumbered and outgunned by his enemies, he showed no signs of backing down. "You won't get pass me!" He blocked the rebel pursuers between the city and a hilltop and having nothing but the borrowed sword as his shield and weapon.

"Im… impossible! He took out three of us… already?"

"He's no ordinary pilot! Take him down in groups! Rush him! (Roger!)"

"You won't get through…" Shirogane muttered under rasped breath. "I won't let you! (Flash) I won't let you hurt **anyone ever again**!" He charged forward, tightening his grip on his blade and cutting the first enemy that tried to get pass him. "Come on! Come and get me! (Wham!) Uwaaa! (Clang!) Gaahhhhhh! (Whack!) (Pow!) STOP SCREWING WITH ME!" Covered with mud and fueled with a determination that would rival an army, the boy swung his sword in every direction, cutting any opposition that dared get in his way.

"Look out! He's rushing through! (Gwahhh!) Hanyo 5!"

"Don't engage him in close combat, you idiots! Take him down with your rifles!"

The rebel squadron open fired, their hands trembling with fear as they went on. Shirogane took the blunt of their attack and every bullet met their mark one way or another. But even when all their shots counted as a hit, the boy still remained standing.

"N… no way! How is he still moving that unit!-? (Clang!) Uwaaaa!"

Battered, beaten and bleeding, Shirogane moved again. "You'll never kill me. Haaa… haaa… haaaa… I won't die now! I can't die now! Not after everything that I've done to get this far! I won't let my friends relive this nightmare again just so you can have your way! (Ahhhhhh!) I won't let you cowards run away! You'll never kill me, you assholes!" The boy charged in and threw his sword at the farthest unit killing the pilot instantly.

"He's weakening! Get him! (Bwahh!) What the?" But Takeru was not done. With his own bear fists he pounding the next opponent he could grab onto and in a grotesque manner, he literally ripped the silicon wires off the Shiranui, piercing through its armor like it was made out of plastic. "M… monster! There's no way he can be human! (Clang!) N… no! He's got me!"

"Don't fuck with me!"

"Someone! Help me!"

WHAM!

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Tsukuyomi was not having a good time. At first she thought that she would be able to escape with Her Highness to the city without any hindrance. But now they were being overwhelmed by an enemy she could not understand. She thought they were rebels… but after seeing what was transpiring between them it was clear now they were nothing more but pawns serving a puppeteer's will.

"Ebisu. Continue onward and do not stop for anything. 1903, 20704, 20702, protect the center unit at all time! (Roger!) Do not engage them alone. Take them down in pairs"

Again they exchanged fire only missing one another by a small margin. "Ayamine, they're coming right behind us!"

"I have them" Ayamine let out a volley but the enemy appeared to be too quick for her bullets. "Tch…! They're fast!"

"Ayamine, duck!" Meiya clocked her gun and once the target came into her sight she pulled the trigger, killing her first enemy in a moment's notice. "Target destroyed" But just as they relaxed their muscles, another enemy flew out from the smoke of the fallen target. "Ayamine! There's one more!"

"Geh!" Ayamine withdrew to dodge his attack. But it seemed too late. "Ah!"

"Toooooh!" And just as miracle wanted it, Sagiri appeared, blocking the enemy's sword with one hand while countering with his combat knife. "Kei! Are you alright?"

"N… Naoya… (…!)" Ayamine was surprised.

"Kei! It… it really is you" But their reunion was cut short when more of the enemy's force arrived. "Tch! Get out of my way! (Boom!) This is Sagiri Naoya calling all loyalist forces. Protect the unit carrying Her Highness at all cost! Switch to the emergency channel to differentiate IFF ID Tracker! Now! (Understood!) (…) Kei…"

"Save it… (…?) We'll talk… later"

"Ah… yes… of course"

"This is 20703! We can't hold the west passage! We're falling back to the third defense line, over!"

"20703, roger that" Tsukuyomi responded. "Just hold them off a little longer. We're almost there. All units, speed if of the essence. Use the office complex for cover! (Roger!)"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Back at the Command Post, Marimo was rushing every possible means to assist her team. "This is Command Post. I'm detecting eight more units coming from the west, twelve on the east and four more crossing over the office complex to the northeast. They're swarming our perimeter!"

"This is Hunter 1. I'll hold the east and northeast. Sergeant. Prepare to evacuate through the tunnels. Once Her Highness gets there you are to escort her through the sewers!"

"Yes sir!"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

On the second defense line, Irma suddenly noted one of the Honor Guards approaching her. "Tch!" She took her sights away from her prime target and fired at Kamiyo. "Damn!"

"Too slow!" Kamiyo rushed in a zigzag maneuver, dodging her shots as they came. "Ooooohhh!"

"Not yet! Not until I complete my mission!" Irma unleashed her full volley but even so, Kamiyo evaded them like they were darts blown at her. "Tch! She's fast. But you can't get me"

Kamiyo then gritted her teeth and hid back when she couldn't see the sniper's IFF signal on her radar anymore. "A stealth field? Hmph"

Irma then made a surprise attack, shooting the girl from behind but pulled to a stop when Kamiyo flew away without much of a hindrance. "N… no way!"

"Don't underestimate the skill of the Imperial Honor Guard! Toooooohh! (Wham!)" With a single hit, Irma's unit fell back first on the ground. "This is 1902. The rogue sniper has been subdued. Moving in to assist 20705, over"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Chizuru continued her attack along with Mikoto. They fired over and over, not even caring if their clips were empty.

Boom!

"I got one! Chizuru san, more of them to the left!" Mikoto yelled out.

"I see them! (Ratatatatat) Eh?" Chizuru then noticed another group of rebels firing on their own. "Th… they're shooting at one another?"

"20701, 20703!" Tsukuyomi called them from behind. "We're falling back now! Hurry up and join us! (R… roger!) The rebel commander, Sagiri Naoya has also joined us so watch your fire. (Eh?) We'll explain later! Focus on the mission! (Yes ma'am!)"

"Cpt. Sagiri! This is Mori of the Fujin Battalion. We'll hold the traitors off on this side. We entrust the safety of Her Highness to you"

"I understand. Good fortunes to all of you"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Eventually the entire group was able to regroup at the final defense line in the museum. Though much of the confusion still lingered, it was still obvious what their main mission was.

"This is Hunter 1 calling all units" Walken spoke out panting through breaths. "We're switching to Phase 2 of Plan C. Sergeant Jinguuji, are you ready? (Yes sir!) Alright then. The Honor Guards will disembark first and escort the Shogun through the sewers. The Cadets and I and the coalition force we have here will hold off the enemy for as long as possible. (Roger that!) Our enemy is amassing their troops at the second defense line to the north. Form a firing line here and here and no matter what happens we cannot allow them to reach the Command Post!"

"Squad 207, roger that!"

But even while their lives were hanging in this fight, the squad couldn't help but worry about one of their comrade who was somewhere behind the enemy lines.

Shirogane has made no contact since they left and none of them could reach him. The worst case scenario popped into their heads but they had to focus. Takeru wouldn't forgive them if they left got distracted by one person's death.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

**(Marimo's POV) (Sewer passage)**

I made it about 2 kilometers through the old passage before I finally contacted Tsukuyomi. The sewer route was old and barely holding as it is but it was the only escape route that we had. The enemy may have been lessened greatly but they still outnumber us by a great margin. We were able to hold them off due to the confusion happening on their end but after awhile they reorganized themselves into a fighting force.

I don't truly understand who were fighting now but it was obvious that they were no longer the rebel force that we came to believe. I have a hunch that Shirogane knows something about it but of course that's all speculation.

After we regrouped at museum, his signal disappeared from our scanners. From what I last saw, he was holding off against a large number of enemies descending from the northern perimeter. I didn't want to demoralize the girls but right now… it seems probable that Shirogane has been… ugh… no. I can't think of that now.

…

Hmm? Ah! N… no way! The pathway… is blocked? But that can't be. I traveled further down here back during the cease fire period and there wasn't a block before. Perhaps the sudden infighting within the city caused parts of the ceiling to collapse. Geh… wait… there's a bit of air coming from the other side and some of the water was also going through. That must mean that the debris wasn't that deep.

"This is Hunter 1. The enemy is preparing for an all out assault. Form battle positions and prepare to engage! (Understood!) Sergeant Jinguuji, report"

"Sir. The tunnel system seems to lead to the lowlands just as you suspected. But the ceiling collapsed during the battle. It'll take a while to clear"

"Damn. How long? (Twenty minutes) Keh. We don't know if we can hold this position for that amount of time. (…) Abort Plan C. Honor Guard Units, return to your TSFs and join ranks with us. (Sir!) Sergeant Jinguuji will escort the Shogun back to the Strong Room and guard her with Cadet Tamase from Squad 207. (Eh?) The only thing we can do now is fight" That's right. Tamase lost her TSF when Hunter 2 went rogue.

"Major!" Hmm? Mikoto? "Enemy forces incoming!"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Walken cursed under his breath before barking out. "Damn it. All units, fire at will! We can still turn this battle into a stalemate! Don't let up! (Yes sir!) Empty your clips if you have to but do not engage them in hand to hand unless absolutely necessary! (Roger!)"

The two sides traded bullets like an old World War 1 movie. A battle between trenches where no side can easily claim victory without making a reckless move.

Boom!

"Geh! They're using 120mm rounds here?" Chizuru gasped.

"Don't they care about hitting Her Highness at all?" Mikoto questioned before firing back.

"Don't falter! Keep firing!" Walken ordered.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Back inside the museum Strongroom, Yuuhi found herself once more, comforting the two girls she promised to take back. The sound of explosions and gunfire echoed even louder than before. The walls trembled and the items stored inside shook with almost violent rigor.

The two little girls shrieked again in fear. Their eyes tearing and their screams begging for this horrible nightmare to finally stop.

"Shh… please have courage. Everything will be alright" Yuuhi tried to comfort them but she herself was giving up on those words. How many times has she told them that 'everything will be alright'? She already lost count. It was like the only thing she could do. She wanted to beg for the fighting to stop too, she truly does. But her words fell silent into deaf ears. "Shirogane… please…"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Commander. I'm tracking another unit coming behind us!" One of the ALT V soldiers stated when he noticed an unknown blip appearing on his radar.

"Our backup from the north area? Good. We can end this battle quickly!"

"No sir! It's not showing any recognizable signature! (What?) It's a single unit showing U.N. IFF"

"Impossible! We had a whole company stationed back there! How can they—(Gahhhh!) What's going on?"

"Get the hell out of my way!" Shirogane burst through the building like a madman. Even though his Fubuki was heavily damaged and his left arm was missing from its torso, he still maintained its balance grabbing one of his opponents by the chest and ripping its energy core from the back of its stomach. "I won't die! I'm not gonna be killed by the likes of you!"

"It's him! That's the monster that took out our forward units!"

"DIE!-!-!-!" Takeru leaped in like a man blinded by rage. He couldn't even feel the pain growing on every part of his body.

"Idiots! Don't break formation, get him!"

"No way! I'm not fighting him!" Panicked, confused and instilled with the boy's infamous reputation built on today's battle, the ALT V soldiers broke ranks and backed away from the boy like he was the plague itself.

"He'll kill us! Run for it!"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Walken noticed his enemy breaking out of their cover and was astounded when he saw Shirogane appearing from the rubble like a cheap Hollywood Frankenstein copy. "What the hell? Is that…?" But he stopped momentarily when he noted an aircraft appearing on his radar. "Airborne units? Reinforcements?" He noted the U.N. insignia on the side of the plane.

"This is the 24th U.N. Airborne Support Unit from the 7th Pacific Army calling any allied units within Susono City. Do you receive, over?"

Meiya noticed the large blue dots that began to appear on her radar and knew immediately that they were allied units from her own Division. "The reinforcements!"

"They made it" Mikoto yelled out in relief. "They're finally here!"

"This is the 24th Airborne Support Unit of the 7th Pacific Army to any allied units in Susono City, be aware we have an aerial support unit commencing a bombing run on your position.

Walken snapped out of his daze and quickly tracked the broadcast channel. "This is Major Alfred Walken of the U.S. 66th TSF Armored Division. We read you. Can you provide support—over? (Bzzt…)"

The pilots could not hear him. All they were receiving was static noise on the other line. They can still see the IFF trackers on their radar but that alone didn't provide an accurate overview of the whole place. "AC-130s and U.S. A-10 Thunderbolts are in the area. Laser targeting confirmed on IFF. Commencing bombing run in thirty seconds. All allied units. If you are receiving this, get out of the blast zone now"

…!

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Marimo: "Major! We still have one of our units out there!"

Walken: "Airborne unit. Cancel bombing run. We still have friendly units in the area! Do not fire! (Static noise…) This is Hunter 1 to Airborne Support unit, do you copy? Abort bombing run!"

Meiya: "Takeru! Get out of there!"

Mikoto: "Takeru! You're gonna get caught in the blast! Hurry up!"

Miki: "Takeru san! Please listen to us!"

Chizuru: "Shirogane! Hurry up and get over here! (Boom!) This is 01, I'm moving in to support 06!"

Marimo: "Negative! Do not pursue! You're going to get caught in the blast zone! (But!) That's a direct order Cadet! Stay where you are! That goes for the rest of you as well!"

But the boy couldn't hear them anymore. He was far too deep in the battle to even see or hear anything other than the enemy in front of him. Like an animal set loose he pounded his foes like they were the only thing that ever mattered.

U.N. Pilot 1: "This Almighty 2. Commencing pylon turn. 120mm mortars and 36mm guns, armed. Hellfire Missiles primed. Almighty 1, provide laser targeting system, over"

U.N. Pilot 2: "This is Almighty 1. Laser targeting system, locked on. Fire in 10… 9… 8…"

Walken: "Airborne, abort! I said abort!"

U.N. Pilot 2: "3… 2… 1… fire!"

Meiya: "Takeru! Run!"

U.N. Pilot 1: "All guns, fire!"

Yuuhi: "SHIROGANE!"


	18. The Calm after the Storm

**Chapter 18: The Calm After the Storm**

**(Takeru's POV) (Dream)**

Ahhmmm? Where? Where am I? Ohh… what time is it? Ugh… the sun is already setting. Wait… isn't this the hill behind my school? It is! That's the tree right there. And down there is… Hiiragi town. Oh… crud. It's already sunset. I must've overslept when I came here to take a nap. Ah well… I'm sure Marimo chan will understand. She'll probably lecture me and give me a standing ovation on how school is important. Ahh... well. Who cares? This routine went on since I was a freshmen.

"Takeru chan!" Huh? Oh… it's Sumika. "There you are. I've been looking all over for you. You missed all the afternoon classes. Jinguuji sensei was so mad at you"

"Yeah, I figured that much. (Hmph!) Hey it wasn't my fault. I came here for a peaceful lunch meal and I dozed off"

"So it was your fault!" Ah… crud. That was probably the worst excuse I used up to date. "If you keep this up, you'll get left behind. (No worries) You'll have extra homework. (No problem) You'll miss half of your summer vacation"

"Yikes! Ok now I'm worried. (Ahahaha) Hey! Don't laugh at someone else's misery"

"You just looked so cute when you're distressed like that. (Why you…) But you know… you'll probably have another wonderful time tomorrow" Huh? Where'd that come from? "I really like the view from this hill. You can see the whole city from here. (Yeah…) Hey looky-looky! There's our house over there! And there's Meiya's mansion"

"Yeah I can see them. I'm not blind you know"

"I'm just trying to cheer you up. (Eh?) Lately you've been feeling… I don't know… distant… for some reason. (Really?) Yeah. You barely talked with any of us this morning either. It's like you weren't even there the whole time. You even woke up early this morning and left without even having breakfast. Tsukuyomi san said so herself"

"Really? When did I ever wake up on my own?"

"I was really shocked too you know. (Sorry…) Just don't be an alien to everyone, ok?"

"Uh… ok?" I answered feeling a bit awkward. "Hey, speaking of aliens. I just had the craziest dream just now. (…) I was transferred in this alternate dimension and I was battling in this super cool robot. I saw all our friends there and Mikoto was a girl too! It was really-really weird. (…) And you… you were a brain in this tank that can talk to this girl. It like a haunted house in the middle of the base. Oh! And our school got turned into a military base and humanity was fighting against this alien invasion called BETAs. It was totally awesome!"

"Emm… sounds… fun"

"It was more than fun, it felt so real! And then… and then I went back in time and… and… (Tug!) Yeow! (Takeru chan?) Ow… my head suddenly hurts all of a sudden. I must've hit my head somewhere when I was sleeping. (Tug!) Ow… ugh…"

"Takeru chan…" H… hey! Why are you coming close to me like that? Sumika is looking directly into my eyes as if she was trying to find something. "Ahehehe… you look cute when you're embarrassed. (Beep beep) Ah… it looks like our time's up"

"Time's up? What do you mean by—(Tug!) Gahh!" (Flash) Wait… I remember something. (Flash)

"Takeru chan… I'll see you back home neh?" Huh? Wait… Sumika. Wait… there's… still (Tug!) so much… I want to tell you. (Tug!) Ugh… I can't… stay… awake… "Bye bye… Takeru chan" Bye bye? I'm going to see you back home anyway… so… why… ugh…

**(Shirahama Base Hospital) (Emergency room)**

Emm… what's with all these lights? So… many lights going up and down. And what's that awful smell? It smells like… medicine and old men.

"We need to get him out of the suit immediately!"

"What do we have with this one?"

"Priority medical treatment from High Command. Severe burning on the chest and back, major internal and external bleedings on all areas, punctured kidney—"

Who… who's talking over there? Who are these guys? They look like doctors and nurses. I feel like my body is floating on the clouds. Am I on a stretcher? Why am I on a stretcher and why can't I talk or move any part of my body.

"I'm reading several broken bones, dislodged joints and possible damage to the head"

"Get his vital signs from his suit and put it on the monitor. (Beep) (…!) Th… that's not possible. He shouldn't even be alive"

"(Beep beep!) I'm reading a spike in brainwave activity!"

"What? I thought he was unconscious? Add 20ml of morphine and sedative. Put him back to sleep! (Ruffle!)" Who… who are these people! Where am I?

"Doctor he's waking up!"

"Hold him down! Don't let him go into shock!" (Tug!) Ughhh! I have to… move. I have to get out of here. "Tie him down! Apply the sedatives! (Sir!) We need to get suit off him. Now!"

"Sir his suit functions are not responding. They were damaged during combat"

"Then we'll have to cut it open before we can apply treatment. I need a number 10 Scalpel with a number 3 handle. I want a retractor ready as well. (Sir!)" What? What is he doing now? Why is he pointing that knife at me? No… I can't die here. I have to get out. I have to move! Ugh! "I told you to hold him down!"

"We're trying! He's too strong! Adding sleeping gas to his oxygen supply" Let go of me you bastards! I have to go! I have to protect everyone! I can't do that if you hold me down here! "Bwah! H… he's still moving!" Let go of me! I said let go!

"I said hold him! (Ruffle!) Alright… I'm removing the suit now. (WHAM!) Huh?"

"Stop what you're doing…" That voice! Can it be? It is! It's Yuuko sensei! I'm saved. Aha… ha…ha

"Who are you? We're currently in an emergency operation here! You can't just barge in as you please!"

"Out…" Yuuko sensei… why… why are you looking at me like that? I never knew… she could make that kind of face. She looks kind of… cute. "I said get out, all of you! (What? But we're in a—) (Click) I won't ask again" Is she… pointing a gun at them? Ugh… who are those MPs behind her? "Escort them out and lock the door behind you"

"Yes ma'am…"

The doctors and nurses walked out with their hands raised up and complied. By the time the door closed, Yuuko sensei walked up to me, removing the oxygen mask strapped to my face.

"Keh… you're really messed up… you know that?"

"Yuuko… sensei…" It took every last ounce of my strength to get those words out of my mouth.

"Shhh… it's alright. (Uuuu…) Get some rest while you can. It's going to be a long day" Ugh… I feel really sleepy all of a sudden. Maybe… maybe I'll do just that. I'll just close my eyes for a couple of minutes and get back on my feet. My mind is so fuzzy… I can't even think straight.

**(December 6, 2001 Thursday) (Shirahama Base) (Marimo's POV) (07:24 PM)**

Fourteen hours…

It's been exactly fourteen hours since any of us last saw Shirogane. When reinforcements arrived to relieve us at Susono City I was stunned to actually find him alive. I don't know how it was possible. But when we found him his unit was practically charcoaled down to nothing. But even after such a destructive blast, the TSF still held itself together, like it was trying to protect the person piloting it. I'm not one to trust in superstitions but when I saw his Fubuki, I hardly believed it myself. Medical teams rushed in to assist but many of us feared the worst.

My Squad wanted to help the boy as well but we were ordered to continue on with the mission to escort Her Highness to Shirahama Base. I forced them to move on and let the medics deal with the wounded. The 24th TSF Battalion and the 3rd and 4th Honor Guard Regiment then joined up with us along with the Imperial Loyalist troops who were the Prime Minister's personal forces. Our small escort force was quickly turned into a small army of its own.

By 08:00 hours (Morning), we arrived at our destination and relieved of our custody over Her Highness. A welcoming committee assembled there for us and the Shogun was greeted with the proper courtesies. The U.N. Army was praised by the people and the provincial government for their quick assistance in this matter.

The rebel forces on the other hand, caught by the confusion of Cpt. Sagiri's orders of a complete disarmament and the sudden infighting between their own soldiers surrendered to the Imperial Army in less than an hour. The ring leaders of the group including the said Captain were arrested and brought back to the capital for trial charged with treason. The remaining groups who still showed signs of resistance in Kyoto Training Base were put down almost immediately.

By 13:23 hours the Prime Minister of Japan, Sakaki Kurechika declared the coup d'état to be officially over and martial law was lifted from the mainland. The rural areas including the Kantou region is now slowly undergoing post war reconstruction.

The Imperial Army from Hokkaido and Okinawa restored order within the capital and with U.N. assistance, brought relief supplies to the smaller towns caught in the conflict.

The American Army on the other hand received mixed comments. Though it was not officially announced to the public to keep U.S.-U.N-Japan relation from breaking, it was obvious that several members of the U.S. 7th Fleet had indeed been leaking information to the rebel army during the operation. A thorough investigation has been carried out and the American Military Intelligence Agency detained many of its officers for questioning. That also included Major Walken of the 66th TSF Armored Division.

After all, two of his officers did turn against us.

My training squad was dismissed from the mission and was given a barrack near the port to rest for the day. They would later be questioned about the mission to verify what happened there. But I doubt any of them would be able to rest. They were far too worried, too concerned about Shirogane's condition to even get a wink of sleep.

Unlike them however, I was brought in by high command to submit a full report immediately so they can file something about the mission. I've written many strange reports during my days as a soldier in both the Imperial Army and the U.N.—but this one blows them all by a large margin. Even I have a difficulties believing what I had written in there.

What was I to say? Shirogane convinced the rebel commander to join forces with us to fight against the real enemy? Who was this enemy? Right now I had more questions than answers and it seems like I can only speculate what was really happening back there.

From what I can tell, Shirogane seems to know a portion of what was going on but did not share it with the rest of us. I have a feeling that Yuuko may have something to do with it but then again… everything I give out will simply be speculation. The officer in charge won't accept my hunch as evidence. I'm now convinced that Yuuko did not send Shirogane to Susono on a hunch. To send one cadet on such a mission is practically suicide on its own. No… she wanted something there. Something that attracted her attention there and it felt like she was willing to sacrifice Shirogane to get it.

After I submitted by report to the best of my abilities I decided to head to the medical center to find out more on Takeru. They must have his name registered in the local database. Maybe I can find out his condition. I don't expect a pleasant answer but at the very least I would like to ease the girls of one problem.

"Sergeant Jinguuji?" Huh?

"M… Major Walken?" It was the American officer I served with earlier.

"There's no need to salute an officer of another nation"

"Ah… sorry sir. It was simply out of habit" I lowered my hand in return.

"It's fine. I still salute to my drill sergeant whenever I see him as well" That's very impressive. Even without his suit's translator his Japanese seemed very fluent. There was a bit of accent but still it was fluent enough for me to understand. "I assume you're here to see your cadet, Shirogane Takeru. (Eh?) I heard that he was commissioned here so I thought of dropping for a visit. (…?) Hmm? What's the matter?"

"Wait… what are you saying sir?"

"Didn't you hear? I confirmed it with a passing soldier a few moments ago. Most casualties are being transferred here for medical aid" How come I never heard of this? "Eishis who are also in critical condition are also moved here since this is the closest base with the proper equipments. (…!) Did you… really not know?"

"No I didn't"

"Well then I shall not stop you. But do send him my best wishes. Kids like him who can speak their mind are a welcome sight. Children of today simply obey what the adults tell them without question. It's a sad truth. It's refreshing to know that there are still some free spirits in these dark times. (Major…) Ahehe. Listen to me rant on and on. Sorry to waste your time, Sergeant"

"W… wait. Is the U.S. Army leaving already?"

"We no longer have a reason to stay. And besides… we're being recalled by the National Guards back in Washington. The moment all casualties on our side have been assessed we will depart for the fortress city of Seattle by morning. (I see…) But in any case, please send the boy my regard if he is well and if he's alive then tell him that I would like to meet with him again one day. (Sir!) Oh… and Sergeant"

"Yes Major?"

"Whatever it is you're teaching them… keep at it. Men with those talents aren't easy to come by"

And with that he was gone. I gathered up my courage and rushed to the hospital as quickly as possible. If Shirogane is here then… maybe… just maybe, he's still alive.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

I entered the medical center through the front door and saw that this place was already packed full with patients from all over the province. Civilians, soldiers and prisoners were all being treated by doctors and nurses. I pitied them for fighting one another but now was not the time. I need to find Shirogane. Any information about him would be helpful.

I approached the receptionist who was busy sorting files to notice anyone around her. "Excuse me. I'm looking for a patient"

"Yes, and who might that be?"

"Shirogane Takeru. Eishi Cadet 1st Class of Training Squad 207 from Yokohama Base"

The woman nodded back with a smile ran her fingers on the computer and searched through the archive for the boy I asked. "Let's see here. Shiroki, Shinta, Shibata… Ah here we are. Shirogane Takeru. Cadet 1st Class. Yes he was transferred here about eight hours ago by a medical team. He was ordered to be taken into the emergency room immediately for surgery. But I can't release information about him to just anyone ma'am"

"I'm his instructor. Sergeant Jinguuji"

"Ah… well. I guess that's fine then" She sounded cheerful even in this troubled time. There really are some amazing people out here. "Right then. Shirogane Takeru. His condition at the moment is stable. (…!) It doesn't say what he suffered but it does say that his operation was successful and was immediately transferred to a patient room for awhile now. (Which room?) Umm let's see… he was transferred to the East ward on the third floor. Take elevator and go straight through the left hallway. His room number is 334. (Thank you very much!) Ah wait! Wait! There's another general order of…" But I couldn't hear her anymore.

I followed her earlier instructions and rushed to the third floor and right there, right where she pointed out was room 334. But… who were those men guarding the door? MPs?

Click clack…

Ah! (Fwup) Eh? Wait… why am I hiding all of a sudden? The moment I saw an officer appear in front of Shirogane's room my first instinct was to hide.

"I wish to speak with the Vice Commander" I remember that officer. He's one of General Radhabinod personal assistants. I don't remember his name but I recall seeing him around the base a few times.

The MPs blocked the doorway, preventing from entering. "Sorry Captain, but Vice Commander Kouzuki instructed us not to let anyone in" Yuuko? She's here? I guess that would explain the MPs.

"She's expecting me. Just tell her to meet me out here. That's fine"

The larger guard looked at his partner for a moment before calling the woman inside. And true enough, Yuuko came out, her coat covered in red stains. "Ah… it's you" She said boringly to the captain who saluted at her. "How did it go?"

"All necessary arrangements have been made" He answered back in a professional tone. "We have made contact with the Secretary of Defense in Washington. He'll be waiting for your call tomorrow. He sends his regards on the matter yesterday. He said you would understand what it means"

"Very good. You've done well. What about the TSF?"

The Captain patted the back of his head before responding. "We have engineers salvaging it as we speak. But they said not to expect much. The unit sustained major damage that it's almost recognizable. The Head Mechanic said that it will take some time to pull it all back together. (…) They will do what they can to recover it"

"That's fine. The unit can be turned to scrap but the cockpit block must remain untouched no matter what. (Yes ma'am) Oh by the way, is the mobile command center still here?"

"Huh? Ah… well… yes. The mobile command post is still parked in the hanger for refueling. Shall I have it ready?"

"Yes but we're taking someone with us. (Huh?) We'll be taking Cadet Shirogane Takeru with us back to Yokohama base" Eh? She's taking Shirogane?

"Eh? But, professor… there's an ongoing investigation for Squad 207. I was able to get the doctors you chased off to comply but the intelligence division will…"

"I will take full responsibility. Tell General Radhabinod that"

The captain flinched back and gave out a defeated sigh. "Very well then. I shall make the arrangements. Excuse me…"

Once the captain was gone Yuuko let out a yawn of her own. I've never seen Yuuko assert her authority to such lengths before. Usually things would go her way one way or another because of her plan but now it seems like she's using her rank to get what she wants.

I was about to approach her but stopped when I noticed another figure exiting Shirogane's room. Wait… I know that person. That's Yoroi Sakon, the intelligence officer of the Imperial Army. I met him during our mission in Hakone. What is he doing here?

"Well it seems that I had better go as well"

Yuuko turned to him with a tired face. "Ah… yeah. Good work on your end as well"

The man simply waved her compliments away. "Aha… please I didn't do much. I merely followed what you instructed me. It was your splendid plan that gave us the authority to perform admirably"

"Hmph. Modesty doesn't suit you nor does flattery"

"Ahahaha… well I was bored so I thought I'd try something different today. But nonetheless… I got a chance to watch a splendid performance unfold before me. You don't see things like that very often, especially in these times"

"Then I hope you'll hold your end of the bargain"

"I am a man of my word, professor"

Yuuko gave a scoff. "I'll believe that when I grow senile"

"Nonsense professor. You still have plenty of years ahead of you. It will be a great lost for mankind should that face grow a wrinkle or two. (…) But I would rather not tempt you for the benefits of my own health. For all we know, the boy may be listening in on us"

"Huhu… if afraid of him, then perhaps I should have him around more often"

"He has that strange effect on me" Yoroi laughed. "Ah but I must tell you that I may be a little late. (Hooo?) It's rather embarrassing to say but I lost a bet to someone and I would like to settle it as soon as possible. You understand of course…?"

"As long as it doesn't interfere with our arrangement then by all means"

"Of course not. Well then… if you'll excuse me" After tipping his hat, the man left the hallway through the opposite hall leaving Yuuko alone with her two guards.

Right… I guess this is my chance. I'll have to intercept her before she has a chance to go back in. "Yuuko!" I called out to get her attention.

"Hmm? Ah Marimo, you're here, perfect. Saves me the time to look for you" Eh? She was looking for me? "I will be taking Shirogane back with me to Yokohama Base. I need you to remain here to ensure that the other girls make it back"

"W… wait a second! What do you mean you're taking him with you? He's heavily injured. He shouldn't be moving around so recklessly"

"I need him for something else. (Eh?) Just tell the others that he's fine. That'll be all"

"Oi! Yuuko! You can't just leave it like that! He's an Eishi Cadet under my tutelage. As his instructor, I have the rights to know what he's going through or at least see him to confirm his status"

Yuuko turned away from me for a minute. "That will be… a little difficult. (Huh?) It would be best if you don't see him right now. Just tell the girls that he'll be fine. (Yuuko!) Tch… you're making this harder on yourself Marimo. You shouldn't worry too much"

"I'm not letting you go until I know why! You didn't just put him in this training squad just because of a hunch. (…) What kind of teacher would I be if I don't worry about my cadets!-? (…) So tell me. What's the real reason you're keeping him from the rest of us? You didn't even tell me that he was transferred to this hospital until I heard it from another officer! Are you telling me that I should just wave off pretending that nothing happened when my own cadets get shot down!-?"

"You're not making this easy on me Marimo~"

"Does this have to do with the reason why you sent him to Susono? (…!) I don't know what you're game is Yuuko but you're taking this a bit too far, interfering with military and operation affairs is strict out of your jurisdiction"

"I gave the mission order on what I thought brought the best possible result in ending the conflict. It sounded logical at the moment seeing that we did not know of intel leak at the time. What happened during the operation is beyond my control"

She's avoiding my question and blocking it entirely with logical response. "But Yuuko! To withhold information and…"

"Enough!" Geh…! "Sergeant Jinguuji, there are various reasons why I cannot allow anyone but myself to see Shirogane at the moment. You may be his instructor but I am his guardian and his personal commanding officer. His talents are mine to use where I believe would benefit the most. It's doesn't concern you"

…!

Wham!

My hands reached to her collar before I had time to think. I didn't know what came over me but I know that moment I was absolutely furious with Yuuko. "Doesn't concern me? (Ruffle!)" I pulled her up to my face as I yelled out. "It has every reason to concern me! I don't give a damn if you're a high ranking officer! To keep information from the army is no laughing matter! You can't do as you please without ticking someone off! This isn't like high school!"

"…" Yuuko's expression didn't change one bit. She's hasn't changed a bit. Even when we were kids she wouldn't show a single hint of concern to me.

"Shirogane isn't and object you can just something you can pick up and toss away like a rag! He cries, he feels and bleeds just like any other human!"

…

"Are you really sure that he's human anymore?"

"Huh?"

Click

Before I knew it, the two MPs had their guns trained at me "Let go of the Vice Commander, Sergeant…" He warned, turning off his safety with a defining click sound. But he stopped when Yuuko signaled the man to lower their weapons.

"You haven't changed one bit… Marimo…" Yuuko added adjusting her coat again. "If that's all you have to say then go. But my command still stands. Are you going to disobey it?"

…

…

…

"No ma'am…" My military self answered.

"And I'll overlook this little incident… for old time's sake" And once again… even after all these years… Yuuko gets to leave the conversation with that annoying smirk on her lips.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

After that little fiasco I decided that it would be best that I left. I don't know what happened back there or what made me burst out like that… but somehow I felt like a switch in me just flipped. Usually I'm more in control of my emotions but now… I feel like I can barely even hold myself in. Ugh… I'm probably just tired from all the fighting. I haven't had much sleep since the coup began either.

But strangely enough… just knowing that Shirogane was alive relieved me. Perhaps if I tell the girls this they will be relieved of some stress and finally get the rest they need.

"Sergeant Jinguuji"

"Hmm? 1st Lt. Tsukuyomi? What can I do for you?" I saluted again out of habit.

"At ease. There's really no reason for you to salute an officer of another faction" I am merely performing a task for Her Highness" A mission from the Shogun? "Nothing important but delicate. Are you off to see your squad? (Yes…) I see…" She paused for a moment. She looks like she wants to say something but found herself at a loss for words.

"Is something the matter lieutenant?"

"I… I have heard from the soldiers that Cadet Shirogane Takeru was recently transferred here. Is this true?" She wants to know about Shirogane? Heh… strange. It seems like that boy is the on everyone's minds right now.

"Yes" I answered honestly which she then gave a relieving sigh. "Though I have not seen him myself… I heard that he has made a successful recovery. He's resting at the triage center near the dry docks"

"I see… so he lives" I saw a smile flash through her lips but she quickly hid it away. "Perhaps there is still a god watching over us. (Eh?) No… it's nothing. Just the rambling of a soldier. I thank you for sharing this information with me. But if you are heading to your barracks, perhaps you can bring me there. (Eh?) Her Highness wishes to speak with the members of your squad, alone, to congratulate on their success before she departs. If that would not be too difficult…"

"Ah… no not at all. But right now… there's an ongoing investigation on the mission. They are not allowed to leave the base until it's completed"

"That is understandable. But still… they are allowed visitors, are they not? (…?) I still wish to deliver this message to them"

I guess there's no point in stopping her. "Very well. I will escort you there. Please follow me" We slowly made our way to the barracks where my squad was assigned. It wasn't the most luxurious place but it was far better than the detention center.

Inside, the girls had all but separated into their own corners. Mitsurugi huddled on the top bunk of the bed trying her best to get some measure of sleep. Yoroi was sitting by the table, her eyes empty as if she had gone to a peaceful place to escape the horrors of reality just for a moment. The Squad Leader, Sakaki sat by the lower bunks, her eyes covered with her arm. At least she was getting some shut eye.

As for Tamase and Ayamine they sat by the window, looking out into the distance. I heard from the investigating units that these two will be questioned more thoroughly than the others. After all, Tamase was the last person who associated with the unit that went rogue during the mission. Ayamine also appears to have a relation with the rebel leader which drew the attention of the intelligence agents to investigate her background.

I have no doubt that these girls would be cleared of all suspicion but that didn't clear the anxiety in me.

After awhile, Sakaki noticed my presence and shouted out to the others. "Attention!"

"At ease" I waved them off before they assembled. It seems like they haven't even had a wink of sleep since they arrived. I just hope they can face tomorrow.

**(Takeru's POV) (Hospital Ward room 334)(One hour later)**

Ahhmm…

Hmmmm… ugh… where am I? My eyes opened up to an unfamiliar white ceiling. Is this… a hospital? How did I get here? (Tug!) Ughhh… my head feels like it's being drilled by a rusty nail and my body felt like it was made of lead. I can barely even move my fingers much less my own hands.

"Oh? You're awake?" Huh? That voice? Is that…? "Good evening… hero. (…) Do you remember who I am or did you forget already?" There's no way I'd forget that smug face and that cocky toned voice.

"Yuuko… sensei" I was able to mutter out. It was then I realized that I was strapped onto some high medical equipments. There was a facemask strapped to my mouth connected to an oxygen tank, plasma dripping into my veins from my right arm and a heart rate monitor strapped to my wrist. I was laying on a bed… a soft bed at that. Nothing like my bed back at the base.

Satisfied with my answer she gently removed my facemask and turned off the heart monitor. I couldn't stand the sound of my own heart beeping at such an irregular machine. "Amazing. Only a few hours after surgery and you're already conscious. How are you feeling?"

"I can't feel my arm…"

"Your nervous systems were disabled during surgery. It should recover after some rest"

"… what… happened to me?"

"You were caught in a full blown air raid. (…?) Don't you remember? It should be counted as 4 ½ miracles that you it out alive" Air raid? What is she talking about? "Geez. Everything was going so smoothly when you rushed out like that. Going against twenty of them with a damaged Fubuki was insane. Even with your new OS, that wasn't a sure shot. Adding to that I should probably make it 10 ¾ miracles that you're even here talking with me. Talk about reckless endeavors"

Wait… air raid… damaged Fubuki… (Flash!) Ah… I remember. I was… fighting against the rebels that time in Susono City when… (Flash!) Ah!

"Ahh! The mission! (…!)" That's right. I was fighting against Naoya when the rebels began firing at us. "I was fighting with a whole group and I was… protecting Yuuhi! I was… ugh… (Whack!) Yeow!"

"Calm down!" Yuuko scolded me folding a heavy rolled up newspaper. "Don't make me hit you with this" You're supposed to say that before you hit me!

"Ow… ugh…" I felt my whole body go numb when I lay back down on my bed.

"That's what you get when you exert too much force in your condition. You barely recovered from that fight. You shouldn't be able to move at all"

"Sensei! What happened? The mission! Marimo, everyone! The Shogun and… and…"

"Stop. (Uuuuu…) Come on now. You're too hasty. Why don't you think of your own body before you worry about others?" She then ruffled her lab coat and brought a chair to sit on. "I know that you have a lot of questions… but before I answer any them, tell me what you remember. (Huh?) I don't want to go and muddle up your memories just because of this. Tell me what you can recall from the mission. Start from the very beginning"

I took a small breather and slowly began remembering the details of the whole mission. I recalled that time when we were sent to Hakone. It was part of the plan I revised with Yuuko sensei. When the Shogun appeared I was told to take a separate route to Susono City to await the arrival of the Imperial Army. Later, when I realized that they weren't coming, we were ambushed by rebel soldiers. I was able to hold them for about twenty minutes or so before reinforcements arrived. From there we had a 1 hour ceasefire with Sagiri Naoya who appeared. Seeing that we were outnumbered and outmatched I gave out the idea of delaying the fight a bit.

I dueled with Naoya and somehow convinced him to stop the fighting. But when I thought that it was all over, some rebels began firing at one another bent on killing Yuuhi. The last thing I remembered was being outnumbered by a large group of Shiranuis and a very loud explosion that knocked me out.

"… and that's pretty much it…" I left out the details where the Shogun and I had an argument. No one needs to know about that.

"Hmm…" Yuuko sensei gave me a satisfying nod and paused for a moment before replying. "Impressive. I'm surprised you were actually able to remember everything that happened. (…?) Well at least I don't have to worry about your memory being muddled"

"Yuuko sensei. What happened afterwards? How long have I been asleep? What day is it? My squad, every!"

"One at a time, there's no need to rush" She playfully poked my face back to my pillow gesturing me to get some rest. "Today is still December 6, 2001. The time is 07:45 PM. You've been asleep for six hours ever since your operation. (Operation?) Don't you remember? You were blasted by 120mm rounds at point blank range. Your exosuit was so beaten up that I had to remove it by force. You suffered more than twenty broken ribs, dislodged joints, severe head concussion and more wounds than I'd rather count. I even find it hard to believe that you can still live in those conditions"

Ugh… I don't remember any of those. I remember getting blasted off into smithereens but everything that followed afterwards is pretty much blank.

"As for your squad, they're fine. A little shaken up, but none of them are injured, physically at least" Haaa… so they're fine… that's good. "But still… I have to admit that you were pretty reckless. (Huh?) Speaking the Shogun's true name freely, recklessly charging into battle, taking over command against your own authority. Making the rebel army commander join your ranks? Really now, are you a soldier or a vigilante?" Guuu… now she's scolding me. How does she even know that anyway? "As for the coup, it was declared over by the government earlier this afternoon. Sagiri and his men were arrested and charged with treason. The Shogun gave a country wide speech a few hours ago too. I wasn't even able to get a chance to meet her. Seriously, it feels like everything you did was such a big waste of time"

"Uuuuu… sorry"

"But other than that… you were… magnificent. (Eh?) You were incredible. Not only that but you saved a lot of lives today as well. If it weren't for you, thousands more would've been caught in the conflict. Thanks to you, the losses of soldiers, Eishis and civilians lessened significantly"

"S… so… I did it?"

She nodded to my question. "You saved Japan… hero boy…" So I really did it. I… I really changed the world… again. "I'll be honest though. I had my doubts about this whole plan thing but when you came through with it with almost flying colors I hardly feel surprised anymore"

"So it's… it's over…?"

"For now at least" Ahaha… so I really did it. I was able to save a few. "Ara? Are you crying?"

"Ah… no… I'm just… a little tired" I really did it. I really can change the world… after all. I thought it was stupid for one person to do so but… it really happened. I… changed… the world. I saved people's lives… I… I… I feel so… tired.

"Hmm hmm. Go ahead and sleep. You earned it"

"W… wait… Yuuko sensei. My friends… Meiya and… everyone…"

"They'll be fine on their own. Now get some rest. (Zzzzzz…zzzzz…) Huhuhu… still a kid after all. (Zzzz…) Well… I guess it's time I keep my end of the bargain"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

But just as the professor was about to leave the room, a strange mystical sound suddenly caught her attention. She looked around hearing it whistling in her ear. At first she thought it was just music coming from the adjacent room. After all, this ward did provide some measure of entertainment for its patients. But later she realized that it was coming from the medical equipment strapped on Shirogane.

"(Whirrr…) Hmm? What's this? (Whirrr…)" No one would ever see the shocked face of Kouzuki, but when she picked up those readings coming from the machines, her eyes widened considerably as if she stumbled upon gold itself. "No… that can't be right. (Whiirrrrrrrrrr…) How…? No. That's just not humanly possible (…!) (Whiirrrr…) Shirogane… just what are you?" She scanned the readings over and over and with each page that came out, shook her hands with a strange thrill of excitement.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

**(Marimo's POV) (TSF Hanger) (08:40 PM)**

I came to the TSF hanger later that night after visiting the squad at their barracks. They appear to be relieved knowing that Takeru was alive and well but their mind must still be a nervous wreck. After all… these girls just survived their first taste of real combat. No one can really get used to fighting… at least no one that I know of. The sense of death lingering at the back of your head is always a bother. To pull the trigger and taking the life of another can be very traumatizing especially for a cadet. Perhaps some rest will do them some good.

"Sergeant?" Hmm? Oh… I completely forgot myself. "We'll be loading supplies to the shipment heading to Okinawa. Is that alright with you?"

"Ah yes of course" Though it has only been a few hours since the coup had ended, people around acted as if it never happened. We kept ourselves busy doing our usual routine work. Somehow I feel like it's the only thing keeping us moving forward. We lost a lot of men in this coup and used up a lot of resources. That's why most staff officers are being reassigned to supply requisition duties. To make up for the losses we had here we were now going to be receiving aid from Hokkaido and Okinawa.

Hopefully we can bring Yokohama back to full strength by the end of the week.

"Then I'll have the paperwork submitted to the office"

"Yes, thank you for your hard work" Perhaps this is for the best.

"Oi! Orders just came in. We're loading unit 8-15 onto the flatbed!" Hmm? There were workers down by the hangers shouting at each other.

"What? Are you sure? The 8th unit is a total wreck"

"They want those six towed with the Mobile Command Post and brought back to Yokohama base for inspection"

"Alright. Hey, you three, detach the coupling"

Brrrrr…

Eh? That Fubuki. Isn't that Shirogane's unit? Though you can no longer see the number on its shoulder, I can easily recognize it because of the damage that it sustained. There were no other units in the army more heavily damaged then that one. It was actually fortunate to even be staying in one piece. All of its limbs save but its right arm was still attached to its body. The head unit was burnt to a crisp leaving only a portion of it unscathed. The cockpit block had been cut off by melee weapons. I was actually very surprised that it could still work in those conditions.

When the rescue team arrived, they had to forcefully cut the chest open to save Shirogane. Ugh… just thinking about it gives me the chills. Maybe I should do more work by the compound to get my mind off it.

"Hey, did you guys hear?" Hmm?

"Yeah. Those prisoners in the detention area? They were pretty much out of their minds"

"They said that a monster in Susono City took them all down without even killing them. They said that the pilot just rips out the wires in your TSF and goes off to the next one like a madman"

"Don't believe everything you hear. Those guys are probably just tired from all that fighting"

"But don't you think it's true? I mean, the reports said that there almost three dozen damaged TSFs out there. All of them were still intact with their energy cores ripped out of them or their transponder unit damaged"

"Coincidence. No one's that good. You should also check the casualty roster sometimes. Let's hurry, or else the Captain will chew our ears off for being late again"

Those two Eishis. They were talking about the prisoners earlier. Judging from the topic… could they be talking about Shirogane? Now that they mentioned it, Shirogane did not righteously killing enemy pilots until the later part of the battle. He spared the pilot's life and would only take it when he had been given little choice. Takeru's prowess is now officially beyond normal. I mentioned it in my report of this operation that his skills were beyond what I had previously described.

The boy was more talented than anyone I have ever met. I saw his skill first hand when he rescued me from battle. Even with the newly developed OS, he easily maneuvered his mech like it was just another part of his body. He performed acrobatics, summersaults, and even using his boosters to simply spin behind enemies like it was a dance routine for him.

I could barely even follow him in the monitor when he fought the enemy commander that tried to kill me. The OS that Yuuko developed doesn't make you a magnificent pilot from what I heard, but it simply allows you to move freely and without any restrictions.

I heard that Yuuko had secretly begun testing it on other cadets back at the base and even sent it to High Command for approval weeks ago. They'll probably try to make a training course of it.

But for Shirogane… I'm still certain that he's not completely honest with us. Ever since Yuuko transferred him to the training squad he became the pinnacle of strength for the other members. The boy performed exceptionally in every course, and had every trait needed to be a perfect soldier on the battlefield. He was calm and level headed and when the fighting starts, he was second to none. Even the veterans of the base would have difficulty seeing him as a cadet.

Hmm… perhaps I should go see the prisoners as well and hear what more they have to say about him.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

**(Imperial Army Carrier) (Longue)**

Kobuin Yuuhi, the wise Shogun of Japan sat in a stanza position in that luxurious room onboard an Imperial Carrier gazing at a painting that has been placed there for her. It was a form of mental training, admiring the artistic brush strokes of the painter and calming her nerves down.

Though her mind still formed around the picture, her concentration wavered upon a single name that continued to echo in her head. She tried to shut it out but the simple thought of a male character puts his face to the picture. Everything she saw began to form his figure, his face and even his name. Even the painting was beginning to transform in such a ridiculous way. If she were out in the open gazing at the sky, she'd probably even picture that boy's face in the clouds.

But her training ceased when she heard a knock on the bulkhead door. She let out a small wheeze before answering. "Come in…"

Tsukuyomi entered with her head lowered to the Shogun's height. "Your highness, forgive my intrusion. (Enter… Tsukuyomi…) Yes ma'am. I come to inform you that I have completed the tasks that you have assigned to me"

"Please give your report…"

"Though I must be honest, I did not meet the boy in person. I was informed by his instructor, Sergeant Jinguuji Marimo that the boy still lives. (…) I'm afraid I know not of his conditions"

A great heave of sigh escaped the Shogun's mouth. Her breathing became easier now and her stress dropped almost literally from her shoulders. "I see. So he is well? (Yes…) That is good. Thank you, Tsukuyomi"

"It was my honor to do this for you" The red clad guard bowed lowly in reply.

"And what of the other task?"

Tsukuyomi stiffened a bit before answering. "Ah… she is waiting outside. I shall… call her in immediately" She hesitantly walked back to the door and allowed the person waiting outside to come in. "You may enter…"

Meiya's slim figure slowly entered the room, her heart racing a bit to see the honorable Shogun in person. Following the basic procedures she lowered her head to the Shogun's height and formally walked to the center of the room to make her presence known.

Speaking from her mind she followed the script that she had written to herself. "Your highness. It is an honor for me to meet you once more"

Yuuhi nodded to her in a cold profession and waved Tsukuyomi off. "Leave us. (…?)"

"B… but your highness! (…) …!" The Shogun's silence was clear enough. "I… I understand. I shall be waiting outside" Tsukuyomi felt an uncomfortable tinge in her belly to leave the two sisters alone but her honor demanded it. With a heavy heart and a heavy mind she exited the room and sealed the door tightly to prevent eavesdroppers from snooping around. Her footsteps echoed outside the room—and once they could no longer hear it, their meeting began.

Clutching onto a very precious doll in her hand, Yuuhi rose from her seat to meet a sister she had never spoken to before until this morning. "You may raise your head…"

"Ma'am…" Meiya followed, her eyes avoiding to meet with the Shogun causing her mind and heart to falter. She steeled herself for what was to come next. For all she knew, this could be an honorable task. Usually it would be the subordinates who would be seeking an audience with the Shogun, not the other way around. This meeting could mean anything—disowning from the royal family, a simple discussion of politics, or perhaps a mission of the highest honor known to Imperial soldiers. But none of those were in the Shogun's mind. She had made arrangements to meet up with the rest of Squad 207 in private but she insisted that Meiya would be the first to visit.

All form of ideas ran through Meiya's head. She simulated every possible outcome and was ready for it. But before she could escape to her thoughts… the Shogun pulled her back to reality with a simple gesture of appreciation.

In a move that would've made the spirits sing, the gods to cry tsunamis and the demons to dance in heretical rituals, Yuuhi leap forward, holding Meiya in a tight embrace. She could not hold herself back anymore.

To hell with traditions, to hell with duties, to hell with the BETA and the human race. For one moment, the Shogun simply wanted something for herself. Just this one moment. Even if the world should deny it, she'll risk it… she'll risk it all on this one precious moment.

"Sister…" Those words escaped her lips as she tightened her grip around Meiya. She finally had it all. She could feel it. Her sister's warmth, her soul, her aura… she could feel it all. It was like a part of her slowly healing from a long period of separation.

It would be moments later before Meiya regained conscious of her surroundings. "W… wait! Y… your highness, what are you—?"

"Please… don't speak" Yuuhi choked a phrase, tears rolling down her eyes like waterfalls to her sister's neck. "Just let me have this moment, please. Let me be selfish just this once"

Meiya put all her might into pushing her away but found herself lacking in strength and courage to do so. She too could feel it too. That strange bond between them slowly healing like an open wound finally receiving the care it sorely needed. Like her soul was reuniting with its origins. She tried to block it out, reciting her oaths in her head over and over… but they all drowned away in the tears she began to drip down her cheeks.

At long last… she allowed herself to let go and returned the embrace, choking a similar sob to her sister's clothes.

"Sister…"

"I'm sorry Meiya. I'm sorry… for everything that I've ever done to you" The Shogun choked through sobs. "Please forgive me… for… for… everything…"

…

…

…

A small laugh escaped Meiya's voice…

"We're sisters, are we not? There was nothing to forgive…"

_"When sisters stand shoulder to shoulder, who stands a chance against us?"_

-_Pam Brown-_


	19. A Day Alone

**Chapter 19: A Day Alone…**

**(Takeru's POV) (December 7, 2001 Friday) (Yokohama Base) (Takeru's room) (07:20: AM)**

Ughhh… what happened? Ohhhh… I feel like my body had was thrown over like a baseball going 50kph and then being hit by a steel bat hitting the podium on the other side of the arena only to fall on flat outside the stadium.

Wait… a second. This place… this smell. It seems so familiar. Oh wait! This is… this is my room! How did I get here? The last thing I remembered was talking with Yuuko sensei and… then falling asleep. Ugh… I feel a little sting down my chest but nothing I couldn't bear.

My whole room seemed to have been turned into a temporary clinic with all these medical equipments stored. I was still strapped onto a heart rate monitor, and a blood pack on my left arm.

But it seems like I didn't need them. The blood pack was already empty and I felt strangely fine. My body still ached every time I moved it but at the least I was still able to move my body around.

It was 07:23 AM so that means I got a good 10 minutes before roll call starts or is that PM? I better wash myself up before I do anything. Ugh… my head feels like it's been given a grinding of a lifetime. My visions were blurry but at least I can still see things in front of me.

Washing myself in cold water revitalized me. Nothing beats a glass of tap water to start the day. I checked myself in the mirror to see what I've gone through and man was it horrible. Judging from those marks on my chest going all the way down, I must've been stitched back together in some crude manner. There were a few scars on my arms and legs and some sunburn but those were nothing new. I also had a cast wrapped around my right arm which ached every time I moved it.

It's safe to say that this is probably the worst condition I've ever been in. In fact, I'm actually surprised that I can still move. I probably wasn't that badly hurt.

"Ugh… but I'm wasting time staring at myself! What day is it? How long have I been sleeping? Did I miss anything while I was out cold?"

"No… you haven't"

"Bwah! Ah? Kasumi? (Good morning…) Ah yeah, morning. How did you get in here?" She pointed innocently to the door. Duh, of course she'd enter through there. Where else can she come in through? "Uh what I mean is: how did I get here? No. Wait… that's another stupid question. How long was I out? (…?) Ugh… sorry. I'm still not right in the head. My words are all over the place"

"It's ok…" Huh? She went through my closet and handed me a set of clothes. "She's calling for you…"

"Huh? Who? Yuuko sensei? (No…) Then who? Meiya? Ah! H… hey wait up! Don't leave without me!"

**(Brain room)**

After quickly changing into my casual loose uniform I followed Kasumi to the lab where Sumika's brain floated lifelessly in the tank as usual. Was she the one calling for me?

"Hey Kasumi. Did Sumika called to me? (Nod…)" Then that means she must be conscious even in that state. "You mean… she can hear everything I'm saying out here? (Nod…) Why didn't you tell me?"

"You didn't know?"

"Well… no… not really" To be honest I have been spending some time here in the labs talking with Sumika. I couldn't really tell if she could hear me since all I can get out of her was bubble noise. Sometimes I begin to wonder if it was just a one-sided conversation with me simply talking to myself. I guess it's easy to misunderstand that I can somehow communicate with her. But seriously though… if I was psychic I'd probably be a terrible one. "Did I know?"

"So you don't know?"

"Well… it's not like I know how to talk to her. It's just that… I feel like I'm talking to her… wait no, that doesn't make any sense. Can you understand me Kasumi?"

"I don't know. I can't read a picture that even the thinker can't understand" Ugh… my brain is still scrambled. I can barely even speak straight much less stand up straight. My chest doesn't hurt that much since I came down here but it's still painful. "She wants to talk with you. She says you'll understand"

"Oh… ok… then how am I supposed to… (Whiirrr…) Hey! Where are you going? I thought that you'd… geh…" She's gone. Well that was weird. She says what she wants and then goes off? Does she hate me… or… maybe she knew that Sumika and I wanted some privacy?

Blup blub

The brain canister bubbled again. I get that a lot from Sumika. If she would try to communicate with me she'd probably use her telepathy already. But unfortunately I had to close it off with Kasumi's powers to prevent information from spreading out.

"Thanks Kasumi…" Oh well… I might as well just chat while I'm still here. "Hey there Sumika. Long time no see. (…) Well… actually we saw each other the other day but it feels like forever since we last talked. (Blup) How do you like your Santa Rabbit? Not bad for a guy who came from a parallel universe, neh?" I made the Santa Rabbit the other day right before I left for my sortie. I had Kasumi hang it in front of the canister so Sumika can see it every day. It was made entirely out of wood which was easy to find since there were dead cherry trees sitting outside of the road leading to the base.

Blup blup…

"Oh hey. Guess what. I really did it today. I changed the future. (…) You probably don't remember this, but I met Sagiri Naoya. He's a doctor back in my world in a hospital in downtown. I was actually surprised to see him here. But he's not a doctor. Instead he's a soldier. Talk about a major career change. Ahehehe. (…) Back then… I was really lame. I cried a lot, got depressed too many times and was too chicken to spill blood on my hands. Thanks to you I'm who I am now. (…) Listen… I know why you made me into a casualty conductor. I don't really blame you for it. Actually… I'm kind of grateful for it"

Blup…

"If it weren't for you… I'd probably be dead… killed just like a regular soldier. Thanks to you I became who I am. I grew into what I decided to become. (…) Uuuu… ok you know what, I take that back. That line sounded really cheesy. Like something from an old superhero cartoon"

Blub blup blup…

"But in all honesty… I'm really grateful for this chance. (…) But right now… I'm also worried" After finally getting to talk this situation with someone, I began to realize the true weight of things. It was no doubt that I've changed history for sure. With Sakaki's dad being alive and Naoya arrested, there's no telling what kind of domino I've set in motion. Back in my previous loop, I simply changed our mission on Mt. Tengen and that alone triggered this massive revolt resulting in the deaths of hundreds of Eishis. And that was just the act of one group…

Now that I've changed the history of an entire country, I'm actually quite afraid of what might happen in the future.

I steeled myself and braced for an answer to appear soon enough. But right now… I should probably get some rest.

"What are you doing?" Eh? Oh… Yuuko sensei? She was standing by the door leading to the hallway. "I was wondering why this room was louder than usual. It's only you. (Ahehehe…) So, what are you doing here? I thought I tucked you to your bed last night"

"Huh? Oh… nothing really. Just waiting for something" I can't tell her that I was talking to the brain or else she'll think I've gone insane. (Hmm…) "Uh… why are you looking at me like that?"

"Hooo? Very interesting" Yuuko was looking at me like she was diagnosing a live specimen or something. She lifted my arm and rolled up my sleeves and checked on my pulse. "Open your mouth. (Huh?) Don't ask questions. Just do it!"

"Uh… ok. Ahhhhhh~~" She flashed a flashlight into my throat and began checking my mouth like a dentist.

"You recovered this much in just a few hours? Very interesting. Even your gums are healed"

"Eh? What do you mean by that? (Wham!) Ow!" She hit my head with a stapler. Luckily it wasn't loaded. "What was that for? Oww… my head"

"Hmm… so you're still susceptible to pain. (What?) That's a shame. Tell me Shirogane. How did you feel this morning? (Eh?) Tell me everything that you felt since you woke up this morning. What did you hear and what you took. Food, medicine, everything"

"Ah… well I didn't get the chance to go to the PX since Kasumi woke me up so I had nothing but a glass of tap water"

"Did you feel any pain when you got up?"

"Pain? Well… yeah. I feel them all over me. Why? Ah! Hey! Wait a minute" She lifted up my shirt and felt my front chest like it was her own. Her fingernails were fiddling all over my stomach like ants crawling on my skin.

"To be able to recover this much. It's like you've healed almost instantly. (Huh? What do you mean?) Come with me. (Eh?) NOW!"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

I was dragged to Yuuko's office and immediately put on a chair before her table. What did she want with me? She hasn't handled me that roughly since I mentioned her equation in my world.

"Take off your shirt? (Eh?) Take it off now! (Ok ok!)" I better comply with her for now since she's this serious. It's rather hard since I have this caste over my arm. Once I took off my shirt, she pulled out a doctor's bag and took out some reading devices I've never seen before. She went around my body, going from my chest to my back and then to my arms and neck. "Hooo… interesting. Very, very interesting. (What is?) Almost all your wounds have almost fully healed. Now that's something worth my time. (Sensei?) Shirogane. This morning. Did you feel or hear anything out of ordinary? Anything at all? Like strange noise or something?"

"No… not really" Came my answer. "I just got up, washed my face, drank some water and came down here. That was probably about ten… maybe twenty minutes ago"

"Just a few hours of rest for a near full recovery"

"Yuuko sensei. Is something wrong?"

"I should be asking you that" Huh? What does she mean by that? "Don't you remember yesterday? Your battle with Naoya? (Yeah…) Don't you remember that you were blasted by a 120mm explosive round at point-blank range? (Well… no…) Don't you find it unnatural for someone to suffer that kind of damage to be walking around like nothing happened the next day?" Well… now that she mentioned it, it is weird, but I still felt pain around me so I thought it was natural. "Though I'm glad that you're well and all but for someone to heal as quickly as you is just too bizarre"

"Um… so what does that mean?"

Yuuko gave me a sigh before she pulled out a photo from her lab coat. "Here, take a look at this" It was a photo of me on a hospital bed. My body seemed to be all mangled up wrapped with bandages from neck to toe. There were cuts and bruises and blood stains all over my face. From this angle of the camera I looked pretty much half-dead. "That is a picture of you taken 12 hours ago. From that point you suffered 20 broken ribs, severe head concussion, internal bleeding and multiple burns. (…) I personally operated on you to ensure your survivability. In fact… I wasn't sure if you'd ever wake up at all"

"Does that mean I heal faster than others?"

"Unnaturally faster. Look at you. You're almost practically unscathed"

"But I still have these…"

"Those are scars. Those are what wounds leave behind. (…) Haaa… the more I think about this, the harder it is for me to resist the urge of doing something reckless. (Eh?) If I had known that you had such latent abilities, I would've spent more time dissecting you molecule by molecule" I fell back on my chair with a frightened face. She's scary when she giggles like that. "Why the serious face? I was only kidding. I won't do something like that… not now anyway"

"Please don't joke when your joke doesn't sound like a joke. (Huhuhuhu) Aeeee! Please don't dissect me"

"Hai hai… I promise" She waved off my fears playfully like it was the wind. Somehow… I can't find it in my heart and mind to believe her. I've known her long enough. And I really mean LONG ENOUGH to know that when she has her mind set on something, she'll tend to get it eventually. "But in any case, it looks like you'll need more time to fully recover all those wounds. Keep that cast on to keep your injured act, even if it is healed. People might get suspicious if they see you walking around unscathed. And I doubt you'll want to spread more false rumors about you being a genetically altered human" Oh yeah… I remember those rumors. My squad alone thought that I was a cyborg and Ayamine even thought that I was mixed in with animal DNA.

"Yeah, I don't want my head stabbed with another magnet"

"Keep a low profile while you're at it. Your reputation affects me too you know" Huh? How does my reputation affect her? "It's written on paper that I'm now your legal guardian. (Huh?) Don't worry. I'm not going to be your mother or anything but just in case you get into any trouble with the higher ups, I'll know"

"So technically, you're like the person the teacher calls when I do something bad at school" Wow… kind of takes me back during my junior high days when I got into a fight protecting a pup from a gang of bullies. I thought I was strong enough but I got my butt handed right back at me.

"More or less" She answered before taking a seat with her legs crossed again. "But anyway, before you go back, I have to make one more request of you. (Hmm?) Don't tell anyone about your unnatural regenerative abilities. I want to keep it a secret until I have more information about it. So from now on, if you have any medical emergencies—from wounds to even a slight cold or fever, you come to me directly. Ah… and if possible, I want you to come back down to the labs later tonight"

"Hey wait. I thought you promised you won't experiment on me!"

"Don't worry. I won't be cutting you open like I did back at Shirahama. We'll just run a couple of basic tests, nothing major. I don't have time for it anyway. (…)" Hmm? She went quiet all of a sudden. "You really are something else, you know that? (…?) The more I study you Shirogane, the less I understand. You're like a jigsaw puzzle that grows bigger each time I put in a piece" What kind of a metaphor is that? "Anyway. You should take this time to rest. Your body may be healed but your mind might still need some time to sort things out. We'll discuss more details later tonight. Dismiss"

**(PX)**

I went back to the barracks just as I was instructed. My brain is still muddled so I can't really think straight. The base was still in lockdown too so the places I could visit were pretty limited. Most of the cadets and soldiers were deployed up in the front to replace the Imperial Army who abandoned the defense lines. It's so empty here, I can practically shout out 'Ecchi!' and no one would even hear it.

Grumble…

Guuu… my stomach has been talking to me since I left the labs so I decided to stop by the PX for something to eat. Heck I haven't eaten anything since two nights ago when Class rep gave me a portion of her rations.

Man I've never seen the PX this deserted before since the beginning of Operation Babylon in my previous loops. During that time, all of us were suited up for our first and perhaps final sortie. When the last shuttle left Earth, every available Eishi were ordered for a massive counterattack on the Euro-Asian continent where the BETA hives were thickest.

I remember that battle like it was yesterday. My whole body itching for a fight, the sound of cannons, rockets, missiles and gunfire ringing every millisecond like the whole world was remaking itself all over again. When the G-bombs were launched and destroyed every BETA on shore, humanity attacked in waves.

We were part of the vanguard unit scouting ahead for the main army and identifying the location of enemy forces. When the G-bombs landed, barely anything survived the aftermath. A few stray BETAs could be seen here and there but nothing we couldn't handle. (Flash) Once the first phase of the campaign was completed we were ordered to withdraw and resupply. (Flash) Strange… why am I remembering this now? A few weeks ago I can barely make out some of the memories in my head. Maybe that life or death fight in Susono awoken some of my dormant past.

In fact… I actually feel different. Not the good kind of different or the bad kind either. I just feel like a switch in me just turned on. Ever since I woke up, my body feels as if it's growing inside… or maybe changing. I'll have to discuss this with Yuuko later on. Maybe she's right. I'm having a hard time understanding what I'm becoming too.

"Ohhhh! Oya Takeru chan?"

"Huh? Oh hey there oba san" Kyozuka came by after she noticed me coming through the door.

"Since when did you get back? I haven't heard about anyone returning"

"Ah well… it's a long story"

"And look at you! Got your first battle scar eh. The girls here will find you even more irresistible. Hahahahaha!" Haaaa… somehow hearing oba chan's voice sooths me. "Where's the rest of the gang? Didn't they come with you?"

"Ah… no. They're… a little busy. I was transferred back here because I was injured"

"Geez Takeru chan. Don't be that kind of man. Leaving the girls to clean up your mess while you get to relax. You should be ashamed" Guuuu… I did my part too you know! "But anyway. I'll celebrate for your first successful mission and coming back home alive! What do you want? I'll make you anything. I even have new stocks of tea. Want some?"

"Anything will do oba san" I waved her off politely before taking a seat. The PX really was empty. You can even hear the wind blowing outside. If this keeps up I might even have to do some of that meditative yoga that Mikoto keeps insisting about.

Tug…

Ugh… my headache is still there too. It's not as painful as before but it's still annoying.

(Flash!) Ugh… now I'm getting more images of Operation Babylon. It's like it my own brain wants me to relive those last few hours of that horrible moment all over again. (Flash).

My team and I and six other squads from the Imperial Army made camp in the ruins of a small town after the BETA hives were destroyed. It felt horrible knowing that some of your friends had perished in the previous fight. I became drawn to that last battle, fighting down to my last breath, shooting like my life really depended upon it.

But afterwards… with only a few hours of rest in between, we were ordered to march again, going even deeper within enemy lines. We rode on Gekishins into battle and encountered a horde size BETA force along the way. Literally hundreds of thousands of grappler class, destroyer class and even fort class were present there. I don't remember where we were due to the sandstorm caused by the after-blast of the G-bombs. (Flash) The last thing I remember though was fighting for my dear life and cursing at the enemy in front of me. Our last fight… was a slaughter. I killed about hundred of BETAs with my gun and maybe a few dozen more with my knives and swords. But then before I even knew it… (Flash!)

_'GWAHHH!'_

"Ahh!"

"Oi… Takeru chan?" Oh… oba… san? "Geez. Don't scare me like that. You look like you just saw a ghost. (Sorry…) Anyway here. I brought all of my specialties just for you. Take your time and eat slowly. They won't be going anywhere hahahaha" I feel horrible for scaring her off like that. The images I was getting back from my train of thoughts felt so real that I accidentally yelled out in panic. (Flash) Ugh… why? Why am I remembering this now? Why do I need to remember them? Is my conscious telling me never to forget the reason why I came back in the first place? That sounds like a logical reason. But still… (Flash) Why now of all times? What am I trying to say to myself? (Flash) What is it that you want me to really remember? (Ruffle) Hmm?

"…"

"Oh… Kasumi… (Good morning) Ah… yeah good morning. Did you come to eat too? (Nod…) Alright. You can get a tray from Kyozuka oba san. (Ruffle) Ow… hey, what are you doing?" She sat right next to me almost immediately. Wait… don't tell me… that she expects me to spoon feed her again?

…

…

…

"Ahhhhnn…"

Stab!

Yes… yes she does want me to spoon feed her again! "Sorry Kasumi, but not this time. My arm is a little hurt right now so I can't spoon feed you at the moment. (…) Oh come on. Don't get angry because something so trivial. (Whoosh) Eh? What are you going to do with my spoon?"

"Here… ahhhnn…" Now she wants to spoon feed me? Guuuuu… this day is just getting weirder and weirder. "You don't want to?"

"Huh? No no, not at all. It's just that…" I looked around just to make sure no one was watching. For some reason I can't get the unease of having those girls see me in this situation. Even though this place was supposedly empty, I have the strangest sense that someone is snickering behind my back. "Alright but just this once, ok?"

Chomp…

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Haaa… this day is really getting tiring for me. With the whole base still on DEFCON 4, and the lockdown still in effect, I can't even have the freedom to go outside. Even the tracking field was still in use by the regular army. The best place I can go for some fresh air is the rooftop. I brought Kasumi there with me to gaze at the empty sky above.

I felt the weather slowly changing too. The air around me was cooler than usual. Not as cold as Hakone or Susono but still cold.

I wonder how everyone else is fairing. If my memory of the future is still accurate then they're probably still being interrogated by the intelligence officers. Luckily I was exempted from investigation due to my 'injuries'. They'll probably be back either tomorrow or tonight if nothing changes. Besides, Marimo and Tsukuyomi would've petitioned for us in the fight as well. I wish I could see them. That would at least calm my mind.

Wiggle… hmm? Is that a string?

"What's that Kasumi? (…) You want to play Cat's Cradle too? Hehehehe… did you get better when I wasn't around? (Sparkle)" Oh? Hey eyes shined with determination for a second there. She must've been busy researching more and more about this little game. "Alright, I'll play with you. But let me tell you now that I've improved since we last met. Even with just one arm wrapped around a cast I train all of my skill to perfection! (…hmm)" Oh she's laughing. "Ok game on! The same rules apply. The person who can make the most shapes in one minute without breaking focus wins. (Hai!) Ready? Set… Excalibur!"

"Ex… cali…?"

"Yahahaha! A distraction ploy! You lose! I made a diamond shape! (…!)" She pounded me softly with her two tiny hands. "Ahahaha… just kidding. We'll start for real now. Ready and… go!"

Wiggle…

Geh! No! My perfect Mt. Fuji!

"Hmm…" Uuu… that noise she made sounds like she really wants to laugh at my mistake. "You suck…"

Gaah!

"Don't get cocky! I still have thirty seconds left! Hadoken! Chorewken! Kamehameha! Otacon!" I kept spouting out random things that my brain could think of as I did the shapes. "Tada! Mt. Fuji! (Ruffle) Tada! Cat's eye! (Ruffle) Tada! A clock!"

"Hmmm…" Kasumi seems to be doing pretty good too. She got a soldier's bed and fish in a dish rather easily.

"Alright then. Now for the main event. The killer move to end all Cat's Cradle! (Ruffle) (Wiggle) (Wiggle) Annnnnnnndddddddd… 44 Sonic! Haa! Take that. My Shirogane Super Specialty for today only:—the dancing butterfly! (…!)" Whoa! I actually did it? I thought I got one or two positions wrong but it came out perfectly. It really does look like a butterfly. Kasumi seems captivated by its beauty too. "Hehe… what do you think? Pretty good huh?"

"Uuuuuuu…" Aww… now she's sad that she can't do such a beautiful shape. Maybe I took it too far.

I quickly put down the string and pat her head. "Don't worry. You just need a little more practice. You've only been doing this for a few days so you did surprisingly well. Give it a few more weeks and you'll be just as good as me. (…) Ahehe. Come on. It's not every day you get to go out. Why don't we enjoy the view?"

This was one of the places back in my school days where I loved to hang. Other than the hill behind the school, this came in close second. But of course, Ayamine hung around here more than I did so go figure.

"That…" Hmm? "What's that?" She pointed towards the sea beyond the boundaries of the base.

"Huh? The ocean? (…ocean?) Yeah, that's the ocean. (Flash) Oh… that's right, you've never been outside the base for awhile now, have you? (Shake shake) Remember the seashell I gave to you the other day? That's where it came from. (… the ocean) Yeah. You've been there haven't you? (Shake shake) No?" That's odd. I distinctly remember seeing Kasumi on the beach a few times. (Flash) She was with me and… Sumika? Wait… no that's not right. I never took Sumika to the beach before. (Flash) But then again… ugh… forget it… my head's throbbing just thinking about it.

"The ocean…" Kasumi muttered out. She must really want to visit that place.

"Hey tell you what. The first chance we get, I'll take you there myself. (…!) Yeah, you can get to see the ocean, the water and you might even find a few more seashells too. It's a promise, ok?"

"Hai…"

**(Simulator room)**

I walked around the base for about an hour or two watching others work. Soldiers were going around carrying stuff from place to place and officers were going around barking orders. Kasumi was following me like we were attached. I felt really useless here… but then again I am on a break after all. After wandering the base from place to place, I suddenly found myself in the simulator room. Maybe a little bit of independent training will cure me of this boredom. Kasumi came here a few times too in making in the new OS with Yuuko sensei but she's never seen anyone use it other than me.

"Alright! We got'em now!" Hmm? There's someone training here?

"Take the left. I'll take the one at the center. (Roger!)" Oh? A team of five was playing. A new cadet squad maybe? "Alright! Only three more to go! Let's swarm them and finish this quickly!"

Oh… they're pretty good. Fighting against a superior enemy with guerilla tactics but then quickly going back to raw power when their opponents are on their last leg. A swift victory. Looking at it now, the A.I. on the enemy seems rather slow compared to the real deal. When I fought against Naoya, he was faster, more resilient to my attacks and kept thinking four steps ahead of me to try and pin me down.

Looking at someone else training reminded me a lot of Valgernon. Usually they'd have the replay of the last battle showing over and over to attract more customers. Mikoto and I were good at it but I wouldn't call myself a professional during that time.

The squad here was doing pretty well. They moved in formation and were in complete synch with each other. In a matter of minutes the last remaining A.I. pilots were down for the count.

Whirrr…

The five of them exited, only to be greeted by their instructor. Oh, I've seen him before. He was helping out Marimo chan during one of our exercises awhile back. Ugh… I can't seem to remember his name though.

"Good work team. Later this afternoon we'll have engineering and maintenance training at the hanger. Remember that you work better as a team"

"Yes sir!" They seem like a proper unit. An all girl squad, who are more than capable of handling themselves in a fight.

"Ahh… don't worry sir. That was probably a new record we set there. No worries neh?"

"Don't get cocky. Simulation is nothing compared to real live combat experience. There's always room for improvement. Anyway, you can still improve your drawing time and mission time if you remember all the basic functions" Looks like they're busy right now. I should just slip away before they notice me.

"Hey Kasumi. Come on. Let's not bother them while they train. (Nod…)"

"Ah! Suspicious man located!" Eh?

"Who's out there?" Ah crud, the sergeant noticed me. "Come out of there right now" Darn I guess I have no choice. "Oh…? You're… one of Jinguuji's Cadets? Shirogane… Takeru"

"Yes sir" I answered back with a half salute on my left hand.

"At ease" He nodded back. "I heard that you came back yesterday after sustaining injuries in battle. (Sir) Well it's good to see you up and running. What are you doing here?"

"I was planning a little independent training but I didn't know that this place was taken"

"Ah… came back to beat your old record again?" He laughed. "You really are something you know that? You should take some time to rest while you still can. The situation might need you when you're at your top. Besides, you're already good at a TSF controls"

I blushed. I'm not really used to getting compliments. Sumika said that I might grow arrogant if my parents keep praising me. "Ahahaha… I'm not that good sir. (Don't be modest) Hey, you're the one who said that there's always room for improvements sir"

"Ahahaha… I guess I did"

"Instructor… (Hmm?)" One of his students raised a hand to ask a question. "Is he the legendary rookie everyone's talking about? (Geh!) Is he really that good behind a TSF?"

The sergeant patted my back in reply. "He's a natural! I saw it myself. He can do things you wouldn't even believe. Try looking at his records once in awhile and you'll be floored. But don't go thinking of making him your role model. Give it a few months and you guys can kick his ass when you graduate, (Yes sir!) Alright, dismiss" Once the cadets left to get change, he turned to me. "See you later Shirogane. Try not to kill the record too much. The other squads are having a hard time just reaching the lowest level without tripping over. (Yes sir…) Ahahaha. Jinguuji was right; you really are a modest one. Keep up in your training, ok? (Yes sir) Ahaha, you can stop with the salutes if you can't use your right hand"

**(TSF Hanger)**

Taking my undisturbed walk around the base, I began to notice more and more recruits passing by. Yokohama base really does have a large number of recruits lately. I hardly had time to notice since I was probably still grieving about the coup in my previous loop and not to mention I had to return to my world in Yuuko's machine.

The hanger area stands to be one of my favorite spots in the whole base since it's the only place I get to see a TSF up close. Back then I used to go nuts just seeing a single Gekishin and even till now I still can't get enough of them. Maybe my inner childhood who loved mechas was still there somewhere.

"Oi… Shirogane"

"Hmm? Oh, Sergeant?" The man here was one of the head mechanics in the base. He was in charge of making sure my TSF was running at optimal efficiency. "What can I do for you?"

"You have good timing. I was going to give this to your instructor instead but since you're here, you can file in the paperwork for me" Huh? Paperwork? "It's the requisition form for another training unit to replace the one you lost. (Me?) Yeah. Your Fubuki was pretty wreck they brought it back. We're going to have to scrap it and replace it with a new unit entirely"

"Wait… can't you just fix it or replace the parts?"

"The parts that broke off are hard to replace. Most of them have to be made directly from the factory. It'll be a lot easier for all of us if we just get a new one entirely. It'll save us a lot of time"

"Oh come on now. It can't be that bad… can it?"

I take that sentence back when the mechanic brought me to meet my old Fubuki. He was right… replacing it does seem a lot easier. My unit was completely charcoaled to a crisp. All of its limbs were missing save for the right arm which I used to defend myself in the last battle. The cockpit block was missing, the head was cut in half, the armor plates were ripped to shreds and the worst part was that there were also a few parts that melted from the intense heat of the explosion that should've killed me.

I had a hard time visualizing this as my old TSF. I can barely even recognize it if it weren't for the head and shoulders. In fact, the mechanics thought it was so grotesque that they had to cover its lower half with a giant rag to prevent others from seeing it. Talk about cruel…

"We're planning on sending this one back to the scrap yard to melt it down into materials we can use for later" The head mechanic added, pushing the paperwork into my hands.

"So there's no way to save it?"

"Nope. Not unless you want to spend parts meant for three others for this unit. In these times, efficiency comes first. (Clang!) Oi! Watch it with those crates! Those are live ammo! (Hai!) Anyway kid. We've done what we can for it. We'll have another one ready for you in a few days time" And just like that he left me.

…

I looked at my old Fubuki and saw its face staring right back down on me. Uuuu… sorry there old pal. I guess I pushed you a little too far, didn't I? Maybe I should've held back a little, been more focused on the situation. Though you might not remember it… we've been together longer than you know. Ahahaha… it's strange to be thinking about this. You were the first TSF I ever had the chance to ride on. In our first loop… well… my first loop actually—we were an awesome team. Ahaha… No matter how many loops I had… I seem to always wind up with you.

But… in all those situations… no matter how difficult or how terrifying they were… you were there to help me. Because of you… I finally had it… that power to protect those that I cared about. Thanks to you… I was able to do things I thought was impossible for one ordinary guy.

I know this might sound cheesy… but… thanks, big guy.

…

…

Ahh man. I feel like an idiot thinking about my TSF like that. If I said those things out loud, people might think I'm a weirdo. Ahehehehe…

Tap tap…

"Eh? Kasumi?"

"Good boy…" She patted my broken Fubuki by its fingers like she was trying to ease its pain. "Good boy…"

Heh… oh what the heck. "Yeah… thanks… buddy…" I held the wounded guy by the finger and smiled. Somehow I feel strangely attached to this big guy. He was a part of me since I first came to this world and I haven't seen him this banged up since… (Flash)..! (Flash) The time when Marimo… (Flash) No… you're right buddy. Thanks for reminding me. This wasn't the first time I turned you into scrap metal.

Back then… I was so sure of myself… so sure of my skill to defeat the BETA, so sure that my new OS will save the world and everyone in it. But when our real enemies came, I couldn't do a thing. I got so high in stim and hypnosis that I went and let it out on those monsters without regarding you. I ended up firing paintballs at them. Ahehe… I'm so pathetic.

"Takeru…"

"Sorry Kasumi… but… can you leave me alone with my friend for a little while? (…) Please…" She nodded back and went a good distance away from us. I left the unit in a complete mess that time when I first went berserk. With nothing but paintballs and knives I kept on shooting them believing that they would die. In the end… because of that… someone paid the price for me. Both you and Marimo were the result of my actions. People might say otherwise but there's no changing that truth.

If I had not attack and kept with my squad, I would've been able to fight back in a proper manner. I'm really sorry about that… big guy. (…) Heh… look at me, apologizing to you like you were alive.

But no more. I won't make that same mistake again. Even if I have to go back and relive this nightmare again, I'll do it. But I guess you probably knew that already. (…) I promise you old friend. I will change the future. I did it before… I can do it again. The coup d'état and the incident at the capital is proof of this. Just watch me…

Take it as a farewell gift.

…

Ahehe… for some reason… I can somehow picture my Fubuki smiling down at me.

**(Barracks) (05:30 PM)**

I walked around the base for a few more hours with Kasumi with me at all times. We talk once in awhile about anything that comes into mind. I didn't mind her at all. In fact, I felt like a big brother being cared by his adorably younger sister. Around noon, the lockdown ended and we were allowed outside of the base again. A part of me wanted to go out and see the ruins of Hiiragi town but it'll probably get dark by the time I get back so I decided not to.

"Hehehe… well this has been a pretty fun night, right?" Kasumi nodded in reply. "Thanks for being with me Kasumi. I would've been bored to death being all alone. (…) When you get the chance, come and hang out. My room's open all the time. Oh and tell Yuuko sensei that I'll go and see her after dinner, ok? (Nod) I have some things I need to do first. (…) Alright. See ya Kasumi"

"See you…" and with that she was gone. She looked back a few times which I waved her off.

I'd better get to my room. Maybe a little break will revitalize me. I also need to do something as well…"

Tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap!

Hmm? Who could be running in the barracks at this hour? (…!) Eh? Oh it's…

"Class rep and everyone?"

"Shirogane!"

"Hey there. When did you guys get… (Whack!) Ow!" Chizuru just hit me. Is everybody hitting me now? "Wha? What was that for?" Geh? Wh… why is she crying…?

"Idiot! (Eh?) Idiot, idiot idiot idiot! You big stupid idiot!" Owe ow! Ok I get it. I'm an idiot. I can't retaliate when she's all angry and mushy at the same time. In fact… everyone seems to be having the same reaction. Don't tell me that they were all worried about me?

"H… hey, it's ok Class rep" I whispered back to her. "I'm fine… really…"

"That's not the point!" Aeeee… why is Meiya san angry at me? "If you were well from the start then you should've found a way to make contact with us!"

"Uuuuuu…" Eh? Now Mikoto crying too? "Takeru… we were so worried that we couldn't get any sleep. I kept picturing you on a hospital bed strapped with all kinds of things" Well if you came to visit me this morning you would've. "But… I'm glad (sob)… I'm glad that I was wrong"

"But I'm fine" I waved my supposedly 'good' hand up in defense. "Didn't they tell you back at the base?"

"The nurse wouldn't release any information about you" Meiya answered. Why in the world would they do that? What's wrong with seeing the condition of one of your comrades in arms? "When they said that all details about your operations were unknown we truly feared the worst"

"But then Instructor Jinguuji told us that you were well on recovery" Class rep continued, finally getting off me. "Seriously. Keeping us worried like that. You're a horrible person! The worst!"

"The base was on lockdown!" I reasoned. "I could barely move around the base as it is"

"Then put your resources to use at least! You have some connections with the Vice Commander, don't you? You could've used that!" Wow… Class rep is completely illogical right now. That can only mean she's serious. "That hit from me was for all of us!"

Is that the reason why she hit me five times in a row? Oww… my good arm hurts now. "Sorry…" I finally said to them. What else was there to say? "I'm really sorry for worrying you guys. I didn't mean to, really. If it helps… I wasn't exactly conscious until this morning. Now… will you girls please stop crying?"

Ruffle!

Eh? Tama? "Uuuuuuuuu… (Hey Tama…) Uuuuuuuuuuu…" Hey now… wait. Don't tell me you're going to cry on me… "Takeru san… uuuuuuuuu" Wait wait, Tama don't do it! I don't think I'll be able to hold myself if you… "Uwaaaaaaaaha! Takeru san… I'm so happy… I'm very grateful that you're ok!" She held my waist like she didn't want to let go and soaking up my uniform with her tears. "I'm so grateful. I prayed every second ever since we left Shirahama that afternoon"

"Tama…" I pat her head kindly thanking her the only way I knew how. "Sorry about that. I should've contacted you guys"

Pat…

"Hmm? Ayamine?" Is she going to ball all over me too?

…

…

"Strong men… don't die easy" Eh? What does that even mean anyway? "Figure it out…" Geh? "But you're fine… that's all…"

"Yeah… she's right" Eh? Class rep's agreeing with her? The world really is ending. "You're alive… and that's all that matters. (Class rep…) (Sob) I'm not crying!" Sure…

"Just don't do something that reckless ever again, alright?"

"Oh come on now Meiya. You know I can't make that promise. (Ruffle!) Ah hey wait! Don't hug me all at once! (Ruffle!) Injured guy! Injured guy!" Now they're all hugging me. "Ahh! Ow! Ok, it's starting to hurt! Hey guys! Hello? I'm really serious now, stop it. (Ruffle!) Ok, can't breathe. Losing oxygen. Hello? Guys? Guys! Come on! Ahahahahahaha!"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Marimo let out a gentle smile off her lips as she saw the girls laughing along with the boy down to the floor. She was about to send her congratulations as well but decided not to interrupt. She can let them have their moment. After all… they've been through their first mission and their first taste in combat. She can let them forget the horrors of war… just this once.


	20. Welcome Soldiers of Earth

**Chapter 20: Welcome, Soldiers of Earth**

**(December 7, 2001 Friday) (Yokohama Base) (Hallway) (08:10 PM)**

Oh man… I'm seriously late now. Thanks to those girls I got caught up in all the crying and talked with them for over an hour. I really envy those girls.

To be able to express what they're thinking out loud like that. To be completely honest with themselves and not hold anything back. Even though I was fine, they cried and worried for me like I was in my deathbed. Unlike me… it took me three days to finally cry for Marimo chan. Of course… I was only high on the hypnosis therapy and drugs but still, that didn't blatant my excuse

But right now that didn't matter. There was something that needed to be done. With the training of the new OS coming in two days' time that could only mean one thing.

The BETA are coming…

(Flash) (Flash) (Flash) I remember that event like it just happened yesterday. Every image, every detail, down right to the very end where my resolve broke. I can picture all of it in front of me.

I swear for as long as I lived, that memory will stay with me down to my grave. If I had a choice, I would like to have Kasumi lock this part of my memory in a dark room somewhere in my mind, throw away the keys and bury it under tons of rock. But I needed this memory. Though as much as I hated it, this memory was a part of me. It made me who I am today and hardened my resolve into becoming a true soldier.

But if there's one thing I do remember about this attack, was that it wasn't because the aliens wanted it.

As difficult as it was for me to believe, the BETA that attacked us on December 10… was orchestrated by a human. A person who I knew well. A person who I somehow came to trust in my life here in this world.

Kouzuki Yuuko…

Ever since the BETA attack from Sadogashima Island on November 11, Yuuko had been hoarding a small herd of alien specimens in a small lab outside of Yokohama Base. She brought them there using a disruptive device to keep them in a comatose state saying that they were going to be used for research. Somehow a part of that plan seemed true to the officials' eyes but I knew better.

She was planning to release them all during the new OS trial on December 10 while everyone was busy training. I've learned from Marimo—during the briefing back in my previous loop: that it would take at least several days or perhaps even weeks before the court would approve of the new OS device. To accelerate their decision she put on a live action show using the soldiers and cadets in this base as her test subjects. She wanted to show the big wigs up in the office how long a soldier can last using only the new OS as their weapon.

The result… was just as she expected. Thanks to my sudden berserk outbreak during the regroup situation… I charged into a horde of BETAs with nothing but my knives, sword and a paintball gun. To everyone's surprise… I was able to last more just ten minutes… which was more than enough proof for the High Council to approve of the new OS dubbed: The XM3. The new OS was also then used as a bargaining chip to get the XG-70 prototype unit from America.

In other words… I was once again her guinea pig. And later after I was defeated by the BETA, the A-01 that Yuuko had stationed close by as observers rushed in to clean up the mess. Captain Isumi and her Valkyries saved me that day.

If I had known that it was her who set those monsters loose on us I probably would've killed her with my own bare hands. But that wouldn't be the appropriate thing to do. I learned the hard way that if humanity would have any chance to win against the BETA, it would need people like Yuuko sensei. Besides… I knew more than what's at stake here.

Yuuko sensei is wrong in doing this but she wasn't doing this out of the goodness of her heart either. She's still human no matter how cold she may act. She was prepared for the sacrifice and she herself was prepared to be the martyr to carry those sins down to her grave. She will carry the guilt all the way straight to hell before she would allow someone else to carry it for her.

If you look at her at this perspective, I think she's more suited to be a messiah. Is that what meant when she said that she couldn't be the Holy Mother and not just because of Sumika? Heh… who cares?

Right now I have no solid plan of getting that attack to stop. Confronting Yuuko seems like a bad idea too seeing how she will go through with it, with or without my consent. I can't exactly interrupt it by myself either seeing that Yuuko probably has eyes on me 24/7. I'll have to figure out more details later if I'm ever going to stop it without her knowing.

But right now I have more immediate issues to worry about.

**(Labs)**

I entered the lab with a stack of paper ready to be presented. Yuuko was in the room where the Dimension Transfer Device was once stored. But now, instead of the device, the lab was simply an empty room.

There was a small bed standing at the very center of the room with large medical equipments strapped around it. From this point of view, it kind of looks likes a rather more expensive reproduction of that American movie 'Frankenstein'. Well… more like an actual copy. There was already a mad scientist in the pot so it's pretty much a duplicate.

"You're late!" Yuuko scolded me upon entry. "You were supposed to be here half an hour ago. Where were you? (Sorry) Never mind. We'll just be doing simple tests. Blood test, DNA test and regeneration tests. You'll have to be strapped on that device at all times and—hm?" She stopped momentarily when she noticed the large stack of paper in my hands. "Are those…?"

"Yeah…" I answered back with a nod. "The last pages of the equation" Seeing that there was no longer a need for me to hide them anymore I decided to present them to her for analysis. Yuuko accepted the papers and slowly skimmed through them one at a time. "I spent the last hour writing them. That's why I'm late. (So that means…) Yeah… today was the day you received the equation from your other self"

"Hooo?" She flipped through the pages, nodding and grinning like she always has been. It didn't look like she needed to read them now so she simply tucked it away where she can get them later. "Alright then. So what do you want this time? (Huh?) Don't you remember? I told you that I'd grant you a favor for every five pages… or are you finally doing this out of charity?"

Oh yeah… I completely forgot about that deal. I've just been through so much these past few days that my mind still hasn't processed it all. Yuuko seems natural enough and she doesn't seem to know that I know about what she has in store. Even so… I can't confront her about the coming incident. Even if it is for the benefit of man that doesn't justify sacrificing people. I know how much ALTERNATIVE IV means to her but she must understand that I can't stand people dying around me.

Like I told her before when I first arrived in this loop. Our goals maybe the same but our methods will always differ.

I will have to find a way to beat her. To beat Yuuko at her own game.

**(December 8, 2001 Saturday) (Yokohama Base) (Hilltop view) (Afternoon)**

The morning went on practically the same as it did in my last loop. When I woke up, my whole squad seems to be out in their own, mourning for Japan in their own ways. The country had just gotten through a tough situation and they will need some time to sort their feeling and their thoughts in this matter. I think it's best that I left them alone until tomorrow. After all, our graduation is coming. That is of course if nothing has changed the General's mind during this loop.

Yesterday I asked Yuuko to confirm if we'll still graduate from school on December 9. Since most of our squad still has heavy political ties with one another there's a chance that we might not be allowed to graduate. This was also practically the reason why this half of the squad couldn't graduate along with the first batch. Meiya was still the sister of the Shogun, Class rep's dad's was still alive, Tama's dad being the Undersecretary and so on and so forth.

I decided to get some private time not to disturb anyone. Besides, I had some thinking of my own to do. Last night, Yuuko explained to me about the completion of the XM3 which means she's also preparing to unleash those BETAs against us. We'll probably never agree on that method no matter how long it takes and so I have to find a way to get her what she wants and get myself what I want without her realizing it. As far as I know… she has this whole base buried under her thumb and I've no doubt that she even has someone watching over me at the same time. She'll never fully trust anyone and especially not some teenage kid who believes that he's from the future. Though we may be equals in terms of knowledge and maturity… that still doesn't change the fact that she won't rely on others when she can accomplish it on her own.

The tree behind the hill seems like the best spot for me to think. I won't run into anyone while I'm up here. I've already sorted out my feelings when I was walking around the base yesterday. The others might need more time to adjust to the whole situation. After all… what do people do when they've been through a life and death situation?

Rip…

Ahehehe… saying it like that makes me feel like an old war veteran passing on knowledge to the next generation. Ahaha.

Rip…

Hmm? What's that noise? (Rip…) It sounds like someone's ripping paper or something behind the dead tree. (Rip) Eh? Ayamine? What is she doing over there? (Rip…) She's ripping… paper? No… wait… if I look closer, those are… envelopes. (Rip…) Are those the letters that Naoya sent her? (Rip) She's ripping them one by one and not even taking them out of the envelopes. That's a bit harsh…

"…!" Ah crud she noticed me. Well… no point in hiding now.

"Hey there. What are you doing ripping paper at a place like this? Don't you know it's bad for the environment to toss away combustible items? (…) It would be a lot easier just to burn them all. (…)" Hmm… she's giving me the silent treatment. Even though all her letters are exposed she continues to hide the rest of them behind her back. "You know… it's extremely rude to toss away a letter without reading them first. (…) That guy probably put a lot of thought and effort into writing them, so why not try reading one of them for a change?"

Her eyes darted to me in response. "Shirogane… you knew. (Hmm?) You knew about me and him"

"Pretty much. (…) I can't tell you how I was able to find out but I did"

"Then why… (Hmm?)… even when you knew… why did you trust me?"

"This again?" I sighed. "I already told you. I trust you. I even gave you my gun as proof, didn't I? (…) Listen Ayamine. It doesn't matter who you are or where you're from. I've been with you long enough to know that you won't stab a friend in the back no matter what happens. (…) The coup must've harder on you than most since someone close to you was the cause of it. Tama probably has the same feeling as you"

She gave a small huff sound. She didn't agree but she didn't deny it either. "… I… never got talk to him… (…?)… to Naoya…"

"I heard that he was arrested and testified by the government, charged with treason. So it's possible that he may be executed for it. (…) Sorry… I guess I shouldn't bring that up"

"No… I knew too"

I saw it too this morning in the PX when the news was on. It was announced that Naoya and his close confidante were charged with treason. Though their sentence hasn't been decided yet, it's fairly clear that they'll be facing the firing squad one way or another. It was TREASON after all. Other than a life in prison, I can't think of another sentence to solve his crimes. But then again… I'm pretty sure that Yuuhi will do something about it. If there's a way to save them… she'll know.

I also heard that all the cabinet members that reported directly to the Shogun were fired and replaced with trusted members of the Honor Guards as well. I'm pretty sure that Tsukuyomi had a part with it.

Rip…

She returned to ripping the papers one by one. That's such an inefficient way to do it. When she rips each of them it's like she was slowly ripping off a band-aid from her salt coated wound.

"Here… let me help you with that. (…!)" I took the rest of the envelopes from her arm and tore them all in one setting. "Don't let anything hold you back. (…?) The only thing we can do for the dead… is to move on. (…?) Trust me. The faster you get through it, the better it will be for everyone. Don't run away after everything you've done to get here. Otherwise… those who you cared about might get hurt. (…) Believe me when I say this, Ayamine: I had to learn that lesson the hard way"

_"False tears bring pain to those around you, false smiles bring pain to oneself"_

_-C2 from the anime Code Geass R2-_

**(PX)**

Hmm… maybe a little meal in the PX will do me some good. I haven't had much of oba san's cooking for awhile now. Oooh? Sunny side up eggs? Nice!

"Eh? Ah! Takeru san? Over here" Hmm? Oh…

"Tama? You're here for lunch too?"

The little spiky haired girl nodded back in response. "Yeah. Kyozuka san made some tasty treats for everyone today. But everyone ate already so it's just me now. (Ruffle) Ah!" Hmm? What's that on her side of the table?

"Hey… are those…?"

"Ahhhhh~~~~ my letter! Nooo! Now I have to write it all over again" She spilled her tea on the paper and now she was bawling all over it. "Uuuuuu…"

"Hey come on now. Don't cry over spilled milk. (…hai) Are you writing a letter?"

"Yeah, to papa. I wanted to tell him everything that happened these past few days. I thought that if I shared my worries with someone it'll help me a little bit" Oh yeah. The military here has a postal service system for the soldiers. Cell phones and other electronic communication devices are strictly prohibited around the base to prevent information leaking to others. There were a few phone booths but obviously all conversations were being monitored by the intelligence group.

"Really? That's nice. It's good to share your problems with others. A person can only hold so much before they break down. But don't go thinking that it's their problem too. (Hai!) Oh… and please, no more exaggeration. We don't want him visiting again and going through that fake Squad Leader thing. (Guuu…) Ahehehe forget it. But did it take you all night to do this? You could've written this letter this morning"

"Ah… yeah. I was helping Yoroi san write a letter too. (Eh? Mikoto?) Yeah. She said that she wanted to write a letter to her father so I helped her make it" To her old man huh? That's probably something she should've done a long time ago. "I'm glad we have a way to make contact with people outside. What about you Takeru san? Do you have someone to send a letter to? (Hmm? Me?) Yeah. If you want, I can help you write one. I even have a collection of colorful envelopes from back home too. I'll even let you pick one for free" Hmm… now that I thought about it. I don't have anyone to send a letter to. In fact… my home is pretty much rubble just outside of this base. The only people I know in this world are here. "Takeru san?"

"Ah… no. I can't think of anyone right now" I laughed off her question. "But I'm glad that you're able to move on considering what happened"

"Emm! It's all thanks to you Takeru san. (Huh?) You always told me that I shouldn't over-think and move on. Crying over something that we have no control won't help anyone, neh? (Yeah…) But even so… it's hard to forget about it so I thought about sending papa a letter"

"Hehe… I think he'll be happy to hear anything you have to say Tama. (Emm…)" Tama's taking things pretty well considering what happened in Susono City. She found some measure of respect to Lt. Thesleff and to have her shoot at her when she dropped her guard was probably horrifying. To have a friend shoot you in the back like that is more painful than one would imagine. Heh… Tama, you're… strong. Stronger than I ever thought.

**(Squad 207 Barracks)**

After lunch I decided to head back to the barracks for a little rest. Training was suspended until a later time since most of the officers are being dispatched to other areas for assessment, whatever that means. Maybe I can get some thinking done in here.

Tip tap…

"Hmm? Oh. Hey Meiya! (…!)"

"T-T-T—Takeru? W-W-W—What are you doing here?"

"What's with the stuttering? Did I catch you off guard or something? Besides, this is our barracks. We can come in and out of this place as we please. (Ah… yes you're ri-right) What's wrong? You seem uneasy. (…umm…)" She's blushing and fiddling her toes together while holding her hands behind her back—the classic obvious 'I have something really embarrassing behind me and I don't want to show it to you' motion. It must be something really embarrassing for her to be fiddling like that. "So what are you doing here?"

"Ah I umm… I was…" She looked towards Tama's room while creating an answer. "I was looking for Tamase and Sakaki. (Oh?) Yes! There was… something that I wanted to discuss with them… but apparently they are not present in their rooms. I shall return another time"

"Oh… ok then…"

…

…

…

She's not leaving. Her hands appeared to be too tied up to make any sudden moves. She can't walk backwards or turn around either.

"Umm… can you turn away for a minute? (Eh?) Just turn away for me… and close your eyes as well"

"Uh… ok… sure" I don't know what she's hiding but it has to be something very personal. I turned away and closed my eyes. "Is this good enough? (Ruffle) Hey. (Ruffle ruffle) Hey Meiya, are you still there? How long do I need to close my eyes? And what is this all about anyway? (J… just a second)" This is getting ridiculous.

"Just for a few more minutes I promise!" You can't ask someone to close their eyes in the middle of the hallway while you're literally doing something behind their backs. "Tch… how in the world does one handle such simple devices?" She seems to be handling something rough. Judging from the noise she's making it must be some kind of electronic device.

"Listen, I really need to do something, so I can just come back. (No!) Huh?"

"Do not move nor turn around. I will never forgive you if you do! (O…k…?) Just a little bit more. (Prick!) Ahh!"

"Wha? Hey Meiya are you o…k…?" What the? "Hey… what are those?" Needle, strings and a yarn ball? What is she doing with all of those? Make the world's first weirdest Cat's Cradle?

"D… don't look!" Too late for that… I already saw everything. She seems to have tied her hands together with the strings in such a spectacular way that it almost looks like Cat's Cradle. "This isn't what you think it is!"

"What are you doing? Practicing Cat's Cradle? (Eh?) That's a lot of string for a simple game"

"Ah… yeah! That's it. I was umm… practicing Cat's Cradle! You guessed well"

"And that's probably the worst lie you've given till now. And using a needle? That's pretty dangerous. Ah… you're bleeding" She must've pricked herself with the needle when she tried to force the strings off her hands. "Here let me help you there. (Ah… thank you) Geez. If you're having trouble with something then it's ok to ask someone for help. Did you tie yourself together?"

"Tis shameful… but yes. I attempted to learn how to sew… but my hands are unfamiliar with the techniques. I was hoping to ask Sakaki or Tamase to assist but they were not present"

"So why didn't you ask me for help?"

"Ah… I apologize" She sulked. "I did not mean to exclude you. But your arm…" Ah she probably thinks I'm still injured. "I do not wish to add more burdens to you. (Eh?) I knew you would help even if I told you not to. (Uuu…) You're just that type of person, Takeru"

"Ahehe… you know me too well" I laughed it off. "But even so… asking someone for help once in awhile isn't so bad. (…) How did you tangle yourself like this?" Her hands are pretty much tied together like a professionally made handcuff.

"I tried to force the strings out but the more I moved, the tighter it became" That must've been one heck of a wrestle to be able to bind her like that.

I stifled a laugh before suddenly noticing a red dot appearing on her index finger. "Ah crud… looks like you're bleeding. Wait… uh… I don't have a tissue or a napkin. Maybe we get a band-aid from my room. (No… that won't be necessary) Oh come on now" She's being persistent. My room was just two corners away. "Ah fine. If you're that hardheaded then here… this should cure it"

Lick…

…!

"TAKERU!" Bwah! "What are you doing?"

"What does it look like? I'm mending it. It's been scientifically proven in some countries that saliva contains a special protein that helps heal the wound faster"

"I don't care what scientist proved that! You don't go licking people!"

"Relax. It was only a drop. It's not like it's going to kill me"

"It's still not something people do just out of their own whim!"

Uh oh… looks like I upset her. "S… sorry. I guess that wasn't really needed. My saliva isn't really that demanding was it? Ahehehe"

"Idiot…" She replied blushing. "It wasn't necessary… but… you could've at least warned me first"

"Ahehehe… sorry. But if it makes you feel any better, your skin was rather smooth and your blood tasted pretty sweet"

"D… don't say such embarrassing things! (Ahahaha! You're fun to play with) Takeru! Do you enjoy testing my patience in such ways!-?"

"No… you just look cute when you're embarrassed like that. (Takeru!) Ah ok ok, I'll stop" She used her free hand to hit me with a small shaped object. Hmm… hey wait a minute. "Hey… isn't that…"

"Ah!" Meiya quickly realized her mistake and put the doll down before she did anymore damage. That doll… there's no mistaking it, that's the doll that Yuuhi showed me the other day. I haven't seen it since I gave it to Tsukuyomi before the duel. "Thank goodness. It is unharmed. (Hey… what's that?) Hmph! Takeru! It's all your fault for making me use this"

"Ow ok ok, I'm sorry. But what's with the doll?" I asked pretending to be ignorant. After all… their precious memory seems like theirs to share alone. I don't need to butt myself into that equation.

"Ah… this… this is umm… a gift… from someone very precious to me" She said that last phrase with a smile. "It is something I hold dear" Heh… I guess Yuuhi was able to find the courage to finally give it to her. Even if it is just a simple gesture, I can imagine it was one huge leap for both of them. Good work, your highness.

"So you came here to learn how to sew to fix it?"

"Yes… it seems that you've guessed well once again" Meiya admitted at last. "I borrowed a hand guide from Tamase but the instructions are very limited. (Want my help?) No… this is something I must do on my own. I know that you told me to ask for help but this is a matter I desire to handle personally. I cannot accept the assistance of others or the treasure will lose its meaning" Wow… that sounded really deep for someone like her. But I guess I can understand. There are also some things in my room that I don't want my mom to touch, especially the porn collection under my bed.

"Alright… then I'll let you get back to your work. But try practicing first before tackling the real thing, ok? Otherwise I'll have to lick your finger again"

"Hmm… indeed… I shall take your advice to heart. (…) Oh… and Takeru… (Hmm?) Thank you"

"Eh? For what?"

"Ah… no… it's nothing. I just felt like saying it. Nothing more. I shall return to my room now"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Hehehe… Meiya looked so cute when she's embarrassed. Even if it's just sewing she really gets shy when she's doing something that requires assistance. Her pride has a way of doing that.

But still… I'm happy for her. For those two sisters to finally acknowledge one another was like a huge leap forward into a new day. Though I doubt they'll be able to show it in public they can finally admit that they're never alone in this world. It's times like this that people really need to hold on with the people that they care about.

Hehehe… just imagining those two smiling makes me want to smile too. (Flash) I can even see it. The two of them cheerful, happy like they had not a single problem in the world and me right dab in the middle of the bed and… WHOA! Wait a second! (Flash) Where did that image come from? I'm pretty sure Yuuhi was never with me in my world. (Flash) But if that's true then why can I see her and Meiya at the same place? Why is she wearing my school uniform and… Ahhh! This is ridiculous. My mind is going numb just thinking about it.

I shouldn't think too much. Thinking was never my strong point either in this world or the other.

Tip… tap… tip… tap…

Hmm? Who's that guy slowly tiptoeing out of her room like a ninja? (… chu chu chu chu) Chu? What is that? A noise that ninjas make? (Che che che che) Wait… that's… (Cha cha cha cha!)

"What are you doing Mikoto? (BWAH!) (Ah! HA!) (WHAM!)" Ooooh… that had to hurt. She slipped on the waxed floors and slammed right onto the wall and face first down on the ground. Was that my fault? I hope not. "You… ok there?"

"Ow-ow-ow-ow… my nose" Well I guess nose first and face later. "Takeru you meanie! Why'd you scare me like that!-?"

"Uh… I didn't do it on purpose" I defended. "You were the one sneaking around suspiciously. And by the way—ninjas don't go chu chu or che che or cha cha. They run around saying nin nin nin nin nin!"

"Ah! You watch ninja movies too Takeru?"

"Ever since I was a kid, I've watched them. Though I've never heard anyone doing it like you did. Honestly, you'd be a terrible ninja already if you can't keep quiet for five minutes. (Ahaha) So what were you doing? (Ruffle) Hmm? Oh… you dropped this. (Ah! That's mine!) Oh? A letter? (Ahhh~~ Takeru! Give it back!)" I felt like a bully for a minute there. I was holding back Mikoto with my good hand while playfully looking at the letter with my injured arm. Let's see now. "Hmm… to Yoroi Saken?" Wait, wasn't it suppose to be Sakon?

"Eh? Saken?" Seems like Mikoto caught with her misspelling.

"Yeah, I think you got mixed up with the Hiragana and the Hentaigana. They have similar writings since the Hiragana was based on the old text of Hentaigana. Just swap the alphabets a bit and you can confuse anyone"

"Ahhh… and I spent all morning writing it"

"Real~~~~~~~~~ly…?" I gave her a widened grin alerting her of my intentions. "Let's see what you wrote. Dear dad—(CHOMP!) YEOW! My hand! That's my good hand! Ow-ow-ow-ow-ow! Ok! Let go let go!"

It would be minutes later before Mikoto would release my arm from her terrible bite. Man… I really felt like my fingers were going to come off.

"That's what you get when you bully someone. When you mess with the bull you get the bite" Isn't that supposed to be horns? "Ahh… my letter. It's all wrinkly now"

"You're writing a letter to your dad? (Yeah!)" Oh yeah. Tama said something about helping Mikoto write a letter to her dad earlier. But the guy is practically a spy. "Do you know where you're going to send it?"

"Yeah. I plan on sending it to the company where he's working" That company where he's supposedly working? That was pretty much a cover for his real job. Surely Mikoto knows that. "I know that he probably doesn't really work there but… somehow I have to take a chance. I remember watching this American movie on TV once. A boy's father went to war in another country and they've been exchanging letters once a month to tell them how they're doing. But then the father was captured by the enemy and imprisoned in a camp. The boy lost hope but then he wrote one letter and put it in a bottle and sent it to sea… and by some miracle… the letter made its way to the prison camp. (Uhh…) I was really moved so I thought I'd try it"

"Hey… wait now. You know something like that has a low chance of succeeding"

"I know. But Miki san said that if you put enough feeling into your words, the other person will feel it and will become drawn to the letter one way or another" That sounds like a child's fantasy… but then again… who am I to judge? I resist the urge to laugh and just gave her an approving smile. "It's childish, I know that. But… even so if the odds are stacked against me. Even if this letter doesn't reach him…I want to show him how I feel. I want to tell him everything that I wrote in this letter. I want him… to read everything and tell him that he shouldn't worry about me"

…

I take that back. It wasn't childish at all. Mikoto just wanted to express her feelings to her dad the only way she can. The girl must've poured all her feelings into that letter that it was filled to the brim. I can even feel some of it leaking out of her. Darn… after listening to that, I'm feeling seriously guilty for bullying her in the first place.

"You should send it. (Eh?) If you put so much work into it then you should send it. It doesn't really matter if you have a misspelling here or there. It's the thought that counts, right?"

"You think so?"

"I know so. Heck, even if it doesn't reach him… I'm sure somehow… somewhere… your dad will know how you're feeling. (Really?) Yeah… come on. I'll walk you to the mailbox"

"Thanks… Takeru…" We walked side by side to the base's post office while she constantly looked at the letter filled with her love for her old man. I envy both of them. Hehehe… even if the girl was a complete airhead sometimes, she never lies to herself.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Haaaaa… that felt good walking with Mikoto like that. She delivered the letter to the Post Master and walked off with a wide smile. Even though the chances of that letter reaching her old man were slim she sent it anyway, with her heart guiding it. Ahehehe, saying it like that makes me feel like a character from a soap opera movie. But it was rather surprising. I never knew Mikoto had a cute side to herself. She seems so… (Flash) Ahh… no no… not that. I don't need those images of her right now.

After we dropped the letter, Mikoto decided to get something to eat at the PX. I returned to the barracks for my rest which I planned from the start. (Yawn) Haaaaa… man I'm so sleepy I could just sleep on my bed all day long. Even though I haven't done anything stressful, my body feels like it can drop at any second. Maybe my fast regenerative ability had something to do with it. Maybe I'm healing so fast my stamina just can't keep up.

Tip… tap…

Hmm? Who's that guy? I don't remember seeing him before. A tall, mid built man, in his mid-fifties with white hair, wrinkled face, thin lens glasses and light brown-green colored eyes. He doesn't seem to be an officer seeing that he isn't wearing any military uniform. He seems to be more of a civilian than anything else.

"…?" He noticed me. "You there, cadet. (Eh?) Is this Squad 207 barracks?"

"Huh? Uh… yeah, it is" Strange… his voice… it sounds somewhat familiar. Though this is probably the first time we've ever met I felt like I've seen him somewhere before.

"Do you know where I can find Cadet Sakaki Chizuru?" Huh? She's looking for Class rep?

"Uh… no sir. I don't know where she is right now" I answered honestly. He gave me a gruff noise in reply. "But… may I ask what business you have with her? (Hmm?) I'm a member of her training squad"

"Eh? A boy? Odd… I don't recall hearing about a boy in this squad. But… then again she doesn't tell me anything anymore" Hmmm… where have I seen this guy before? I'm sure I've seen him somewhere before but I just can't put my finger on it. "Heh… that sounds like something she would do. (Huh?) You there… boy. What's your name? (Eh?) Your name boy… or don't you have one?"

"Hey!" What's with this guy? "It's rude to ask someone's name without giving your own first. And… what are you doing here anyway? The barracks are restricted to military personnel only. Civilians aren't allowed in here. If you're here to visit someone then you should be escorted to the visitor's area. (Haaa?) Identify yourself…"

"Are you… serious?"

I gestured my hands to my pistol which I was instructed to keep with me at all times. "I won't ask again, sir. Who are you and what business do you have with my squad leader"

"Hooo? It must be difficult to be that stupid. (Eh?) You don't even recognize me. What else can I call you but stupid? (…!) But if you're going to arrest me, I won't make it easy for you. I have military training myself, you know"

This guy is really pressing my buttons. Not only that but his posture simply screamed suspicious. Well I guess I should follow regulations and arrest him.

"Wait Shirogane!" Eh?

"Class rep? (Class rep?)" The old man mimicked me when I mentioned the girl who called me.

"Father? Wh… what are you doing here?" Eh? Father?

"I have business with General Radhabinod but he seems to be busy at the moment… so I came to see you" Wait a minute. This man is Sakaki's dad? Wait… if he's her dad then that means…

"AHHH! You! You're the Prime Minister! (…?) Sakaki Kurechika!"

"Did that bit of information just came into your head? So you weren't acting slow and stupid, you really ARE slow and stupid" Guuuuu! What the heck!-? Why is the Prime Minister of Japan, a member of the provincial government doing here? As a matter of fact… what the hell was he doing in our barracks? Well his daughter was here… duh! I guess that's understandable to see him since he survived the coup but still… why is he here?

"Father… what are you doing here?" Class rep asked, breaking the ice in this sudden meeting. I looked at her face and saw an annoyed expression. Maybe this wasn't the first time of his unwelcomed visits. "This area is off limits to civilians"

"Is it odd for a father to visit his own daughter? (…) Hmph… I guess you haven't changed a bit either" Wow… his voice and tone. They're totally different from the ones I heard from TV. Perhaps that's how he acts in public. "But Chizuru… you never told me there was a man in your squadron"

I took a step back to allow them to speak. I don't think my presence was needed anymore. This was a family matter and if there's one thing I've learned about this, that it was best to stay out of it.

"Information about the squad is not allowed to be shared with anyone other than military personnel. I don't remember telling you about them either. I don't share information to anyone other than my squad"

"Hmph… judging from your tone it's safe to say that you haven't changed your decision either. (…) Heh… you still have no way of answering. I never thought I'd get it from someone like you" Whoa… hey there. Isn't that a bit harsh to say to your own daughter? I know you two are on bad terms but the way you're doing it is just begging for a hit. I expected maybe a hug or something but starting a fight here? (Flash) Wait… "Useless. (…) I don't even know why I bothered coming here. Fine then… be that way. I have no more business here"

And without another word exchanged… the guy left. (Flash) Images of Chizuru's mother kept appearing before my eyes. My memories began to recall her as a person who changed a part of my life.

"Sorry you had to see that" Class rep said to me after her old man left through those doors.

I quickly waved my hand up in defense. "Oh no. I'm the one at fault for not recognizing him immediately. I mean… how often do we get to meet politically important people on a daily basis?" Actually… quite frequent considering what has happened these past few days. We know that Yuuko sensei is an important person for ALT IV, Undersecretary Genjousai (Tama's Dad), the Shogun and now the prime minister?

"…" It seems like meeting that guy brought the bad mood out of Class rep. She doesn't even look good.

"What was he doing here anyway?" I asked, breaking the ice.

"Who knows? But he wouldn't be here just to visit me" Class rep stated, convinced of her answer. "He must be here to personally thank the U.N. Army responsible for saving Her Highness. (…?) I can't think of any other reason why he would show himself here" Wow… Class rep. You sound almost as cruel as your dad. Man… even in this world you have a rough patch with your family. Back in my world, you had a strained relationship with your mother. Ugh… just thinking about it worries me. "Anyway I have something to do. I'll see you later, Shirogane. (H… hey wait) Hmm?" She was carrying a heavy stack of papers and folder on her hands. It's so tall that it almost reached her neck. Maybe that was the reason why she couldn't punch the guy.

"Do you mind if I help?" I offered out which she kindly denied.

"Don't worry. This is nothing compared to what you've gone through. Besides, it's improper to have an injured person help out"

"Oh come on. Not you too. If you keep doing that I'll grow lazy eventually. Besides, the professor said that my arm will probably heal by tomorrow so it's no biggie" I gladly took half of her stack despite her protest and carried it with ease.

"Haaa… fine but don't come to me when your arm starts hurting. (Hai)"

We made our way to the office room which was supposedly the teacher's longue back in my world. I remember this place well since I often come here whenever I got in trouble. Marimo chan was the person I often visited. The other teachers even called me a regular customer in that place and the only regular students that enter this room are Class rep and the student body president.

…

…

Class rep kept quiet the whole way, not mentioning a single breath about her dad as we walked. Maybe she got used to it or perhaps she was already expecting how it would end.

"Hey… about your dad"

"Don't…" Class rep flatly refused to talk about it. "I made my decision and it still stands. I don't care what he thinks about my enlistment. I'm free to do what I want with my own life. Whether I throw it away or care for it" Whoa… hey wait a second. "He doesn't have any hold over me. He may be my father but that doesn't give him the right to control me"

"…"

Uhhh… oh boy. She says that she doesn't want to talk about it but her actions and the way she's talking are contradicting her words. It seems like she really wanted to talk to someone about it. "Haaa… he's always been like that since mother passed away"

(Flash) Her mother? (Flash) I remember her mother but only in my world. Back then… Chizuru's mom worked as an escort for clients who would pay her. Now I know that kids her age would be troubled having parents who would sell their bodies out like that. Even I had a hard time expressing my reaction to her when I knew of her occupation. But even though they were apart physically and emotionally I'm absolutely certain that Chizuru's mom loved her daughter very much.

If she didn't then she would've just gone up and leave any time she wanted. But instead she stayed with her… even when she knew that she hated her; she remained by her side, always at the ready when she would be needed. She didn't control her daughter's life or her future but she tended to it the only way she knew how. The Class rep in my world may not have had a dad… but she had one hell of a mom to catch her whenever she fell. She didn't even realize how lucky she was or how great her mom was until she found out that her mother collapsed from searching for her.

(Flash) Ugh… crap… just thinking about those two brings back some old memories. Instead of seeing them I'm actually missing the scenery behind them. It's only been a few months since I went home to my original world.

"Hey Class rep… (What?) Tell me about your mom. (My mom?) Yeah… since you obvious have some history with your dad… I thought you might be more inclined to tell me about your mom"

"Are you trying to probe for something Shirogane?"

"Of course not!" I barked back jokingly. "I thought I might get to know you better. And I keep telling you to call me Shirogane"

"You're not planning to use this information to blackmail me, are you?" Blackmail? Seriously? I thought Class rep knew me better than that.

"If it's something you don't want to talk about then fine. But… (Hmm?) I just want you to know that my ears are always open whenever you need someone to listen"

"…" Guuu… that sounded really cheesy. Like something a protagonist of a soap opera movie would say.

"Ahh… listen to me preaching to you like a monk. I'll shut up now"

"Sorry" Oh? She apologized? That's extremely rare. "I guess I lost my head there for a minute"

"Listen Class rep. I don't know what you two are fighting about but I don't think he meant any of those words he said earlier. (Eh?) I actually had a friend who became a jerk to protect me. Even though she knew that she'll probably be hated by everyone, she did it anyway" And when I meant her, I meant the Class rep in my world. Right after the sports festival when she accidentally hit Akane, Class rep isolated herself from the rest of us to keep us from getting caught up in her mistake. "Whenever I tried to protect her she pushed me away and called me names so that everyone else would take my side"

"Why in the world would she do that? It's stupid to reject someone's help when you really need it most. (Pffft!) Hm?" Ah crap. I can't laugh. What sweet irony! If only I have a chance to get her to say that to herself. Ahehehe… just thinking about it makes my stomach tickles.

"Yeah… she probably should've accepted my help that time too" I added stifling a laugh. "But try putting your dad in her position. (Eh?) Think about it for a minute. Why do you think he wants you to quit the military so badly?"

"Because I shame him. Because he is the Prime Minister, I wasn't allowed to enlist with the Imperial Army. So instead I joined with the U.N. Army instead. Now he sees me as a lamb of the United Nations" Hmm… hearing it from her, I guess she could see things in a political perspective. Even though her intentions of helping mankind were pure, she couldn't have foreseen that she would become a political hostage almost immediately. Because she voluntarily joined the U.N. Armed forced she thought that she was doing this through a freedom of will. Kind of careless for Class rep but I guess I can understand that. "We will never agree to it, no matter how many times we argue"

"You're talking like a politician there, Class rep" I stated. "Don't you think that he might be doing this because he worries about you?"

"He doesn't worry about me. (Eh?) Ever since he got his seat in the political ring he rarely has time for me. (…) Because of him… my mother…"

Ah crap… I made her cry! "I… I'm sorry. I didn't mean to bring up something you don't want to talk about. (No… I'm fine) It's just that… do you really think that your father only cares about his position as Prime Minister? Do you really think that he would abandon you like that? (…?) I've met plenty of parents before I was assigned here and if there's one thing they have in common is this. None of them would willingly send their child off to war. No one does"

"Takeru…?"

"To see your son or daughter hold a weapon to defend herself can be very heartbreaking for a parent. Simply knowing that they're out there, fighting for their very lives is not an easy thing. They would do anything… even crazy things just to hold on to them for the very last moment. (…) I think… from my point of view… your old man just wanted you out of the frontlines… he wanted you out of there so badly he didn't care if you hated him for the rest of his life"

Class rep came to a full stop once I was finished. I don't know if it was out of instincts or perhaps just the door in front of us but somehow I think my words got through to her.

"I… never thought of it that way" She said at last after a brief pause. "But he would never think of it like that. I've known him long enough to make that assumption"

"Haaaa…" I sighed at this. Class rep was being stubborn… again. What else is new? "I know that I might be going too far with this… but… what do you think your mother would say if she saw where you are now. (…!)" I was lucky that she was holding on to that rack of papers otherwise she would've slapped me already. (Flash) But even so… though I may have only known Chizuru's mom from my world for only a short time I feel like I've known her all my life. But that's probably my time loops talking to me.

"…!" I felt Class rep flared for a second there but her nerves calmed down when she found some sense in my words. "What mom… would say? (Yeah… what would she say?)" She thought deep… and looked to an empty side of the hallway as if visualizing what her mom would be saying right now. I've seen Class rep's strained relation with her mother in my world and I know they haven't talked for who knows how long. Even now I can still picture her smirking face like I just saw it yesterday. "She would…"

Whoosh…

"Oh, there you are" An officer appeared from the office we were about to enter. "Are these the requisition forms we've been looking for?"

Chizuru returned to her military self with me included. "Yes sir. The Lieutenant also wanted me to inform you that he made some minor changes on form 6. No change in the rest"

"Ah very good. Thank you for your hard work. (Ruffle) Don't bother with the salute. I'll take the rest of it from here" He gladly took the documents and closed the door behind him. Geez… talk about anticlimactic. Thanks to him I feel like we've hit a dead end on our conversation. Now neither of us felt like talking anymore.

"Sad…" Huh? "She would be sad…"

"What did you say?"

"Ah! N… no it's nothing. Anyway… th-thanks for your help Takeru. I have to go now. (Hey wait!) I have to uh… get something from my room. Bye!" Ah… and there she goes, not even realizing that our barracks was the hallway behind me.

"Oh boy… I hope she gets better soon" I muttered out to myself. Oh well… I might as well head back home for that rest I've been dying to get.

Bump!

"Kya!" Hmm? Did I hit something? "Ow…" Eh?

"Marimo ch—err I mean, Sergeant Jinguuji?" Ah crud. I must've bumped onto her when I wasn't looking. She barely weight to anything. I tackled her like I was just passing by. She couldn't be that weak. "Sorry about that. Are you alright?"

"Ah… yeah… I'm fi—eh? Sh… Shirogane?" Why are you stuttering like that? It shouldn't be that of a surprise to see me. We saw each other earlier in the PX when I was passing by. "W… what are you doing here? This is the Instructor's office you know?"

"I was helping Class rep deliver some documents" Speaking of which, it seems like she dropped a bunch of them when I bumped onto her. "Sorry… let me get that"

"AH! No, it's alright. I got it" She playfully tapped my hand away. Strange… something about those files seemed oddly familiar. I thought I actually saw my face in one of the documents. Nah… it's probably my imagination. "But watch where you're going next time, alright Shirogane? You have unbelievable strength ever since you got here to the training base so you might hurt someone unintentionally. (Yes ma'am) Anyway… shouldn't you be resting? I heard that your injuries weren't as severe as I thought but that doesn't mean that you should be pushing yourself. Have you forgotten what I've told you already?"

"What you've told me? (…) Ah… right. A soldier should get his rest whenever he can"

"It's good that you remember. So follow up on it, ok? (Yes ma'am) Don't bother saluting with an injured hand. Dismiss"

**(Takeru's room)**

Ugh… my bed. I never thought it could feel this good. After walking around for hours I felt like I could drop at any minute. My body feels fine now and my arm doesn't hurt anymore either so I don't really need the cast around it. It's strange…

Yesterday I hurt like hell. Every move I made felt like a struggle and forced out. Even just walking towards the PX was challenge. But now… my body stopped hurting. It's like my whole body was putting itself together from memory. I don't know if this was something I had from the start or perhaps my being a Casualty Conductor but if it saves me time from the hospital then I won't complain.

But… I wasn't able to get any thinking done today. I had hoped to at least get some idea on how to stop the BETA attack. Maybe if I confront her about it she might reconsider it.

No… that won't work. Even if I told her about it she'll probably just find another way to use those BETAs. I've always known Yuuko sensei to be a cold lady who would do even the most ridiculous things to get what she wants. That live demonstration with the BETAs was also what got her the XG-70 after all.

The XM3 would be a major bargaining chip with the Americans allowing them to supply her with all the parts needed to construct that Anti-Hive weapon. But does it really need to involve the deaths of others? If possible I would to avoid the whole incident entirely or perhaps avoid needless casualties. But how? I'm not exactly the brightest mind around here and there are only a few people who can rival up to her intellect. Anything that I think of she'd probably have a countermeasure for it already.

Click…

Hmm? "Oh… Kasumi. What are you doing here? (Ruffle) Hey… don't pull my sleeves like that. What's the matter? (Hmmm!) Eh? What? Did Yuuko sensei sent you to get me? (Nod) What does she want? Our experiment doesn't start until… eh?" Wait, 6 PM? It's that late already? I didn't even notice. Maybe all that talking with my squad killed time faster than I thought. "Ugh… I don't feel like going. (Ruffle!)" Kasumi kept pulling my sleeves up ignoring my comment. "Alright alright, we're going. Ugh… I barely even had time to sleep. Maybe helping those other girls took a lot out of me.

**(Labs)**

"Sensei… I'm here… -_- uuu…"

"You're late!" She scolded me… again. I'm starting to feel like that's her way of greeting me. "And here I thought you ran away. You were supposed to be here ten minutes ago. (Sorry) Haaa… never mind. Let's get to work" Hmm? Wait a minute. Isn't this supposed to be the room where the transfer device was placed? I remember it well. I came here often for her research in going back and forth between worlds. That device alone must've taken a lot of space. This place was almost the size of two of our classrooms. But now, it seems like Yuuko sensei had made some rigorous change.

Instead of a transfer device, there was now a small TSF simulator right dabbed at the middle of the place. A few other computers, reading devices and such all attached to that single machine.

"So what are we doing here?" I asked fearing the answer. I agreed for Yuuko sensei to experiment on me to learn more about my super healing abilities. If she can somehow replicate it, then she might make a cure for all sorts of physical wounds.

"Nothing major again today. Just a few basic tests. A blood sample, DNA reading and such. Nothing that will endanger you" Oh that sounds easy enough. "Oh by the way, I had a nice chat with Radhabinod earlier" Eh? The base's CO? "It seems like another one of your prediction came through again. He's going to personally sum up an early graduation for your squad tomorrow"

"Really? That's great!" I cheered. That way I can get part of history right on track. Phew… I'm glad I didn't screw that part up.

"I'm actually quite surprised" She added waving her finger around. "Even with all of their political ties, they'll still be admitted. (Hehehe) But I guess it's given seeing that there are very little reasons he could prevent the graduation. With your record, it's only natural that you six get bumped up the ladder a bit. I also added a something of mine to the mix as well"

"Eh? You help too, sensei?"

"Of course not. It was the General's decision alone. I simply pushed something of mine to add to speed my little pet project. (Huh?) You'll find out during the graduation ceremony. My congratulation for your future promotion. Now let's get started… ah but before we begin, please sign this" She handed me a sheet that looked like some kind of medical form.

"What is it?"

"The organ donation" Mweh!-? "Just in case you die at any time I will be allowed to bring your body in for testing. Most soldiers sign this when BETA first landed so if they should sustain any viable injury and die in the process, we can study their bodies and examine their wounds. Think of it as a sacrifice for the betterment of science. (….) Hmm?" I felt a real urge to tear that sheet of paper up but something stopped my hands from doing it. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad to be a guinea pig. Even if I have to be experimented on or tortured… if it saves people's lives… who cares?

"…" I looked at the sheet and read its contents slowly.

"That's a surprise" Yuuko added sounding somewhat bewildered. "Usually by now I'd expect you to whine and say no or tear that paper apart before I finished. But here you are standing still. Did you hit your head?"

"No… it's not that" I answered back seeing somewhat surprised as well. If she gave me this form a few hours ago I probably would've done just those things that she said. But now… after realizing everything that has been going on… I finally remember what I came here to do. Sometimes when things get so hectic and so troublesome and depressing I tend to forget my reasons for returning to this time loop in the first place.

I think the coup was a wakeup call not only for everyone here but for me as well. When I saw Sagiri I somehow managed to picture myself in his position. That man was just like me. Hell he probably had the same ideals I had in protecting everyone. Though his reasons were purely political he and I shared much. But at some point in his life he simply lost faith in Japan, humanity and Earth. He lost faith in it all just to find a glorious place to die.

I was the same. After I had lost my resolved I didn't want anything to do with this world anymore and ran away. But Sagiri took 'lost' and twisted it to a perverted form of justice. All he needed was a good slap to get him out of that dream.

Giving out a sigh, I took up the pen and signed my name at the bottom of the sheet. Yuuko accepted it back with an odd smirk. "Hmmm… that's a good face you're making. Remembered something good?"

"No… I was just thinking on how stupid I used to be. But then again… I shouldn't worry. If I die then I'll probably come back and you wouldn't get your hands on me in the first place"

"Hoo? Talking as if time was merely an attribute. You are fearsome" She gave a wicked laugh. "But in any case let's move on. Let's test that new regenerative ability of yours to the limit. (O…k?) Alright I'll start by cutting off your index finger" EHHH!-? "What's wrong?"

"I thought we were going to do simple blood tests!-?"

"But you seemed so challenging earlier" That wasn't a challenge! "Fine. How about I amputate your leg? (NO!) Just kidding. We'll start small. A minor cut on the cheek will do. (Really?) Yes… I promise. Now come on. We have more tests to go through" It seems like Yuuko sensei is acting like normal. A normal person won't be able to see through her act. Even though she plays like this in front of people her mind works endless, plotting her next diabolical move. I'll just have to swallow this down. I don't care what she does to me. She can throw me around like a rag or experiment on me all she likes. I just wish she could leave others out of it.

**(December 9, 2001 Sunday) (Takeru's Room) (Morning)**

Ughhhhh… I feel awful. After last night's experiment I feel like my body has been hanging from a hook for the last few hours. I barely even had any sleep by the time Yuuko released me. She promised a quick session of blood test and all but that was a total lie. If I wasn't conscious then she'd probably cut me open by now.

Hell I can even picture myself being strapped on a table with Yuuko looking down on me with an oil powered chainsaw in her hands. Brrr… just thinking about it gives me the chills.

But I shouldn't be too bummed about today. After all it is my—our graduation day.

Though no one was told of what it was about, everyone in the squad had been ordered to come to the auditorium later at nine. It's still 7:30 so I got a good amount of time before I need to go there. Breakfast sounds nice so I think I'll start with that.

Knock knock…

Oh? That must be Kasumi coming to wake me up. Hehehehe… maybe I'll play a trick on her. Let's see. If I rearrange my pillows like this…

Creek…

Ah! Here she comes!

…

…

Shake shake…

"…? Takeru?"

"Ye~~s? (…!) Boo! (….!) Ahahaha… I got you good Kasumi chan. (Tap tap tap!) Ahehehe… sorry. But I got up about ten minutes ago. I just needed something to brighten my day and you provided it perfectly"

"Hmmmm!" She kept hitting me with her weak hands and gave out an adorable puffed-cheek expression. Its times like this that makes me feel like I had a little sister to make fun of. "Takeru… meanie"

"Ahaha… I'm sorry. But it was quite fun seeing you turn over like that. (…!) But in all honesty… **thanks… Kasumi**. (…?) Huh? Oh… wait… what am I thanking you for? Was that me talking? (…?) I guess I'm still a little woozy myself. Come on, let's get something to eat. I'm hungry" Oh? I don't think I'll need this cast either. My body is practically spotless now. Maybe last night's sleep healed me up completely. Oh well… like they say: Never look a gift horse in the mouth.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The PX was still deserted at around this time. Most of the cadets are probably still in mourning for the coup d'état. My squad was included. Oh… there's Class rep and Tama. They must be here for breakfast too.

"Ara? Shirogane?" They walked up to me the moment they noticed my presence. Class rep spoke first. "Has your arm healed already?"

"Huh? Oh yeah. Good as new" I reassured them waving my supposedly 'broken' arm up and down repeatedly. "It wasn't as bad as the doctors said so I thought I'd give it a little stretch. Besides, I can't pilot a TSF with my good arm all tied up like that"

"That's amazing Takeru san" Tama complimented me again. Ugh… I'll probably never get used to it. "You must be one of those fast healers. I still have a bump from when I hit my head last week" Hmm… these girls seems like they're still in their mourning period. They still haven't gotten past the fact that they survived their first combat. I guess that's understandable. Unlike them, in my loops I've been doing this as far as I can remember. Fighting and trying to survive no matter what is basic animal instinct.

"Thanks Tama. Anyway where is everyone? I thought they'd be here"

"The others were here earlier" Class rep answered. "They finished eating before we got to the line so you pretty much just missed them" I see… so everyone is still recovering. Well… I'll leave them at that. Only the person can decide whether they want to move on or not. "Anyway, you'd better eat quickly. We were instructed to report to the auditorium at nine"

"Ah… I completely forgot about that" Tama said cheesily.

"Hey now. Don't forget your orders or the instructor will scold you again. (Hai) But even so… I wonder what happened. To call our squad only" I'd better pretend to be ignorant. After all, I don't literally know either.

"Well we can't worry about things we have no control over" I said out loud to get them out of their sad trance. "Why don't we enjoy breakfast to the fullest and have a blast?"

"Haaaa… I wish I had your kind of spirit Shirogane. If only you can use that spirit of yours to wake up early like this"

"Hey! I always sleep until the very last minute. That's how I keep myself fired up for all my training!"

"And that's the very same reason why you're late for most classes. (Uuuu…) To see Instructor Jinguuji yell at you in the morning somehow became a daily routine for everyone"

"Yeah yeah!" Tama! You're agreeing to this too? "We even made a game about it. (Huh? A game?) We would bet with one another what kind of excuse you would use to get out of trouble with her" Eh? For real?

"Oh yeah… I remember that" Class rep nodded back as if reminiscing. "Did you know that you tend to use the same five excuses whenever you were late for class? (I did?) Yup. Ranging from 'forgetting your ID badge in your room' to 'being stopped by Kyozuka oba san on the way by'. Seriously, you used those so often that even I got tangled playing it" Guuuu… these girls.

"But Yoroi san won most of the time. She seems to know a lot of your habits Takeru san"

"Oh come on guys! You should've told me about it!"

"We would've" Class rep chuckled. "But it was too much fun to stop" Gwah! I didn't even know we even had that kind of routine. That's soooo mean!

**(Auditorium)**

We arrived at the auditorium about an hour later to prepare for the ceremony. Man… I haven't been here since my enlistment oath. Other than that, this place hasn't been used much. Back in my world, this place used to double as the gym as well. There's supposed to be basketball hoops latched on each end but someone seems to have taken those away. The storage room here was also a somewhat memorable part for me. I actually got locked up in there once back in my sophomore year. The janitor accidentally locked me in and I had to stay there for a whole evening before the night guard finally found me.

No one seems to know why they were summoned here except me. Oh…? There's Meiya and Ayamine and Yoroi too. They seem to still be in their own mourning sessions.

"Hey guys!" My voice echoed in the hall alerting them to us.

We regrouped at the center of room with small and weakened smiles. "Hmm… Takeru. I see you are better" Meiya noticed my uncast arm.

"Yeah, I heal a lot faster than regular people" I replied jokingly. If only they knew that I had my super regenerative abilities. "How are you guys holding up?"

The three of them gave me a cheerful smile in reply. "You need not concern yourself about us. We are well. Yoroi has been talkative ever since she arrived and Ayamine appears to be back to her old self" Her old self? How is that any different with her new self?

I turned to the girl in question and asked. "How about you? (What?) Are you holding up? (I'm fine) Hey come on now. Don't bottle everything up or else you might explode"

Her shoulder's dropped in defeat. "I don't think I'm not fine" Huh? What does that even mean? "So maybe I should be not be not fine?"

"If you can make fun on how you're feeling then I'll consider you fine. (… hmph) Don't 'hmph' me! You're the one taking me lightly"

"Maybe you should go back and have another checkup" WHATT!-? "The surgeons screwed your brains too tight" Guuu… I don't even feel like arguing with her anymore so I'll just leave it at that.

I then turned to Yoroi. "So… how about you?"

"Nahh Takeru, you don't need to worry about me. I'm always fine. (That's not what I meant…) Eh?"

"I'm talking about yesterday. How are you feeling now after sending that…?" I was talking about the letter she sent to her dad.

"Ah! Yeah… I felt a lot better after that. It sure got a lot off my shoulder" Mikoto… even your cheerful-happy-go-lucky attitude has the power to bring us up at times like these. "I hope I put enough feelings into it" You don't need to tell me that. I was there with you. And as a personal opinion, I think you gave a lot of your feelings already. I doubt her dad will ever receive it but I guess a little fantasizing won't hurt anyone. "Sooo… does anyone know why we're brought here?"

"No idea" I replied ignorantly. Everyone gave the same response. We stood there for awhile looking at the clock by the podium. I remember during my freshmen welcoming ceremony, one of the speakers got knocked unconscious by that old fashion clock. It was a nice welcoming laugh for us. Heh… remembering the old world seems rather fun.

The rest of the squad remained uneasy for awhile until we heard the door behind us opened.

"Attention!" Chizuru called us together.

…!

Just as I thought. General Radhabinod, Marimo chan, that Captain guy and… eh? Is that… the Prime Minister? Why's Chizuru's old man here?

"Squad! Form up!" We quickly stood at attention at Marimo's orders. "Salute General Radhabinod!"

…

"At ease!" The captain at the back near the microphone said afterwards. "I know this is rather sudden, but we will now carry out the graduation ceremony for the 207th Eishi Cadet Squadron of the U.N. 11th Pacific Army's Yokohama base Eishi Training School. (…!) The base CO will commence" The squad's reaction was as expected. No one was expecting this other than myself.

"Attention!"

"At ease" I may not have known the General for a very long time in any of my loops but I remember him being a very charismatic leader. He's a man respected by everyone in Yokohama base and I've never heard anyone bad mouthing him once either. In my previous loops I only got to meet him for a brief time during our Christmas Party involving the activation of ALTERNATIVE V. From then on, he was transferred to a new post out in frontlines.

"…" Chizuru seems to be curios on why her dad was there as well, looking at us from the side.

But we ignored him and focused our attention at the General on the pedestal. "It is worthy of celebration when cadets complete their training and earn the right to be commissioned. Normally, we would do just that for your graduation… but given the recent events, we must allow the Japanese people time to mourn" Though the casualties were a lot less than my previous loop, it still doesn't change the fact that the Japanese suffered a lot because of their own weakness. I don't blame them. "The world needs more young men and women with the strength and courage"

"…" His speech was one that I've heard once or twice already. Back in my first loop in this world… I don't think we've ever been given a ceremony at all. One day we just found the forms in our message box along with our Eishi patches. Nothing more…

"Yes, we must have soldiers and commanders with widespread combat experience in order to achieve victory. But there is something else no less important. Hearts which believe we can win. Young soldiers, do everything in your power without fear of failure. Whatever dire straits you find yourselves in, always believe you will emerge victorious. Your young hearts, with and unyielding faith in victory, are your sole greatest weapon"

So… once more I have graduated from this academy. Once more I will wear the patch of a true Eishi pilot… and once more will I have the power to save peoples' lives.

"…humanity is in the midst of an unprecedented crisis. The war is long and hard, but that is precisely why we cannot let our faith in victory be shaken. The moment we give up, is the moment we lose" Heh… look at me… crying over all of this. It feels so… nostalgic. "For the first time in history all humans on Earth share a common bond. It is the fundamental bond between members of the same species, which surpasses all political, religious and ethnic divisions"

Every man was equal… in physical form. They bleed, they feel and they die just like anyone else.

"Yes… all the people of Earth share the same red blood. Think of your neighbors and your neighbor's neighbors. It is up to you to ensure that they will live to see another day. Nothing can be obtained without action. Achieve your objectives at any cost. You have already learned all too well… how much spirit it takes to do just that. What you did right or wrong will be for the next generation to judge. What we can do here now is follow the path we believe in and expend all our efforts towards regaining humanity's future. Humanity's long and vibrant history must be passed on to a future generation—and that is the duty we have been entrusted with"

Yes… I have been entrusted by my friends… my family… my teachers with passing their knowledge on. I don't know if I failed or succeeded in their teaching… but I do know that what I'm doing is the thing that I alone desire.

"Young cadets of Eishi Training Squadron 207. I am convinced that you all believe in the same things we do. Today, you have all earned the right to stand on the front lines as Eishi of the U.N. Army. Reflect upon that honor, that responsibility. I want you to be certain of victory and give all your strength to taking back our future. Your pride is also my pride, and the Japanese people's pride. Not only that, it is the pride of all humanity"

Humanity… that word should have new meaning for all of us today.

"Look at your hands. What will you grasp with these hands?" I intend to grasp everything I hold dire. "What will you protect with these hands?" I intend to protect everyone. "Clench your fists. What will you destroy with these fists?" Anyone or anything that tries to hurt those that I love. "Who will you defeat with those fists?"

…

…

…

"Finally. I would like to add you a recommendation. You have all earned this honor with your own hands. And I would like to add that your brilliant contribution to the successful effort to save the Shogun recently is a major reason for this sudden promotion. That is all…" I see. Yuuko did say that Yuuhi talked with all the members of the squad excluding myself privately. That's the reason why she no longer needed to send us the letter. And besides… I doubt there was anything left to say to Meiya.

"Attention!" Marimo barked out which we stood at her call. "Salute General Radhabinod!"

The Captain beside her then spoke up. "We will now present you with your Eishi insignia" And so with this… we can finally become true Eishis once more. We can finally… huh?

Clang!

"Oh…? I'm not late, am I?" Y… Yuuko sensei? "Pardon me… excuse me for interrupting" She said playfully like she knew already our reactions.

The General turned his attention to her for a moment. "Professor? Is something the matter?"

She simply waved it off. "No. Not at all. I just wanted to watch if that's ok with you" Huh? She came here to watch? That never happened before. "Hmm…" Uuuu… she's looking directly at me. What's her game this time?

I blocked her out of my visions and returned my focus to the General who was now presenting us with our badges. "Very well then. Cadet Saka—(Clang!) …?" The metal door behind us swung open again with a loud banging sound. We all turned around to see the intruder.

"RADHABINOD!" What the hell? Isn't that… guy…?

"P… papa?" It is! It's Tama's old man! What is he doing here?

"You son of a—(annoying microphone sound)! I thought I told you to tell me when the graduation was starting! I had to find out only minutes ago!"

The General gave out a sigh. "Undersecretary Genjousai… shouldn't you be in the capital sorting things with the provincial government right now?"

"The whole world can be on fire for all I care! I had to take the last flight all the way here because you never told me about this! I learned this only on the last minute! You'd think I'd miss this for the world? Never!"

"Haaaa… very well" The General rubbed his nose bone before answering. "We can discuss this later. For now, join Professor Kouzuki in the audience bench" The Undersecretary nodded and headed towards the bench with Yuuko sensei. Hey… is that a disposable camera he's holding? He's like a father taking his daughter's graduation picture. This is bizarre. "Ahem… now as I was saying. Cadet Saka—(Clang!)…?" What is it this time!-?

"Yo~~ Sorry to intrude…"

…

…

…

Eh…? Eh? EHHHH!

"Y-Y-Y-Yo!"

"Dad!-?" It is! It's Mikoto's old man!

"Hey there son. Long time no see. Ah… wait that's wrong. It should be daughter, shouldn't it?"

"Wh… what are you doing here!-? Awawawawa!"

"What are you talking about? You sent me a letter saying that I come and visit at my earliest convenience so I took a day off at work" Hey, that letter in his hand. Could that be the letter Mikoto sent? That's impossible! The post office doesn't send their letters until Monday! "You're really careless you know that? You couldn't even spell my name right so the mailman had trouble sorting it out to me. You didn't even leave a return address on the letter so I had to find my way around the base. And who would've guessed that I'd be seeing you graduate already?" Somehow… I'm not really sure what to believe anymore.

"But… but…!"

"I even brought you a souvenir from home. You won't believe what people throw away nowadays"

"…" Uh oh… The Base's CO seems rather annoyed with all these interruptions.

"D… dad, now's not a good time"

Sakon simply waved off to his daughter. "Ahaha… I understand. I'll just sit right over there with the pretty lady" He tiptoed his way to Yuuko's side and pretended to be a kid hiding behind his mother's back.

What in the hell? Why are all these Very Important People suddenly popping into the room in order? This can't be a coincidence, can it? Is this what Yuuko was talking about when she said that she was adding her mix into the promotion? It sounds logical enough I guess but still…

"…" I can see the gang totally fazed by this event. Hell even I was having a hard time coping with this change. Back then there was barely any audience and now we had a small group over there watching us.

After another deep breath, the CO began. "Cadet Sakaki Chizuru. (Sir!) As of now, you are a U.N. Army Eishi. Congratulations, 2nd Lieutenant. (Thank you sir!)" I'm not really sure if this was all just a coincidence or planned by some greater power… but maybe… this is for the best. "Cadet Mitsurugi Meiya. (Sir!) As of now, you are a U.N. Army Eishi. Congratulations, 2nd Lieutenant. (Thank you sir!)"

I darted my eyes to the small crowd gathered by the benches. Yuuko was looking at me, Chizuru's dad was looking at me, Tama's dad was taking pictures and Yoroi was grinning at us like he always has.

"Cadet Yoroi Mikoto! (Sir!) As of now, you are a U.N. Army Eishi. Congratulations, 2nd Lieutenant. (Thank you sir!)" The gang seems to be feeling it. The strange awe that I'm feeling as well. Somehow I feel like the weight on my shoulder has just been lightened. Could my change truly made a positive chain reaction for once? "Cadet Ayamine Kei! (Sir…) As of now, you are a U.N. Army Eishi. Congratulations, 2nd Lieutenant. (Thank you sir…)" But the fight is far from over. I'm just starting out. The real battle… the true battle with the true enemy begins here. "Cadet Tamase Miki. ((Sir!) As of now, you are a U.N. Army Eishi. Congratulations, 2nd Lieutenant. (Thank you sir!)"

I met the General's face with mine. His eyes brimmed with the glow of a soldier who has seen more deaths than I could imagine. I respected him… and knew that every man on this base would follow his orders until death.

"Cadet Shirogane Takeru" I stood up and shouted sir in my most professional tone. "As of now, you are a U.N. Army Eishi. Congratulations, 2nd Lieutenant. (Thank you sir!)" He pinned the badge on my chest which proves that I am now an official Eishi. I remembered to salute this time too so Marimo won't give me the glare again.

Once that was over, the captain by the side announced. "That concludes the ceremony. Attention! Salute General Radhabinod!" After our brief salute, the General nodded to all of us and left. "That concludes the graduation ceremony for the 207th Eishi Cadet Training Squadron of the U.N. 11th Pacific Army's Yokohama Base Eishi Training School"

…

…

And now… at long last… I can continue where my fight left off…

Marimo approached us and gave us the word we were waiting for. "Eishi Training Squad 207… Dismissed!"

"Thank you very much!" Our hearts soared with renewed vigor that morning. I felt happy… hell I bet everyone was. I can feel myself crying but I held in the tears.

"This squad is scheduled to report to No.7 Briefing Room at 13:00 hours. Your new unit assignments, means of procuring new uniforms, and other logistical details will be provided there—That is all!"

"Salute!" We saluted the captain and breathed a sigh of victory. It was truly a triumph for all us to get this far. A victory not only for the squad but for me personally. I feel like I can do it now. No matter what the consequences of my actions may be… I will go through it so long as I can save mankind, those who are precious to me and defeat the BETA!

And just as we were about to huddle together to congratulate one another… another group seemed to have beaten us to it.

"Congratulations!" All but Chizuru's dad said it out loud.

"Ooooooh! Tama!" Genjousai leaped first after flashing a photo at us. "That… that was just… beautiful! I will remember these pictures for as long as I shall live!" Ah come on. A grown man like you shouldn't be crying. But I guess that's understandable seeing your own daughter graduate and all. I guess the world can cut this guy some slack.

"Papa… ple… please don't cry. You'll make me… you'll make me cry too!" Like father like daughter… I think that phrase works the best with those two.

Mikoto's dad was next to speak, patting his daughter's head. "So… I heard that you have a lot that you wanted to talk about. (Eh?) What? You wrote in your letter that you had so much that you wanted to say to me. Is 'eh' the only thing you can think of right now? (sob…) Hmm? Oi oi… you have dust in your eyes" You idiot! Try to read your daughter's mood for a second will ya? "Big girls shouldn't cry…"

"Dad…" Mikoto was finally able to speak up. All those pent up feeling and worries about her old man finally answered with his presence. Ahh crud… she's really pouring waterfalls and she can't seem to be able to hold it back. "You're… ok…?"

"Yup. Fitter than you if I may say so. (Sob…) Geez are you even eating well? I know that you don't like the food here but you can't be skinny forever. With your chest size people might even think you're a boy. (Sob) Even now you're still a crybaby. Look at you. Did you get shorter when I was away? Or is it because of my shoes? Maybe it's because I grew taller? Nonetheless you really look as if you—(Fwup!) …?" But Mikoto could only answer with one gesture. No words were needed. She gave that man one big giant hug. Her arms tried to wrap around him but they barely even reached the back of his coat.

"Dad… I'm… I'm sorry…" What the hell are you apologizing for you idiot? Mikoto choked out sobs and tears rolled out endlessly, soaking his dad's coat like a giant stain. All the years of love for her dad were coming out like a storm. I can feel her passion even from here. And for the first time in his life… Sakon was truly at a loss for words. I can't see his expression because of his hat but somehow somewhere deep inside… I can see his true self crying.

I looked to my side and saw Chizuru there staring back at her dad. I don' know what's going through their heads at the moment but hopefully they won't start arguing in the middle of this graduation moment.

…

…

…?

Huh? Why is he going to Ayamine? He doesn't have business with her, does she? "Are you… Ayamine Kei… daughter of Ayamine Shuukaku?" Kei's eyes widened at the mention of her father's name before replying with a nod. "I see… then please accept this. (…!)" A sealed envelope? Is it from Naoya? "It is your father's will and testimony" Oh…? "Do what you'd like with it. It is no longer my concern" And without another word, he left, following General Radhabinod. Geez… that guy didn't even say a thing to his daughter.

"…" Ayamine seemed to have lost herself in that letter. She looked like she wanted to open it but she'll probably do it on her own time. "…hmm?" Huh? What's that? A picture frame? "…!" Ayamine looked at it and then quickly walked up towards Class rep. "Sakaki…"

"What is it?" Ayamine handed her the frame and to my surprise… Chizuru gasped. "Th… this is…" It was a photo of Class rep's family… or at least what I think was her family. I can't really see it from here.

"The Prime Minister gave this to me by accident" I see… so that's how it is. Thanks to his pride he couldn't take the heart to give it to Class rep in person and relied on a third person to deliver the package. It kind of reminds me of Yuuhi and Meiya…

"Oh… thank you…" Maybe this isn't something I should be seeing.

Meiya and I stood side by side watching this. Ahh man… I feel so left out. I want to join them too but maybe it would be best if I just stayed back and watch for awhile. Yuuko sensei seems to be fine just sitting there smiling at all of us. Maybe this was her plan all along. Not that I don't like sappy endings like this but it just doesn't suit her. Oh well… I'm happy… not just for me but for all of them.

"Ahem…" Huh? It's that captain who was with Marimo earlier. Why is he still here? "We will now commence the second ceremony of today's agenda" Eh? Another ceremony? "You need not stand at attention since this will only be a quick one"

"…?" What could this be about? We didn't have a second ceremony. After our graduation we just got together and celebrated on our own.

"2nd Lieutenant Shirogane Takeru, step forward" My military self quickly stood up at attention to meet the man face to face. He didn't look like a fighter or an Eishi so I guess he must be a staff officer or something. "Though your graduation may have been sudden, your recent actions have been noticed by several members of high command. Your willingness of self sacrifice, calm thinking and clever tactical analysis, not to mention as well as your superb military records and exceptional TSF handling has been noted. For all these traits as well as high recommendations from various staff members, you have been honored with a second patch of command in this rare situation"

Eh? Wait… a second. Does that mean…?

"Congratulation… 1st Lieutenant"


	21. Against All Odds

**Chapter 21: Against All Odds**

**(Takeru's POV) (December 9, 2001 Sunday) (Takeru's Room) (04:00 PM)**

1st Lieutenant Shirogane Takeru. Ugh… no matter how many times I say it, it still sounds weird. Just seeing it here on paper feels weird already. I never expected Yuuko sensei to do this. This plot practically screams her. I don't know what she intends to do with my new found rank… but I only bet she intends to abuse it somehow. She keeps telling me to keep a low profile but now that I was given this new patch… people will start noticing. Even during lunch today the girls had a strange vibe. It was like I was on a totally different level than them.

But then again… this also somehow gives me power over the base. I guess I won't whine about this rank until something strange pops up.

This morning also got teary for me. Right after our graduation we all came to Marimo again to give our thanks. It was rather nostalgic to be reliving that whole moment all over again. The whole squad cried and even Meiya shed a tear or two. I can't get that sappy feeling off my chest.

We then had a mission briefing on receiving new ordinance from the factories in Okinawa. We were able to swap our uniform and armor to the standard black and blue, but our Type-94 Shiranuis will be here in a few weeks time. But right now that doesn't matter.

The important part was to find a way to stop the BETA attack that was coming. I can't have Yuuko knowing that I know her plan otherwise she might dislodge me from it somehow. She's suspicious enough as it is.

But boy… I never expected to ever go up and challenge her before. If anything… I think it would still be impossible for me to challenge her straight up. Back when I first came to this base, I had the element of surprise because I knew her routine well and she knew nearly nothing about me. I should consider myself lucky since I held all the cards that day. If she was expecting me, then perhaps our story would've gone a little different.

I can't tell her of the incident with Marimo otherwise I might be dislodging the time stream too much from its course. I don't plan on sacrificing anyone but if I approach any of the higher ups or the local officers, there's no doubt that Yuuko will catch wind of things. I need someone who can move outside of her ring of influence. Someone who can get me the things I need to show the bigwigs what the new OS can do without inflicting casualties.

Hmm… think Shirogane… THINK! Remember everything from that incident. What happened at the time?

Let's see. From 11:30 – 12:15 hours I had a mock battle with a group of veterans from the frontline units. We ended the fight ten minutes early and were put on standby for another 20 minutes. (Flash) At around 14:00 – 15:25 hours I went off to my second round with Meiya and Chizuru and around 15:50, an accident occurred on Training Area 2. We all dismissed it as an accident until more came about. At around 16:00 hour Code 991 was issued and a full-response retaliation was ordered by High Command.

That must mean the BETA began attacking somewhere around 14:00 – 15:30. Hmm… Yuuko will probably be observing the test to solidify her alibi so this will probably be the only time that she will be blind. A thirty minute interval? No. Judging on how long to get from the hanger to the Command Center, it'll take her about 5 - 8 minutes. So that means I have at least a 5 minute window to do something without her noticing.

But what can I possibly do in such a short amount of time? With my new rank, I can ask the mechanics around the hanger to switch my unit to live ammo but they'll probably question why it was done. Such actions will only lead to suspicion and I don't need that.

Ugh… I don't have much time left either. I have to set everything or else things will go from bad to worse. Yuuko sensei will probably question my motives on this but I won't be able to tell her the truth. I don't know where Marimo will be when the attack starts. As long as she doesn't come out until I'm absolutely sure that there are no more BETAs then it should be cool. No matter what happens, I have to ensure that Marimo and the majority of our forces remain intact and allow them to live pass December 10.

Ugh… I can't think like this. Maybe some fresh air will do me some good.

**(Hallway)**

Ahhh… nothing like a good old stretch to get the old blood going. Hmm… it's 4 PM that means dinner should be getting ready soon. Maybe if I go there early I'll be able to get the good stuff. Who knows…? Oba san might even have those delicious pastries again. Hmmm… thinking about it makes my mouth watery.

"Ah? 1st Lieutenant Shirogane…" Hmm? Oh Meiya. Why the hell is she saluting at me?

"Oh… uh… are you talking to me?"

"You're supposed to salute and say '2nd Lieutenant Mitsurugi' Takeru…" Oh yeah… military discipline. "Surely you must know that it is proper to address soldiers by rank"

"Yeah that's true… but I don't think it's necessary to do that when no one's watching. Besides, it sounds really tiring and wack. (W… wack?) Oh… that means odd" I keep forgetting that I have my own sense of language in this world. "Anyway, I don't think we need to address each other by rank when we're alone. Save it when we're on a mission or if some important people are looking at us"

"Fufufu… you are right. Tamase said the same thing when I addressed her. Perhaps leniency is the best for us seeing that we are only officers starting today. (Yeah…) But anyway, are you heading towards the PX? Perhaps you would like to go together?"

"Sure!"

**(PX)**

The PX was just about crowded when we got there. Dinner was one of the busiest times in the cafeteria only coming to second to lunch. I tell ya, it can be pretty fierce when it comes to food especially Ayamine who has a dangerously insatiable appetite.

"Ah! Takeru san, over here" Oh? Tama and the rest of the gang are here already. Meiya and I took out usual seats with them. "You came for an early dinner too?"

"Yeah. I thought could get first pick on the food but it seems like everyone here had the same idea"

"Yeah, Ayamine was already here by the time I got to the line" Mikoto added. Oh? So that must be her second serving for today.

"Munch…" The girls in question was munching loudly and speaking while she chewed on her food. Hmm? Is that a smile she's showing me? "What?"

"I thought I saw you grinning at me for a second" I answered before noticing another smirk. The gang seems to be in a bright cheery mood. I guess having their close family and friends visit during the ceremony had something to do with it.

"By the way Takeru, here" Class rep handed me a paper and envelope. Oh… I remember this. It's the official will of a soldier. "You left the briefing room early so you didn't get it. (Sorry) Listen! You have to start acting more responsible. You're the squad leader now so that means you'll be representing all of us. Don't do anything that will embarrass the squad" Oh yeah… since I became 1st Lieutenant, it becomes natural for the highest ranking officer of the unit to be the leader. It must be a big change for everyone.

"Oh that's right…" Tama nodded in agreement. "We should be calling you 'sir' on the battlefield now, shouldn't we?"

"That quite a change since we're so used on having Chizuru san giving us orders" Mikoto agreed.

Ayamine simply gave a smirk. "It can only be an improvement. (What was that?) Nothing… (That didn't sound like nothing!) You're hearing things. (Why you…!)"

"Alright that's enough. No fighting while I'm around" I stopped them which they immediately followed. "I may be on a higher rank than you guys but that doesn't mean we can't act like we've always have. We can save the formalities once we're on the battlefield"

"Haaaa… you're taking things so easy" Oh come on Class rep. "Sometimes I find it hard to see you as a commander" Ow. You're pretty blunt…

"Yeah. Takeru doesn't have that cool aura like the base CO" Mikoto? You're agreeing with her too? "When you first came to our unit, I found it hard to take you seriously especially right now. (Guuu!) But I guess that's one of your better qualities neh?"

"Don't make an insult sound like a compliment" I said back. Great, now I feel depressed. "Anyway… it's a good thing we're all assigned to the same unit. If things didn't go that way I don't know how I'll react to see new faces around me" The gang seemed to agree with me on that. We all expected to be disbanded and distributed to different units but instead we'll all be assigned to the same company.

The Special Task Force A-01 9th Squadron. AKA: The Valkyries. If memory serves, they're probably still stationed at the Western Border on a guard mission. They'll be rushing here the moment the 991 call is issued.

"But I'm glad we got to be in the same unit" Tama stated taking a gulp of her rice. "I'd feel really lonely if I never get to see you guys again"

"Well we're all here so let's celebrate for being together!" I offered my cup up for a toast.

"Didn't we celebrate our graduation already?" Chizuru implied for our lunch time earlier.

"Yeah! That was for our graduation. This toast is for all of us sticking together until the end of time!"

"Hmm! I'll toast to that!" Alright Mikoto. "Come on everyone. It's nice to celebrate even the smallest thing neh? I'll toast to our good health!" Oh, nice one.

Meiya gave out a small chuckle. "Indeed. We celebrate one event and so it only seems right to celebrate other things. I shall give a toast to our fortunes in battle when the time comes"

"… to a full stomach…" Ayamine added tapping our glasses with her own.

"Ummm… for our happiness!" Ooooh good call Tama.

"This is ridiculous"

"Come on Class rep, you got to have something to toast on"

"I refuse to be a part of it"

"Fine. Then I order you to make something to toast about"

"Eh! Y… you can't do that! (Yes I can) That's abusing your power. (Come on…)"

"Come on Chizuru san. Get in the game while we're still playing. Just think of anything" Mikoto insisted.

Giving out a defeated sigh, Class rep raised her glass to tap ours. "Uh… umm… to… humanity… I guess"

"Oooh that's a good one. (Shut up…)" Hehehe… she's cute when she's annoyed. "Then here's to all of us! Kampai! (Kampai!)" Ahhh… nothing suits better for an empty stomach than a glass of synthetic orange juice.

**(10:30 PM)**

After our celebration, the gang returned to their rooms while I stayed behind. The PX was now completely deserted and the chairs were all raised to the tables. The place was so quiet that you can shout and your voice will echo out into the hallway. It was the perfect place to think things through.

Right now, Yuuko is planning to use her card on this match to accelerate her plans and mine. If the XM3 gets credit for this then there's no complain. Imperials, Americans and even the U.N. High Council will see its effectiveness and immediately install it to every TSF in the world. The casualties that she inflicts here will probably save a thousand more in the future. I can't argue with the results but then again… I can't accept her way of doing things. If she gave me a chance I could probably woo the judges with my acrobatics alone. But I'm afraid the same thing might happen again. I could go crazy the moment I see a BETA and Marimo… (Flash) Ugh…

"Are you feeling well, Shirogane kun?" Huh?

"Ah… Yoroi…" It's Mikoto's dad. "What are you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same thing" He gave a small laugh. "How fortunate of us to meet at the very same place where we signed our contract. The gods truly have a good sense of humor" Heh… gods huh? Yeah… I think they do. If there is a god out there I'm pretty sure he must be wondering what I'm going to do next. I never was a pious person. "I brought a steak sandwich from America today. Do you care to share?"

"Uh… sure. Thanks…" American food was really different than Japanese food. Though it was just simple, meat, bun and vegetables, it was still delicious. "So… Yoroi san. What are you doing here exactly?"

"To keep my end of the bargain we made here of course. (Huh?) Have you forgotten that you and I made a contract here right before the coup? Perhaps you have amnesia" Oh that's right. I remember making that promise with him the other day. Is that the reason why he came to see Mikoto this morning? "I may be a quick talker but I always keep my promises Shirogane kun. (Ahehe…) Huhuhu… you are a funny man. It's no wonder my daughter head over heels for you. (Huh?) I had a talk with Mikoto earlier today. We had a whole 2 hours to ourselves and I expected her to speak all kinds of things"

"Ahehehe…" That must be the reason why she came so late during our graduation celebration. Heh… that Mikoto. Taking every precious second with her dad. I guess that's understandable.

"But instead, the only thing I hear is your name Shirogane kun. (Huh?) She talks about you constantly like you're the only thing in her mind" (Tug) Ugh… "I'm beginning to wonder how far you two have gone. (Eh?) But regardless… she seems to be well. (Ah…?) You know… I wouldn't mind having you as a son in law" Eh!-? S… son in law? "Ahaha… your expression is priceless. I wish I had thought of that idea a long time ago. Ahahahaha!"

Geez… this guy. "Please don't joke about that"

"I wasn't joking" Huh? Is he serious? "It would benefit me greatly if you were to elope with her. That way it would be a lot easier for me to observe you. (Guuu…) Are you interested? Though I must admit that her breasts are small and she does have a rather small body for her age but I'm pretty sure she can satisfy any man if she puts her mind into it" Hey hey! Is that really something a dad should say about his daughter? Seriously, this guy is a terrible dad. I heard of overprotective fathers but this guy just pretty much blows them apart. "What do you say? I'll even give you my blessing and you won't even have to pay any dowry to me. (NO!) Ahh… Mikoto will be sad to hear that"

This guy might not know it and I hope he doesn't know it but I've already been with Mikoto more than once already. (Flash) Ugh… just picturing it gives me headaches. (Tug!) Oh… darn it. My head is really pounding me. Maybe I can ask the medic in the infirmary some aspirin.

"Something wrong Shirogane kun? You seem oddly quiet"

"Sorry. I've just been doing a lot of thinking lately. I guess my mind is on a little overworked"

"Hooo? Only your head? Nothing else?" What does he mean by that? "Hmm…"

"Uh… why are you looking at me like that?"

He flashed me a grin. "Superb. Truly superb. Not even a scratch. (…!) You look as if you're brand new. (Brand new?) When I last saw you in Shirahama base… you were wrapped in bandages from head to toe. Professor Kouzuki operated on you herself and by then your body was literally crisp to the skin. In other words… you looked half dead" Oh crap! He was there? If he knew of my condition and saw me now… "And yet it has only barely a week and already you've made a full recovery. Even an average person will find it bizarre. (…) Care to explain it, Shirogane kun?"

"Uh…" Crap! This guy has me completely cornered now. How am I supposed to fight against him?

"Huhuhuhuhu…" He's laughing? "I see. So that's why she erased all of your medical records. (Huh?) The lovely professor seems to be going through extreme length to keep you from the public eye. Does she want to keep you all to herself or does she have big plans for you? I can never decide. (…?) Professor Kouzuki. Did you make him or did you find him? I'm extremely curious"

Gulp…

"Aha… haha…" I tried to laugh his joke off but it seems like his stare was weighing down on me. This is bad. (Tug!) Ugh… and my headache isn't making this any easier. "Sorry Yoroi san… but I'm afraid I can't tell you anything about that"

He nodded as if expecting that sort of answer. "I guess that should be expected. Your fear of Professor Kouzuki outweighs your fear on me. But I am satisfied with it. I owe much to the professor as well so I won't go after you just yet. (Phew…) Ah but look at the time. I should be heading back now"

"Eh? Wait… aren't you going to at least say goodbye to Mikoto?"

"I already left her a note" Huh? A note? That's so cruel! But then again, it does sound like something he would do. This guy really is like the wind like Mikoto said. He doesn't stop for anything and no one can predict where he'll go next. "Oh… and Shirogane. (Hmm? Yes?) Thanks…"

"Huh? For what?"

"For this time I had to spend with her. It was… a welcome distraction. (…) Whatever it is you plan to do Shirogane… you must never hesitate. (Huh?) If you do… then there's no telling who will be affected by it"

"Yoroi… san?"

"Heh… but I guess someone of your caliber already knows that. (Huh?) It's getting rather late. You should get some rest too. Good night to you Shirogane kun and if you ever feel like it, you can sleep with Mikoto anytime you like. (EH?) You have my full permission to do whatever you want with her chastity"

"Wa… wh… what!-?" Is this man crazy? Offering his daughter up like that without a care in the world!

"You can also keep the rest of the sandwich. I won't be needing it" And just like that… he was gone. What a weird guy. No… the word weird barely touches his being. He's practically the incarnation of bizarre.

**(December 10, 2001 Monday) (Takeru's room) (7:30 AM)**

Hmmm… seven thirty. I got up pretty early today.

No…

Maybe it's because I can't sleep in the first place. My brain has been going on overdrive ever since last night thinking of a way to prevent that disaster from happening. Yuuko's plan will be in effect in a few hours time and I've done absolutely nothing to prepare for it. I know that it's coming but still… what can I do?

Ugh… this is so frustrating!

_'Whatever it is you plan to do Shirogane… you must never hesitate'_

Yoroi san. Did you also know about Yuuko's plan as well? Or are you trying to figure me out? Nonetheless… I need to find a way to prevent casualties. Sacrifice isn't the way mankind will prevail.

Shake shake…

"Oh? Kasumi?" She must've come in when I was deep in thought. "Thanks. I'm awake now. (Good morning…) Yeah good morning. (…) What's wrong? Is there something on my face?"

"… depressing" Huh? "You look… sad…"

"I do? Heh… I guess you're half correct there. I am a bit sad. Here I am with all the knowledge in the future and I only have so much to show for it"

"… do your best"

"Heh… thanks Kasumi. I might do just that. (Ruffle) Hmm? What's this? A ribbon? (Nod)" Kasumi handed me a bright yellow ribbon which looked oddly familiar. (Flash) Ah! I remember now. This is the same colored ribbon that Sumika wore on her hair. "Where did you get this? (…) Did Sumika tell you to give this to me? (Nod) Why would she…?"

"She said it's for good luck" Good luck huh? "She wants you to wear it. (Me?) Yes…" Wait… does that mean Sumika knows too? About Yuuko's plans? How is that possible? (Tug!) Ugh! "Shirogane san?"

"Ah… no it's nothing to be worried about. I'm just having a little headache, that's all. Anyway… thanks for this Kasumi. It'll definitely help me on the long run. (Hai…) Oh… and can you do me a little favor? (…?) I know this may sound weird, but I'd like you to stay with Sumika today. I don't want her to worry about me. Tell her that I'll be just fine"

"Ok… (Thanks) See you…"

"Yeah… see you later, Kasumi"

**(TSF Hanger) (09:20 AM)**

The base was buzzing with activity since this morning. Veteran soldiers from the frontlines were coming in for military inspection, cadets were being rounded up for training and obviously Platoon A207 appears to the center of attention. As expected, we were now going to me the mainstay of the new OS concept, designated: XM3. The delegates from the U.N. council will be focusing their attention on us. Since my name has also been published as the co-creator of the device, they'll be judging my movement harshly with great expectation.

Yuuko probably planned this all in advance to get me to focus the training rather the situation around me. She can't take the chance of me dying for no good reason.

"1st Lt. Shirogane…" Hmm? Tsukuyomi?

"1st Lt. Tsukuyomi" I saluted back at the officer. "It's been awhile" I haven't seen her since the coup incident. "Umm… thank you for everything that you've done during the coup d'état I really appreciate it"

"I should be the one thanking you that. Though others would say it differently, I know firsthand that we would not be here if it were not for you"

"Oh come on. That's not true. I'm sure you would've done fine without me"

"Hmm…" Hooo? She laughed? "Meiya san is right. You are too modest. But even so it is the truth. While we were retreating to the museum, you held your ground against a whole company of Shiranuis, forcing them to split up and seek other paths while you dealt with the rest. If they had chased us we would've been surrounded and destroyed for sure. And for that alone… you have my thanks"

"Ummm… you're… welcome"

That's strange. For a moment there I actually saw a bit of the old Tsukuyomi appearing in front of me. Was that just my imagination "I also see that you have recovered from your injuries. You seem… more or less... unharmed"

I smiled it off. I don't want her knowing my regenerative abilities. "Ahehe… yeah. Apparently it was thanks to my Fubuki that I came out with only a few scratches"

"I see. Meiya sama worried endlessly about you during her stay in Shirahama. I am grateful that you put that to rest" Ahehehe… I guess I really did worry everyone. I should be nicer to them even if I was the squad leader. "But do not take this as a mean to be friendly with you" Huh? "My suspicions of you have not yet been lifted. A part of me still believe that you are hiding something and I have many evidence to support that"

"Eh? You do?"

She gave me a confident nod. "Back in Susono right after the duel, it seemed clear enough already that you knew something had happened. Even when everyone else was puzzled by the fact the rebels were fighting one another you alone were calm" She must be talking about the time the Supporters of the ALTERNATIVE V decided to play their hands on the mission. Seeing that the coup was about to end without any of their objectives met, they decided to intervene with the rebellion directly using their available resources in the fight. "Though it vexes me… the Household Guard does not appear to know anything regarding the situation"

"…" I see. So even the government has to hide some things from the Honor Guards. They want to maintain the relationship of a joint force against the BETA. I maintained my stance and kept my eyes on Tsukuyomi. She doesn't trust me. At least not by far a long shot but she knows what I'm capable of. "Sorry Lieutenant. But I don't think I'm authorized to tell you what I know"

"I expected as much" Phew… at least she still understands military regulations. "Seeing that your direct superior is the Vice Commander, it seems that all information that you know has to be classified. I shall leave it be. (Thanks…)…"

…

…

…

"Uh… is there something else, Lieutenant?" We've been staring at each other for about a minute now and I can tell from her body language that there was something that she wanted to say but couldn't because to the people around us. "Perhaps you'd like to go somewhere quiet?"

"Yes… I would prefer that. This is difficult for me to discuss" Since I don't know what she wants to say, I'd be happy to go somewhere else too. I don't want any more rumors about me spreading around the base.

"Then I know a good place. Please follow me"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

We went to the back of the school building where the famous tree was planted. There shouldn't be any reason for anyone to be here around this time. The trial was about to start so everyone is probably still busy setting up or adjusting their TSFs for the mock battle.

"Yes… this place will suffice" Tsukuyomi said to me as she inspected the area around us. Even though there weren't any immediate threat, she doesn't take a moment to drop her guard.

"So, Tsukuyomi san, what did you want to talk about?"

She turned back to me after scanning the area one more time. "I am here on a mission, as I said earlier"

"Huh? You mean protecting Meiya?" I inquired. "Is that even allowed? Now that Meiya has been made an official Eishi, won't that look suspicious? (Hmm?) I understand that you're allowed to guard her when she was still a cadet but if people start seeing a member of the royal guard protecting a U.N. Eishi, won't that cause problems?"

"Ah… I believe there's a misunderstanding about my appearance here" She nodded back professionally. "Then I guess there is no worry in telling you. (…?) As of last week, my assignment in protecting Meiya sama ended with Her Highness's command" Yuuhi ordered it herself? I thought the Household Commanders would've done that. "I am actually here on another assignment. (I see…) Though officially Meiya sama is still a member of the royal family, her enlistment into the U.N. Armed Force disintegrated her value to the noble house" So that's it. Even though Meiya was still a relative to the Shogun on paper and in real life, the Imperial Family still denies her existence. If she had shown herself publically like she did in the last loop, all ties to her would've been cut. But at the moment she still has her uses, that's why she's still considered a relative of the Shogun.

"But if you're no longer needed to protect Meiya, then… why are you here?"

"I am getting to that" She answered irritatingly. "Which is also the very reason why I asked to speak with you in private. (…?) I am here under the orders from Her Highness to deliver a message to you, Shirogane Takeru. (Huh?) I carry a message that is for your eyes alone"

"Wait… Yuu—I mean… the Shogun sent a message… for me? (Yes…)" Tsukuyomi then handed me a small old white envelope with no return address or any signature. Totally untraceable. "She asked you to deliver this? Why?"

"I know not"

I quickly opened the envelope and read the letter in my mind. I can immediately tell that this excellent handwriting belonged to Yuuhi. It felt very feminine and high class, just like the girl who wrote it.

_"Shirogane Takeru. I pray by the time this message reaches you; you shall be standing on your own two feet once again. It saddens me that we were unable to speak before we parted ways but it appears that our duties call for our immediate attention. I shall have to compensate for now with this letter._

_Though we only knew each other for a few hours I feel as if I had known all my life. Your heart had truly reached me just as it reached the heart of Captain Sagiri and I can see now that your words hold much meaning. Though they are rather immature, I find them… welcoming. I was glad for the opportunity to meet you and the old lady we met in Susono for she alone had made me see what the common people have been afflicted by._

_Speaking of which… I would like you to know that Rin and Eiko send their feelings on this letter as well. I have taken them to a home shelter in capital with an admirable reputation and they seem to have adapted greatly to the children their age. I wish that they will remain happy and will someday replace the memory of the lost of their family with joyful ones they will be receiving in life"_

I see… so she kept her promise to the old lady as well. That's great. I haven't thought of those two since I woke up.

_"What you've done for this country is more than I could've asked of anyone. Though many soldiers and families perished from simple selfishness of man, you have saved countless more from that horrible fate. You truly taught me how to believe in hope once again and reminded me of who I truly was. I still remember how you scolded me that night when I cried. You are perhaps the second person to have ever yelled at me that way. But perhaps it is also something that I needed. Because if you had not… then I probably wouldn't have had the courage to speak with Meiya._

_I would share with you what had happened but I feel that Meiya would be quite embarrassed if she knew I had told you. She's easily embarrassed over the smallest things…"_

Heh she's got that right. Meiya does have a shy side to her.

Yuuhi… she really does care for Meiya…

_"Shirogane. I do not know if fate has brought us together or perhaps the scheme of another man. But I know that deep in my heart… I am truly grateful… that I had the opportunity to meet you. You are a man who follows neither the will of others nor the will of logic or of that which binds the common soul to morality. You are a person who speaks truthfully from his heart and from that alone… I felt the warm hope that you bring out in others._

_Listen to your heart… for it has led you down the right path all this time… and I too shall try to do the same. And perhaps one day my heart shall reach yours as well._

_Until we meet again…"_

…

…

…

Doki… doki… doki…

My heart's pumping faster than usual. My face feels hot and my muscles are rather numb. Those words… are just too… ugh… how do I say this?

Your highness! That's too direct! Even a kid can figure out what that means! 'One day my heart shall reach yours as well'? That's a pretty common romantic line that the protagonist of a soap opera says to his or her love! I heard it so many times already that it's recorded to be one of the cheesiest lines ever to be said on television! That's not a way to say thank you, that's a love confession!

No wait… it's possible that she may have written it down meaning something else. Yeah that totally has to be it! There's no way she would fall for… (Flash) …someone… (Flash)… like… (Flash!)… me? (Flash!) Could she?

'Follow my heart' huh? Have I been doing that at all? It feels like I've just been following what my mind has been remembering.

"Are you finished?" Tsukuyomi asked. I totally forgot that she was still here.

"Ah yeah… I'm done" She quickly grabbed the letter from my hand and burned it with a lighter she kept in her pocket. No evidence whatsoever. "Aren't you going to read it too?"

"The message was intent for you and you alone. No one else" She answered. I guess she's very committed to her work. "But now that my mission has been accomplished, I will now return to the capital with my subordinates"

"Eh? Aren't you at least going to say hi to Meiya?"

"…no. Our… presence will merely distract her. Besides, I no longer have a reason to remain here" Damn… I'd wish she'd stay a little longer until the BETA attack. At least then we'll be able to fight them off more efficiently. "But it would've been interesting to see you topple down veterans from the frontlines. How unfortunate…" I can't really tell if she's laughing or grouching at me anymore. She has a really odd kind of mood swing. "But in any case until we meet again… 1st Lieutenant Shirogane"

"Ugh… wa… wait Tsukuyomi san. (Hmm?) C… can I ask for your advice in something?"

"I have time. Depending on the question, I may not have sufficient knowledge in answering it"

"If… if you knew that something bad was going to happen to someone. Would you stop it? (Haa?) If this terrible thing was going to happen yet it also needed to happen… would you still try to stop it?" Right now I'm really lost on what to do and some advice from one of the most experienced soldiers on earth would be welcoming.

She made a face. "Didn't you answer that question already? (Huh?) How different is that from the question you posed to me the other day? If you had the power to save everyone, would you use it? (But…) Even though it is needed to happen… must that really be the right way? (…) You kept speaking as if there has always been a different way without sacrifices. Was all that bravado you showed at Susono nothing more but empty promises? If so then you are truly a disappointment Shirogane. (…!)" She's right! I did… make that promise. Even from the start I've always been looking for an alternative solution without bloodshed! Why the hell did I forget that? Of course! I'm no longer restricted to time so I have all the means I have literally infinite ways of ending this. Even Yuuko can't predict what I can truly do until I do it. Yes… yes! That's it. "If that is all Shirogane, then I shall take my leave. Please send my regard to Meiya s—(Ruffle) …!"

"Thank you thank you thank you thank you!" I gave Tsukuyomi a tight hug. "Thank you very much Tsukuyomi san! You cleared my mind of everything! You just reminded me of the most important thing! I don't have any doubts anymore!"

"What? (Thank you!) What's gotten in to you? Release me immediately! If someone were to see us…"

"Ahaha…" I let her go. She tried to struggle but she was surprisingly weak once you get her in a grip. "Sorry… I lost my cool there. It's just that… you're right. You're absolutely right. You're just the thing I needed to keep me going. I really appreciate it. Thank you"

"What in the world did I say to get you this excited? You sound like a boy who just found his calling"

"Maybe. But still… thank you for everything. I really-really mean it!"

"Enough with the appreciation! I have not done anything to receive such gestures. The least you can do is show restraint. You are fortunate that no one was around or I would've…"

"Yes, I'm sorry about that. It's just that… I'm so happy to actually ask for your advice. You probably just saved me a lot of time. Thank you Tsukuyomi san"

"And get rid of that annoying habit of calling people by names. You're an officer now so at least show proper courtesies"

"Yes ma'am I'll try my best! (Horn sound) Ah… that must be the call for our first match. I'll see you again Tsukuyomi san! And thanks for everything!" I ran down the hill towards the hanger. I can't stop smiling. Tsukuyomi really did give me the thing I really needed. Just a little nudge back to where I was needed. But… I had to admit Tsukuyomi did seem like a girl. She looked cute when she blushed like that. She barely even tried to resist me when I hugged her. Is it possible that she dropped her guard for a second there?

Ah but that doesn't matter. I got to see her cute side for once too. (Flash) It kind of reminds me of the time she and Meiya and I were… (Flash) Eh? Wait… that can't be right. (Flash) No… I don't remember doing that. Me, Tsukuyomi and… Meiya? (Flash) Ok stop stop… I can't think of that right now. I have more important things to do! Come on Shirogane. Let's go and change this world one more time! And this time we'll do it right!

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Such a vulgar man…" Tsukuyomi said to no one in particular. Unknowingly she formed a slight blush on her cheeks and her arms moved around her as if holding the places the man touched. She didn't know if she should feel chills or warmth in them.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

**(TSF Hanger)**

Ah! There's my squad. "Hey guys!"

"You're late!" Guu… Class rep's scolding me again. It feels like my usual greeting comes with the 'You're late' quote. It kind of reminds me of the Class rep in my world. We would always get to class right on the very last minute. "Shirogane! You're supposed to be here 10 minutes earlier than everyone else. As the squad leader you're supposed to be the example for everyone in your unit"

"Yeah yeah, I get it. I'll try not to let it happen too often"

"You're not supposed to let it happen at all!"

"Neh neh, it's alright Chizuru san" Mikoto defended me. "He's here already so why don't we just let it slide. He is the squad leader now after all"

"Haaaa… I give up"

Well at least we're having a good time. "So what's our unit detail?" I asked.

Meiya answered back. "It appears we will be split into two teams while facing the others. Sakaki, Tamase and myself will be in team two while Yoroi, Ayamine and you will be in team one" It's pretty much the same figures as the previous loop. According to the time table, we'll be facing off with the first group in a few minutes. They'll be armed to the teeth not only with TSFs but also with experience from multiple missions.

"Our opponents will be veterans" Tama said worryingly. "They'll be good"

"I'm sweating just thinking about it" Mikoto added. "They're nothing like the A.I. in the simulators"

"It'll be tough…" Ayamine solemnly agreed. What the hell? I thought all of you guys were pretty much up beat when Marimo announced the trial. Now you all look a bit unsure of anything.

"Hey… come on guys. Don't tell me you're losing confidence just because we're facing against professionals. Didn't you guys get your first taste in combat in Susono?"

"Yeah but that was different. This is…" Oh come on. Now Class rep seems unsure too? "… this isn't like before"

Arghhh! This is stupid. "Hey! Have you guys forgotten why we were chosen to develop this OS in the first place? (…?) Listen… I know you're all scared and maybe not confident about facing these guys but are you going to let that stop you? (…) Meiya, I want your honest opinion right here and now. Do you think this OS is better than the old one? (Eh?) I'm asking you: Do you think this OS is better than the ones you used to have?"

"Uhh… y… yes. Not only does it allow almost freedom of movement but it also provides excellent maneuverability, enhancing the speed of any TSF"

"Good. What about you Class rep? (Eh?) What did you think about the new OS back in Susono?"

"Ummm… well I guess it has its uses. It prevents the TSF from stalling when it falls to the ground allowing it less time needed to recover. When I fought against one of the enemy commanders in close quarter combat, I was able to avoid his attack despite being knocked down"

"That's one use. And how about you Mikoto? (Heh?) Did you find any uses for the OS we invent or was it a hindrance?"

"Ah! No! Of course not. It was pretty neat once you got used to the oversensitive controls. It moves almost as fast I do when I turn and my boosters doesn't stop when I'm in mid-air"

"Aerodynamics control will come later. And what about you Tama? (Ara?) Did you find anything bad about it?"

"No not a single one. Thanks to it, the freedom movement program allows my targeting reticule to go even faster and thankfully it stops the moment I get a lock on a target"

"Excellent. And you Ayamine?"

"I can punch and kick…"

"Then we are all in agreement!" I yelled out trying to get the gang pumped up. "The XM3 is the revolutionary idea that Yuuko sensei and I developed to give out to TSFs all over the world. If it gets the approval of the veterans around us they'll be able to move just as good as we do. It will no doubt save their lives just as it saved ours during the coup d'état or at the very least let those men and women who are out there fighting—survive just a few hours longer. Don't think guys think that's worth all the risk we're taking today?"

Meiya nodded. "Yes… now that you put it that way I have to agree. If it were not for the new OS… I doubt that none of us would be here today"

"And we can't stay as rookies forever! I know that these professionals have seen more combat than any of us and they probably hold no respect for greenhorns. So if you want to get their recognition, you'll have to go out there and earn it! Because that's the only way we'll show them how good we are! (…) Come on! Let's show these oldies what rookies from Yokohama Base can do! Remember your training! Remember the things that Marimo chan taught you and you'll do just fine!"

"Hooo!"

"Wahh! I'm getting pumped up already!"

"If Takeru san says we can do it then we have to!"

Right! Mikoto and Tama seem to be getting it.

"Takeru is correct" Meiya added agreeing with me. "If we allow ourselves to wallow over such petty things then we would've lost the battle before it began. The only differences between us and our opponents are combat experience. With our new OS they we will have the element of surprise. I can see now that this battle will definitely be in our favor!"

"That's right!" I cheered them on. "Who cares how many sorties they've done? They're human just like us. Show them that we have what it takes to be fighting beside them on the battlefield! (Hooo!)" Alright… they're all pumped up now. This is the attitude that I need. This is the kind of motivation need to achieve victory. Just you wait and see, Yuuko sensei. I'll beat your logic with my own hands.

**(Training Area 3)**

Right… we're finally at the starting point of the training area. Even though I've seen this place a hundred times already I still can't get used to the fact that my hometown has now become a military training ground. I still recognize some of the buildings around here. The old shopping mall that Sumika liked to go to, the old park near the docks and even the apartment building where Gohda Jouji, Yoroi's old friend used to live. All these places are like landmarks to me.

If the BETA never existed… would it be possible for the gang to have the same life as I did back in my original world? That… may be possible. But right now… I don't think anyone's life would return to normal until our enemies are gone.

"03 to 01. (…) 03 to 01, Takeru san, do you read?"

"Hmm? Oh sorry about that. What is it Mikoto?" I completely forgot. Now that I became squad leader, my code number has changed from 06 to 01 with Chizuru becoming the new 06.

"Three minutes until the trial starts. We're required to do one last systems check"

"Ah… ok. Give me a second" Alright let's see. Paintball gun loaded, trigger ready, transmission from nerve system to exosuit all good, the OS is checking all green. Now let's try the movement response.

Whirrr…

Huh? That can't be right. (Whirr) Odd… it should move exactly like this. (Whirr) (Whirrr) Even my left arm isn't responding well.

"This is 01 to 03. (What is it?) There's something wrong with my transmission. Can you get a reading on my movements? (Sure…) My arms just doesn't feel right"

"Hold on, I'm scanning them right now" Could my new Fubuki be defective? "Scan complete. No error whatsoever. It's moving just as fast as mine. (Really?)" Odd. It feels like it's going slower. Maybe it's just my imagination. "Maybe it's because it's a new Fubuki. You haven't gotten used to its seating, that's why" Hmm… that's possible. This supposedly 'new' Fubuki was actually just from the storehouse. Apparently it was put there when the pilot it was assigned, dropped out. The engineers fixed it up as good as new but apparently it still has some tweaks that need to be fixed. But nonetheless, it should be good enough for today's match.

"Alright we'll leave it at that. Focus on the fight. (Roger that) Remember. The enemy outnumbers us but we'll show them what we rookies can do when we're in a pinch. Remember your training and you'll do just fine"

…

…

…

Beeep!

And that's the signal!

Go!

Our team immediately split up when the start signal rang. I already discussed with the team on how to make our opening move. The moment the signal is given we were to split into three areas covering the battlefield in almost every area. That way the enemy won't have that many places to hide.

Whirrr…

Hmm… this is odd. I know now that this isn't my imagination at all. My arms really are moving slower than usual. Every time I flick the joystick, there would be a few seconds interval in between. The OS should allow complete freedom of movement to an Eishi. Could there be something wrong with the transmission? Whatever… I think I can still beat these guys even with a handicap.

From what Marimo told us, it'll be the three of us against four. Numbers doesn't really count much on the battlefield but it sure helps. Not only will our enemies think that we're outnumbered but outmatched in combat experience. That's where they're wrong. Sure my squad doesn't have enough combat experience but me on the other hand… I can pretty much say I've stared at the barrel of a gun more often than most.

Clash!

Aha! That must be them. They're really underestimating us to have one unit attack this deep in our territory. But they're in for a surprise this time.

"This is 01 to team. I have one of them locked on. He seems to be bait so proceed with caution. 03, cover me! 04… if the enemy is bait then you go after the trapper! (Roger!) I'll go after this one!"

Whoosh!

Hmm… a Gekishin class. They're not as agile as my Fubuki but they can take on a lot of hits. The location of their ambush must be close. Right then… no point in hesitating now!

"Toooohh!"

Ratatatatat…

He really is bait and he's not even hiding it. Judging from the speed of his unit, he's trying to withdraw to the ruins of the old elementary school. But he won't even get there.

"Take this! (Bang!)" Ha! I knew it! The moment he jumped up like that, there was no way he could avoid my shot. The old OS doesn't give you the freedom of maneuverability when you're up in the sky like that. My 120mm which was converted into a giant paintball shot, plastered all over him like glue. "This is 01, bandit splashed. The enemy appears to be centered on the old elementary school. They're going to try and box us together so they can pick us off"

"This is 04, no enemy sighted"

They must be hiding within the crowded areas. That's why our motion sensors aren't picking anything up. Thermal scanners aren't even picking up their energy sources. These guys really are professionals. If anything, I think we were lucky to score one kill so fast. We have about an hour to go so no biggie.

"Alright we'll switch to seek tactics. We can't let this become a stare off. 03, 04—form up north and south of my position but don't give away yourselves or you'll be easy target. (Roger!) Once we regroup, 04 and I will move in pair to lure the enemy fire. 03 will then hit the target that is most vulnerable from behind"

"03, roger!"

"04, roger!"

Hmm… 11:30. A few more hours until the BETA show themselves. I'll have to evacuate this area the moment the clock strikes 2. Right… let's do this!

We got off to a good start but staying still will be useless. Our OS will only show its true power when we're moving. "01 to all units. Commence bait and pincer maneuver! Hit them hard and fast! We're going to show them the true power of our new OS! Tooooooh!"

Ratatatat!

Yes that's it! By charging in pairs, the enemy couldn't resist the bait of having two of us at the same time. There are about two of them firing at us so the third on must be waiting in ambush. But it won't work on us!

"04 to 01. Enemy units pursuing…"

"Roger that! Keep them tailing us. Mikoto will hit their rear as soon as she's in position" In this fight, it will only depend on whose trap will spring first. Come on Mikoto. Out of everyone here, you're the fastest person who adapted to my maneuvers. I don't know if it's because you and I used to hang out to play Valgernon but I know that you won't fail me. "Alright! Ayamine, there's a building behind us. Get ready to jump! We'll split afterwards to avoid getting bogged down! (Understood…) Ready? NOW!"

Whoosh!

Great synch! We caught them off guard and now we have them trap in between us and Mikoto!

"This is 03! I've spotted the enemy trapper! Engaging in his defensive position!"

"Roger that! 04, with me! We'll take them all out at the same time! (Roger!) Here we go! (Clang!) (Crash) (Pow!) (Crunch!)" Alright I have this one! "Come and get me! (Ratatatatat!) Eh?" What the? Something's not right. Why are the bullets going so slow? (Whoosh!) And now he's moving even slower. What the hell?

I know that the old OS doesn't give the TSF freedom of movement but this guy is moving like a mole. (Ratatatat!) The paintballs that he shoots out are even visible to me. It's like… the whole scene was playing in slow motion.

"Damn you!" I heard him curse from his radio. That guy was shouting on an open channel. "Don't mock me!" He kept shooting but those bullets couldn't even hit me. Something was wrong and it definitely wasn't the OS. "How the hell is he moving that fast?"

"I got you now!" The guy was firing rapidly on all sides. But by the time he ran out of ammo, I returned fire and plastered his whole mech in new orange colors. "This is 01. Bandit 2, splashed. Moving in to support 03! (Roger that!)" I don't know whether if this was a good thing or a bad thing but there's definitely something seriously wrong here.

"04 here. Bandit 4 is moving towards the plaza"

"Roger that! They're probably trying to regroup to find strength in numbers. Lure them to that spot and I'll ambush them! (Understood!)" Now that they've lost half of their squad, they're going to try and stall this battle for as long as possible. The plaza seems like an excellent choice seeing that it had a lot of tall buildings around it. At this rate we might even finish earlier than expected.

Come on, come on. My fingers are feeling pretty itchy right now. I haven't felt this anxious since the coup. I can hear gunshots coming from the other side which means they're getting close. I still have plenty of ammo left in my gun so no worries about wasting them.

Ratatatat!

There they are! Right… now!

"Wh… what the!-? An ambush?"

"Ayamine! Now! Pincer! (Hmm!) Gooooooohhh!"

Wham!

The last thing that guy expected was a hit from my gun. That makes it 3. Just one more and we can… eh?

"Takeru, look out!" Crap! That guy is aiming for you! (Ratatatat!)

"Scatter!" I barked out to Ayamine and split up again. But even so the last survivor seems bent on taking me down. "You won't get me!" He was shooting out blindly, not even caring about the wasted bullets. He must be really desperate. Right now he's probably thinking 'If I can take at least one of you with me' to even up the odds stacked against him. But that won't work. I've fought more professional fighters than you. I've seen Tsukuyomi's fighting style first hand and survived countless battles in all my loops. The things you're showing me are nothing more but greenhorn moves! "I'll show you what this OS can really do!"

"N… no way!" I stopped on my tracks and did a complete flip right on top of him and fired my gun, splashing his body all the way to his back before returning to a complete stop a few meters behind him. Out of all that shooting, not a single speck of paint on me.

"This is 01. Bandit 3, splashed. No damage"

"Roger that ^_^. That' was awesome Takeru. You took three of them out in no time flat"

"Yeah…" But it was easy… almost too easy. They were moving so slow that I could tell where they were going before they even made that move. They weren't that slow back in my last loop. Something must be really wrong.

"Training exercise completed" Marimo's face appeared on my screen. "Fictional enemy destroyed. All units may return to base on the allotted route. Return your TSFs to their proper hanger for repair and rearm"

Hmm… maybe a checkup will be a good thing.

**(TSF Hanger)**

Hmm… nothing wrong with the transmission. Could it be a defect for this unit? I've spent the past five minutes checking the system over and over but so far nothing has popped up. I even asked the engineers to check the frame-rate of the mech to my headset and they said that everything was fine.

Maybe my eyes just haven't gotten used to the camera. It'll probably go away by the time I get to the next battle.

The time was now 12:10. I have two hours before the BETA show up. But I can't take that chance. If there's one thing Yuuko sensei taught me in these loops is that nothing in life is ever assured. I have to make sure that everything is prepared by 1 o'clock or the result will be catastrophic.

"Ah Takeru!" Hmm? Mikoto? "Hurry! Come over here! The results are out!" The results? Oh she must mean the results of the trial. It records the overall scoring of every mock battle. The Highest is A+ and the lowest is E-. At first I thought that this scoring was based on my performance but after thinking it clearly, I'm pretty sure that it was rigged from the start. Yuuko simply wanted me to focus on the test rather than the real life situation. I was too stubborn and naïve to see through her ruse.

"Not bad…" Ayamine complimented me… or at least I think she did. "You got an A on your performance"

"Oh? Not bad…" I replied looking at the scoreboard. So far my whole team is on top. Chizuru is leading the second team against another battalion. With Meiya and Tama with her I'm pretty sure they'll be able to beat the veterans in no time flat.

"I guess we should've expected it since we beat them in only ten minutes" Mikoto added pointing out the obvious. "I was really surprised. They had these insane moves up their sleeves but thanks to our OS we were able to beat them with no problems at all. You're amazing Takeru!"

"Hey don't praise me too much or else I'll get full of myself. (Ahaha) But it looks like we still have some time until the next round so I think I'll go and take a walk. If anyone asks for me, just tell them I went out"

"You're a bad officer…"

"Ahehehe. Well you can change my rank but you can't change my attitude. If I wasn't lazy then I wouldn't be Takeru anymore neh? (Ahaha!) See ya…"

"Hai! Don't go too far neh, Takeru"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Hmm… everyone else seems to be doing fine. The other squads are having a hard time adapting to the new OS but I can tell that they find it more appealing than the old ones. The TSF will respond much faster to their movements so it's like more difficult for first timers like the new cadets.

Let's see… that's… Platoon 343. They seemed to have done pretty well to get a B-. The opponents they faced were rather tough but they were able to even up the fight to a stalemate.

"Eh? 1st Lieutenant Shirogane?" Hmm?

"Oh… Mari—err I mean Sergeant Jinguuji?" I saluted out of habit.

"What are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be with your squad?"

"Ah… well our match doesn't start in a few hours so I thought I'd take a break to see how others are doing"

She gave a complying nod. "I see. It's good to take a break now and then, but you have to remember that you're the squad leader now. You represent your unit as a whole so don't do anything to shame them"

"Class rep said the same thing earlier. Hehe…" I laughed. (Flash) "Oh… uh… Sergeant. Where are you going to be during the trials?" I know that she was my observer during the first mock battle but I don't know where she'd be after today. History has already changed greatly in this loop so I can't risk anything.

"Hmm… I'm going to be in charged with Platoon 102 in Area 9. Why?" Area 9? That's pretty far away from where the BETA will attack. So I guess she'll be safe there.

"No reason… I was just curious that's all. It's just that… (…?) I haven't got the chance to have a proper talk with you ever since we returned from Susono. Even though I've only been under your tutelage for a few months, it feels like you've been teaching me forever" In reality… that's actually kind of true.

"Don't be modest. I barely had anything to teach you since you arrived. The only people I taught were the girls in your squad" My squad huh? I guess they are my squad now. I'm still not getting used to that fact. But it won't be for long since my squad will merge with the Special Task Force A-01 under the command of Captain Isumi. "If anything you were more like the teacher on the second half of the course. (Eh?) I don't think any of them will admit it openly, but they've actually been learning TSF combat from you"

"Really? They have?" Well I did give them my control log but that was pretty much it

"In every free time or independent training on the simulator they try to copy your moves or try their best to beat your record. 2nd Lieutenant Ayamine went as far as taking on Training Course B on her own" Training Course B? Isn't that the course that Yuuko sensei challenged me to during our first simulator training exercise? Ayamine went through that alone? "She kept trying and trying but the best she could get was through the third wave"

The third wave!-? That's impressive! I had to go through multiple loops and multiple training over and over again just to finish that course alone and Ayamine got to the third wave in just a few months. If she were in my place right now going through multiple worlds and timeline I think she'd even be a better TSF pilot than me.

"Wow… Ayamine did that?"

Marimo nodded to my question. "Indeed. But what she lacks is focus from time to time. She charges in without warning, trying to take her opponents down with hand to hand combat rather than her gun. She doesn't optimize the equipment of her Fubuki at all. But then I guess she does have her own style in doing things" I see. Ayamine is a CQC specialist. She likes to take things up close and personal rather than taking an opponent from afar. That's how she tried to take me down in our last mock battle together when we were cadets. But every time, I still beat her.

"Well I guess you can't change a person's habit without changing the person" I stated out trying to act mature.

"Hehehe… that's one way of putting it" Marimo gave me a small laugh. (Flash) That smile… that face. I haven't seen them since the last loop when she was taken from me… the second time. (Flash) Ugh… "Hmm? Is something wrong Shirogane?"

"N… no it's nothing. (Tug!) I… I'm just having a little headache that's all" It's not as bad as it used to be since the coup but it's still bugging me. It's like my brain was being jogged down from within. I just hope it won't bother me when the time comes.

I spent the rest of the afternoon tuning my TSF. The transmission was fine but still it still wasn't reacting as fast as I thought it would. Even my joystick felt stiff. I talked with the mechanics to do a checkup again and again but still they said that there was nothing wrong with it.

"Takeru"

"Hmm? Oh hey there Meiya. You're done already?"

"Yes. We were unable to finish off our opponents but we were able to rout them despite their overwhelming numbers and firepower. (That's good) I am grateful for your praise but still it is nowhere near your level" Huh? "I saw the footage of your match. Taking out an enemy force in ten minutes was far beyond anyone's capabilities. That last opponent fired a barrage at you but you barely even flinched. You looked as if you were dodging bullets so naturally"

"Oh come on, I'm not that good"

"Hehe… you are too modest. But what are you doing in your TSF? Our next match doesn't start in an hour"

"Well… as the developer of the OS I thought it would be best to sit by and make sure that everything was working to its best. After all. I don't want this trial to fail"

"I see. You are very much dedicated. Such things are worthy of praise"

"Hehehe… don't praise me too much or I'll get snobby" We both shared a laugh there. "Oh that reminds me. Did you notice something strange with your OS this morning? (Hmm?) I felt my transmission moving slower than usual. It's like they were moving like I want them to"

"Is that so? Hmmm… no I don't recall feeling anything strange in my OS. If anything, it is perhaps my body is simply not yet used to the oversensitive command. We've only had it for a few days after all. (Really?) Yes. And I noticed no oddity in your movements as well when I watched your match. You were moving just like you've always have. Even faster if I'm not mistaken" Faster? Odd… I thought I was actually going slower. "When you fought the last person as he fired his gun… I believe you were actually moving faster than before. It felt as if you could see the paintball as they came"

Saw them as they came? (Flash) She's right. When that guy emptied his clip at me, he moved so slow that I already knew what his next move was going to be. His bullets were also slow like they were floating in thin air. I thought it was just my reaction timer screwing up but then again…

A voice on the speaker echoed in. "Team 4 entering gate 12. Mechanic team 2, please report to the hanger bay. I repeat: Team 4 entering gate 12. Mechanic team 2, please report…"

"That must be the team we'll be fighting next" Meiya stated looking at their Gekishins. "Truly they must be experts if they are able to put in par with all of us" Yeah… I have to agree with her there. Even though the old OS proves that we rookies that fight in par with the vets, those guys also prove that their skill just gives as much experience in handling a TSF. Specs VS skills… I wonder which can prove to be the better weight. "Anyway Takeru. Do not forget to meet up with us later. Sakaki requested that we devise a strategy to fight with the next group since they will now know our full capabilities"

"Sheesh… she's not letting me off easy, is she?"

"Do not tally. She's merely trying to get you to understand the burden of being a squad leader. (Yeah yeah…) Ahuhuhu… your attitude is what sets us apart. I wish I could be like you"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

About an hour later I had to spend a seminar with Class rep listening to tactical training. She was pretty much repeating what Marimo taught us back in class but adding a few thoughts of her own to the equation. I however was able to get myself out of it. Even though she should be my subordinate now, why do I still get the feeling that Class rep is still the boss of me? If she ordered me to jump I'd probably do it even if I didn't know why. Maybe the countless loops I've been with her both in this world and other had sunk into me.

"You seem pretty down"

Hmm? "Ah! Yuuko sensei, you came to see the matches?"

"I saw your result this morning" She claimed. "I'm impressed. To defeat an entire group within ten minutes flat even in such harsh conditions. You seem to be living up to your reputation as the OS inventor" That's right. I remember that she published my name as the developer of the OS. Another method to distract me from the oncoming BETA attack. Yuuko… you really are a master at this. You must've pooled a lot of resources just to get me to go along with your ruse.

Because no matter what happens now… I know that there's no chance that I'll ever be able to reach your level. But at the very least… I will show you…

"Well I guess it was a bit easier than I expected" I said back trying to act natural. She still knows that I have my memories of the future and things didn't turn out like this the last time. The XM3, the delegates of the U.N, the Valkyries… all were now in their proper positions to operate this plan. I was foolish to think that she was doing this to get me to rise through the ranks. Even this promotion to 1st Lieutenant was a lie. Nothing will change between us as long as I keep following her.

"If this keeps up then everybody will already know your name"

"Heh. This is how people gain influence after all"

She gave me a small evil laugh. "You know the ways of the world after all. And here I thought you were just another pawn in a game"

"We're all someone's pawn" I stated back. "Even though we don't know it, we just have to agree to our role and do our part. But as long as our goals are the same I won't change. I'll be your puppet as long as I can achieve my goals"

"Hoo? You're willing to become someone else's pawn?"

"I'll be your pawn or whatever you want me to be. Why else would I be here?"

Her smile faded. Does she suspect something? "You have a knack… Shirogane. (Hmm?) Just don't let it get to your head" She's walking away from the observation post.

"You're not staying for the second round?"

"I have somewhere to be. After all you did give me the rest of the pages so I have to make good on my time. Besides… why do I need to watch when I already know the results?"

…

…

…

That last sentence really proved it. History was about to repeat itself. "Yuuko sensei… (What?) I know that this world has probably thrown a lot of stuff at you and you probably don't trust me fully… but watch me…" She turned around to face me. She could see in my eyes and my expression that I had that resolve. "You had to give up a lot of things to get to where you are and I respect that. But still… just watch me… (…) I'll prove to you that this world is still worth saving…"

"…"

"Heh… I'm probably just babbling to you. Sorry to waste your time. See you later Yuuko sensei…"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Yuuko pondered on what the boy stated for awhile before turning her back to him. She headed towards the elevator that would lead her to the lower floors, expecting things to go as planned. She had learned the hard way that nothing in this world will ever be achieved without sacrifice. She had already given a much and she was ready to pay for every last one of it for the greater good of humanity. True… she knew that it was an unpopular idea but one that needed to be done.

But her thoughts stopped when she came face to face with the man she last wanted to see.

"Hello Professor Kouzuki. It's been awhile" Yoroi Sakon greeted in his usual carefree tone.

The mad scientist gave a sigh. "Yoroi… what are you doing down here? I thought you were recalled for another assignment"

The spy returned a small laugh. "I couldn't possibly leave without seeing your beautiful face once more Kouzuki sensei. (…) Ahaha… such a scary face you're making there. You almost looked as if you're annoyed by something. Did you have an argument with Shirogane kun?" If looks could kill, Yoroi would've been dead six times over by now

"If you're done then leave. I don't have any use for you anymore"

"Ahh… now I'm sad. I only live to serve you milady"

"Yoroi…"

The walking comedian took a step back perhaps out of fear or just obeying. "Please do not mistake my visit today. I simply heard from a reliable source that a very interesting show was about to start so I thought about taking a front row seat at the safest place imaginable. Meeting you here was merely coincidental"

"Do you expect me to believe that? Tell me one good reason why I shouldn't have the MPs throw you into the detention center right now?"

"Shirogane… Takeru… (…?) The more I look at him the more I want him. He has such a strange body that even members of the Imperial R&D department would take interest. Don't you agree?"

Yuuko rubbed the side of her nose to calm her nerves down, understanding his statement. "I completely forgot that you were there as well. I knew I was forgetting something"

"How would you feel if secret service force found the boy and took him when you least expect it?"

The Vice Commander's face grew stern. "I hope you're not threatening me… Section Chief…"

But Yoroi did not back away. He just stood there retaining that annoying smirk of his. "I would never dream of it Professor Kouzuki. You're already scary enough. I simply came to deliver you a word of advice. (Not interested…) Ah… of course. You're never one to take advice from anyone. (…) Then perhaps a word of warning. (…!) Do not underestimate pawns who reached the end of their journey. You will never know what they are fully capable of once they've been pushed to the edge of the table. (…) Hehehe… you must be careful or else your most useful pawn will turn up in someone else's pocket, professor…"

The man took a pass at the mad scientist, taking the elevator up. "Where are you going?" She asked.

"The show is about to start. I'd prefer not to be late and to looking through a camera monitor is such a bore. I prefer to see it with my own eyes (…) Huhuhu… It seems you lack faith. Have you ever thought about putting your trust in someone other than yourself? You can't win this war alone… professor. (…) Hehe… that was a foolish question. But in either case… there are times when you simply must throw everything away in a gamble. Life is short so one should not be afraid to have a little fun. Especially when your Golden-Egg, is the prize"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

**(Much later) (Training Area 3) (Takeru's POV)**

"Hachoo!"

Ugh… now I've got the colds too? I must be really sick. Maybe I'll ask the medic in the infirmary for a quick checkup. The headache and sneeze can't be a coincidence. But I have to focus right now. Eliminating the enemy in front of us is my top priority. Hmm… 13:10. Not much time left.

"This is 06 to 01! What's the matter?" Hmm? Class rep? Oh right I forgot. She got bumped to 06 ever since I became squad leader. At first they wanted to bump everyone's number up but Chizuru told them that it would only confuse us. "Don't relax just because we took out two of them. There are still two more out there!"

"Roger that!" I barked back. "We'll end this quickly and get home. 02, I'll bait them out and you shoot them! 06 will cover just in case the second one tries to ambush me! (Roger!) Toooooh!" There he is. He's hiding behind that department store covering his only exit. Bad move! "I got'cha!"

Ratatatatat!

"Wh… what the?" He shouted out through the coms. "No way!"

"Meiya! Just do what I did! Hit him where he can't shoot! (Understood!)" Meiya leaped on top of the building doing a complete flip shooting the guy from the top where his camera was hindered due to the buildings around him. "Right! Bandit splashed!"

"This is 06! Bandit spotted at E-14. Engaging him now! We're going in for a three pronged attack. (Copy that!)" Alright! Go Class rep! "Haaaaaa!"

The enemy seems to be evading her attacks. He must be trying to head off to the old train station to make a good last stand or put this whole battle to a standoff. Well he's not going to get the chance.

"Meiya, circle around to the train station! We'll hit'em where he least expects it. (Roger!) Come on!" Alright… time to put my alibi to work. "Here we go! KNIFE ATTACK DE ARU!"

Whoosh!

Oops… I missed.

"Teeeeeh!"

Wham!

Meiya and Class rep double teamed that guy to the ground. Nice teamwork.

"This is Platoon A207. Mission complete. Requesting confirmation" Class rep asked to the outpost.

"This is Command Post. Confirm all targets painted. Time: 15 minutes. Good work out there. Return to Hanger 3 for rearm. (Roger) Ah… A20701 retrieve your thrown weapon before your return to the hanger. We don't want to replace equipments that's been left out here"

I gave out a small laugh. "A20701, roger that. Moving out to retrieve weapon. You guys go on ahead. I'll follow you up"

"Ahhhh… that's your fault Shirogane" Class rep scolded me. "Why in the world did you throw your knife out like that?"

"Ahehehe… I wanted a flashy end but my targeting reticule was a bit off"

"Combat knives are for close combat only. Don't go improvising things on your own. (Yeah yeah…) We'll meet you back at the hanger" Hehehe… yup… there's no change at all. Even if I did make squad leader our squad would remain the same.

"Oh by the way. How's the other team doing?"

"I just contacted them. It seems like they just finished too. They're already waiting for us at the longue" I see… so Yoroi managed to pull themselves together. I'm glad…

But this is no time for jokes. 13:20… I have to make my move now. While Class rep and the others move back to the base I'll stay here for a few more minutes to coordinate with the guards. Throwing my knife that far away was actually intentional, that way I have an excuse to be here. So far so good. But the real deal starts ten minutes from now.

I can feel them coming. I don't know why but I can feel them. They're like ants crawling up on my skin. Like a thousand footsteps marching every step of the way. Even though no one here notices them or even hear them, I can feel them getting closer.

(Tug!) Ugh… I know. Come on Shirogane… come on Fubuki… let's go and change the world once more!


	22. A Pawn at the End of the Table

**Chapter 22: A Pawn at the End of the Table**

**(Marimo's POV) (Yokohama Base) (Training Area 9 outpost)**

It happened so quickly…

No one saw it coming. Not command, not me, not the recon force and certainly not the Armed Force. They came suddenly out of nowhere right in our blind spot and before any of us could tell what was happening… it was already too late.

The BETA were upon us.

Fire and smoke blackened the entire training ground. Officers from various training areas evacuated the moment Code: 991 was given. The Rapid Response Teams couldn't set up a forward holding ground and all training force were ordered to pull back immediately. What was supposed to be an innocent training exercise now became a battlefield on its own and the cadets who recently came out of school were thrown into the fire.

"What's the situation?" The commanding officer requested as he looked at the screen. "Has HQ dispatched any reinforcements yet?"

"No sir! Rapid response teams are still being prepped for combat! They'll be ready in five minutes!"

"Scan completed on the field! Large BETA herd size. Grappler Class, Destroyer Class and multiple Heavy Laser Class following not far behind! I'm also reading infantry types and Tank Class crossing the alleyways!"

"This is HQ to all units participating in the trial! The exercise has been cancelled! Unit Sword, Cracker and Storm are to rendezvous with Hornet and block the enemy from advancing beyond Area 2!" The whole base was up in panic. Every available soldier was being put on the line. Even the cadets who just recently graduated were about to be thrown again into combat. "All units on standby in Hanger 12 and 14 and 23, switch to combat gear immediately! Unit Shark, Falcon, A207, deploy upon loading!"

"Shark 1, copy that!"

"Falcon 1, copy that! It'll take us at least five minutes to unload all our training equipment and switch to combat gear!"

I looked to the officer in charge as he gritted his teeth. "Do not panic! We can still hold our ground! Do not allow the enemy to pass Area 2 or they'll swarm the other areas. We have to hold them off for at least five minutes!"

"HQ to Outpost 9. We're now using your area as the frontline for this defense"

"This is Outpost 9, understood. We're not armed but we'll do what we can to coordinate with units out here! (Understood)" We can't do much until the RRT get here. All we can do at the moment is help the trainees survive just a little bit longer. "Men… listen up. (Huh?) There's a good chance that we will be facing the enemy here. I don't want anyone going out until this matter is settled. Commence lockdown. Until then… you have permission to be armed. Sergeant Jinguuji… if you will"

"Yes sir!" I rushed to the back room and unlocked the small armory where the security rifles were stashed. It won't stop the BETA but at least it'll give us a chance to defend ourselves against their Tank Class and Infantry Class.

I handed the rifles to the guards and handguns to the officers. Everyone was anxious but they weren't going to give up just yet. Not without a fight.

"This is Sword 1 to HQ! They're breaking through our formation! We can't keep fighting them with our knives and swords! Requesting permission to retreat!"

"This is Hornet 3, we're losing ground here ourselves! They'll level us down in seconds! We have to get out of here!"

"Negative. Buy us just a little more time until the units have finished changing into combat gears"

"We can't buy any more time! They're trampling over us like dirt! (Gah!) Hornet 1! Damn it!"

"This is Hornet 1. I lost my transmission! I… I can't move my unit!"

"Look out! More of them coming from the east corner!"

"Huh? Ah…! Ah! AHH! (Whoosh!) (Roaaaarrr!) H… heeeeee!"

"W… what the hell?" Huh? What's going on over there? "Who is that?"

"Hornet 1, calm down!" Th… that voice! It can't be… "Your secondary system should still be operational. Eject from your cockpit and come out. I'll cover you"

"R… roger that! Th… thank you very much!"

"Hornet 3, take her into your cockpit. All units, this is 1st Lieutenant Shirogane Takeru of Platoon 207A. Fall back to the edge of Training Area 1 and form a shield wall to prevent the enemy from breaking through. (Eh?) We're outnumbered and there's no way we can hold against them in this manner! Cracker Squad, Storm Squad, you guys are equipped with the XM3, right?"

"Y… yeah we are"

"Then use the mobility to your advantage! You should've gotten used to it by now. (But…) You either learn fast or die! And I'm not in the mood for people dying! We have to hold the enemy off for just a few seconds to make a difference! (Y… yes sir!) Hornet, Sword Squad, you guys topple down buildings as you withdraw. It won't stop the enemy but it'll slow them down just a little bit! (Yes sir!) I'll try and hold them here! All other units in Training Area 3, with draw to Hanger 37 and change into combat gears! Your weapons won't do a thing to them. Remember… the new OS will make you faster… use that to your advantage! I'll be damn if anyone of you dies because of an accident! (Yes sir!) Alright then. I'll try to hold them off while you guys form a shield wall!"

"What!-? Are you crazy? There's no way you'd—"

"Just watch me!"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

It was like a sea of mindless monsters crawling to their food. BETA, both big and small of various species were marching as if they had nothing but the hunger in their brains to keep them going. All would flee at the sight but not without good reasons. All that stood against the tide are mostly swept by its strong and destructive currents.

But what would one say when they find one who would dare swim against the tide?

"TAHHHHHHH!" Shirogane leap forward unlike anyone who would dare to face the aliens head on. With nothing but a blade in one hand he cut through the first monster and fired paintball at the rest. Some would see it to be a foolish endeavor but when they see how the boy performed against such odds… they would keep those comments to themselves. "Come on you bastards! This is for payback for wrecking my Fubuki! Toooh!"

The boy cut, cleaved and sliced through hordes of Grapplers. Each blow was fatal and with each swing, two maybe three of his enemies would lay dead.

In the distance, large beams of neon lights flickered. The Laser Class decimating the wall that was meant to ward off thieves and spies were now marching unhindered by the forces of man.

"Tch! Come on! Just a little bit longer!" Shirogane dodged every attack like it was just the reflex of his arms. Even as more drew upon him there wasn't a single hint of fear in his eyes. If the BETA should have any sense of emotion at all, they should probably fear this boy more than anything else. "You won't get me that easily! Come on you slowpokes! I'm right here! Come and chase me!"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

**(Marimo's POV)**

"Incredible…" I heard one of the Eishis muttered on the open channel com. "He's really…"

"Hornet 4, stop dawdling around and take down those buildings! (Y… yes sir!)"

"This is Outpost 5. All staff members have been evacuated to the bunker. We'll be coordinating from here on"

"Roger that Outpost 5" I answered back before turning my sight to the screen. I don't believe it. Shirogane is really in that whole mess? The BETA attackers were now thoroughly divided in two. Even some of the Laser Class was branching away from the training areas.

"This is Sword 1. We've completed the shield wall formation and are prepared to engage with the enemy. Requesting artillery support on this area!"

"This is HQ. We're still procuring artillery units. Standby"

"This is insane! How the hell did those BETA get so close?"

"This is Falcon Squad. We're finished refitting. Moving out to assist Sword and Storm Squad"

"Negative. Falcon Squad, head towards Outpost 4 and engage enemies that tries to stray off or else they're swarm Hanger 37"

"Roger that! Moving out now"

"This is Dava Company. Artillery batteries primed. Prepare to fire!"

"Negative Dava Company! Don't waste your shells in this area. The Laser Class will simply blast them in the air! (But…) Focus your attack directly in front of Storm Squad. The Laser Class will be out of range from there! (Roger that!) This is HQ to all units. Prepare for counterattack. We will—"

"More BETA have breached Area 5! They're closing in on the hanger compound!"

"Evacuate hanger 10 and 7 once they've refitted the units! All other teams remain on standby!"

"This is Outpost 8. BETA concentration has deviated from our position. Who's that fighting in the middle of the swarm?"

**(Takeru's POV)**

"Take this! (Splat splat!) And this! (Whoosh!)" I knew it! Even though they don't do much damage, the paintballs really do have their uses. They're combined with glue so they can really stick on. "This is A20701 to all units in the training area. The paintballs work. They won't stop the BETA but they'll slow down with enough shots. The smaller BETAs will also find it difficult to traverse the terrain. Paint this whole area!"

"This is Hornet 3, roger that! Come on you bastards! Let me give you a new paintjob!"

So far so good. My plan seems to be working. I got more than half of the BETA on my tail and it's getting tougher. The only reason why the Laser Classes haven't shot me yet is because I'm in a mess of this place. They won't shoot me as long as I'm in the thick of their numbers.

(Tug!) My headache is actually keeping me alert. I can't shake off the pain but I can at least shake off the fear of fighting these monsters. They were terrifying and even more so up close. I've only seen aliens on TV and read them in history books but I never imagined I would actually get to see one up close and personal. I feel like if I came in a little faster I might be able to smell them. (Clang!) Tch… I won't be able to last long either. My sword's giving way and I'm running extremely low on paintballs.

Yuuko sensei… are you watching me? This is what I can do! This is what I can do after achieving so much. I'll show you that there's more to me than meets the eye.

Raaaaaarrrr!

A Destroyer roared at me as it charged. I almost forgot how thick your shell was. But still… you won't get me with such cheap attacks! Come on you freaks! I've killed thousands of you back in the past and I can do so again right here and now!

"Shirogane!" Huh? Class rep? "Hold on! We're on our way to assist you!"

"No! Class rep. Take command of the squad. Head over to the southern edge of Training Area 1 and assist the units holding that area. We can't allow the BETA to reach the main base!"

"But what about you?"

"Don't worry about me! I'm not going to die in a place like this! Once you've set up a firing line I'll come and join you immediately. (R… roger that) Hey… I'm counting on your Class rep. (Beep)" Damn… I forgot that this must be their first time in encountering the BETA. The squad must be trembling in their seats. A first encounter with the enemies of man is never easy especially like this.

Boom!

I can see the artillery bombing the area but some of the Laser Classes were still taking out the shots. Right now those things are probably the biggest threat on this base.

So much destruction… and all to complete Yuuko's plan. I won't complain about its effectiveness but deep in my heart… I know I would never approve of this.

With this attack… that grand illusion where 'The Imperial Army stands between us and the BETA' will be gone forever. The soldiers here will take their fight seriously and I have no doubt that they will be far more motivated for the cause of man.

Whoa! That laser almost hit me. Damn… I've got no choice. I'll have to take them out in my Fubuki while I'm still at it. My sword can only take a few more and my knives have the lowest chance of fighting a BETA. But I have to do this. It's the only way to minimize casualties! "This is A20701 to HQ! I need coordinates for the Laser Class BETA! I'll try and strike in and destroy as many of them as possible!"

"HQ, roger that. Laser Class BETA appears to be moving through Training Area 2 and will reach Training Area 1 in two minutes. They're leveling down buildings as they progress" So the buildings we toppled really weren't a waste. "Be warned, they are also heavily guarded by other classes"

"I know that! Just tell the other units to keep back while I knock them out!" But I my sword can't take them all alone. There are about 30 Heavy Laser Classes back there and if I'm going to knock them out I'm going to need some help. "This is A20701 to A20705. Tama, come in, over. (Y… yes?) I need your help on this one. The Laser Class is wrecking havoc to our formation and they'll get to your position if we don't stop them. I need you to get on top of the main complex and snipe enemies from that position"

"Roger! B… but there's too much smoke. I won't be able to tell which is which…"

"I'll paint the targets for you! Just shoot anything that's been colored with orange. (…!) Hey… I know we're both scared here but I'm counting on you!"

"Y… yes sir!"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The moment Shirogane gave the order, Tama threw away her uncertainty and climbed on top of the building to get an aerial view of the whole base. Her hands still shook and trembled at the sight of man's mortal enemy but she would challenge that fear and conquer it eventually. Right now, that boy needed her help and she was going to make sure that he sees how incredible her combat skills are.

"This is Shark 2 to HQ, we just lost Outpost 3. All staff have been evacuated but the BETA are still pressing onward. We need those artilleries now before they overwhelm us!"

"This is HQ, negative on that. Laser Class BETAs are still in your vicinity. Artillery will be ineffective until they're destroyed"

"This is ridiculous! There's a whole mess of them right in front of us! How the hell do you expect us to take them out from here?"

"Unit A207 is handling the destruction of the Laser Class. Just hold them for a little longer"

"The rookies? How the hell are they…?"

"Boss! Look! It's that guy who beat the crap out of us in the second round!"

Shirogane charged like his mind was already made up. From left to right he could see countless figures of BETA swarming around like they were in a Hive already. He cut through the next dozen or so before the boy finally noticed a crack on his blade.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Damn! This sword isn't going to hold for long! I have to reach behind those Destroyers! I'll have to maximize my jump boost. But… something is odd. Did the BETA always move this slowly? I can't remember much of how they used to be but I was pretty sure they were faster than this. I can see their attacks before they come and their moves before they even make it. (Flash) Bah! No time for reminiscence. I got only one clip of paintball left I have to make every shot count.

Whirrrr…

There they are! The Laser Class! Tama, I know you won't let me down!

"Toooooh!" Here we go! "Eat paint you freaks! (Ratatatatat!)" I have to cover them from head to toe! "Alright! Now Tama! It's all on you!"

"Roger that!" Tama was probably about two maybe three kilometers away and she could still see the paint. "Firing on target!"

Bang!

"Direct hit! Right in the eye! Nice work Tama! (H… hai…!) I'm moving on to the next target! Keep firing as I paint! (Roger that!) Class rep, how's it going on your end?"

"This is A20706. We're holding the position in front of the base. Axe and Hawk Squad had joined us. Sword, Hornet, Cracker and Storm Squad have withdrawn to the Hanger to switch to combat gear. Hurry up and get to our position!"

"No. If I leave even a single Laser Class alive it'll destroy our formation. Keep holding them off at your position. (R… roger!) Alright! Who's next!-?"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Yoroi Sakon grinned from ear to ear as he watched the fight went on from the observation post. The delegates that were sitting here a few minutes ago had already come and gone when the first sign of BETA stirred from the radios.

Many thoughts ran through his mind when he saw Shirogane charged in head first without any hint of hesitation. It was a sight to behold. Something his daughter would say 'Came straight out of a movie'. But he knew better. A man who first encounters the BETA would never react like that. Monsters like these instill fear in such a way that it would make even the bravest soul cry and quiver in fear. Though it was obvious that he had suspicion of what the boy was, he couldn't confirm it.

Shirogane was like a mind boggling puzzle that tempted curious minds like him to figure out. Everything about him was mysterious and fascinating and even now he was already beginning to understand why the Lovely Mad Scientist wanted to keep him all to herself.

The boy was a treasure in more ways than one, and to be something that the Mad Scientist kept in her sights at all times… made him an even more enticing target.

"Fufufu…" The man took out a pair of binoculars from his coat and observed closely how Shirogane literally painted his targets. "Very good… very good indeed. I am thoroughly impressed. A single Fubuki against a horde of monsters. If you keep this up Shirogane, I don't think I'll be able to hold myself back anymore heheheh…"

"You seem to be having fun" a voice interrupted his thoughts.

"Ah… Professor Kouzuki. Came to see the show from the front row now?"

"Since you put it in that manner, a person can't help but become curious" She snatched the man's binoculars and observed the battle from the tower.

"Splendid… is he not? He didn't even flinch in fear when the call was given. Any man who meets the BETA for the first time tends to become shocked. But not him… he barely gave a moment's pause. It almost looked as if he was expecting the whole attack right from the start. (… ) You're talents are slipping badly… Professor"

Yuuko made a soured face. She had already though about Shirogane's memories of the future but chose to ignore it. Quantum Physics, Equilibrium and Science Fiction were her field of knowledge but of course she was no expert when it came to Time Traveling. All she can do to defend against it was predicting every possible move.

"So… he knew…" She muttered out softly before giving out a sigh.

"Perhaps this is god's way of teaching you of morality" Sakon joked lightly which was returned with an evil glare. "Or… perhaps I should say Shirogane's way? I can't really tell anymore hehehe. (…) Your expression is priceless. It's actually worth risking my life here after all"

"What did you do… Sakon?"

"Nothing at all. I merely gave my words of wisdom. I would never know that he would be here… fighting against the BETA. Not many people would know what you're thinking, Professor Kouzuki. (…) I would advise that you take my warning seriously. You may have a way of understanding humans… but I don't think the same thing applies to your pet. (…) Ara… it seems like I truly have overstayed my welcome. Well… if you'll excuse me"

"Not going to stay to finish the fight at least?" Yuuko asked handing back his binoculars.

"The ending has already concluded. Seeing it will change nothing. Huhuhuhu…" He walked up to the lift only to stop when he recalled something. "Ah… I almost forgot. I came here to tell you something of great importance"

"Make it quick. I don't have time for tomfoolery"

"It includes your old friend… Marimo…"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Teeeeeh! (Whoosh!) Damn it!" How many of these guys have I already taken down? I lost count and stopped counting from 50. I don't have any paintballs left either but at the very least I was able to take down more than half of the Laser Class at the back of the enemy formation. (Roar!) Looks like I've also lured a large number of BETA on this side. That should take off pressure from the others. But still… how the hell, am I supposed to fight them? A knife? It'll barely cut through a Grappler's hide much less a destroyer. I broke my sword a minute ago and all I have is the lower half of the hilt.

"This is HQ to all units. Reinforcements from Kanto base has arrived and is pressing the attack from the northwest. Rapid Response Teams have been deployed and are now facing from the south east. All other units, counterattack!"

"Roger! It's about damn time!" I heard one of the officers cursed happily. "We can finally kick some tail! Come on boys!"

Yes! If the reinforcements are here then my stalling for time is a success. I don't need to linger around here anymore.

WHAM!

"Gahhhh!" Darn it! Where did that Destroyer come from? He hit my boosters? (Raaaaarrr!) Tch! You won't find me an easy prey. Come on boosters, I still have one shot at ya! "Left booster, max power! Release coupling! Fire! (Boom!)" Yes! I knew that booster had enough punch to pierce that thick shell.

But now… I'm surrounded! Hundreds of Grapplers, Tanks and even more Destroyers were coming in to get me. Tch… this is bad.

**"Anomaly…"**

Huh? What the?

**"Anomaly detected… subject… unknown…"**

Was that… my computer?

Ratatatatatat!

Whoa! Who the hell? That shot would've hit me if I didn't jump back. But thankfully it destroyed the BETAs around me.

"Oi! You there! You ok?" …! That… that voice… it can't be… "Not bad holding out for this long. Leave the rest to us. We'll deal with the rest here"

"Lt… Mitsuki! (Eh?)" There's no doubt about it! That tone, that voice and that smug attitude. It can't be anyone else! "Ah… nothing ma'am. Thanks for the assist"

"Regroup with your unit. You won't do much here without weapons"

"Y… yes ma'am!" I saw it. The whole Valkyrie Company… they're… they're here. All six of them. They're really all here and they're… alive. (Boom!) Geh! No time for reminiscence Takeru, get your head back in the fight!

"This is Valkyrie 1 to all units. Push them back! Don't let a single one of them through! (Roger!)" Captain Isumi! It really is her. "Mitsuki, Touko, Misae take the left. Haruko, Akane, you're with me! (Ma'am!) We'll punch through and hit the Laser Class behind them"

Boom!

Whoa… that's simply amazing. Even with a mass produced units they're really kicking those BETA back. Tch… don't you die you guys. I still haven't been able to thank you for everything you've done for me. So… until then… please.

"This is Shark 1 to HQ. BETA units have begun entering Training Area 9. They're overrunning the whole place, requesting reinforcements" What? Area 9? That's where Marimo is! But how? They're not supposed to… (Flash) No… no! (Flash) NO!

"HQ here. Negative on that. All units are in play right, we're still organizing troops from the first and second battalion"

"Don't screw around! We're outnumbered here! The Outpost will be cut off at this point! (Gwahhh!) Damn it. Fall back! Regroup at the outer edge now!" No! No no no no no!

"MARIMO—!"

**(Marimo's POV) (Outpost 9)**

"They're breaching through!" The guard yelled out as he heard the BETA clawing the bulkhead door on the other side. When the artillery raids began, the smaller BETA strains were scattered across the field putting them into smaller groups. Though we were safe from the larger size BETA the smaller Soldier and Warrior Class were able to punch through the first door leading to the outpost.

These places were built on top of old ruined buildings in the city that were in the best suitable condition to withstand an indirect attack from a 120mm cannon. Outpost 9 was built inside an old department store that shouldn't be emitting too much electronic signature. But apparently our control room had enough to lure the smaller strains.

The BETA broke in a few minutes earlier and the two guards standing inside were killed instantly. We had bulkhead doors installed on every floor to act as support beams and they were built on every staircase just for emergencies. Most of the floors are simply ruins of the old city. Nothing of interest but we still use some of the chairs, desks and cabinets to hold the files together.

Click…

I clocked my pistol up and made sure the safety was off. I emptied a whole clip to one of the BETA warriors earlier but despite those injuries it could still stand. This is why the BETAs are so frightening. They can take an almost insurmountable amount of damage and still crawl up to kill you. Mankind had never faced this kind of opponent before and even now we've only had a short amount of time to understand them.

"Huuuu…" The officer next to me was quivering behind his cover. We used everything we could find to barricade the place. Tables, chairs, even the cabinets we stored all of our paperwork.

"Hold your position!" The CO shouted out. We were now down to two dozen men and five injured. Most of the heavier weapons were used in the first breech but that wasn't enough to slow them down. The whole Training Area was being overrun and reinforcements doesn't seem to be anywhere in sight.

"We're all going to die… aren't we?" The injured man that I tended to asked me.

"No… not yet" I answered back. "If we can hold this wave off for just a little bit longer, reinforcements will get to us. I'm sure of it" The man had lost his leg when the BETA Soldier bit it off. The medics we had couldn't stop the bleeding so he gave him a large dose of sedatives and morphine to eliminate the pain. I advised the commander to take the injured to a higher floor but he said that we were going to need every available man to hold this place.

Creeeeeeaaaaa…k

The BETA on the other side were scratching the door. We could hear them growling, roaring and perhaps even laughing if that's even possible. I don't really know if we can live through this.

Bang!

The doorframe bent inward despite the fact that it was made out of pure steel. It was as if the forces outside were pounding it to submission. (WHAM!) The door finally gave way, opening it to a small group of Warrior Class.

"Open fire!" I unloaded my gun at the hole that opened. Blood splattered from the other side but still the monsters did not stop. They continued to pry open the door. The Warriors pulled the parts off with relative ease with their mighty trunk-like arm and the Soldiers… poured in one by one. "Take them down! Don't let them get through!"

"Reloading!"

"Covering!"

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Our pistols blew countless holes on the first attacker and the second attacker… but even so, more of them continued to pour from the doorway. I reloaded for the third time and continued to fire. Since I first became a soldier I've always fought the BETA inside a TSF. I never thought I would actually have to face them in human size combat.

"RAAAARRR!" The Soldier Class let out a roar and got dangerously close to one of the staff officers.

"Bwahh! Sh… shoot it! Shoot it!" We tried to help him but the BETA proved to be more durable than expected.

I felt a chill run down my spine. That's the fourth clip and now we've only been able to kill two of them. These were truly monsters.

"F… fall back! Fall back to the control room!" The Commanding Officer ordered out when he realized the fight was lost. "Grab all the ammo you can and go!"

Wait… what? Fall back? "Lieutenant! What about the injured! (Leave them!) We can't just abandon them here!"

"Go Sergeant!" Eh? "It's alright… I'll be just fine here"

"Don't joke around! I can still save you!" I tried to pull the injured man up but he pushed me away.

"I'm not taking you with me! GO!" Geh… "Go! Sergeant! (Gun shots) Go!" The BETAs were getting closer. I… I… I have no choice…

…

…

…

Forgive me…

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Marimo ran up along with ten others who were able to get to the stairs. Once they reached the final room and closed the door behind them, muffled screams and doomed cries echoed from the lower floors. It was nerve wrecking to hear such things and even more so when you are forced to abandon those people to their fates.

"Lock the door!" the Lieutenant ordered to which the men followed, locking the door with a defining click sound. "Use everything we have here to barricade the path. Chairs, tables, anything!" The bulkhead door was enough to hold another attack but with the number of BETA appearing, the soldiers began to wonder if they'll be able to make it through to the next day.

Marimo steeled herself for the fight even though deep down, she was already wrenching from abandoning one of her fellow comrades. She experienced this feeling first hand before and it felt like an old wound of hers reopened for the third time.

The BETAs were ramming the door again and their stench can be smelled even from the control room. Even now, panic and hopeless thoughts passed through the minds of the survivors.

The survivors checked their weapons and fired as the BETA punched through. Bullet shells flailed from pistols but their resistance was futile.

"We still have two floors above us so keep at it! We can't allow ourselves to get cornered!"

"H… hey… what's that?" One of the guards stated as he smelled a distinct scent in the air. "It smells like…"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

**(Marimo's POV)**

"Sulfur! Everyone! Don't breathe into the fog!" I shouted out the moment I recalled this strong sulfur smell. I know this stench well since there was only one type of BETA that can create such strong scent. A Tank Class. It must be very close by if it's able to release such a strong smell into this area. Though sulfur alone is not harmful, a strong concentration of hydrogen sulfide can cause death from repertory paralysis. Many soldiers fall victim to this stench time and time and again. Though they tend to ignore the symptoms they often meet with terrible consequences.

I covered my mouth and nose with my clothes and grabbed the rifle from the fallen guard.

Click…

Figures… the clip was already empty…

The stench was strong and it already my vision was getting blurry.

"Everyone! Retreat to the upper floors!" The Lieutenant ordered out through coughs. I carried one of the men with me on my shoulders. I can't allow anymore of us to fall here. Not while there's still a chance for survival.

Creeeeeaaaakk…

Geh!

Damn it. The wound I got from Susono hasn't fully recovered either. The treatments that Yoroi and Shirogane gave to me were effective but it hasn't healed yet.

By the time the BETA crashed through the third floor, we were already up on the fourth level. Fortunately the sulfur smell doesn't reach this place. Concentrated sulfur is heavier than air so it's natural for them to stay within lower ground. But unfortunately that also means that we were running out of places to run…

"Who did we lose this time?" The Lieutenant asked to anyone who could provide an answer.

"We lost corporal Gesho and Staff Sergeant Jubei. Hiwatari and four others were lost on the second floor" The officer beside him stated, remembering the faces here. This isn't good. There were about 40 of us when the attack started… twelve of them, fully trained soldiers and now there are only 13. This fight wasn't going to last very long if doesn't arrive soon.

"Damn it. We can't keep running like this. Choko, have you made contact with HQ?"

"Yes sir. But they're saying that the situation is still being put into control. Most of the units have already pulled back to the defense line. They can't spare anyone to assist. (What?) We're completely on our own!"

"Damn them! (Sigh) Alright. We have to buy more time. Sergeant Jinguuji, Corporal Sanada. (Sir!) Grab those rifles and barricade the doorway. We can't allow those monsters to gain any more room. The rest of you, bring the injured to the control room on the top floor. If worse comes to worse… we'll make our last stand there"

"Y… yes sir"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Back at the observation deck, Yuuko gave her informant a rather curious glare. She wondered what the man would have to say about her Highschool friend. "Marimo? What about her?"

"I'm rather surprised that you haven't found out about it" Yoroi gave out in a mocking tone. "But then again I'm sure you were too busy with other important matters. (…) As you may know, Sergeant Jinguuji was once a member of the Imperial Army. She was not really respected and often looked down by several members. She left to join the U.N. to be an instructor after her failed assault in China"

"I'm not here for a history lesson…" Even though the whole base was put on alert and men and women fighting for their lives, both seemed absolutely calm of the whole thing. It was as if the battle that raged outside with our Hero being at the center was not of their concern anymore.

"I was getting to it" Yoroi's tone changed a bit alerting the listener to know that he was dead serious. "A few of my contacts have heard that Sergeant Jinguuji have been contacting her old sources back in the Imperial Army. And apparently… she has been investigating Shirogane in every way possible. (…) His name, his whereabouts… everything. It seems like she has a crush or perhaps a deep fascination of the man whom you've put under your care, Professor…"

"You don't seem to be joking. But why tell me this? Is has nothing to do with you"

"Take it as a gesture of good will"

"Don't expect me to give back any favors… Yoroi. (Ahaha… ha…) What does she know about him?"

"A little less than I do I'm afraid. But for a beginner she's surprisingly crafty to have hid her tracks so well. I've only discovered this yesterday myself. Perhaps she's learning a lot from you. (…) I do not know what her motives are or why she's doing it… but she seems determined. In any case that is all I have to give for you. Until we meet again… please do take care of yourself… Professor Kouzuki"

And just like that, the man disappeared from the elevator, to the lower floors, leaving Yuuko to watch the destruction first hand. From that place she could see the whole battle unfold and noticed how the BETA were slowly being exterminated from the field. Though this was not entirely her idea per say… she still had to admit that it would serve the same purpose. The progress of her master plan would accelerate and no one would be able go against the full results of the XM3's trial.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

** (Marimo's POV) (Outpost 9)**

"Sanada, help me with this cabinet" We were now barricading the fourth doorway with everything we had in the office. Even the computers we worked on were holding. I can still hear the monsters clawing on the other side and once more the warriors were following the basic tactics of ripping the doorframe open with their mighty trunks. The Soldier Class rammed it with their arms and I think I can even hear a tank class gnawing right below us.

"There. That's the last one we've got" My partner stated as he scanned around the room for anything else that could be used to hold the door. So far our delaying tactics were affective against the attackers. "There's nothing left"

"We should inform the Lieutenant. Go on, I'll keep watch here"

"Right. Thanks Sergeant"

I clocked my rifle and checked the ammo cartridge. Twenty shots left of 5.56 rounds. It should be enough to kill one of the monsters since its firepower far exceeds the 9mm pistol. No extra cartridges were around either and the most of the ammo we had were spent on the first floor.

This door here should buy us at least five more minutes and the door to the control room another five. But despite all that, I don't think reinforcements will be able to get here in time. We were too far deep in the battle lines for any of them to get through that quickly and if anything I'm sure that High Command will want to ensure the safety of the main complex rather than external outposts like ours here.

Shirogane…

Ugh… I can't believe it. Even though I'm facing death, the only thing I can think of is that boy's annoying face. I guess it should be no surprise seeing that he's been in my head for the past few days. Ever since we returned from Shirahama I have thought about him and wondered who he actually was. At first when Yuuko ordered me to keep watch on him it was simply for the sake of the mission. Afterwards, it was simply out of curiosity but then… I think somewhere in between, it became a reason…

WHAM!

Keh!

"Sanada! They're breaching through! Tell the others to get down here! (Wham!) Tch! You…!"

Ratatatat

I set my rifle to short-burst rounds only conserving what ammo I had. I fired onto the small hole that the BETA created on the door injuring the closest creature at near point blank range. Blood splattered all over my suit but at least I was able to kill one of them. That monster must've been already wounded from the 2nd floor battle.

"Rarr!" Now there were only Soldier Classes ripping the doorway. They screeched and roared at me while their gigantic arms try to reach out for me. I unleashed another volley and blasted one of their heads to a bloody pulp.

"Sanada! What's taking you! I'm almost out!"

Tip… tap… tip… tap…

"Sanada! It's about time. Help me hold the doorway! I got the last of the Warriors. I don't think they'll be able to get in but they're… still…"

"S… Sergeant… he… help…"

…! S… Sanada!

His stomach had been ripped out from the front to back. I can see his spine barely holding his body. By the time I realized what had happened to him, he fell to the floor, dead on his tracks.

"Sanada! (WHAM!) …!" Two Warrior Classes appeared from the stairway. One of them was holding onto the head of the corporal. But how's that possible? They couldn't have gotten to the upper floors without us knowing. Could they have taken the fire escape? But it should be too dangerous for people to climb on.

"Kweeee!" They let out a grotesque sound before approaching me. Is this it for me? Is this where I'm going to die? (Flash) Arai… everyone…

"Tch!" I clicked my tongue and grab Sanada's rifle. He should still have a full mag. If these bastards want my head, they'll have to fight for it! Come on!

Ratatatatat!

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Marimo fought like the mad dog she was named, firing both guns with both her hands killing the first monster that tried to kill her. The Warrior Class BETA fell with bullet holes marking its head while the second one rushed in to attack.

Marimo shot out again but like all guns, the weapon ran out of bullets to shoot. She tossed them away reaching out for her pistol in her holster. But she was too late. The Warrior grabbed her by the trunk and threw her body to the wall creating a small dent on the concrete block.

"Kweehh!" The creature let out an inhumane screech as it closed on the woman. Its giant arm reached out, grabbing her hair and lifting her entire body up above the floor. Many who were grabbed by this beast's trunk were often wearing helmets so it's no wonder her head was latched on longer than those before her.

The sergeant screamed in pain but she was not without courage. Gazing the monster face to face she couldn't help but think of all the curses her mouth can shout out. Having this monster to be the last thing she saw was nauseous itself. She hope that she would have a human see her off to the afterlife. She clutched the piece of her hair trying to smack the beast off, but it was useless. The Warrior simply gazed at her angered face, preparing to deliver the final blow.

Gasping with her last breath, Marimo pulled out the pistol from its holster and placed it right between the monster's eyes.

"Baka-mono!"

Bang! Bang! Bang!

The woman cursed as she pulled the trigger repeatedly, each bullet literally putting new air holes on the creature's face. When the last round pierced through its eyes, the monster fell, dead, with a defining wheeze sound. It released Marimo from its deadly grip and tossed her down to the floor like a discarded piece of cloth.

"Keh… kaaa…" Marimo gasped for air as the moment allowed it. But she had to endure the stink of the dead around her. The stench of a dead alien was by far worse than anything she had smelled.

Wham! WHAM!

But just when she thought she could get a breather, her conscious was brought back to the doorway that had finally been ripped open by the Soldier Class BETAs on the other side. The barricade that Marimo spent time to build was taken down in a matter of seconds. It simply showed how powerful, even a small size BETA was.

Gathering her strength and adrenaline, Marimo rushed over the body of her dead comrade and up towards the final floor of the defense.

From there, she saw the fate that befell her former co-workers. Many of them were missing a limb or two and the Lieutenant whom she served under today had his head thrown half way across the room with his spine still attached to it.

The sight alone made the Sergeant's stomach churn and her mouth began to throw out her lunch in small doses.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

I swallowed my vomit back in and turned away from the bloody sight, closing the door behind me and locking it. Ahhh… there's… there's so much blood here and even more on me. I can't tell if they belonged to humans or BETA.

Wham! Wham!

They're coming. (Wham!) The door won't be able to hold them for long… and now I have nothing to protect myself with. (Wham!) Just as I suspected, the BETA really did take the fire escape to get here. If I'm right then more of them are probably on their way here.

Everyone… everyone around me are… they're all…

Rena, Lieutenant Hoku, Corporal Aoi… Sanada.

They're all dead. I… I… I guess I'm next. Ugh… I don't even have the energy to move anymore. I'm already spent. Heh… if Arai were here, he'd probably be scolding me right about now telling me to 'Get up and run woman!' But my legs are already dead. They won't even move no matter how hard I told them to.

Perhaps… this… this is my just punishment. For all the wrong I did… all those years ago. I guess this… this isn't so bad.

Arai… everyone…

…

Strange… why am I thinking about them now of all times. (Flash) It's because of me… because I went mad that time. That's why everyone in my squad were… (Flash) No… (Flash) No… I don't want this.

(Flash) I don't want to die! I don't want to die yet! (Flash!) I haven't even had the chance to apologize to him! (Flash) That face! Why even in this dark time am I still seeing him? Why is he the only thing that I can't get out of my head? (Flash) No… I can't die here! I don't want to die here! Please… someone… anyone!

Wham! WHAM!

Save me…

"Raaaaaaarrrr!"

**"Shirogane!"**

**"Marimo!"**


	23. The Burden of those who Live on

**Chapter 23: The Burden of those who Live on  
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**(December 11, 2001 Tuesday) (Marimo's POV) (Yokohama Base) (Medical Ward) (05:40 PM)**

Ugh… emmm… my body feels numb. Where… where am I? Why does my head feel like it's been churned in and out over and over again? My arms feel like they're made out of lead and what's that bright light that's blinding me?

"Ah good evening. Sorry about that I'll dim the lights for you" Whose voice is that? I don't recognize it. Ugh… I tried to open my eyes but my eye lids feel heavy. I can see a figure on the corner as it dimmed the source of light. "How're you feeling? (…) I'm going to have to give you a vital checkup. Please bear with me until then. You can go to sleep afterwards, ok?"

"…" It was a nurse… or a medic of the base. I remember the patch pattern she wore on her shoulder. I opened my mouth to speak but my throat was too dry to say anything.

"Oh you must be thirsty. Here let me get that for you" She reached out to the side of my bed where a mug of fresh water was standing. She poured me a cup and fed it to me by hand. "Don't rush. Your body is still weary. Take it nice and slow"

Gulp gulp… the water tasted like rust in my mouth but the texture was like heaven. After a few sips, I could finally let out a few words.

"Wh… where am I?"

The nurse who seems to be far younger than me nodded to answer. "You're in the hospital ward of Yokohama base. You were fairly injured in the line of battle so you were brought in here by a certain gentleman. (…?) Ah! Before we get down to that, may I give you a few checkups? (Of course…) Ok this won't take long. Let's see" She flashed light into my eyes and snapped her fingers around my ears. "Hmm… your eyes reflexes are good and hearing response are normal. Can you move your hands? (Ugh…) Just shake your head if you can't" I followed her instructions and shook my head sideways. "Alright. It seems like you'll need more time to recover. But at least you can understand me so we'll leave it at that for now. Do you remember who you are?" I nodded. "Good. At least we have that down. You're not that seriously injured but you were thrown a few times so you might've suffered some concussion damage. You'll probably suffer headaches for a few days so I'll prescribe you a bottle of painkillers, ok? (Nod…) Good"

"H… how long have I been asleep?"

"Hmm? Oh, from when you arrived… I think about twenty hours" 20 hours? I've been asleep for that long? "But I have to say I'm actually quite jealous of you. (Huh?) The man who brought you in was so dashing like a knight in shining armor. Ahh… the way he carried you into the hospital like a bride and how he begged one of the doctors to help you. Aha… it was so dreamy, like something out of a drama show. He was crying and pleading like a panicked boy. He even stayed with you for hours until he was recalled for active duty. Ahehehe… some of us here would kill for man like that"

A man? Who? Ugh… I can't really remember much. My head is all woozy.

"Ah… but don't bother thinking about it. Take your time and relax. It'll be some time before you can recover. You're lucky that you got out of that mess with only a few scratches. Teehee" This medic seems charming. She's rather playful even in these dark times. "Anyway, it seems like you'll be making a full recovery soon. With the rate you're going, I think I can discharge you by tomorrow morning. I'll have one of the nurses bring you dinner in about an hour. Until then please get some rest and I'll be back to have one more checkup to make sure you—hmm?" But she stopped for a moment when she noticed another figure entering room.

"Excuse me. Is this Sergeant Jinguuji's room?" It was an officer of the intelligence unit. His uniform verified his station. "Sorry for the intrusion, but there are a few questions I would like to ask"

"C… captain. Excuse me but the patient is not yet ready for questioning. She just woke up ten minutes ago. I don't think she's…"

"My questions won't be mind straining, I assure you. I just require her a little bit of her time… that is all. After I am done, you can resume your treatment"

"Ah… y… yes sir. I… will leave you two be…"

Once the medic left the room, the captain grabbed the chair by the desk and sat next to my bed. He carried a heavy looking folder and put on a pair of thin lens glasses. "Alright then. Sergeant Jinguuji… I will answer you a series of yes or no questions. If you cannot answer verbally, simply nod or shake your head in response, understood? (Nod…) Good. Now… yesterday on December 10, 2001 Monday. At approximately 14:00 hours, were you stationed in Outpost 9? (Nod…) Good. During the same time when the BETA attacked, you were ordered to remain there with your unit, correct? (…) You do remember when the BETA ambushed during the training exercise, do you not? (Flash)" Yes… I remember now.

Back then… I was stationed in Outpost 9 during the exercise when the BETA launched their assault. Caught unprepared, the TSF stationed at the Training Area were overwhelmed and were easy prey to our enemies. Right afterwards our defenses were able to hold together thanks to the efforts of a certain pilot. But even when we came back in full strength the BETA horde split up and scattered all over the field, preventing us from creating any viable defense. Eventually they reached our outpost. (Flash!) Everyone… everyone in that base but me… died…

"Sergeant Jinguuji" The captain cleared his throat to bring me back from my train of thoughts. "I know that you're not in your best condition but bear with me for a few more minutes. During the attack—did the BETA breached into the base? (Nod…) Can you tell me what happened? (Shake…) Hmm… do you remember anything before you blacked out? (Nod…) Can you specify… what?"

I remember fighting. Fighting the BETA with everyone. I… alone withdrew to the control room to find everyone dead… and then… I… I cried…

"Sergeant, I need you to cooperate. What happened in the outpost? (Ugh…) This is clearly not helping. Sergeant, I need you to remember" (Flash) So much blood. "Sergeant Jinguuji, focus!"

"I remember… seeing something…"

(Flash) **_"Marimo!"_**

"I remember… a lot of screaming. (Hmm?) I saw the BETA killing my co-officer. We… were forced into the upper levels hold the enemy off but were ambushed…"

"Hmm… what else?"

"I killed two maybe three BETAs… before I ran up to the last floor. I locked myself in and…"

"And then?"

"Everyone was already dead when I got there. Lieutenant Hoku… Corporal Sanada…"

The man flipped through the pages on his folder before continuing. "Lieutenant Chiroki Hoku. He was the commanding officer in the outpost during the attack, yes? (Nod…) Hmm… and from what you're telling me… all 39 officers and guards stationed there were already dead when you were rescued… is this correct?"

"I was… rescued?" Wait (Flash) I see images in my head. Flashes… bits and pieces of that incident before everything went dark. I remember seeing the BETA breaking through the final door. I remember hearing someone calling out my name and a giant hand crashing through the wall. That hand killed the BETA instantly and I was carried out of that place.

"Yes. Apparently a single TSF was able to punch through the BETA and plucked you from the control tower. He disregarded his own safety, killing six Grappler Class with nothing but his combat knife alone" Six Grapplers? Could it be…Shirogane? "Well nonetheless. Your story will do. That will be all. Thank you for your time, Sergeant Jinguuji" He walked towards the door only to turn back one more time when he opened it half way. "Oh… and before I forget. You're also being reassigned to another unit" Huh? "Your training program was cancelled today. As of tomorrow you'll be working as an operator for a different unit stationed in the front lines. You're also being promoted to 1st Lieutenant for your placement. Congratulations… for what it's worth"

**(Takeru's POV) (A207 Barracks) (06:00 PM)**

It was finally over.

After 36 hours of standing guard over the training area we were finally allowed to leave and resume our usual duties. The training exercise with the XM3 is officially canceled and most of the cadets and rookies were allowed back to the base.

Already I could see the changes occurring since yesterday. Everyone was tensed and more motivated to fight. The grand illusion where 'The Imperial Army stands between us and the BETA' was now completely gone. Everyone was going to be fighting for their lives and they won't get caught in that surprise attack ever again.

The atmosphere around the base changed drastically, even my squad could see it. They were frightened but at least now they truly had a taste of reality shoved right up their faces. If anything… this was probably the wakeup call everyone needed. The signal to tell everyone that the threat was real and the BETA were not a force to be trifled with. I saw the casualty roster afterwards to see if anything had changed. Undoubtedly the whole base had suffered minimal damage at best and only a few deaths.

But even so… those were the lives I couldn't save, people that I couldn't rescue in time.

I ordered my squad to immediately seek out hypnotic therapy to get them passed their fears. Captain Isumi would've done the same to keep her soldiers together. If she notices one of us flinching or even have the slightest bit of anxiety on their faces, she'd send them for therapy.

As for me… I decided to assist the base in any way I could. Repairs, carrying stuff, anything. It was the only way to keep my adrenaline working.

It's strange. Back when I first fought the BETA, I was practically mortified but now… I didn't even flinch. My hands aren't even sweating and I feel… strangely calm. It was as if the fight made me feel even better. Maybe I've grown some kind of satisfaction killing monsters.

Nonetheless… I'm completely drained. After a few doses of stims and coffee to keep you awake, the fatigue starts to kick in. Maybe a quick rest will get me back on my feet early tomorrow.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Welcome back…" Eh? Y… Yuuko sensei? What is she doing in my room? "I guess congratulations are in order of your heroic deeds the other day. (…) What's the matter? Don't tell me you weren't expecting a surprise visit after that stunt you pulled out"

"Are… you here to ask me something, Yuuko sensei?"

She gave out a small laugh in response. "Ora? So your foresight does have limits after all. And here I thought you were the all seeing oracle" She must've figured out that I knew her plans. It wouldn't take a genius to figure that one out. "Why the long face? I don't bite you know. I thought you might want to celebrate on your glorious achievement"

"Well… it's just that… I thought you'd be angry at me"

She shrugged her shoulders off. "Why should I—when you've given me exactly what I wanted? (Eh?) The U.N. delegates implemented the XM3 into the army and the veterans saw how affective it was against the BETA. Even unarmed TSFs lasted much longer than expected against them. No one is speaking against its continued use and your performance alone sealed the deal. The Imperial and U.S. Army are already asking for it" So I was right. We really were the scapegoats in her plan. Go figure on that.

"So… you're not mad that I knew about your plan?"

Yuuko's smile dropped for a moment there. "I took your memories of the future into account but I never thought this would happen. (…?) You could say that I underestimated you. Congratulations on that… I guess. It's not every day I get to see a surprise like this. (…) You're really worth my time… Shirogane…" (Gulp) I don't like the looks in her eyes one bit. Her face isn't expressing any anger but I can somehow feel the chill of killing intent coming from her. "But let's not dawdle about it. What's done is done. There's no taking back the action one has already taken. (…) Hehehe… but I guess in your case… that rule doesn't apply, neh? After all… you've been through this day before"

"Y… you could say that"

"Don't be so uptight. I'm actually praising you" It doesn't sound like praise when it's coming from you. "Sit down. There's actually something I want to discuss with you. (Eh?) Usually by now I'd try to get you to spill everything about the future. But doing that will only makes things worse, won't it? (Y… yeah) But… I just want to make sure of one thing. Did you already know about the BETA I've been keeping?"

I gulped a chunk of my saliva before answering. "Yeah… I knew"

"I see…" Yuuko's eyes kept trained on me as if looking for any hint of a lie. She let out a sharp grin as she continued. "Here… have little" Eh? Is that… sake? "I thought you'd like something to keep you afloat. (Uhh…) You're not going to tell me that you're under-aged now, are you? Besides… if we can hand kids like you guns… why not alcohol?" She's got me there. We're wielding weapons that can pretty much topple a building with a flick of a finger so I guess the standard moralities are thrown out the window already.

I took the cup and gave it a sip. Back in my world, Tsukuyomi trained me to taste food and water contents and remember each taste perfectly. If there was any kind of poison, I'd know… I think.

"Don't worry" Yuuko reassured me. "I'm not the kind of person who would hit someone with a low blow. What do you take me for?" She's right. Yuuko has never interfered with my business directly. All these times she's only been doing it indirectly. Even the BETA attack was simply out of fluke accident that she set up.

Taking a breather I gulp the contents down. Ahhh… I haven't had sake in a long while now. I've only had it during the previous loops during our Christmas party in the classroom. Boy… how long has it been since that time?

"Ahhh…" I let out an enjoyable sigh. Sake has that effect on people.

"So…" Yuuko continued where she left off. "If you knew about my plan then that must mean my future self told you about it. (Y… yeah…) Interesting. But then again… there must also be a very specific reason why you didn't tell me about it. (…) Something must've happened on that day that you would do something like this… Shirogane"

"Ugh…" I backed away from her as she extended her neck in my direction. She's not far from the mark though. I really did have a specific reason that I did this.

Marimo…

She was probably the first and the greatest death that affected me. The very reason why I became who I am. The moment she died… I think a large part of me went with her to the afterlife. Her death alone broke me and in a sense, killed the old me indirectly.

"I see… I guess you can't say it…"

"No Yuuko sensei. It's not that I can't say it… it's just that… I'd prefer not to talk about it…"

"Hmm…" After all. It's probably the last thing I wanted to talk about. "It's about Marimo, isn't it? (…!) I seemed to have hit the mark. It wouldn't take a genius to figure that out after what you did on the last stretch of the battle. (Eh?) There was some juicy gossip in the medical ward since yesterday. A dashing hero charging into the room carrying a princess in his arm, crying and begging out for help" Geh! I completely remember that. Right after I pried her out of that tower, I rushed back to the hanger and carried her personally to the medical ward. She was covered in blood so I panicked but then the doctor told me that it was just blood splattered from another source. I looked like a complete idiot. "You keep saying that you don't want bad rumors flying around but here you are making them on your own"

"Uuuuu…" I wonder if this will have any effect on my reputation.

"But in either case. Jokes aside… I guess it must've been something you wanted to prevent at all cost. (Eh?) Hmm… maybe there's some truth to what Yoroi said. But nonetheless… you've done well. (…?) I guess there are just some things in this world that doesn't require an explanation. Hmph…" She got up and started leaving towards the door. "That power of the future may yet prove useful. (…) Come to me when you remember something good. Oh and you can keep the bottle. You can have that for a celebration present" and just like that, she left.

Hmm… well that was strange.

I was expecting Yuuko to be more aggressive when she found out about me but I guess she also has a sense of sportsmanship in her. Heh… I guess she isn't so bad. She even left me a whole bottle of sake for my victory. (Gluck gluck) Ahhh… nothing burns your stomach or your brain better than this.

Maybe a few more cups before bed…

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Yuuko walked out of that room and backed to her lab in moment's notice but pulled a stop when she noticed a familiar figure standing in the distance. "Ara… you're quite fast Isumi…"

The Captain of the Valkyrie Squadron saluted in turn. "Yes Vice Commander. It's good to be back. I have a package here from the Prime Minister, just like you ordered"

Yuuko accepted the large envelope and scanned its contents with a satisfying grin. "Hmm… he couldn't even deliver it himself. That just shows how conscious he is around me. So… he really does have it. The prototype… (Ma'am?) Nothing. Thanks for your hard work Isumi. (It's nothing ma'am) Oh and after you're done with clean up duties, gather your unit together to meet up with the new members. It'll be nice to get their teamwork up to match"

"Yes ma'am. I intended on doing that tomorrow since most of the staff had been overworked for today" Isumi let out a proud nod. "I also heard that one of them is a 1st Lieutenant, correct? (Yup) This will change the layout of command. Though he's only been promoted recently, I also hear that he has done a terrific job with his unit. Commanding troops in such a mess is admirable"

"Heh… you haven't even met and already he's made a first good impression. In any case have yourself ready. I may have another assignment for you in due time"

"Yes Vice Commander. Good night"

**(December 12, 2001 Wednesday) (Barracks) (Takeru's POV) (08:10 AM)**

Ugh~~~hhhh… ok… no loud noises. My head feels like it's been gargled in someone's mouth and spat back out. This is probably what I get from drinking that whole bottle last night. Ughh… I guess this is what dad calls a hangover. I haven't felt this bad since I was twelve when my dad forgot to put his drink back in the cupboard. At first I thought it was some kind of fruit juice so I pretty much had the whole bottle. I slept on the dining table laughing like an idiot. Hehehe… mom scolded both me and dad and we were both forced to prostrate in the dining room the whole morning.

But afterwards when I got into Hakuryo High, we became regular drinking buddies late at night when either mom was asleep or out. Hahaha… those were fun times…

Oh boy… if Class rep sees me like this she'll probably give me an earful for sure. I'd better make sure to avoid her today. Maybe I'll go to the PX and get some breakfast. A light meal always has a positive effect on morning drowsiness.

Damn you Yuuko sensei! I knew that sake had something to do with it.

**(PX)**

Hmm… my squad isn't here. That's odd. Usually they'd be here having breakfast, maybe they skipped. Anyway, I'll have my share first. Hmm… the usual breakfast meal: Synthetic rice, mackerel and fried egg… hmmm…

"Oya? Takeru chan!" Kyozuka oba san called out to me. "Came to get first pick? What'll it be?"

"Ah sorry I'll just have what you have here. I'm not really that hungry"

"Now we can't have that. Just tell me what you want. I'm not really that busy either so a little cooking won't hurt. Come on just ask"

"Umm… ok. Can I have half cooked eggs? (Eh?) I'd prefer to suck on the yolk and mix it with the rice than to eat it"

"Ara, so you're that type of person. Alright just give me a minute and I'll have it right up"

"Thanks oba san. (Hahaha!) Ah… hey, have you seen Meiya, Mikoto or anyone from my squad this morning? They're usually here around this time for breakfast"

"No, not at all" What? No one came? "I'm actually surprised too. I know that Kei chan never misses a meal time no matter what happens. But then… I guess it's no surprise seeing what they had to go through a few days ago"

The BETA attack…

I guess that thing took a lot more toll on them than I thought. I must've missed the fact that even with hypnotic therapy they'll still need to sort their own emotions into the mix. Fighting against such a foe can be very stressful for the weak minded fighters. To meet humanity's mortal enemy at that very moment will no doubt cause a lot of trouble… but then again… that's exactly what they've been training for, wasn't it?

There's not a single doubt in my mind they'll be able to get pass this. They did it back then they can do it again. But even so… even with that in mind I'm still worried. Maybe I should go and visit them and see their thoughts.

Yeah… I'll do that.

"Hey oba san. I'll be back in a bit. Keep my meal warm for me. (Eh?) I won't be long, I promise. (Thump!) (Kya!) Ah! S… sorry about that" How careless of me. I was running without even looking where I was going. "That was totally my fault. I guess I should watch where I was going"

"Ow ow ow ow ow! You're darn right it's your fault. Who the hell runs like a bulldozer in the middle of the hallway" Huh? Wait… that voice, that face… that impeccable orange hair. There's no way that it's a mistake. There's no way I can ever mix that up.

"Akane?"

"Owieee… my aching back. (…) Hey! What the heck are you looking at? It's impolite to stare at someone. (…) Well? Aren't you going to help me up or are you just going to stand there?"

"Ah! Nee san. Please don't be rude. It was also your fault for running in the hallway as well"

…!

That voice…! It… it has to be. (Flash) It's…

"Haruka…"

"Forgive my sister. She was just in a hurry for breakfast. Don't take it out on her" I remember them. The Suzumiya sisters. Akane and Haruka. One of the sole survivors of the Valkyrie Squadron. During the battle Yokohama base Haruka was killed by the BETA while Akane was severely wounded. (Flash) She… she risked her own life… even though she wasn't a fighter she was still a member of the Valkyrie Squadron. (Flash) Uhh… damn it… I'm starting to remember that battle quite clearly now. "Umm… is… something wrong?"

"Oi… Haruka. Don't talk to this creep or else you'll get his idiocy too"

"Onee chan! Please don't be rude and please act accordingly. (Haaa?) Look at his collar. (…geh!) You're too slow sister…" My collar? Oh… she must be talking about my rank stripes.

"N… no way! This guy is higher ranking than me? But he looks like a complete idi—emmph!" Haruka closed her sister's mouth to prevent her from bantering on.

"Ahaha… please ignore what she says. She's just that way"

"N… no it's alright" I was finally able to break out of the trance to speak to her. "It was also my fault. I didn't mean to upset you"

"Hehe… you're too kind. Nee san… say sorry to the Lieutenant since he said sorry to you. (Guuuu…) Neee~~san…"

"Geh! Ahh… alright… alright… fine" I remember Akane having an extremely high pride on herself so I guess this must be rather embarrassing. "S… sorry…"

"No it's ok. Really" Ah… dammit. I can't look at them right now. My eyes are watering up.

"Oi, now that's something you don't get to see every day. (…!) The fearsome Little Lion of the group growing a soft spot" Th… that girl…

"Ahh! Kashiwagi! When did you get here?"

My former classmate laughed. "Right when you apologized. I thought that something was wrong with my hearing. (Guuu!) You should really start showing that cute side of yours, Akane chan. Why else do you think Haruka has all the guys around her? (Geeeehh!) Ahaha"

Kashiwagi Haruko. She was also a member of the Valkyries and a classmate in my classroom back in my world. Back then she was an excellent point guard in the basketball team and was recognized to be even better than most of the guys. (Flash) She… she was killed during the battle of Sadogashima along with the captain. (Flash) Ugh… the picture… it's getting clearer.

"Akane, please don't be so loud in the PX. You're attracting attention. (Geh!)"

Kashiwagi let out a laugh. "Ahaha… the only person in the world to be able to tame the Little Lion. Nice one Haruka. (Ah… it's nothing) (Hey!) Oh? Hello there 1st Lieutenant" She gave me a playful salute which I returned in kind. "Leave it to Akane to pick a fight with the wrong people. Sorry about that, but can you excuse her from court marshal this time? I'll be sure to give her an earful myself. (Haaa?) (Nee san!) (Gegeh!) She's always that loud and hasn't had much time on the field so she doesn't know the proper procedures of things"

"No that's ok" I'm bowing a lot today and it's only morning and the loud noises they're making is really wrecking with my hangover. "I was also at fault to that"

"Thank you very much sir" She saluted again and gestured her companion to do the same. "Ora… come on Akane. Show your courtesies too. (Meeeehh…)"

"No it's ok. I really need to go"

"Yo… what's all the racket going on here?"

…!

"A lover's quarrel? Interesting. Can I listen in too?"

Tug!

Ugh… my head. My headache is coming back.

"Now now, Misae san. Don't be mean" (Flash!) (Flash!) (Flash!) Why… why are they all appearing at once? 1st Lieutenant Hayase and Munakata, 2nd Lieutenant Kazama… all of them. It's like the gods are trying to play some kind of sick joke on me.

"Oh, you guys are here" Kashiwagi greeted them. "What took you so long?"

"There wasn't enough room in the hangers so we had to put our TSFs outside for repairs. Nothing important. So what appears to be the problem with this young man here?" (Tug!) Ugh! My head… is hurting… and my eyes are watering. This isn't good.

"Oh, listen up you guys. I just came here myself and you wouldn't believe what I heard. Akane here apologized to this guy. (Ooooh?) Yeah she was so cute. (Kashiwagi!) Ara… she's embarrassed"

"What? You're saying that little miss ball-of-energy here actually said sorry and I missed it? Damn…" Munakata grinned ear to ear when she heard that, only making Akane blush even more. "Show it to me Akane chan. It'll make a nice Christmas present for me and Touko. (WHAT?) Hehehe"

Crap… I can't… I'm really resisting the urge to go and hug them but my eyes are. (Flash!) To see all of them in front of me like this is too much. My feelings are overflowing and at the same time I'm reliving those moments in my head like my soul were going through memory lane. Even just looking at their faces was making me dizzy…

"Eh? Is something wrong 1st Lieutenant?" Haruka consoled me when she noticed my pained expression. "Are you hurt anywhere?"

Kashiwagi gave a small laugh. "Ara… it looks like having everyone here overwhelmed him. (Tug!)" Argh! "O… oi, are you alright? I was just joking you know. Ora… Akane, you made him cry! (Eh!)"

I quickly moved passed them and into the hallway. "I'm… I'm sorry. I need to go somewhere! (Eh?)"

**(Rest room)**

Haaaa… haaaa… haaaa… ahehe… ahehehe… I look pathetic. My eyes are watery. I'm crying out so hard that even my headache is starting to go numb. I don't know how to react to them. My heart feels so light and my throat is feeling rather dry. (Flash) Ugh… just thinking about them is bringing those bad memories back. My previous loop was now reconciling with me as if it was reminding me of the very reason why I came back.

I stared at my face in the mirror above the sink. My eyes and nose were red signaling that I've just been through one hell of a tear jerker moment. Ugh… I thought I'd gotten past them but to see them… here of all places.

Just seeing Akane and Haruka was tormenting enough but to see all of them appear before me when I least expect it was heart wrenching. Damn it, of course they're alive! This is the past, get used to it Shirogane. Ahhh… but what the hell? My emotions are running all over the place. I'm so happy and so sad at the same time.

Keh…

If I stayed there for about a minute longer, I'm pretty sure I would've hugged one of them by now and cried waterfalls. Come on Takeru, don't be a crybaby. We've been through this! Try and get yourself together, you're going to be working with them from now on.

Ughh…

Maybe washing my face will help. (Tug!) This headache is really getting to me. Maybe the medic was right and I've been using the simulator too often. I should probably take a little break away from the TSF for awhile.

Hmm? Strange… the water tastes funny today. Eh? The color… it's…

…

…

…

Gwahh!

WHAM!

Doh! My… my head. Wh… what the hell? I thought… I thought I saw a BETA in front of me. When I looked at the mirror I saw my face with a trunk or something. Geh… my arm… my legs? Haaaa… ok… ok calm down.

I'm probably just tired from the fight. That was all just… an illusion. But man did that freak me out. Maybe the fight with the BETA affected me subconsciously. I think it'll be best if I applied myself to the hypnotic therapy. That should help.

I'll probably leave the girls alone for now. They'll have to sort through their emotions on their own until I get some rest myself. There haven't been any new orders for us from Command so I'm guessing that we'll just remain on standby. My body could use some relaxation after patrolling the base for 20 hours straight.

"1st Lieutenant Shirogane…" Hmm? AH! "There you are. I've been looking all over for you" C… captain… Captain Isumi!-? "You weren't in your room so I thought about looking for you in the PX" It really is… it really is her. Captain… "I'm Captain Isumi Michiru of the A-01 Special Task Force 9th Squadron. You probably heard from earlier briefings that your unit will now officially be joining mine. (M… ma'am) Save the formalities for later. But in any case, your unit is ordered to report to briefing room number 5 at 11:00 hours. We can both introduce each other properly there. (Y… yes ma'am) Hmm? Is something wrong? You look pretty pale"

"N… no ma'am" N… not good. Now I'm getting the visions where the captain blew up with the Susanoo. My headache is also whacking me back. I feel rather whoozy. "You… just caught me at a bad time"

"Hmm… get yourself checked out before coming to the briefing room. I don't want you collapsing in the middle of nowhere, understand?" I gave out a salute and quickly moved away, back to my room.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Tug! Tug!

Arghh! My head… it feels like it's being drilled over and over from the outside. My visions are getting blurry and my legs are getting weaker by the second. (Tug!) Ugh… what's wrong with me? Now I'm getting a head fever? Damn it… I don't know if I can… make it. At this rate I'll definitely collapse in the middle of the hallway. Come on… just a few more corners Takeru. Just a few more corners and you'll get right into your bed and sleep until 11 o'clock.

Just…

A few… more

… corners.

Tug!

Arghh!

Thud…!

**(Marimo's POV) (Officer's longue)**

I made my way to my office after the doctor checked me out of the hospital. Just as that captain who interrogated me stated, I was indeed being reassigned to another unit far to the frontlines. Usually I wouldn't mind being reassigned but after realizing that it was under the Vice Commander's direct orders, I began to have my doubts. I've known Yuuko since Highschool and I know that she wouldn't do something without reason or without any benefit to her cause.

Has she discovered that I was still researching about Shirogane? That seems like the only viable explanation seeing that she would want to keep anyone who tries to unravel his mysteries at an arm's length.

"Eh? Jinguuji?"

"Hmm? Oh… Sergeant Ishizawa" A colleague of mine appeared from the office I was about to enter. "Are you still working at this hour?"

"No. I just finished. I'm training a new batch of cadets starting today so I thought I'd introduce them. What about you? I thought you were reassigned to a new unit"

"Yes. I just came by to pick up a few things from my office"

"The MPs already did that" Huh? "They came by last night and carried all your things to the upper levels. Your office is pretty much empty right now" N… no way! "Ah… anyway I have to go. See you later Sergeant… ah wait… I guess its 1st Lieutenant now, neh?" He gave me a playful salute before departing for the stairway.

…

…

I quickly moved into the room. The place was empty around this time during training session so I had no worries of being discovered. My table was at the end of the room near the window.

Ruffle…

I knew it. This reassignment really was done by her. Yuuko must've somehow discovered that I was researching Shirogane. Everything I had about the boy. All tapes, recording, test results, performance and history summary were all gone. Even my computer was wiped clean of all information. All my research and investigation… confiscated in an instant. All I have left are the backup data in my room which should still be hidden.

Ruffle…

All that was left on my desk was a few useless folders and old training curriculum that I came up with for my next batch of cadets which I will no longer be training. Yuuko must've gone through a lot of trouble to get this done. I've known her to be subtle when it comes to things like this but it seems like there appears to be a link between her and Shirogane. Though I'm pretty sure that it was against my code… I still have to know… why?

Why would Yuuko go through such lengths to interfere with military affairs? She may have the rank, power and authority but to be directly involved with military strategies… was not part of her jurisdiction. So far I can't approach her directly and the higher ups are simply fed the usual information.

I went back to the barracks to get away from that office. There was nothing there that can help me anymore. The MPs and investigative unit have probably confiscated the things around my room as well so I'll have to rely on my old contacts.

Shirogane himself seems to be aware of things but mostly on the surface of what Yuuko demands of him. I don't think he fully knew that he was already being sent on a suicide mission in Susono until the very last minute. He was sent there to protect the Shogun… and would've died if it were not for his superior skills on a TSF. He was able to fend a large portion of enemy without even killing a single officer. Though the new OS that he developed and the rebels—underestimating his abilities had played a part in that battle, I'm sure that Shirogane would've done fine without them.

Another thing that caught my attention was how he presented himself to the Shogun. Back in college, I learned how to read people's emotions. Though it may be faint, I saw how Her Highness reacted when the boy appeared in front of her again. She acted though they have only met but I can tell that there was a deeper relation between them. The plan that the boy presented to duel with Cpt. Sagiri was flawed in so many way yet the Shogun seemed to have placed a great deal of faith in him.

Is this it? Is this Yuuko's plan? Is she trying to indirectly get in touch with the Shogun using Shirogane as the mediator by creating a relationship between them? It's highly likely… but then again, it sounds too obvious for her. No…

There must be something else… something that she wanted to happen. Something that only Shirogane can do for her. But what could it be?

I will have to quicken my research if I want to find out more.

**(Takeru's POV) (Dream)**

Walking… walking… walking…

Strange… I don't remember the school hallway to be this long. My classroom is supposed to be right next to the stairway yet… where's the door? The windows seemed to be stretched even longer than usual too. Did they do some refurbishing during the weekends? Possible… after all, there's no telling what this school building can do.

Ugh… I don't think I'll be able to make it to class today. I'm hungry… I totally forgot about breakfast when I left early this morning. I really should get some bread from the grocery store on my way home. Mom hasn't made much since she got back.

Yawn…

I don't think Marimo chan will mind. I'm pretty much absent to class on a regular basis. Maybe I'll go and get something from the vending machine downstairs. They usually have a bag of chips or two around this time. Eh?

…

…

Ok… where did that wall come from? I'm pretty sure I've been walking in the same direction for over ten minutes now so there couldn't have been a wall there.

Wait… in fact… how in the world did I get here in the first place? And if today is a school day then… where is everybody? Where are the teachers? I didn't see anyone on the main hall and the shoe lockers are completely empty. As a matter of fact, I didn't even see the morning janitor sweeping the outside like usual.

And when did it turn dark outside? And why am I wearing my old school uniform? S… something doesn't feel right here.

Clack!

…!

What was that? Something metal just made a sound in the way ahead.

Click!

Gah! N… now the lights are off? (Clack! Click! Clack Click) There's that noise again. It's coming from the room next door. It sounds like… something heavy and metal hitting one another. (Clang! Clang!) Something… is definitely not right here. The sound, the school… I feel as if everything but myself is out of place here. I don't know what scares me more… the fact that I don't know how I got here or that annoying clang sound that's been going on around my head?

Clang! Click! Clack!

It was banging at a steady rhythm and was getting even louder as if telling me to get here now.

Following my instincts and seeing that there was nowhere else to go, I slowly moved to the door. I looked around and saw that the wall had grown closer as if they were boxing me to open this room.

Click…

"Hello?" I called out in a small voice. "Is anyone here?"

It was my classroom. I remember the table arrangement. Even though most of the rooms look alike I can tell that there was a distinction between them. The pedestal where Marimo always stands in for class is moved a little more towards the window because she wanted the students to be the center of attention when they come up and read out front.

The window on the very end is also always closed because someone broke the lever to turn the mirrors back in. it's been stuck like that ever since the first semester.

…

…

There was no one here. No students, no teacher… and the metallic sound that came from this room vanished the moment I opened the door. There was absolutely nothing. Not a single spec of light other than those that came from stars. The wind was absent and for a moment I might actually think that time itself may have stopped for me entirely. If only I had that kind of power then I would be able to do anything.

But the bigger question is… what in the world am I doing here? I was expecting to see someone but instead all I see are empty tables. The whole room was deserted and it didn't look like anyone was here.

"Hello?" I tried to call out again to see if I can get any reaction but silence was my only reply. I looked over to my table, second to the last of center lane. If I look closely enough I seem to remember where everyone else seated. How long has it been since I sat here? 1000 years? Maybe even longer if my memory serves.

Heh… sometimes when I get bored I would draw doodles on my table to pass the time. Class rep often told me that the table is school property and we should take good care of it. Hehehe…

Even Sumika… Sumika… would… she would…

"Takeru… chan…"

Eh? "S… Sumika?" The red headed girl I called out appeared out of the blues in the middle of the classroom. I can only see her legs up to her skirt thanks to the light but I would recognize that voice anywhere. "Wh… where did you come from? (…) Geez… I thought I was alone here for a moment. Where is everyone? And what are we doing here in the first place?"

"It's time… you left. (Eh?) It's time for you to leave…"

"Leave? What are you talking about? I just got here and… S… Sumika?"

"You must leave… this place" What is she talking about? It's not like her.

"Hey Sumika, quit it. You're starting to scare me…"

"Takeru chan…" She took a step closer making the light reflect on her school uniform. "You must leave this place… forever… ughh…"

"H… hey are you alright? Do you have a headache? (You must leave…) Ok I'll leave but I'm bringing you with me. Come on. I know the fastest way to the nurse's office! (Ughhh!) Hey Sumika. Stay with me. Don't drop on me now!"

"Takeru chan… you have to… le—**STAY**!" Bwah! W… what the heck? Sumika just tossed me over like I was made out of feathers.

"Sumika! What's gotten into you? Come on. We'll go to the hospital and get you to a doctor and then… (Crack!) Wh… wha?" Sumika's face began to crack. Her eyes bulging out of their sockets. "S… Sumika? Wh…"

"You will stay here!" Sumika's head exploded and from the inside a monster with a computerized voice appeared. Wait… I know that thing.

"I… I know you! You're that monster…" It's the monster that I killed in the Kashgar Hive. "Wh… how are you… doing this? What happened to Sumika?"

**"You will stay… and you will fight on! You must! **(What?) **You must fight on… for our sakes!** (Wh… what are you talking about?) **Wake up!** (Huh?) **It is time for you to wake up!**" His tentacles made of razor sharp objects pierced my stomach in response.

Gwaaaaaaahh!

**(Yuuko's office)**

Click… click click… click…

"Kahhhh!" My eyes shot up from the figural nightmare. Immediately my first intentions were to gather my surroundings. Ugh… where am I? Was I sleeping? Did everything that just happened a few minutes ago real or was it a dream? And why does my brain feel like it's been crushed like a peach? Oooooh… my head… it feels cold. Is that an icepack?

"Here…" Eh? Kasumi? She's holding on a tray with a glass of water and an aspirin pill.

"Oh… thanks Kasumi" I took the two together and got my head out of the bed… or sofa. I think it's a sofa. Hey… wait a second. Isn't this… Yuuko's office in the lower levels?

How did I get here? The last thing… I remember was speaking with Cpt. Isumi for the first time and then… I must've passed out. My head still feels woozy so I can't move too much. Arghh! Even just standing up brings a mountain load of migraine into my brain. What the heck happened to me?

"I see you're finally up" Huh? Yuuko? She just entered through the doorway. "How are you feeling? (Ughh…) I guess that should be expected seeing how you were unconscious out there for almost three hours" Three hours? I've been out for three hours already? "Sit down and let me have a look at you" She placed her hand over my forehead to check my temperature. "Hmm… returned to normal in just a few hours… impressive. (Eh?) When Yashiro found you, your temperature was above 120 Fahrenheit. But now it reverted back to normal. (…?)"

"Huh? Kasumi… found me?"

"She ran from the lab just when I was doing her usual checkup and found you in front of the barracks. You were unconscious and running a high fever so she brought you here" I guess that explains how I got here and the icepack. "Hmm… you seem well enough and your face is regaining some colors. I recommend a few more hours of rest before meeting with your new unit" Eh? New unit?

"Oh crap! The meeting!" Captain Isumi asked me to meet with the team!

"I already told Isumi that you're running a top secret mission for me so you're excused from this afternoon's meeting" Yuuko explained to me before taking a seat on her table. "You've been asleep for almost three hours now. I ran a basic diagnostic on your body and it seems like all your internal organs are working perfectly fine. So… mind telling me what happened or do I need to start lining some questions? (…) So what happened?"

"I… I don't rightly remember. (Try…) The last thing I did was talk to Captain Isumi and afterwards… I began receiving this painful headache. And before I knew it I was sweating, crying and laughing at the same time" I described everything that I felt in the last few moments I could remember before passing out.

"Did this also happen in your other loops?"

"No this is pretty much the first time"

Yuuko nodded and thought for a second before asking. "Hmm… when did the headache start?"

"Umm… sometime during the coup. I can't really remember when. I thought it was just some minor migraine from too much simulator combat so I asked for some aspirin from the infirmary. It worked but only for a short while"

"Hmm… I see"

"Do you think it has something to do with my fast regenerative ability?"

"Possibly. But no proof yet" Was her answer. "Tell me what happened before this morning. Right before you fainted. Everything in specific detail"

"Uh… ok…" I then told her everything from the hangover this morning right down to the PX meeting with the Valkyries. It was only a few minutes since I woke up until that time. Then afterwards my whole head began to spin when I met with Captain Isumi… and afterwards I fell to the floor, completely weakened.

"Hmm… interesting" She muttered through a calculated look. "Tell me something. What did you feel when you met them? Did you receive any chest pains or something similar?"

"No… I just felt… really sad, happy and delirious at the same time. I felt my head got woozy and then I fainted afterwards"

"Hmm… it's possible that you had a mental breakdown. (Huh?) It's a normal human condition. Judging from what happened, seeing all of them at once and unprepared, your emotions must've blown out of proportion. Though I can't really say for sure… I'm guessing that something must've happened in the future that made you react like that" (Flash) The images of their deaths slowly began returning to my mind.

"Yeah… I guess you could say that" I said quietly, returning to my seat. Kasumi patted my shoulders giving out a worried expression. "Sorry Kasumi, I didn't mean to worry you. Thanks for helping me out back then"

"It's ok…" She said in her usual monotone voice. "Please take it easy next time…"

"Yeah… I promise I'll start easing up a little bit"

Yuuko then cleared her throat to regain my attention. "As for your headache however… I'll need more time to analyze it. (Eh?) Though both problems stem from the same root, I believe them to be very different things"

"What makes you say that? (…) Yuuko sensei?"

"During the XM3 trial… (Huh?) Did you notice something different in your surroundings? Anything at all?"

"Anything odd?" (Flash) Oh right… there was that time when I thought that everything was moving a lot slower than it was supposed to be. "Back during the trial before the BETA attacked… I did notice something strange. (Hmm…) The XM3 wasn't moving as fast as I wanted it to be. (Huh?) The movement patterns were still the same and it granted excellent maneuverability but it wasn't going as fast I wanted it. Even everything around me was moving slower"

"I see… so that explains it" Explain? Explains what? "Take a look at this" She opened up the giant monitor behind the chalkboard where it was showing some kind of movie. Oh wait… I remember this. This was the video they showed during the aftermath of the battle.

"Isn't this during the trial?"

"Yes. You were performing admirably as usual, fighting off your opponents almost too easily. I asked them to send me your data so I can better understand it but so far I found nothing out of the ordinary… until this" She fast forwarded the video to the latter battle scene when I was facing off against the last opponent in our first match. It was that very moment when I saw myself moving oddly faster than usual. At first glance it would look like I was moving the TSF normally but if your eyes are trained like mine then you'll know that there was something really wrong with that picture. "Did you see it?"

"Yeah… it was fast but I definitely saw something happening when I dodge those paintballs"

"You have good eyes. I didn't really see it until I slowed it down. (…?) Here, let me show you" She then slowed the frame rate of the video and it was there I saw it. Though it was very quick, very small, you can see it. My TSF's movements were fast… unnaturally fast. For a split moment I was actually moving faster than the bullets that came at me. It almost looks as weird as Takahashi's way of moving the 60 meter long limo in a corner turn. "From that time, I decided to look at your records and your vital signs and I found this" Yuuko then switched the channels on the monitor and showed my vital signs from the exosuit. "During that time, your heart exceeded the regular levels. (…?) A normal human in your age at rest has the average of 60 to 100 beats a minute. During a stressful activity it goes up to 150 to 200 or maybe more. But yours exceeded up to almost 400 beats per minute"

"400!-? That's worse than a heart attack!"

"At that pace, a regular human would be dead by now. But yet somehow, your body has been able to suppress all that adrenaline and keep you alive. (…?) Haaa… and the puzzle just keeps on getting bigger and bigger, doesn't it? I'm hardly even surprise anymore"

"So… what does that mean? What does that have to do with my super movement earlier?"

"Adrenaline… obviously. (Adrenaline?) When a perdon is stressed, their bodies' adrenal gland releases adrenaline which then releases dopamine which can be used as the body's own painkillers" Wait… I think I know this. I think Mikoto taught this to me during one of our Medical Training seminars. She talked about how the body worked and how it becomes stronger during a Fight or Flight situation. "Your adrenaline rush was no different but it however was activated on a very different level. Instead of just your strength, it seems to have improved your reaction time and concept of speed. (…) You see things on a different perspective than others. What you consider slow, others may consider it to be fast and what you consider fast during this period of time, others may see it as lightning speed"

"…" I see… so that explains why my TSF seemed to be going slower than usual. It's not that I was going slow, my perspective of speed was just going faster.

"To put it into simpler terms: Your level of perspective is on a whole different level" Wow… if that's true then I might be able to do what the hero did in the movie The Watrix. "And for that… Shirogane… (Hmm?) Won't you volunteer to be a test subject this once? (No!) Ara… instant reaction"

"I learned that when the world 'Test' or 'Experiment' comes out of you, that is usually my first answer"

"Too bad. But in either case… though your ability to regenerate and acceleration are of great interest, you can't rely on them all the time. (Eh?) The reason why you fainted may play a role in those two powers you have, but there's no telling what side effects might. I'll have to develop something that will suppress your feelings on a very different level"

"Oh come on now. It can't be that bad, can it?"

"I'm only considering this because I do not want you to be a liability for your unit. (…?) What if you had a mental breakdown during your operations? Or when your whole squad is counting on you to complete an objective? Do you really want that to happen" Geh… she… has a point there. "You have accomplished many things in this life Shirogane, but you can't beat the world if you have a weakness. You got that? (Yes ma'am) Good. Come back here tomorrow night after dinner. I might have something ready by then. Until I've developed some kind of countermeasure for your condition… you mustn't get too emotional or people will start asking questions. Understand? (Yes ma'am) Good. You may go. Yashiro… (Hai…) Oh and meet up with Isumi as well to introduce yourself to the Squad. They should be at the PX around this time"

**(PX)**

Ugh… my head still hurts from this morning. It's a lot worse than my hangover too. It's like I got nailed with one of my mom's infamous porridge. She only gives it to me to somehow make me feel better.

"…" Kasumi escorted me from the labs to the barracks and was gazing back at me with worrying eyes. She was even holding onto the extra icepack that I gave back.

"Hey, no need to worry" I reassured her. "I won't faint this time. I promise. You don't really need to follow me everywhere. (Huuuu…) Ok ok… you can eat with me so no more worried faces ok? (Sparkle!) Hehehe…" Her eyes glittered the moment I said she could eat with me. I guess she likes being spoon-fed all the time. What a kid…

Hmm… the PX seems crowded. It's to be expected seeing that this is still dinner. I guess nobody wants to miss a meal. I'll just grab a tray and lineup.

"Ah! Takeru! There you are" Hmm?

"Oh hey there Meiya. You just got here yourself?"

"No… I'm actually here for my second serving. I was actually worried about you since you didn't report for the meeting this afternoon"

"Huh? Ah… yeah… Yuuko sensei called me up for something so I had to report to her"

"Yes… they said that as well. Some kind of top secret mission, correct? (Yeah) Well you are here now so I shall not complain. Come. You must meet the others"

After grabbing my meal, I quickly joined the old gang by the table. Everyone from my squad except Captain Isumi was there.

"Ah! Takeru! You're finally here!" Mikoto greeted me. "We missed you all day"

"Yeah… sorry about that. I was kind of busy"

"EHHHH!-?" Akane, who was busy eating earlier, squirmed up when she saw my face for the second time that day. "Y… you! You're him! The crybaby! (Eh?) (Crybaby?)" Where the hell did that come from?

"Do you two know each other?"

"Akane chan. That's not a way to address a superior officer, especially when it's the first time you've met. (Geh!)" Haruka scolded her sister.

"Have you two met already?" Class rep asked.

"We met this morning" Kashiwagi answered. "But who would've thought that we would bump into the legendary rookie himself? I guess we all made a bad first impression. So much for that, guys. Ahahaha"

"1st Lieutenant" Haruka bowed lowly to me. "I apologize for my sister's earlier behavior. She wasn't in the clear state of mind at the time. (Ah! Sis!) Akane… if you had not been so rude before, this would've been a different story"

"Guuu! But the guy looked like an idiot" Hey, you do know I can hear you just fine, right.

"Alright you three, settle down" 1st Lieutenant Hayase ordered. "The Captain already told us that Shirogane was excused from the meeting because of a mission from the Vice Commander so shove it. But now that he's here, I'll have to reintroduce all of you again. Shirogane…"

"Yes ma'am" I saluted with one hand carrying my tray.

"No need to be so uptight. In this unit we tend to leave formalities out of the picture unless some big shots are looking at us. The Vice Commander keeps telling us to not to do anything useless anyway. Since this is an informal meeting you can skip the salute. (Ma'am) I'll introduce you to the rest of the squad. I'm pretty sure you remember your unit from your cadet training" She gestured to my fellow graduates on the left side of the table. "As you may know we're part of the Special Task Force consisting for a large number of squads. Originally there were supposedly ten squads but our numbers have been reduced drastically in the few missions that we've come through" That's right. The Special Task Force has the highest rate of KIA, MIA in the U.N. Army. Only those who have everything or nothing to lose get assigned here. "We're the 9th Squadron. This unit comprises of three platoons A, B and C in that order. I'll fill you in on that later. Anyway, I'll go first"

"Yes ma'am"

"I'm 1st Lieutenant Hayase Mitsuki. 2nd in command of this unit and commander of B Platoon. According to what the captain said, you'll be under my wing so we'll be seeing a lot of each other. (Ma'am) Hey, I told you to leave that formal thing out. (Sorry ma'am) Hehehe. Anyway, grab a seat and I'll introduce you to the rest of the squad. On my right here is our Command Post Officer, 1st Lieutenant Suzumiya Haruka. She graduated the same time I did, three terms before you"

"Hai… we've met before. It's a pleasure to meet you again, 1st Lieutenant Shirogane Takeru"

"Oi… what did I say about leaving formalities for later?"

"Ah… sorry 1st Lieutenant" Hehehe… she seems cute. Almost too cute for military standards…

Hayase let out a small sigh but left it for later. "Suzumiya here handles battlefield control from the base. Don't let appearance fool you. She's a lot scarier than you'd think so don't get on her bad side. (L… lieuteannt!) Hehe. Anyway moving on. Next to her is 1st Lieutenant Munakata Misae, commander of Platoon C. She graduated two terms before you. (Ma'am) Ah before you get any ideas, you have to know that Munakata hates men. Don't bother with taking your chances with her"

Don't I know it? I know her personality so well that it's pretty much burned into my head.

"Ara have no worries 1st Lieutenant Hayase… I have nothing against men so long as it feels good" Geh… she said the same thing back in my previous loop too.

"Ah… is that so? Good for you, Shirogane" Come on. This sounds like a typical new guy bully initiation. "Anyway moving on. Next to her is 2nd Lieutenant Kazama Touko. She graduated one term earlier than you. You're both probably on the same level in terms of knowledge so if there's something you don't understand then you may ask her. (Ma'am)"

"It's a pleasure to meet you 1st Lieutenant Shirogane. Don't hesitate to ask me anything" Touko. Though we may not know each other that well I'm pretty sure she taught me a lot. She was first one to beat me in our mock battles after all.

"Alright. Moving on, there's 2nd Lieutenant Kashiwagi Haruko. She graduated two months before you so she's probably your equal in terms of experience" Kashiwagi. I've known her since freshman year. Though we don't usually hang out, we often teamed up in gym class to beat the other guys. Heh… we were quite a pair, especially when it came to basketball. She was a point guard for the female team and was considered to be the best athlete the school had, coming only second to Akane. (Flash) Eh? (Flash) Kashiwagi… and me? (Flash) Ah crap. Focus Takeru.

"Good to see you again, 1st Lieutenant Shirogane"

"Ah… you too ma'am"

"I would like to say that Kashiwagi is your superior but in terms of rank I guess she would be following you"

"Ahaha… no need to be mean Hayase san. Anyone is fair game" Fair game? (Flash) Uh… ok that seriously did not happen. There's no way Kashiwagi and me did that.

"Anyway, moving on to the last will be 2nd Lieutenant Suzumiya Akane. She graduated the same time as Kashiwagi, two months ahead of you"

"Guuu…" The said girl was staring at me with those mean eyes.

Haruka approached her and whispered. "Akane chan. Please don't be rude and say your greetings"

"Geh!" Hehehe… I guess her sister is her weakness in these times. "F… fine. N…n…n… nice to meet you… 1st Lieutenant Shirogane"

"The… pleasure is mine" I stated back acting cool. "Class rep told me that you're amazing. (Class rep?) Ah… I mean 2nd Lieutenant Sakaki"

"Apparently that's what he calls me" Chizuru explained to them. "I keep telling him to throw that old habit away but it seems to have stuck with him" Geh! What the hell? You said it was fine to call you that?

"Hmm I guess she does have that face" Hayase seemingly agreed with me. "I guess Class rep does suit her. Anyway, as you can tell from our conversation, Akane is the younger sister of 1st Lieutenant Suzumiya and they both joined the same unit. What a weird coincidence neh? Anyway that's everyone. Don't be afraid to ask questions if you don't understand something"

"Ah… Lieutenant. You forgot someone" Haruka whispered.

"Hmm? Ah… that's right. I completely forgot that we've also received a last minute addition to our unit" Eh? There's another one? That can't be right. Who else am I missing? (Kuu…) The gang seemed to have gotten stiff. "It was a last minute replacement for our intel officer so she won't be joining us in battle. (Tick tack…) Ah… speak of the devil. I'm pretty sure you all remember her, Shirogane"

I looked back to our newest member of the group with a curious brow.

"Sorry I'm late. There was something that I needed to do"

"Shirogane… I'm sure you remember your instr—"

"Marimo chan…?"


	24. Everything as it Should be

**Chapter 24: Everything as it should be**

**(December 13, 2001 Thursday)(Simulator Room)(01:20 PM)**

BETA Hive Simulator Training Exercise. I haven't had one of these since before Operation Ouka. Seeing that our Type-94 Shiranuis are still being transferred from the factory we won't be having our mock battles any time soon.

Just seeing the wall cavern gives me flashes of nightmares I'd rather forget. I remember every detail of those last moments like it happened yesterday. The dropping from space, the Lasers and then the attack… everything.

That event will probably be burned into my mind for the rest of my life. The fire, the deaths… the last shot. Ugh… just thinking about it is making me nauseous.

"Oi… Shirogane, come on keep up" Huh? "You're lagging behind. A Storm Vanguard always stays in the far front. Come on!"

"Y… yes 1st Lieutenant Hayase" Ugh… I got to keep my head in the game. Even if this was just a BETA Hive training exercise, it felt real enough. The Volks training exercise was comprised of Data made by the Russian Volk's TSF Battalion. They were the only about a dozen survivors of the 5 companies that entered the BETA Hive in Minsk. If I remember correctly, the casualty ratings were extremely high on all sides. Soviets, NATO…

"Heads up everyone. We're coming in on the first stratum"

The 9th Squadron, AKA: Isumi's Valkyries. I won't say that we were the best team in the world but back in Sadogashima we were pretty awesome ourselves. Though our unit comprised of probably some strange people, they're probably the best in killing BETA.

The group comprised of three platoons. Platoon B is the Storm Vanguard force with 1st Lieutenant Hayase in charge of me, Meiya and Ayamine. Naturally since we're the best in melee and hand to hand combat. Close, quick and deadly are probably the words best to describe the Storm Vanguards.

Platoon A which is the right wing of our formation is led by the Captain herself comprising of Class rep, Tama and Mikoto. They'll be guarding our right, and supporting the center of our formation. Each platoon was equally balanced in terms of firepower so that we won't have any weak links. Also… as a surprising matter, if there's a situation where the Captain is unavailable, I will take over command of Platoon A when necessary. That is of course thanks to my rank.

Platoon C which will be holding our Left Wing will be led by 1st Lt. Munakata comprising of most of our snipers. Tokou, Akane and Kashiwagi.

"This is Valhalla BAse to all units. A large BETA swarm is approaching from the third shaft. Medium size BETA swarm approaching from Hall-3" D… darn it. I also can't forget our intel unit. Although Haruka was our operator, we now also had a secondary intel officer. I was actually quite surprised to see that Marimo was assigned to our unit too. I have a hunch that it's all Yuuko sensei's doing but right now I should be happy. Happy that Marimo's alive…

I changed the future again… yet… why am I feeling like something bad is about to happen?

"Here they come! All units, switch to crane wing formation! Do not fire until I say so"

**(A few hours later) (PX)**

Hmm… the simulator battle didn't feel right. No matter how many times I do it, the results just aren't the same. Since we can predict when and where the BETA will come, we can become overconfident of our own skills.

Sure… the records were impressive. Going down the first stratum and going down for about 1000 meters on the first try was excellent for any unit but it's just not the same. It took an entire army just to get to that level and only 14 Eishis were able to make it back. It just doesn't feel right.

Though I must admit that since our combat exercise have been seriously accelerated ahead of time, I'm worried about the rest of the gang. I haven't been able to talk to them since the BETA attack.

" Shirogane san?" Hmm? Touko? "Is something the matter? You have not touched your dinner since you've arrived"

"No it's nothing Kazama san. I'm just a little under the weather. (Why?) You could say that some people have their off-days"

"Hmm…" Akane is looking at my direction. She's scary when she's like that. I don't know how I got on her bad side but it seems incurable now.

"If you're feeling down, just ask and I'll fix that attitude of yours in a few hours" 1st Lt. Munakata added flashing a grin at me. She's twice as scary as Hayase but her constant sex-jokes can lift your mood any day. "If you want, I can wait in your room in something more comfortable"

"N… no thanks 1st Lt. I'll be just fine"

"Hmmm…"

"Tch… and here I thought you'd be more interesting than Hayase. (Mu-na-ka-ta) Ara? Perhaps I shouldn't speak of that event a few nights ago. (Eh!-?) (Don't believe her!) Ara… I'm sad" She looks mature but her personality leaves a lot of be desired. But I still wouldn't change it no matter what.

"Hmmmmmmmm…"

"Uh… Is something wrong, 2nd Lieutenant Suzumiya?" She was staring intently at me like she was looking for a pimple to pinch.

"I don't believe it" Eh? "Shirogane… how many times have you taken that training exercise? (…?) During our simulator training earlier. You knew all the nooks and crannies like you've been through them before. I can't believe that a rookie, no matter how good, can do such things without messing things up" Ok now what's this about? Akane seems to be more aggressive than usual.

"Now now, don't be mean, Akane chan" Her little sister cooed. "You're speaking rudely to your superior officer"

"And that's another thing I'm curious about! How come you get two promotions at once? It just screams suspicions! Don't you guys find it weird at all?"

"Well… now that you say it…" Mikoto? You're in on this too? "We did find it weird at first. But then I guess you could say we were expecting it"

"Y… yeah" Tama added. "Shirogane has been better than us in almost everything. We tried to match up to him but he's really good. Especially on a TSF"

"But isn't Shirogane also close to the Vice Commander?" Oh? Nice save Class rep. "He's been doing some special assignments so I guess it's to be expected that he'd get some reputation around the higher chain of command"

"Hoo? Is that it then?" Akane stated in a mocking tone. Does me being in the Storm Vanguard and being her superior officer annoy her that much? I know that she can be competitive and that she also wants to fight by 1st Lt. Hayase's side but does she have to vent that much on me. "Don't tell me you got your rank by sucking up on the commander now. (Of course not) Maybe a reward on a job well done? Hmm… you're a strange one" You're the only person one who thinks that way.

"Ah don't take it too hard Shirogane" Hayase covered for me. "She's probably annoyed that you got better scores than her on the simulator"

"1st Lieutenant! You of all people should also be suspicious about this! Didn't you see his records on how he totaled the exercise with just a breeze of his hands? I can't accept the fact that a rookie who came straight out of the school can actually be better than you! Doesn't it make you wonder at all?"

"It's not a problem as long as he can fight. It doesn't matter if he's young, old or plain weird. As long as that guy knows how to follow orders than he's alright with me"

"But still… it's just I can't accept the fact that you're this good. No normal human can be that good right off the bat"

…!

She's right… I'm not human. My whole body is inhumane itself. My body may retain the original 16 year old me but inside I'm actually older… a lot older. My body also heals faster than your average human. My perspective of speed has been altered and who knows what else has changed in me. If anything, I don't think the term 'human' fits my description anymore. Yuuko would probably agree with that. I'm a Causality Conductor but other than going back to the past and changing the future, what else can I become?

"Akane!" Haruka scolded her again. "Please don't pry in other people's business. The unit's code states that it doesn't matter where they gain their abilities or how… the only viable matter is that they are capable"

"Hmm… I guess. But still… that's a lot of secrets for one guy"

Ah… this is stupid. I don't need to stay here and take this from her…

"I think I'll go now. (…?)" I excused myself from the table. "I'm not really hungry at the moment. I'll see you all later. (…!)"

"Ah… Takeru wait!" Meiya called out.

"Ara… Akane… now you annoyed Takeru off… (Eh? Ah! Uuuu…)"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

I made my way to the hallway when Meiya intercepted me. "Huh? Oh hey there Meiya. What's up?"

"Please don't take her words harshly. I do not think she meant what she said back then" She stated, explaining Akane's actions. "You have all the right to be angry at her. She had no right to intrude into your personal life. I would've taken action if the others were not present"

"Heh… don't worry about it. I was feeling off myself so it was a lot better if I just walked it out. Besides, she has her reasons. (Eh?) I read the report on the 9th Squadron's mission. They lost a few members during their last few sorties. Most of them belonged to the squad that Akane used to lead when she was part of the 207th so you could say that she has a survivor's guilt"

"You… you knew about it?"

"You don't get to be an officer without knowing these things" I lied… I already knew about it from my previous loop. Apparently they were killed during the operation when the BETA attacked from Sadogashima a few months ago. "Anyway, I don't hold a grudge to her. She's probably just looking at my actions as being too good for a regular soldier and making sure that I won't get all these talents go to my head. Class rep did say that she can be quite competitive"

"But she had no reasons to say what she did. It's true that you are indeed superior in all forms of combat, but it doesn't matter how you acquire it. It's what you do with those talents that define you" Hehehe… that actually sounds like something a grandmaster would say to his pupil. "I will return to the PX and give her a piece of my mind later"

"Ah… there's no need to do that. (But still…) I'm sure her sister is probably scolding her right now so she'll probably get an earful by the time you get back. Cut her some slack. (…) I know you have that good sense of protecting others Meiya, but can you let this slide for now? She probably has a lot on her mind too so maybe some support from time to time will loosen her up. Besides… she has the right to be suspicious. I am keeping a lot of things from all you. (But…) Please…?"

"Geh…" She gave an annoyed sigh. "I cannot stand when someone forces themselves onto someone else's privacy. But… if you say so then I shall comply. I won't argue with the 2nd Lieutenant. But do note that I object to your idea. (Thanks…) Ah… wait… Takeru. (Hmm?) Umm… I… I know this may sound improper but… do you have time later tonight? (Eh? Why?) Well… ever since the battle… we have not had time to see one another. And with your special mission with Professor Kouzuki I'm sure that you have a lot on your plate. I would… like to have a chance to hang out at least once. (…) Ah! If you're busy with something else then I completely understand!"

"Ah… well…" Heh… now that she mentioned I have been seriously busy in the past few days. With the new company that we've been assigned, along with the frequent checkups by Yuuko sensei and all the paperwork that I have to do from time to time, I barely had time for myself. I guess I forgot that I have friends around me.

"Is it… not possible?"

"Actually I might have time later tonight. (…?) I have to meet with Yuuko sensei for something but I'll ask her to cut the meeting short. (Really!-?) Yeah. How about you and I meet up tonight at the track field? We still haven't done that since I first came to the base, remember?"

"Yes… indeed I have not forgotten. I shall wait for you there. Until then Takeru"

Yeah…

And just like that, Meiya ran off looking all giddy like a kid again. Hehe… she's cute when she's like that. Well I guess it's just me now. I'd better pay Yuuko a visit and see what she has for me. I'd rather have my increased heart rate cured as fast as possible.

"Haaaa…"

Hmm? Is that…?

"Marimo? (Eh?) Er… I mean, 1st Lieutenant Jinguuji. What are you doing here?"

"I was just about to have dinner. Nothing much" She seems to be in a bad mood. She wouldn't make that face in front of any of her friend or student.

"Having dinner?" I gazed at the office where she came from. "You're not eating in the cafeteria?"

"The PX gets crowded around this time so I decided to eat back here. Anyway I'm busy right now. So I'll be going now" Huh? Ok that's odd… that didn't sound like the Marimo chan I know. She sounds annoyed for some reason.

"Ah… wait Ser… I mean 1st Lieutenant. (What?) Do… you need help with something? Maybe I can be of assistance. (No…)" Ok I might not know Marimo that well in both worlds, but I know that she wouldn't respond that coldly without something troubling her mind. There's definitely something bothering her. "Is… something wrong? You look tired"

"I'm really busy at the moment 1st Lieutenant Shirogane. Now if you don't mind. There's somewhere I need to be"

"W… wait Marimo. Surely you could use some—(Whack!) Ow!" I tried to reach out to her but she slapped my hand away. Th… that really hurt. (…!)

"Ah… ! Sh… Shirogane…" Marimo seems to have understood her action just now and quickly held my arm in a soft caring way. "D… did I hurt you? (N… no. Not much…) I'm… sorry. That was uncalled for. I'm in a bad mood and I'm taking my stress out on you. (…)"

"No it's my fault really" I waved my hand back in defense. She seems to have calmed down at least. Ever since I discovered that she was going to be part of the Valkyries, I was practically ecstatic. A little awkward at first but in a good way. She was even elevated in the rank of 1st Lieutenant so we're practically equals. "I guess I was too forceful. I shouldn't butt myself into other people's business. (…) But even so… Instructor… when a member of my Squad is having trouble… I often try to make it my business. (…) Aga! Ow… that hurts"

"Ah… that's going to leave a mark. Come with me. I have some band-aids in my room. (No that won't be—) Just come" I guess I have no right to refuse her.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Wow… so this is Marimo chan's room? It was only a few doorways away from the barracks. There were notebooks, worksheets, training manuals, a computer and even a cabinet full of nothing but office supplies. This place practically screams 'teacher'.

"Here, sit down" She offered me a seat which I accepted. "She quickly got on her way of treating my accidental wound which wasn't all that alarming. If she left it alone, it probably would've healed overnight. "I'm sorry about that. You were only trying to help and I rejected too far off the bat"

"No it's alright, really"

"Well it's practically your fault too, you know?" Eh? It's my fault? "If you hadn't kept pestering me about helping this would've gone a lot differently. Seriously now, Shirogane. Can't you just leave other people be when they're facing a dilemma of their own? (S… sorry) (sigh) Ugh… I'm doing it again… this isn't like me at all"

"I didn't mean to force my help like that, Mari—er I mean 1st Lieutenant"

"You can call me Marimo if you want. After all we're practically on equal terms right now"

"Ah… sorry. Anyway… it's just that… you have that face. (Eh?) I know we haven't had the time to understand one another… but if there's one thing I know is that whenever you're troubled, you have a certain expression on your face" I've seen it plenty of times both in this world and mine. Right before when ALTERNATIVE V was going to be announced, Marimo had that face. It says that she was troubled and doesn't want anyone getting in her way.

"I guess I should be more careful with my own habits"

"I know it's not any of my business ma'am but… I just wanted to let you know. If there's anything troubling you… I'm always here to lend a hand. (…) You've always taught me that a team needs to stick together to make strong ties. If one of us has trouble, it'll affect the whole team. Besides… I really want to help you too. (…?) You've done a lot for me Marimo sensei and I only want to give something back no matter how small or insignificant it might be"

"Shirogane…"

"Ahahaha… if Mikoto were here he'd probably say that my line came straight out of a movie. Ahahaha…"

"Yeah… huhuhuhuhu" There we go. That's the smiling face of the Marimo chan I know and love. Always caring for the students no matter what they do. "Thanks for the offer Shirogane but there are some things in this world that people must do on their own. Otherwise they'll learn nothing at all"

"Yeah… I guess you're right. But anyway. If you ever change your mind, I'm here when you need me. (Yeah…) Anyway I should go. Yuuko sensei will be looking for me"

Grumble…

…

…

…

Guuuu…

Darn it… my stomach just rumbled. I totally forgot I didn't even have a single bite from dinner earlier. It's all thanks to Akane…

"Shirogane…" Marimo called out. "You haven't had dinner yet?"

"Ahehehe… no. I kinda got kicked out by someone. (Kicked out?) Ahaha… it's a long story best told when we're not busy. (Grumble…) Quiet you…!" I said to my stomach as it rumbled some more. If you listen closely, I think you might even hear it say 'Feed Me!' in a low toned voice.

"Would you like to have half of mine? (Eh?) I didn't make much today but I guess I can give some to you. Come this way…"

"Eh? You cook too Marimo sensei?"

"On occasion. I sometimes make my own meals in PX when there's no one around. (Heeeh…) But keep it a secret from Sergeant Kyozuka alright? She hates it whenever she sees other people doing her job"

"My lips are sealed. (Ruffle)" Hoo? Fried eggs, tomatoes, and synthetic rice and chicken? Not only does it look good but they also smell good too. I wonder if the taste will do them justice.

"D… don't stare at it too much. I only made it between lunch and dinner"

"But they look delicious! (Huhuhuh…) May I? (Of course) Then I'll start with the fried eggs. (Flash) Eh?" Wait… I'm getting serious dosage of dejavu here. Have we… done this before? (Flash) I don't quite remember that part. I remember coming into the Physics prep room but what happened in there? (Flash) I see myself and Marimo… feeding me? No wait… that can't be right.

"Shirogane? Is something wrong?"

"Ha? Oh… ah… no. I was just thinking about something. Here I go then. (Itidakimasu!) Hmm…" The fried eggs. They're subtle with a hint of sweetness and saltiness. It kind of reminds me of mom's breakfast meals. She'd dip the egg in broth and let it boil there for a minute before taking it out. My dad likes to suck on the yolk so I guess we share the same habit there. "Hmm! These are great! (Eh?) You should consider being a chef one day Marimo sensei"

"That's not exactly a profession I'd consider"

"Heeeh… but this is great. Even the mini tomatoes are delicious. I'll just have a few of these and we can half the rice"

"It's alright you can have the rest. (Eh?) You can take it as thanks for… for… (For?) Ah… umm… for saving me back then. (Huh?)" What did she say? I couldn't hear. "Ne… never mind. Just take it as thanks for everything you've done"

"Alright. If you say so" Without hesitation, I gobbled the food down my throat like it was a gift from god. Ahhh… this will keep my stomach full for the rest of the night for sure.

"Is it really that good?"

"Yeah! I haven't had a meal this good in ages. Ah… but don't tell oba san I said that or else she'll never cook for me again. (Huhuhu…) Oh by the way Marimo sensei. If you had lunch, why don't you come and eat with us? (…) I'm sure everyone would be more than happy to have you around"

"I think everyone would prefer… not to. (Huh?) Shirogane… do you think I would fit in your group after what happened? (What do you mean?) Perhaps this might occur with you since you've only been under my care for a few months but I can only see our meal to be an awkward meeting" Hmm… I guess she does have a point. After we gave our respect to her when we were promoted to official Eishis, our ties with Marimo chan had always been a student-teacher relationship. I bet everyone in the squad would see it as an awkward moment since they've been under her for longer than me.

But it's strange… whenever when I'm with her… I don't feel that awkwardness at all. Maybe it's because I call her Marimo chan most of the time. I feel like we were just two people having a chat. (Flash) Maybe that time in that restaurant back in my world changed my perspective of her. (Flash) That time when she acted like a regular woman who consoled me. Gave me advice and made me into who I am…

"I'd rather if we kept our relationship as it is" She added, turning her eyes away from me.

"I won't argue if that's what you want, Marimo sensei" I replied taking another bite off her deliciously made obento. "But… sometimes, people never know what they really want until they have it. (Eh?) Marimo sensei… I know this might sound weird but… you mean a lot to me. (…!) Just as my squad means to me… I want to protect them… protect them all with everything that I have. I know it sounds childish but it's something that I've always wanted to do. I want to protect my friends, my squad, everyone who is precious to me. You included"

"Shirogane…" She returned a genuine smile at me. A smile I haven't seen for so long. "Huhuhu… you really are one of a kind, you know that? (…) One of these days you're going to make a girl very happy…"

Eh? What does she mean by that?

**(Lab)**

"Yuuko sensei, I'm here" I announced as I enter her lab. I came here straight from Marimo's room for the usual checkups. The place where the transfer device was supposed to be was now replaced with a TSF simulator.

"Good. You're early for once" Yuuko was standing by a bunch of computers all connected to the cockpit, monitoring everything from heartbeat, brainwaves and sweat glands. "We can start immediately"

"Uh… so what are we doing?"

"We're going to try and determine what kind of situations makes your blood rushes the most. Once we know that, I can administer a serum or pill to suppress those urges"

"Wait… you can do that?"

"Stress is caused by various things. But certain types of stress can cause the adrenal gland to work at that level. It shouldn't be long if we work with the information from the XM3 trial. Get changed into that practice exosuit and we'll get on the simulator. (Ok…)" I quickly got into the suit which was slightly different from the regular one. This one was painted in red and white meaning that it was used for official testing. Everything the military had wasn't just ID coded but color coded too.

I then got on the simulator and linked myself with the console. Just as Yuuko stated, I was in the XM3 trial. The data she was using must be from all the TSFs in the exercise then. "Alright I'm in. What now?"

"I'm going to project you a scene from your TSF's monitor during the BETA attack. Since it's obvious that your perception of speed won't be of use in simulator exercise we'll just try to recreate that feeling" I see. In real life combat, my perception of speed is enhanced but the speed within the computer is already fixed so it can't be changed no matter how good my eyes are. "Once I get the readings we'll start from there. For now just do what you've always done in all exercise. We'll get something from that"

Wooooot…

The TSF I was on then came to life. It was a standard Gekishin commanded by one of the soldiers back then. It's slower than a Fubuki but more durable. Quick enough… the screen soon began popping with A.I. BETAs. Laser Class, Grappler Class, Destroyer and Tank Classes too. Enough to be called a swarm.

EX-1—Start!

"Toooooh!"

**(15 minutes later)**

Haaaa… that was intense. Even if it was just an exercise on the simulator, it felt different. I thought the BETA hive in the Volks data were easy but after seeing this, I'm actually pumped up. There were actually a lot more BETA in the vicinity than I thought. Since I was the only viable target, they were all gunning for me. The Lasers were tracking my every move, the Destroyers barely made a hole in their formation and the Grapplers didn't give me any time to breathe at all. It was like I was the only TSF in the area.

"Hmm interesting" Yuuko said out loud as she ran through the numbers on her computer. "You seem to have adapted well to any TSF. How did it feel?"

"Oddly good" I answered. "This exercise was a lot harder than the Hive Exercise we had this afternoon. I felt like my blood was pumping non-stop. It felt different from the original"

"Of course it should. (Huh?) I tweaked it to your standards. After all—basic exercise are too easy for you. If we got on with the regular training then there wouldn't be any stress buildup" I see. So that's why it felt like there were actually a lot more BETA than I thought. "I simply tripled their numbers and programmed them to make you their primary target. (Eh!-?) If all of them were aiming for you, I was sure that it would bring out the stress needed to activate that latent ability of yours"

"Oh… so that's why it felt like weird"

"But other than that, you survived longer than expected. In a Gekishin no less. Without your usual agility, you looked like a pig trying to fly. (Geh…) In any case this should be sufficient. A few more drops of your blood and we'll be done for the night. Wait here. Oh and before I forget. You don't have anything to do tomorrow, right?"

"Hmm? No. Captain Isumi said that she had a lecture for us about BETA. No other training though"

"I see… that's good. I'll tell her to exempt you from the lecture. Tomorrow after breakfast, come to the labs. Make sure you eat a lot. You're going to be here all day"

"Huh? Why?"

"We're going to do one final checkup before we proceed. I'll tell you the details later. (Eh?) Just make sure you come here early"

Yuuko left, leaving me alone to my exhaustion. That simulator fight took a lot out of me and this practice suit didn't seem to have the normal features of the standard black exosuit. It felt like a million degrees in that cockpit and the temperature adjustor was replaced with a heart monitor instead.

"Here…" Hmm?

"Oh… Kasumi? Sorry I didn't see you there" She handed me a canteen of cold water and a wet towel to clean my face. "Oh thanks. I needed that. (Take care) Yeah. Hey… how's Sumika by the way? Did you stay with her all day? (Nod…) That's great. I know it might've been weird for me to ask you to do that. It's just that I didn't want her to be alone that time. Thanks a lot Kasumi" I pat her on the head which she smiled a bit in appreciation. "Hehehe… you should smile more. You look cute that way. (…) Hehehe…"

"Do your best…" Huh? "Don't frown and always do your best… no matter what happens"

"Yeah… I will. Thanks Kasumi. (Nod…)"

"Don't be… sad… for today. (Eh?) You mustn't… be sad… today…"

Sad? Why would I be sad today? It's not like today was anything special… was it?

(Flash) _"Weakling…"_

…!

Geh… crap!

"…?"

Of course. Now I understand why I'm so off today. December 13… how could I possibly forget? This was the day… the day I ran away. The day my resolved broke and my heart sank. The day I just wanted to escape and leave this mad world to its own insanity. The day when I abandoned mankind to its fate, destroyed myself and brought only more pain and suffering to others and myself. The day when I… became a real coward.

How could I possibly forget?

"Takeru?"

"It's… nothing Kasumi" I reassured her but my face contradicted my words. "I just… remembered something really painful. I'll probably get over it tomorrow. (…) Ugh…" Damn… I shouldn't have remembered. Just thinking about it just makes me want to hit myself with a club and beat my past self half to death with my own cold hands.

That cowardly me who blamed everything but himself for the deaths that happened, the me who was childish and naïve, the me who thought that he was the hero of this world.

**(Track field)**

After finishing the blood test, Yuuko gave me a pill to help with the headaches. It wasn't anything serious and the night was still young so I thought about going to track field to keep my promise with Meiya. The night sky was clear and you can even see the half crescent moon shining brightly.

Tip tap tip tap…

Huh? Oh there she is. Meiya's doing her rounds again. "Huh? Ah… Takeru. You're here. I was worried that you would not appear"

"Yeah. Sorry I'm late. Yuuko kept me busy for awhile"

"You seem famished. Was the task physically demanding?"

"No… nothing serious. It's just that… my mind was put to the test more than my body" After that exercise I had, I don't think I'll be able to pull anything good. My head is pretty much drained. "Sorry… but I don't think I'll be able to keep up if we ran"

"Hehe… you need not apologize. I did not feel like training myself but my body would not have it unless I do this. (Hehehe…) If you are too exhausted then… perhaps we can simply talk. Would you mind?"

"No. Of course not" We took our seat by the stairway leading to the old school ground. The base looked really different at night. From here I can actually see the school as it used to be. After the BETA Hive was created, the only surviving building that was fully repaired was the school. Everything was left as it is. In the morning you can tell that this is a military facility with all the soldiers and equipments hanging around.

"It's quite peaceful at night. Isn't it?" Meiya asked which I agreed with a nod. "It makes you wonder how the world was like before the BETA invaded. It would've been beautiful to see it. (…) Takeru… did you know that the building we're on was actually once a school?"

"Yeah… Hakuryo High. (You know of it?) A little bit…" A lot actually. I know this place like the back of my hand. The only major difference was the fact that it was expanded and got its own airport at the back of the where the soccer field used to be. You can pretty much hear planes coming in and out dropping supplies into the facility. "It must've been a great place to be…"

"Indeed. (…) Ah… by the way. I had spoken with 2nd Lieutenant Suzumiya during dinner"

"Eh? I thought I told you to leave her alone?"

"Be at ease. I did not blame her for anything. Her sister had already scolded her for it and she seems to have understood that what she did was wrong. People can be fickle at times so I believe she will apologize to you when she is ready. Sakaki told me that she has a great sense of pride"

"Heh… well she is competitive so go figure" We shared a small laugh together. "Haaa…"

…

…

"Takeru… (Hmm?) Is something bothering you? (Huh?) Ah… no. It's just that you seem quieter than usual. Even during the training exercise this morning. (Really?) You're usually more upbeat… like the time during the XM3 trial. But now it feels as if something has been lounging at your back. Though it is not obvious I can tell when you are bothered" Heh, she's using the same words I said to Marimo chan earlier.

"Heh… I guess I can't hide anything from you. I guess you could say that this day has… a rather different meaning to me. (…?) I can't really explain it but you can say that this particular day reminds me of some bad times. (Bad times?) Yeah. Nothing important… I'll probably be back to my old self by tomorrow"

"I wish that would be true. (Hmm?) I prefer to have to same old Takeru hanging around us. If you were not around, there wouldn't be anyone to make fun of. (Hey!) Ahaha. You are enjoyable to be with. I strongly believe the others would say the same" Oh come on now. You want me around just to make fun of? That's harsh. "But in all truth… I find your presence welcoming. (Huh?) Even now I hardly remember the days before you came to our squad all those months ago. Though we have only known each other for only a few days, it feels as if I have known you all my life, Takeru. (…) I cannot even picture a day… without seeing you"

…!

(Flash) _"I can't imagine a day without Takeru chan"_

"Sumika… (Eh?) Ah… sorry. You just reminded me of what my old friend said"

"Is it the one you call Sumika? (Yeah…) I see… she must've been very important to you"

"Heh… she is. In fact… she's the very reason that I'm here" And I mean that in more ways than one. "If it weren't for her… I probably wouldn't even be here right now"

"I see…" Meiya nodded as if deep in thought. "Can you tell me what she was like? (Hmm?) I wish to know more about this person for she sounds like someone you cared deeply"

"Well… you're right there. How do I explain her? Hmm… well… the first thing you should note is that she's an annoying blabbermouth. (…?) She always barges in without knocking, deprives me of my privacy and has a terrible sense direction sometimes! She has decent manners I guess but she never uses them in front of anyone. She wakes me up early every morning to get me to school and then annoys me to no end!"

…

"…hah…?"

"Don't even get me started with her cooking. Sure she makes decent food once in awhile but she has no sense of taste whatsoever. I mean… who puts soy sauce and tobacco sauce in teriyaki? (…) Heh… she's even annoying and never gives up when she sets her mind on something. But even so… I guess you could say it's those bad traits that helped me get to where I am now"

"Hmm… your words are… confusing. But they hold much weight. You seem to describe her well and you know both the good and bad side of her. Perhaps you are the type who prefer strange people"

"I'd prefer to call it a 'unique' taste. (Ahahaha) Hey don't laugh"

"Yes… that is more like it. (Eh?) Making jokes, and giving other people a reason to smile is your character. In fact I'd prefer you this way. Remain who you are, Takeru. That is all that I ask"

"Really? You sure you don't want a better version of me?"

"What you seek to change is your choice alone. But if there's anything I would like to keep… it would be your smile. (…?) Uh… I mean… your attitude. Yes… your personality… not your smile. After all your smile is… umm…"

"Hehehe… now who's the one making jokes?" Hehehe. Meiya… you really have the way of bringing my mood back. "You're actually cute when you blush like that"

"I am not the type who would jest. My words were merely muddled by the situation. (Hehehe) Takeru… idiot"

"Hey now. First you compliment me, now you're calling me an idiot?"

"That's because you were teasing me again"

"What's wrong with that? I thought you liked being teased. (Takeru!) Ahahaha… alright I'll stop. But I'm not lying. You do look cute when you blush"

"You're doing it again!"

**(December 14, 2001 Friday) (PX) (06:10 AM)**

Haaaaaaaaaaa~~~ man… I haven't woken up this early since the coup d'état a few days ago. Kasumi made sure that I woke up that morning and even flipped off my blanket to get me out of bed. She's becoming more and more like Sumika every day. At this rate, she might even start making me lunch by herself. There's barely anyone in the PX right now. Go figure, it's barely half-past-six. Even I wouldn't be stirring from my sleep this early.

Oba san hasn't even gotten to the PX so one of the extra cafeteria guys helped me up to some leftovers from last night. I sat alone and looked at the scenery outside. The sun was barely crawling its way out of the horizon, like a morning yawn of another level.

Haaaa… I feel like going back to sleep after this. Why the heck does Yuuko need me this early in the morning anyway? It's not like anything important happens. In fact… I don't think I remember anything ever since I ran away from this world. I think I came back to this world on December 18 or 19… I don't really remember. So you could say that the next few days are pretty much blank to me.

(Flash!) Ugh… maybe remembering the time when I ran away isn't such a good idea. It's really bringing me down. If anything I'd prefer to have that part of my life erased for good.

"Ora? Shirogane?" Hmm? "Heya. You're an early one. And here I thought I was the early bird who gets the everyday worm" Kashiwagi? What is she doing here so early in the morning? "Mind if I join you for breakfast?"

"No… not at all. I was just getting started. (Hai hai!) She quickly grabbed a tray and got a bunch of leftovers from cafeteria. "What are you doing so early 2nd Lieutenant? (Hmm?) I thought you'd still be asleep by now"

"Ahehehe… I usually get up for a morning stroll around the base. It usually keeps me calm especially whenever I see the sunrise. (Hooo?) Since the area around the base is pretty much sand and ruins, you gotta appreciate what beauty you have left, neh?" I guess she has a point. After the G-Bombs hit, this place has been pretty much barren. Even the cherry trees planted on the Devil's Hill going to school were planted for aesthetic reasons. They won't grow… but they remind us of how this place used to look like before the war. "What about you? (Hmm?) Yoroi san and Sakaki san told me that you're a total slacker and that you never wake up on time and that you're always late to class" Guuuu… those guys. They're mucking up my name. "But yet here you are…"

"Ahehe… I guess you could say that my alarm clock woke me up earlier than expected. But what Class rep and Mikoto said are true, 2nd Lieutenant"

"Oi oi… you don't need to call me that here you know. The Captain said we don't have to be formal when no one else is around. Besides, I should be the one calling you by rank"

"Ah… that's right. Sorry… it's a habit"

"Why's that? Mitsurugi san said that you kept calling Instructor Jinguuji, Marimo chan, all the time. (Geh!) And she was even your superior too. And Tamase san said that on the first day you came to the squad, you practically forced everyone to call you by your given name. (Gegeh!) So why are you calling me by my rank?" Ahh… crud… I completely forgot all about those times. It felt like ages ago since I did that. "Ah! I get it now. (Huh?) Shirogane san… you must prefer older women for your taste. (Ha?) I see… it's so obvious once you put all the pieces together. I should've known you were that kind of guy when I first met you. No wonder Akane chan was so pissed off"

"Hey! Don't go making assumptions on your own like that. (Ahahaha…) Geez" She really is Kashiwagi. Not much of a trickster but can really be a friend whenever you're in need. This conversation kind of reminds me of the time when we played that air-soft gun competition. (Flash!) Wait… air-soft gun competition? When did that happen? (Flash) I remember… seeing it. I remember a large forest being dumped right next to our school and… (Flash) No no… wait that can't be right. I don't remember seeing any of that happening before. My memory must be getting muddled up.

"Anyway… sorry about yesterday. (Huh?) Akane didn't mean to pry on your history or anything. She's kind of competitive so she can't admit that a first-timer-rookie like you can actually be better than her in TSF control. She'll get over it after awhile"

"No it's alright really. I don't really mind. I completely understand what she's going through" I answered back reassuring her. "Class rep told me that she's very competitive so she won't be able to take my skills lightly"

"Hehe. Yeah she can be very demanding when it comes to combat. She wants to beat everyone at everything at times. Which is why she would probably kill to be in your place right now. (Eh?) The position of Storm Vanguard One. Fighting right next to Mitsuki. Not many of us will admit it, but she's probably the best TSF fighter we have in this squad besides you. She may look like the type who charges in head first but in truth she's actually quite calm and collected" Heh… don't I know it. That was exactly my first impression of 1st Lieutenant Hayase. "But you'd better be careful when you're around her. (Huh?) I'm pretty sure that one of these days she'll challenge you to a duel for sure. (Geh!) Ever since she saw your simulation ranking she's been itching for a chance to see who the better pilot is" Guuu… I don't think we ever had the chance to make that round. With all that happened in my previous loop we've been fighting non-stop. "Hehehe… I wonder who'll win. I bet there'll be a lot of unhappy gamblers when that happens"

"Please don't make assumptions" Hehehe I should've expected this from Kashiwagi. She really can bring my mood back up. Though we're technically the same age, I have more combat experience than her. The only operation she ever participated in was during the coup where the Valkyries were in charged in protecting one of the escape routes. They were beaten back when more Imperial Forces rebelled against the current government. But despite that, I heard they made some great results.

"I'll make sure that Akane gives you a proper apology when you two meet. So try not to do anything reckless until then, ok?"

"Sure…"

**(Labs)**

Haaaa… maybe eating a lot of that wasn't the best idea. Leftovers from last night can be heavy on a stomach like mine. But Yuuko sensei did tell me I'm going to be here all day so I had to make sure that I was full.

I wonder what Yuuko want me for that would take all day. More tests? Simulator training? Blood samples? We've done all of that so what more does she need? Well… I guess I'll find out sooner or later. Hmm?

"Haa!" Kasumi? Why is running like that?

"Hey there. What's wrong? You look like—(Ruffle) Ah! Hey don't pull my sleeves like that. What's the matter with you? Hey!"

I was immediately dragged to the lab room where Sumika's brain was in.

"You're late!" Yuuko scolded me. "I told you to come early. I was just about to start without you" Start? Start what? What are we doing here in Sumika's brain room? "Alright put him down there"

"What are we doing here Yuuko sensei?"

"Just wait for a minute" There seems to be a lot more equipment around the room than usual. Wait… is she planning what I think she's planning? "Hmm… I see… so that's how it works"

"Wait! Sensei. Are you planning to complete the 00-unit?"

"It's about time you caught on. Ever since you gave me the 100 page equation I've been working on it non-stop" Wait… (Flash) I remember. Back from my previous loop, Yuuko said that she completed the 00-unit the day after I ran away. That was yesterday… then that means today is… the day when… Sumika…

"…" Kasumi pulled me closer towards Sumika's brain where a bunch of wires, and links were strapped onto the pod. It really looked like some kind of mad science scene that came straight out of a horror movie. But if this works… and I know it will… then that means I'll be able to see Sumika again. (Flash) I'll be able to talk to her. (Flash) Hold her in my arms once more. (Flash) See her annoyingly cute face.

"Hoo… impressive" Eh? "So that's why…"

"Yuuko sensei?"

"I guess you were the key after all. (Eh?) Just stay there for a minute. It'll be over soon" What are you saying? What does she mean that I'm the key? "Incredible… she's stabilizing well… almost amazingly well. (…?) Yashiro, apply filters. Get ready to eject the stasis. (Hai…) Put in more power"

Suddenly the tank began to glow in a strange light. It illuminated the whole room, blinding me from everything. Sumika… this isn't hurting you, is it? If it is, just give me a sign and I'll stop it. You aren't going to get any headaches from this, right?

"More power…" Yuuko ordered which Kasumi replied by adding more energy into the device. "Activate 4th and 5th auxiliary. No one's using electricity this early so use it all. (Wheeeeet…) Hmm… excellent. Just a little bit more. Prepare to drain the canister. Shirogane. (Yes?) No matter what happens, stay on that spot. (Huh?) Just do that and you'll be fine. Oh and be ready to catch"

"Catch? Catch what?" The light was glowing even brighter now. If this keeps up, it'll probably radiate throughout the entire base! "Ahh! It's so bright! I can't see anything from this!"

"Yes! That's it! The muscles are forming. It really is working! The errors are stabilizing themselves. Don't take any chances! Activate the 6th power supply!" Is she for real? The base uses twelve power generators to keep all the facilities running but only four of them were needed for standard use. To use six would be dangerous.

Wheeeeeet!

Gwahh! This… this really is some kind of mad scientist experiment. Now there was a strong electronic sound coming from the equipments nearby. (Bzzzzzzt!) Crap! Fire! "Yuuko sensei! There's fire!"

"Then put it out!" If I don't stop that fire now, it'll burn the circuitries! (Flash) Sumika! No! I promised to protect you. I promised that I won't let anything happen to you. I made that promise and I'm going to make good of it! Where the hell is the fire extinguisher? (Bzzzt!) Damn it! There's no time! I'll just have to put it out myself.

I quickly removed my uniform and began dousing the fire that got caught in the wirings. A few more popped up left and right. "Damn it! Why are there fire popping out everywhere? This is ridiculous! (Tug!) Arghh!" Damn it! Why now of all times? (Tug!) Don't screw with me! I'm not going to stop just because of some stupid headache! Come on!

Yes that source is out. Only a few more. (Bzzzzzt!) Geh! The smoke is getting thicker! The whole place will be lit in a matter of minutes of this keeps up.

"We're at 75% capacity!" Yuuko stated. What the hell does that even mean? "Shirogane! Keep those fires at bay for a few more minutes! (You don't need to tell me!) Yashiro. Activate the 7th auxiliary and go get the fire extinguisher outside. (…!) Go! I'll keep on monitoring here. (Beeep!) 80% Keep it up Shirogane!"

"What do you think I'm doing?" The computers around me were now burning. I was able to get the pipes and connectors to douse but the place was just teaming with more fire. What the hell!-? This room is kept at around 20 degrees so it shouldn't be that easy for it to catch fire! Come on Sumika. Get out of that pod already! We promised each other that we'd be together, didn't we? Are you going to back up now?

"90%! Almost there!"

"Sumika! You idiot! Come on out already! (Bzzzzt!) Gahh!" Damn it! The fire is really packing up. I can barely breathe through all this smoke. That last electrical surge burst out of nowhere and nearly burned me over to a crisp. "Damn it damn it!" Gah! That last one burned my hands! That's gonna leave a… huh? (Pssssst…) N… no way… my arm… it…

No! No time to think about that now. If I can put out fire like that then so be it! Come on! Burn me all you want. Just come and try it!

"100% Output! Alright Shirogane. Get out of there!"

"No! I'm right where I need to be. Just do what you have to. (…!) Don't worry about me. I'll catch her! I promise"

"Alright then! Activating the 8th auxiliary"

I heard a very loud sound echoing from all around me. It was like a whistle only louder and sharper. Maybe it was something only a dog will be able to hear. But I heard it. It was majestic… yet terrifying at the same time.

Clang!

I looked back and saw the brain pod slowly cracking apart. A long and slender arm appeared from the crack. Sumika! It had to be… it had to be her! I reached out and grabbed it with all my might. The pod was like an egg and the treasure inside was coming out. "Sumika!"

**Takeru?**

…!

That voice! It really is… her!

**Takeru chan… where… are you?**

"I'm here Sumika! I'm right here! I'm holding your hand right here! Don't give up now! You can't give up now! Not after everything we've been through to get here! You have to get out of there!"

**Takeru… I'm… I'm scared…**

"Don't be! I'll protect you! I promised you that, remember? No matter what happens, I'll never leave you alone ever again! I'll never let anyone or anything hurt you! I promise you so please! Please Sumika! Come out! I… I… I need you…"

Clang!

More cracks began to appear on the glowing pod. I can't see what's happening inside but I can feel her. I can feel Sumika's presence. She's here. I know it's her! I just know it! Come on girl! Just a little more! Just a little bit more! My body is literally burning up from the fire around me. But that pain was nothing compared to what I had to go through.

I lost my friends, my family, my life… and Sumika…

Compared to everything that I've lost, a little burn was nothing! Come on Sumika! I'll hold your hand for as long as you want! Just get out of there!

**Takeru… chan…**

Bzzzzt!

Damn it! The fire is getting dangerously close. At this rate… (Flash) No… (Flash) No I won't let that happen again! "There's no way in hell I'm going to lose you for the third time! Not after this! (Wham!) Come on you stupid egg! Crack open!" I used my free bare hand to pound the thing open. The pod was a lot stronger than I thought it was. But that was going to stop me. If I focus on my strength at the crack, it'll definitely break for sure! (Wham!) (Wham!) Come on! Come on! Break you stupid piece of crap! Break!

Wham! Wham!

"Ahhhh! To hell with this! (WHAM!)"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The scene passed by in slow motion from Yuuko's point of view. She saw Shirogane's fearsome face as he brought his thick skull towards the pod cracking the thing open like a hardboiled egg. The bright light died with a defining whistle and from it, a redheaded figure emerged in naked form. The alienated water from the pod burst into the area, dousing the fire off in cold temperature killing any source of light within the area indefinitely.

With every strength he could muster, Shirogane pulled the woman out and held her in a tight embrace, covering her back and her head as if she was the most precious thing in his life. And perhaps she was…

About a minute later, the electricity in the room died and every computer that was working a few minutes ago switched off in synch.

The only sound that could be heard then was the sound rhythmic echo of Shirogane's breathing and the girl he held in his arms.

Yuuko let out a small smile before approaching the duo but came to a stop when Kasumi blocked her path. The little rabbit shook her head to the mad scientist signifying something that needed to be done.

Yuuko allowed it. After all… she had plenty of time to kill…

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

I held her in my arms. Her face was on my chest, her hair and her body in my hands. I felt her cold trembling hands sneaking up to my shoulder, working their way to my neck and then my face. That face… those beautiful red eyes… those puckered lips…

I will remember them for as long as I shall live. This smell, that colorful cheek. I really have it. I'm really holding them in my arms. How long has it been since then? (Flash) Since that time when I had to make myself commit one of the greatest sacrifice? Months? Heh… it feels like eternity had gone by. It's been that long since… I…

"Ta… keru… chan?" Her sweet voice reached my ear. It only made me hold her tighter. Making sure that she was real and this was not some kind of sick dream. I wanted to make sure that every fiber of her being was really with me. I… I wanted her badly… I really wanted Sumika with me… more than ever. "Takeru… chan…" I tightened my grip on her body. I didn't want to let her go again because I feared that if I did then she would suddenly disappear from me. Ah… crap… I'm… I'm really crying again… in front of her.

"Hey…" I said out finally, forcing a pathetic smile. "Welcome back… Sumika…"

"Ah… yeah… I'm… I'm home…"

"Sorry I took so long… to get you out of there"

"Ahmm… that's ok… Everything is… everything is… alright…"

"Welcome home… Sumika…"


	25. The Short time we have Together

**Chapter 25: The Short Time we have together…**

**(Takeru' POV) (Dream)**

Ugh… wha? Where am I? Ah crap… not this endless hallway again. Is this the same dream I had the last time? Wait… why am I… why am I in control? This… is a dream… right? (Ruffle) Yup this is definitely a dream. It's the same hallway that never ends. The atmosphere outside hasn't changed either. But if that's the case then why can I move freely? Back then my body seemed to have reacted on its own. This is supposedly my school but it seems to have been transformed into something else. Something that has a knack of scaring me half to death.

I remember specifically about this hallway but forgot about it until now. That must be the door where I entered earlier and saw that BETA creature from the Core Hive. I don't want to relive that experience again but I guess I really need a scare to get me out of this place.

Click…

Eh? That's odd. It's lock. (Click click) It looks like it's been nailed down from the other side. Am I supposed to continue walking this hallway? Well it's worth a shot.

…

…

…

Ok this is getting ridiculous. I've been walking for over five minutes now and still nothing. No door and every time I look back, this strange wall mysteriously appears again. It looks like I have no place to go but forward.

I just hope there's an end to this hallway… because I'm starting to feel that chill down my spine. (Tip tap…) Hmm? Hey… why did the hallway just changed? I was looking at it for a moment and then… it morphed into the hallway leading to my barracks. Yeah… I remember the metallic walls and vinyl. Is there some significance to this?

Hmm? There's a door there. It's the same bulkhead door leading to the hanger.

I entered through and I was right. On the other side was indeed the hanger room but… it was empty. There was no one. No engineers, no guards… not even a single TSF. Darn it… if this was a dream I would like to see a full sized form of Kaizer at least once. That would make this dream worthwhile.

Clang… clang…

It's that annoying metallic sound again. Eh? Wait a second. There's one spot in the hanger that's occupied. A TSF? I can't tell from here. But if it's Kaizer then it would be so worth the wait!

…

Hmm? What's this? I've never seen this TSF design before. It looks like a Shiranui… I think… but different. The head seems larger and body a lot bulkier. But it looks pretty cool though. Hmm… I wonder if the cockpit is still serviceable.

Wheeet…

Whoa! What the? The thing turned on, on its own. (Beep!) The head is looking straight at me. Is there someone piloting in there?

Whirrrrr…

H… hey… hey wait a second! Why are you lifting that arm? Hey!

**"You shall not stay here!"**

**(December 15, 2001 Saturday) (Takeru's room) (07:30 AM)**

Gah! Haaa…! haaa! A… dream? (Gulp) Haaaa… haaa… definitely… a dream. But… it felt so real. I really felt like I just died there. What the heck? Is there a greater force telling something? Ugh… my heart is beating fast. I can feel it pulsing on my chest.

Damn… it's on 7:30 on a Saturday. Roll call doesn't start for another hour. I don't feel like going back to sleep either. I should probably get changed and have an early breakfast. Maybe that'll lighten my day. (Ruffle) Hmm? What's this? A yellow ribbon? (Flash) Oh… I remember this. Kasumi gave this to me during the XM3 trial for good luck. I had it strapped onto my exosuit and I forgot about it until now. (Flash) Ah crap! That reminds me. I have to go and see Sumika too. After yesterday's fiasco, I'm pretty much still exhausted.

When… Sumika returned to me… I think we may have shared an intimate moment. By the time we got a hold of one another… a lot of things happened…

**(Flashback)**

I held Sumika in my arms and helped her back on her feet once the fire died down. Kasumi brought in the fire extinguisher and cleared the place up. Sumika was weak, very weak. She could barely even stand upright and when she did, she nearly tumbled back down. Like a baby that's just been born out of its cocoon.

Her eyes didn't betray hey. They recognized me almost instantly. She knew who I was.

I felt an overwhelming joy in my heart. It was like putting Christmas, New Year's Eve, Birthday and Summer Vacation into one gigantic moment. It was really her. It wasn't a dream or some wild goose chase vision, it was the real Sumika and she's right here next to me.

There were so many things I wanted to say to her. So many…

"Takeru chan? Are you… real?"

"Yeah… I'm real" I answered back, tears fallings down endlessly.

"This… isn't a dream… anymore?"

"Yeah… this isn't a dream… I promise. (That's… great…) Sumika? (Let me… sleep… for a bit) Yeah… sure. Take all the time you need. I'll be right next to you" Afterwards she dosed right off to sleep and I held her up in my arms the whole time. She's so small and so soft. Has she always been this light? She weights like a puppy.

For that moment on I spent the rest of the day right beside Sumika, holding her hand every second of the way. Yuuko took me aside for a moment for the result and she seemed pleased that the 00-Unit was more stable than she had predicted. She said that because I was there, the brain began to stabilize on its own. Maybe back then… Sumika could feel my presence. Maybe deep down during our one sided conversations she could actually feel me talking to her.

Sumika spent most of that day sleeping and we barely had any time to talk until the evening when I had to go back to my room and rest.

**(End of flashback)**

Yuuko told me to come to her lab later. She seems to be happy that she got the thing working and was amazed with the results.

Hmm… let's see… today's December 15. Only 10 more days until we'll be operated on Sadogashima. The first major counteroffensive of man against the BETA that doesn't involve using G-Bombs. (Flash) I remember it too well. It was probably the first sortie I had as a member of the Valkyrie Squadron. Combined with the U.N.-Imperial Army, we struck a blow against the BETA on their turf. At first, the whole battle went well but then it got ugly when a surprisingly large number of BETA ranging from 40000 appeared from the very bottom of the Hive.

Our offensive was pushed back significantly and from there we were forced to use the Particle Cannon from the XG-70 Susanoo as a complete game changer. From there on… things went from bad to worse…

If anything I'm pretty sure Yuuko sensei knows about this and won't be telling anyone until the very last minute. I'll have to discuss it with her when we're alone.

I should probably get something to eat and head down there as soon as possible. We don't have any simulator training today since our Shiranuis aren't here yet. Hopefully by the end we'll get better results.

"Ah? Shirogane. You have impeccable timing" Hmm? Captain Isumi? Was she waiting outside of my room this whole time? "It's alright. There's no need to salute when no one's around. I'm just here to give you some new orders. (Ma'am) Professor Kouzuki told me that you're being assigned to a special mission so you won't be able to join everyone else. From here on out, you're exempted from all training except for TSF simulator combat and mock battles when your TSFs get here. Understand?"

"Eh? Yuuko sensei said that?"

"Apparently so" She answered back. "I don't know what your mission is but if it's important then I won't complain. (Yes ma'am) Anyway, are you going off for breakfast? (Nod…) Mind if I join you? I haven't had anything to eat since yesterday"

"Ah… sure…"

**(PX)**

"Ora? Michiru chan and—" Oba chan called to us when we came through the door. "Heeh? Takeru chan too?"

"Kyozuka san, good to see you again"

"Hehehe. Still the polite girl I remember. How are your sisters by the way? They're doing well I hope"

"Yes. They're all alive and well. Thank you for asking" Oh yeah… I remember the Captain saying that she had sisters. 3 of them in fact. Two younger and one older… so that must mean that she's the 2nd eldest of the family. "I'll have my usual for today"

"Hai hai. One synthetic pork dongpo set with extra topping, coming right up. And what about you Takeru chan?"

"Huh? Oh… I'll just have the same synthetic mackerel fish set and orange juice"

"Right then. Wait right here. I'll be back in a jiffy. (Thanks oba san) No need to thank me. I'm just doing my job. Hahaha! So tell me Takeru chan. (Hmm?) How's life in the new squad so far? I hear that you're fitting in quite nicely with the others" Well… I guess you could say that. I've gotten on the wrong foot with Akane but the others seem almost natural. "It must be nice being the only guy in a group full of girls. I bet most people would kill to be where you are right now"

"Hehehe… I don't think so oba san"

"Ahahaha! Don't be so modest. You're still as tough as I remember when you first came to the PX. Tougher if I'm not wrong hahaha! I heard that Mitsuri chan also has her eyes on you. You're quite the lucky one" Guuu… 1st Lieutenant Hayase is probably out there gunning for me. If anything, I'm pretty sure she'll try to get me when the first opportunity arises. Heck… back in my last loop, I kept having the strangest feeling that she might shoot me in the back one day.

After grabbing our meal, the captain and I took a seat by the window overlooking the track field. I've been waking up early quite a lot these past few weeks. Even yesterday was no different. The atmosphere is quite cool and the wind was breezy.

"Kyozuka san seems to have taken a liking of you" The captain said suddenly, interrupting my thoughts as we sat down for a normal chat.

"Really? I thought she does that to everyone"

"She does but she rarely treats them like that. You must be a really special case. (…) Hmm? What's wrong? You look like you have a question"

"Eh? No… it's nothing really. I just have some questions regarding the training exercise. (Huh?) The VOLKS data on the BETA hive. I'm sure they're pretty accurate but are you sure we can really get experience from that? (Haa?) The training regime is pretty typical. Since we already know what's going to happen, won't that kill the need for training?"

"Hmm… I guess you have a point there. The VOLKS data given to us were only based on what the survivors gave us. The mission was considered a failure and the rest of that data were made on the BETA hive here in Yokohama base"

"Yeah, and another thing. (…?) The attack patterns of the BETA in the exercise were also rather predictable. They begin attacking the moment we reach a Hall or sometimes when we reach a certain part of a Drift. Though their way of attack can often differentiate from exercise, it's still rather easy for any unit with a good prediction to counter their offensive"

"Heeeeh… that's impressive" I guess she must've had the same feeling when she tried the VOLKS exercise herself. "I guess there's no point in hiding it. I agree with you too Shirogane. It's true that you won't be able to get combat experience out of a simulator but it can at least help the soldiers envision what to expect if they ever find themselves within a Hive. Yes… from our last simulator training I was able to get the impression that you could predict the BETA attack. That's a pretty good talent you have there, Shirgoane"

"It's nothing. After the first few fights we had in the simulator… you quickly find a pattern in them"

"You also seem to have good capabilities in leading" Eh? I do? "Taking command of the defense units during the BETA attack was an impressive feat"

"Ah… that… it… it was nothing"

"Usually, when new Eishis have their first encounter with BETA they tend to freeze on their tracks. But you on the other hand, you simply charged through them"

"That was just… the spur of the moment"

"Huhuhu…" Geh… seeing the captain laugh like that makes her look so… cute. "There are times when a person needs to receive the credit he is given. (Eh?) It means that it's ok for you to be less modest. If you keep telling yourself you're not that good, you might just degrade yourself. (Ma'am) Heh… you've only graduated for a few days and already you have an impressive profile, Shirogane. A capable fighter, commander and a soldier. It makes me glad that we have someone like you in the squad"

"Ah… please don't praise me too much or I'll get full of myself"

"I'm only stating the truth" Keh! This barrage of praises is really making me blush. I can never get used to it. "If you keep this up, you might make a capable leader one day" Me? A capable leader? No way. I'd rather follow orders and fight rather than have that responsibility. "You should have more faith in yourself Shirogane. Especially now in these dark times. (…) Huhuhu. I guess I'm not the type for casual talks. Let's eat for now. It's not often I get to eat with one of my subordinates"

Hmm… that's right. In the short time I've been with the Captain, she never once ate with the squad. Even the other day when I got to meet the rest of the unit, she wasn't there. Marimo dropped by to visit but left afterwards. Maybe she has the same reason.

"Say… Captain. (Hmm?)" I spoke up feeling a question on the corner of my mind. "What is it you're fighting for? (Eh? Where'd that come from?) Ah… sorry. It's just that…" It's because she asked me that question back in my previous loop. "The others here believe that a soldier needs something worth dying for to die without regret. Back then I didn't believe in such things but after what happened… I think maybe they're right in some ways"

"I see… I guess everyone in the squad has their reason for fighting. Some of us here continue to fight because we want to protect something. (…) Like 2nd Lieutenant Kashiwagi. She has two brothers—one younger and one older than her. Her elder brother is out fighting in the Imperial Army and her younger brother wishes to join the army and fight too when he comes to age" (Flash) That's right… Kashiwagi had two brothers. I think she told me about them back in my previous loop. "Right now… I think she is fighting hard so that her brother won't need to take up the gun. She believes that if she fights well enough, she'll settle enough for two maybe three Eishis on the battlefield. (…) That alone is what I believe gives her the strength to push on"

"So that's why…" So Kashiwagi is like that, huh? (Flash) She's strong… (Flash) Even though she looks like a care-free girl she's also fighting because she wants to keep her family safe at all cost.

"2nd Lieutenant Suzumiya is the same. Since her sister, crippled her leg during combat, she's been filling out her role as a soldier. She wants to be her sister's sword and shield at the same time" Yeah… Kashiwagi told me about that too. Akane is fighting hard so that her sister doesn't have to, especially in that crippled leg of hers. "As for some… they're probably fighting because they hold onto a strong belief that they can end this war. Many people, both old and young have been affected by the BETA and the system as we know it has been straining at best. The world we once knew… was gone the moment that Core Hive landed near our planet…"

"You mean the ones on the moon?"

"Precisely. If they hadn't come there… I think our lives may have gone differently. People want this war to end and many of those who fight, struggle to see that happen one day. Right now we're pretty much on a stalemate with the BETA" So people want this war to end just as much as I do. "As for some of us here. We fight… only because we have nowhere else to go. (Huh?) Don't be surprised. There are actually a lot of those around here. You know that most of Asia and Europe were swallowed by the first wave of BETA, right? (Yeah…) Refugees from countries that were destroyed—you'll find plenty of them around here. There's never a shortage of volunteers who simply want to fight for a meal and a place to sleep"

"That's… kind of… sad"

"I can understand them. Some people simply lost hope to what they believe in and want nothing more but be of use to mankind until they wither and die. It's a cruel concept… but it's the truth"

"…" People who lost hope… (Flash) 2nd Lt. Thesleff came into my mind. I guess she can be a good example. She didn't want to join the army because she wanted to… but because her family needed her. She gave up hope and wanted nothing more but to provide what her family needed.

"What about you, Shirogane? (Hmm?) What are you fighting for? (Me?) Since you ask me that question, I'm sure you have an answer of your own, neh?"

What am I fighting for? My answer to that question has been molded so many times that I can't even tell what it was anymore. At first it was simply to survive… to find a way back home… but then it changed to saving the world. Now it simply was to protect those who are precious to me. (Flash) I tried to picture Sumika's face in my head but instead the faces of my comrades took her place. I can see all them smiling happily in school uniforms, enjoying a comfortable day like any other. Heh… that would be quite a day…

"I… guess you can put me in Kashiwagi's category" I answered finally. "I want to protect those… who are very dear to me"

"That's a good cause to fight. But remember Shirogane. The price of one life can be very heavy. (…?) It's not as simple as working harder than others. It's making sure that you live long enough to protect that person. Don't throw away your life just because you want to protect them. If you hold onto your life just as you want to hold on to theirs… then you'll be able to protect them"

"Captain…"

"Remember… every life in this world is worth saving… no matter how small and insignificant they are. Don't ever forget that…"

"Ma'am…!"

"Ahehehe… this was nice. We should talk more often, Shirogane. Anyway, I have to go to teach the others right now. You don't need to report to the lecture later this afternoon. Just focus on your mission and don't forget to spend some time with your team whenever you can. Teamwork is essential in this squad. (Yes ma'am) Later then… 1st Lieutenant"

…

…

I knew it. No matter how hard I try, I'll there's just no way I can match up to Captain Isumi is now. She's a leader… down right to the core. Even though she does have her cute sides at time, she knows how to handle her subordinates. She talks to her squad individually and knows them by the book. I guess that's one of the reasons why I look up to her so much. (Flash) Argh… I don't need that now. The operation at Sadogashima won't even start until Christmas.

I should probably go to the labs…

Maybe that'll cure me of this nostalgia…

**(Labs)**

"Hello? Anyone here? (…) Oh… hey there Kasumi. Isn't Sumika with you? (…) Strange… I thought she'd be here. Did she go somewhere? (Yes…) Do you know where? (Your room…) My room? (Nod)" Well duh! Of course she'd go there. She probably went there to wake me up just like she used to do in my world. But thankfully I seem to have found a way to wake myself up early. "I'd better go back and make sure she doesn't get into trouble. Thanks for the help Kasumi"

"See you later"

"Yeah, see ya"

But just before I left the room, the mad scientist came by. "Oh… there you are. Good timing. I was about to send Yashiro to get you"

"You need me for something Yuuko sensei?"

"I was able to make something that might stop your headache. (Eh?) Remember I had you do a few checkups to determine the cause of your sudden emotional breakdown? (Yeah…) I was able to make this. It's still on a prototype basis but it should work" She handed me what appears to be syringe that the medics in the infirmary use to inject their patients with. "It's a high concentration of codeine, fluoxetine and tizanidine. Once injected, most of the effects will go directly to your bloodstream and then to circulates to your brain"

"You made this… just for me?"

"Of course. I'm doing this just to make sure that you won't fall down when you're in combat. No matter how good you are in a TSF, you're useless if you can't fight at all" Hmm… she's got a point there. I don't want to be blacking out or getting head pains whenever we're in a fight. There's no telling when it might come but at least then I'll be ready.

"Are there any side effects? (Dunno…) Huh? What do you mean you don't know?"

"I don't know because I never tested it"

"EH!-? You're giving me an untested drug? Are you sure it's safe?"

"Don't worry. It's not harmful… at least not on my readings" Somehow… that doesn't seem to convince me. "Relax, it's not like you'll grow an extra arm or anything. Besides, you're a big enough puzzle as it is. Anyway, just inject it into your bloodstream whenever you start feeling that headache again. (Uh… o…k?) Good… ah by the way. What were you doing here?"

"Oh I was looking for Sumika… (Sumika?) The 00-unit"

"Oh her… I saw her running up to the elevator a minute ago"

"Eh? And you didn't stop her? (Why should I?) Isn't she a big military secret? You're just going to let her wander off like that?"

"She won't go anywhere. (Eh?) Why would she go anywhere when what she desires the most is standing right here? Better yet… where can she possibly go to? There isn't a populated village within a ten mile radius of the base" Oh that's right. Yokohama base is located in one of the most isolated place in all of Japan. This place was once under BETA control many years ago and I doubt anyone would want to live near a BETA Hive of all places.

"But still… isn't it dangerous to have her wandering? I mean… she does need to be plugged into the BETA Reactor every once in awhile, right? (…?) If she doesn't then she could die…"

Yuuko made a face as if she was half expecting that sort of answer. "Heh… I guess I shouldn't be surprised on how you know that. My future self must really be lenient. (…) But regardless. I'm not worried about her. (Huh?) If you're the one protecting her… I'm pretty sure she'll be fine. (Guuu…) Besides… I placed a tracker on her uniform so I'll know where she is no matter where she goes" Then tell me that first dammit! "Hehehe… but anyway… so far I have no complaints. With the stability she's showing, we might be able to take her out on a test run"

"A test run? You mean… with the Susanoo?"

"That's correct. The parts of the weapon should be arriving tomorrow. If everything goes as planned we might even be ready before the official evaluation"

"Evaluation… you must mean the coming attack on Sadogashima Hive"

Yuuko gave me an expectable nod. "Impressive. They just mentioned about it an hour ago. But you're right. The evaluation will take place in Sadogashima Hive, 10 days from now"

"On Christmas day…"

"I don't know who thought about it. Maybe they wanted me to give them a Christmas Present. But regardless, as long as the 00-Unit performs as it is now… we should have no trouble giving out results. (I see…) I know that this goes without saying, but… I'm counting on you to make sure that nothing happens to her, Shirogane. (Ma'am) If something should happen to her then I'll already know who to blame it on. (Geh!) Hehehe. Go… I'm sure she's waiting for you…"

**(Marimo's POV) (A-09 Barracks)**

Hmm… let's see. This afternoon we have a lecture on TSF weapon control and after that, combat doctrine against BETA and basic understanding of BETA Hives and their first six phases. Not a lot, since I pretty much covered most of that during cadet training. (Haaaaaa…) Oh boy. I need to get more sleep. I've been up all night making reports and results check in almost every station. I never knew that this squad had so much paperwork. It's amazing that 1st Lt. Suzumiya could handle all of this on her own without even breaking a sweat. And here I thought I had it hard.

But nonetheless… to be working beside her seems like a real pleasure. I was able to lighten a lot of her workload and she seems like a person who admires professionalism above all else. She makes great tea as well. It almost feels like I'm actually working with one of my co-workers. (Haaaaaa…) Oh that's a big one. I guess I should get some rest too. I'll give this to Captain Isumi and head back to my room.

Click… clack…

Hmm? That's Shirogane's room. (Click…) (Fwup!) H… hey wait a minute. Why the hell am I hiding? When I heard his door opening, my first instinct was to hide. This is just like the time we were in Shirahama Base.

"…"

Hmm? Who's that? I don't think I've seen her before. I'd definitely recognize someone with that kind of hair color. She doesn't look like military but she's wearing a military uniform. A new graduate perhaps? No… she doesn't look like a soldier. A staff officer?

"…" She's looking around Shirogane's room. Does she know him?

…

…

"Hey, you there! (…!)" I called out at last. "Why are you dawdling around this place? This barracks is restricted to the A-09 squad only. (…) Hmm?" She stared back at me with a curious eye. "… oi, did you hear what I said?"

"… Marimo…" Huh? She knows my name. "Jinguuji… sensei…?" Sensei? Wait… is she a friend of Shirogane? He's the only person who calls me teacher. "I see… so he really did it… I'm glad"

"Huh? What do you mean by that? Are you a friend of Shirogane? (…) Oi, answer me when I'm talking to you. (Takeru chan… must really care about you…) Eh? Wh… what do you mean by that?"

"Ahehe… I'll see you later… Jinguuji sensei…"

"Huh? Sensei? Ah! Hey wait a minute!" Crap… she ran away when she distracted me with those words. What did she mean by that?

"Hmm? Marimo sensei?" Huh? "What are you doing in front of my room?" AH!

"Sh… Shirogane? (Rattle) Ahh!" Crap… the folders.

"Oh… sorry about that. Here, let me help"

"N… no that's ok" I quickly gathered the papers up after that brief shock. The boy literally appeared out of nowhere and nearly scared the life out of me. "I can handle the rest. You just caught me off guard, that's all. But what are you doing here? Shouldn't you be somewhere on a secret mission right about now?"

"Ah! Oh yeah. You wouldn't happen to see a girl pass by here, would you? (Girl?) Yeah. Red hair, about my age and wears a bright yellow ribbon"

"Red hair and bright yellow ribbon…" I see. So that girl does have an association with him. "Now that you mentioned it, a girl just came out of your room a few minutes ago"

"Ah crap! I knew Sumika would do something like this" Sumika?

"Is she a friend of yours?"

"Yeah she is. Anyway, I need to find her. Thanks again Marimo sensei. I'll catch you later on our simulator training!"

"Ah wait Shirogane! (…)" And he was gone. He didn't even stop for a chat. Hmm… I wonder who that girl could be. I know I've never seen her around the base before so she must be a new arrival.

Sumika… huh…

**(Takeru's POV)**

Darn it. Where can that girl be? I thought I could catch her when I got to my room but she bailed out on the last minute. She's not in the corner area of the barracks… so where could she be? She's obviously looking for me so she could be going to the places where I might be. Hmm… let's see. Where would I be around this time of day? That's pretty much everywhere. Usually I'd probably hang around the base doing some menial things like independent training.

Grrrr! If this was a game, I'd probably have choices lining up in front of me right now. Let's see…

The PX?

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Hmm… the place looks deserted. Breakfast probably ended a few minutes ago. Oba san and the others are probably making lunch right about now. Hmm? That dangerously-looking hairstyle. There's only one person in the world that I know who has that.

"Hey Tama! (Hmm? Takeru san?) Hey. Don't tell me you just got here for breakfast"

"Ah no. I'm actually waiting for 2nd Lieutenant Kazama and Kashiwagi san" Those two? They'd make an odd trio. "They said that they would help me hone my sniping skills during our TSF combat" Eh? Hone her sniping skills?

"But aren't you the best already. Surely you don't need more training"

"Ah no no, practice makes perfect they say. Shooting from a TSF is a lot harder than it looks, Takeru san. (Really?) When you're a sniper you have to observe everything. Wind behavior, trajectory and everything. The TSF auto-lock feature helps you do that but there are still a lot of things to consider like the weight of the bullet and recoil effect. (Hoo? Is that so?)" I never knew sniping was that complex before. Tama did teach me the basics back in one of my loops but never anything beyond that. "I have to make sure that I play my role as the Impact Guard like Kashiwagi san"

"Kashiwagi? Oh yeah. She's an Impact Guard too like in our last simulator training"

"Kazama san is the Blast Guard so she takes up the first line in the rear formation" That's right. All the elements of a team focus on supporting the Storm and Strike Vanguard. The Right and Left Gun Interceptors hold our flanks along with the Gun Sweepers around the middle. The Vanguard is obviously at the front, handling enemies in close to medium range. The Flash, Blast and Impact Guards cover our rear and provide long range support. It was all covered in our last training.

"Well if those two are helping you out then you should be in good hands" I stated to her which Tama smiled back in reply. "I'll be counting on your support in the future Tama"

"Ahehe… but Takeru san, I don't think you need much support. (Hmm?) In our simulator training you have the tendency to run off and do all sorts of things. The others can't keep up with your movements at all so it's hard to provide you support sometimes. (Heh?) I think that's one of the reasons why Akane san gets annoyed with you sometimes. (Guuu…)"

"Well… it's not that I don't like team work. It's just that if I don't do that now, it won't synch with the computer data. (…?) Did you forget that I had my Fubuki totally wrecked in Susono. Most of my combat data were lost there so I have to work from scrap all over again. So by the time our new TSFs arrive, my combat statistics will go directly with it. (Heeeeh…) It's like trying to past on a legacy. (…?) Your Fubuki is pretty much synch to your movements, right. (Nod) And if you put all that data into the other TSF you'll be in synch with it too, right?"

"Ah I see. It's like transferring knowledge to another. (Precisely!) Ah. So that's why. I think Kashiwagi san said the same thing. (Really?) Yeah. She even said she'd rather stop fighting and let you do all the work instead"

"Ahahaha… that does sound like something she would say" Ah wait. I completely forgot I still need to find Sumika. "Hey, you wouldn't happen to see someone pass by here a few minutes ago would you? (Someone?) A girl, red hair and pretty hard to miss"

"Hmm… no, I haven't. There hasn't been anyone here since oba chan left with the others" Darn… she must've gone somewhere else then. But where? "Is she important, Takeru san?"

"Yeah… anyway, I need to find her. Good luck on your training Tama! Tell me all about it when you have time. (Hai!)"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Ok… let's see. Where would I be around this time other than the PX or barracks? The simulator room? Back then, when Sumika was unstable, all she wanted was to train and destroy BETA. It's possible she may have snuck there in secret. It's worth a shot.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Hmm… no one's here. I guess all the cadets must be out. I'll check and see who used the simulators last just to make sure. Hmm? Is that…

"Mikoto? (Hmm? Ah! Takeru! Over here!) Are you doing independent training?"

"No. I was making rounds around the base when I came by here by accident. The Instructor wanted me to give some tips for the new recruits. They just completed their Comprehensive Combat Skill Evaluation last week so they're new to the simulators" New recruits? "What do you think, Takeru?"

"Yoroi sempai, you sure this guy can teach us?" One of the cadets asked. It was an all girl team. Hey… wait… haven't I seen those three before? "He doesn't look that capable"

"Oi, that's not something you should say to an officer" Hmm? That must be their instructor. (Flash) Wait a minute. I know him.

"Ishizawa?" The man gave us a polite salute before turning to his team.

"You girls should be a saluting and calling them sir. Not toy with words. (Y… yes sir) Hehe… sorry about that 1st Lieutenant, they're not into formalities but they're good soldiers at heart. Ora… you three, give the proper courtesies to them. They took their precious time to be here to teach you" The three girls then gave us the proper salute and stood at attention. (Flash!) Ah… now I remember them. These girls are the same ones in Tama's Archery Club back in my world. I never got the chance to remember their names though. And Ishizawa was apparently the former captain of the team. I should've known they would be in this world as well.

If Tama were here right now it would be a strange dejavu for sure.

"Nah, it's alright" Mikoto waved them off. "We rarely do that to our captain too. Anyway, I have time. What about you Takeru?"

"Well I'm a little busy right now. That reminds me. Did a girl about my age come by here? Red hair, and wearing a yellow ribbon"

"Yellow ribbon?" The Instructor thought for a moment before answering. "Hmmm. No. We've been here since this morning checking up with the usual battle data and going through Training Exercise E. I haven't seen anyone like that come through" Damn… where else could she possibly go to?

"I see… alright thanks anyway. See you later Mikoto. (Ah Takeru wait…) Hmm? What?"

"Umm… are you busy later today? (Huh?) It's just that we never had the chance to catch up for awhile now"

"Today? Hmmm… I might. Yuuko sensei has me running her special mission so I might have no time at all. Don't worry. I'll definitely see you at dinner. (Ah…) Anway, gotta run. Later!"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Alright… I'm running out of places to search here. Could she have gotten back to the lab already? No… Kasumi would be looking for me by then. Maybe the track field? It's one of the only places I haven't tried yet. Well… that guess is as good as any.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

There was a breezy wind going through the track field. The weather was almost perfect. Not too cold but not too hot either, just enough to get you sweating through a light jog. Nope… there's no one here except a few cadets going through their training exercise.

"Ara? Tak—I mean 1st Lieutenant Shirogane" Huh?

"Class rep? You're up pretty early. What are doing?"

"Out for my morning exercise. (Oh?) And it's not Class rep. You're supposed to call me 2nd Lieutenant Sakaki. (…?) Is there any way for you to stop calling me that?"

"What's wrong? I thought you liked being called Class rep"

"I never did. You just made it up on your own when you got here. (…?) I know that name was fun when we were cadets but we're officers now. You should be an example to others especially since you're in a higher rank tier"

"But didn't the captain say that we should leave formalities out for later? Besides… I like calling you Class rep. (…?) If I didn't then how else would I be able to call you?" And also… by calling you that… it makes me feel like a part of me was still at home.

"Sakaki or Chizuru is fine. It sounds a lot more appropriate"

"Haaa? How's that any different from Class rep? (A huge difference!)" Whoa… she's snappy. What's wrong with just saying her name? (Flash!) Eh? New Year's Eve?

(Flash)_ "You don't need to call me Class rep when we're out here you know"_

Did she… say those words too? I can't seem to remember that event. It seems like so long ago. It's like our marriage took place in my previous life.

"Shirogane! Are you listening!-?"

"Huh? Yeah…"

"Liar! You were staring up at the sky while I was talking. (Ahehehe) Geez… no matter if you were a cadet or an officer, you never change"

"Isn't changing the same thing? (Eh?) Ever heard of the phrase, 'The more things change, the more they stay the same'? I think that quote applies here. (Ha?) Maybe I'm actually changing in small things you haven't noticed and you're only looking at the things that haven't changed, Class rep"

"On which part have you changed? You still come to class late, you keep calling people by their names and yet you… (Hmm?) I guess there's no changing what you are"

"If I changed those part of me then I wouldn't be Shirogane Takeru now, would I? It's exactly that which makes me who I am. Besides… I think I can say the same for you, Class rep. (What do you mean by that?) You haven't changed a bit either since we first met. You still like to take charge of things regardless of who was in command. (…!) Even during the trial you were kind of demanding. You even gave out command orders when I was fighting"

"Th…that's because we needed a chain of command!"

"Yeah yeah… I heard that before" She gave out a puffed cheek expression. "But regardless. Those are the qualities that make you who you are. If you changed those… then you wouldn't be Class rep anymore. (Guu…) Hehehe. Don't be so down. If it makes you feel any better, I kind of like those qualities of yours. (Wh… wha?) Ahehehe… see? Even that cute face you make when you're embarrassed is adorable. (Shirogane!) Alright, I'll stop"

"Geez. Fine… just do whatever you want. It's not like I can do anything to stop you anymore"

"Hehehe. Change can be a good thing some times. If you can change for the better then I have no complaints"

"If you're going to change you can start now. (Eh?) Come and jog with me. It'll be a nice workout before our lesson later this afternoon"

"Ha? Oh that. Sorry but I won't be going? (…?) I got some other things to do"

"Oh… That's right… you have that special mission with Professor Kouzuki, haven't you? I guess it can't be helped. We rarely see you at all except during training and meal time. (Really?) Really…" Hmm… maybe the captain was right. Maybe I haven't been spending time with the others. "You even disappeared yesterday and didn't come back until midnight" Geh! I was with Sumika the whole time that day so it's obvious I didn't make an appearance. "Does the mission really take that long?"

"Aheh… sorry about that. I guess I have been neglecting you guys for awhile. With everything that's been happening I guess you can say that I've been through a lot"

"You're not pushing yourself are you? (No of course not) A soldier should worry about themselves too. What good are your skills if you're tired from the start" Geh! Marimo said pretty much the same thing too. "What about tomorrow? It's a day off for us so maybe we can all get together for some extra activity time"

"Hmmm… I'll check in with Yuuko sensei for that. I'm sure she'll let me off the hook if my mission can wait"

"Alright. I'll hold you onto that. (You got it) (Sigh…)… Takeru…"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Ok so she's not anywhere around the base. Where else can Sumika be? I'm really running out of places to look. I wish Yuuko sensei would give me that tracker device of hers to make things easier. I've checked almost every place on the base and I'm not even sure she'll be there. The Hanger? No way. The gym? I never stepped in there before in my life. Hmm…

I guess I can try the rooftop since that's probably the only place left that I could go to.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Click… hmm… nope. No one here but the wind and the dirt. No matter what world I go to, the rooftop of the old school building seems to always be deserted. It's a great place to hang out. I wonder why people don't come here more often.

…

The weather is great too. A perfect day to just sit back and cloud gaze. Heck, you can even play a game of Shapes if you want.

"…hn"

Hmm? Is someone here? I thought I heard someone. Must be my imagin—

"It's not your imagination" Bwahhh!

"A… Ayamine? Is that you? (Hn…)" That girl. Does she have ninja in her blood? Because no matter how hard I try I can't seem to sense her presence at all. It's like she doesn't give anything that would give her away. She's like a ghost. "Please don't scare me like that. What are you doing here anyway? Aren't you supposed to be reporting to the briefing room in a few minutes? (Snacks…) Eh? Snacks?"

"Want some?" She handed me a piece of bread which had…

"Hey… isn't this… Yakisoba Bread?" It is! But it's… strangely deformed for some reason. The noodles were spread all over and there was too much mayonnaise that it pretty much ruined the whole taste. "Hey… what did you do with the Yakisoba? (Hn…) You thought that it would taste better with more topping? (Nod…) Well… I guess there's a lesson to be learned here. It's good to add more than what you need but not unless you have too much of it. It doesn't even look like Yakisoba-pan anymore. More like Mayo-bread"

"Experiment…"

"Experiment? Were you testing if it would taste good or something? (Nod…) Then how would you… geh!-?" She then showed me a tray of Yakisoba Bread all lined up neatly like some kind of food testing court.

"Experiment 1-4… fail. 5 was good"

"How did you get so much Yakisoba and bread? (Leftovers…) Oh… and how many experiments did you make? (…) Ayamine? (Dunno…) That's a lot of wasted food there. If the Captain finds out she'll lecture you for sure. (I'm not scared) Really? So you won't mind if I just go and tell her about all this? (Shirogane is an accomplice) Hey! Don't add me to your category. Haaa… why are you making all of them anyway? It's not like there's a great gonna be a Yakisoba Bread competition any time soon"

"… for everyone… (Huh?) I want… to make the perfect snack… for everyone" For everyone? Is she planning to make them for everyone one day? "Life is short… I want them… to taste the best…"

"Is that why you brought so many? (Nod) I guess that explains your experiment"

"Wanna help?" She then showed me another tray with a bunch of leftover synthetic toppings. Slices of cabbage, onions, carrots, sauce and other delicacies. It really was a Yakisoba Bread Experiment. Hmm… if you look at it from this perspective, it kinda looks fun to do. Testing batches of Yakisoba Bread and making sure that all the ingredients were well balanced. A group of people can spend the whole day just chatting, putting toppings on the bread and see if it tastes good or bad.

"I'd love to but I got my hands full at the moment. (Busy?) Very busy"

"Will you tell?"

"The captain? I won't, but only under one condition. (…?) If you do make the perfect Yakisoba Bread—I'll be the first person to taste them. Got it?"

Ayamine gave a soft chuckle. "Negotiations successful…" She added while smiling. "What does Takeru like?"

"In the Yakisoba? Well… on a personal opinion, I'd like to add more of the onion and sauce and meat. (…?) I find those three to balance the taste well. Since there's a lot of noodles already, we don't need to add that. I like the sauce to be balance so it won't spill when you bite and the meat should cover equally on each section where you bite. The onions and cabbage are there to deliver the sweet and sour taste"

"Hmm… very knowledgeable" Ahahaha… I guess that was a compliment from her. "As expected… from the creator" That one sounded like she was implying something else. Hey! Don't laugh when people can hear you! "Here…"

"Eh? What's this?"

"Not perfect… but close…" She handed me a well prepared Yakisoba-Bread with lots of meat and sauce. It looked delicious. "See ya…"

"Where are you going? (Get more bread…) Oh… alright then"

"Huhuhu… Takeru's cute when he waves" Gegeh! "Bye…"

Darn that girl. You can never tell what's going on her head until she opens her mouth. (Munch munch…) Oh… this is pretty good.

But I shouldn't be up here tasting snacks right now. I should be looking for Sumika. But where could she possibly be? I've searched practically everywhere but not a peep from her. Where else can she be at a time like this?

Thud…

Haaa… maybe I should just lie down here and sky gaze. I've just walked throughout half the base in a few hours already and still no dice. Is she avoiding me? No… there's no reason for her to do that. (Flash) Does… she? Haaaa… but where else can I search? Maybe I should go back to the lab and wait for her there. Who knows? She might be there already, waiting for me with the Santa Rabbit in…

(Flash) Wait… of course! That's it! Duh! Why didn't I think about it before? There's only one place on this base she'll go without attracting others. I should've gone there in the first place.

**(The tree on the hill behind the old school building)**

This place…

This tree on this hill. Just looking at it makes me nostalgic of home. So many events took place here and I can barely remember them all. This place is special to me as it is special to many people in Hakuryo. It was the place where I had to decide who to pick between Sumika and Meiya. The place Ayamine kissed me, the place where I took Kasumi out one time, the place where I gave Sumika her favorite Rabbit. The place where… my life changed. To many others it would look like an ordinary place… but to me… it was the place where my decision decides the future of others.

How long has it been since those peaceful days? Those days where I lived innocently without even knowing the meaning of peace? A thousand years? An eternity? I can barely even remember how long this loop of mine even started.

It feels as if those long years of being in the city with my friends… were nothing more but a dream. A wonderful dream that I would never want to wake up from.

"Takeru chan…"

"Huh? Ah! Sumika!" There she is. I knew she'd be here. "There you are. I've been looking all over for you. (…) I thought it would take me all day to find you. Did you come here to look at the view…? (…) Hey… are you… alright? You're not hurt anywhere, are you? (…) Ummm… listen… I…"

"…?"

"Umm… well… how do I say this?" Damn it. I had a whole script ready just in case I meet up with Sumika… but after seeing her now… my mind is completely blank. "Uh… hi… long time… no see"

"Ah… yeah…" She spoke up in stutter. What the hell? We just spent the other night hugging each other and we didn't feel this awkward before. Why does it feel like we've just drifted apart? A part of me wants to go over there and hug her and yet… a small part of me is keeping that from happening.

…

An awkward pause came between us. We just stood there in silence, gazing around the hill as if waiting for something or someone to start a conversation.

…

"Marimo sensei… is alright…" Eh? "I guess you did it huh…"

"Y… yeah. I really did. (…) Actually… I've done a lot of things I can't even believe" The coup d'état, the XM3 Trial, the meeting with the Shogun… heck, even just getting here was a challenge on its own. "But honestly… I couldn't have done it without you, Sumika. (…)" I took a cautious step towards her, doing my best not to get her spooked. "I don't really know how much you can remember I know I owe it all to you. (…?) I know that this… nightmare is probably just me being selfish but… I just wanted you to know how grateful I am that you gave me this chance. (…) I know there are a lot of things you don't understand… but if you look at me now, you know that I'm not lying. (…) Thank you… for everything"

"Takeru… chan…"

"Heh… I'm really starting to sound like one of those guys in the movies. How embarrassing. Maybe I shouldn't have said that and thought of something cooler. Hehe… I bet even—(Fwup) Ah?"

"Takeru chan… you idiot…"

…!

**Idiot!**

"Idiot, idiot!"

Yeah… this was the reaction I was expecting to get from her. She hugged me by surprised and said those exact words over and over again like a broker cassette tape. I returned the embrace and held her once again in my arms. I felt calm… and secure with her around me. Though a part of me still rejected it, I can tell that every fiber of my body was jumping with joy. To feel her heart beat next to mine, to have her frame within my arms and her voice close to my ears was a feeling that can never be replaced. Sumika was the only one who can make me feel at home.

No one else can… make me feel this way other than her.

It's strange. It has only been a few months since I saw her die yet… I wonder how much of her memory has returned. Back then I had Kasumi helped with recovering my lost memory and implanted every last one of them so I wouldn't forget any moment I had with my friends in any loop. But does that also apply with Sumika when she returned to being a brain in the tube?

I haven't really thought about it. I guess I've been so busy trying to change the world that I forgot about everything else. But… I guess that doesn't really matter. I don't really want Sumika to remember what she did. If anything… I'd like nothing more but to have the old Sumika back. The one who wakes me up every morning and knows how to make me smile. The Sumika who I kissed under this tree on Christmas Eve.

Well… I guess now's a good time as any. "Hey… Sumika… listen. There's… a lot of things I want to tell you…"

We spent the rest of that afternoon under that tree in peaceful bliss. From there I told her everything that had occurred in this loop.

**(Marimo's POV) (Briefing room 7) (01:05 PM)**

"Alright that covers up for this afternoon's class" Captain Isumi declared as she wrapped up things with the new recruits of the unit. "The senior staff members and I will be having reporting to the Command Center later this evening so everyone here can take the day off tomorrow. On Monday we'll be having simulator training on Combat Doctrines. That will be all. Dismissed"

The group quickly dispersed, leaving the captain to finish up with her paperwork. I quickly removed the slides on the projector and stored them in their proper folders. The lesson was pretty much the same thing I taught the students excluding the BETA Hive which was covered in all six phases.

The squad returned to their usual routine hanging around the PX while Captain Isumi made her way to the lower part of the base to make her report.

I heard rumors from some of the staff members that something big was going to be happening soon. No one knows what it was but according to my sources in the Imperial Army, there appears to be a large scale mobilization of ships and TSFs. If anything, my guess would be that a counterattack on Sadogashima was close at hand. It's no surprise seeing that it's the only viable target that is of immediate concern.

But I'm worried. If they do attack then is there a chance that the U.N. Army would take part in it as well? The BETA is not just an enemy of the Imperial Army but an enemy to all of mankind. I just hope the resulting attack favors us this time. There have been many attacks on the BETA before in the past but all of them usually meet with deadly results. Even if our weapons of today far surpassed that of before, I still worry about those who would have to go inside the Hive.

Other than the one here in Yokohama, no other Hive has ever been taken before in history without the use of G-Bombs. Every other attempt failed miserably resulting in massive casualties for humanity.

I know that the A-09 Squad is a special unit developed by the ALTERNATIVE Project… but does that mean they'll be taking the risk of going down a BETA infested hole? I pray that none of them would have to go through that.

"Ah… 1st Lieutenant Jinguuji" The Captain called out to me. "I need you to go to the hanger later this afternoon to ensure the arrival of a package. (A package?) Yes. Apparently a new weapon was brought in this morning and they wish to finalize the paperwork as soon as possible. It's being dropped in on our hanger for now under the Vice Commander's orders"

"Very well. I will deal with it ma'am"

"Good. I'll be reporting to the Command Center soon so just leave the rest on my desk later. I'm counting on you"

**(Hanger)**

A new weapon? I haven't heard anything about that before. According to the folder it's supposedly a new type of TSF. I guess they're the only things that be considered a weapon against the BETA. There's no record of it and it says on the back that it's still on the experimental stages.

It also says here that it was given by the Imperial Army. A new Japanese model? I'll have to clarify it with the head mechanic later on.

"Ah… Jinguuji san. You're finally here" I recognized the head mechanist whom I spent time training some of the cadets together. "It's about time. Those brasses at the office are ringing my ears off with paperwork. If those guys had more brain cells they'd let me do what I want in this hanger"

I gave a small laugh. "Well that's what they do. They wouldn't be the top brass they didn't"

"I'd at least wish they'd leave me alone and let me do my job"

"Hai hai… I'll tell them to ease up on you. (Thanks…) So where's the new weapon that was ordered in?"

"They're putting it up on the rack right now" He pointed towards the TSF bay where a large figure was being brought up to a standing position. The TSF appeared to be covered in a giant cloth so we can't tell what's under it. "It's a poor sight to see. They brought this thing in a state of complete wreck. They never even bothered to reassemble it. It's like they just left it to rot in a vault somewhere"

"Is it some sort of new model?"

He shook his head in reply. "No… it's a pretty old one but you could say that it's a bit better than what we have in our armory right now. (Bzzt…) Oh one moment" His radio buzzed in for a second. "Yeah? (Bzzt?) Alright… that's good. You can drop the curtains now. (Bzzzt…) Just try not to break it more than it already has. It'll take awhile before we can even bring that thing back to its normal condition"

"Boss! We're ready on this end!"

"Alright! Drop it down!" And in a swift motion, the cloth came down revealing a dashing white knight in armor.

I looked to my folder and confirmed its description. Though it was in a poor state of disrepair far worse than what Shirogane did to two of his Fubukis, it was still recognizable thanks to its head piece.

The first of its kind. A 3rd Generation Tactical Surface Fighter. The XFJ-01 Shiranui Second—Phase 2…


	26. Step by Step

**Chapter 26: Step by Step  
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**(Takeru's POV) (December 16, 2001 Sunday) (A-09 Barracks) (07:10 AM)**

Shake shake…

Ugh… not again.

Shake shake…

Ugh… what time is it? 7-10? I still have a solid hour before roll call. Besides, today's Sunday. I don't wake up on Sundays since it's everyone's day off. I want to just sleep on my bed and forget about everything else.

"Dorya! (Wham!)" Goooh! Wha? What the hell? "Wake up Takeru chan!"

"Kasumi? Eh? Sumika?-!" It was definitely Sumika. Kasumi doesn't weight this heavy when she sits on top of me.

"Good morning Takeru chan!"

"Get off! (Ehh? Why?)" Because you're sitting directly on my stomach. "I feel like my ribs are cracking. You're too heavy… (Whaaaa!-?) I said you're too heavy! Get off me! (Wham!) Ow! Now what was that for? (Apologize!) I will once you get off of me! (Fwup)" Haaaa… she finally got off. That was a surprise. Though I was expecting it, I never got the chance to prepare. "Geez… why did you have to do that? It's barely morning"

"That's because I wanted to wake you up! Come on! Let's go and have breakfast! We have a whole day to ourselves and I don't want to waste any second of it. Come on!"

"Gah! S… stop pulling me! Alright alright… geez. Just give me a second to wash up and—eh?" Kasumi just walked through the door and her expression changed when she noticed both me and Sumika in the room. "Oh… hey there Kasumi. (…?)"

"Ah Kasumi! Mornin!" Sumika greeted her energetically. Ever since yesterday's talk, she's been like a big ball of energy from my world. Her memory is still muddled from her recreation but she seems to remember a bit of her future self. I don't know how much she remembers but I think what she has now is enough to make me happy. "Neh Takeru chan. Come on! Let's go and have breakfast"

Sumika kept pulling my arm but I quickly snatch it back in annoyance. "Alright. Just give me one second to change and I'll be right with you. Huuu… my beautiful Sunday morning… ruined. (Ruffle) Hmm? What is it Kasumi?" Now Kasumi was the one pulling my arm. That could only mean one thing. "Did Yuuko sensei ask you to get me? (Nod) Ok I'll head there right away. (Ehhh?) Sorry Sumika but duty calls. You know that I can't refuse her"

She gave me a puffed up cheek expression. "Fine. We'll go together then. (Huh?) No buts! Where you go, I go" Ahh… she's being selfish again. I guess I can understand her. It has only been 2 days since she was brought from the pod and she probably wants to spend as much time with me as possible. Even I want to spend time with her but my military side is clearly acting up against it.

I guess what they say about marrying soldiers are true… they have to make commitment to not only their family but to the nation they serve.

But I guess I have no choice. I'll have to bring her with me…

**(Yuuko's office)**

"Yuuko sensei, you called?"

The room was still the same as ever. Messy. If the janitors were here they'd probably be too afraid to touch anything. But I guess Mad Scientists like her can probably clean it all up later when the world is saved from the BETA. Strangely enough… I seem to be coming in and out of this room more often than before. Usually Yuuko sensei would have it lock when she's not in but now it seems like this has become my second room.

"Ah… good, you're here and—Kagami?" She darted her eyes to Sumika who seemed to be hanging on my arm.

"Morning Kouzuki sensei!" Sumika greeted. She's starting to sound more and more like her old self back in my world.

"Good morning. I see that both of you got out of bed early. That's good. (Ahehe) Nothing extreme, I hope. (Eh?) Anyway, do you two mind giving me a moment with Shirogane?" Huh? She wants to talk to me… alone? It must be something serious.

"Eh? Why can't we stay too?"

"It's a private matter. Don't worry. I won't take long"

"Guuu… but I wanna stay…"

"Sumika, listen to her. If Yuuko sensei says it's a private matter then it's best to comply. She'll probably just lecture me about quantum physics all over again. I'll be out in a few minutes"

She gave another puffed cheek expression before finally letting go of my arm. "Fine. But you better tell me what she told you neh, Takeru chan"

"Don't count on it" I teased back which she punched me back in response. "Kasumi. Do you mind keeping Sumika company for the moment? (Ok…) Thanks. I'll be out as soon as I can" After we made sure that the two of them were out of the room I quickly took a seat opposite of the Vice Commander and spoke. "So… what did you want to talk about? It must be important if you didn't want Sumika listening in on us"

"Just a minor checkup. Nothing serious. Right this moment, the high chain of command are being briefed on the upcoming operation to attack Sadogashima" The battle of Sadogashima. Just thinking about it makes my Goosebumps grow Goosebumps. "Nearly half of the Imperial Army is being committed to the assault with the assistance of U.N. forces providing support in necessary locations. (…) Though you probably know about this already, the only unit being deployed from Yokohama base is the ALTERNATVE Plan Special Task Force 9th Squadron" That's right. Out of everyone here in Yokohama base and excluding the Hive Infiltration Force Orbit Divers, we'll be the only ones sent into the battle zone. I remember this.

"So it's really happening again… this Christmas"

Yuuko nodded in reply. "Yes. Isumi will probably announce it to the group a few days before the operation. The unit will be deployed on the 24th of December and the operation will begin on the eve of 25th, Christmas Day. The Imperial Honor Guards and every soldier available in the north west will be committed to the operation" That's taking a whole chunk of resources of Japan but considering the rewards… I guess people will say that every bullet shot was worth it.

"So that must mean you're planning to get Sumika to train on the XG-70"

"Hooo? You catch on quick. That's exactly what I intend to do. She was created for that purpose after all. (…) Considering that she's more than stable at the moment, I don't think we'll encounter any problems. Kasumi has already sent me her data and right now she's more than ready to be piloting the test version we set up" Sumika will be riding that behemoth of a weapon again. The very thing that can level a BETA Hive with a single blast. It's hard to imagine that a sweet girl like her would be doing something so ridiculously impossible for any man. "I would've put her in even if she was unstable. Do you remember the day when you brought her out of that tank?"

"Yeah… what about it?"

"The completion of the 00-Unit required a lot of risks and factors that would take a single human, eons to accomplish. If we continued on from that point without stabilizing her… she may have come out as an incomplete model. (…?) Tell me… with your memories… was there a time when Sumika acted inhumane? Anything out of the ordinary" (Flash) A vivid memory appeared before my mind. I remember how Sumika was when I first met her in this world. She was unstable… almost broken, if any word had a fitting to it. She wanted nothing more but to kill BETA, train and fight. She'd shout in panic and scream out in fear like I was about to die.

"Yes… I remember" I answered back almost regretting remembering such things. "When I first met Sumika… she was… unstable. Like she was prepared to explode or something"

"Hmm… I guess that's a close enough description. If she had come out with those errors then she may have been like that. (Huh?) Before you arrived in the lab the other day when I was completing the 00-unit, a lot of known errors popped up. I thought about solving them myself eventually but then I thought that you might make a better cure. The moment you came into the room, all the errors began fixing themselves. (Really?) It's true. I guess in some ways… you're the key…"

Then that means… the reason why Sumika went mad when I came back was because I wasn't there. I wasn't there for Sumika when she was made. If I had been there she… she wouldn't have had to suffer that horrible moment. Ugh… so it was inevitable. Once again… without even knowing it… I hurt someone I loved dearly because of my cowardice. If only… if only I stayed here… things would've been different.

From the looks of it, this doesn't seem to be any different from looking at the Japanese Government of this world. Everyone here is relying so much on the Shogun. I want to break that chain and the quickest way of doing that is by destroying the BETA Hive in Sadogashima.

"So… what do you need me for today?" I asked, expecting to finally get out of here.

"Aha… I see you know that there was something else I needed from you"

"You wouldn't call me down here just to give minor lectures. I know that much. So what do you need me to do, Yuuko sensei?"

"I need you to test something for us. (Test?) I was able to procure a rather surprising bonus from the Prime Minister, Sakaki Kurechika when he visited us here. In exchange for the XM3, he gave us something that we might be able to use in the coming future. A new weapon. I specifically ordered it to be a new model for the U.N. Army massed produced unit but we don't know of its capabilities. That's why you're going to be its test driver"

"Test driver? A TSF?"

"It was an old model made by the international joint research team controlled by the U.N. held in Yukon Base, Alaska. It was a project run by both Americans and Russians in creating a better TSF. The pilot of this particular machine has… gone somewhere and we need a replacement. I recommended you for the trial. What about it?

"Sure" was my reply. "If it means helping us get better equipment for the future, I'm all for it"

"I shouldn't be surprised. After all you're the best at what you do with those machines. Come to the hanger bay on the lowest floor of the base after lunch. We'll take a look at it from there. If it passes the test, then it's an added bonus. (I see…) That will be all for today. (Ma'am…) Oh wait… before I forget… here" She handed me a lacquered wood picture frame which was wrapped with a bow and tied like a gift. "Happy birthday… (Eh?) It is your birthday… isn't it?"

"My birthday? (Flash)" Of course! December 16! That's… my birthday! I completely forgot about it. I've been so focused on my mission that I barely remembered my own birthday. "Yes… December 16. (Flash) This is the day… I was born"

"You forgot your own birthday?"

"It's just that… I've been so engrossed in things that I forget the finer things in life. I just remembered it now…" How long has it been since my last birthday? How old am I, really? And when was the last time I even received a present?

"When you first arrived here at Yokohama Base, I had your house searched. (Huh?) Apparently that picture was the only thing that survived. It took me awhile to restore it to pristine condition. I thought it would make a nice present" I quickly tore off the wrapping paper and ribbon.

"This… this is…" It was a picture of me when I was a kid. I think I was around 6 maybe 8 years old when this was taken. I was playing in the park in our neighborhood with Sumika when mom decided to snap a photo of us. She said that she wanted me to make memories with the camera but I never got any of her metaphors before… until now. That's me right there standing atop the slide and Sumika pushing me down so she would have her turn. In the background I can see the old autumn trees and the houses of my neighbors. Was I that small before? I look so stupid with that shirt. I can barely remember Kindergarten…

"They say that pictures are portals into another world" Yuuko added. I didn't even notice I was crying until she handed me a tissue. "But I guess in your case… it's more than just another metaphor"

"Yuuko sensei… I… I don't know what to say"

"Ora ora… don't get sentimental on me now. I made because I was bored and I thought it might help raise your morale a bit. Remind you of what you are fighting for"

"Yes… it really does. Thank you… sensei… I… really… appreciate this"

She gave me a smile in reply. "Go on. Take the day off. Return here at 1500 hours for the testing. There's no need to rush"

"Ma'am…" I gave out a proper salute and turned away. Ah… that was so unmanly of me. Crying like a baby just seeing something like this. I guess that's just the human side of me that I haven't outgrown yet.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Just as I got outside, I noticed Sumika playing with something.

"Ah! Takeru chan, are you done talking with Kouzuki sensei?"

"Yeah…"

"Eh? What's the matter? Your eyes are all red. Were you crying?

"Ah… no. I was just yawning… You know how I am in mornings" I hid the picture frame on my back. It's rather embarrassing to be seen with it. "I was just thinking about the time we had together. (Time?) Yeah… it's only been a few months but I feel like we've been separated for a long while now. (…) I guess you could say I'm feeling a little home sick"

"Home sick? (Yeah…) Takeru… do you miss your home?"

"Yeah… I missed it. I haven't seen it since the few weeks before Operation Ouka. (…?) Ah… no need to think. Things will come when it comes. What about you Sumika… do you remember your home?"

"Home…" She gazed at my face trying to remember. Her memory was stored by Kasumi in the previous loop so there's a chance that she can remember a part of it. "I remember… home. (You do?) Home… is where Takeru is. (Eh?) A house is a house… but a home is when I'm with Takeru. (…?) I… don't really understand it myself… but when I say it… it feels right"

Home is where the heart is. I guess that saying holds weight here. But in her case… her home is where I am. Ahehehe… just hearing her say that makes me feel special. I guess there are just some people in the world who enjoys being wanted.

"Ahaha… yeah… I guess I understand what you're saying there, Sumika"

"Hey… (Hmm?)" Sumika pulled my sleeves shyly. "Let's go to your place. (Huh?) Today… let's go to see your home. (My home?) Yeah. Come on…"

"Ha? Ah! W… wait! Sumika!" Ah geez.

**(Hiiragi City ruins)**

My home… my old home. It feels like an eternity since I came back to this place. When I first stepped out of this house, everything was in mint condition. Now… it turned into this: The home of the Shirogane Takeru who died in this world. It's strange how this house stands out among the rest of the buildings around the neighborhood. Though it wasn't in the best condition, it still stood out. Heck I can even pick it out even from the rooftop of the base.

Creeeek…

The door was rusted and broken. The chain-lock which Sumika constantly picked back in the days was gone. It breaks my heart just seeing the kitchen and dining room at such a state.

How long has it been? A few months? That sounds about right. Back in my previous loop, I journeyed back and forth in that Trans Dimensional Device to recover the 100 page equation to complete the ALTERNATIVE IV project.

"…" I asked Sumika to stay outside for a minute while I checked the place. So far the building itself was stable. It was in no danger of collapsing, at least not yet.

The kitchen charred to a crisp. There was still a pot on the stove and anyone would guess what the person was cooking before he was taken away from this place. (Flash) Tsukuyomi's face appeared on that kitchen. The kind hearted Tsukuyomi, not the one here in this world. Right now I wouldn't mind tasting her famous miso soup.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Ah… my room. It's a complete wreck. Well… I guess you could say it was cleaner than before. My room ordinarily was always a mess. The Three Idiots cleaned it sometimes but no matter what, I have a nasty habit of recreating that mess over and over.

My bed was still there… or at least what's left of it was tattered in rags. The posters that I hung on the walls were still hanging though all of them had already been worn and torn from time. I guess the Shirogane in this world had the same taste as me. Hehehe… Jet Syndrome… what a draggy title.

My old reading lamp which I never used was also there. Out of everything here, this piece of garbage was practically the only thing that was left intact. I wonder if this thing will bring me good luck too. There were a few empty cupboards, which were probably looted by scavengers for clothes and other useful items.

And finally we have… my window. My treasured window…

The window where I used to gaze in the stars once every night. The window where I get to see Sumika and talk to her before calling a day's end. How I missed it… those innocent days…

Click…

I wonder how the scenery is now…

"Boo!"

"Bwah! (Ahahahaha!) Sumika? H… how did you get over there?" She's riding on the hole of the damaged TSF next to my house.

"I climbed up here. I wanted to see how you were doing looking around your room like that"

"Get down from there. It's dangerous"

"Don't worry. I won't fall. (Hey now…) So how does it feel to be back there? (Huh?) I thought you were home sick so I thought about bringing you back home. Well?"

"Heh… to be honest… I'm not really sure. This really is my house but it feels like I've been away for so long already. Sometimes I wonder how I was able to live a day without knowing what was actually going on in the real world. Being a normal student going to school every day without even knowing what peace really meant"

"Bu buu… Takeru chan. You don't have to be sad all the time you know. (Eh?) I wanted to make you smile so I brought you here. I guess it didn't turn out that well" Hehehe… she was just trying to cheer me up. That's sweet of her. "Remember how we used to play in the part a few blocks from here? (A park?) Yeah. That's where we played when we were kids" (Flash) Of course… I remember that park. "We used to play there all the time but it's gone now"

"Yeah…" I think we passed by it on our way here. The park was surprisingly still there along with the slide and everything. It's a miracle that the place was still standing after all the BETA attacks and the G-Bombs. (Ruffle) Hmm? What's this?

"What is it? Did you find something?"

"Yeah, it's stuck to my shoe. One second…" (Ruffle) Huh? A diary? I don't remember keeping a diary before. I don't think I would ever buy something this girly and colorful in my life. Let's see…

_June 10th (Rainy)_

_I did something terrible today. I broke an ammonite fossil. It looked really expensive and I don't know what to do. Then Takeru chan came, and I thought he was going to help me, but he tattled the teacher instead._

_That was so mean…_

_My teacher was nice, so he said it was alright, but I still had to pay him back for it. My allowance isn't enough to pay for that~_

_So Takeru tried replacing it with a snail but it didn't work._

Wait a minute… this is… this Diary… this stupid drawing of me. There's no mistake. This is… Sumika's…

_Then a different teacher came. A much scarier one._

_Takeru chan said that the fossil had been reborn, or that it came out of its shell or something, but that just made the new teacher angrier._

_But, in the end, he took the blame for me._

_Thank you, Takeru chan._

_I was so happy~_

_And…_

_I'm sorry…_

Sumika… I remember seeing one of your diaries back in my world when I ran away.

_She took you away somewhere. I hope you didn't get hurt. I asked you about it on the way home, but you wouldn't tell me anything… But I was really happy…_

_Thank you…_

That day when I ran away… I hurt you, Marimo and everyone around me unintentionally. I hurt you because I was a coward… and tired of facing reality. (Ruffle) I flipped the page and saw a bunch of funny drawings of me… and Sumika.

_March 10th (Sunny)_

_Oh no ~ oh no ~_

_This is bad! This is bad! Something happened!_

_Takeru chan… why'd you say you were aiming for Hakuryou? We're going to be seniors next year, so on the way home I decided to ask you about it, and you picked that place… That's horrible! You never told me about this!_

_I can't get into Hakuryou with my grades~_

_Although the way things are now, neither can you, Takeru chan. Uuuu… but I'm sure you'll be fine._

_What to do~ What to do~ I have to study~_

_I'll study until it kills me!_

_Aaaaah! This is not time to be writing a diary! I'm going to bed!_

Hehehe… yeah… I remember that day. I remember how I wanted to enter the most prestigious school in our town. It was a stupid dream and I just wanted to try it for fun but I never thought I would get accepted. I simply did it to get on Sumika's nerves.

_February 25th (Rainy)_

_Yay! Yay! I did it!_

_I got accepted into Hakuryou! Did you see that? What did you think?_

_At first I was so scared I couldn't even look at the scores. Then Takeru chan said I failed, and scared me half to death! Don't joke about that~ My heart stopped you know!_

_I mean it! I was seriously depressed when you said that. Then Takeru chan said it must've been dumb luck._

_I was overjoyed, and you ruined it._

_We studied together all the time! But, now we'll be together for another three years._

_What do you think of that?_

_Uuuuuu… I'm so happy! I might not be able to sleep tonight._

_August 27th (Rainy)_

_It's summer! It's so hot! We went to the pool!_

_Takeru chan… you kept starting at women in revealing swimsuits… what's with that?_

_I spent a lot of time choosing my own swimsuit, you know._

_You could've at least said something about it… I'll remember this next year!_

Hehehe… yeah that was me alright. The pool was the best place to look at the older women. I was into swimsuits around that time so I guess I was a bit of a pervert myself. Hehehe. Boy Sumika… you really wrote about everything, did you?

_I asked Takeru chan something weird today._

_What would things be like if we weren't childhood friends? (Huh?)_

_Just kidding, I wasn't thinking straight…_

_Like you said Takeru chan, I couldn't imagine a world where we weren't together._

_After all, we've been together foreeeeever._

_Which is why… I'll never ever ever go anywhere without you, Takeru chan!_

_Tomorrow, and the day after that, and the week after that… and… the year after that…_

_And after that…_

_I'll be with Takeru chan for-ever!_

…

…

…

Sumika… is this really how she felt about me when we were kids? Has she always held a flare for me all this time… and I just didn't notice it? No… maybe I knew about it some time ago but chose to ignore it. Maybe I was aware of her feelings for me and perhaps I just didn't know how to respond to it. Or… was it because I didn't want to ruin what we already had? I don't really know…

"Hey~~ What did you find?" I closed the picture diary and tucked it neatly in my inner coat pocket. Damn… my eyes are watering up so badly I can't stop it. "Oi… Takeru chan?"

"N… no it's nothing. Just some old books with boring words" I don't think she needs to remember all of this. I don't want her to remember every bad thing that had happened in the previous loop.

"Boring books? I guess that's ordinary for Takeru chan to keep those things. (Hey!) Ahehehe. Hey… Takeru chan… (Yeah?) Do you mind if I ask you a weird question? (Sure) What will you do after you're done with this world? (Huh?) After you defeat the BETA, what will you do?"

"After I defeat the BETA? That's still a long way to go Sumika"

"Just answer the question, idiot!"

"Ouch…" She threw a pebble at me. "What's that for? (For being an idiot!) Alright alright, geez. Let's see. If I defeat the BETA then… I'll probably go home. (…) Since I pretty much complete my mission there's no longer a reason for me to be here"

"And then… what will you do?"

"Well… I'd…" I would… relive that moment with Sumika again. "I'd probably do the thing I should've done a long time ago. (Eh?) Ahehe… I guess you could say I haven't really thought of it. The future is a fickle thing. It can change before you even know it" The future can change with the actions of one person. I already proved that theory many times in this loop.

"Heeeeeh… since when did Takeru chan get so philosophical? (Hey!)Ahahaha! I can already picture you with a long black beard and a top hat. Takeru the scholar. Ahehehe… that's just so wrong in so many ways"

"What!-? Why you little… alright get down from there so I can tickle you! (Neeeeh!) Alright, you asked for it" She stuck her tongue out to tease me. But now I was going to give her a reason to fear me. I quickly got out of my window and braced myself to jump.

"H… hey… what are you doing?"

"What does it look like? I'm going to jump over to your side. (Ehhhh!) Here goes!"

"W… wait a minute! That's dangerous! Don't do it Takeru chan!" And alley oop! (Clang) (Clack!) Uh oh… "Ahhhh! The robot! It's… it's falling apart!" Ah crud, maybe that wasn't such a good idea after all. The arm of the broken TSF literally fell off the torso. The body was still standing but I guess my weight was too much for it. Ahehehe… at least it can still hold my weight. (Creeek…) Uh oh… (Twang!) Ahhh crap! "Ah! Takeru chan!-? Are you ok?"

"Y… yeah… I'm fine. I just fell. (Idiot!) Yeah yeah, I guess that was pretty stupid of me" Oww… I grazed my hand on the metallic plates. Damn… my palm is bleeding off. That's not… (Woot…)… good? What the? Where'd the wound go? For a second there the cut just closed up by itself. How is that humanly possible? (Flash) The same thing happened back in the lab when I brought Sumika out of the tank. One of the electrical wirings burned it when lit up on fire and it charcoaled my part of elbow. But then, just like my hand just now, the wound healed itself instantly. Yuuko told me that my fast recovery takes place when I least expected it but now… I can see it happen before my very eyes.

The wound I had covered itself, leaving a small scar in its wake. Even the chest wound that I had from Susono City wasn't painful anymore but the scar still remained. What is really happening to my body? Is this the effect of being a Causality Conductor? That seems like the best answer at the moment since I don't know how instantaneous healing works anyway.

I quickly dusted away the dirt around me and made my way out of the TSF. Maybe I should stop doing reckless things or—(Wham!) Yeow! "Who the?"

"Takeru chan you idiot!"

"Yeah yeah, I got it already, I'm an idiot" Sumika was yelling directly to my ear again. "Don't worry. I'm used to getting hurt already. (Buuuu!) Anyway… thanks… Sumika… (Eh?) I guess you could say that bringing me back here really cheered me up. (Ah…) Maybe a little visit to the past was all that I needed to set me back straight"

"Ahehe… nothing cures homesickness than home" Eh? Where have I heard that before?

"Alright. It's about time we head back. I want to have lunch before the test run. (Clank) …! Who's there?" I pulled my sidearm out in reflex to the sound. After years of training you can distinguish sounds of people from the natural tinkering sounds around the area. A figure stood out along the road. "Kasumi? (…!)" The moment I mentioned her name, she quickly hid behind a pile of debris. Her bunny ears were still sticking out though so it kinda looked cute. "You can come out now, there's no point in hiding Kasumi"

"Uuuu…" The little girl tiptoed her way out and approached us.

"Ah! Kasumi chan" Sumika noted the dirt on her skirt and began patting them away. "You're all dirty. Did you crawl your way here? Ahehe… (…?)"

"Does Yuuko sensei even know you're here? You're pretty far away from the base so she might scold you when you get back. (…) Did you follow us all the way here? (Nod…) Well… we were about to head back ourselves. But I guess we could stay for awhile"

"Hey! Let's go to that park we talked about" Sumika proposed. "I'd like to stop and play there… just this once. (But…) Pleaseeeeeee~~"

I sighed off in defeat. "Fine but only for a few minutes. (Yay! Isn't that great Kasumi chan?) I don't want to stay there longer than necessary"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The park… it's been awhile since I visited this place. The last time I was here was when I confessed my feelings to Sumika in my alternate world travel during my previous loop. How nostalgic this place feels. Heh… back then I used to call this the pee-park because when I was a kid I used to pee on the slide and the mini-igloo.

"Hey Takeru chan, look!" Sumika was riding on the slide with Kasumi. Both of them were holding onto their respective bunnies as they slid down the childish contraption. I'm amazed that thing could still hold their weight.

"Be careful. You might break the thing. (Dooh!) Ahehe… with the weight you gained, that might just be possible. (Haaaa!-?) Hahahaha… (Tap…) Hmm? What's this?" A plastic bucket? (Flash) A plastic shovel? (Flash) Wait… this area… (Flash) This must be the place where the sandbox was. It probably got destroyed during the war with the BETA. (Flash) Huh? (Flash) A sword? Here? (Flash) Meiya…

December 16… wait a second. Today is my birthday then does that also mean that… (Flash) It's also Meiya's birthday too! Crap I totally forgot about it. I wonder if I should get her something. In my world I think I got her one of those stuffed animals from the Claw Crane Machines which was actually part of a set of two. I remember that… hmm… I wonder if I can make it in time…

**(Marimo's POV) (Underground TSF Hanger)(Floor B20)**

"Alright, bring it in!" The Head mechanic shouted off to the crane operator as they slowly moved the extra jump thrusters to the hip of the XFJ-01. The repairs for this particular model were being handled by some of the top brass around the base so the resources being used for it was near limitless. The engineers here said that it was a heart wrenching process since the machine itself was made of parts that were pretty much built on the TSF itself. Even though they had all the resources to rebuild it, they said that there was no way to make it any faster.

"Hey boss!" Another one of the mechanics shouted as he approached the man next to me. "We already double checked with the shoulder thrusters. They've been modified just like you said"

"I knew it…" The Head Mechanic gave a sigh. "Tuning things up like they think they know every inch of the machine. They treat a tank like it's a car"

"Tuning things?" I asked.

"Customization. It's a thing that happens with many vehicles" He explained to me. "Back during World War II, tank crews and fighter pilots with basic mechanical knowledge had a tendency to tune their machines thinking they can make it better or repair it in a different way. On a rare occurrence they would prove useful but they what those idiots don't realize that it makes the mechanics back at the base will have a hard time understanding what they did with it"

"I see… so battlefield modifications"

"They tend to do it out of desperation. Haaaa… Alright, what did he do this time?"

The engineer nodded and opened up the folder he was carrying. "The intake valves were open to increase the output of the thrusters. I think the former pilot did it to boost his turning speed. Most of the systems are compatible to ours but it'll take a while to replace all the parts. As for the head unit, it seems to be equipped with active electronic scanning radar to enhance the infrared targeting acquisition system. We have no way to replicating it unless we order a new one directly from the factory"

"Haaaaa… and here we go again. Just do what you can with the parts you can repair and replace. The Vice Commander wants this unit operational by this afternoon. (Yes sir!) Haaaa…"

"You have your work cut out for you" I said to him to lessen his stress. "Maybe you should take the week off and spend it more with your wife"

"Ha! And leave these idiots to fix that thing? I'd rather have a BETA eat my head off" Hehehe… this old man still had the flare of his younger self. Despite his age he had the respect of every mechanic here in the base. "Those idiots can't put 2 and 2 together without breaking something along the way. I'll grow old and die first before I let that happen. (Whiiirr…) Oi! Move that truck out of the hanger! We need to have the whole plot cleared out before this afternoon"

"Tell me something… (Hmm?)" I asked up out of curiosity. "If this was an old model, how come it was never used for mass production? I heard that it was created by a U.N. joint project"

"Ah… that's about half true. (Eh?) The XFJ-01 was built in conjunction under the U.N. authority with the joint effort of both America and the Soviets. They had a base built right in the border and had military personnel on both sides run it to build a better and faster TSF" I heard rumors of the project. It had latent success thanks to the support of various companies that supplied it with virtually limitless resources. "To prevent prejudice both government decided that it should be run by a member of the U.N. The XFJ-01 was one of the more successful prototypes but the construction cost of building such a model escalated so much that it prevented it from being massed produced"

"I see…" So that's why I've never seen this unit before. It was a prototype. An unfinished model of the real thing. "So how did it come to the Imperial Army?"

The Head Mechanic simply shrugged his shoulder in response. "Not a clue. Last I heard the soldier who used to pilot it headed off for some ridiculous mission and was never heard of again. Nobody really knows what happened or how it just magically appeared here. It's best not to think about it. (Sigh…) But you got to admit… whatever that guy did, he must've been in one hell of a fight. This thing is so wrecked it would be better if we just scrapped the whole thing for parts. (…) Heh… it kind of reminds me of that cadet of yours. Shirogane, was it? That kid is setting all kinds of record in the simulator. If he keeps this up he might just break the record of wrecking more TSFs than a whole squad ahahaha"

Haaaa… please don't remind me. That boy had broken more TSFs than anyone in the base. Usually when a pilot dies, the TSF goes with him. It's extremely rare for a pilot to survive when his TSF is destroyed because being an Eishi means of having one of the lowest survival ratings on the battlefield.

"Oh that reminds me. Has the boy asked you out yet? (Huh?) Since the two of you are so close I thought he may have already asked you out on a date. (Clang!) Hmm?"

"Wh—wh-wha—who are you talking about?"

"Shirogane, who else?"

"Why would he and I…?"

"The other guys told me about it. (What other guys?) You two are pretty close or so I've heard. Some say that they saw both of you going into your room the other day" The other day? Wait… was it that time during lunch? Was someone watching us back then? "Ah children nowadays… it must be nice to be young and in love" What the hell is that supposed to mean? Just because of one random act I suddenly got myself a boyfriend? I just treated him for lunch and people are simply blowing things out of proportion.

"Who else knows about this?"

"Why… everyone of course… (Geh!)"

**(Takeru's POV) (Barracks) (12:20 PM)**

We returned to the base about an hour later from the ruins. It felt good to reattach myself to my roots, in a manner of speaking. Though I didn't get to go back to my world… it was nice to see my home once more. Maybe that was just the thing I needed to boost my morale back. I placed the photo that Yuuko sensei gave me in my room along with the picture diary I found in my house. Maybe when I have more time, I'll probably read it all.

"Hey Takeru chan. (Hmm?) Kasumi says that I have to go back downstairs now"

"Huh? Really? (Yeah…) Can it be later? I wanted to introduce you to everyone first"

"Ahehe… maybe another time. But you'll come and visit me later tonight won't you?"

"Yeah, definitely. We'll see each other during the trial later this afternoon"

Sumika blinked in surprise. "Really? I can come and watch?"

"Yeah but you have to be quiet. The people down there are really stiff and stingy about everything. They'll arrest you just by walking in a different lane and question you about everything"

"Hai hai… I will. (…) hai hai… I'm coming Kasumi chan. Neh Takeru chan… (Hmm?) Haa… no… nothing. Never mind"

"Hey now. Don't leave a phrase halfway done. Speak up. There's nothing you can't tell me. (It's nothing) That doesn't sound like nothing"

"I'll tell you some other time when you visit. Ok? Later!" Ah… hey wait! Oh come on! Now I want to know what she wanted to say earlier. Ah forget it. I should probably get to the PX for something to eat. The testing will begin in a few hours"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

But still… I'm worried about my super regenerative abilities. There really is no denying it now after that event at the ruins. When I cut myself during that fall, the palm of my hand bled for about two seconds before the wound disappeared completely. There was still blood that came out but my skin covered itself rather quickly. Only a scar remained in the aftermath. Even after pressing it, the pain was gone.

I had only speculated on Yuuko's sensei theory of my powers but seeing it for myself proved that she wasn't lying. My body wasn't normal for sure.

"Oh? This is rare, Shirogane…" Hmm?

"Oh… 1st Lieutenant Munakata"

"Oi… what did the Captain say about formalities?"

"Ah… sorry. Force of habit" Hmm… that's odd…

"What's wrong? Were you expecting someone else?" I looked around the PX trying to find a familiar green-headed girl who was always attached to Munakata.

"No… I just don't see 2nd Lieutenant Kazama. Isn't she with you?"

"Ara? So you prefer her company better than mine? (Huh?) Fine… I can take a hint when I'm not wanted around here"

"Huh? No! Wait! I didn't mean it like that. It's just that… I often see you two together so I thought she'd be with you"

"Ah… I see" She gave out a coyly smile. "I guess you're right about that. She and I are always together. After all… she is the 2nd cutest after Akane. I just can't help myself around her when she's defenseless. (…) She might be small but her techniques can make a man jealous any day. (Blink… blink…)" A rather happy thought entered my mind when she said those words. Wait… didn't I fall for this before? She's not implying about something sexually… is she? "Hehehe… just what are you imagining right now, Shirogane?"

"Huh? Ah! N… nothing! Nothing at all! It's just that you talk about that kind of stuff so… casually"

"Why not? Touku is after all the one of the most experienced snipers in the business. (Eh?) Ora… it seems like you were thinking of something else entirely 1st Lieutenant~. Very naughty…" That's because you implied it in the first place! "Hehehe… you really are a funny man. But thoughts like that could only mean that you're hungry for some action yourself. (Huh?) I can see it in your eyes. You've probably done it plenty of times yourself. (Ehhh?) A man's eyes can speak more than his mouth in a second. I can see it: The Lust… the passion, the hunger… it's all there. You're like an experienced wolf… the Alpha Male"

"Alpha Male?" Is she trying to animalize this whole conversation now?

"I can tell that you've done it with plenty of women just by looking at your arms. How you hold onto a controller is like holding onto the thigh and then plunging yourself into—"

"Ok ok, stop! Let's keep this G-rated while I'm still eating here"

She gave out a friendly laugh. "Hehe… but you get my point. I'm sure the other cadets have the same thought. (Huh? Why?) A single man in a squad full of women… what's a better word to describe you other than an Alpha Male? (Hey!) Hahaha… but you're a funny one. If you're interested in getting a big fish then ask me any time. I can get any of the girls to meet you in your room. Ah… for the exception of the captain of course. (…?) There are just some fishes in the sea that a sailor won't dare cross" I was right… she really is trying to animalize this conversation. Alpha Male, sailors, fishes… what next? Pigs?

"So what do you fancy, Shirogane? Do you prefer the weak type like 1st Lieutenant Suzumiya. Poor, defenseless… and vulnerable" Ok… I'm getting the impression that this woman is far too sex craved. "Just thinking about her in bed can make any man wet himself. (…) Or would you prefer her sister, Akane? (Geh!) Ah… I forget that you two are on bad terms but that can turn around with a simple act of aggression. She's like an untamed lion that just needs a little grooming and a lot of training. If you bound her and gagged her… she'll be yours in an instant. Ahhh~~ Akane chan…"

"Uhh… Munakata san. Are you… alright?"

"I can picture it already. Akane strapped on the bed tied on all limbs and hot red candle wax dripping on stomach" Hot wax? W… wait a minute. This conversation is getting dangerous. "Stuffed her wet panties in her mouth and chip the claws of that lion for good. Ahhhh… I will make her scream for mercy. (…h… hey now…) But obviously she'll be nothing compared to 1st Lieutenant Hayase. That woman is a gorilla. Taming her will require something more tactful. The regular techniques won't do. Even a tranquilizer won't go through that thick skull of hers. Perhaps drugging her rations, proposing a toast with her favorite drink. And then after she's down, we take her off to the ruins and chain her to a post. When she wakes up she'll be completely nude and after that… after that we… ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh… it would be… ahh… yes… call me Mistress…"

"Ok stop right there!" I yelled out finally after having her verbally describe her plans to get the others in a domination matrix. "No more, please. Do you really have to dramatize it? I'm eating here!"

"Ah… sorry about that. Sometimes when I get really hungry I often do a visualization technique to calm myself" Visua—forget it. I don't even want to think of what she's trying to say anymore.

"By the way… what are you doing here Munakata san? Didn't you have lunch already?"

"Hmm? Oh that. Well… I guess you could say that I'm hiding. (Hiding?) Yeah… I'm hiding from Hayase chan. I made some comments on the class yesterday so she's taking her anger out on me. She's probably running around the base screaming my name" I guess that explains why she wasn't eating anything at all. "Oh… by the way Shirogane san. Would you mind doing me a tiny favor? (Huh? What is it?) Would you kindly move one seat to the left? (Huh?) Please?"

"Move one seat to the left? Uh… ok… (Ruffle)There. Is that alright?"

"Yes… that's perfect. Now just sit up straight for one minute" Sit up straight? Uh… ok…

"So why do I have to—?"

"TAKE THIS! (WHAM!)" Owwww! Something round and hard whacked me right on the head! My face went first, hitting my soup bowl. Oww… was that… a volleyball? "Dammit! I missed!"

"Looks like she found me. Later Shirogane. I had a fun time with you. We should get together more often. Well, see ya"

"MU-NA-KA-TA! Come back here!"

Tap tap tap tap tap…

…

…

…

Oww… my head. I haven't had this much of a headache since forever. My whole face was covered with rice and soup and my sardine sauce was dripping from my head like egg yolk. Those two simply had their fun and abandoned me right on the spot. Couldn't they at least pretend to care?

"Ora… those two haven't changed a bit" Huh? Oba san? "Look at this. Leaving a mess while making things hard on others. If they acted any less I would say they were doing this on purpose"

"Ah… sorry about that. I'll clean that up"

"Don't bother. I'll get one of the guys to have that swapped by tonight. Here… (Ruffle) A second serving on me. (Thank you…) Don't mention it. I don't get to see you around here anymore so I was beginning to wonder where you might've gone off to. Usually I'd see you walk pass here with Meiya chan or Miki chan. But you rarely come by now"

"Yeah… sorry about that. I've been busy these past few days"

"Hehe. The Vice Commander putting working your back off? I guess that's expected of her. But still. It wouldn't hurt to have a chat with your friends once in awhile. They certainly miss you"

"Yeah… I noticed that too. I thought I'd get a chance to hang out with them today but I'm still swamped for this afternoon. (Ruffle) Hmm? What's this?" Oba san handed me a piece of cloth and some stuffing.

"Something to keep your mind off work" She answered me. "Here's a reason for you to visit your friends. Miki chan had been asking for some flower style cloth for awhile. I was able to get a hold of some earlier so make it a point to visit her when you can"

"Heh… you're not giving me a lot of options there. (There never was ahahaha!)" Ha… oba san… hmmm… wait… cloth and stuffing. Maybe… "Hey oba san. You wouldn't happen to have some leftover cloth now, would you?"

**(Much later) (Underground TSF Hanger)**

"Ah crap! I'm late! I never thought it would take so long!" Yuuko sensei is definitely going to yell at me again! There it is. Floor B20. This should be close to where the XG-70 is being constructed. "I'm here!"

"You're late!" And right on the bat. I knew she'd say that the moment I came in. "And here I thought you chickened out. (Ahehe…) Haaa… but anyway, get changed into the training suit and we'll get started. Come on. (Yes ma'am!)"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

I quickly got into the training exosuit in the changing room and got to the control center for the training instructions. There wasn't anyone there but me, Yuuko sensei and Kasumi who was manning the projector.

"So… what are we doing here?"

"Basic management and control" Yuuko answered as she closed the lights. "The TSF we brought in isn't in its best form but the mechanics were able to get it to operational level at least. It won't break when it moves. (…?) I'll give you the rundown on the machine. (Click)" The slide opened up, revealing a blueprint of the new weapon. "This… is the XFJ-01 Shiranui Second Phase 2. Also Known As:Type-04. (Click) The unit itself was developed by a team run by three party members called Project Prominence. (Click) The XFJ-01 was made to overcome the development barrier of the Type-94 Shiranui. It was hoped to be used as an international breakthrough with the combined technology of both the Soviets and Americans. Around four companies applied for the research funds"

Wow… I never knew there was even such a group… but then again… there really are a lot of things in this world I still don't know.

"The upgrade of this unit includes increased mobility and agility to rival other 3rd Generation TSF like… (Click)… the European EF-2000 Typhoon and the American F-22 Raptor which you've probably seen already. It also has an advance power storage which allows longer field time. It also has various parts which lessen the weight of the unit, allowing heavier weapons and equipment to be loaded onto its arms and shoulders"

The must mean the engine is lighter but gives the same amount of output. Less weight, more things to carry like ammo and rockets.

"So today we'll be testing this unit to see how if it works better than what we have. Any questions?"

"Ah… just one. (Go ahead…) You said that the project was run by a member of the U.N… right? (Yeah?) Then… why don't we just order a new one rather than having this broken down unit?"

"Hooo… you actually paid attention for once. (Geh!) But you're right. We do have the plans to build it but the top brass are still working out on all the chinks in the new toy. That's why the production was delayed. Besides… I have an interest for this particular unit. (Eh?) Let's just say that the previous Eishi who piloted it made some tweaks that I would like to see for myself. (…?)"

"Vice Commander" One of the mechanics interrupted us. I didn't even notice him entering. "It's ready. We were able to put the parts together just as you asked. It'll hold but the Sergeant said not to do anything too stressful"

"That old coot likes to take things easy. That'll be up for the pilot to decide. Come on, Shirogane. It's show time. (Yes ma'am)" We got out of the room and into the hangers. There's a lot of space down here despite being underground and all. The hanger alone was big enough to hold the whole school and still had enough room to put a dozen football stadiums.

By the time we got there, the head mechanic approached us and began barraging words at Yuuko sensei. They seem to be negotiating on the terms of the trial which just so happens to be me. There were a lot of equipments being moved around and people going from place to place. They're like tiny ants from this catwalk.

"…" Hmm?

"Oh hey there Kasumi. You needed something?" The little rabbit came to me with a canteen of water. "Ah. Thanks I needed that. You're really helpful to me, you know that? (… ^_^…) But don't worry. This trial should be easy. It's not like the TSF is going to—ah…! (…?)" N… n… n… no way. (Flash) That head piece, that color code and those eyes. It… it can't be! (Flash) But… I'm pretty sure of it. That's the same unit I saw in my dream. The TSF that killed me! (Flash) There's no way I can forget about it.

"Oi… are you alright over there?" I was brought out of my frightful gaze by the professor. "What's the matter? You look like you just saw a ghost" She might be partially right there. A ghost from my dream… maybe…

"N… no it's… it's nothing. Just… surprised… that's all. (…)" She seems unconvinced. "I'm just a little tired from this morning"

"Hmm… very well then. We'll continue. Marimo will give you the rest of the details and control manual. The XM3 is already installed so simply do what you've been doing like in a Fubuki"

"Yes ma'am" And with that, the professor was off, taking Kasumi with her. (Slap, slap!) Come Shirogane, get it together. It's just a dream. It was just a dream. There's nothing for you to be worried about. Just pull yourself together and you can do this. But even so… why do I get a bad feeling near this machine?

"Ah good. You're here. This is the control manual for the XFJ. It's a little bit different thanks to the shoulder thrusters. We reconfigured everything to your control logs so it should match with your maneuvers. Everything else will be your doing"

"Alright… thanks" The cockpit block opened up with a defining hiss sound. The insides were not that different from the other TSFs I've been in but strangely enough… I get the feeling that something was wrong in that seat. The TSF was badly wrecked that much anyone could tell. The engineers seemed to have put it back together in a hurry but left most of the aesthetic bit out of the picture. The machine looked more like a zombie that's been eaten off part by part and left to rot somewhere for all eternity. I wonder what the previous pilot did that pushed the machine to this stage. The armor plating wasn't even on…

I got in and closed the hatch, tuning my suit to the machine as quick as possible to get some light in the place. I don't really know how to explain this but I get a certain feeling that something happened inside this cockpit. The joy sticks were really loose meaning that the previous pilot used it down to the bones. Even the seat felt weird. It almost feels like someone else was sitting with me. I just hope it's not a ghost because I might just ask Meiya to perform some kind of exorcism on this thing.

"This is Control Station to TST-01, do you copy?" Marimo's face appeared on my screen once more. She must be contacting me through the command station. "This is Control Station to TST-01, do you copy?"

"This is TST-01, I copy" I answered back.

"We're running a scan on the XFJ computers to discern and virus. Once completed, we will be doing basic movements and see if the XM3 is compatible with the machine. A training course has been provided. Your task will be to reach the other end of the course as fast as possible. Wait for a the signal to light up green until then"

"01, roger that. Waiting for signal to light up. (Beep)" Hmm… the controls look normal. They already reconfigured it from my damaged Fubuki and allowed the controls to sink in. I shouldn't have any problem. But still… I get the weirdest feeling when I'm riding this machine. In all my life… I've never been so afraid to be inside a TSF before. I'm not only afraid because of the strange vibes in this cockpit but also because of my dream.

I can remember it vividly. This machine was there and it was in better condition. I know that for a fact this is the first time I've actually seen this machine. In all my loops I've never seen it until now. Does my dream mean anything or is this just another one of my Causality Conductor thing? I'll probably figure it out sooner or later.

"This is Control Station to 01. Scan complete. We're releasing couplings prepare to perform basic movements"

Whirrrrr…

I saw the catwalks slowly lifted away from my screen revealing a long path for me to follow. "This is 01. All systems green. Nothing out of the ordinary"

"Roger. All couplings disabled. Perform arm and legs check. (Whirrr…) (Check…) Thrusters? (Check…) All systems are in the green. We'll now commence basic movement check. Attention all staff: Evacuate the training course immediately. We will now begin phase 3 of the trial. Obstacle course verified. Shirogane, whenever you're ready"

Ok then… let's start of things with a basic jog. (Thump… thump… thump…) Hmm… no oddities there. I'm surprised this thing can still move with all the damage it sustained. The XM3 upgraded the reaction time of movements too so I can freely move every part of the body with relative ease. Alright… that should be enough for warm up. "This is 01. I'm engaging thrusters" Here we go!

Whoosh!

Hmm… impressive. The reaction timer is almost like the Fubuki… even faster if I'm not mistaken. The built-in thrusters on the waist and shoulder provided a lot of turning power making a 360 turn all the more easier to do. I can even use the shoulder booster as extra speed, stronger breaks or soften up a landing.

Alright… now let's what we can do with quadruple spins.

**(A few hours later)**

Haaaaa… now… that was exhausting. Three whole hours inside a TSF with a five minute break on each hour. Yuuko said that this was going to be basic but after the first round she found the machine to be fascinating and told me to push the darn thing to its limits. I did just like she asked, putting the software and hardware to its paces but I think I may have put myself on the limit as well. My shoulders are hurting just by moving them.

"Well? How was it?" Yuuko asked the moment she approached me.

"The readings were all good" I replied while gasping on some quick breathers. "The machine's overall efficiency is a lot better than a regular Shiranui. The movements patterns and everything…"

"I see… that's good. But that wasn't what I was asking about. (Eh?) I wanted the opinion of the pilot. How did it feel to move in that TSF? Was it different in any way?"

"Different? Well… no… not really. Although… (What?) I did get a strange vibe when I was riding on the cockpit. It… felt different for some reason. (Hmm…) I had the engineer check the seating twice but they found nothing odd. (Hoo?) And… there's another thing too… but… (…?) It's not something I would like to talk up front"

Yuuko nodded in understanding. "I see. Very well then. Meet me at my office later. We can discuss things from there. Overall, the test results were excellent. But the repairs are a long way from completion. (Hmm? Why?) If you haven't noticed, this machine was fixed back together in a hurry. I wanted it to the base model for the Special Task Force but I guess it won't be happening until a few years time. What a waste of precious resources" I see. So even if this thing did past the trial, they'll still need to bring it back to tip top condition to get it approved by the U.N. council. They won't want defective or broken material on the battlefield. "Ah that also reminds me. There's no need to come here tomorrow. Take the day off and spend some time with your squad. Your new toys should be arriving soon"

"Ah…? Uh… ok… thanks…"

**(PX)**

Ah man… I can't believe how late it is. By the time I changed back into my military uniform from the showers, dinner was practically over. They had some leftovers at the counter for those who'd want a little midnight snack but cold food for dinner left a lot to be desired. I kind of wish I still had a cup of instant ramen back in my room. Oh well… I guess beggars can't be choosers.

I also wanted to give the girls a little gift as an apology for not spending more time with them. Kyouzuka oba san and I spent the afternoon making them. I wanted to make them some stuffed toys but there wasn't enough time or materials to make them all in the right size. So instead I decided to make it into pocket size. You can probably call them straps that kids attach to their cell phones. It wasn't much but it was the only thing I can think of.

Tip tap…

Hmm? Who's that? Ah!

"Meiya?" It is!

"Ah… Takeru. (Hey… long time no see…) Yes indeed. But what are you doing here? Have you not had dinner yet?"

"Yeah… I just got back from changing"

"Is it because of your special mission?" She pouted worryingly. "The task must be extremely difficult for you if it is taking this long for you to accomplish"

"It's not hard… just time consuming" I explained to her. "What about you? Are you just coming back from your independent training?"

"Yes. I took it easy today not to tire myself out for tomorrow. Our new TSFs will be arriving in the morning. (Eh?)" Our new TSFs? The Shiranuis? But how's that possible? They're not supposed to come until the 20th. "Did you not know? (No…) Apparently Professor Kouzuki accelerated the process of their construction. They will be arriving tomorrow at dawn. We are ordered to receive them on our Fubukis" Ah… that must be what Yuuko sensei meant when she said the 'new toys'.

"I guess that means I'll be greeting them too. I got the day off from my special mission tomorrow so I'll be joining your guys"

"Really? That's wonderful. The others will be ecstatic to see you again"

"Hey come on now. You're making it sound like I've been gone forever. It's only been a few days"

"Yes, you're right. Forgive me" She let out a soft laugh. "But it shall be wonderful to have you back in our group. Even Sakaki seems to miss you" Class rep? That'll be the day. "We had hoped that you would have time for us on the day off. I was even hoping that we would finally settle our Shogi match once and for all" Oh yeah. I recall playing a game of Shogi with Meiya when I first arrived. I haven't touched those in a long while now.

"Yeah… we haven't played those simple retro games ever since the coup. Oh… speaking of games. I got something for you. (Hmm?) But you have to close your eyes"

"Eh? Why must I? (Because it's a surprise) How can it be a surprise when you've already told me about it?" Geh! She's got a point there.

"J… just close your eyes. It's customary!"

"Takeru… you're not making sense here. (…guu…) But I shall comply this once. (Thanks!) (Blink…) Alright… my eyes are shut. What is the surprise?"

"Alright, hold on" I quickly pulled out Meiya's gift from my pocket. Out of everyone, she was the hardest to make because her personality was hard to describe. Eventually, oba san decided to make it into this. "Ok… now open your eyes. (Blink) Happy birthday, Meiya"

"Eh? This is…"

"It's a turtle dove" I answered. "It's a European bird. It's not much since I didn't have enough time to make them into life size. I thought you might like it. (…) Uh… hello? Meiya?"

"Ah… I'm sorry. I… just do not know how to react. If I had known that you would be bringing me a gift then I would've had one prepared for you as well"

Hehehe… somehow I was expecting her to say that. "No need. Besides, I made one for all of the members of our cadet squad" I showed her the straps that fit the palm of my hand. The cat was obviously for Tama, the monkey for Mikoto, the bear for Class rep and a koala for Ayamine for obvious reasons.

"I see… they are wonderful. I never imagined you could make something so artistic"

"Hey, you'd be surprise on what people can do when they're properly motivated"

"Yes… that is true" We shared a small laugh together. "But… how did you know that today was my birthday?"

"Ah… Yuuko sensei told me about it" It was the truth, somewhat. After all, if she didn't remind me of my birthday I wouldn't have remembered Meiya's birthday as well. "Sorry. I would've made something better if—(fwup) Eh?"

"No…" She held the dove to her face with a happy expression. "They are… wonderful. I am glad. But surely you should've told me first. If I had known then I would've prepared something for you as well"

"Well… that's pretty much the whole point of getting a present. They say that giving is its own reward"

"Ahaha" Oh? She laughed. "Such metaphors do not befit you. (Eh?) But… I am grateful. I will cherish it with me always. Shall I help you deliver the others as well?"

"Nah I'd rather do it in person. A gift is only as good when it's given by the giver… (…?) Wait… did that even make sense?"

"Huhuhuhu… it is good to see that you have not lost your sense of humor"

"It wasn't a joke. I was trying to be wise! (Ahuhuhuhu…) Don't laugh! Geez. Class rep told me to start acting serious but every time I do something, other people just can't take me seriously"

"Perhaps you have been afflicted with Yoroi's airheaded abilities" Whatttt!-? I take that as the greatest of all insults. I will have my—(Tug!) …! "Hmm? Takeru? Are you alright?" A migraine attack just struck me. I was lucky that I was standing next to the counter or I would've fallen on my own feet. It was another headache attack… though not as strong as before, it was still affecting me. "O… oi… what's wrong? You look rather pale…"

"It's… nothing" I waved it off. "It seems like the special mission that Yuuko sensei gave out wore me out more than I thought. I think I'll head back to my room and get some sleep"

"Yes… I believe that would benefit you well. I shall escort you to your room"

"Yeah… I'd like that. Thanks"

**A/N: And that's it for Takeru's B-Day. I wanted to do more but that would extend the chapter too long. Oh well. Sadogashima is soooooooo close now. Soooo very close. I already have the events lined up in my head but will take time in getting them out. Until then, keep fighting in the name of true love!**


	27. The Crash Course

**Chapter 27: The Crash Course!  
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**(December 18, 2001 Tuesday) (Simulator room) (11:04 AM)**

"Teeeeeeeh!" Whoosh! There… that's the last of them. "This is Valkyrie 2B. The pathway is clear. I'm detecting no further BETA activity inside the drift"

"Valkyrie 1A here, roger that. We're clearing out the hallway at the moment. We'll join you as soon as possible. (Yes ma'am) You guys are fast as usual"

1st Lt. Hayase opened up a channel. "We're not the Storm Vanguard without a reason. I pretty much handled most of them myself"

I quirked a brow. "Oh come on 1st Lieutenant. We both know I had the higher kill count in this drift. There's no denying it"

"Hoooo? That sounded like a challenge Shirogane. Why don't we have a wager on the next hall? The one with the most kills will have the loser's portion"

"Deal! Now I'll show you what I can really do" We were taking the VOLKS Hive data training again today, trying to make it down the main shaft. It was a continuation of our previous work and right now we were on our way down to almost 1200 meters. In a few minutes we should reach the final hall and then the reactor inside.

The BETA resistance got fiercer the deeper we went. Though it was obviously do to the computer programming, I still find it rather easy. The predictability of their counterattacks was almost too obvious. Hayase seems to realize it too the moment I tense my frame upward. If you listen close enough you'll be able to find a pattern in their attacks. Their attacks were also very common. Since the BETA can latch themselves onto the walls of the Hive, they can pretty much attack from anywhere. But as Storm or Strike Vanguards we were used to getting surrounded. Hell… I even lost count on how many times I've been isolated and still came back out unscathed.

"Alright, that's enough, both of you" Captain Isumi stated. "We'll continue the rest some other day. That'll be all for this morning's simulator exercise. Report to the briefing room later at 1300 hours to begin our mock battle"

Mock battle? Oh yeah… our TSF arrived just yesterday. They came fresh from the factory and were assigned to us for use. It'll be nice to finally get some semi-live action for awhile after being cooped up in the simulator for so long. It would be a great change of pace for the others too.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

After I got out of the simulator, I gave out a yawnful stretch. Two hours of intense training right after breakfast can tire anyone out. But there's no time for that. I have to make sure that everyone here is in tip top shape before December 24. The battle in Sadogashima will be fierce and everyone in Japan… no… the world will be holding their hopes on our actions there. This operation will be the deal breaker between ALTERNATIVE IV and ALTERNATIVE V. Should we succeed, the XG-70 will be an official anti-BETA weapon and will give humanity the hope it needed to fight on.

Yosh! I need to push myself even harder!

"I'm going to do it! (Bwah!) Eh?"

"What was that Takeru?"

"Oh… sorry about that Mikoto. Did you want something?"

"I was asking you if you wanted to go and have lunch with us. You looked like you were deep in thought and then suddenly screaming out like that. (Ahh… sorry) Anyway. The others want to have an early lunch before the PX gets crowded. Wanna join us?"

"Sure. I'm free from Yuuko sensei today so I have nothing else to do. I'll get changed and meet you guys there. (Alright)"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Ahhh… nothing beats a day than a cold shower after a hard day's work. A warm meal would do nicely too. After that last session of simulator training, I've been sweating like a pig on a hot summer day. Captain Isumi can be quite the perfectionist when she wants to be. She can be understanding but doesn't tolerate idiocy and incompetence. She's almost like Marimo sensei.

Alright… I'd better catch up with the others or else all the good stuff will go away… and knowing Ayamine… she'll probably be getting her second serving by the time I get there. Hehehe… (Whack!) (Kya!) Ara? Did I hit something? It felt like a paperweight.

"Ow…ow…ow…ow…" Oh… it's 1st Lt. Suzumiya. "That hurt…"

"Ah! 1st Lieutenant. Sorry… I didn't see where I was going. Here, let me help you with that" She scattered a bunch of folders on the ground. There were so many, you could say that they would probably reach half her height if they stacked together.

"Hai… thank you 1st Lt. Shirogane. I guess that was also partly my fault for not looking as well" Ah… the politeness. She's so much different than her sister who can be an untamed lion at times.

"Aren't you joining the others for lunch?" I asked while handing her over the folders.

"I'm afraid not. The maintenance office at the airfield is understaffed today. I promised to fill in for one of their officers who is away for the week" Understaffed? This base has like a million soldiers walking around in and out and a thousand personnel in reserve. How can they possibly be understaffed? "I already informed my sister about it, so please do not worry me"

"Ah… ok then. But… you'll be carrying that whole stack all by yourself? (…?)" I can understand if someone is going to deliver documents to the office… but judging by the weight and her injured leg… it might cause some problems.

"Please do not worry" She repeated. "I will be fine on my own" Is she kidding me? Even I could tell that she was barely struggling with the weight of the folders.

"At least let me help you deliver the papers" I offered, taking a large portion of the stack.

"Ah… no, I couldn't possibly ask for your help, Shirogane san"

"It's no big deal. We have plenty of free time before we have to report to the briefing room. And besides, us teammates gotta help each other out. Come on, it's not far"

"Ah… v… very well"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Hooo? So this is what the control tower looks like? I don't think I've ever been here before. Well it's not like I have any reason to be here in the first place. The same goes for the music room back in my old school in my world. I've never been in that room, ever.

You could see the whole airfield from here and a clear view of the skies. There were a few staff officers around and a couple of pilots discussing workloads. The only aircrafts the base had were the three heavy transports and a few helicopters. I guess that's no surprise considering that all sorts of airpower are useless against the BETA. I think fighter planes were useful against the aliens until the arrival of the Laser Classes. The BETA have a rather tenacious streak of never missing anything in the sky. They say that's one of the reasons why you don't see any birds around here anymore.

"Shirogane san…" It's kind of sad though. Back in my world… whenever I see a jet fighter in the sky, I'd take a picture of it with my phone. When I was in junior high, we got a chance to see a jet up close and I was ecstatic. "Umm… Shirogane san?" Hehehe… my friends and I thought it would be even cooler to see the cockpit but in the end we got caught by our teacher and was forced to sit at the back of the bus on the way home. "S… Shirogane san! (Hmm?) Um… can you give me the folders please?"

"Ah… yeah sure. Here you go" I must've been lost in thought again. "Sorry about that. I have a very short attention span. I didn't mean to ignore you like that"

"Huhuhu… don't mention it. I'm used to it. I guess it's because of my small voice, people tend to not hear what I say" She's right there. Haruka does have a small voice. If it's any smaller I'd probably compare it to a mouse squeak. "Even Akane has difficulty hearing me especially when we're having meals together"

"Hehe… well with everyone as loud as they are, just trying to think is already a challenge. (Ahuhuhu) Ahaha. So… what do you do here anyway? (…?) You said that you were filling in for one of the officers here but do you know how they work around here?"

"Of course. Since I've been working hard as an intelligence officer, I make it my duty to understand all forms of communication from ground control to air-trafficking. (Hooo?) I also have some experience in coordinating with the ships at sea" Wow… a Jack of All Trades in military communications. She's even more amazing than her sister.

"That's amazing Suzumiya san!" I said out loud. "You really know a lot. (Ahuhu, no not really) I mean it. If you can remember all forms of communication then you practically know more than me. I'd be considered lucky just remembering our unit number ahehehehe"

"Huhu… please don't be so modest, Shirogane san. (Ahehe) (Beep beep) Ah… excuse me. There's a plane incoming" Just as she heard the beeping noise on her console, Haruka put on the earphones and got to work. She looked very professional and speaking clearly to the person on the other line who had her complete attention. "This is Yokohama Base Control Tower, we read you AA-405, go ahead" Wow… she even sounds like a professional airport personnel. "Roger AA-405, you are clear to land on runway Alpha. AA-402 and 404 follow up in that order. (…) Understood AA-405 your cargo is… umm…" She ruffled through the folders looking for a specific line. "Um… stand by…"

Hehehe… even when she does act professional, she still has her cute side. Hayase said that she can be scary when she wants to but so far all I can see is how adorable she can be. (Ruffle) Hmm? AA-405?

"Hey Haruka san, is this the folder you're looking for?"

"Ah! Yes. Thank you very much" Uwa… so formal and polite. I might not know her as long as the others but I can tell that she'd make a good wife one day. "You don't really need to stay here anymore Shirogane san. Please, enjoy the time in the PX with the others"

"You sure you're not going to join us?"

"Yes. Please do not worry. I will be fine here. Don't let me hold you"

"Alright then. But if you need anything, just give me a call. That's what teammates are for. (Of course)"

**(Marimo's POV) (TSF Hanger)**

"Alright, they're all set boss!" The engineer below shouted at us as the last of the Shiranuis was properly loaded onto the platform. Six brand new Type-94s straight from the factory. If Yuuko wasn't involved in their quick arrival here I would've been impressed. Freshly painted from head to toe in U.N. colors and equipped with the latest technology man can offer. Though obviously they were massed produced units, they seem to be fairly more powerful than those that came before it. Perhaps knowing those who will be piloting them added to their ferocity.

"Oh… Jinguuji san?" The head mechanic called out to me. "Came to see the iron fist of humanity first hand—eh?"

"You could say that" I stifled a small laugh. "But in truth I just wanted to make sure that all the units were prepared for today's mock battle. I don't want them to be defective when they're on the field"

"Ahaha… that makes sense" He took to my side and gazed at the large manmade robots that were now stored in their respective hangers. "To think that we would allow children to pilot these machinations of destruction. The world truly has lost its sense of morality. (…?) My father was a police officer a long time ago. Back in my days, he wouldn't even let me get near his pistol and stowed it away atop the cabinet so I wouldn't reach it. My mother was the same. She wouldn't even let me go hold a kitchen knife"

"Huhu… I never knew you had such an overprotective family"

"Ha! More like paranoid parents if you ask me. But I guess they had their reasons. Anyway, here are the files for the new TSFs. They already had the new OS installed along with the basic upgrades"

"Eh? That was quick. I thought you'd take at least an hour to have all of those done"

The head mechanic let out a sigh. "They were installed before they even came here. All we needed to do give them was a new coat of paint and clean up." That really is fast. To have all that done right before their scheduled arrival must've taken a lot of effort. But I guess something like this is nothing seeing that Yuuko was the one who brought them. "It's been awhile since I've seen this model. It almost feels nostalgic" It should be. Seeing that most of the Shiranuis are used in the frontlines, the only TSFs we have here at the base are Gekishins and Fubukis. Fubukis are meant for inexperienced pilots. They're meant for training, not combat. But considering the events during the coup a few weeks ago, some might reconsider them to be more than just training units.

As for the Gekishins… since they're larger and slower than most units they tend to be focused on defense. They are used for protecting key infrastructures like Yokohama Base and often made to hold battle lines. The Shiranuis that often return here usually come for rearm, escort, or resupply and are then returned to their original mission.

"That reminds me. You piloted one of these when you were in the army too, didn't you?"

"I'd prefer… to leave that part alone"

"Ah… yes. Of course… I apologize"

He wasn't wrong though. I did pilot one of these many years ago. When I was young and naïve… and afraid…

"Hello there~" Hmm? Who's… Yuuko? "Good to see you again"

"Ah… Professor Kouzuki. Why am I not surprise?" the head mechanic groaned at the sight of the woman. "Came to rip off the protective vinyl again?"

"You know me too well. I have to blow off some steam while I still can" Haaa… I remember this. Yuuko loves to peel off vinyl from anything new. Back when we were in high school, she loved to tear things apart, often irritating me to no end. I didn't even want to bother stopping her.

By the time she was off, the head mechanic approached me. "That woman… even though she's one of the most important people in the world, she can never let go of that childish spirit of hers" I know that all too well. I stifled another laugh before turning back. "Ah… wait, Jinguuji san. Can you do me a favor? (Hmm?) Here…"

He handed me a small control handle. I recognized it as a piece from a TSF cockpit. "What's this for?"

"Do you mind giving it to that idiot student of yours?" Shirogane? "Eishis who survive with their TSFs destroyed are extremely rare in these parts. I thought it might make a fine good luck charm. That boy should consider himself lucky to have survived twice"

**(PX)**

Haaaa… finally… a time to relax. With all the training we've been doing I barely have enough time to rest, much less visiting Sumika down at the labs.

"That was a big one" Mikoto commented on my yawn. "It's rare to see you this tired Takeru"

"Yeah, sorry. I just haven't got the time to get a good night's sleep since last week"

"It must be difficult, managing your energy on different tasks" Meiya added worryingly. "Especially with your special mission with Professor Kouzuki and all"

"Really?" Class rep mocked. "Are you sure you're still not sulking about yesterday when we had to pick up our TSFs from the airstrip?" Geh! Don't bring that up! (Giggle)

"Ahh! No fair!" I whined. Yesterday when we had to escort our Shiranuis to the hanger, everyone was supposed to ride on their respective TSFs and move in formation. But when I got there, the head mechanic lectured me on how I destroyed two precious units in a short time span. The Fubuki that I unofficially borrowed from another unit was scrapped beyond repair and there was none left to be borrowed. In response, the captain decided to let me drive an armored car instead with a heavy machinegun mounted on top.

It was rather humiliating. I felt small compared to all the robots around me.

"But it's pretty cool now that we have Shiranuis" Tama added. "I never imagined that we would be piloting those things one day. (Really?) Emm… I always imagined myself riding a Gekishin instead"

"That must mean the others have high hopes for us" I explained to them. "That reminds me. Where's the rest of the squad? Is it only us here?"

"The 1st Lieutenants and the senior members have gone off to the briefing room already" Meiya answered me gesturing to the seat near hers. "Most of them are probably preparing for the mock battle. 1st Lieutenant Hayase in particular was anxious as well" Geh! She's probably gonna try and convince the captain to put us on separate teams. I really don't want to fight her, ESPECIALLY her. That woman can be a monster on a TSF.

"Takeru san is amazing" Eh? Where'd that come from Tama? "To be able to catch the 1st Lieutenant Hayase's attention. She must've accepted your skills as equal to hers" Ahehe… somehow I doubt that. She probably just wants to find out who's stronger.

"She is… tough" Hmm? Ayamine? "1st Lieutenant Hayase… is very… strong…"

"Yes… I agree" Meiya nodded in agreement. "She's extremely skilled in all forms of combat. Yesterday's combat simulation was proof of that. (Huh? Yesterday?)" I remember we had simulator training with the squad since our TSFs weren't ready yet but that was pretty much it. (…) Everyone seems to have the same reaction as Meiya.

"Oh yeah… I remember that" Mikoto groaned painfully.

"Hey, what are you guys talking about?" I asked feeling a bit left out.

"Shirogane left around lunch time" Class rep explained. "So you didn't know what happened after our training regime. (…?) Mitsurugi san and Ayamine challenged 1st Lieutenant Hayase to a duel" Ehh!-? These two? "She accepted it in a heartbeat" Wait… I think I remember Meiya saying about this back in my last loop. She and Ayamine challenged Hayase but couldn't even land one strike.

"The Lieutenant was… soooo cool" Tama praised her, bitterly. "She was so fast and so strong. I couldn't even get her in my sights"

"She even agreed to challenge both of us at once" Meiya continued. Taking both at once? That must've been tough. "I thought to take advantage of her overconfidence but her gloating was indeed not without proof. We couldn't even graze her" I knew that Hayase was good especially behind the controls of a TSF but to be able to beat Meiya and Ayamine in close quarter combat proves just how talented she is. I was able to do the same but there's no way to judge our strength just by fighting someone else. "Also… I find her movement patterns quite odd as well. (Eh?) She had a familiar set of controls…"

"Oh… so you noticed it too?" Mikoto said in awe. "Thank goodness. I thought I was the only one. But Meiya chan is right. The 1st Lieutenant's movements were similar to Takeru, wasn't it?"

"Eh? Similar to mine?"

"Yeah, now that you mentioned it, it does…" Class rep agreed thinking back on the event. "Her movement patterns were erratic. She strikes hard and doesn't back off easy. She tries to pin you back, not giving you a chance to recover"

"And when we are disoriented, she strikes at the weakest point possible" Meiya finished nodding back in thought. "It would almost seem like we were actually fighting against you, Takeru. (Me?) Yes. That's how much she reminds us of you" Hmm… odd… I didn't get that feel during our last simulator practice. She pretty much just fights like she always has. But if what they say is true and she does fight like me… could it be that she's been reviewing my control log? "But I guess that only shows how good they are. Eventually we shall one day be able to surpass them on our own terms. We cannot remain behind forever"

**(Lab)**

Hmm… maybe visiting Sumika and Kasumi can help cheer me up. It hasn't failed before so there's no harm in trying. It would be our first mock battle as a squad so I would need to be at my best. I came here to change the future… not repeat the past. As long as I remember that I'll be fine. I already changed the future twice now during the rebellion and the XM3 trial. So far there has been no retaliation done by time itself. Usually by now, an unusual event would occur that would make me running for Yuuko's office.

It should be obvious that my intervention has caused some significant changes in the time stream itself. I learned the hard way that even the smallest of actions can lead to direst of consequences. Our exemption from the Mt. Tengen operation would be a good example. Because I intervened and disallowed my squad to be deployed there, it jump started a coup d'état that nearly destroyed Japan. This time, I altered the rebellion and saved Marimo and countless others from death… and so far… there has been no effect. I can only hope things stay this way. I don't think I can handle another pandemic like the coup d'état again.

"Hey Sumika, Kasumi, I've come to play and… huh?" Eh? They're not in the lab. That's odd… they're usually here around this time. It's only 12:40 PM. They should still be having lunch around here. Maybe they went out? Considering Sumika, that might not be far off.

"If you're looking for those two, they're not here at the moment" Huh? Yuuko sensei? "Haaaaa… Good afternoon. I see you're as energetic as ever"

"Ah… good afternoon" I replied unconsciously. Yuuko didn't look so well. That yawn she gave out earlier proved as much. "You look tired. Didn't get enough sleep last night sensei?"

"Tweaking and tuning the XG-70 takes a lot out of you" She answered yawnfully at the end. "I was able to release some steam in the hanger bay this morning ripping out the protective vinyl of your TSFs but other than that it's been pretty hectic. Haaaa… I even have to meet with the Imperial Army Leaders later on a video conference later this evening. Such a boring old group" Heh… with all the work she's been doing, I guess it should be expected. That must be why she asked me to take a break from the special mission.

"It must be rough"

"Compared to your daily training regime, I'm having a field day. But I guess I can't blame all my anxiety at them. (…?) The real reason why I didn't get any sleep last night was because of this" She pulled out something from her coat which was about the size of a handheld console. H… hey wait a second.

"That's my Game Guy!"

"Ah… so it really is yours" She groaned. "I should've expected it. Kasumi and Sumika were playing with it last night so I took an interest in it. Is it some form of training device or something?"

"Huh? Uh… well… in all honesty, it's actually a game console. (Game?) Yeah… back in my world, having something like this is quite common for teenagers and kids. We play with it because of the game it provides"

"Hmmm… yes, you did mention your world back then. The world without BETA, am I right? (Yeah) If that was the case then I guess having something entertaining as this wouldn't be odd" She tossed it over to me while it was still open. She must've been playing with it all night. "Alright, so what is it? (Hmm?) You came here to visit Yashiro and Kagami but they're not available until later tonight. (Eh? Why's that?) Kagami is training in the XG-70 simulator. Yashiro's with her at the moment"

"Oh… can I go and meet them?"

"You have your own training to worry about. If it's a message, I'll pass it to them"

"Ah… well… no. I just wanted to visit them" Well… I guess if they're not here then… it's alright. I'll just visit them after dinner. "I'll come back later then. Ah… that reminds me sensei. Do you have time later tonight? (…?) I wanted to discuss something with you about the coming operation"

She nodded back in understanding. She knows about the risks of the Sadogashima operation. It was to be man's first official triumph against BETA and to see everything go according to plan was a dire necessity. She can't afford to take unnecessary chances. "I see. Very well. It does sound like the appropriate time to do something about it. I'll make a schedule for tonight so we won't be disturbed. I look forward to your report of the future" Report of the future? She said the same thing when I told her about the coup d'état. Heh… I guess it makes sense.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

I arrived at the briefing room ten minutes later. Everyone was already there and they were about to start without me.

After nodding to me, the Captain continued. "Alright then listen up. By tomorrow we'll all finally be able to use Shiranui for our training, but before then we'll give the newbies a chance to get used to them. (Hai!) I assume that you're aware from the simulators that its output and exact movements are different, but there's nothing like the real thing. So this afternoon's exercise will be a mock battle. Any questions?"

"Yes! Finally!" Hayase cheered out loud. She must've been looking forward to our mock battle since I came into the squad.

Isumi raised a brow. "Hayase… don't go bullying the newbies. Go easy on them on the first try"

"Of course~~ Captain. I would never bully my lovely subordinates" Somehow… I get a feeling she doesn't mean anything she just said just now. "But you have to know that first impression makes a mark on people"

"Is that so? Very well… go for it then. (Sir yes sir!)"

"But captain" Class rep opened up. "What are we going to pilot? Our Fubukis have already been returned and are now used by another squad and our Shiranui Control Units are still being worked on"

"Ah that's alright. You'll be using our TSFs. The other senior members here and myself will be using a Gekishin instead. (Ehhhh!-?) What's the matter Hayase, Suzumiya?"

"S… sorry ma'am" Akane apologized for her outburst while Hayase simply groaned in annoyance.

"Awww… I really wanted to fight them only even terms"

Munakata let out a small grin as she darted her eyes at me. "1st Lieutenant Hayase has been waiting for an opportunity to duel with Shirogane. (…!) (Geh!)" Crap… she just had to say it. (…) Akane was now glaring at me even harder. She really does want to be a Storm Vanguard"

"Hoo? So Storm Vanguard one can't take Shirogane's exceptional piloting data lying down?" The Captain questioned knowing the answer already.

Hayase eyed back at me, not even trying to hide who she was mentioning. "His training data doesn't matter. I just wanted to see if our simulator training were the real thing"

"Really? I thought you were already impressed when we reached the bottom of the Hive in record time"

Munataka then added. "The Lieutenant doesn't like the fact that newbies did so well in their first hive exercise. She probably wishes to see if Shirogane's talents weren't just for show"

"Mu-na-ka-ta! Don't put words in my mouth"

"She's just saying that she recognizes your skill 1st Lieutenant" Touko said to me which calmed me down a bit. "She merely wishes to enjoy a friendly duel" Friendly? Ha! I doubt it.

"Alright that's enough of the amusing chit-chat" The captain ordered. "In any events, I'm glad to have this company back in full combat strength. Though I can't tell you all the details yet, but there are plans for a large scale operation coming in the near future. (…!-?) Partly because of this deadline, I want everyone to be in tip top shape when it comes. Therefore, today's mock battle should give the newbies a chance to understand what it's really like inside a Shiranui. You'll all learn the movement order and the machine's abilities. But understand this. Though you might have superior weapons to ours, in the end, it will be the Eishi will decide the outcome of the battle. Never forget that even when facing an opponent with a weaker model. (Yes ma'am)"

A weaker model huh? I guess people could say that Squad 207 is a living example of that. Even with our mere Fubukis we were able to repel large waves of Gekishins and Shiranuis.

"Alright then. The team will be as follows. Alpha Team: Hayase will be leading—Munataka, Yoroi, Shirogane, Ayamine and Mitsurugi. Jinguuji will be their command post" Marimo? Oh that's right. I keep forgetting that she's in our unit as well.

"…tsk…" I heard Hayase click her tongue behind me. Even though I've known her for only a few weeks in my loop, she's still scary. Every time we had a mock battle I kept getting this weird feeling that she'll shoot me in the back.

"I will lead Bravo team with Kazama, Suzumiya, Kashiwagi, Tamase and Sakaki. 1st Lieutenant Suzumiya will be our command post" Back then it was Lt. Piatif who would be their command post. I guess that's no longer necessary. "We'll be using battle data according to our simulator assignments. I asked that you perform as you have been. Also… to make combat more realistic, we'll use JIVES"

JIVES. A unified virtual program exercise system that allows simulated damage according to our sensors. So every time you're hit, your TSF will show how much damage you've sustained and will decrease in performance according to damage. One of the closest thing you can get to a real live exercise.

"If there are no questions, we'll move on. The mock battle will take place at 15:00 this afternoon. That will be all. Dismissed. (Salute!) Ok… bravo team, follow me. We'll discuss our battle plan. (Roger!)"

It's the same old team. I guess this part of history hasn't changed either. (…) Hmm? "Suzumiya? W… what is it?" Akane's was glaring at me again. Didn't she get enough just badmouthing me back at lunch the other day?

"We… won't lose" She's scary. Hell… everyone here was scarier than they are in my world. I just hope I can get back in her good graces once all of this was over.

Hayase then clasp her hands together to get our attention. "Alright. Everyone let's go to the PX!"

**(PX)**

Strategy planning with the same team, the same place and same machine. No matter how much I look at it, I get a sense of nostalgia and dejavu all at the same time. Maybe the sense of reliving past experience in a literal form had something to do with it. After all… no one gets to live as long as I have over and over again.

Hmmm… the same team… except for Lieutenant Jinguuji. She still refuses to sit with us on a lunch meal. The other lieutenants seem to understand her position though. To be planning along side with those who you taught seems rather awkward. I hope she'll get through it one of these days.

"Alright everyone. Plan up!" Hayase declared opening the table for discussion. "We'll start with the newbies first. Throw what you have on the table. (Eh? Us?) Did you forget? The reason for this training is to get you guys used to this. That makes you guys the priority. Now what do you guys think?"

"Uh…" Yoroi went first. "Well… I guess judging by strength, it seems certain that we'll end up in a standoff. I… would suggest that we go on the offensive" An obvious tactic. Seeing that most of bravo team consisted of snipers we can't do anything unless we get up close and hit them. "They'll probably maintain a defensive formation with 2nd Lieutenant Kashiwagi and 2nd Lieutenant Kazama and 2nd Lieutenant Tamase at the rear"

"Hooo… not bad" Munakata praised her a bit. "They won't be able to move fast but they have long range fighting capabilities. Good work, 2nd Lieutenant Yoroi. (Ma'am, thank you) But let's get the opinion of the others. Ayamine?"

"Yes. The captain, Sakaki and Suzumiya will recon, moving around the front. 2nd Lieutenant Kazama, Kashiwagi and Tamase will be behind them on a fixed distance. So… if the recon group encounters the enemy they'll…"

(Tug!) Ugh… wh… what the? That was weird. My head… it just started spinning all of a sudden. All this talk about strategy… must be messing with my mind. It seems all too familiar. (Tug!) This is ridiculous. Maybe I should take that syringe that Yuuko sensei gave me. She said that it would elevate my headache even by a bit.

"Oi… Shirogane" Huh? Geh! 1st Lieutenant Hayase! "It must be nice to sleep on the job while everyone else is so focused. Just because you're better at piloting doesn't mean you can slack off"

"Ah… no ma'am. I wasn't. I was umm… thinking about… something else"

"You can go to dreamland when the training is over. In the mean time, focus on now. (Yes ma'am) Ah… I know. You can do a lone wolf recon for us! (Eh?)" Alone? All by myself? That means I'm the bait. Didn't I get to do that last time? "If you get shot, you lose two meals… got it?" With Tamase, Kashiwagi and Kazama lining up as snipers it'll be like throwing a Frisbee in a hail of bullets with a million yen lottery ticket tied to the top. Everyone will be gunning for me for sure.

"Oh… it seems like 1st Lieutenant Shirogane seems unsatisfied by this" Geh! Munakata! Not this again! "It seems too amateurish seeing that he's a better pilot than you, Hayase san…"

"Hooo? Is that what you think, Shirogane?" Wha? No! of course not! Can't you read my facial expression at all? "Very well then. If you insist, then on top of your recon mission alone, you must also take out Kazama. That better? (Eh?) If you fail then you lose three meals!" Geh! Three? I know the food here are just synthetic protein crap but they're one of the only few pleasures of life we have left in this place.

"Shirogane… you'd better answer quickly" Ayamine motioned to me.

"It seems like 1st Lieutenant Munakata is ready to say something else" Yoroi added which I quickly raised my hand up in reply.

"Alright… fine… I'll do a solo recon and take out 2nd Lieutenant Kazama"

"Hooo? That's very ambitious" You made me say it!

**(Training Area 4)**

Hmm… it's only been a few days since the BETA attack but the area is still surprisingly well maintained. The ruins and tall buildings have been rebuilt several times to allow continued use of the training field. The bodies of the BETA that were killed here were all plowed and burned somewhere far away.

Whirrrrr…

The Shiranui I was in turned to life at the sound of the engine. The auto pilot had already been disengaged so we have freedom of movement. Everyone else must be getting used to their machines except for me. I've only ridden a Shiranui a few days ago myself. (Flash) The XFJ-01. An upgraded version of the Type-94, Shiranui. I've only been able to pilot that mech once but I can tell that it had a lot of potential to be an awesome fighting machine.

(Flash) The reaction timer was about 1.5 seconds faster than a Fubuki and the added thrusters and lessened engine weight allows it better maneuverability even with the heaviest equipment. But even so… I had one complaint. (Flash) That seating area. I don't know why but I get the feeling that something bad happened in that cockpit. I don't really believe in ghosts myself but whenever I sat back in that cockpit I get the strangest feeling that there was someone else with me. Like a poltergeist or something.

And also… (Flash) The damage done to that machine was extensive as well. I've wrecked plenty of TSFs myself but to see this one take so much punishment—It kind of makes you wonder what the previous Eishi did to damage it to such extent. Who or what did he fight against and… was it worth it? I guess I can only speculate on what happened to that pilot.

"This is Valhalla base to Alpha team" Marimo's face brought me out of my train of thoughts. "The exercise will now commence is 2 minutes. Standby in your formation"

"Alright team! Listen up!" Hayase opened up to us. She was on a Gekishin but that make her any less dangerous. "Since it's still early we're gonna do a spread formation to keep ourselves from getting surrounded. Kazama, you take Yoroi and Ayamine to guard the left wing. (Understood) Mitsurugi and me will take right. (Roger that) Alright then Shirogane…" Geh… I guess it's my turn now. "Recon the area and keep us updated. If you encounter the enemy then engage them at will" Engage? Well I guess being a member of the Storm Vanguard requires me to attack regardless of the situation. If the Vanguard unit stops then the whole formation stops.

"Yes ma'am…" Man… that girl really isn't letting me easy. Solo recon… again. The first time I did this, I got my ass handed down to me on a silver platter. I was able to take down Akane but in the end I was shot to hell by the others. I'll have to revise my attack plan if I want to succeed.

Hmm… let's see now. If they follow the script like they did back in my previous loop, Kazama will be up in front trying to be the bait. Since she was the Flash I thought that I had somehow managed to find the rear of the enemy and caught them by surprise. In the end I was taken down fairly easily.

(Tug) Ugh… this annoying headache is also keeping me up. It's not as painful as before but it certainly was an annoyance. (Tug) Just keep your mind focused Takeru. Keep it up and you'll do just fine. Now… let's see… if I go to this pathway, I should be within range of their motion sensors. Right now they're probably setting up the trap and the bait should be coming… right… about… now!

Whirrr!

Right on schedule! Kazama is in my sights. I can't let them redo their formation so I'll have to bite. "I got you now!"

Ratatatatat!

Tsk… even in a Gekishin, Kazama really is skilled. But even so… she won't get away from me! If I know their plan correctly, she'll try to lure me to an open field on the left where the Captain and the others are ready to dish out at me. Well that won't happen! (Ratatatatat!) If I shoot in that direction she'll be forced to make a right going straight into the alley with all the tall buildings. It'll keep the snipers away while I finish the job.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

As the first gunshots fired in the training area, Marimo quickly ordered up with the Alpha unit. "This is Valhalla to Alpha team. Shirogane has engaged with the enemy and is now in pursuit. Sending the coordinates now"

"Hooo? That was fast" Hayase let out a coy smile as if expecting the boy to encounter the enemy. "Alright everyone. We're going in. Mitsurugi you're with me. (Yes ma'am) Ayamine, Yoroi, go with Munakata and try to outflank our opponent. (Understood) Don't let them off easily just because this is training. Give those guys everything you've got. (Roger that!) Alright… let's get this show on the road!"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Back with Shirogane, the boy was now chasing Kazama through the ruins of the old city. Flawlessly, the boy pursued his prey, evading all traps and ambushes that the opposing team were able to set up. Despite being deep within his enemy's formation, Shirogane did not falter and continued charging bringing himself closer to his target.

"He's good…" Kashiwagi praised him for his abilities. "He's deliberately drawing Kazama to the downtown area where there a lot of tall buildings. We won't be able to shoot him from here. Looks like we can't go easy on the newbies after all"

"Kazama!" Isumi called out. "Lure him to the open position. Don't let him get the best of you!"

"I'm trying" Touko muttered, barely dodging the gunfire from Shirogane's frame. "But… he's not making it easy. It's like he knows all of my moves before I even make them. I can't lose him at all"

"Understood. Sakaki, Suzumiya, take point and watch Kashiwagi and Tamase. If I know Hayase well enough, she'll probably try to hit us where we're weakest. I'll cover Kazama and lure Shirogane this way. (Roger!) Kazama. Get ready to use your LRMS once I draw him out. (Understood!) We're going to try and get his position. All units, open fire!"

Ratatatatat!

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Whoa! Sniper shots and a hail of paintballs! That would've gotten me if I wasn't in these tall buildings. (Whirrrr!) Damn… I lost Kazama. If I'm right she'll be heading straight towards the center of their formation so they'll have the advantage of position and numbers. But… what they don't know is that I know all of their positions. I'll make a break for it! Do or die! That's always been the Shirogane style after all!

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Just as Isumi expected, Shirogane charged out from his hiding, making him a living bull's eye for her snipers. The boy leaped into the sky, and pounded his fist to the ground creating a minor seismic earthquake.

"Take him down!" The captain ordered, which the rest of the unit followed.

Shirogane charged, madly returning fire as well. Everyone thought that he was caught in their trap. But little did they know that they set the right trap for the wrong animal.

Akane grinned as she saw the opportunity to show the difference between them. To see her life target right in front of her was even more tempting. She would prove that she was better… but she would know sooner or later that the gap in their skill level was larger than it would seem.

"Keeeeh!/Tahhh!" the two gun sweepers fired, attempting to paint the boy in a new coat of paint. Paintballs hailed in multiple directions, but to Akane's surprise and to Chizuru's expectations, Shirogane dodged them masterfully going in a zigzag way. "N… no way!"

"Sorry! But I can see through all your moves!"

Twang! Ratatatat!

Shaving off the guns pointed at him, Shirogane returned fire, aiming directly at Akane's cockpit. Her whole body was painted down in new orange color.

Bang! Bang!

The snipers in the distance tried to support but the boy proved too fast for their bullets. In a matter of seconds, both Akane and Kazama were down for the count.

**(A few hours later) (TSF Hanger)**

Phew… I'm beat. That mock battle was one of a kind. I haven't had a good fight like that since my duel with Sagiri. The Shiranui really are an attack based unit in the war against BETA. They're faster, stronger and not to mention more agile than a Fubuki once equipped with the XM3.

But even so… I have to admit that the Valkyrie Squad is not a group to be taken lightly. Even though I was able to take down Akane and Kazama in the fight, Captain Isumi reorganized the group to a solid defense. They were able to take down Ayamine, Munakata and Mikoto before we were able to bring them all down. That only shows how skilled they are behind a TSF. My old cadet squad was good too back in my previous loop. I should know since I fought with them longer than anyone.

Meiya was able to almost go on par with the captain in close quarter combat but she lacks the experience to deal the finishing blow. Ayamine was caught by the snipers and Yoroi got splashed halfway by Captain Isumi.

It took about 3 hours to finally finish the fight and it took a lot out of me.

Whack!

Yeow! Who the hell just him me—?

"Not bad Shirogane. Just what I expected from my underling" Oh… 1st Lieutenant Hayase. Damn… that hurt. That was even stronger that Kyozuka oba san… and not to mention I'm still wearing my exosuit. If I wasn't wearing this… there's a good chance that she could've broken my back. "You completed your objective to the letter"

"Ah… thanks, 1st Lieutenant"

"You were pretty good. Hitting and dodging at the same time. Ahhh! I can't wait! I really want to duel you right here and now!" Geh! No thanks! I've always been afraid of dueling with her. She's just too wild even for my taste. The moment she starts acting up, those attacks of hers can be fierce and merciless.

"I… wasn't that good Lt. Hayase"

"Don't joke around. I know a good pilot when I see one. I bet even the captain can tell how good we were when we obliterated her team faster than expected"

"The paint isn't even warm yet and already she's gloating" Came the captain herself in reply.

Hayase quickly drew back and feigned ignorance. "Oh, come now Captain. Even you have to admit that we were even better back there. Our timing was perfect. It was like Shirogane and I had perfect synch with everyone else" That's because back in my last loop, we trained like this almost every day of the week. Your training regime was even more severe than the captain if you asked me. "Besides, it's the right of the victor to gloat over his victory"

"I guess I'll grant it" Isumi sighed, admitting her lost here. "You were able to adapt well Shirogane. Maybe Hayase found herself a worthy rival after all" Geh! Captain! You're just fueling the Lieutenant's flame by giving away those praises.

"Ah! Speaking of rivals, Captain" Hayase opened up cooing to her side. "Do you mind if I have a proper duel with Shirogane, tomorrow? (Geh!) (Hmm?) Since their Shiranuis are going to be ready tomorrow, I'd like to see how good this guy is, first hand"

"Hoo? Are you that anxious to see who's better, Hayase?"

"Not at all. After seeing him take out Kazama and Suzumiya at the same time without a single scratch, I'm looking forward to what he can really do on the battlefield. That kind of skill doesn't come easy neh?"

"If you say so…" Captain! Don't tell me you're actually going to agree with her! The last thing I want is a match with Lt. Hayase. She's a monster… especially behind the sword. "Alright… I'll grant it… (Yes!) (No!) Under one condition. (Hmm?) If you can defeat us again on the second match, I'll allow you to duel Shirogane"

"Is that all? And here I thought it'd be something harder" Geh… the Lieutenant is really getting her A-game.

"Hooo? If you're really up to it then I'll add something else" The Captain accepted her subordinate's words as a challenge. "If either you or Shirogane get shot down in the next match then you won't get your match. Is that better? (Sir yes sir!)" And just as Hayase was accepting the term of our duel, the rest of the squad fell in when they heard the topic of interest.

"Heeeh… a duel already?" Kashiwagi asked feeling surprised of having the fight so early. "That was fast. I thought we'd had to wait for at least a week before Shirogane would grow a pair to actually face the Lieutenant"

"Looks like we'll have a wager after all" Munakata added from behind the group. "But honestly I half expected him to chicken out" Hey! That's not a nice thing to say especially in front of me.

"You have our sympathies, Takeru" Meiya remarked. That was nice of her but it didn't exactly make me feel better about it.

"I bet 2 meals on 1st Lieutenant Hayase"

" Hey! Ayamine! You're supposed to take my side!"

"Um… I will… umm…" Tama? "I'll bet 1 meal on Takeru san!" That's even worse! This is insane! Is everyone really expecting me to fight with 1st Lieutenant Mitsuki sooner or later? This isn't good. Maybe I should get myself shot during the mock exam to get myself out of it.

(Tap) … Hmm? Hayase? "Shirogane. (Y… yes?) If you get shot tomorrow. You forfeit a week of your food…"

GYAAAAAAAA!

**(Labs)**

Sulk… sulk…

So much for a way out. I'm not really looking forward for tomorrow's mock battle. If I win, my friend's lose… and if I lose… well… I lose! Food is pretty much one of the only few pleasures of life I can get around here. Take that away from me and I'll probably fall over and die in the gutter somewhere.

"Ah! Takeru chan! (Fwup!) Good evening!" Whoa! Hey! Sumika just leaped towards me in a tight bear hug. If it weren't for all my years of training I would've fallen back and hit my head.

"Hey there Sumika" I greeted back, putting her down to my level. She was really light and really soft. I'm actually afraid that if I hold her too tight I might actually break her. "Are you and Kasumi playing around again?"

"Yup yup! Come! Take a look at this!" Ow… hey! Don't yank me. "Lookie lookie! I taught Kasumi this" She then pulled up one of the colorful notebooks scattered on the floor. There appears to be some pictures drawn on it and some words in the side. It kind of looks like one of… hey… wait a minute.

"Is that a diary? (Nod) (Yup yup!)" Both of them confirmed it in their own ways. Yup… it's a diary alright. A picture diary—just like the one I found in my place the other day. The cartoonish characters of me, Sumika and Kasumi were all drawn in there doing some rather silly things. It looked like an amateur's piece of work but who am I to judge?

"You like it?" Kasumi asked me. "Sumika said… to make memories… and… to remember those that are precious…" I see… so remembering those moments that are precious to you is the key. Heh… as expected of Sumika. Let's see now. What did she put in here? There's a drawing of me and Sumika in front of our house and Kasumi was drawn hiding behind a trash bin.

_December 16 (Sunny)_

_I took Takeru chan out today to his house_

_I wanted to cheer him up because he's been looking down a lot lately_

_We talked by his window just like we did back so many years ago_

_It feels weird but… it also felt right_

_I just hope he didn't hurt himself too much when he fell from that jump_

_Kasumi was there too_

_and from there we played at the park where Takeru chan and I hung out when we were little_

_I don't really remember much but I can tell that it was once a happy place for me_

_December 17 (Foggy)_

_Takeru chan looked really annoyed yesterday when his new toys came_

_He said it was because he had to ride a car instead of one of those giant robots_

_I could already picture him. He's always like that_

_Kasumi also played Cat's Cradle with me._

_She can make all kinds of shapes when she puts her mind to it._

_I guess she's been practicing with Takeru chan_

_Uuuuu… I'm going to beat her one of these days._

The drawings then changed when I turned to the next page. It seems like this is the part where Kasumi started adding her thoughts.

_December 18, 2001 Tuesday_

_Weather—Sunny-Cloudy_

_Time—22:00 PM_

_07:35 AM – Wake up Shirogane Takeru_

_10:20 AM – Have breakfast. (Synthetic rice and egg with hot tea)_

_11:00 AM – Assist Professor with research_

_12:05 PM – Lunch (Rice cake)_

_14:00 PM – Assist Professor with research (With Kagami Sumika)_

_15:30 PM – Observe mock battle of Squad A-09._

_18:15 PM – Dinner with Kagami (Synthetic mackerel fish and rice)_

Uh… ok… I guess you could pass this as a picture diary with all the colorful characters in the side page. But… on a broader inspection you'd probably see this as a schedule book. I think she got the general idea of what Sumika was telling her to do but got lost half way. She might just be an excellent secretary when she grows up. But other than that I'd probably say that this was a cute thing to do.

It was the complete opposite of Sumika. Unlike her messy handwritings, Kasumi showed signs of proper etiquette. Everything was balanced and within the line and she even wrote down the time of when they were done. A well mannered girl and a girl with no manners at all. Heh… what a pair…

"Ah… Takeru chan has that creepy smile again" Geh… Sumika caught my facial expression too well. "He must be thinking of something mean. Kasumi chan, you'd best stay away from him. (Nod)"

"Oh come on now" I whined. "Ah forget it. I don't even have the strength to argue. (Ahehehehe) Oh that reminds me. You guys were busy with Yuuko sensei right? What did you guys do?"

"Ah… nothing much" Nothing much? That's odd. "Yeah. We just talked and Kasumi and me had some tests. Nothing serious" Nothing serious? Now that is strange. I expected Yuuko to do something bizarre like some experiments or training with the XG-70 but I guess she just wants to take it easy. I could… ask Sumika of what they did specifically but I don't think Yuuko would like me snooping around. Well… Sumika's fine so I'll let it slide. "Anyway, what about you Takeru chan? (Hmm?) You look pretty down when you came in. Did something bad happen?"

"Ah… well… I guess you could say that" I admitted. After all, tomorrow will be my personal D-Day. "Or at least… something bad will be happening tomorrow. (Tomorrow?) Yeah. One of my squad mates has it in for me so she wants to challenge me to a duel"

"Ehhh? So what's the problem? Just beat her like everyone else you do"

"That's easy for you to say. (…?) She's insane when it comes to fighting. I might be good but her skills are way better than mine"

"Heeeh… is it really like that or are you just afraid of fighting girls, Takeru chan" Wh… what? What does she mean by that? "Kasumi chan. Do you think Takeru chan is the best pilot there is?" Why is she asking her? And what does that have to do with… (Nod…) Kasumi? "Do you think there's anyone who can beat Takeru chan? (Shake shake) And there you have it!"

"Eh? Wh—what does that mean?"

"It means we think that you're the best! (Huh?) Takeru chan, has no self confidence at all. If you keep thinking that someone else is better than you then you'll never be able to beat them. (Eh?) Out of everyone here, we all think that you're the best" But you don't know the first thing about a TSF in the first place! How can I even relate your words to you two alone?

"But I…"

"No buts!" Sumika shushed me indefinitely. "If you put your mind into it, you'll definitely be able to win. You're the best of the best… and anyone else who says otherwise is wrong! (Sumika…) Because I know Takeru chan. (…) I know that you'll beat her. You'll beat her and everyone who tries to tell you they're better. Because you… you… you're the only one who can do it"

"Sumika… I… I don't know what to umph…!" My lips came into contact with something soft and sweet. My eyes darted upward and my mind went blank but my body reacted to every instinct. Sumika pressed her lips to mine in a defining kiss.

I'm such an idiot. She was doing everything she could to cheer me up and I rejected them all. It was the only thing she could do here. The only thing she can do until December 25. She's giving it her all to help me and I… (Tug!) ugh…

"Even if you're not the best. You're always number 1 to me…"


	28. My Strength Are My Own

**Chapter 28: My Strength are my Own**

**(Takeru's POV) (December 19, 2001 Wednesday) (A-09 Barracks) (07:30 AM)**

Shake shake…

Umm… not now…

Shake shake…

Five more minutes Sumika. (Shake shake) I don't want to wake up just yet. (Shake!) Guuu… come on… just five more minutes. (Shake shake!) Maybe if I pretend to be asleep, she'll go away. She doesn't seem to be shaking me that hard to no biggie. I'll just lie here and pretend that I'm still asleep.

Whack!

"Yeow! What the? Who the hell hits a person with a book early in the morning!-? Eh?" Wait… that's not Sumika. "Kasumi?"

"Good morning"

"Ah… good morning" Odd… I was expecting Sumika to be the only one who would be able to hit me. Now Kasumi too? "Did you… just hit me with a paperback book? (Hai…) Why?"

"Sumika said it was affective" Affective? Guuu… don't tell me that girl is teaching her ways to annoy me. Maybe I should start locking my door more often. Guu… it's only 7:30. I still have an hour until roll call. (Ruffle) Hmm? What is she writing on that notebook? "Writing my diary…" Diary? Oh yeah, Sumika taught her that yesterday. "Making good and funny memories. (Funny?) Takeru's face looks funny when he's angry" Geh!

"Please don't take everything that Sumika taught you too seriously"

**(PX)**

Ugh… it's barely even morning and already I'm in a bad mood. Not to mention that today might actually be the day I get to fight Mitsuki. Guuuu… I'm really not looking forward to this afternoon at all.

"Eh Takeru?" Hmm… oh it's Mikoto. "What's wrong? Did you hurt yourself somewhere?"

"Just my pride"

"Are you worried about today's mock battle?"

"That too. We won the last one because we were able to catch the other team in their blind spot"

"Eh? But I thought we won out of pure skill. You were amazing for being able to take out two of them in just one passing" Ah… yeah I did take out Kazama and Akane but that's pretty much it. By the time the Captain reformed ranks we were already in par with one another. Even the surprise attack we performed afterwards had little effect.

"No… Takeru is right" Meiya agreed with me. "Our victory was a shallow one at best. The whole match they treated us as nothing more but rookies and we were able to take advantage of that momentum. They will not make such an error again in today's match"

"Yeah…" I nodded back in reply. "Not to mention we'll all be using Type-94s this time so it'll basically be an even fight if we're not careful"

Mikoto made a face. "Are you sure you're worried about the battle, or is it because you'll have to face 1st Lt. Hayase?" Geh! Don't bring that up! That's pretty much the last thing I want to hear in this conversation.

"Ah… I nearly forgot about it" Meiya recalled looking solemn. "It appears you also have no way out of it, Takeru"

"Please don't remind me" I sulked. It was an all-lose situation no matter how I see it. If I lose the mock battle, I lose my meal. If I win, then I'll be facing that monster of a fighter in the ring.

"Shirogane…" Hmm? Ayamine? "… will win. No doubt about it" Ayamine…? Does she believe in my skill as an Eishi too? "I bet three meal tickets with Kashiwagi"

Wha! You… you're betting on me to win? That's just gonna add more pressure!

"Ah you did too Kei chan?" Mikoto!-? You too!-? "I bet two meal tickets with Akane chan earlier. There are a lot of bets going around. You're pretty much the talk of the cadets Takeru"

"You! You're all freaking traitors! How could you possibly do this to me?" I threw out a small tantrum.

"Now now. It only shows how much we believe in you Takeru" That makes it even worse! I don't think I can handle the pressure. "Ah that reminds me. What about you Mitsurugi san? (Hmm?) Who did you bet against?"

"I do not partake in such events. The only thing that matters is the outcome of the battle. I have every bit of faith in Takeru's skills" Uuuuuu… this is not looking good. The last thing I need is people looking up to my talents as an example. I don't need that kind of pressure.

**(Hallway)**

Bah! I felt so depressed I didn't even feel like finishing my food. Is everyone really expecting me to fight with the Lieutenant? It's not like I don't want to fight her or anything. It just feels wrong. Hayase seems eager enough and there's no doubt that she'll be pouring all of her skill into the mock battle just to get a chance to settle a score with me.

Haaaaa… I feel so depressed…

"Oi oi… sighing like that only makes the whole world colorless you know" Huh? Oh…

"1st Lieutenant Munataka and… 2nd Lieutenant Kashiwagi?" Now there's an odd pair.

"Oh… 1st Lieutenant Shirogane. How are you feeling today, sir? Are you getting enough sleep, sir?" Geh! Right, I forgot. No formalities needed.

"Sorry sorry, I'll try to be less stiff in the future"

The two of them laughed at my mistake. Kashiwagi waved it off. "That's alright. It took awhile for Akane and me to get used to it too. But I was serious though. If you sigh in the middle of the room, you'll bring the whole squad down. (Sorry…) Don't be. But anyway. What's gotten you down? Is it because of your coming match with Hayase san?"

"That… and some of pride being damaged in the early morning, followed by the betrayal of my squad mates" I answered back in a sulking tone.

"You must have it rough. With the bet that she gave you, you're pretty much stuck between a rock and a hard place"

Munakata continued. "Who knows? She might go easy on your first match" Go easy? Hayase? The only time those three words would ever connect is when 'Hayase doesn't go easy on anyone'. I've seen her records when I was with Haruka. She rarely holds back even against rookies. To even match pace with Meiya and Ayamine in CQC can be considered amazing by my standards already.

"That's nice of you to say Munakata san… but I don't think she'll give me a first strike for being nice"

She agreed with me. "That's true. I guess you could say 1st Lt. Hayase is a pervert who gets sexual satisfaction out of battle. Training around with the squad is like masturbation for her" Mast—no… I won't get drawn in to her world. "But fighting with you will probably be like having sex in real life" Geh! (Flash) Did she really have to say that word? (Flash) Now I'm starting to remember all my indecent activities in this base.

"Ahahaha!" Kashiwagi laughed. "If she was here, she'd probably be saying MU-NA-KA-TAAA!"

Hehehe… yeah she would. That's pretty much their usual routine. Even though it's quite redundant, they somehow calm you down.

"Anyway… who knows?" Munakata continued. "If you're really lucky, the Lieutenant will probably get hit by one of the snipers and you can let out easy" Haaa… one can only hope. If Hayase gets shot, then I'm probably scot free.

"Oi oi, Munakata, are you influencing the participants before the match? That's Instructive Guidance with the penalty of losing your bets" Huh?

"Oh not at all. I was merely giving Shirogane hope of a third option in life where everyone is happy"

"Bet? What bet?" Wait… could they be talking about.

"Ah… we made a pot bet earlier today with everyone" Geh! Kashiwagi pulled out a small box from her pocket and showed me all the meal tickets inside. "Kazama san made placed in three meal tickets for Hayase. Akane and Haruka bet two each as well on her side" Grrr… I should've known they would be in it too. But why Haruka of all people? I can understand Akane since she currently hates my guts but not her sister. "Munakata said bet 5 so we pretty much have a huge pot going on. Even Tamase gambled 1 for you Shirogane" Tama too!-? No way!

"H… hey Kashiwagi. (Yeah?) This bet is only between the squad, right?"

"That was the original plan. But then we decided to have some of the staff members in on our game. I have about 200 tickets right here and now" Two-hundred!-? That kind of goods will last a guy for a whole year!

"But the odds are really nice" Munakata added. "With a 2:1 ratio, the winner will be doubling their rations for weeks"

"There'll be a lot of frowny faces too even if you win or lose, Shirogane" GAHHHHHH! There's really no way out! I'm gonna be hated either way. Is this what people call divine punishment or something? "Well, good luck on your match. I'll fold in early to speed up the game" Don't do that! "Ahahaha. Anyway, I'll see you after the big match"

"Grrrr… that girl"

"Don't take her seriously. She's always like that" Munakata stopped me from chasing the blue haired one. "But anyway, Shirogane. Do you mind if I asked you something? (Hmm? Sure) Why do you think Hayase wants to duel with you so badly?"

"Huh? Isn't it because she wants to prove who's better?"

She gave me a stern look. For a moment there I actually saw Munakata's face sad for a second. "I see… so that's how you see things. I guess that's the kind of impression you would see upon meeting her. (Eh?) You have to understand that women like us are more complex than you hope to believe, Shirogane. What you see on the outside cannot be compared to what people hide on the inside" Is she being philosophical with me? That makes sense but what does that have to do with me and Hayase? "We show only our beauty on the outside. We show only what we want others to see and we bury what we don't want others to hear"

"Wh… what do you mean by that?"

"The most common saying would be 'Never judge a book by its cover' But from this point… I don't think you can put it that simply. (…?) Heh. I'm probably just exaggerating. Take care of yourself Shirogane. And try not to get yourself hit before the match"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Tap… tap… tap… tap… tap…

Hmm… I wonder what 1st Lt. Munakata was trying to tell me. Is she saying that I'm missing something from this duel? Am I only looking at the surface and not the whole picture? Well… I guess my guess is as good as anyone.

I have about 30 minutes left before I need to report to the hanger so I think I'll just sulk here for awhile. I really do have to fight the lieutenant after all. Uuuuu… I can already tell that it's going to end badly no matter what the results are. Win or lose… I still lose.

"Hmm? Oh… Shirogane"

Huh? Oh… it's the captain. (…) Wait… (…) That's it! The captain! Yes! She's my last shining light in this.

"Captain Isumi!"

"Wh-w-w-wh—what's wrong Shirogane?"

"Please cancel the match between me and Hayase! (Huh?) It's no win solution for me. Even if I win, I still lose either way! (Wait… what?) Besides, shouldn't this kind of behavior be discouraged? Promoting competition within the group would only cause ripple within the squad. Don't you agree?"

"Ah… I see what you're getting at" Captain! She does understand me after all! "But I'm afraid it's already too late for me to do anything about it. (SHOCK!) Truthfully, I never imagined it would escalate to this extent. I only wanted you to fight to settle you differences once and for all but for some reason, the whole base seems to know about it" The whole base!-? "Sorry. But it seems like you will have to go through this ordeal no matter what, Shirogane. (No way!) But don't worry. Take it as another form of training with Hayase. Just remember… don't hold anything back"

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"You might… call it a sickness in Hayase. She… tends to… (…?) Ah… no… never mind. I shouldn't be talking about my subordinates behind their backs. Let's just say she sees you as the biggest obstacle in her" Obstacle? I'm in her way or something. "She's not fighting you because she wants to prove who's the strongest. She's… well… ah… no… never mind. Forget what I said" She's not fighting me because she wants to prove who's the strongest? Then is she fighting because it's fun? I'm starting to get curious now. Munakata said something similar too. "Well… later then, Shirogane. Ah… and take this. It should help elevate some stress from your head"

"Aaaah… thank yo—geh!" Th—this is… that disgusting drink that she gave me during my previous loop! If I remember correctly, it tasted awful, like some a lama would spit out. The taste alone was incomprehensible.

But still… I wonder what the captain meant when she said sickness. Is Hayase ill in some way? There was no saying about it in her medical profile. Does it have something to do with what Munakata said to me? Oh well… I can only hope that I would get lucky on the mock battle and she'd get shot and we still win.

**(Marimo's POV) (Command Post) (Training Area 4)**

"This is Valhalla to Alpha Team. Training will commence in sixty-seconds. Do not move beyond your starting point" Haaaa… I'm really starting to get used to this routine. Even though it's only been a few days since I was transferred to this unit I'm beginning to see how they run things. The team is like a well oiled machines being constantly maintained by its officers. I'm getting the hang of working with 1st Lieutenant Suzumiya and coordinating with the other members of the squadron.

So far the former cadets of Squad 207 have proven themselves to be sufficient and all of them have begun to improve their skill on the TSF. With the members of the A-09 showing them the ropes, I have a feeling that they'll be even greater in a few months.

Mitsurugi has focused most of her attention on maneuverability and handling of the sword and knife. You would easily spot her in the gym from time to time, practicing with a wooden blade.

Ayamine was no different either. I constantly see her Shadow Boxing in the field enhancing her hand to hand combat. She even spars with other cadets from other units when they have time.

Tamase as always, focuses on her shooting reaction. She spends her time in the simulator room hitting targets that are going at least 50kph. So far her records are on par with 2nd Lieutenant Kashiwagi and 2nd Lieutenant Kazama.

Yoroi and Sakaki focuses on support. Yoroi has been spending time replicating movements of others while at the same time adding her own style into the mix. Sakaki is a gun sweeper and as her job, she focuses on movement as well. She tries to get into the best possible position before unleashing her massive firepower into the field.

But as always, none of them can come even marginally close to Shirogane. He was on a whole different level from the rest of the group. Even if the others improve, that boy is still far beyond reach of their capabilities. Though his talent behind a TSF can be considered legendary among the cadets, you can't deny his enhanced abilities in other fields. He's an equal to any veteran in CQC, he can snipe almost as good as Tamase and can keep a calm even in the most dire situations. His duel with the rebel commander during the coup a few weeks ago proved that.

But even so… with this information… I still can't picture his relation with Yuuko. (Flash) I see him constantly with her at times and he seems to have unlimited access to floor B-20 and above. I've listened to some of the rumors saying that he was the professor's lapdog but I hardly find that true. He seems to receive orders directly from her… but he thinks and feels for himself. He cares about the team and comforts them when needed. To the former cadets, he's like a pillar of strength that cannot be toppled. But even so…

"Lt. Jinguuji. We're ready to begin"

"Hmm? Oh… right. This is Valhalla to Alpha Team. Begin!"

And they were off…

**(Takeru's POV)**

"Alright team, listen up!" Hayase's face appeared on my screen as the battle began. "This match will be a close one. They can't move fast because of their snipers but that doesn't mean they're not flexible. We'll split into two groups and move along the main road. Shirogane and Yoroi are with me. (Ma'am) Munakata will lead team 2 with Mitsurugi and Ayamine. Our speed is our strength. Move fast and use the tall buildings to avoid getting sniped. Try not to bottle yourselves in one area either. Ready? Go!"

Wow… Hayase seems to be more motivated than usual. Maybe the promise of a duel with me got her attention. Hmm… maybe it would be best if I got myself shot. That way, the only person who loses is me.

"And Shirogane!" Gwa!

"Y… yes ma'am?"

"Don't even think about getting hit on purpose either because I'll know. For this match, I want everyone to focus on winning! Nothing else!" What happened to your 'it doesn't matter if you win or lose' policy? "Ready! Go!"

Haaaa… this is not going to end well, I just know it.

Whirrrr…

Hmm… let's see. Where would they be hiding at this place? Considering that this was an urban terrain, the snipers have the advantage of long range attacks but we also have the advantage in mobility. Everyone here was a fast attacker, especially Mikoto since she's been trying to mimic my moves for quite awhile now.

"This is Valkyrie 3, three enemy units sighted" Munakata contacted. "Contact at point 6B"

Hayase gave out a nod. "They're trying to lure us in the open. Keep an eye on them. We'll come around and look for those snipers. Yoroi, keep your sensors on and try to find them. Shirogane, you do the same. (Ma'am)" The sonic sensors are a useful tool when fighting other TSFs. Since they can sense motion and sound coming from the engine, they can spot a machine half a kilometer away. The only way to avoid it completely is to shut your engine completely and not move at all.

Snipers tend to be the most difficult to find since stay completely still most of the time.

Whirrr…

"…!" Hmm? What was that noise? "Everyone, scatter now!"

Bang!

Whoa! That shot nearly got Mikoto. I didn't even see it coming from the side.

"Sniper location locked! Moving to engage now!"

"This is Valkyrie 10" I opened up. "I'm going to support Mikoto"

"Roger that!"

"This is Valkyrie 3. The three enemy units are moving into your position. Moving in to engage now"

Bang! Bang!

Whoa! Those shots are pretty accurate. The last one nearly got me. But still… this shooting pattern. There's no doubt about it. It's definitely Tama. She's the only one who can guess my movements correctly since she's seen them plenty of times before. But… I also know your moves Tama!

"Mikoto, go in from the left! I'll take her on the right! (Roger!)" Ok… here we go. (Bang!) Wh… what the? (Bang! Bang!) Crap, a second sniper? No wait… I know this plan. They're using the snipers as bait! Again? No… that'll be too obvious… unless…

"This is Valkyrie 3. We're pinned down by enemy snipers! Two of them at least"

"This is Valkyrie 2, roger that. Looks like they're mocking us"

They switched equipments! That's a cheap trick but useful against foes like us. That way we have no way of telling who is who. They're gonna try and beat us on a completely different tactic. I should've expected something like this from the Captain. But even so… they won't find us easy preys. (Ratatatat!) Those three must be the reinforcements. But… why are they carrying rifles and not machineguns? (Bang bang!) Whoa! Crap!

"This is Valkyrie 8" Hmm? Mikoto? "I can't read their movement patterns at all. It seems like they're…"

I get it now. The three snipers outside are Class rep, Akane and Captain Isumi. The three charging at us are the real snipers! That's got to be the weirdest formation yet but somehow affective.

But even so… that's not going to work on me.

"Shirogane, we'll take them head on! (Roger that!)" As expected of Storm Vanguard One. She takes things head on with no feint whatsoever. No fear of getting surrounded because that's our job in the first place. Hayase and I met the strike force head on with Yoroi backing us up. Their shots were dead accurate and several of them nearly hit me too. Tama must be in that group.

They know that in CQC, we're superior so they try to engage us from medium to long range attacks. They're going to be focusing on avoiding, using sniper-sniper technique. So if we engage one sniper, another one will cover him and if we try to hit two, another two will cover them. It's pretty much a stalling tactic until they hit something.

"This is Valhalla base. Mitsurugi's unit has sustained damage on the energy supply. Unit destroyed. Cease all movement" Wha? Meiya's down for the count? They must be good to be able to hit her in such a dense area.

"Waaaah!" Huh? What happened?

"Yoroi's unit has sustained damage on leg and arm. Energy supply damage. Unit destroyed. Cease all movement"

Damn, they got to Mikoto too? Even with all our quick maneuvers they can still target us.

"Shirogane, we're falling back" Hayase ordered. "We'll be sitting ducks out here in the open. Let's regroup for now. (Roger that)"

"This is Valhalla. Munakata's unit has sustained damage on transmission and sensors. Heavy damage. Unit disabled. Cease all movement" They got Munakata too? That's insane!

"Looks like they got us good" Huh? "They using the snipers to pinpoint our location and having the others shoot us" I see… so that's how the non-snipers are able to hit us so accurately. They have spotters to tell them where to shoot. If I wasn't an enemy right now, I'd be so impressed. "Looks like we'll have to do this the old fashion way. Ayamine, are you still there. (Yes…) Good. We're retreating for now. Regroup at point A-14. Shirogane, let's move before we're cut off"

…

…

…

Phew… after about five minutes or so, we were able to get out of that mess. Bravo team really tore us apart. We thought we could get them if we got close enough but instead we were baited twice by their ruse.

"Looks like we lost them" Hayase motioned. "Ayamine, did you get their formation pattern?"

"Yes. (Beep)" A screen popped up on headset. "They appear to have switched formation using the snipers as both bait and spotter. Tamase, Kazama and Kashiwagi are probably in the strike force. Captain Isumi, Suzumiya and Sakaki are in the exterior of their formation"

"They risk having their snipers at the frontlines. Isumi really is full of surprises" I'll agree to that. Even I wouldn't think of such a strategy. "Anyone got any ideas?"

"We could try charging head on" I suggested.

"We'd be picked off even from a distance. Use your head Shirogane!" Guuu… you said to give a suggestion.

"We must find a way to get to their snipers without being spotted by their strike force" Ayamine noted to us. "We can split into three and attack them from point to point. The strike force appears to stick together to avoid being flanked"

"Good thinking. Now that they know that we're thinned down, they'll try to stick together to overwhelm us. No doubt they'll try to bait us out again. If I were them, I'd separate my snipers to hit a target from different angles. We need to find a way to get behind them"

Get behind them huh? Hmmm…

"Wait, 1st Lieutenant. (…?) I have an idea but I'll need to borrow Ayamine"

"You got something, Shirogane?"

"It's a long shot but I'm sure it can work"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Back on the other side of the battlefield, the opposing team was now setting up their positions for a solid unbreakable defense. After nailing three of their opponents, they were quite sure that victory was near but considering that three top notched pilots were still out there, they couldn't take anything to chance.

"This is Valkyrie 4" Kazama opened a channel. "Sector B-19, clear. No sign of the enemy. Moving in with the team to Sector A"

"Roger that" Captain Isumi replied keeping her eye on the scope. "Don't get cocky. Even if we've taken three of them down they still pose a threat. Don't stick together in one spot. Keep moving but remember to cover each other's backs just in case they try to get to one of us. (Understood!)"

"They must be regrouping for a counterattack" Kashiwagi added to the others. "Maybe we should spread out to keep ourselves from getting surrounded"

"Good thinking Kashiwagi" Isumi accepted the plan. "All units, spread out but keep a fixed distance with one another. Stick to our defensive plan and bait them out slowly"

Beep…

"This is Sakaki. My scanners just detected a seismic activity in sector A-4. It wasn't big. It may be a diversion"

"We'll check it out just to be sure. Kazama. Take your team and see to it. All other sniper units, form up behind them. (Roger!)"

The team formed a solid defense line that protected each other's backs. But just as they were moving up to investigate the disturbance, Hayase, Shirogane and Ayamine charged out head on with no sign of feints.

"Enemy sighted!" Kazama announced. "All three remaining targets moving in a straight line formation! They're coming in full force!"

"A head on attack?" Isumi raised a brow puzzled. "That does sound like something Hayase would do but… she knows that she can't win like that alone. All units, fire at will!"

A hail of bullets was exchanged between the two teams but both sides seemed to be equally match in speed. A full frontal attack was suicidal itself yet it didn't seem like Alpha Team had any thought of backing down. They kept charging forward, forcing the opposing team to give room.

When the sun was in the right position, Shirogane barked out. "Ayamine! Now! Give me a throw!" Hayase fired a barrage of paintballs at the opposing team, providing cover for her subordinates. Immediately, Ayamine grabbed Shirogane by his arm and tossed him towards the sky where he performed a triple jump boost.

The three snipers aimed up, seeing him to be an easy target. But just as they aimed their rifles to the sky, their screen was blinded by the sheer light from the sun.

"Ah!" Akane cursed under her breath unable to see beyond her scope. "I… I can't see a thing!"

Shirogane landed right behind Captain Isumi and before she even had the time to react, her frame was plastered with orange color.

"This is Valkyrie Mum. Captain Isumi's unit sustained heavy damage on the cockpit and transmission. Unit destroyed. Cease all movement"

"Akane! He's coming right for you!" Sakaki called out but it was far too late. The boy had already rushed in behind her and plastered the back of her unit in the same color.

"This is Valkyrie mum. Aka—I mean Suzumiya's unit sustained heavy damage. Unit destroyed. Cease all movement. Tamase's unit sustained damage on energy supply. Unit destroyed. Cease all movement"

And before Haruka had the time to finish, the battle had already ended.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Haaaa… now that was a close battle. I almost got shot three times there. Since the rear and the front always supported each other they couldn't do a thing once they realize that both sides were getting hit at the same time. Hayase and Ayamine were more than enough to handle the spotters and since the snipers were spread out, I had an easy time handling them one at a time.

"This is Valhalla. All conditions of the mock battle are clear. Return to your mission starting point and prepare to return to base"

"Roger that. Returning to starting point" I answered back. Maybe if I leave now, I can avoid confrontation with the Lieutenant.

"Hold it right there, Shirogane!" Geh! So much for that idea. "Nice idea with the overhead throw thing. You really are top notched after all"

"Ahaha… hey there… Lieutenant. So… you guys didn't get shot?"

"Of course not. I'd never allow myself to get hit especially in close range. (Ahehehe) You're not trying to escape, are you?"

"Aha… ha… ha… of course not. I was just following orders" Actually, I was going to make a break for it to the starting point. If only I could avoid her sight for five seconds.

"Good… now just sit still while I contact the others" Geh! She's gonna talk with the captain? Does she want to have the battle now before going back for a recharge? "Yo Captain. How ya doin over there?"

Isumi's face appeared on my screen as well as the rest of the squad. "Hayase… I can already guess what this transmission is about. I guess I can't complain after losing to you guys twice. (Then you'll keep your promise?) Well… I did make that deal Seeing that both you and Shirogane are still up, I have no choice but to let it go" Guuuuuu…

"Great! Then we can have it here and now!"

"Eh? Now? Isn't that a bit sudden Lieutenant?" Meiya stepped in for me.

"Why not? We're already out on the field and we're both armed. If we head back to the hanger we'll have to go through the painstaking process of setup all over again. We might as well have it here while we're all still pumped" I think you're the only who's still pumped here Hayase. "What do you say, Captain? Don't you think its best we take it out here and now?"

"Hmm… yes. No arguments there. If you're going to settle your dispute, you might as well do it now" Haaa… looks like I'm done for. "Shirogane, are you still up for it?"

No point in prolonging it now. "Yeah, sure. Why not?"

"That's the spirit! We can have it right here and now!"

"Hooo? A fight right after a fight? I expected nothing less" Kashiwagi added along with Munakata.

"That can only mean that she's wet inside from the earlier battle"

"Mu-na-ka-ta!"

"Ah… it was Shirogane who told me that" I didn't even say anything yet!

"Alright, enough" Isumi announced, silencing all of us. "Since both of them agreed, we have little say. We can hold the match at the old plaza ruins since there's a lot of space there. (Yosh!) Don't be too happy Hayase. For Shirogane's sake at least"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

We arrived at the duel ground as instructed. It was the old subway-station depot where all the trains end their daily shift. The plaza was actually built on top of it. I used to come shopping with mom here when I was a kid. I can even remember some of the old shops that were around this place.

Once I got to my starting point, Hayase got to her place, grinning at me ear to ear. I can already feel her desire to fight with me. I never thought I would actually have a duel with her of all people. Well… it's not like I haven't in a fight once.

I battled Sagiri back in Susono City a few weeks ago but I only won by a hairline. He kicked my ass and chopped my Fubuki down like sushi before stabbing my energy supply. Back then I had a little motivation to keep me going and not to mention the Crash Course Training that Tsukuyomi gave me before the fight. It was because of those added bonuses that led to my victory.

I've listened to what the squad had to say about Hayase. They all say the same thing. She's aggressive but never takes unnecessary risks to jeopardize her comrades or the mission. That's why she makes an excellent leader and an excellent 2nd in command of the company. According to what my team told me: She fights like a wild cheetah waiting to strike the moment you show even the tiniest hint of weakness.

Even the captain seems to agree that she can be wild… but often enough she's well tamed.

"Yo Shirogane" Hayase opened a channel to me. "I've been looking forward to this event for a long time now. No holding back, ok? Because you know I won't. (…)" Hmm? Isumi looked like she wanted to say something but stopped midway.

"Alright then. We'll follow the same procedures of any duel. Shirogane" The Captain turned to me. "Since you're the one who's been challenged, you get to pick the weapons"

"Ah… we'll have melee only. No guns" It was the field both of us were good at in the first place. We tossed away our guns and disconnected the ammo canisters from our wrists.

"Agreed… we'll do this the old fashion way"

Isumi nodded to the terms and ordered the rest of the group to fall back to a safe distance. I'm starting to get the dejavu feeling of Susono all over again. (Flash) Hmm… but right now I'm still curious. What could Munakata and Captain Isumi mean when they talked about Hayase back then? What is she trying to prove just by fighting me? If it was a contest of strength, I wouldn't mind… but right now… I'm not really sure.

"Begin!"

"Teeeeehhh!" Whoa! (Whoosh!) What the hell? She came charging straight down the moment the signal was given. A boost charge with a sword straight up? Talk about old school but affective. "What's the matter Shirogane? You're wavering!"

"You're not holding anything back, are you!-?"

"Holding back is for wimps! Come on! Show me what you've got!"

Clang! Clang!

Our blades clashed over and over on the battlefield. Hayase's skill behind the TSF was downright impressive. She really has been studying my movements otherwise she would never know my attack patterns. But I also know hers from my memories of the future. Hayase always takes things head on with no feints whatsoever. I guess it's in her personality.

Clang! Crunch!

Hmm… this isn't going anywhere. Her blows are quick and accurate and downright deadly if aimed at my cockpit. If I want to bring her down, I'll have to somehow get to her blind spot and attack from there. But the only way to do that is to pull some kind of insane stunt.

…

…

…

Alright… jumping from here and then boosting with an overhead flip should do the trick. Here we go!

Whirrrrr!

"Dorya!" Nice try Hayase but you'll have to do better than that to get me! "Not bad Shirogane! But that won't work either!" (Clang!) Gah! What the hell? She did a complete 360, spinning right behind me just when I land behind her. It's like she's reading my moves right before I make them. Could it… could it be that she might actually still be a better pilot than me?

If that's how she wants to play then so be it!

"Here I come, Hayase!"

Clang! Clang!

I landed three consecutive slashes on her sword and one on her shoulder. No critical damage so the match was still on.

"Heeeeeeh… finally starting to take me seriously?" She taunted back. "It's about time…"

"Sorry. I wanted to avoid a match with you but if it's a fight you want, then I'll obliged it, right here and now!"

"Good! That's exactly what I wanted to hear from you, Shirogane! Come! Hit me with everything you've got!"

"As you wish!"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The fight grew into an all out battle between the two with neither sides backing down. Takeru had finally gotten serious and was now turning to the offensive. He wasn't giving Hayase any time to react until he goes in with another flurry of attacks. Only twice in this loop has Shirogane went this aggressively and this can be counted as the third.

"A… amazing…" Kazama gapped in shock. "He's actually beating 1st Lt. Hayase back"

"This is the first time I've ever seen her retreat from a head on attacker" Kashiwagi agreed, gapping equally at the match in front of them.

Even Akane couldn't believe it. She knew Lt. Hayase more than most and have seen her skill first hand and knew immediately that she was unbeatable especially in melee and hand to hand. Not only was she a skilled fighter both inside and out the TSF, she's also an excellent strategist and a leader who commands the best out of her troops. To see her losing to a man who recently graduated from cadet school was unfathomable.

It's true, she knew that the boy had talent and she's seen what Shirogane can do behind the wheels of a TSF alone but she never imagined that he would actually be on par with Storm Vanguard One. But there was no denying it after this fight. The boy was good… exceptionally good.

But while the rest of the squad watched in anticipation, three members of Valkyrie squad did not find this match amusing. They seem… more cautious about something… and hoping deep inside that nothing bad would happen. Unfortunately for them… their fear was about to come to fruition…

"Teeeeeh!/Tooooh! Both fighters clashed their blades over and over again. Shirogane pressed on, continuing on the offensive not giving his opponent a chance to get on her feet.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Haaaa… this is getting ridiculous. Her defense is impenetrable. No matter how many times I swing or how fast I get, I can't get any of my strikes to hit her. She's only using one hand too and the other free hand to keep her mech from getting off balance. Haaaa… I haven't gotten this serious since the BETA attack a week ago. It feels like it's been so long since then.

But still… even if I am winning in a sense… Hayase doesn't seem like she wants to lose either. I'm starting to get a sense that there's something else at work here. Something forcing her to fight me. (…) Maybe I'm overthinking things over. There's no way she'd…

(Flash!) _"You have to understand that women like us are more complex than you hope to believe, Shirogane"_

Munakata… are you saying that everyone has something to hide? But… if so… then what would you hide in you and… what would be something so ugly that Hayase would hide?

"Hehehe… interesting" Huh? Lieutenant? "I haven't had a match like this for a long while now. Come on, Shirognae. This fight is too good to end early" Looks like one thing was right about what Munakata said. She really enjoys fighting. Maybe there's some truth to that pervertness of hers. (Clang!) Keh! She's not pulling any punches on me either. So far I've been using the Mitsurugi sword technique which has helped me survive these past few months but right now it doesn't seem to be working on her. (Cling! Clang!) Eh? What the? Was it me or did my controls just jolted back a bit?

Click click…

Hmmm… the scan doesn't show anything wrong. Maybe it was a minor glitch in the system.

"What's wrong Shirogane!-? Don't tell me you're wimping out now!"

…

…

"Ah… hey Lieutenant. (Hmm?) Can I ask you something?" I opened up a channel to speak up. I used to think that talking during combat were only for anime or movies or games but after fighting with Sagiri I found it to a rather common thing to do on a one on one match. Maybe the warriors would like to know each other before they fight.

"Sure but keep it short"

"Just… what are you fighting for? (Heh?) I just wanted to know… what is it you're fighting for?"

"Is that it? (Yeah…) Well that's easy. I want to get rid of the BETA" That's it? "Is that all? Then let's continue!"

"Wait wait! It can't be that simply, can it? (Eh?) I mean… we all know that we want to get rid of BETA. But what is it are you really fighting for? (…) I know it's a long shot but… sometimes… people just need a reason to fight. (…?) We might not know each other long Hayase san… but I know deep down… your reasons alone just can't be that simple"

…

…

"My reasons are my own" She said back finally. "It doesn't concern others. (But…) It's rude to poke in other people's thoughts, Shirogane. Whatever reasons people have are their own business. As long as it keeps them going, we can care less"

Ugh… she's right. As long as it holds them together, what right do I have to poke my head in it? In these dark times where humanity is close to extinction already, any reason to hold onto life is considered enough, I guess. But still… why? Why do I have this strange tingling feeling that something else was amiss?

(Flash) _"She's not fighting you because she wants to prove who's the strongest"_

Captain… if she's not fighting to prove who's the strongest then what is she fighting for? What does she want to prove in this fight?

"Enough talk! Let's get on with it!"

"Huh? W—wait a… (CLANG!) Whoa!" Wh… what the hell? That blow… was even more powerful than usual. I felt both of my arms recoiled backwards. If that hit me, it would've been dangerous. She must really be serious now. (CLANG! CLINK!) Geh! What the? What is it with this monstrous strength of hers? It's like trying to stop a Destroyer Class BETA from ramming you.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

As the battle continued from where they left off, Munakata quickly contacted the captain through an encrypted channel to ensure no one would be listening. The two of them could already see change in the fight and Hayase's stance in all of this. "Captain… should we…?"

"No…" Isumi replied sounding like she knew what the woman wanted to say. "She's not there yet. But keep an eye open just in case"

"Roger. I'll keep a close watch"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Teeeeeeh!"

Something's wrong. My body is feeling uneasy for some reason. The blows that Hayase is giving out are getting stronger with every successful strike. It's like that sword she's holding isn't even a sword anymore. It's more like a sledgehammer with the way she's swinging it.

I know that we have to get serious in this match but does she have to get that violent? Could that thing she's radiating be… killing intent?

"Toooooh!"

Geh! I barely dodged that one. One blow of that and it's over. This is starting to get out of hand and her swings are starting to lose momentum. Maybe I can get her the moment she loses balance. One chance is all I need to make it work. Ok…

Whoosh!

That's the first swing. She never hides her attack on the first strike. (Whoosh!) The second strike, she swings it back to its original position before… (Gooooooo!)… she uses both her hands to double the attack power. By using two hands, it makes the strike all the more deadly but at the same time, it causes the mech to turn in that direction. And it would take only but a moment!

"Take this!" (WHAM!) I landed a plain old kick right on the transmission forcing her out. Now's my chance. "Tooooooh!"

"I'm not finished yet!" Oh crap! That move!

(Flash) _"The nodachi was made to cut through the thickest armor. The only thing it lacks is precision. That is why he will undoubtedly focus on striking your body. If you do not protect your body… then you've already lost"_

Tsukuyomi's training then returned to me. That's right… her two handed techniques are like the nodachi. Hayase uses two of her hands to do the last swing and this one was no different. With that kind of power she'll try to hit my body. I have to… focus everything I have on defense!

Now or never!

CLAAAANG!

…

…

…

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Both sides held back when the final strike occurred. It happened so quickly that only a few had the chance to see the events unfold. By the time the Captain announced the battle to stop, Hayase had her sword down on Shirogane's neck and the boy had unconsciously drawn his knife right next to his opponent's cockpit.

"That's enough both of you!" Isumi announced before moving towards the two duelists. Munakata was not far behind, her hands releasing on the combat controller. "The match has been decided. We shall leave it to a draw! That will be all for today's training exercise. All units, return to the hanger on your own"

"Yes ma'am" The squad responded in unison before parting ways. There were sounds of discontent and confusion among the group as they departed.

Munakata was about to check in with the fighters as well until she noticed Meiya still standing there. "You should go too Mitsurugi. We'll handle the rest here"

"Eh? No… it's alright I only wish to…"

"Don't worry. Those two probably just damaged their transmission. We'll bring them back. (…) Relax. I doubt any of them are that injured"

"V… very well. I shall leave it to you then" Meiya turned her head back a few times feeling a bit uneasy of what just occurred. She wasn't able to catch the last blow but she knew that something was wrong when her captain called off the match so early.

Once all the members were gone, Isumi contacted the two. "Shirogane, you ok in there?"

"Y… yeah…" the boy replied with sweat marking his head. "I'm good. A little woozy but nothing serious. (Do you need help?) No I'm alright. What about Hayase?"

"She's fine. (Beep…) Hayase… can you get up?" The woman responded only with a nod on the channel. "Alright. We're returning to base. Munakata, take point. (Roger that)"

Both fighters returned to their feet. Shirogane felt oblivious to what just happened. Though it was unintentional, he still did almost severely wounded Hayase with the reckless combat knife move.

**(Hanger Bay) (An hour later)**

Ugh… that was intense. After putting my Shiranui back in the loading bay, I got out for a little stretch. My arms were sore to the bones. That last fight really pulled a lot out of me. I'm actually pooped. Who would've thought we'd get a draw of all things? I actually half expected myself to win but Hayase pulled out that last maneuver out of desperation. I learned from my past experience with Sagiri that you can't fully block a downward slash due to the gravity adding force to it. So instead, I slid her sword sideways and wanted to counter with a punch but upon instinct, my arm automatically pulled out the knife. In the end the captain stated it to be a draw.

"Takeru!"

"Huh? Oh hey there Class rep"

"Don't 'hey' me just like that! Are you alright?"

"Me? Yeah, I'm fine. A little tired from that fight. Why?"

Her expression softened a bit. "Well… the match was pretty intense. For a second there it actually looked like you were really fighting for your life. (Really?) Really. You even pulled a knife on the Lieutenant. That was dangerous"

"Ah… yeah. It did get ugly in the ending. I guess you could say it was reflex"

"I see… but… you're not hurt anywhere, are you? (No) Really?" What's wrong with her? She's being oddly nice.

"No. I'm not hurt anywhere, I promise. Why?"

"N… no reason. It's the duty of the squad leader to… (Squad leader?)" I raised a brow in mockery. She still can't get rid of that commanding tone on me. That's rather cute. "It's just natural for a squad mate to worry about each other. You're fine now so I guess I shouldn't worry"

"Uh… ok?"

"J… just don't misunderstand what I'm trying to say here!"

"You're the one talking, I'm just standing here"

"Your face tells me that you want to say something else!" Hehehe… actually I have so many things I want to say but I don't want to ruin this moment.

"Takeru!" Another voice interrupted.

"Ah… hey there Meiya"

"Don't just say 'hey'. Are you alright? You took quite a beating in the match"

I nodded back in reply. "Yeah I'm perfectly fine. Why?"

"Well… that last battle seemed odd for me. Did something happen?"

"Well… I guess you could say I pulled a fast one on Hayase. I guess we went a little too far on our proxy fight"

"A little?" Meiya frowned at me. "That fight seemed to have turned for the worse. I actually believed that I was actually watching you fight. (Ahehehe)" That's what Class rep said too. Was it really that intense? "But… even so. To get a draw with 1st Lt. Hayas. Surely your skills have not dropped since we last met. But your condition is the most important issue here. I am glad you are unharmed" What the? Why is everyone worrying about me now? Was I supposed to get hurt there?

"He's fine, he's fine!" Class rep replied annoyingly. "If he says so then we shouldn't bother with him"

Meiya raised a brow to her sudden outburst. "Eh? What's wrong with Sakaki?"

"Oh she's just showing her cute side to me"

"What was that!-? I didn't do such thing!" Ahehehe she's so adorable when she's ticked off like that. It almost makes me want to tease her. "Wipe that grin off your face or I'll wipe it with my fists! (Yes ma'am) Grrr… fine. I'm leaving for the PX" And just like that she stormed off. Maybe I went a little too far with the jokes there.

"Was it something I said?" Meiya looked bewildered on both sides which I simply waved it off.

"Don't worry. She just has a hard time getting out what she wants to say"

"Shirogane" Another voice interrupted us.

"Hmm? Oh Munakata. Hi there. Is something the matter?

"Nothing important. But I'd like to speak with you if you don't mind. (Eh?) It's… a rather sore subject" Huh? What could it be? I didn't do anything to harm Hayase did I? I only pulled a knife on her TSF but nothing too lethal.

"Uh… sure" I nodded back before turning my attention to Meiya. "Meiya. Why don't you go with the others to the PX first? I'll catch up later"

"Ah… uh… v… very well. I shall leave you two be. Takeru, I shall see you at the PX"

Meiya darted her eyes back a few times. I guess she is worried about me. "So… what is it you wanted to talk about Munakata san? (Hmm…) H… hey… why are looking so close at me?"

"You don't seem to be injured. That's good" Huh? This again? Why does everyone think I would get hurt by such careless blow? Munakata seems to be acting differently too. Did I do something wrong earlier? "But… you're sure that you weren't hit anywhere, Shirogane?"

"No. Of course not. I'm a little tired from the fight that's all. Why? Did something happen to 1st Lt. Hayase?"

"She's fine. The captain and 1st Lt. Suzumiya will make sure of that" She said to me. "I'm just here to make sure that you didn't get any scratches on yourself. We can't have both of our Storm Vanguards getting injured because of a simple battle"

"Eh? What's wrong Munakata san? You're being oddly nice"

"Oi… you say that like I'm always mean. I can be kind when I want to, you know"

"Ah no… I didn't mean it like that. It's just that… I've never seen this side of you before"

She gave out a small laugh. "Hehe… like I said… women like us are more complex than you'd think. But anyway, come to the Captain's office after dinner. She wants to talk to you. (Huh?) She'll tell you what it's about when you get there. But in the mean time… good job"

"Ah… thank you" What in the world? This is actually the first time I've ever seen Munakata this nice. She has that soft expression like Meiya and a stern aura like Class rep.

"If you're feeling stressed, you know you can call me up any time. I can help you let it all out" Geh!

**(PX)**

Ahh… sweet delicious food. I never thought you'd taste so good. After today's match I never thought I would have such things go down my throat for about a week. But now I shall savor every bite and every bit that goes down my tongue.

"Takeru san, you were incredible!" Tama spoke up. "You were able to match with 1st Lt. Hayase so easily"

"Ah no. It was nothing. In the end, it was a draw"

"Even so. To be able to match a seasoned soldier like her is already an accomplishment! You amaze me every time you ride on your TSF. (I'm not that good) No way! Even when you started riding a Fubuki you haven't made a single lost either"

"Hmm… that is true" Meiya agreed. "Ever since you started riding, even in the simulator, you have not suffered a single defeat. Only those who are extremely skilled or extremely talented will ever receive such a record"

"Oh come on guys. If you keep complimenting me, I'll get full of myself. (Hai hai) Let's just enjoy our food before they get cold. (…) Speaking of food…" Why is it that only me, Mieya and Kashiwagi eating? Everyone else only had either a glass of water or a box of that ridiculous drink for dinner.

"That's because nobody won in the bet we placed today" Mikoto explained to me. "Thanks to your draw, we have to sit here and have nothing but water and synthetic orange juice for the next day" Oh right… they all had a bet with their meal tickets for the day. So that means a lot of people won't be eating today.

"…endurance test" Ayamine stated. "Who will last the most…?"

"Uuuuuu… if we had that kind of test, I'd lose for sure. I need my daily calcium to keep myself alive"

"Heh… that's what you get for betraying me. But here… take this Mikoto" I handed her my bread piece. It wasn't much but it should keep her afloat. Ah crap… speaking of which, I still have to head back to Yuuko sensei later tonight to discuss about the upcoming Sadogashima Operation.

"Well, I guess this can be taken as a life lesson for all of us" Kazama said to them. "But we can handle a single day without food"

"But if you're that hungry then I guess you can start eating other" Munakata added. "Ah but if we do then I'll have Ayamine as my main course. (…?) She has the most meat out of everyone here. (Blush) Ahuhuhuhu"

"Ahhh… you can't say that Misae-san" Kazama retorted. "You'll scare them away"

"Hoooo? Then maybe I should eat you instead Touko chan? (Moooe!)"

"Ahahahaha!"

…

…

…

It's odd. Back in the hanger, Munakata was being all serious but right now she's acting like she used to. It's like she was a completely new person back there. Could this be what she meant earlier? What people would only show to everyone? It's all beginning to make sense but… I think I'm still missing a piece or two around her words.

"Here…" Huh? "Take it. It's your win" 1st Lt. Hayase? She handed me her share of food which was barely even touched.

"E…eh? But wasn't it a draw?" I reasoned.

"Draw, smaw! I consider a tie a lost no matter what the reason!" Geh… she sounds annoyed. "But… I got to fight a worthy opponent. I'm satisfied with just that"

"That means you filled her up nicely, Shirogane" Geh! Munakata!

"Mu-na-ka-ta! What do you mean by that?"

"Nothing. It was Shirogane who said that"

"No I didn't!"

"Ahahahaha!"

**(Much later) (Officer's quarters)**

After our little outburst in the PX, I made my way to the Captain's room which was a few building away from the barracks. I've never been to this area before but only because I was a cadet back then. This area was restricted only to commissioned officers and those with proper business or clearance. My ID is able to get me to floor B-5 and below to B-20 so you could say that I'm a special case.

Everyone here looks important with their high ranked suits and the way they talk. It feels as if I was in a whole new level. I have to remember to act the part here. I am after all also a commissioned officer.

Let's see now… the Captain's room should be right… there! The door even has her name printed on it.

Knock knock…

"Come in" Oooh? The room was spacious. It actually almost doubles in space and height. I guess being a captain has its perks eh. The design of the room was almost like mine. There were a few bookshelves with some old novels, a working table with a reading light, a table with three chairs to receive guests and a personal bathroom with a bathtub. "Oh, it's you. Come in Shirogane. Sorry about the mess. I haven't had the time to clean up since I've been away for so long" Oh that's right. The captain was never around in the past two months I was here. Since I came here, she must've been in the frontlines helping out the Imperial Army.

The captain showed me in and gestured me to sit by the table. "Sorry to intrude so late, ma'am"

"It's alright. I was the one who called you here in the first place. (Ma'am) Take a seat. Would you like something to drink? Tea, coffee or something?"

"Ah, tea please"

She quickly fixed me a batch of tea which had a really tasteful aroma. Afterwards she took a seat opposite of me on the other side of the small table. "Sorry but this is all that I have. These things are extremely hard to get. Especially the non-synthetic ones"

"No, not at all. It's delicious. I actually have some leftover tea in my room from oba san. I save them for special occasions"

"That's nice. (…) Kyozuka san usually shares her secret supply with those that she really likes. She must have a soft spot for you, Shirogane"

"Hehehe… well… if she does, she could at least stop hitting my back so hard"

"Huhuhu… that's just her way of showing her appreciation in people" Ahehehe… everyone said the same thing back then. "But anyway. I'm sure you know I didn't ask you to come here for idle chit chat. (Ma'am) I talked with Munakata earlier. She said that you're uninjured. That's a good thing"

"Uh… yeah… I wanted to ask about that. (Hmm?) Did something happen during the battle? I mean, everyone's been asking me if I was hurt"

"Ah… I guess you didn't really notice" Huh? What does she mean by that? "You were lucky that you dodged that strike in time. I guess both of you played part in that one. (Eh?) If Hayase hadn't stop at that moment, there was a good chance she may have hurt you. (Huh?) Didn't you feel anything at all when you fought against her, Shirogane?"

"Well, she was powerful" I replied remembering the fight. "But somewhere in between I felt something going really wrong. Her strikes were getting more powerful with each blow… like she was getting more violent"

"I see… so you felt it too. I guess that's to be expected from a fighter who managed to be on par with her. (…?) I must also say that I was impressed on how you dealt with it. Breaking her attack like that and then countering with your knife. That was an impressive feat, Shirogane"

"Ma'am, thank you"

"No need to be so formal. We're not on an official meeting. But in either case you seem to notice how Hayase performed back there. A little longer and things may have turned ugly" She paused for a moment, taking a sip from her cup. "Hayase will probably hate me for telling you this but considering that she almost hurt you, you have the right to know" Huh? She was going to hurt me? "You have to understand Shirogane. Hayase has had a condition even before she was enlisted into the army. She has a difficult time holding back her strength" Eh?

"Holding back her strength?"

"Though it's relatively safe for her to use that strength in the simulator or on the battlefield, she can't seem to hold herself back when facing another human opponent… especially when that person is stronger than her. (…?) This wasn't the first case. Back when she was a cadet she accidentally beat up one of her squad mates in a spar"

Wha? No way! 1st Lt. Hayase? That's impossible. She looked so calm when we fought. I never expected her to do that.

"That's been her problem ever since. She's been suppressing that urge every time we have a mock battle and releases it on combat. But considering the circumstances… I can understand her"

"But why would Hayase do that?"

"She has her reasons" Reasons? What could possibly compel someone to unleash all that pent up power just by sparring? "Shirogane… have you ever felt powerless before? (Eh?) Do you know what it feels like to see others suffer while all you can do is stand there and do absolutely nothing?" (Flash) (Flash) Images of my old loops began to resurface before me. Of course… I know that feeling well… all too well. The feeling of complete powerlessness. It's like a thorn that would hold me to my grave. "There's no need to answer that question. (Eh?) I can already tell from the looks of your face. You know"

"Ugh… no… it's just that… I can relate"

"I see… very well then. I won't ask further. But in either case, Hayase is the same as you. (…?) She didn't fight you to prove that she was stronger than you. She wanted to fight you because she wanted to prove to herself that she was strong" Eh? Prove to herself? "It's difficult to explain but you'll understand it once you get to know her better. Don't let this change your opinion of her. (…) What's wrong? Did this surprise you?"

"Yeah… a little bit. It's just that I'm actually seeing all of you in a new light. (Hmm?) Umm… I don't really know how to explain this but… whenever I look at you or the older members of the Valkyrie squad… I get the impression that you're like the perfectionists. Those who have done things over and over to such a level that nothing fazes you at all"

"I see… so we look that stubborn to you"

"No that's not what I meant…"

"No it's ok. It's true that I have no interest in other people's histories. But, since part of my job as company leader is to care about my subordinates' mental health, I do try to understand them" Oh yeah… she said that to me in my previous loop too. "We may be your seniors Shirogane but that doesn't make us any less human than you. We all have our secrets and our own little faulties but like many others, we don't show them to others" So it's true then… what Munakata said. If that's the case then everyone that I'm looking at… are nothing more but a reflection or a window to something they don't want to be seen. Ugh… this is getting complicated. "What's the matter, Shirogane? Did I say something wrong?"

"No. It's just that… I'm beginning to see all of you in a new light. It's like the image I had of you and the others have just… broken down"

"I see. So if that's the case then try to bear with it. We don't want to linger on things we don't want to feel. Keep that in mind when you meet your squad. They are themselves… but they show only the things they want to show. I'm sure if you earn their trust… they're bound to open up to you"

Open up huh? That sounds like something my mom would say to me when I hide something. But to think that I would actually know all my senior squad mates better than before. It's pretty intriguing. Back then, I couldn't even care who they were or where they came from. But after hearing this from the Captain herself… I'm starting to see all of them in a different way.

"Anyway… I don't think we need to continue" The Captain finished, taking both our cups away. "From what I can tell in your eyes… you seem to have had a similar experience as well. (Ma'am) Huhuhu… You're strong… Shirogane. It's no wonder why this cadet squad is so motivated. (Hmm?) No… it's nothing. You can go now"

"Yes ma'am. Thank you for the tea, ma'am"

I quickly got out of the room and made my way back to the barracks. It's incredible how much I've missed in my last loop. I didn't think… no… I never would've imagined they would be so… common. Back in my last loop, I've always seen them as pros. People who never fail no matter what task they were given. Perfectionists down to the last letter. But now… I can see they were no different from us. They're just people. Ordinary girls with problems similar to those around them. I was an idiot to think otherwise.

They're… just like us… just like… me…


	29. Sound the Drums of War

**Chapter 29: Sound the Drums of War**

**(December 23, 2001, Sunday) (Takeru's POV) (PX) (10:14 AM)**

It's been exactly 4 days since my duel with 1st Lt. Hayase. No one has really talked about it but some of the team members have been speculating on a rematch sooner or later. I've been on the Lieutenant's good side since and she's officially made me Storm Vanguard 2 with Ayamine and Meiya as Strike Vanguards. Class rep was made a gun sweeper and Tama and Yoroi as Guards on the rearmost of our formation. All of our training paid off and we were made into official members of the Valkyries. It feels like an achievement even though this is technically the second time I became a member.

We still had mock battles from time to time and teamwork refinement to polish our skill. So far everyone's doing well. Heck, even I was impressed when Tama was able to shoot Meiya through three buildings straight and right on the face. That was incredible skill there.

I also discussed the details of the Sadogashima Operation with Yuuko sensei a few nights ago. I told her about the mess during the first landing and the increased numbers of BETA and the forty-thousand more that were buried underneath the Hive. She took it rather well and said that she would do everything she could to change things but… she didn't make any promises. I was no strategists for that kind of operation. Heck, I can consider myself lucky just to remember how it happened.

Captain Isumi told us about the upcoming operation and said that we'll be shipped out tomorrow afternoon in cargo trucks to the docks of the Imperial Army base of Takada and then loaded on carriers where they can be launched from. We can't risk an airborne operation knowing that the BETA Laser Class could attack at any moment.

I was told about this along with the senior staff ahead of the others. The captain will tell the squad right before the training regime today. Not even giving us a Sunday off shows how serious they are in getting this Operation to succeed. Not that I blame them. Practically everyone living in Japan would like nothing more but to see that blighted monument removed from the land.

Specifically speaking, if everything goes smoothly, the next closest hive would be the one in the Korean Peninsula. Not only will this operation prove that ALTERNATIVE IV is a complete success but it'll also show the world that we can fight them. That we really can defeat the BETA, that we really can win this war if we all put ourselves together!

Japan needs this victory… no… I need this victory. This is the very reason why I killed myself and came back here. I want to save as many lives as possible and beat the BETA back to wherever they came from! That's one of the reasons that keep me going. The reason why I'm still here.

From the beginning of the loop, I've changed things I never thought possible before. Hell, I can't even believe some of the stuff I'm still doing. I changed the history of the coup d'état on December 5 saving hundreds, if not thousands of lives. I saved Marimo chan from death on December 10, got elevated to the rank of 1st Lieutenant and earned the trust of Her Highness, the Grand Shogun of Japan. If you put that on my resume, people would be gawking all over from the sidelines.

If I can change this much of history just by acting on my whims here at Yokohama base then I can change more during the Sadogashima attack. I can do it… I will change history again and save this world. And once the BETA has been eliminated from our world… I… I… I'm going back home! To my friends… my family… and then everything… everything will be… back to normal…

Normal… huh?

I'm beginning to wonder how my normal world would be to me once I get there. The last time I went there, I messed things up so much that my whole life came crashing down on me. If I go back… I really have to be careful to what I do. Because if I don't then I might start hurting people again and again without even knowing it.

My… normal world…

How long before I'm allowed to go back to that place? Just how long do I have to stay here before I can see the faces of my friends… the place I call home? How long will I have to fight before it all ends?

My normal… peaceful… world…

"Shirogane?"

"Huh? Oh… Marimo sensei"

"Are you still having your breakfast? The rest of your squad have already left for the briefing room" Huh? Ah! They totally ditched me! I was with everyone earlier and now they're all gone!

"Ahhh! Crap! I'm going to be late for the briefing!" I still got thirty minutes. If I gobble down my food now, I can probably make it with ten minutes to spare. "Yahhh!" Takeru Secret-Eating-Style: SHOVE IT DOWN YOUR THROAT JUJITSU!

"Sh… Shirogane?"

…

…

…

Cough, cough…

"W… ter… (Huh?) Wa—ter!"

"Ahhh! Water! Here!" (Gluck gluck…) Ahh~ I'm alive! Maybe I should improve my technique. It's been awhile since I did that. The last time I did my Takeru Special Move was back in school when Meiya and Sumika made me lunch. Those two are impossible to get along. "Geeze. The least you could do is chew your food, Shirogane. (Ahehe… sorry) There's no need to rush. The briefing doesn't start in a little while. You should relax a bit while you still can"

"Yeah… thanks for the advice Marimo sensei" Marimo also seems to mold into the squad herself. She worked in conjunction with Haruka so they work well in pairs. I heard that Marimo was once an Eishi pilot herself so I wonder why they didn't make her a field member instead. Oh well, one less thing for me to worry about around here. Hmmm? Hey… what the? Her left hand is bandaged. "Marimo sensei… what happened to your hand?"

"Ah this? It's nothing to worry about. I accidentally burned my hand when I was cooking lunch the other day. Kyozuka oba san caught me using her kitchen and I boiled my hand in hot oil"

"Ow… that had to hurt"

"It's not worth mentioning. Just a simple reminder not to be careless on what you're doing. It will heal within a day"

"But still…" I unconsciously reached out for her hand and held it in front of my face. "…you shouldn't underestimate the cause of a single wound either. Mikoto told me that severe burns can be permanent if not properly taken care of. You should at least go to the infirmary and have it checked out"

"I… I got that" She forced her wounded hand away from mine. "Please don't go touching people just like that, Shirogane. You may have been elevated in rank but that still doesn't give you the right to intrude on them"

"Ah… ahehe… yeah I'll try to be more careful. (Geeze)" Hehehe… Marimo chan is starting to act more and more like Marimo chan. No matter what others would say… she meant more to me than they would believe. Seeing her with me in the flesh gives me the hope I need to ensure that I will succeed. She alone is living proof that I can change this world… in big or small ways.

"Haaaaa~~ It must be nice to be young" Gwah! O… oba san? "You two are an unusual pair. Not even embarrassed to go all lovey dovey here in the PX where everyone can see you in plain sight" Huh? What is she talking about?

"Kyozuka san!" Marimo barked back. "Don't go spreading false rumors again!"

"Ahahaha. Why not? You two look cute together. (Geh!) (Kyozuka!) Now now… it reminds me of that incident a few days ago. (…?) Takeru came running through the hallway like a madman, carrying you in his arms like a princess. I even thought you were already going steady with each other. (Huh?) Neh neh… Shirogane. Take care of Marimo chan ok? You don't get to see girls like her around here anymore. (Kyozuka!) Ahh look at the time. I have to go and make lunch now. See ya Takeru"

"Ah… yeah… sure…" I unconsciously waved back at her. Princess? Going steady? What the heck? "What was she talking abo—"

"Nothing you need to know!" Yikes! What made her snappy all of a sudden? "Don't you need to report to the briefing room? (Yeah but…) Then move it! Now! (Y… yes ma'am!) Go! Run!"

**(Briefing room)**

I arrived at the briefing room five minutes early. The captain and everyone else were already there so there was no need to delay. I took my place next to the other 1st Lieutenants as proper fold and listened in.

"Alright… before I begin briefing you on today's training, I have some important news" Everyone stiffened their shoulders in turn. "At dawn today, the U.N. 11th Army HQ officially announced an operation against the Sadogashima Hive to all Far East and U.N. Armies. (…!) As I've been implying—this is a large scale joint operation between the U.N. Armies in Japan and the Imperial Mainland Defense Army. Its name is the 'Objective 21 Operation'—Because the Imperial Army refers to Sadogashima Hive as Objective 21. The planned date is December 25th. The U.N. and Imperial Armies are already massing their navies on the western Japanese coast"

So everyone is bringing everything they've got in this. We'll be the only unit deployed from Yokohama base but that doesn't mean other U.N. forces will be idle. We have ammunitions and relief supplies being handed down on several other areas as a backup procedure.

"Our unit, A-01, will be the only one from Yokohama Base, and we will carry out a special mission during the operation" It's hard to listen to all of this again since I've heard it already twice in my lifetime. "Our special mission will be supporting and defending a new prototype weapon being deployed as part of the ALTERNATIVE Plan" The others except the 1st Lieutenants flinched. We were already told about this but I knew about it ever longer than any of them. "Our unit will leave Yokohama Base at 04:00 hours. We'll advance overland to the Imperial Army's Takada Base"

It's going to be a long drive to get there and we'll be going with our TSFs all the way.

"The Imperial Navy TSF Warship 'Oosumi' will take us to Sadogashima, and we'll fly over the ocean to make landfall. The plan is for the Vice Commander and CO to brief you on the 'Objective 21 Operation' directly after today's training" The General and Yuuko sensei. They're going to give the detail of our mission directly. Everyone should be considering that a huge honor at some point. "But listen closely. We aren't going to charge in with guns blazing on this mission. It's more accurate to say we'll be walking carefully down a red carpet rolled out for us by the U.N. and the Imperial Army. Therefore the training you have should be more than sufficient. Fight with confidence. This is a battle on the BETA's home turf—do not let your guard down!"

"Ma'am!"

"Are there any questions?"

Kazama raised her hand in response. "Captain. Are we allowed to ask about the new weapon?"

"The weapon will be explained during the briefing"

Class rep came next. "So today's training isn't going to be based on that mission?"

"Of course it will be. Parts of it have already been included in our training for the last several days" Yeah… the hive infiltration simulation, the mock battles… all of it were to prepare us for this moment. The Alpha Team for the mock battles were trained to take out the Laser Class in close range and with great speed while the Bravo Team trained on hitting fast moving targets like the Grapplers and Destroyers.

Kashiwagi then stepped forward. "Umm… just to be sure, does our mission involve infiltrating a hive?" The others immediately stiffened. Going into the Hive means extremely low survival rating. It's like sending a unit to a suicide mission already.

By the captain threw their fears away. "In the worst case scenario we might, but we're not expected to. Don't worry"

"Kashiwagi~" Hayase teased. "If you really wanna go in I don't mind joining you~"

"No thank you, I'll pass" Hehehe… they said the exact same thing in the last loop too. So far things are going smoothly.

**(TSF Hanger)**

"Alright that's all for the readjustment" I said to the engineer as they began doing the final checkup on our TSFs. Usually the A-01 Special Task Force Unit can simply ride their TSFs to the other side in no time flat, but since we're part of the operation, we have to operate by the Imperial Army's rules. We'll be going as a convoy with supply units and then join up with the Imperial Army units along the way. The engineers will be following the TSFs while the Eishis follow up with armored cars. It shouldn't take more than four or five hours to get there even if the weather worsens.

Today's training was especially harsh too. Captain Isumi had us running rags working everyone right down to the bones. Even 1st Lt. Hayase returned to her brutal side, sending me out into the open and getting shot at. But so far we've been getting more than our share of work. With this upcoming operation, it'll be safe to say that we are now considered veterans by the others.

I've also been visiting Sumika in every spare time I can get. According to Yuuko and Kasumi, she's far more stable than she ever was then back in the tank. That's good because right now, the whole country needs her at her best. She'll be the key to our victory in Sadogashima. I didn't tell Yuuko about what happened during the failure of the XG-70 because it might affect the future too much. Besides… I don't think that will happen again… at least I hope not.

I think I'll visit one more time before we head out. I want to wish her good luck before the battle comes. She'll be all alone in that monstrous machine, carrying that giant Particle Cannon. It's like handing a kid a loaded gun.

"1st Lt. Shirogane"

Hmm? Oh… "2nd Lt. Kazama? What can I do for you?"

"Eh? No… I was wondering if something was wrong. You've been starring at your TSF for five minutes now" Huh? I was? I guess I must've been so lost in thought that I lost track of time. "Not only that but some of the squad members have been noticing you spacing out many times too especially in the PX. You rarely respond to anyone"

"Have I?" I guess I have. Between the constant mock battles and extra training and not to mention my special mission and not to mention the knowledge of the upcoming operation, I really have a lot of things on my plate. The senior members of the squad are pretty much used to the Captain's hellish training regiment—all the other members except myself are already sweating buckets. I really shouldn't neglect my friends too or that'll end up hurting much later.

"Please try to spend some time with your squad too, Shirogane san. You're never alone when you fight"

"Yeah… thanks Kazama san. I'll remember that"

"Touko is fine with me. My family name is quite common so people tend to mistake it for theirs. My given name is enough"

"Ah… alright then, Touko san. I'll remember to hang out with my friends when I can"

"You can try later tonight after the mission briefing before dinner. I doubt any of us will get any sleep tonight since we'll be leaving so early in the morning. But please don't overexert yourself. Though they might not show it at times… your friends really worry about you sometimes. (Yeah… I'll do that) Here, take this. It should help elevate some stress" Geh! It's that nasty drink again that the captain gave me. "What's wrong, 1st Lt. Shirogane?"

"N… nothing… it's just… this is…" I wonder how they drink this. The taste is absolutely horrible. Just one sip can make me pale beyond comparison. It's like medicine, mashed potato and a horrid blend of tea mixed together.

"Oh you don't need to worry. I have plenty of these back in my room" Plenty huh… she must take good care of her health. Either that or she and the rest of the group have a strange sense of taste. "Anyway, I have to get changed now. Don't be late for the mission briefing, Shirogane"

"Ma'am…" and off she went. 2nd Lt. Kazama really is a nice person. Though she hangs out a lot with Munakata she doesn't seem to act like a pervert or a sexist. Hmmm…

My Shiranui…

The offensive and defensive power of this machine is way superior to a Fubuki. It can match my attack patterns well enough but… still… it's not enough. Why do I feel like it's still not enough? My duel with 1st Lt. Hayase proves that I'm as good as her but that was only because of terms in the machine. They say that the pilot is what makes the machine dangerous and I believe that's true but even so… a man can only go so far with the right tools. If there was just something more… powerful… if I had something better like the Takemikazuchi then maybe I can put more effort into it.

The XFJ-01 back in floor B-20. That machine had the potential to be powerful but it was too heavily damaged to be of any use. I went back there a few times to do minor checkups with it but Yuuko said that it won't be operational for another year or so. (Flash) That machine was powerful and fast. Probably even faster than the Shiranui I have now. I wonder… if I had that machine with me, right now. Would I be able to perform better?

Last time during the Sadogashima Operation, we lost both Kashiwagi and Captain Isumi at the same time because there was a malfunction in the XG-70. In the end we had to result in using the G-Bomb made in the XG and ran away with our tails between our legs while two great people died. Captain Isumi… Kashiwagi… would the two of you still make the same decision as before?

Bah! No used thinking about that now! I have to focus on the present. I came back here to change just that. I'm going to change history no matter what. Just watch me everyone! I know you'll hate me for this… but this is something that I have to do. I'll bear the hatred of the world if I have to. Hell… if Yuuko can do it, well then so can I!

**(Hallway)**

The briefing will start in exactly one hour. I have enough time to take a shower and change into my proper uniform. Meeting with the base CO is a strict sense. Maybe I should put my Valkyrie patch on too just in case.

"You seem busy as usual"

"Eh? Oh… Yuuko sensei? What are you doing here?"

"What do you think? There's a mission briefing coming up, I should be there as well" Oh that's right. She's going to be explaining the details of the XG-70. Duh. "In any case, you came at a good time. I was about to go look for you. (Hmm?) Don't worry. The barracks of the Special Task Force is secure. We can talk here without worrying about anyone hearing us. Your squad mates are probably in the briefing room right about now. (I see…) Anyway I came here to discuss about the things we talked about in my office"

"Huh? Oh you mean the coming operation?"

"Yes. I was able to get some backup procedures to act up. If things should occur like you said then maybe we can prevent more casualties from occurring"

"That's what I hope for, Yuuko sensei"

She gave me a playful wave. "What's the matter? Don't you have faith in me anymore? (Ah? No… it's not that) Hehe… in the end you're still conscious. Oh well… what you think of me doesn't really matter. What matters now: are results. So as long as you keep giving me positive review… then I'll leave you alone"

"Thanks… Yuuko sensei"

"No need to thank me. You've given me what I've wanted so it's only natural I keep my end of the bargain. If the operation goes smoothly… then we'll have more than one reason to celebrate"

"Yeah…" I said back. "Ah… hey Yuuko sensei? (Hmm?) Do you mind if you exempt me from the mission briefing this evening?"

"Oi oi… why are you getting lazy all of a sudden?"

"No it's just that… I want to spend this time I have with Sumika. (…?) I mean she's going to be all alone for a long while… I just want to be with her for as long as possible"

She gave out a small sigh in the end. "Very well then. I'll tell them that you're on your special mission. That should keep them off. You've probably heard the mission briefing more than once already" Technically, yes. "Fine. Go. But don't take too long. The 00-unit will need to be ready by tonight. (Ma'am)"

**(Brain room)**

"Sumika! Kasumi! Are you in here?" Ah… there they are.

"Ah! Takeru chan! You came to visit. (Of course…) Ahehe… Hey what do you think? Cute huh?" What the? Did she just tie Kasumi's hair over? Now her hair was like a knot.

"What did you do? Make a pretzel out of her hair?"

"Ey! That's not a nice thing to say! (Whack!)" Ow… did she really have to hit me so hard? "Takeru chan needs to be nicer when he looks at a woman. They can be really sensitive you know. (Yeah yeah…) But seriously. I spent half an hour doing her hair in different styles. Kasumi chan has a lot of hair so we can be creative. Right, Kasumi chan? (Yes…) We even made her hair into a full blown hat!" A hat? Seriously? Well I guess I can see it using most of her hair but that's kind of difficult. "Hey lookie lookie. Doesn't she look like a rabbit?"

"She already does look like a rabbit with that thing on" I whined. "Oh and speaking of rabbits. I made something for you Kasumi. (…?) Close your eyes and give me your hand. (…)" Hehehe… she looks cute when she does that. "And tada! You can open up now. (…!) It's Usa san! Well… a miniature version of it at least. I couldn't make the eyes look right and the mouth was difficult to make with the stitch so… sorry about that"

"Heeeeh? Takeru chan made presents for Kasumi chan? (Bonk!) Owie!" I tapped her head lightly.

"Don't be a pain. Here I made you one too. (Eh?) It's not much but you always did want another Santa Rabbit back then" Yeah… Sumika kept pestering me to buy her another Santa rabbit back then. But I completely forgot that I was the one who got her that rabbit in the first place. It took me a hundred years to finally remember that moment.

"Takeru chan…"

"Hey don't complain! I ran out of materials so I had to use pink for the Santa costume. It was hard for me to make it as it is. (…) H… hey! Come on say something! Don't go silent on me, that's even worse!"

"I love… it… (Huh?) Takeru chan… you silly" Oh hey… are those happy tears coming out of your eyes because I can't really tell. "I'll cherish it…" She held up the two Santa Rabbits I made and hugged both of them tightly on her chest. "I'll cherish both of them… forever"

"Oh come on. You don't really need to be that sentimental. I just wanted to make something so…"

"Ahehehe… Takeru chan looks cute when you're blushing" Gah! That girl! She got me again. "Ahehehehe… but really Takeru chan—I love them. Thank you!"

"Ah… y… you're welcome…" Ugh… I can't stop myself from blushing. Sumika looks so… cute I can't even look at her in the eyes.

"Hey Kasumi chan! Now both of us have two rabbits!" Sumika went off and played with Kasumi with their new toys. It's silly how such small things can bring smiles in these dark times. Such silly little things…

I stayed with them a bit longer, playing a few games myself. The mission briefing should be starting now so I guess there was no rush. We'll be riding out soon ourselves.

**(A-09 Barracks) (18:00 PM)**

After Sumika was finally taken by Lt. Piatif I returned to my barracks for a little R&R. Dinner was already served and I had my share already. I wanted to get at least a few hours of sleep before we get sent out. It'll be a long drive from here to Niigata and if everything goes to plan I'll be the one driving again.

"Huh? Ah! Takeru!" Hmm? Meiya? "There you are. I have been looking all over for you. I was worried since you did not appear for dinner with the rest of us" Ah crap. I totally forgot that I wanted to spend some time with the squad too. I got caught up with Sumika I completely blew my chances with them. "The Vice Commander said that you were out ensuring the completion of your special mission. Were you successful?"

"Yeah. I did the best I could. But there's nothing to worry about. It's not exactly that dangerous but really hard and time consuming"

"I… I see. But still you could've told us. We were all waiting for you at the PX. (Sorry) No… it is fine. It's just that… we never really had the luxury of having your company anymore. We rarely see you around the base and you often disappear after training" Yeah… I've been spending most of my time with Sumika. I really have been neglecting my own team. I'll have to make up for it somehow. "But… even so. I understand your position. With the professor giving you such hard times with your special mission, I shall burden you more"

"Thanks Meiya" I nodded back in apology. "I'll make it up for you girls later. I promise"

"Emm… I shall hold you to that promise. (Hehehe…) I should return to my room now. We will need all of our energy when we travel. I shall see you in the hanger, Takeru"

"Yeah… later Meiya…" Haaaaa… I'm beat. Maybe a few hours of rest will do.

(Click…) I should also pack up some stuff. Hmm? What's this? Oh… it's my will. I forgot about it when Class rep gave it to me the other day. I don't really know what I should down in this since I have no intentions of dying. (Ruffle) I don't think I'll need that. It's not like I have any family waiting for me here. I'll probably need a change of clothes just in case. Oh and my personal supply of Bancha tea. It's not the best but it helps. Maybe I can get more from Oba san later today. (Ruffle) Hmm? Oh… this…

The syringe that Yuuko sensei gave me. I should bring that too as a precaution. So far I've only had minor doses of headaches but I don't want to take unnecessary risks. (Ruffle) Hmm?

Hey… isn't this the strange statue that Yoroi's dad gave me before the coup? What's it doing here? I thought I gave it back to him during the coup. Hmm? There's a number written on the bottom…

_'Meal time'_

Ah… I see…

**(Marimo's POV) (TSF Hanger)**

The base was busy as a beehive, especially here in the hanger bay area. Though only the A-01 Special Task Force is being deployed, many of the other TSF squadron here will be standing by just in case something should happen. It was a full mobilization with dozens of Gekishins being sortied into various bases around the Kanto Prefecture.

The Type-94s here were being loaded onto large cargo trucks and then shipped along with their pilots. TSFs were of the highest and most important commodities here on earth since they're the only soldiers capable of fighting the BETA head on. A full armored battalion will be escorting them from here to the Fukushima Prefecture and then from there we'll be charged with the 4th Imperial Army Tank Battalion to Niigata.

If we take the Military Express Way, we should arrive there within four or five hours at least. We'll take a break at the old border check point ruins and from there switch command posts with the Imperial Army. We'll also be traveling with the 19th Imperial Honor Guard Regiment as a backup unit.

"I want all of this ready within the hour!" Hmm? "The convoy leaves at 4 AM straight. Not a minute later. Have Flash Guard equipments ready just in case. I also want extra munitions for the 4-gate guns for my team. Anything we can get here we'll just request from the Imperial Army. (Yes ma'am…)" That's Isumi Michiru, the captain of the unit. She must be making a last round checkup before deployment.

It's funny. Back in my early days as an instructor she used to study under me. I remember particularly that I was the one who beat her to a pulp. I was a ruthless person back then and cared little for what they cared about me. Heh… I was so bad that one of them even nicknamed me Mad Dog. I forget who that was though.

But who would've thought that I would one day be serving under her? The world has a way of surprising people. Though Yuuko probably played a major role in it. Leaving that aside… I should probably get back to work and then get some rest before deployment. I don't want to hold anyone back when the time comes to fight. Oh that reminds me. I need to deliver this folder to the head mechanic.

Tap tap tap…

Hmm? Hey… isn't that, Yuuko?

"You seem to be working hard as usual, Isumi"

"Vice Commander" The captain saluted back which Yuuko simply waved it off.

"Didn't I tell you it's alright not to salute? It's a waste of time and energy. (Ma'am) But anyway, how long until the TSFs are loaded"

"Approximately 30 minutes tops, Vice Commander. We should be ready to go ahead of schedule. (Good good…) Umm… may I also have a word, professor? (Hmm?) I know that you are Shirogane's official guardian and his Commanding Officer but are you sure it's wise to have him skip so many classes? I understand that his skill behind the TSF is incredible and his battle experience appears to be on par with the others but there seems to be a lot of things he missed out" That's true. From what I heard, Shirogane only seems to be attending simulator classes and mock battles. Lectures about hives, combat doctrines and everything else related, he vanishes.

"Ah that… you don't need to worry. (…?) He might not look it but Shirogane's a lot smarter than you'd think. (Huh?) Who knows? The boy might actually know more about the BETA than any of us here. (Eh? What do you mean?) Sorry… but I can't reveal more than that. He's a member of this squad but he receives orders from me. You could say… that he is… different from the rest of you"

"…" Captain Isumi didn't seem to understand much but nodded either way. I didn't understand any of the things she said either. "Very well. I won't inquire anything more. Excuse me. I have more preparations to finish"

"Yes. I'll see you soon then. Ah… wait captain. (Hmm?) There's a favor I want you to do for me…"

**(Takeru's POV) (PX) (Midnight)**

Alright… here I am at the PX. It was as quiet as a graveyard here at this time of day. The seats were all rolled in and the lights were closed to conserve energy. There should be no reason for anyone to be here at this time of night.

"Aha… I see you got my message, Shirogane kun"

I looked back and saw a familiar coated figure approaching me. "Yoroi san… nice to see you again. I see you haven't changed"

"On the contrary Shirogane kun, I've changed a lot since our last encounter. (Oh?) Yes. You see the coat I'm wearing now is made of different material. Made from the finest leather you can get in the Middle East" I can't really tell. They all look the same no matter how you look at it. "I even have new shoes to boot. Would you like to see? (No thanks) Really? They're genuine Rochel brand that came all the way from England. Extremely rare and expensive nowadays. (I'm sure…) Very well. Then can I interest you in a cup of hot coco?"

"I'd love to" We took our seats and drank. Ahh… now that's well bred chocolate for ya. I haven't had one of these since I left home. Japanese don't normally drink hot chocolate but my mom loves the flavor. "So… Yoroi san. What are you doing here again? Did you come to pester Yuuko sensei again?"

"Ahaha… I'm flattered that you're starting to get to know me. I was going to meet her but she wasn't in her office when I got there" That's no surprise. Yuuko's probably went on ahead to make sure everything's prepared for the XG-70. If she's in the hanger on the lower floors, not even I could get in there without proper access. "But to be honest I'm actually here to congratulate you for finally taking my daughter's virginity"

Pfffft!

"Wh… what!-?"

"Ah… wait that was wrong. Perhaps it's that time of the month again. I have a hard time distinguishing which is which"

"Geeze… please don't do that Yoroi san. It's not funny! (Ahahaha…) Ugh… now I got coffee all over me. (Ahahaha…) So what are you here for Yoroi san?"

"Ahehe… well jokes aside, you could say that I came to wish you good luck on your operation. With the Imperial Army in full mobilization, the Imperially Ministry of Information is being sent to various areas to ensure the stability of the people. We don't want a riot to happen during the operation now do we?" I see… with the country offering almost half of its reserves to this operation, they want to make sure that there won't be an after battle. They want to make sure that the 12/5 incident won't happen again when the country is weakened. "But to be honest I was actually sent here to make sure nothing goes awry"

"So you're collateral in all of this?"

"That's an ugly way to say it but yes. Should a fighting happen between the U.N. and Japan… I will the one to report it. But judging on where we are now, something like that is far from happening"

"So you'll be staying with the convoy?"

"Sadly no. I am to return to the capital tomorrow. But I will still be here to see you off, son-in-law"

"Please stop doing that. It wasn't funny the first time and it's not funny now"

The man gave out a hearty laugh. "Ahaha… yes but I still have hopes for my daughter. She's head over heels for you, you know that?" Mikoto? "She speaks of you like you are her role model. She fights like you and in all things, wants to be like you. (…) I wouldn't mind that really since I did want a son after all. (Hey!) Ahahaha… but in either case… you probably know what I mean"

Just what is his game now? He was making sense at first but now he's babbling over like the world was ending. "So… are you going to see Mikoto at least?"

"No. (Eh?) The last thing she needs is a distraction. I want her to focus on the task at hand. Happiness can come at a later time. (But…) Now now… Shirogane kun. You're being too forceful. You cannot let a person perform a good deed. Just the same as you cannot force a non-believer to pray" What the hell is that suppose to mean? "Do you want another cup of coffee?"

"Ah yes please—Wait! That's not the point!"

"It's the middle of the night, Shirogane kun. Please speak softly less you disturb your neighbors" Haaaa… this guy. No matter how hard I try I really can't match his rhythm. I can get used to his mind shattering talks but after awhile it gets into your skin. For Yuuko sensei to endure this much must be incredible. "Anyway Shirogane… do you wish to play a game? (A game?) Yes. Back when I was in high school I procured a deck of tarot cards from a store a long time ago. He said that I have a knack in it so I thought I'd buy it"

"Tarot cards? You mean those weird cards with pictures and shapes in them?"

"Yes. I happened to meet a fortune teller in my days of youth" Yeah right. Even Yuuko sensei wouldn't fall for that. "Would you care for a round? Free of charge of course"

Ugh… I really don't feel like it but what the hell, I'll bite. "Fine. I'll do it"

"Hai… now pick a card" I picked a card from the rack.

The Star…

"Ah… the star… an excellent card"

"What does it mean?" I asked out of curiosity's sake.

"It means that you will be going on an adventure. (Really?) Who knows? I'm not a fortune teller. (But you just said that…!) I said that I met a fortune teller. I did not say anything about learning from him. (…) Ahaha… it seems that I have irritated you in some way, Shirogane kun"

"Haaaaa… somehow getting irritated isn't going to help me tomorrow either"

"Ahahaha… indeed. Then perhaps we should conclude our meeting for another time. (Hmm?) Though this may sound strange, you have to understand that I found a sudden attraction to you, Shirogane kun. (Eh?) Ahaha… nothing that would beat your mind. You're simply someone who I like to hang out with. The feeling is neutral I assure you"

"Somehow I can't really tell what you're trying to tell me anymore, Yoroi san"

"Please… call me Sakon. We should get to know each other more, Shirogane kun. Ah… and before I forget. Here… steak sandwich from New York. Freshly baked too"

"Ah… thanks… oh and here" I gave the man back his weird statue. "I'm not going to need it where I'm going"

"Hehehe… indeed. Even all the luck in the world will not be enough to save an army. So until then… may fortune favor you in battle"

"Thank you… Section Chief"

"I'll be waiting for good news, son-in-law!"

Pfffft!

**(December 24, 2001 Monday) (Outside Yokohama Base) (03:45 AM)**

It was snowing… when we finally moved out to our roll call at the entrance of the base. I guess you couldn't really see them in the base area thanks to all the lights. But from the convoy's perspective, we can see every snowflake that dropped on our bodies.

Everyone was in their exosuits wearing their overcoats to keep them warm. I can see my breath coming out of my mouth and if it weren't for the suit's temperature adjustment system I would be freezing right about now. The convoy was about 12 trucks long with an armored battalion escorting us. I have to admit that it feels nice to finally be out on this operation, but I'm still not looking forward to the four hour drive we're going to make.

By the time we reach Takada base, it'll around morning. At noon we'll do a final tune up of our TSFs and get shipped off to Sadogashima along with the rest of the Imperial Army gathering there. I'm so restless that I don't think I'll be able to get any sleep at all.

"Attention!" We all fell in on Hayase's command. Captain Isumi walked in from the sidelines along with a bunch of MPs.

"At ease. (Ruffle) Listen up. In ten minutes, this convoy will travel from Yokohama Base to the Border Checkpoint in the Fukushima Prefecture. The trip should last about four hours and from there we will switch escorts with the Imperial Army 4th Armored Tank Battalion. We will then travel for another three hours to Takada Base in Niigata and take a break there. Understood? (Ma'am) But that doesn't give us the right to intrude. Remember… we're going to be special guests in the Imperial Army. Don't do anything that will warrant unnecessary attention. And remember to be on your best behavior. I don't want anyone sullying the name of the A-09 Squadron, understood?"

"Yes ma'am!"

"Right. As per the briefing stated, our unit will be traveling with convoy on armored trucks. 1st Lt. Suzumiya and 1st Lt. Jinguuji will be riding on board the mobile command center. Car 1 will be commanded by me, Sakaki, Suzumiya and Mitsurugi. (Ma'am) Car 2 will be commanded by Munakata with Ayamine, Kashiwagi and Kazama. (Ma'am!) Car 3 will be handled by Hayase with Shirogane, Yoroi and Tamase. (Ma'am!) The trip should be nothing more but a cruise through the countryside but that doesn't mean you guys can slack off. I want one person to be manning the gun at all times during the trip. Any questions? (…) Good. Get to your cars and get ready to move out. Team leaders are to remain in contact at all times. (Yes ma'am) Dismissed"

We quickly got to our respected vehicles next to the giant trucks. It kind of reminds me of the long vacation trip my parents and I did to Shizuoka. We went all the way there just for a hot spring bath and I think I was about twelve when that happened. But of course we weren't driving heavily armored vehicles like these and definitely not carrying guns.

"Alright we'll have a drive system" Hayase proposed which got my attention. "I'll take the passenger seat. Shirogane, you drive. Tamase and Yoroi will man the gun and will switch every hour. Got it? (Ma'am) Good. Let's get this show started" Hmm? Did the Lieutenant just avoid eye contact with me? No… it must be my imagination.

"This is Car 1 to team leaders" Captain Isumi contacted us. "The convoy is departing. Maintain speed of 60kph and remain a fixed distance from each other. It's going to be a long time everyone so be on alert at all times. I will contact you again once we reach the outskirts of the base"

**(2 hours later)**

The trip was uneventful so far with all of us riding in our vehicle in peace. Driving through the ruins of old Japan wasn't really fun but it shows how much the country had gone through during the war. You can pretty much see the ruins of Fukushima City on the horizon. Parts of the city were going through a post war reconstruction but at least the conditions were livable.

We passed through a squatters' village built at the bottom of a bridge. People with nowhere to go tend to gather there and try to make something of their lives. I've seen plenty of them already.

As we drove on, we came upon a memorial built by the soldiers during the retaking of the mainland. There were a few Imperial soldiers there paying their respects and a few more just passing by. We must be getting close to the checkpoint if there's this much security around. There were even a few Gekishins and Shiranuis passing overhead. I guess with such a large scale operation, everyone is probably on edge and praying that it would succeed.

"Yoroi san. It's time to switch again" I heard Tama say to Mikoto. Those two have been keeping an eye atop of the vehicle. The weather condition was worsening too. The snow was starting to get heavy around these parts and I can barely see anything beyond the headlights. Thankfully the road was pretty wide and the lights given by the other vehicles made it easy for me to follow.

"Ah, thanks Miki san. I'll take a break now" Mikoto quickly got to her seat, switching to Tama. Hehe… Tama was so short that she has to stand tiptoed to reach the gun. Only her head and her hands could poke out of the hole.

While Mikoto was taking her turn for a quick a nap, I kept my eyes on the road. Hayase kept her eyes straight as well, only turning it towards the window outside. Now I know that we haven't known each other that much but I'm getting the strange feeling that she's avoiding eye contact with me. Is she still upset about our duel? No that can't be. She's more mature than that. Maybe I'm just thinking too much.

"Shirogane…" Bwah!

"Wh… what is it 1st Lt. Hayase?"

"Oi… what's with the stiff reply? (S… sorry ma'am)" It's just that I was thinking about her for a moment there. "What's wrong? You were perky the moment we left the base. Did you forget something?"

"N… no. It's not that. I just didn't think you were in the mood for talking"

"I'm always up for a chat whenever you feel like it" She flashed a small smile at me before punching me playfully on the arm. "But anyway… I want to talk while we still can. Once we get to Takada Base we'll be busy preparing for the battle. (Ah… I see…) Don't be so uptight. You'll only stress yourself even more"

…

…

…

We remained silent for awhile. Somehow I feel like we made it even more awkward to talk to one another. I can only keep myself focus on the road ahead. "S… so what is it you wanted to ask me? (Eh?) You wanted to ask me something earlier"

"Ah… that… well…" Hayase took a look at the rear view mirror and made sure that Mikoto was fast asleep. Is it something she can't talk when someone's listening? "Shirogane… you've been talking with Captain Isumi, haven't you? (Huh?) You've been talking with her after that incident in the mock battle. (…) Give it to me straight. What did she tell you? (Ah… umm… well… she didn't really) Don't give me that crap! I know when she has issues. That thing I did during training was more than enough to get her attention so spill!"

Ugh… well… the captain didn't say anything about not telling her so I guess I can let this one go. "Well… she told me that you have trouble holding back. (…?) She told me that you had once beaten up one of your squad mates back when you were a cadet. (…) But she also said that you had your reasons for doing such things. (…) That's pretty much it…"

"So she told you about it? I guess you had the right to know that" Hayase added giving out a sigh.

"Umm… I know it's not my place to comment but I didn't really mind what happened back there. (Eh?) I mean… clearly we were just sparring so there's no reason to worry about it"

"What are you talking about? If they stop that fight right then and there, there was a good chance that either of us could've gotten hurt"

"Isn't risking one's life part of the job of a soldier?"

She fumed at me. "Not when it's training. Back then, I could've cut your Shiranui in half. You can't just treat it like it's nothing"

"But you're the one who said not to hold anything back. (…) Listen… I'm not going to tell you that what you did was the right thing. I don't really know what happened in your past but as long as it doesn't affect any of us, that's fine. (…) Besides… despite what you did… I think the captain trusts you. (…?) She trusts you completely, despite all of your flaws. She knows that you're a capable leader and a headstrong person. That's why she knows that whenever your skills are needed the most… you'll pull through. (…) I think she knows you that much"

"You make me sound like a character from some kind of movie set"

"Ahehehe… I guess you're right. But as long as you keep who you are 1st Lieutenant… then you'll have me anytime"

"Hoooo? That sounds like some kind of love confession. (Geh!) Ahahaha"

Heh… it's strange. I feel like I've gotten closer with her. Though it might sound weird, but the image that I had for the captain and all the other 1st Lieutenants seems to have been shattered. I'm now looking at them like… they're my equals…

"This is Valkyrie mum to all units" 1st Lt. Suzumiya opened a channel to us. "We'll be reaching the border checkpoint in 5 minutes. We'll be linking with the Imperial Army and a regiment of the Imperial Honor Guards. Our escorts will return to Yokohama base afterwards. However… a contingency of the group appear to be delayed. We will remain on standby at the checkpoint until the last of the army arrive. Remain on standby until then"

"Car 1, roger that"

"Car 2, roger that"

"Car 3, understood. Looks like we'll be staying here for awhile Shirogane. (Yeah) Let's go stretch our legs while we still can"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The border checkpoint. One of the most isolated areas in the entire region. Guarded by only a handful of soldiers, it was considered to be the most boring job in the whole army. I can only guess that this is the only time when they'll see so much action in a long while. This place was considered to be a busy highway back before the war. You can still see wreckage of cars and armored vehicles that were destroyed during the battle for the mainland.

The checkpoint itself was built right between a Shinto Shrine atop a small hill and a stream of water near the woods. A perfect spot for a picnic if you ask me.

"Uwaaaa… this spot would be such a great place to have a picnic!" Mikoto yelled out softly to me. "You can place a mattress over by the ground over there and have a sandwich on a perfectly good day. Ahhhhh! Don't you think so too Takeru? (Hey…) Yeah? What is it?" Mikoto is strangely perky today. Is she trying to keep herself awake or is she just nervous about the upcoming operation?

"Are you alright? You sound a lot more perky than usual. Are you scared or something?"

"I'd be lying if I said no" Ok… so… "But I learned that you can't be scared of something you have no control over. (Eh?) If you can't do anything about something then there's nothing to worry about. I learned that from you Takeru" When the hell did I teach you that? "But right now I'm really calm. (…?) That's because I have you with me Takeru. (…me?) Yeah. If it weren't for you, I think I'd be very nervous right about now. All this waiting for the inevitable… is really getting to my skin. If you were to disappear now, I think I'd panic around like a headless chicken"

"Hey now. Don't sell yourself short. (Ahehehe) I'm sure you'd do fine even without me. (Really?) Yeah. You did well on your own during our mock battles. You even took down Touko from a distance without letting her notice"

"Eh? 2nd Lt. Kazama? (Yup) Ah… but that's only because you distracted her Takeru"

"It was only part of the plan. Besides, she would've shot me if it weren't for you"

"Ahh… that's true. But I'm still nowhere as good as you Takeru. (Hmm?) Even though we've all improved, we're still length behind you. Your moves are incredibly insane"

"Really? So I guess all that copying of my moves was a waste of your time. (Eh?)" I gave out a small snicker. "I heard that you've been trying to mimic my moves in the simulator. (Heeeh?) It was cute how you tried to pull a summersault and shooting at the same time. Were you trying to pull something new?"

"H… eh! Who told you about that?"

"I have my sources~ (Ahh!) Hehehe… but really… I think you're doing great. (Eh?) If you keep that up… you might just beat me one of these days"

"Ahehehe… don't flatter me too much"

"I'm only speaking the truth. And you know what… I think that idea of a picnic sounds great too. (…!) When we come back from this operation, we can have it at the back of the base by the tree on the hill. (Really?) Yeah, the whole squad can enjoy the time there. (Eh?) It'll be like the old times when we hang around one another"

"Ah… uh… yeah… (It'll be great…) But I wish it would be only two of us… (Hmm?) Ah! No it's nothing. Yeah… after this operation, we all should get together, like the old days"

"Yeah! (Ahehehe)" A picnic huh? I don't think we did that before. "Anyway I'm going to stretch my leg a bit before we roll out. Mind keeping watch of the car for us? (Sure) Alright…"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Whoa… I never there was a shrine here. It says on the sign here that there are a total of a hundred steps to the top. I never understood why most shrines are built atop tall hills like this and can only be accessed by going through a long stairway? It's like going up the stairs itself was an ordeal. My mom even complained one time during New Year when we had to go up the stairs.

Tap… tap… tap… tap…

Hmm… the steps are pretty firm. I'm surprised they're still serviceable after all these years of no maintenance.

Tap… tap… tap… tap… tap…

Hoooo! The shrine was still here. An actual shrine made completely out of wood. Judging from the looks of it no one has lived here for quite awhile but it somehow weathered through the years. Wow… it's almost like I've been sent back to a completely different world—which is pretty much an understatement for me. This part of the hill really screams 'Japan'. It's like an old traditional house back in the Sengoku Period. Even the roof is tilled.

There was a wide open field with solid rock steps on the floor leading to the shrine. The only thing missing on this picture would be a cute shrine maiden. Ahehehe…

But I have to admit this place must be expensive to maintain. I heard that shrines like these are funded through donations. Heck there was still a donation box here. I think the last time I visited a temple shrine was when I was with Class rep. Right before New Year we visited the shrine in our hometown during the festival. She forced me to dress in a ridiculous looking kimono and prayed with her for our future. (Flash) I know this is rare to say about Class rep but she looked pretty cute in that outfit.

Hehehehe… I also accidentally dropped a 1000 yen bill into the donation box and we wished like crazy. That was my whole week salary and it was gone in a second. (Flash) Hehehe… thinking about it now somehow brings a smile to my face.

"You look pretty creepy with that grin"

"Gahhh! C… Class rep? Wh… wha?"

"If other people saw you they'd probably call you mental"

"Geez… don't scare me like that. What are you doing here anyway?"

"I was about to ask you the same thing. I was tasked by the captain to be on lookout duty. What about you? Are you out patrolling too—or are you just walking around again?"

"Ahehe… well you could say I was getting some stretch. I saw the temple so I thought I came to visit. (So you were lazing around again) You make it sound so bad. It's not like we're needed yet"

"A soldier should be ready at all times. You never know when you're needed" Yikes she's feisty today. "You may be an experienced pilot but that doesn't give you the right to slack off. You have to start acting like a professional. This isn't like cadet school anymore, you know?"

"If that's the case then maybe I should punish you for speaking out against a superior officer. (…!)" Ha! I got her there. "I'm kidding. Geez… why are you so nervous all of a sudden. (I… I'm not!) Yes you are. Your whole body is practically screaming it. Everyone in our squad knows that your lecture to me is nothing new, but I can tell when you're uncomfortable with something. (…) Didn't I tell you during the coup? If you have something bothering you then I'm the guy to talk to. I might not have all the answers but the least I can do is listen"

"I… it's nothing"

"I don't care. If it's bothering you just look me up. Anytime… any day. Well… except on Sunday, I'm usually sleeping all morning and afternoon that day. (Eh?) Well it is a holiday. That's just the time and day I really need to shut my brain down. I mean come on. With all the class lectures and simulator training that Marimo chan gives us I need at least one day to do absolutely nothing. (Ahuhu…) It goes against my religion to work 7 days a week. If I do that, I'd die for sure! (Huhuhuhu) Aha! I made you laugh!"

"Idiot. Don't make jokes of serious things. (Hehehe)" There's the cheerful face I wanted to see. "And that's 1st Lt. Jinguuji to you. You should stop calling her that now"

"Heh, I guess old habits are hard to die. (Hehehehe) Hey have you ever prayed in a Shinto Shrine before? (…?) People back in the days used to put donations in the donation box once every New Year and make a wish for the future"

"Ah… yes I've heard people doing that before" Oh? So she knows? "People would come during New Year's festival and then pray for a blessed year and leaving all their past grudges behind them"

"Heeeh? You seem to know a lot about it"

"I might not be a religious person but I know Japanese tradition. Once every year, people from every town and community will hold a yearly festival. Drawing their luck and leaving bad karma behind them" Ohhhh that's a nice image. "Shrines like this would be full of lights. There would be dancing, singing and fireworks. Each province would also have its own tradition of celebrating"

"You know a lot about festivals"

"Of course. They still hold them in the capital every year. People dressed in colorful kimonos, the lantern lights"

"You sound as if you've been there yourself"

"Of course. My mother took me… umm" Ah crud… it seems like family is a touchy subject to her.

"Ah sorry. If you don't want to talk about it then I won't press you"

"No it's alright. I just… never talked about her before" She paused for a moment before turning her eyes to the shrine. "I can't remember how long it was. 5… maybe 10 years ago. She took me to the temple in the suburbs just like this one. It was a beautiful place with so many smell and flavor. She bought me a balloon there and we played so many games. She said I was really lucky. I caught two gold fishes on my first try and brought it home with me. (…) There were so many things to do and so many things to eat. I wished I that night could last forever. (…) But eventually I fell asleep and the next morning I found myself in my bed. (…) I can't really remember that night since it was a long time ago… everything from then on was pretty much a blur to me. (Class rep…) But… there's one thing I do remember… the most important thing of all"

"… what was it?"

"… I know that for a fact… my mother and I… were really happy"

…

…

…

"Class rep…" Ugh… I don't really know how to respond to this.

"Heh… it's funny telling you this. It doesn't sound like me at all, does it?"

"No… not at all" I replied. "That's a wonderful memory to have, Class rep"

"Heh… yeah. It's funny. Telling you this was kind of relieving. (…) Maybe having someone listen to me isn't so bad after all"

"Heh. I told ya you could tell me anything"

She gave me a grin in return. "If only you could focus a little bit of that attention back in Instructor Jinguuji's classes. (Geh!) Heh… but it was fun. Thanks… Takeru…"

"Any time Class rep. (See ya…) Oh wait… (Hmm?) You wanna make a wish at the shrine? (…?) It's the least we can do. After all it is Christmas Eve. (I don't have any money) No problem! I think the gods will give us one free wish" I quickly dragged her to the shrine, in front of the donation box. Now let's see. If I remember correctly… we drop the money in first, ring the bell twice and then clap twice then pray. Meh I think we can skip the first step.

"W… wait a minute. What do you think you're doing?"

"What does it look like? I'm going to make a wish! Ok let's see… ummm. I wish for a healthy breakfast today! (Haaaa?) I want cabbage rolls and minced pork and real bread with butter!"

"Wait… what kind of a wish is that?"

"What's wrong with my wish? After having synthetic stuff all the time, I wouldn't mind having some real food once in awhile"

"If Kyozuka oba san heard you, she'd slap you silly"

Hehehe… yeah she probably would. Oba san is really sensitive when it comes to her food. "Alright Class rep, your turn. (Eh?) Come on, come on. Make a wish already! (No way!) Come on, what's the harm? Just ring the bell twice and clap twice and then make a wish. (I said no!) Come on, please? For me?"

"…" She gave out a long sigh. "Fine—but you have to stay out here. (Eeeh?) I mean it! Don't you dare eaves drop on my wish. (Hai hai…)" She then walked up to the shrine and rang the bell twice. "Ummm… I wish… I wish for…" Hmm… I wonder she would wish for. World peace? Defeat the BETA? Meeting her mother again? "I wish he would…" Huh? What did she say? I can't hear her from here. "There… I'm done"

"So what did you wish for?"

"Nothing complicated. It's not worth mentioning. (Oh come on!) (sigh) Maybe I should've wished for you to be less nosy in other people's business. (Hey!) Ahuhuhuhu… anyway, come on. We should be get back before they start looking for us"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

There seemed to be more activity happening when we rejoined the convoy. Our escorts from Yokohama withdrew from the area already and were replaced with Imperial Army tanks. I could see rows of trucks and armored vehicles moving along the military express way. There are so many… I guess that should be expected since Japan was committing almost half of its resources on this assault. Everyone in this country would like nothing better but to remove that stain off land.

"We should get back to our cars" Class rep suggested. "We don't want to delay them any longer than necessary"

"Yeah… I'll see ya soon Class rep" I should get to my car too. We should be ready for anything. (Ruffle) Hmm? Hey… that hairstyle. "Tama?"

"Huh? Ah… Takeru san"

"What are you doing here all by yourself? I thought you stayed in the car"

The little girl shook her head in reply. "Ah… 1st Lt. Hayase ordered us to stretch our legs. I was walking around until I noticed this" This? It's a sign board built for temple announcements. But there were no announcements… only pictures of people and candles around it. Flowers and little toys decorated the place. C… could this be a… "It's a memorial for people"

"A memorial?"

"Yeah" Tama confirmed for me. I remember seeing something like this back in my other loops. People would make memorials in front of temples and destroyed buildings, honoring the dead in the least possible manner. I should… since we made one as well for Marimo chan and the other members of the Valkyrie Squad. We placed that memorial outside the base near the Cherry tree roadside. It's ironic since my classmates and I used to call that road the Devil's Hill since it was difficult to get up in the first place.

"I can't believe they'd make a memorial all the way out here"

Tama nodded in agreement. "I asked one of the guards about this place. He said that people sometimes come up here just to put down new flowers on the memorial. (Really?) Yeah… I can tell that the ones here were put in recently as well. You can distinguish the colors of new and old flowers not just because they wither. (…) It's heartbreaking to see such a thing… but at the same time, it's good to know that there are still some people out there who care about those who passed away"

_"A shrine to hope. Even in these times, we cannot relinquish the things that make us human"_

_-Khan from Metro 2033-_

I took a good look at the board and gazed at all the writings and pictures posted there. Some were family portraits, wedding pictures, pictures of parties, kids with their parents and so many more. Just looking at this board makes you think of how people were lost in the war. I can only hope that I won't have to add anything to it.

"Takeru san…"

"Yeah Tama?"

"Do you think we'll win this battle? (…?) I mean, I know we have to win but… I just… don't know"

"What's this? Are you having doubts Tama?"

"I've no doubt that'll you do great Takeru san… it's just that—I don't know what will happen when we get there. (…?) I know that our battle plan will work out but what if something happens? What will we do then? So many things can happen on the battlefield and after looking at this board… do you think we even stand a chance?"

"Hey now… are you saying that you doubt your own skills? (…)" I guess I can understand where she's coming from. Back in my previous loop, I was so anxious about our first fight with the BETA that I could barely get any sleep. I also wondered if I was good enough… strong enough to fight them. It was only by experiencing it through the battlefield was I able to get rid of my doubts.

"What do you think, Takeru san?"

"Well… if you want my honest opinion, there's really nothing we can do about it? (Eh?) In the end, predictions are just predictions. No matter what the battle plan is, we'll just change our plan to match the enemy. We could start with an assumption of what they'll do, but sticking to it for too long would be dangerous. We Eishi need to look at the latest information we're given, make quick decisions about how to handle it and carry them out swiftly"

"Hmmm… I can understand that"

"Marimo chan and 1st Lt. Suzumiya will be helping us keep the battlefield information in perspective. We can just focus on the battle in front of us. So we simply take out any enemies we find as quickly as possible"

"That's sound like a vague way of putting it Takeru san"

"Well that's the whole point of being a soldier. We can only fight on the battlefield. Leave the radar and number things to the brains at the Command Post. (Uuuu…) Heh… I guess I'm not a very good emotional speaker. But right now Tama… you know what I wish for? (Eh?) Right now… I wish that won't have to add anything to that wall"

"Ah… yeah…" Tama seems to calm down a bit. I can't erase her doubts but I can at least ease her up anxiety. "H… hey Takeru san… (Yeah?) After this operation, will you help me plant my Saintpaulia? (Eh?) I haven't been able to treat it lately so I thought about putting it somewhere green where it can grow. The pot I have has only enough room for a single bush so I want to put it everywhere" Planting flowers eh? Somehow… thinking about it now… I can see Tama as florist back home.

"Yeah… that sounds like a great idea. I'll definitely do that. (Really?) Yeah… it's a promise. (Hai!)"

"This is Command Post to all units" Huh? Oh it's Marimo chan. "The last of the Imperial Army battalion has arrived. Once they pass through the expressway we'll be following behind. Return to your cars and await further orders. We'll be leaving in ten minutes. Command Post, out"

"Looks like our time's up. (Yeah)" I said out with a sigh. "We'd better head back before they start missing us. See you when we get there. (Hai!)" Ugh… I'd better take a leak before I go. It's going to be another long trip and I don't want to hold it in.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Ah… this spot should be good enough. No one in sight.

Zip…

"So bold…" BWAHHHH! No wait… that voice…

"A… Ayamine? Is that you? (Hnnn…) W… wait right there! I'm busy here!" (zip) Haaa… what the hell? Why can't I detect this girl when she comes at me? It's like she's a ghost. Her personality can be hard to read but when I get close she can show it clearly.

"You done?" Grrrr… she's doing it again. "You can go back and finish if you want"

"Stop repeating the same thing!" This is almost exactly the same conversation we had back in Susono. "Anyway, didn't you hear the announcement? We leave in ten minutes. Shouldn't you be getting back to your car?"

"I have time. (Time for what?) To talk with you…"

"Well we don't have that much time. Can we save it when we reach the port? (No…) Geh… fine. So what do you want to talk about?"

"Go out with me…"

…

…

…

"Eh?" Wait… did I hear that right because it sounded like she said 'Go out with me'. That… can't be right. "W… what did you say? (No good?) Eh? Hey wait… did you just ask me to…"

"Then how about lunch?"

"Hey. Listen to me when I'm talking here!"

"Still no good? Maybe dinner? (Hey!) I'll bring yakisoba" What's with her? That's too direct! "It'll be perfect…"

"What will? (Later…) Ah! Hey wait a second. Come back! Oi!" And… she's gone. I know of direct confrontations before but the way she puts it is just too direct. Does she really mean like… going out as girlfriend and boyfriend? I mean… I could barely decipher what she wanted anyway. (Flash) Ugh… images of my past self with Ayamine were revealing itself. I can't let this distract me… but… I can't get that off my head. Could she be…?

"Oi! Shirogane!" Gah! Wh… what the? Hayase? "Where the hell are you? Everyone else have reported to their cars! If you don't get your butt here in ten seconds, we're leaving without you!"

"Ah! S… sorry ma'am! I'm on my way!"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Our drive to Takada base was pretty much smooth sailing from there on. There was the occasional traffic jam on the road but other than that it was pretty dull.

While everyone else was anxious about the operation, I felt strangely calm. Maybe it's the fact that I've already experienced this or perhaps I've already been in more than one major operation… but at least now I don't have to worry about being anxious. I remember a lot about this operation and what the consequences were. The Imperial Army is committing 3 fully armed companies to this operation. I guess they aren't pulling any punches when the time comes. Yuuko sensei said she'll do everything she can to ensure that casualties are lowered to a bare minimum but she didn't make any promises for the Imperial Army.

They Imperial forces are simply here because of their own agenda and won't take direct orders until the Orbit Divers have been defeated. Only when the situation has been reverted to plan B will they fall in to the U.N. hands.

The U.N. Army here has just as much reason to ensure that this mission goes well as the Imperial Army. Yuuko sensei would like nothing better than to see her weapon get full credit for the show. ALTERNATIVE IV means everything to us and it will have to succeed. Not only will this ensure that the XG-70 gets the world's approval but it will also make sure that ALTERNATIVE V never gets a chance to finish. Though we were able to break their backbone during the coup the supporters of the plan are still trying to regain their reason. The destruction of the Sadogashima Hive will no doubt break their momentum forever.

**(Takada Base near Niigata)(10:40 AM)**

The weather was pretty foggy here in Niigata. You can't really see anything past the dry docks and cold weather wasn't really helping either. I'm sure by tomorrow the clouds will clear up. After all… I remember during the operation that the weather was favorable on our case.

By the time we arrived, our TSFs were loaded onto the Imperial Army Carrier-Warship 'Oosumi'. They call it a carrier but from my point of view, it looked more like an oil tanker converted to carry heavy weaponries instead. Our ship was given special treatment for final checkups while the rest of the Imperial Army force had to wait while their ships take turns docking in.

We were recommended to rest in the ship until the operation but I don't think any of us can rest in this situation. I'll probably sleep when we set sail for Sadogashima. Right now it's best I get as much stretching as possible. Sitting in the TSF cockpit for four straight hours will make anyone stiff to the bones.

I only wish we had some sun to brighten the day. This cloudy and foggy weather is downright impossible.

"1st Lt. Shirogane…"

"Hmm? Ah… 1st Lt. Tsukuyomi" I saluted back. I remember that she was part of the first landing force protecting a member of the royal family. "It's good to see you again. Thank you for all your hard work"

"I have done nothing to earn your praise but I accept it nonetheless. (…)" She then stood at attention to me. "Forgive my negligence for our previous meeting. Though it is belated—my heartfelt congratulations on your commissioning, 1st Lieutenant. (Oh… uh… thank you)" Back when we first met she used to call me just 'you'. During the coup she called me by name and now she addresses me by rank. "And I offer my praise to your performance during the BETA attack on Yokohama Base the other day"

"Oh… don't mention it…"

"Had I remained there a bit longer… I would've been able to assist you in the defense and less lives would've been lost that day" I can't tell her that the whole attack was staged besides, I don't think anyone would believe me if I told them.

"Well it's not like we expected it. All we could do is cut our loses"

"True. But nonetheless, no one can deny that it was through your effort that many Eishis survived during that attack. (…) I have seen your excellent performance… even Meiya said that you were spectacular" She talked with Meiya too? When was this?

"Umm… 1st Lt. Tsukuyomi. (What?) Is there something bothering you? (…?) Because… it's just that you don't usually talk to me unless you're forced to for some reason" The last two times she visited me was because of the Shogun's orders. For her to come to me now before the mission of all times must mean something was pinching her pride.

"I know you must be busy so soon before deployment… but I would like a little of your time" (Flash) Wait… could this be…? Didn't this also happen before back in my previous loop. "I had hoped to meet you at Yokohama base but you seem to have disappeared from the area. I would like to discuss something with you in private"

"Is this about Meiya? (…!)" Her expression tells it all. "You're right. We shouldn't discuss this openly"

"Then please follow me. I know of a place"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The old pier? I get it… the sound of the waves will block away our voices preventing eaves dropper from listening. The foggy weather will also hide our faces. This must be one of the old places were ferry would sail from Sadogashima to the mainland. No one will bother us here…

"I have a personal favor to ask of you" She said to me after making sure no one was around. "Though it is rather pathetic of me… and asking such a thing from a commissioned officer such as yourself is perhaps the height of my foolishness. As well as the fact of my past treatment of you"

"Tsukuyomi…"

"But you are the only person I can ask. Please… protect Meiya sama. (…) I know that you have a mission of your own but I do not mind if you can do what you can within that constraint. (…) But if you ever find Meiya sama rushing to her death on the battlefield… I ask only that you do your utmost to prevent it" She must be referring to the intervention I did back in Susono, right before Meiya offered her idea of negotiating in the Shogun's stead. Since her duty of protecting Meiya ended she needed to ask someone else to do it. "I know that this is asking a lot from you but I know for a fact that Meiya sama would listen to anything you have to say. (…) Which is why I…"

"Don't…" I stopped her. "You don't need to throw away your pride, Tsukuyomi san. I'd probably do it even if you didn't ask me. But I understand Meiya as well. She can be stubborn and probably care less of her own safety… but I don't think she'll just throw away her life recklessly. She cares about her comrades and making them sad is probably the last thing she'd do. (…) So please… you don't need to ask me something just because you feel like you need to"

"… I see…" She muttered out as if relieved. "Perhaps it was foolish of me to ask such a thing. (…) I'm beginning to see why Her Highness placed a great deal of trust in you… even though you've only met for a short time" Yuuhi? Did she say that? "In any event, it seems I am able to trust you with the safety of Meiya sama. (…?) Not only did you prevent her from risking her own life back when we were surrounded in Susono City but you voluntarily risked your own life to protect all of us as well. I can only hope that was not some act to gain favor from the royal family"

She's sharp. Nothing gets by her without a hint of suspicion. "But you're still not completely 100% sure that I'm not some agent plotting something, right?"

"Correct…" She nodded back in reply. I should've known I couldn't get Tsukuyomi to trust me. After all… our first encounter in the TSF hanger wasn't exactly pleasant. I just needed her awareness of me to make sure that she didn't do anything reckless. "As an Imperial Honor Guard… I should be extremely wary of you. Your skill behind the TSF, your ties with Professor Kouzuki… and not to mention the various rumors of your origin are topics of suspicions" Various rumors? Could she be talking about the Ministry of Intelligence? Yoroi Sakon said that I was in their list of suspects but nothing has come up until now.

"So if you're still suspicious of me… why are you trying to trust me?"

Tsukuyomi gave me a sad look. "I do not know why. (Eh?) To be honest I find it rather pathetic of me to be seeking comfort in strangers. But I cannot explain it. (…?) Do not take my word to mean anything but… I feel rather calm standing by your side. (…?) Perhaps this is how Meiya sees you" Wait… I make people calm around me? "Your posture, your stance, the way you speak to others, the way you look at them… I find them strange… yet… relieving at some point. Perhaps it is just your character that does that"

"I… don't understand…"

"I do not expect you to. But still… I find myself beckoning to ask you. Please… take care of Meiya sama… somehow" She bowed her head once again to me. Even though I told her not to throw her pride away she still… "Please… I beg of you… (…!)" Sh… she's… she's crying? Why is she crying?

"Tsukuyomi san!" Ah crap! I wasn't thinking when I rushed to grab her by the shoulders. It's strange—was she always my height? "Please don't do that… you're not exactly giving me a choice to make if you do that"

"Ah… that was shameless. Forgive me" Even though she had that cold exterior she's still soft on the inside. I guess that shows how much Meiya means to her. "You can let go of me, 1st Lt. Shirogane"

"Ah… yeah sorry. It was just so sudden that you…"

"No… it was my fault for failing to control myself. I shouldn't have allowed myself to show weakness"

"Well… I guess shedding a tear or two just shows that you're still human inside"

"Do not try to amuse me"

"I wasn't" I joked back. "But if it got you to stop crying then I'll count that as a success"

"Perhaps Meiya sama was right about one thing… you can be an idiot sometimes" Ow… Meiya told her that too? "But regardless… you have a way of relieving others of their anxiety. Perhaps that is a gift only you hold, 1st Lt. Shirogane. (…) This conversation has gone on too long. We will undoubtedly draw attention if we remain. I shall leave you be. Until next time…"

"Wait… Tsukuyomi san. (Hmm?) You're participating in the operations too, right?"

"Correct. We will be part of Whisky Company charging the main force" So it'll be the same. Hopefully I have nothing to worry about her. "We should not dally. If we both survive this battle then perhaps we can have another conversation, 1st Lieutenant" Ah! Wait… crud… she's gone. I guess she didn't want us to be seen together. A U.N. officer and an Honor Guard seen alone could spell some nasty suspicions and that's the last thing any of us need here.

But still… to see Tsukuyomi cry like that was shocking. I never thought I'd see the day that Tsukuyomi, THE Tsukuyomi would actually show weakness in front of me.

But… to protect Meiya. She didn't need to ask… I would've done it even if she didn't ask me. I should probably get back to the Carrier. Once we depart there'll be no way of getting back on land until the operation. They said that our meals will be part with the crew so we'll have to stick with the synthetic fish for awhile.

**(16:30 PM) (TSF Warship-Carrier: The Oosumi)**

Haaa… the breeze is so cool here you can practically fall asleep without even knowing it. Even though we aren't sailing, the waves just keeps coming in and splashes of salt water gets on your face from time to time. The weather was starting to clear up around noon; you can pretty much see the clear blue sky. It was as if the fog this morning didn't even exist. The Sadogashima Hive was now visible and most of the ships that were at port earlier had departed. To the BETA, that's their base… to us… that's our battlefield. It will the first mark of mankind's attempt to fight back at the alien invaders.

It's strange. Even though it's been almost three months, I can still remember the battle plan of our operation. Maybe all that time playing strategy game with Mikoto in my world finally paid off. I tend of remember strategy guides of missions and something of that sort.

Today's finally December 24… Christmas Eve. Back in my first loops, this was the day that ALTERNATIVE V was activated. There's no way that that an operation this huge got to be executed on the very same day. It's hard to believe that I've actually lived through this day once already. It makes you wonder if everything I've done till now has been nothing more but a dream. I hope not.

"Shirogane?" Huh? Oh it's the captain. "I was wondering who was sulking all the way out here all alone" Sulking? Who's sulking? "Want some coffee? It'll be good for afternoons like this. (Ah… no thanks) Don't be shy. It doesn't taste that bad once you get used to the blandness"

Heh… I guess I'll her up on that offer. (Gluck gluck…) Ahhh… it's not as good as tea but it somehow takes away all that nasty fatigue from earlier. "Ahhh… I'm wide awake now!"

"Hehe… that's the nature of coffee. It keeps you up when you're exhausted. Don't forget to get some rest before the operation. The last thing I need is a tired soldier on the battlefield. I need everyone in tip top shape, especially you. (Huh?) Did you forget already? In case I'm needed elsewhere, you'll be in charge of Platoon A" Oh yeah… since I'm a higher ranking tier, I became the next officer in command in case of a broken chain of command. "It might come as odd to others but you've been highly recommended by the Vice Commander"

"Yuuko sensei?" She vouched for me?

"Oi oi… I might not be strict about rank orders but the least you can do is call her by her proper rank"

"Ah… it's ok really. I call her that all the time. Besides, she could care less about formalities"

"Hmm… that's true. But in any case I think her judgment is well founded. (Huh?) Even though you've only graduated a couple of weeks ago you've already got yourself a pretty impressive combat record. Not to mention you were able to go in par with Hayase during your duel" It's not much of a record considering the fact that I've done those things twice in my lifetime.

"Ah… it's nothing really. There are greater people than me out there"

"No need to be so modest. But in any case I'll be relying on you. (Ma'am) So what's the matter? (Huh?) People who usually hang out alone usually have something on their minds. You might call it nosy, but being the captain of this squad means that I have to ensure that my team is mentally prepared for what's the come"

"Yeah, you told me that back at the base" Heck, she told me that in my previous loops too. "But it's nothing really. I'm just nervous about the coming battle"

"Well I guess that's no surprise seeing that this will be your first real fight against the BETA. In this day and age, both men and women need to be strong in order to live" That's true… back in my old world… I could pretty much care less of what a gun is made of. "But if you don't feel like sharing your thoughts then that's fine with me. Just make sure it won't interrupt the mission. Otherwise, I'll let Munakata and Hayase bully you when we get back. (Geh!) Ahahaha… I'm kidding" That's odd. The captain seems to be less tense than usual around me. Is it because of my rank as a 1st Lieutenant? Does she trust my skill that much? "Well how about I make you a switch? (Huh?) Will you listen to me instead?"

"Huh? Umm… sure. I have time"

"Good" She took a seat beside me on the edge of the ship. "Hey… Shirogane… do you know anyone in the Imperial Army? (Eh?) Anyone close that you would know?"

"The Imperial Army?" (Flash) Captain Sagiri came into mind along with Tsukuyomi and the Three Idiots. "Well… I guess I know a few people"

"I see… are they participating in this operation?"

"Some of them. Why?"

"I see…" Huh? What is she trying to say? "Have I ever told you about my sisters? I have three of them working in the Imperial Army" Her sisters? Yeah I think she told me about them back in my previous loop in time. "Although I wasn't able to ask, I had a look at the list and it seems like my youngest sister is participating in this operation as well. (…!)" That's right… the captain's younger sister is also joining the Whisky diversionary force. I completely forgot about that.

"Your sister? You must be worried"

"I'd be lying if I said no. She has good comrades around her and she can be pretty tough when she wants to be. I'd have a hard time fighting her myself. But even so… there's really nothing I can do other than believe in her and her squad. The secrecy of our unit takes priority over our personal feelings" That's right. Being a member of the A-01 Special Task Force means that we almost zero connection to the outside world. "But on the positive side… she doesn't know that I'll be participating in this operation. (Huh?) She's young and I think that not knowing that I'm here will keep her focused on her mission. Sometimes it's good to be in a secret Task Force such as this"

"Captain…"

"But it's fine. I know I might sound contradictive, but if she's anything like the rest of us I'm sure she'll make it through without a scratch. (Eh?) Our family has been known to be really stubborn… and we'd like to that word as a compliment now and then. (Haaaa?) Hehe… we all have the same bad taste in men and not to mention we're connected by blood" Same bad taste in men? (Flash) I remember… (Flash) Yes I remember that the man that the Captain fell for. If I remember correctly, he's already dead. She told me herself.

"It's a shame that you can't visit her. (Hmm?)" I opened up. "I mean… if she's family then maybe you can visit her once in awhile. Maybe once this operation is over you can go over and visit her"

"Hehe… yeah… that sounds like a good idea. If we survive this operation, we might be lucky enough to get some free leave off duty"

"Hehehe… that would be nice, captain"

"I might even introduce you to my sisters if the opportunity presents itself. One of them might fancy you. (Geh!) Ahehehe…" What the heck? The Captain's sounding a lot more like a school girl than a soldier. She doesn't treat Hayase or Munakata to this extent. "Ah… anyway, you should rest later tonight when we depart. You need to be at your best when you get out there. (Ma'am)"

"Captain Isumi…" Hmm? Who? Ah… 1st Lt. Piatif? What is she doing here? "Sorry to intrude but the Vice Commander needs you to finalize the contingency plan set up"

"Understood… I'll be right there" Contingency plan? What contingency plan? "Alright Shirogane. Looks like our conversation got cut short. Have an early dinner and get some rest. Oh and you can keep the rest of the coffee. But I want that mug back. (Captain…) Alright I'm coming"

And just like that, she's gone. I never heard of any contingency plan during this operation. It must be something that Yuuko cooked up to prevent something in the operation.

But still… what got me the most was how the captain opened up like that. In fact… a lot of people have been opening up to me lately. Is this what Tsukuyomi meant when she said that I make people calm around me? No… that can't be it, can it?

Haaaa… well… I guess there's nothing left to do but to go ahead with this plan. I can't back out now after everything that's happened. The Sadogashima Hive is just in the horizon. If we can destroy it then… (Tug!) Ugh… wh… what the? My… my head is… spinning. (Tug!) Whoa… what the? My legs are… going numb? (Tug!) Arghh!

CLANG!

Ah! The captain's coffee mug… it… broke…

…

…

…

I've got a bad feeling about this…


	30. Black Christmas Part 1

**Chapter 30: Black Christmas (Part 1) (He Who Came Back)**

**(December 25, 2001 Monday—Christmas) (Sadogashima Coast) (08:54 AM)**

No one would ever see such a grandeur sight as it was now when the first ships appeared near the coasts of Sadogashima. Fleets of iron warships encircled the small island, their guns trained on the giant monument sticking out from the ground like a sore thumb. Many soldiers within the Imperial and U.N. fleet had been waiting and wishing and dreaming of a time they would take a shot at that tower… but only a handful would actually have their hopes granted.

But now was their chance. With steel, fire, smoke and courage as strong as the mountain… the armies of man now descend upon this field, each soldier preparing to make their mark in mankind's history books.

One could only imagine the tension the men and women were feeling that morning.

**(U.N. Warship—Yamato of the 4th Naval Squadron)**

Captain Tadokoro waited patiently for the arrival of the first shot by the Space Armada. The tension of waiting while their goal was in sight was hard to endure. The only relief he and his soldiers could get was through the small talks they can have with their friends on the other ships.

"Admiral Kozawa, this is Capt. Abe of the Shinano" An open channel sounded off on the old radio. "All ships in the 2nd Fleet are ready for battle. We're merely awaiting the order to attack"

Tadokoro let off a small chuckle. The youngster was getting restless. Out of everyone here, Abe was the youngest captain of them all. He just became a father just a few weeks ago as well.

"Good… you carry the vanguard of the land forces in this operation" Another voice replied. "Do not fail us. (Sir! Understood!)"

It was then another voice came in the conversation. "Abe kun, you're getting impatient"

Tadokoro lifted the transceiver and let out a small laugh. "As are we, Iguchi san. (Huhuhu… indeed) After all… we were there… on the day that island fell into enemy hands"

"Yes, I still relive that day in my dreams. I'll never forget it"

"I never imagined… I would live long enough to see the day we reclaim it. We must ensure this operation succeeds, to repay the many who gave their lives that day" The captain of the Yamato breathed in deeply as if reliving a bad memory in his head. "They will be watching over us. Let's drive out the BETA… and take back that island, that part of our country"

"Yes… let's…"

It was then an alarm signal sounded. Like a well oiled machine, the staff officers rushed to respective seats and prepared for the coming of the operation. "U.N. Orbit Bombers have dropped reentry bombs! Impact in 20 seconds!"

"So… we can finally begin…"

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"HQ to all warships, fire at will"

Fire, and metal formed over the skies above Sadogashima. Such a scene had not been witnessed by man since the dawn of World War II. The Laser Class BETA reacted just as the humans expected them to and began retaliating in kind. A heavy cloud of iron formed in the atmosphere choking even the tiniest bacteria from breathable air.

Bodies of aliens littered the scene, marring the once beautiful land with blood and flesh. Ashes were disintegrated and by the time the BETA even realized what was happening, they began to band together, preparing for a great clash with humanity's weapons.

**(Takeru's POV) (Imperial Warship-Carrier 'Oosumi') (1 hour 15 minutes since the battle began)**

"Valkyrie mum to all units. Echo landing craft are currently heading south into Ryoutsu Bay at full speed. We'll be entering the combat zone in approximately 3 minutes" We were closing in. I can't believe I'm back to this again. I can hear the sound of cannon fire and explosions even though we're still so far away from the coast. According to the operator I'm hearing on the open channel, Whisky Unit had taken large casualties before reaching the bay. They've succeeded in making a beachhead, establishing a supply line of ammunitions but so far they're still taking hits from the BETA that responded to the bombardment.

Tsukuyomi, the Three Idiots and the Captain's little sister are all fighting over there. Even if this is part of the operation, its stressful just sitting here watching our allies fight.

"This is Valhalla. I will be updating the company on the situation for as far as possible. Once Echo unit lands on Ryoutsu Bay, Valkyrie Company is to head west past the old waterworks and proceed southward from thereon to the dam. Good luck"

This is it. This is where the history of man is going to change. I don't know what will happen once I change this part of the future but I'll be ready for whatever comes next. So far I've changed the history of this world by a great margin but so far no consequences have been made. Back then, I created a rebellion just because our unit wasn't able to make it to Mt. Tengen. Now that the rebellion has been stopped and not to mention the XM3 training incident, I feel like something big was supposed to happen. But so far… nothing…

Saving Sadogashima from being blown up by the G-Bomb and destroying the Hive here with undoubtedly cause a chain reaction. Or… maybe I'm just over thinking things over. (Flash) Huh? What the? What was that image just now? (Flash) The BETA Hive? (Flash) Ugh… my head is beginning to spin. This isn't a good sign. I should take that syringe shot now before it becomes a problem.

(Ruffle) I hid the thing in my med pack just in case. (Psssst…) The good thing about these exosuits is that they also have medical holes for injections. The one attached to our wrists are usually equipped with pain killers or anesthetics, but it can also be used for other drugs.

It should take awhile for the injection to kick in. I should be able to fight without holding anyone back.

"This is Valkyrie 1A to units. We're landing in Ryoutsu Bay. Everyone brace yourselves! (…!) Several of Whisky Units TSF motherships are getting sunk by laser fire from the shore. Be ready to scramble on moment's notice! (Roger!)"

"This is Oosumi operator to U.N. Pilots. Vanguard forces are reporting multiple Laser Class along the beachhead and are encountering heavy resistance. Be ready to depart once prepped. (Boom!)" What the? Did we get shot? The ship's rumbling. "This is Oosumi! We're sustaining damage from the shoreline. There are Laser Class on the hilltop!"

"This is Echo Alpha Leader 2. We're handling it but there's just too many! The BETA seem to have dug new Gates along the Hive path. Requesting sapper team to plug those holes!"

Boom!

Another shot? That can't be right. We didn't get shot before we scrambled. Bah! What am I saying? This is war! Anything can happen! But there's no way in hell I'm going down with the ship. The TSF Carriers aren't equipped with anti-laser armor like the destroyers and cruisers so they can be pretty fragile.

Boom!

What the? Another hit?

"We have fire on deck three!" A voice on the speaker sounded. "Engineer crew, to the control room! We have incoming fire on all sides, prepare for diembarkment!"

"This is the captain speaking. Press to target. Ignore all fire"

"Command, roger that. Pressing to target. All pilots prepare for emergency scramble! (Bzzzt) (Boom!) We have water leaking on portside!"

"This is the engine room! We lost control of the rudders! Power generators aren't responding either! Send engineers to our location!"

The whole ship was shaking and rumbling. What the hell is going on out there? Activate controls and camera. (Beep) …!

"We're taking in water on deck 3! Incoming lasers, four sources! Engineers to flight deck"

Boom!

Damn it! The ship can't take much more of this. The facility that was holding my Shiranui was coming down on the workers here. We're barely even on the beach!

"This is the captain speaking. (…?) All crew, focus on launching the U.N. TSFs. Recovery of the 'Oosumi' is now a second priority. All staff members that are not needed for launching the TSFs are to abandon ship immediately. (…!) I repeat… launching of the TSFs is our greatest concern" Is that guy serious? He's going to abandon the whole ship just so we can launch?

"C… Command acknowledge!" the operator responded. "All crew to the flight deck! Raise the TSFs and prepare for emergency scramble!"

Brrrrrr…

The lift carried us out with a creaky noise. The ship must've sustained some serious damage now after that hit. (Brrrrrrr…) I can see the beachhead in the distance. We're still about a few kilometers away but a concentrated boost jump should get us to the other side, no problem. There are TSFs all around us. Soldiers of the Japanese Empire all waiting to take a crack at the BETA. This is it… the moment I've been waiting for.

"This is the captain of the Oosumi to the U.N. pilots" Eh? The captain? "We've lost power to the engine and will be sinking at the bottom of the bay in five minutes. I've ordered the crew to abandon ship. I'm sorry that I wasn't able to get you further inland. May you find fortunes on the battlefield"

"Valkyrie 1A, roger that. Thank you captain. (Boom!) Here we go, Valkyries! All units, charge! (Roger that!)" And then we were off.

…

…

…

The BETA Hive… no matter how you look at it, it's obvious that it wasn't manmade. Just looking at it gives me the creeps.

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As the first of the empire's soldiers landed on the beach of Ryoutsu bay, the BETA descended upon them like moth to fire. The giant Destroyers and Grapplers were among the first to retaliate crushing the vanguards into bits. The Tanks and Soldier and Warrior Class were the next to follow, eating away at the crumbs left behind.

Mankind retaliated with fire and steel putting their hearts behind every shot that was fired. But even with all their technology… they could not compare their destructive power of the Laser Class firing behind the BETA lines. It was never an even fight between the aliens and mankind.

But outwitting them all, was none other than the Fort Class of the BETA. Towering over their largest machines like a giant, it crushed all opposition singlehandedly without any hindrance.

"This is Echo Alpha Leader 1. The north side of Lake Kamo has been cleared. The main force is now moving northward through Osado Range. Echo Bravo will remain here and establish a supply line to Matsugakasi. The tank battalion will hold the line from there and establish a command post"

"Jellyfish 2 to Echo Alpha Leader. We've used up most of our ammunitions on the landing. At this rate we'll only be a hindrance. We're falling back to the beach to resupply"

"Roger that Jellyfish. We'll handle the rest from here. All units, continue pushing southwards. Eliminate any BETA you see. No exceptions!"

"This is Echo Bravo Leader. Multi-divisioned BETA has just emerged from the Hive! We plugged the hole but there seems to be three more near the lake. Requesting artillery strike on our position!"

"HQ, roger that. Artillery fire incoming"

"This is Echo Platoon. We're engaging a herd size BETA group south of the beach. There's too many of them for us to… (Whoosh!) Huh?"

"Sir… it's the U.N. Army!"

"The Special Task Force? (…?) (Boom!) They're charging directly? They're crazy!"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Valkyrie 1A to all team leaders. A herd size BETA group is within the path of our mission. Engage at will! But don't take too long. Remember: Our job is to secure the A-02 attack point. Leave the clean up duty for the Imperial Army! (Copy that!)" The XG-70 will be here in a few hours. I have to make sure that no BETA gets through especially the Heavy Laser Class. Those things can shoot a target up to a hundred kilometers.

Here we go…! Come on Takeru! Let's go and change the future one more time!

**(Flagship Saijou) (Marimo's POV)**

"Whisky Unit casualties at 20%. Echo Unit at 5%. Both are fully capable of continuing the operation" Said the operator a few table next to me. So far the operation is proceeding smoothly. Casualties have been severe on the first landing but at the very least we were now able to establish two beachheads on Sadogashima.

"Whisky Unit's main force is establishing battle lines at Old Sawane and Old Takase. The remnants of the unit have been left at Old Kubota, but are heading westward now" Lt. Piatif added.

"Echo Unit's main force has secured Old North Matsugasaki, and are now moving northward"

"This is A-01 to HQ. We're on our way to secure the attack point of A-02"

"This is Valhalla Base. Roger that" I replied. They're moving much faster than I anticipated. They're literally plowing through a horde of BETA. The diversionary forces are doing well too. At this rate, they might reach the attack point earlier than scheduled. "Be wary: There are scattered remnants of BETA heading towards your position. The first and second wave of artillery couldn't destroy them all so be careful"

"Understood. We'll keep an eye out for them. We'll be coming across the attack point in 10 minutes"

"Tell all ships…" Admiral Kozawa, Captain of the Mogami announced. "—The operation will now move to Phase 4"

The operator nodded and quickly announced the order. "HQ to all forces. The operation is now moving on to Phase 4. Repeat—the operation is moving to Phase 4"

Phase 4. That means the orbital divers will be dropping any second now. We've diverted most of the BETA around the Hive already so they'll have little trouble getting into the gates.

"The Imperial Army… is really giving them hell" Yuuko motioned. Even she can be amazed by the sight of all of this.

The admiral agreed as well. "Vice Commander Kouzuki, all of Japan has yearned for the destruction of the Sadogashima Hive. This may be a joint operation with the U.N. but the Empire's very existence is at stake here. It is to be expected that our soldiers will give it their all" Yuuko gave him a chuckle in acknowledgement. "If anything I'm amazed at the efforts made by those Far East and U.N. soldiers who've lost their homeland"

"This is a personal battle for them as well. A lot of them see this as the first step of retaking Asia"

I quickly interrupted when I noted Isumi hailing on the other channel. It seems like they've engaged minor resistance from the BETA and have already crushed them to bits. The BETA were scattered so their effectiveness on the battlefield has lessened significantly.

"Valkyrie Company has secured Old Kaminiibo and are pressing on to the attack point" I announced.

Yuuko seemed impressed. "That's a lot faster than planned… not bad, Isumi"

"U.N. Orbital Fleet has released reentry shells! They're entering the atmosphere soon!"

"1st Lt. Piatif" Yuuko turned to their secretary. "What's A-02's current location?"

"It's currently heading through Nagaoka City in Niigata Prefecture with the 8th Imperial Armored Regiment escorting it. All components remain functional. The operation may proceed as planned"

"A-02? The new weapon?" The admiral inquired to which Yuuko nodded back in response. "For the sake of those fighting on Sadogashima, I pray that it lives up to its reputation"

"It will, admiral" Yuuko reassured him. "1st Lt. Piatif. What about our contingency plan?"

"The 2nd Air Assault Force has just departed from Niigata. They're waiting for the green light before deploying"

**(Takeru's POV) (20 kilometers north of the attack point)(2 hours since battle began)**

Teeeeeh! (Whoosh!) This is strange. I should've gotten more kills than this. I've taken down 12 Grappler and 9 Destroyers already and that alone counts as a high amount of hits than most pilots but I expected more of me. Is this because of my machine's limit? Well… not that it matters now. We still annihilated that BETA heard in record time.

The BETA aren't really effective when they're scattered like this. I guess when you take away their superiority in numbers they're useless. The artillery barrage earlier must've really done a number on them.

"This is Valkyrie 3B!" Hmm? Meiya? "Fort Class BETA destroyed. No sign of reinforcements. This attack was unplanned"

"Valkyrie 1B, copy that. There's a supply container 400 meters ahead. Use it while you still can. Mitsurugi will go first followed by Ayamine. Shirogane will go last. Everyone else, keep a lookout. They can come from underground too. Watch your vibration and sound sensors. We'll regroup with the rest of the squad once we finish loading up. (Copy that)"

Hmm… I feel weird. Fighting the BETA isn't even making me flinch. I'm not even warming my way up. I didn't have any hypnotic therapy before the battle since I thought I didn't need it. Maybe it had something to do with that stuff I injected myself with earlier. Perhaps the painkiller that I added was numbing my senses in some way. Nonetheless… it hasn't affected the squad yet. The others seem to be holding their own too and not holding the squad back. Hayase doesn't seem to be holding back either. She even looks like she's enjoying this match. Maybe she really needed a good fight to get all that stress out of her arms. At this rate, we might even finish faster that before.

"Valkyrie 1A to all units. A-02 is proceeding as planned. The attack point is clear but that doesn't mean we should get sloppy. If the operation switches to plan B, we'll have to be at our absolute best. Show the volunteers in the Imperial and U.N. Armies the strength and honor of the Alternative Plan's Special Task Force. Understand? (Roger!)"

Captain… she's probably worried sick about her sister but chooses to put all her energy in the mission. Casualties from the Whisky Unit are already beyond 20%. The captain may be a great soldier but there's no way she'd feel comfortable with that kind of number.

Meiya's no different. She's probably worried about Tsukuyomi and the Three Idiots as well. But they'll do just fine. Out of everyone I know, Tsukuyomi appears to be the best pilot here. The Captain and the other 1st Lieutenants are good too but they're nowhere near her skills.

…

So many people are fighting in front of me now. All of them are fighting for a different reason. I used to think that they're just fighting for the better future of man but I was wrong. Each of them has their own personal reason of fighting this bloody war. Kashiwagi for example is fighting so her brothers won't need to fight. Akane is fighting for her sister. Meiya is fighting for the Shogun even harder than all of us. And me… I… (Flash) I'm fighting to protect everyone…

Yeah… I guess you could say that is my mission here. I used to think that my words were childish and naïve but now… after looking through all this mess… I'm beginning to think that there's a way.

_(Flash) "Do you have a definitive answer then to satisfy both their needs?"_

_"No… not yet at least. But if you give me time… I'm sure I can find it"_

Your Highness. Please… believe in me… I will give you an answer one day…

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

**(Imperial Royal Palace, Tokyo)**

Kobuin Yuuhi, the Grand Shogun of Japan was facing distraught at that moment. She would never show her worries openly but now that she was alone in her room atop the Imperial Palace, the emotions that she kept inside finally came out. In all her life she never thought that someone would actually tell her what to do with her life. At a young age she was taught everything she needed to become a good politician, a leader, a member of the royal family and a woman…

But no one has ever taught her how to live before. She imagined life lessons from her caretaker, the Grand Chamberlain… but she never imagined she would learn them from an outsider.

A boy…

Just thinking of his face and his name brought a clueless smile to her lips every day of the week. The short moment she had with that man may have been awkward and random… but to her… it felt like a greater force had put them together.

She clutched onto her chest, looking out the window where the sun rose. There would be no meeting today. No council. All the prayers in the country are now focused on the soldiers fighting for their lives. Even the Shogun did her part in whichever way she could.

"My goodness… are you still up this early, Your Highness?" The Shogun's train of thoughts was interrupted when her caretaker entered the room, carrying a breakfast tray for her. "I would've thought that you would take this day to rest at least"

Out of all the people in the world, only a handful of countrymen are ever so informal with the Grand Shogun. The Grand Chamberlain who cared for the Shogun when she was but a toddler was one of them. She raised Yuuhi like she was her own and taught her everything she needed to survive in public.

"My apologies, oba san" Yuuhi replied smiling all the while. "I was sending my prayer to the soldiers"

"You cannot worry about things you have no control over. Come. Have some tea before you collapse. You barely had any rest yesterday either. (A little bit longer) My goodness. You're even more stubborn than before"

"Ahuhuhu… perhaps I have gotten more childish. (…) But please. Allow me to send my wishes to them just a little longer. I… I wish for the best for… for all of them"

The old lady sighed in submission. There was really no telling the Shogun what to do. After all, she was the greatest authority here in Japan. The Chamberlain then began setting up the trays of food made for Her Excellency… but just as she removed the covers, she noticed a strange shine glittering in Yuuhi's eyes. At first she thought that it was just the sun playing tricks on her but after awhile, the Grand Chamberlain realized something had changed within the Shogun.

She quickly brushed the strange thought away and continued readying the food only to pause when her eyes darted to the girl's feet. It was wrapped in old bandages, seemingly weeks old already.

"Y… Your Highness! What happened to your leg?"

The Shogun looked down below her robes and recalled the bandages that were given to her a long time ago. "Ah… it is nothing I assure you. It was from a wound during an incident long ago. I have forgotten about it. (But…!) It is a reminder to myself. Nothing more"

"But you could've at least remove those old bandages! (Ahuhu…) My goodness. I haven't been this worried about you in a long time"

"Indeed… I apologize" The Shogun returned her gaze westward where the battle of Sadogashima was occurring. Though she prayed for the safety of all the men and women fighting for their lives… one particular face appear to resurface on Her Highness's mind.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

**(Takeru's POV) (40 kilometers from the attack point)**

Doryaaaaaa! (Whoosh!) Geh! That's another 10 Grappler. There's really no end to these guys! You kill a dozen Tank Class and about 50 more are waiting in line to take their place. This is getting ridiculous! What's happening to me? My movements are slowing down. I expected to have at least a hundred Grapplers and Destroyer Class on my kill list but I'm barely just past half of that. It's like something was waning me down. My controls are still the same but why? Why do I feel like there's something hold me back!-? Is it because of that shot I took earlier? No… that can't be.

"This is Valkyrie 2A" Class rep called out. "All Tank Class and Grappler Class, destroyed. The Commander is requesting an update check on all team leaders"

"This is Valkyrie 1C. We just took out a Fort Class but there are still a few other smaller ones coming out of its body. We'll be finished in just a few minutes"

"Valkyrie 1B here. All clear on our end. Another 50 Grappler Class and 3 Fort Class down. No signs of enemy reinforcements. (Roger that) We'll do one more sweep of the sector before heading back to the XG-70's attack point. Ayamine, you're with me. Shirogane, Mitsurugi, take the East side and take down any BETA you see. (Copy that!)"

This is the third sweep we've done since we've set up base at the mouth of the Old water Dam. We kept a fixed distance at one another so that different platoons can support each other when in need. The Captain split her platoon in two leaving Sakaki to hold the gate while she handled another area. Hayase and the rest of the Storm Vanguard were sent out to pick out pockets of BETA that are still straggling around. I guess it should be expected from guys like us.

Munakata and her platoon are holding the high ground behind us. It's reassuring to know that someone's got your back.

**Anomaly…**

Hmm?

**Anomaly detected… subject unknown. Scanning…**

Huh? What was that voice just now? "Hey Meiya did you say something?"

"Hmm? No… I have not. Is something the matter?"

"No it's just that… I thought I heard a voice just now. It sounds familiar for some reason"

"Perhaps your transceiver is picking up other frequencies. That tends to happen with communicators" Yeah that sounds like it. Back in my house in my world, our radio would often pick up police traffic and telephone calls from our neighbors. I should probably lower my signal just to be on the safe side. "There does not appear to be any BETA in this area"

"Yeah… it looks like the diversionary force got most of them"

"I'll report back to 1st Lt. Hayase. Standby"

"Hey Meiya… (What is it?) Did you… notice something different about me when I fought? (…?) Do I look slower than before or something because my machine doesn't feel right. It's like they're not moving in the way I want them"

"No… I have not noticed anything wrong. You're moving the same as you've always have" Does she see it that way? I feel like I'm slower. "Perhaps your mind has just gotten used to the speed. (…?) It matters little. You should focus on the mission. (Y… yeah… you're right) This is Valkyrie 3B. No signs of enemy reinforcements on our end. We are returning to the gathering point"

"Valkyrie 1B, copy that. Get yourselves ready just in case we're needed to assist with the emergency plan" Emergency plan? What emergency plan? There wasn't any emergency plan during this time. (Flash) Did Yuuko sensei added something to this?

"Valkyrie 1A to team leaders. (…?) The 6th Orbit Diver Corps will be entering the atmosphere in 10 minutes. Grab all the supply containers you can find and regroup at the mouth of the mountain. So far the attack point is secure but we have to be prepared for anything"

The 6th Orbit Diver Corps—The Hive Infiltration unit. If I remember correctly, the first operation didn't go so well and they were wiped out when the large BETA horde appeared from the Hive itself. Yuuko sensei… I hope you did something to change this future.

"Valkyrie mum to all units. The Hive Infiltration unit has arrived"

Boom!

Uwoooo! That's just so cool no matter how many times you see it. To have TSFs dropped in from space and right down to earth, it's like seeing Valgernon all over again. I've only been dropped from space once and that was in the XG-70 but never in a reentry shell before. Just thinking about it gives me the chill already.

"Valhalla to all units" Marimo appeared on my screen. "The Hive infiltration unit is proceeding as planned. Remain on standby until further orders"

"Roger. We'll continue securing the A-02's attack point until further notice. Everyone form up and prepare to do another sweep. We'll— (Beep!)…!" Hmm? The captain stopped for a second there. Did something come up? "Standby…"

Hmm? That was weird… maybe she's checking out something. (Tug!) Huh? What the? My head is hurting again. (Tug!) It's not as painful as before but I can feel it. (Flash) Huh? What's this image? (Flash) I can see… the Captain and… Yuuko sensei? (Flash) They look like they're having a serious conversation. But… I don't remember seeing them together. (Flash) Could this be… a suppressed memory? Something that happened before in another loop? (Flash) It doesn't feel right. Why can't I remember this?

"Valkyrie Company, listen up" Huh? The captain's back. "We have a situation developing on the west coast. I'm being ordered to meet up with a detachment from Whisky in Old Kanai intersection to consolidate our position. (…!-?)" She's splitting from the group? That can't be right. This never happened before. "Hayase, you're in charge until I return. (Copy that) Shirogane, you'll take command of A Platoon for the mean time"

Something feels wrong. (Flash) There's a lingering feeling in me that something bad is about to happen. I can't shake it off. (Flash) I feel as if I'm… going to be reliving that moment the Captain… and Kashiwagi… (Flash)

"I'm moving out. Keep watch until then"

"Captain wait! (…?)" I suddenly spoke out. "I request permission to accompany you as well. (…?) This is hostile territory and all units are to go in pairs. (Denied…) Eh? Captain!"

"Wait Captain. I think he's right" Hayase vouched for me. "This might just be a stroll around the corner but we can never be too careful. Having someone watch your back might just save your life. (…)"

"Please captain" I begged a bit.

"Shirogane… I need you to take command of my platoon while I'm gone. It won't take long"

"Class rep. You mind taking over A Platoon for now? (Eh?) You're going deep into enemy territory captain and you're going to need someone good to cover your back. I know it might sound arrogant… but I'm the better option at following you. (…)" Come on Captain. You know deep down that I'm right. I have no idea what you're planning to do. I'm sure Yuuko sensei has something to do with this but you said it yourself that we need to be a team.

"I have no objections" Class rep answered back. "I can handle things from here"

The captain breathed out a sigh. "Fine. But stay on my back at all time" Yes!

"I won't fail you ma'am!" And just like that… we were off.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Back on the flagship

"Whisky Unit has successfully repelled third wave of enemies. Echo Unit's main force has moved northward bus is still in combat. Casualties are still increasing dramatically"

"All artillery batteries have stopped firing prior to the Phase 4 of the plan. The Hive infiltration units are continuing their progress. They are now within 200 meters below the surface. They report minimal resistance so far. Communication with the surface will be cut off once they reach 350 meters"

Yuuko muttered out to herself. "Just like he said they would. (…?) He's surprisingly accurate… that boy. (Ma'am?) Nothing. Continue with the operation as planned. What about Isumi?"

"She's heading to the meeting point at the moment. Whisky Butai is already on scene with the package but they're encountering some resistance from the enemy. Valkyrie 10 is following behind. (…?) 1st Lt. Shirogane has volunteered to escort the captain. Valkyrie 2 remained behind to command the company and secure the A-02 attack point"

"I see…" Yuuko didn't seem to mind his presence. "I guess there's no point telling him off. Prepare for the next counter phase. Admiral…"

"Yes of course. All parts were delivered safely and in secret. I pray that we won't have to use it here"

**(Old Kanai town) (Ruined settlement area) (95 kilometers from Susanoo's attack point)**

A group of TSFs were waiting at the meeting point. There were at least 5 of them, 4 were Gekishins and the other one was a Shiranui.

"All units, report in!" The one who sounded like the leader ordered. The group was engaging a large herd of BETA coming in from the north. It didn't occur to them that there was a Gate nearby and these aliens just seemed to have poured themselves out of the group to attack them. It was as if they were waiting for them to drop down their guard.

"This is Genji. We're being overwhelmed on the north side! There's too many of them! We need support!"

"Damn it! Where the hell are the U.N. troops? They should've been here by now!"

"This is Akira. 24 more Grapplers just emerged from the gate! 19 Destroyers are also present as well as a large number of Tanks! Requesting backup on our position!"

"Akira? Where the hell is Tsukasa!-?"

"I don't know! I haven't been able to raise her since she charged out"

"Damn it! This is stupid! Forget the package! We need to get the hell out of here!"

"Stand your ground! We can't let any of them get through! All units, form up at the center of town! We have to protect the delivery at all cost! (Roger!)"

"Captain! 12 Fort Class has just appeared from the Gate! (What!-?) Th… they're swarming us!"

"Akira, get the hell out of there! We need you back here now! Form up a firing line around the container! (Roger!) This is Cracker 1 to HQ! Enemy forces are growing too numerous for us to handle! We require support, over!"

"HQ to Cracker 1. All units are in play at the moment. No artillery is available at this time"

"Damn it! Of all the times to… (Raaaaarr!) You bastard!" She swung her blade sideward, wound the Grappler trying to reach her. "Try and get me now! (Uwaaaaa!) 04? 04, what happened?"

"I'm… I'm fine! That damn Destroyer just tried to ram me off the road!"

"Get over here as quick as possible! We need to form up now! 03, get back to my position! (…) 03? Akira, are you there?"

"R… roger that. I'm heading your way now" But just as she was about to withdraw, a Fort Class suddenly blocked her path. "H… Uwaaaaa! (Wham!) Gaaaaahhh!" She fired back but the monster's tentacle got to her first. "D… damn it all…"

"03! What happened?"

"It's nothing… I just got slammed. (Creak…) Eh? Wh… what the? I… I can't move! (03! What's wrong?) My transmission! My transmission's been hit! I… I can't move at all! (Raaaaaaaaarrr!) S… save meeee!"

"03, eject immediately! Get out of there!"

"I can't! My controls aren't responding! (…!) (Raaaaarrr!) Uwaaa!"

Whoosh!

But a blade saved her by a hair's length.

Ratatatatat!

"Gwoooooo!" Two Shiranuis bearing U.N. markings appeared from the dust. And before anyone even saw it coming, 12 Grapplers and 10 Destroyers were down and a shipload of Tanks was decimated.

"Th… the U.N. Special Task Force?"

**(Takeru's POV)**

That was too close… way too close for comfort. If I was a second too late… that Eishi would've been killed for sure. The whole place was flooded with BETA. How can you differentiate anything in this mess?

"Shirogane, good work!" Captain…? "We'll help the Imperial Force secure this area. Coordinate with them and proceed onward to the town!"

"Understood. I'll get that pilot and join you at soon as I can! (Roger! Good luck)" Alright… here we go! (Ratatatat!) They seem to focusing on taking down that TSF. My scanner is picking up an exosuit reaction meaning that the Eishi is still alive. "Hey you there! Are you alright? (Y… yes sir!) Can you move your unit at all?"

"No. Something's blocking my transmission. My secondary systems aren't responding either" That means she can't eject.

"Hold on. Let me take a look" Hmmm… the transmission is one of the hardest part to hit in a TSF. Back in Susono… I engaged my opponents by striking in that area because that's the least part they'd try to block since the armor is thickest there.

"Look out behind you!" Geh! A Fort Class? Now of all times!

"Get out of my fucking way! (Whoosh!)" Geez! You kill one and a thousand more fall in to take its place. I'll deal with the bigger ones first. "Hold tight. I'll be right back!" Come on Takeru. Come on! I can do better than this. I'm better than this! I killed a thousand of these things before! Why are you holding back now? (Flash!) Gaaaaaaaaahhhh!

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Takeru charged into the fray like a madman set loose upon the BETA. He cut open a path, making every BETA from here to Kanai focus their attention on him. He plowed his way even through the thickest parts and came out unscathed.

The pilot riding on the Gekishin could not help but gawk in amazement. "In… incredible… That's the U.N. Special Task Force?"

In one swipe, Takeru cut his way through the horde clean in half. Once they were far enough he boosted his way back to the girl like he had just gone for a stroll.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

That should keep them busy for a while. Now let's see here. The transmission… aha! Here's the problem. Something burned through the armor of the TSF.

"Hey, kid. (Y… yes sir?) Did a Fort Class get you? (Y… yes! Why?) The acid on its tentacle burned through your transmission. You won't be able to fight like this. I'll have to break through your cockpit and we can get out together. You got that? (Y… yes sir!) Alright. Stand back! (WHAM!)" There. Just enough force to cut through the cockpit armor. "Alright. Get on my hand. We're getting you back to your unit"

"Yes sir. Thank you sir!" A girl with orange hair appeared from the cockpit. She seems to be around Sumika's age if I'm not mistaken. "Alright, I'm on" She was on my hand.

"Hold on. I'm opening the cockpit" I let her in. She was small for a pilot. I guess the Imperial Army is also recruiting women in large quantities since the war began. The girl was about 14-15 years old with orange hair and a very small frame. She had some weight on my thighs but nothing that bothered me. "Alright. You know how to attach the safety harness, right? (Yes sir) Good. Do you know where your unit is?"

"They're at the center of town protecting the secret package that we were ordered to deliver, sir"

"Package?" What package is she talking about? (Raarrrr!) "Whoa!" No time to sit around and find out. I have to get back with the Captain as soon as possible. That means going through that mess over there. "Alright hold on tight. We're going to charge straight through! (Eh? Straight through… that?) No time to make a detour. Hang on! (Gah!) Gwoooo!" If I can kill a thousand of you in my previous loop, a few hundred should be child's play!

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

At the center of Old Kanai town, Michiru arrived to reinforce the units pinned at the area. Each one of them took a side while the BETA swarmed into the old town like an unending flood.

"Don't let them through! Keep firing!"

"I'll take the 4 Grapplers on this side" Michiru announced drawing her blade and raising her shield.

"Gah! I'm down to my last burst round!"

"04, take my last clip! Make every shot count! (Roger!) Cracker 1 to HQ, we are pinned down and in need of assistance! (Bzzzzt) Damn it! HQ, respond!"

"It's no good. The heavy metal cloud is interfering with our transmission. We can get through to High Command at all!"

"Then there's no choice. We have to move the package elsewhere. 02, 04, take the canister. I'll cover you. (Roger!)"

"Don't!" Michiru barked out. "Our point of retreat is completely blocked. If we turn our backs now, we'll all be destroyed!"

"We'll all be destroyed if we stay here! The least I can do is complete my mission. There's no way I'm—(Ratatatat!) What the? (Boom boom boom!) Where's that fire coming from?"

"Captain! Look! At 10 o'clock!"

"This is Valkyrie 2B. I'm going in for a strafing run. Watch out for debris!" Shirogane appeared from the sideline like magic. He cut through the horde of BETA and landed in front of the group in perfect form like a professional acrobat. "Take this!" He fired his 120mm rounds over and over making a wall of flame. The larger BETA strains fell on the manmade ditch and quickly blocked the path for the rest of their little cousins.

"Good work Shirogane! Cracker Squad, now's the time to fall back! Take the canister and move in NOE full boost! We'll cover you from behind! (R… roger that) Shirogane, cover us while we protect the package! (No problem!)"

While the Imperial Army withdrew with the strange tank like object, Shirogane and Michiru stood side by side holding off the BETA like they were lambs to the slaughter. Their teamwork was impeccable and they backed each other up like true professionals.

Raaaaarr!

A Grappler got close to the captain and swung its giant claw like arm at her.

"GAHH!" Luckily her shield took the blunt of that attack. "You son of a…!" She tossed away her shield and continued firing, keeping her cool on the whole situation.

"Captain! Take my gun!" Takeru threw his rifle to her and drew his extra blade on his back. With nothing but his wits, body and a whole lot of willpower he cut through the BETA like full grown rice on a harvest day. Michiru took to his support and fired both guns, eliminating the smaller strains of BETA before they even had the chance to get close.

Takeru was fast. Inhumanely fast… if one would say so themselves. Just when the BETA thought they caught him within their sights, he vanished and reappeared behind them the very next second. Before any of them even realized where he was… they were already dead.

By the end of a single minute, the whole ruined town was covered in the bodies of aliens and the earth drank in their blood with grave satisfaction.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Haaaaaa…haaaaaa… that was… intense. For some reason I was actually able to pull myself together. That went even better when I was with Hayase. Maybe a little workout was all I needed to get myself charged up.

"Th… that was… amazing…" The girl on my lap muttered. I'm surprised she didn't vomit. Her exosuit must've made her used to the motion sickness already. "I've never seen anything like that before. You cut through those BETA like they were nothing" Ahehe… getting compliments from a girl I've just met seems a little refreshing. "You really deserve the title of Special Task Force"

"Ah… thanks…"

"Shirogane, good work. The area is clear but don't get cocky. There might still be a few of them lurking around. We need to regroup with the Imperial Army" Ah right.

"Roger that. I'm right behind you ma'am"

We quickly regrouped with the Imperial Forces that withdrew earlier. They held themselves at the outer edge of town. There seems to be only three of them left, excluding the one I have in my cockpit.

"You guys saved our lives back there. Thank you" The captain of the Imperial Army nodded to us. "I didn't think we'd make it from that skirmish"

"Don't mention it" Isumi san replied. "Is the package secure?" There it is again. The Captain seems to know about the existence of this 'package'. It must be something important if we had to go through all the length to get here.

"Yes ma'am. It's right here. We thought we'd keep it inside the town since it was a more defendable position. We never expected the town to be right next to a Gate of all things"

"I'm sorry for your lost but we need to proceed with the plan. Can you set up the equipment?"

"Sure. 04, 02, bring the package here" The so called 'package' was a giant tank like object the size of a small building. It needed two TSFs to carry it properly on each handle which means that it was heavy. It was a cylinder like object towering about half the size of my Shiranui. Is this some kind of device that Yuuko sensei cooked up? "I hope this thing was worth the cost. I lost two of my men for it" Two men died protecting this thing?

"It will captain" The Captain seems sure. "Shirogane, I'm needed in that thing. I'm giving you remote access to my TSF just in case. Keep a look out anything suspicious. I won't be long. (Captain…) I know you have questions right now but not the time. I'll finish up as soon as I can"

I guess it must be some top secret mission that's only 'need to know basis'. "Understood. I'll keep a watch on the situation outside with the others. (Good)" I trust the captain. Even if she does keep things from us from time to time, we have to trust one another. Besides… I'm sure everyone knows that I'm keeping a lot of things from them. My secret mission, my origin… everything. Hell… I think I've lied more times in this world than I did back in my old world. And in my old world I was a regular liar. (Psssstt…) And there goes the captain. I can see her on my exterior cameras. She gave me complete control over her TSF. Short range remote controls like these are only useful for short range. After all, if we had remote controlled TSFs we'd probably have less casualties than this.

I have to say the captain is pretty bold. She's willing to go on foot in BETA country with nothing but a pistol to protect her. If Soldier or Warrior Class BETA comes by she'll be defenseless in that place. I have to make sure that nothing gets past me. (Tug!) Ugh… not again. My headaches are coming back too. The shot I gave myself isn't working either. I think it made it even worse. (Flash) Huh? What the? (Flash) What is this? Why am I seeing the captain? (Flash) She's… sitting in a dark room… with an oxygen mask strapped to her face. (Flash) She's crying… why? (Tug!) I don't remember this. I don't remember this at all! Am I seeing something that happened in another loop? Are these images, suppressed memories?

That can't be. I never saw the captain like this before. She'd never cry in front of me. (Flash) Am I looking into the past… or the future here? (Flash) Ugh… now I'm seeing pictures of other girls I don't recognize. There's one with green hair, another with long red hair and a young one with orange hair. (Flash) Who are they? And why are they appearing now of all time? This constant stress on my head will get me killed if I don't focus now.

"Hey, are you alright?" Huh? Oh… I almost forgot that I also have a passenger with me. "You look pretty pale"

"No I'm fine. I'm just a little sore from that stressful stunt I pulled"

"No surprise there. You were pretty cool but I guess even human can get sick of that" Heh… she's got spunk. "I already told my squad that I'm in here with you. (Huh?) The captain wants me back and it seems like I'm going to be getting a long lecture from her. (…) But before I leave… I'd like to know the name of the person who saved me. (Eh?)"

"Ah… Shirogane" I answered unconsciously. "1st Lt. Shirogane Takeru. It's nice to meet you…"

"Akira. My name is Isumi Akira"

(Flash) Isumi? The Captain's little sister?


	31. Black Christmas Part 2

**Chapter 31: Black Christmas (Part 2) (Behind the Scenes of War)**

**(Takeru's POV) (Sadogashima) (Old Kanai Town)(3 hours 20 minutes after battle began)**

"Akira. My name is Isumi Akira…"

Isumi? (Flash) It… can't be…

"You're Michiru's little sister? (Eh?)" Wait… how do I know that? How do I even know her? I'm sure that this is the first time that we've met yet… why do I get the feeling that we've met before? (Flash) How do I know her?

"Michiru? You know her?" Ah crap… I said things out loud. "Then that person who came out of that TSF really was her…" Eh? She can see outside the cockpit too? Duh of course. All she needs to do was link her suit's function to the TSF monitor and then she can see everything that I see. "She's also fighting here… with me. (…) The Special Task Force huh… heh… I should've known she'd be so far ahead of us. (Umm…) Sorry. I guess you could say I'm a bit surprised. I won't ask why she's here or what you guys are doing. I know that the U.N. Special Task Force is doing something incredible so I'll keep it to myself"

"Uh… sure… thanks" She's a soldier too. I guess that trait runs in the family.

"Sorry… I guess I must be pretty weird to you right now"

"No… not at all. I just… never thought that I would meet the captain's sister in this mess"

"I see" She gave out a short breath. "But… have we met before? (Hmm?) How did you know I was her sister?" How indeed. I didn't even know. All I had were a few blurry images in my head and the next thing I know, I had knowledge that she was the Michiru's sister. It's like trying to remember something that you don't even know.

"Ummm… the captain… Michiru told me about you" I made up a half truth-lie. "She said that you were on this operation as well"

"Heh… I guess she's still worried about us around here"

"Alright everyone, listen up" The Imperial Army Captain stated out. "We're going to set up a line of fire around this area. Just because we beat the last group doesn't mean we have to drop our guard. There's no end to these monsters especially when we're this close to their Hive. We're going to change to a more defendable position. The old intersection by the road should be good. There's a lot of open ground between us and that gate. There are also some supply containers there. Resupply in pairs. Genji will go first. U.N. pilot, are you still with us?"

"Yes ma'am. I'll coordinate with you"

"Good. You're with me. Once we rearm, we'll set up a firing line to mow down any BETA that comes to play. Akira, you still there?"

"Yes captain" She replied.

"You stay with the U.N. Eishi for now. Once we get the all clear signal, we'll withdraw back to Mano Bay and return you to the next ship out. (Roger). 04, 02. You guys carry the package. (Yes sir!) You there soldier, can you cover us?"

"Yes sir" I answered back.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Back on the Flagship Saijou, the rest of High Command were watching the battle from a relatively safe distance.

"Whisky Unit's main force has reestablished the battle line. The Honor Guards are rearming at the beachhead and will be ready in three minutes"

"Echo Unit has are holding off the last the BETA in their area. They will have complete control of Ryoutsu Bay and Lake Kamo soon"

"Our forces appear to have the upper hand in this fight" Admiral Kozawa nodded with approval but Yuuko seems to disagree.

"The fight is not over yet. It looks as if the BETA are holding back on us"

"And we took advantage of that situation perfectly. We have the whole area under our control and even your Special Task Force appears to be doing well, even on their own. (Really? I wonder…) Professor… do you have so little faith in our soldiers?"

"Oh no, that's not it at all, Admiral" Yuuko waved out a sarcastic gesture. "I have full faith that the soldiers will do their duties to the letter but I save my faith in someone else. (Oh?) Someone who is willing to do what others cannot"

"Are you speaking of the two whom singlehandedly held off and annihilated a herd of BETA on their own? I've heard rumors of such a pilot during the coup d'état a few weeks back"

"One of them at least" She corrected. "But you sell them too much, Admiral. (Hooo?) There are many pilots with astounding records as well"

"Perhaps that is true" The old sailor nodded apologetically. "I have seen many pilots with incredible records myself. A few of them are friends of mine. But one particular Eishi springs from the words of those pilots. One with incredible skill"

"There are many pilots with incredible skill. I just happen to have one"

"Of course of course… killing hundreds alone is no small feat… but for a pilot to defeat his opponents without killing them takes greater talent professor" Yuuko didn't show any reaction. But you can tell that Shirogane was at the heart of this topic. "And correct me if I'm wrong but I do not recall seeing any pilot with such prowess before. (…) Hehehe… forgive an old man for being nosy. But it is in my nature to ask such things. (…) Perhaps it is best that it remains untold. The ALTERNATIVE Plan truly does have powerful weapons at its disposal"

"I shall leave it to your imagination, Admiral"

"The Hive infiltration force has reached 400 meters below surface!" Lt. Piatif interrupted them. "Minor resistance so far. Whisky Platoon is following not far behind"

"They're moving slower than expected. They're supposed to reach 600 meters by now. (Ma'am)" Yuuko took a look at her watch, recalling the time. "Only an hour left. Tch. 1st Lt. Piatif. If the Hive Infiltration force cannot reach 600 meters within the next 30 minutes, tell them to withdraw immediately. (…?) If they can't even reach half way through all of this then at this point we'll only be going on a war of attrition. And as far as I know we're at a disadvantage in that situation. (Yes ma'am) Is this alright with you, Admiral?"

"Hmm… it seems that you were bent on using Plan B from the very beginning, Professor Kouzuki. (Perhaps…) Very well. I have no objections. I do not wish to waste any more lives than necessary"

"Understood… I shall contact the unit. HQ to Aquila 1, respond, over—"

"Suzumiya, what's the status of Isumi and Shirogane?"

"They're currently at the intersection of Old Kanai town. There's a gate near the town so they had to relocate to a more defendable position. The rest of Valkyrie Company under 1st Lt. Hayase's command are still holding the area 20 kilometers from the attack point. No complications are expected. (Bzzzt…) Standby… (…) Yes… understood. Vice Commander, Captain Isumi is requesting a Priority One channel. The signal is weak due to the heavy metal cloud above the field but we can still hear her. Should I patch her through?"

"Please do. (Beep)" It was then, Michiru's face reappeared on screen. "Isumi… status update"

"Ma'am. I'm showing the data right now. (Beep)" A map of an underground base appeared on screen next to her face. "Preliminary scans are complete. The facility is still serviceable. The entrance is directly below the Old Town of Kanai, right next to a Hive Gate. Thanks to the heavy metal plating used to contain the chemical, the BETA doesn't seem to have breached the facility. However it looks like most of the basic equipments are in a state of disrepair. Most of the areas, including the loading bays are unusable. The scans also say that there are no BETA inside"

"That was expected. Even Japanese engineering can last long against the test of time. Can you get to it at least? (Yes ma'am) Then that's all we need. How long will it take you to get the drill ready?"

"The container I'm in was primed when I got in. All I need is to be in the precise location. I can get in once I'm there"

"Very well, do what you can"

"Professor Kouzuki…" the Admiral interrupted them. "Would you like us to send another squad just to make sure that the plan follows through?"

"No. If that facility malfunctions there's a good chance that they'll all be dead in the first minute. Besides… he's there too. That's all the protection she'll need"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Ratatatatat!

Raaaaarrr!

"This is Shirogane… that's the last of them. I'm reading nothing else on my radar"

"Roger that. Good work. You guys aren't so bad after all" Haaaa… that's the 3rd wave we've fought so far. There really is no end to the BETA around their turf. Three of them tried to pop up below me in the last five minutes. Controlling one TSF was fine but trying to control two of them was like trying to play a Game Guy while playing the Rintendo with another hand altogether. The Captain's Shiranui suffered a bump but nothing serious.

"…"

"Hmm? What's wrong Akira?"

"Sorry… I guess I'm a little anxious. It's not easy to just sit by while my friends are fighting out there"

"Heh… I know that feeling well. (…?) But don't worry. Have faith in yourself. You'll get your chance to help out sooner or later" So far it's clear. The BETA aren't surfacing from the Hive and the sound sensor has been quiet. It's only been 40 minutes since the infiltration force went in. That means we still have an hour left before anything hectic happens. Hmmm… what to do? The captain told me not to contact the others to keep whatever it is here a secret. If Hayase contacts me I'm supposed to tell her that we're experiencing some difficulties with the Imperial Army. I wonder what's in that container that's so secret.

"Valkyrie 1A to Valkyrie 2B"

"Huh? Oh Captain. Are you done yet?"

"Not quite. I need the container moved to a precise location" Moved? She wants to move that giant hunk of metal somewhere, after all the trouble to get it here? "I need it placed at these coordinates. (Beep)" Hmm? These coordinates?

"These coordinates are at the dead center of Kanai town. (Exactly…) But the BETA has total control of that place. We barely escaped the last time"

"Sorry. But that's the only area I can deploy this container" Aaaahh… more top secret stuff. Why do they have to hide things from me? If Yuuko sensei developed it, she should share her plans with me too. (Flash) But then again… she didn't say anything when she changed the plan for me to go to Susono City during the rebellion. Even if she didn't share it… the plan worked out well. I should trust her more.

"Alright, I'll tell the rest of the unit. (Thanks)"

"Was that… onee san?" Akira looked up to me with a curious glow in her eyes.

"Yeah… sorry but I can't let you talk to her. Standard procedures"

"That's ok. (…) It's best if she doesn't know that I'm here. I don't want her to be distracted. (Pffft…) What's so funny?"

"Ahehehe… sorry. It's just that… your sister said the same thing to me" Heh… they're more alike than I thought. And here I was thinking that she would the complete opposite and more reckless than the others. "This is Shirogane to Cracker Squad. I have news for the battle plan. We need to move the container at the center of town"

"What? Are you kidding me? We barely got out of that place! It's too close to the gate. We'll get swarmed for sure!"

"Genji, shut up! (S… sorry ma'am)" Heh… a pretty hot headed team. "Are you sure? It's kind of dangerous to go in there. The BETA might be waiting for us inside to ambush us"

"It's the only way. I'm not sure why it's important but I think it'll be worth the risk"

The captain on the other line gave a sigh. "Alright… we'll do it. 02, 04, carry the container as usual. The U.N. Eishi and I will cover you"

"God… I hate this"

"Stop whining and follow orders!"

We moved out towards the Old Town of Kanai again with the canister right behind us. There's a lot of dust in the way and the heavy metal cloud on top of us caused by the artillery barrage seems to be interfering with our transmission. The short range transmission alone is bad enough already.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

There is it. The Old Kanai Town. I'm surprised that some of the buildings were still intact. With all this BETA activity, I expected it to be leveled down to the ground by now. There were still a lot of bodies littered around the Outskirts and probably a lot more inside the town.

"Shirogane here. I'll go and check it out first. I'll signal you guys in when I've done a scan"

"Cracker Squad, roger. We'll hold out in the outskirt. But make it quick. All this silence is making me uneasy"

"Roger. I won't be long" Hmm… this is odd. The BETA were here just a minute ago. We killed a whole bunch of them before we left but not all. Did they leave? It's not like them to give up on the chase. Maybe we got them during their attack? "I'm not picking anything on the scanner…"

"Thermal sensors are normal too" Huh? "Sound sensors are reading minimal activity on the surface. (…) Ah… s… sorry. I thought I could help" This girl…her suit was now linked to my TSF as a viewer so she can only see and hear, not meddle around.

"That's alright. Just tell me first when you link up with my TSF, ok? (Yes sir…) Anyway, it looks like the coast is clear. Nothing unusual. It's as if they all went away. (…) This is Shirogane. The area is secure—you can come on in. (Roger that)" I quickly placed Isumi's Shiranui next to me to act as my rearguard. The town was a defendable position but considering that it's literally almost next to a BETA Hive I'm not sure we'll be able to hold this position at all.

After awhile, Cracker Squad lowered the canister to its exact location. "Alright. The package has been delivered. What now?" I shrugged back in reply. I didn't even know what we were doing all the way here in the first place.

"My captain told us to hold this position. I'm not sure what they're trying to do but she said that she'll be done in about ten or twenty minutes"

The Imperial Army Eishi sighed. I guess she doesn't being kept out of the loop either. "Alright. Form up everyone. 02, 04, you two will hold the east point. That's the biggest road leading to the center of town. The U.N. pilot and I will hold here. Don't rely too much on your scanners so keep an eye out for anything suspicious. (Yes ma'am)"

As they were forming their positions, I quickly contacted my captain to explain the situation. "Captain. Are you alright in there?"

"Y… yeah. Though they could've dropped me a bit gentler. What's the situation outside?"

"The town is clear of all BETA but we haven't scanned the outskirts. It's like they left in a hurry"

"I see. Very well… keep a lookout with the others. Remain on radio silence until further noticed"

"Eh? But Captain, do you need help in there?"

"No" That was a quick answer. "I can deal with the matter down here by myself. Just keep a lookout for me. I'll be done in roughly 10-20 minutes"

**(XG-70's attack point)**

While Shirogane and Michiru continued to play along with Yuuko's plan, the rest of the Valkyrie Squad were feeling quite anxious with the sudden silence. They had already beaten back the last of the BETA that attacked and so far they had encountered nothing above a few Grapplers and Destroyers and even a handful of Tanks. They had the attack point locked down tighter than Yuuko's laboratory and not even a single infantry can slip pass their defenses without one of them noticing.

"Team leaders, report in" Hayase ordered, getting the team back together.

"Platoon C, all clear" Munakata answered back. "No signs of enemy in our position. It looks as if they've gone quiet"

"P… Platoon A, all clear!" Sakaki stuttered back nervously. After all she was now commanding a unit of her own in a real life and death situation. "We fought off a small group of Tanks and Soldier Class. Nothing else to report"

"What the heck? I was expecting a lot more from the BETA. Where the hell did they all go?" Hayase threw out a small tantrum to herself. "I was expecting a lot more than this from these monsters"

"Maybe the artillery shells got them all?" Kashiwagi joked. "It did rain pretty hard a few hours ago"

"Maybe 1st Lt. Hayase scared them off with her frightening aura. (Mu-na-ka-ta…) It wasn't me. Shirogane said that before we departed. (Don't shift blames!) But it's true…"

"Misae san…" Kazama cooed. "You do know that Shirogane isn't here to entertain you, right?"

"Ah… yeah that's right. It's no fun no one else is making a big deal out of it. (Hey! Don't ignore me!) I almost wished Kashiwagi went with the captain instead…"

"Ora… I got substituted for a boy…" The gang shared a small laugh together calming themselves down from the whole fight.

"But it is strange though" Kazama added. "Shouldn't the two of them returned by now? The Captain said that she would coordinate with the Imperial Army. It shouldn't take her this long to finish"

"They're probably just taking their time" Hayase guessed. "What's the matter Kazama? Did you miss him already?"

"1st Lieutenant. You do know that those tricks won't work on me. I've stayed with Misae san longer than any of you"

"Bah… you're no fun"

"What's the matter Hayase? Are you missing Shirogane also?"

"Of course I should! I need to get a rematch with that guy! I can't stand it when the score is still tied like that! He's probably out there killing more than me! (Huhuhuhu) Don't laugh or I'll hit you when we get back to base!"

"Hai hai. I'll stop. But in any case it seems like that boy can really leave a lasting impression. (…) Ohhhh? Is the Lieutenant, speechless? (Mu-na-ka-ta!) Huhuhu…"

"Valkyrie mum too all units" The squad silenced and listen when the transmission came. "Whisky and Echo Units have secured both beachheads. We now have full advantage of the area but there are still BETA activity surrounding the Hive. The A-02 will be arriving in approximately 30 minutes. Continue securing the attack point as you have been"

"Valkyrie 1B, roger that. What about Shirogane and Isumi?"

"Valkyrie 1A and 2B are meeting with the Imperial Army near the Old Kanai town. They are assisting Cracker Squad establish 2nd front against the BETA Hive at this moment. They will be unable to assist you in the mean time"

"Tch… I knew it. Shirogane is racking up more kills than me after all! Maybe I should've volunteered myself in going with her"

"Now now, don't be mad Hayase san" Munakata cooed her. "Just because he's the Alpha Dog doesn't mean he'll go and cheat on people. He'll be back before you know it"

**(Old Kanai Town)**

This is really strange. It's been ten minutes now and no sign of any BETA. It's as if they just packed up and left in a hurry for something. It wasn't this easy back in my previous loop. Back then we had a hard time just diverting the BETA away but now it seems like we had the whole place all to ourselves. Something was up… and even Akira can feel it. Perhaps this was something only the BETA would know about.

"02, 04, anything on your end?"

"04 here… no. Nothing on my radar either. It's like the whole place is dead silence"

"Captain… I do not like this. I know that this might sound weird but I could sure use a BETA attack right about now"

"Shut up and keep to your post, Genji" I can't blame the guy though. All this silence after all that fighting was getting on my nerves too. Even Mikoto would agree with me. (Flash) Huh? What the? Why did I just have an image of my best friend appear in front of me? I felt myself pulsing for a second there. (Flash) Ugh… and the image of us in the hanger is not what I need right now. (Flash) It's embarrassing just thinking about it.

Maybe it's my manly urges getting into that period again. After all… I have done it a few times with… them. (Flash) (Flash) (Flash) Tama, Class rep, Ayamine. Just remembering it makes my cheek burn. Damn… maybe Munakata wasn't far off when she called me the Alpha Male.

"Hey, are you alright? (Hmm?) You looked a bit flushed"

"Ah… my bad. I was just thinking of something. (…?) It's nothing important. We should continue maintaining our patrol. (Yeah) I should probably inform the captain about the situation up here as well. (Beep) Valkyrie 2B to Vakyrie 1A, the area is secured. How's it going on your end? (…)" Hmm? No response? Is the captain keeping to her radio silence rule? (Flash) I know that standard military says that I should trust my comrades… but still… (Flash) Why is it that I have that numbing feeling in my chest? Why do I get the feeling that something bad is about to happen?

"…" Akira seems worried too now that she knows that her sister was in the area. I can understand her feeling. To be on foot near a BETA infested ground was completely suicide. We have mechanized infantry working their way on Whisky and Echo Units but no one really stays on foot for long out here.

Tch… my watch says that there's only 1 hour left before the counterattack.

"This is Shirogane. I'm going in to assist the captain to speed up whatever it is she's doing"

"Cracker 1, roger. We'll update you on the situation as it happens. (Thanks) 02, take position here"

I closed transmission and quickly shut down all systems. "Are you crazy? (Huh?) Are you seriously going down there on foot? This place is still a battle zone. There might be smaller strain of BETA around the town"

"Hey relax. I'm just going to help the captain in any way that I can. Besides, we haven't seen any BETA for ten minutes now. And the faster the captain finishes on her area, the faster we can get out of here. (…)" I can already tell from her face that she wants to follow but she already knew the answer before she even asked the question. This was U.N. Property so Imperial Army Eishis like her aren't allowed to see what secrets we had here. "Don't worry… I won't take long"

"Alright… but please… look after Michiru for me"

"Heh… no need to worry about that"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Haaaaa! It's hot hot hot hot hot! The ground was scorching and the atmosphere around here was terrible. The artillery rain that came down earlier made this place even more inhospitable if that was even humanly possible. The ground was burning hot like magma and the heavy metal cloud above us made the air almost impossible to breathe without air tanks. Luckily my suit provided just enough oxygen to last a few hours in inhospitable land.

There are no BETA around my immediate vicinity but that doesn't mean they weren't there. I gave Akira control over my TSF for now to cover me. From the looks of it, she seems to be an experienced pilot herself. I took out my sidearm and made my way towards the large container.

The thing was the size of that department store I used to go to back in my world. What could the Yuuko sensei want the captain to do in a place like this?

Pssst…

The door whistled open. The place was protected with a ten inch thick armor so the BETA will have a hard time biting through its material. There were a lot of computers in this place. It looked a lot like a research lab if you look closely.

…?

Is that… a drill? There's a giant drill in the middle of the container. It's like the thing you'd see on the Discover Channel where the miners would use something like this to dig for gold or oil. But what the hell do you need one here for?

Bah that's not the point right now. I need to find Isumi.

"Captain. Captain Isumi, are you here? (…) Captain? Captain, where are you?" There was no response. I'm getting that bad vibe in me again. "Captain, if you're here, please respond. (Ruffle) Whoa!" There's a giant hole on the ground where the drill was pointing. Was the captain using that thing earlier? Was she digging for something?

There's a glow stick at the bottom. Did she go inside? (…) I know that this is not something a soldier should do but I can't help myself. There's light coming from the bottom so that means that there's someone or something there.

Hup! Oooff

Damn… maybe I should've taken the ladder instead of jumping all the way down. I thought that the ground would be softer than this but it felt like hitting metal. Where the hell is this place anyway? (Ruffle) …! Wh… what the? There's a door here. A door just like the one in Yuuko's laboratory—a high-tech door that required an ID Pass. If you don't have the proper ID then the door will simply lock you out.

But… why is there such a thing here? Near a BETA Hive no less? Is this some kind of hidden facility or something? The floor and the ceiling were all made out of the same material too. This place… is almost identical to the lab. (ruffle) What was that? Captain?

"Captain! Is that you? (…)" Damn it! Answer me if you're there! There are some glow sticks lying around here. That must mean that she did come here for a reason. But what could she possibly want from a place buried underground.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

I followed the trail of glow sticks into the facility. Through that door I came upon an elevator that had only one button. It was a huge elevator. You can stuff an elephant in there and you'd still have room for a truck or two. The power was out so I had to take the fire escape stairway. The facility had about five floors down so it was pretty easy for anyone to get in and out. It's a little rusty but I think it should be able to hold my weight.

Hmm? The glow sticks lead right to the bottom floor and into the adjacent room. Did the captain go in there? "Captain! Hello?" Damn… the lights are dimmer in that area. I'll have to rely on the glow sticks that she left behind.

Hmm… the door sign says… Laboratory 9. I was right… this place really was a lab after all. The area was a bit dark but I can see enough to tell what this place was. There were test tubes, beakers, biohazard suits, storage freezers, advance processing computers and things I can't even name. Everything you needed to make a mad scientist lab was right here.

There were more glow sticks leading to another adjacent room. A glass window leading another area was in sight. There were giant tanks made of glass there, each of them cracked open or empty. The more I go in, the more I feel like I'm transported into a movie set. Can you blame me? This place had that atmosphere where zombies can simply pop out of nowhere and eat you alive. If there was a morgue down here I'd probably pass this place as creepy.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Haaaa… more rooms. The glow stick trail keeps leading on. I've been following the path for five minutes now and still nothing. The captain must know where she's going or else she would've gotten lost in this maze.

Pffft!

Damn… it's pretty dusty. I guess after being underground for so long without maintenance and ventilation would do that to any facility.

The air was pretty thin around here too. My oxygen supply on my suit won't last long so I'd better find the captain quick. (Ruffle) Gah! There are piles of useless junk on the floor. Geeze… when was the last time anybody cleaned this place? A janitor will be having a field day for sure. I barely even see the logo on this wall—huh? Hey wait… isn't that…? (Ruffle) There's no mistake… that's a U.N. This facility must've belonged to the U.N. back when it was active.

I can't read the rest. Maybe if I dusted it off a bit. (Ruffle) …! N… no… no way. This can't be right…

ALTERNATIVE II

Click…

"Freeze!"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

**(Flagship Saijou)**

Beeeep!

A loud ringing sound echoed from Marimo's computer, alerting her to an anomaly. "Huh? That can't be right. (Beeeeep!) Vice Commander. I'm picking something on the ship's sonar wave. Something massive just came on our screen"

"What is it?"

"I'm… not sure. It just appeared so suddenly like it came out of nowhere. It's big. From the reading… it should be about 400 feet long and 180 feet wide and it's… right on the surface of the bottom of the ocean. (…?) It's huge and it's moving towards us at 50mph. At that speed, it'll reach below us in less than 2 minutes"

"The other ships are reporting it on their radar as well" Suzumiya added, confirming this new threat. "They're requesting confirmation on the unidentified object"

"Could it be a wild animal?" The admiral inquired curiously.

"Most of the wildlife was extinct for a long time now. The only animals I know now are aliens" Yuuko noted, a tinge of her belly was getting a bad feeling about this. "Could this be something even 'he' couldn't predict? (…?) Nonetheless… we should consider it a viable threat"

"I agree. Tell all ships to steer clear of the object. Where is it heading?"

Haruka looked at her monitor once again before answering. "Judging from its present course, the unidentified object will reach Sadogashima Island in 4 minutes. It will pass through Mano Bay and straight in"

"Alert Whisky Leader about the situation. (Roger) Have all our submarines withdraw to a safe distance as well. I want them to report what they can see down there"

"Understood. Alerting all subs to withdraw to a safe distance"

The admiral then turned his attention to the professor who seemed to be deep in thought. "Do you know something, Professor?"

"I have a rough theory… but no evidence yet. (Hmm…) All we can do now is prepare for the worse. This is the battlefield after all. Lt. Piatif… what's the Hive Infiltration force status?"

"They're withdrawing from the Hive as we speak. No complications. Whisky Platoons has successfully retreated to the forward line and are holding up near the ditch close to the frontline. They're engaging a small number of BETA at the moment"

"Admiral, we just lost contact from Stingray Sub 2. (What!-?) The Marine Corp is looking into it. We simply lost contact when they tried approaching the unidentified object. (Bzzzzt) Wait… standby. (…) Sub 3 has just confirmed Stingray sub's status. They're taking in a lot of water and are now making an emergency raise to surface"

"Tell the remaining subs to withdraw immediately. There's no point engaging something we can't even see. (Yes sir)"

Yuuko noted the damage and quickly sought advice from the only person she could trust in the future. "Marimo. Alert the Valkyrie Company just in case. We might be dealing with something we haven't seen yet. (Roger)" She then looked at her wrist-watch and noted the time difference. "We still have a good 45 minutes. I hope that his predictions hasn't dulled just yet"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

**(ALTERNATIVE II Facility) (Takeru's POV)**

A gun noise sounded near my head when I heard that voice. Damn it… I was so engrossed with the symbol that I dropped my guard for a second there.

"Shirogane?" Uh… huh? Captain? "Wh… what are you doing here?" She slowly placed her sidearm back in its holster. "I thought I told you to wait outside!"

"S… sorry ma'am. It's just that you wouldn't respond to any of my transmissions. I know that you said to maintain radio silence but I was worried"

"I can perform my own mission fine. (sigh) If we weren't on the battlefield right now I would've had you perform latrine duties for a week for insubordination" Geh… "But I guess the Vice Commander expected this as well. (Eh?) She said that you would come in even if I told you not to" Yuuko sensei? Did she talk with her? "But if you're here then who's protecting our TSFs?"

"Ah… a member of Cracker Squad" It was true… but I can't exactly tell her that it's her sister or she'll prove to be too much a distraction. "She said that she'll watch over for us"

"Leaving our equipment with soldiers of a different faction. That's not exactly standard procedure but considering the situation, I'll let it slide. (Huh?) Well… since you're here already you can help me a bit. (Ah… s… sure)"

The captain led the way down the hall following the trail of glow sticks she left behind. This place was deep. Deeper than I thought it was. There were more corridors and rooms that I could imagine. If it weren't for the glow sticks, I would've been lost for sure. She was following a map she brought with her which led most of the way.

"So… why are you here anyway, captain? (…) Can you tell me why Yuuko sensei sent you all the way out here?"

"A contingency plan just in case something should happen in the middle of the battlefield" A contingency plan? I heard Lt. Piatif said something about that but I don't know a thing about the plan. "It was a one shot plan that wasn't expected to be used. Since you're so close to the Vice Commander, I'm sure she probably told you about the other ALTERNATIVE Plans" The other ALT plans? (Flash) Wait… I think I remember her telling me about them. ALTERNATIVE IV and V were the latest plans made to increase the survival ratings of humanity.

I don't quite remember all of them in detail but I do know that all of them failed. ALTERBNATIVE V was the last ditch plan of humanity resulting in evacuating 100000 people from Earth to find a hospitable planet to grow. ALTERNATIVE IV was the one we're in charge of.

"ALTERNATIVE II began here before the BETA landed on Earth. Specimens of live BETA would be brought to this place all the way from the moon. (…!) I don't know all the details myself but I do know that it ended about 2 years after it started. A lot of resources were given to the scientists here but in the end they didn't produce enough results and were eventually shutdown" Wait… if that's true then that means that there were living BETA here in this facility?

"But… why is it buried all the way here?"

"It was an ideal place. There were military bases all around Sadogashima and a body of water between us and the mainland. Back then… the ALTERNATIVE Plans were kept in absolute secret, only those of the highest echelon knew about its existence. (…) Eventually… more and more BETA specimens were needed to continue research. Tank, Soldier and Warrior Class were no longer sufficient. They needed even Grappler and Destroyer Class and even Laser Class were stored in here. (…!) But that's where the problem started"

"Problem… ma'am?"

"We're here…" She stopped her story suddenly when we came in front of a door that had a biohazard sign warning. "Hold this…" She handed me the map and her flashlight and began tinkering with the door. "Hmm… there seems to be power. Hold on a second" She pressed a couple of buttons on the electronic lock and quick enough, the large metallic door opened up like magic. "We're in"

What was this place? There were twelve large white tanks in front of us the size of TSFs. How can something like this be built so deep underground?

"Looks like they're all intact. Good"

"Intact? What is intact? Captain… what are these?"

"White Phosphorus. (Eh?) The large tanks you see here all contain a military grade chemical called White Phosphorus. I'm sure you've heard of it" White Phosphorus? Wait… I think I remember hearing that chemical name in a documentary channel I watched before. They were used as chemical weapons back during World War II and are still being used today. But why here…? "These were built prior to appease with the Empire when ALTERNATIVE II was still making progress. The government was getting worried about the large number of BETA being stored in here and feared that a BETA outbreak was still possible"

That's no surprise. Knowing that the BETA was living right next door must've made a lot of people anxious. The XM3 trial was proof of what could've happened if something went wrong here.

"To counter this possibility, the U.N. had large storage tanks built in here. If a BETA incursion should happen, they would release this onto the surface of the island, killing everything and everyone on the island itself"

"Wait… kill everyone? But what about the people working here?"

"They would become expendable. (…!) I know it's difficult to believe but at that time, the image of the U.N. needed to be kept intact. If a BETA incursion should happen because of some minor malfunction then all traces of its existence here must be destroyed. No exception. (That's… cruel…) I know… but fortunately for them, they never had the chance to use it. (…?) When the BETA landed here, this facility was abandoned and no one knew of its existence until now" Are you saying that this place has been here all along and I didn't know it? Well that's no surprise seeing that we had to destroy the whole island with a G-Bomb. But still… this can't be a coincidence.

"So is this the reason why Yuuko sensei sent you alone?" I asked fearing the answer already.

"Yes. Should the BETA somehow retake the surface, we will use the chemical weapons here and spread it to the atmosphere. The E.U. and Russians used the same tactic against the BETA many years ago and found it affective but the resulting collateral damage became unacceptable after awhile"

"But what about the soldiers fighting on the surface?"

"Relax. They won't be affected. The spread will only be concentrated around Kanai, Niibo and Mt. Kinpoku. Any BETA ranging from Soldier to Grappler Class will be vaporized in a few minutes time. (…?) Heh… we've talked long enough. I'm just shared information with one of my subordinates… how pathetic of me. (Captain…) We shouldn't dawdle. The faster we finish this the better. (Rumble) Huh? What was that?"

"An earthquake?" No that can't be. It's something else.

**(Whisky Main Force frontlines)**

A loud and enormous trembling occurred causing the soldiers of the frontlines to suddenly murmur amongst themselves.

"Did anyone feel that?"

"An earthquake? Here? That's impossible. (Rumble!)"

"There it is again. I'm getting seismic activity below us!"

"Everyone stay calm. Keep your eye on the sensors. The BETA might be trying to dig under you"

"Sir… there's some strange activity down there. I've never seen anything like it before"

"Whisky Alpha Leader to Phoenix 1. What's going on over there?"

"Phoenix 1 here. We're encountering strange activities below us. Standby… (Loud rumble!) Gah! What the?"

"It's getting louder. Just what the hell are the BETA planning now?"

The rumbling noise became louder and the ground itself began to shake as if the Earth itself was being moved by an external force. The soldiers began to look around in fright but no one could explain what was going on.

And right before anyone knew it, the ground gave way, creating a sinkhole the size of a city…

"GWAHHHHH!"

"This is Red 1 to Whisky Alpha Leader! Something's happening!"

"Look out! The ground is giving way! (H… haaaaaa!) Bravo 1!"

"All units, scatter! Get out of the immediate vicinity now!"

"Is this an earthquake?"

"At a time like this?"

But it was too late. The men and women that were caught in the sinkhole fell in. The rocks and earth that made up the ground came crashing down on everything and everyone in range. It was a massacre.

"This is Whisky Alpha Leader! What's going on over here! (…) Phoenix 1? Tango 1? Anyone?"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Back on the Saijou…

"Emergency alert on Whisky Main Force! (What's going on?) A massive tremor just caused a sinkhole to appear. (Beeeeep!) Wait… 1… 2… no 3! I'm reading three seismic activities happening around the Mano Bay Coast!"

"Whisky Bravo Leader is not responding! His transmission was just cut!"

"40% of Whisky Unit just went dead! The third armored battalion is moving but they're caught in the confusion!"

"Can we send some units from Echo?"

"No. They'll never reach them in time! (Beep!) N… no way! (What's wrong?) Code 991! I repeat—Code 991! BETA are emerging from every Gate from Mt. Kinpoku to Sawata! The defenses are failing!"

"Alert every squad available! Reestablish defense at the last line!"

Yuuko gave out a breath. "How many BETA are there?"

"Approximately 10000! No Laser Class detected!"

"It seems like they got us" The admiral muttered in irritation. "Tell Captain Iguchi to provide cover for the troops on the ground. Send them coordinates immediately"

"Sir! Half of the 3rd Fleet have already exhausted their ammunitions. They won't be affective against such a force. The supply ships are still leagues away!"

"They're holding back…" Yuuko muttered glancing at her watch from time to time. "That's 10000… but where are the other 30000?"

Back on the front, the soldiers scramble to get themselves together.

"This is Whisky Alpha Leader to all units. Fall back. I repeat—fall back to the final defensive line! 3rd Company, hold the enemy off while we 1st and 2nd Company reform!"

"November 1, roger! We'll do our best! (More BETA coming in from the north!) Geh… at a time like this? 02, what are our loses?"

"I'm only getting signal from 30% of our company"

"30%!-? Tch… we can take such damage so suddenly! Our command structure can't sustain this!"

"Captain, what do we do?"

"Tell everyone who are too damaged to fight to withdraw anyway they can. Those who can still wield a gun will try to hold them off for as long as possible! (Ratatatatat!)"

"But sir… there are four Gates in front of us! If we go on like this… we'll be surrounded!"

"We have to do it no matter what! The majority of our forces will create another defensive line behind us. If we can give them just a few seconds longer, it'll make all the difference! Go! (Y… yes sir!)"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Whisky Alpha is now on the retreat. Alpha 3 is holding ground but just barely. At this rate they'll be surrounded in just a few minutes"

"Have all ships focus their fire on the BETA around them" The admiral ordered. "Use every means necessary to reestablish defensive lines. (Yes sir!)"

"Admiral… I suggest we proceed with Plan B" Yuuko offered which seems to be the only logical option at this point.

"I see no reason to deny it. By all means… professor"

"Thank you, Admiral. Suzumiya. Tell the company that we're going to test Plan B. (Yes ma'am) What's the status of Isumi and Shirogane"

"No response. The heavy metal cloud above the area is still causing disturbance"

"Tell them to fall back once the plan has been set"

**(Sawata Fronline)**

"Hmm?" A man riding on board a blue Takemikazuchi stopped on his attacks when he noticed something odd on his radar. "Tsukuyomi… what has happened? I see smoke coming from the forward lines"

"Sir…" Tsukuyomi dropped next to him onboard her mech and noticed the smoke too. "I'm not sure. I will find out immediately. (Hmph…) This is Crest 2 to Command Post. I need an update report now. (Bzzt…) Command Post? (Bzzzzzt…)" Static was her only response. "Tomoe, can you contact the forward base?"

"Negative. The transmission line is completely dead. It looks like the whole Whisky Unit is in turmoil! (…!) I'll try to raise the command"

"Don't bother" The man in the blue mech replied. "If the command post is not responding then that means none of our coms will respond. (Y… yes sir) Haaaa… we have no choice. Soldiers like us can only see the battlefield. We will need eyes in the sky to get a bearing on things. (Sir?) Tsukuyomi, contact the U.N. Headquarters. Ask them to provide intel to our forces as well"

"But my lord… that would mean…"

"Desperate times calls for desperate measures. If we go as it is we will only take more casualties. I will accept all responsibility as the one who gave the order. (…) Do it" The woman in red paused for a moment before nodding in agreement.

"Very well. Tomoe, contact the U.N. Navy. Tell them of our situation. (Yes ma'am)"

"In the mean time… we will deal with the BETA here and reform our ranks. Order the company to a Hook Line Formation"

"Understood. Crest 2 to all units. Formation Hook Line! We will cut the enemy down in one fell sweep!"

**(ALTERNATIVE II Facility)**

Rumble…

There it is again. That rumbling noise. The whole place was shaking up and down and specs of dust were falling off the ceiling. Something must be happening outside. I can't contact anyone down here and even the short range transmission was fritz. Judging from the time, we got about 30 minutes left before the BETA retake the surface. Yuuko knows this. If I know her, she's probably timing this just like I have when the Hive Infiltration force hit the ground.

If Yuuko knew about this facility, she must also know what it was capable of. So when the BETA sprouts out from the ground, they'll all burn just like that. No… it can't be that simple. If it was she'd tell me for sure and wouldn't hide it. I know that the ALTERNATIVE Facilities like this are hidden from the world but surely she would've told me.

"Tch… the circuits are fried" Hmm? "As expected of 1970s technology. They wouldn't last this long without maintenance. Shirogane, pass me my flashlight. (Sure)" The captain seems to know what she's doing. Still… staying here with chemicals that can kill you with a few wheeze of breath is rather unnerving. I wouldn't want to stay here any longer than necessary. (Rumble) More earthquakes. Something must be happening up there. "Shirogane, go back upstairs and check in with the rest of the unit. I don't want them to worry me. (Yes ma'am) I should be done here in just a few minutes. If all goes well enough we won't even have to use it"

I really don't like to leave her alone like this… but I guess I have no choice. "Alright. I'll go and checkup on everyone. But… how do you intend to use these?"

"Easy. I simply hack into this console and reroute it through the main computer on the drill canister. From there we can trigger the system remotely. It should be safe in there. (Ruffle) There… that's the last of it. Help me up. (Ah… sure) Now go on. I can handle the rest from the here. I don't want to hold you up in a place like this for the duration of the battle. You're amazing abilities are useless unless you're inside a TSF, Shirogane" Heh… I'll admit she's got a point I can't deny there.

"Alright. I'll go. But is it alright that I know all this? (Hmm?) I mean… I thought this was some kind of top secret facility"

"Heh… the Vice Commander said that it's ok if it was you. (Huh?) I don't know how but I think she predicted how you would react. She even told me that you might volunteer to accompany me on this mission" Yuuko sensei… I guess there's no surprise there. Other than my memory of the future, she probably knows more about me than myself. I wouldn't even be surprised if she can predict when the sun will blow up.

"So Yuuko predicted it huh?"

"Anyway, I'll be done soon. Go on ahead. I'll follow up when I'm done here. (Alright…) (Rumble!) Gah! What the?" That was big one. The whole room was shaking. (Clang!) Haaaa! "Ah!" That pipe! It's going to break apart!

"Look out!" (CLANG!-!-!) Gahh!

…!

That was close. If I was a second late that thing would've crushed both of us like cabbages. These tremors aren't natural that's for sure and they're too strong to be simple artillery fire.

"Shirogane! Are you alright?" The captain rushed towards me. "That was dangerous. (Hehehe…) This is no laughing matter. If you were injured I would be the one to haul you out of here. And that's the least of our worries. (Sorry ma'am) But in any case… thanks" Oh…? That's a rather cute face she's making. (Rumble) "It looks like this facility won't last much longer with the battle raging overhead. You should head back up. It's not safe to be here any longer than necessary. (But…) That's an order…"

Gah… damn it. "Yes ma'am"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

I followed the trail of glow sticks back to the first room I came in. The captain seems to be considering my own safety but ignoring her own. I know that it's her duty as the commander to look after her subordinates but she could at least let loose once in awhile. (Flash) She doesn't need to burden herself like she did… back then… (Flash) Huh? Back then? Wait… what am I thinking about? I don't remember seeing this before. (Flash) Was the captain… in my world too? I can't seem to remember…

(Rumble) Another tremor. It feels as if the whole place was coming down. Maybe I should just follow the captain's orders and go back. (Tug!) Gah! Wh… what the hell? My head… it's spinning. (Tug!) Geh… why now of all times? (Flash) Something's not right. This isn't like the other headaches I had before. This one is… different. It's as if there's a voice ringing in my head telling me something but the words are all jumbled and foggy. It feels as if my mind is trying to tell me something.

That must be it… the images, the headaches… they're trying to get me to focus on something… something important. My suppressed memories of the future is trying to make me remember events… people… objects… things that I wouldn't remember because they didn't leave a lasting impression in my brain. That must be it! But what is it trying to tell me now?

_"What I'm trying to say is that even though you have the knowledge of the future, some of them may still be dormant inside that head of yours and will only be activated when a certain situation reminds you of it"_

Yuuko said something like that back a few months ago. So that means that this place and time is a trigger and is trying to activate my dormant memories. That must be it… there's no other explanation! But what is it trying to remind me of? I've never been here before… at least I don't think so. But then again… there are so many possible futures. If it's possible then perhaps this isn't exactly the 2nd time I came back to Sadogashima. For all I know this could be my 5th or 100th try already!

All possible futures…

If that's the case then… this might not be the first time I came to this facility either.

"Shirogane!" A… Akira? She's calling me through my communicator. "Shirogane, are you there?"

"Akira?"

"Thank goodness I got to you! I've been trying to raise your frequency for some time now!"

"Why? What's wrong? (Tug!) Ugh…"

"It's the BETA! They're back! They're exiting the Gate near the town in large numbers! My squad and I are holding them but we don't know for how long!" Already? But that's impossible! Their counterattack doesn't start in another 30 minutes. (Flash) But… if history has changed… then maybe.

"Alright, I'm on my way! Just… just hang on for… (Flash) Huh?" What the? What was that image just now? (Tug!) Arghhh!

Crap… I lost balance and fell face first on the floor. Come on Takeru, pull it together! You can't let some headache stop you now! I have to… get back to… the frontline. I have to… fight. I have to… save… everyone.

**(Flagship Saijou)**

"Whisky Unit casualties is rising over 60%. The 3rd Company has sustained heavy losses and are slowly pulling back.

"Two more sinkholes have appeared near Lake Kamo and Ryotsu Bay. Echo Platoon is engaging but a multi-division BETA is attacking on all sides. They won't be able to last long"

"The 16th Imperial Honor Guard Division is holding the line on the coast of Mano Bay but just barely"

The admiral noted the situation from the radar but saw no way to counter it. The BETA had their ground force cornered and to fight off such a force would be futile.

"Have the 1st Fleet focus on Mano Bay. Get Captain Abe to pull back once he exhaust his ammunitions. (Yes sir!)"

"The supply ships have arrived at the 4th Fleet location. They'll be ready to fire in three minutes"

"Emergency alert! Enemy forces have reached the last defensive line of Whisky Unit. They're engaging as we speak"

Yuuko noted how things were going from bad to worse but she kept her head calm. She had spent years conducting her own ALTERNATIVE Plan and she was going to make sure it works one way or the other. She's given everything she ever cherished for it. Her soul and perhaps her humanity. It can't fail… not now.

"The 3rd Company has been completely surrounded! They're making a last ditch stand south of Mt. Kinpoku!"

"Is there no way to save them now?" The admiral looked down… as if grieving for the men who were about to give their lives

The whole ships grew silent as they couldn't help but watch as good men and women of the army die a futile death. It was a painful feeling of being able to do absolutely nothing. Hope grew short until another voice boomed on the com channels.

"This is Aquila 1! Is there anyone left out there? (…!) Don't give up just yet! Fight until your last damn breath!"

The operator on the other line responded. "Aquila 1? From the Orbital Drop Corp? Did they make it out already?"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"This is Anri to all units" The Frenchman called out as they rode in like the cavalry. "We might not have been able to get into the Hive but the least we can do now is hold the line while the Imperial Army put their pants back on!"

"Sauber 1 to Aquila 1, roger that! I've been looking for a fight!"

"Ghost 1, roger that!"

"Lezard 1, copy!"

"Lima 1, understood. We'll hold the south gate and sap the whole place down with explosives!"

"Alright… come on. Let's show the Imperial Army the true strength of the U.N. Orbital Diving Corp! (Roger!)"

The U.N. forces rode in and plowed through the BETA from behind taking them from their blind spot. They fired and kept their crosshair fixed on their targets.

"The U.N. Army?" One of the Empire's soldiers inquired as if brought back from a state of doom. Many of them had already submitted to death but then came the knights donned in blue to get them out of it.

"Are you guys from the 3rd Company?" Anri asked as his squad literally plowed themselves into the party. "You guys have done enough. My teammates are punching a hole in the BETA lines. Once you see an opening, take whoever you can with you. (Y… yes sir!) Aquila 1 to HQ. Requesting artillery strike at these coordinates!"

"HQ, understood. Fresh ammunitions have just arrived. Artillery cover is on their way"

A hail of fire and steel burned through the earth, killing more than hundreds of those monsters at a time. But even with such firepower, the aliens continued their march of destruction. "Tch! These guys are persistent! Come on! Come and get me!"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"The Orbital Diver Corp have reinforced the 3rd Company and are now making their way towards the final defense line"

"Casualty rating is going above 65%. Echo is using what's left of their reserves but they won't be able to last long under these conditions"

"We can buy them some time after all" Yuuko muttered out. "Lt. Piatif… how long until A-02 reaches the attack point?"

"Approximately… 20 minutes more or less ma'am"

"I do not think we will have that time. Accelerate the engine to max speed and have the rest of Valkyrie Company to standby in case of any unexpected events"

"Yes ma'am… but at the moment they appear to be engaging a large number of BETA themselves"

Yuuko couldn't but think that their enemy had given them one good punch. "This is only the beginning" She looked at her watch. "We only have 15 more minutes until the BETA show their true strength. (…?) Admiral, can you tell the 2nd Fleet to hold their attack? (…?) We will need their ammunitions to support my Special Task Force"

"As you wish. I shall have the 2nd Fleet under your direct command. The rest will continue to aid the main force fighting on the ground. (Thank you… I am grateful) Nonsense. This is the very reason why we are here, professor. (Heh… you're right…) We will continue our bombardment. Continue to request aid from the supply fleet at Niigata"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

**(ALTERNATIVE II Facility)**

But as the battle raged on above, Captain Isumi Michiru remained at the secret laboratory prepping the contingency plan to its final stages. She worked tirelessly on the computer and kept her gaze fixed on the monitor, oblivious to everything around her.

Beep…

"Yosh… that's it. Now it's time to get out of here" She reached out for her communicator. "Shirogane, I'm finished down here and heading back up. Inform the Vice Commander of our situation. (Bzzzt) Shirogane?" All she could get was static. "Well no point in staying here. (Clang!) …!" But a loud ringing noise came from the other side of the room. "Shirogane? Is that you?"

She walked up to the chemical hazard tanks thinking it was the boy who she sent out earlier. But she was wrong. She waited for a response of some kind… but instead… her reply came in the sound of loud footsteps behind her… and an ominous growling voice that belonged to a creature not of this world…


	32. Black Christmas Part 3

**Chapter 32: Black Christmas (Part 3) (The Never Ending War)**

**(Takeru's POV) (ALTERNATIVE II Facility)**

Keh! Damn it. How hard is it to walk up some silly stairs? (Tap… tap) It's all the headache's fault. Because of that sudden migraine I had my whole body has been acting up. I feel like I want to throw up and this… (Rumble)… this earthquake isn't really helping. How can this be? How can a silly headache ruin my entire body just like this?

Damn it! Pull it together Shirogane! We still have ways to go. I can't fail now after everything that's happened. I've come too far… too far to let everything go to waste. I won't let history repeat itself. I will save those precious to me and I will save this world one way or another!

(Tug!) Damn! I can barely even stand straight at this point. If I get another heavy migraine like this I won't be able to hold myself. I feel dizzy. Everything is a blur and my breathing is becoming to irregular.

Come on Takeru! (sigh) Calm down. Remember what Mikoto taught you back then. Keep your head cool and try not to stress out. Breathe in… and out… breathe in and out…

Bang!

…!

Gunshot?

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Isumi cursed herself that moment. When she first became promoted she promised that she would never let down her guard even for a moment when on the battlefield. But she grew careless on this match and it nearly cost her, her life. It was only thanks to her years in the military that she was able to escape death that moment.

She didn't know how a BETA was able to get to this facility without her knowing but it was there. A Soldier Class BETA 'Venator' leaped out from the shadow and nearly bit her head off from behind. The sheer size of that monster towered twice of a man and its arms were strong enough to rip metal apart.

But girl didn't come out unscathed. Though she was able to avoid being eaten through the head, the teeth of the monster grazed a small piece of her shoulder. The force of that alien ripped through her exosuit and cut through her skin and bones. It would've taken her hand along with it if she hadn't dodged any faster.

Isumi knew that there was no way a human can fight a BETA in hand to hand so she pulled her sidearm out and unloaded a clip full of lead at it. The creature was quick and it dodged most of the shots that she fired. She was able to get a few good hit and now both of them were bleeding.

But the only mistake she's made was making the beast angrier than it was now.

Unable to fight it head on, she ran to the back of the pipes where it was too narrow for the monster to follow. But the BETA had been known to be persistent. Even when the whole battle has been won, these smaller ones can still make the battle into a living nightmare for the soldiers on the field. The creature followed her and began tearing anything in its path

Raaaarrr!

Isumi crawled her way through the pipes, avoiding the Venator's giant hands as it reached out for her. She kicked, cursed and struggled her way, doing everything she could to survive this encounter. But it was a futile struggle. Eventually, she ran out of road and the beast grabbed her by the leg pulling her out in a crude-like manner.

She was held upside down against her will and the beast opened its jaws once more for a bite of her meat. But Isumi wasn't raised to give up so easily. Using the last shot in her pistol she fired at the pipe creating a stream of hot air directly at the BETA.

The Venator roared out in pain and threw its prey to the wall.

"You son of a…" Isumi cursed out again, this time out loud. The creature was indeed powerful and that throw that it did was a prime example of their superior strength. It was strong enough to stun the captain for a few seconds and enough time for the beast to recover. "Damn it…" She tried to reload her pistol but her injured arm caused her to drop her extra clip.

"Raaaaaaarrr!" The Venator roared again in anger and seemed almost determined to get her.

The captain thought about making a break for it but she only realized her leg was broken when she decided to stand up. Fearing for her life, the captain limped her way to the chemical tanks where it was too narrow for the beast to follow.

**(XG-70 Attack Point)**

Back with the rest of the Valkyrie Company, a large emergence of BETA caught them by surprise as well. They were facing with a large horde of the alien but it was nothing they were unprepared of.

"Geh!" Chizuru grunted as she continued her barrage of bullets at the enemy. "This is Valkyrie 2A! Eight Grappler Class destroyed! More enemy reinforcements detected"

Hayase cut through another Fort Class before replying. "Valkyrie 1B, roger that. Fortunately there are no Laser species but there's too many of them. Split into platoons and spread out. Don't let a single one of them near the attack point! (Roger!)"

Munakata looked at her crosshair and tagged her targets. "I'll handle the 18 on the left! C Platoon, follow me! (Copy that!)" The four of them boosted away to their mark.

"There are 20 on this side. I think we can take'em! B Platoon on me! Let's show these guys the strength of the Storm Vanguard! (Roger that!) Sakaki, take A Platoon and handle the other batch on the right. (Yes sir!) Don't worry… you'll do just fine. Valkyrie Company… charge!"

The girls gave it everything they had against the BETA. Big or small, none of them were able to get through their solid defensive line. The aliens that even had the slimmest hope of getting pass them didn't last long either. They were either cut down or nailed full of holes in a matter of seconds.

After awhile, the whole area around the attack point was saturated of BETA.

"All platoons, report in" Hayase ordered. "We're clear on this area"

"C Platoon, we're just about done"

"A Platoon, mission accomplished. All enemy units down. No sign of any more on my radar"

"Oi oi… Sakaki. You don't have to be so stiff all the time, you know. (Ah…?) Stay focused but keep your wits about. They'll be more fighting to come so it's ok to relax a bit"

"Ah… y… yes ma'am. I'll do that"

Munakata gave out a laugh. "I guess I can see why Shirogane keeps calling her Class rep all the time. (Hehehe) With that face you can tell that she can order anyone around"

"Yeah, that's true" Hayase agreed which only made Chizuru blush.

"Ora… Misae san. Don't go teasing someone else just because Shirogane isn't here" Kazama added. "You'll make him sad when he gets back"

"Well I can't help it. It's in my nature to tease someone especially when Shirogane's not here to make a big deal out of it"

"What's this? Has the great Munakata taken a fancy for someone of the opposite gender? That's a miracle" Hayase teased back. "Looks like you've got competition, Kazama. (Ahehehe)"

"Now now, Hayase san. Who has taken fancy in him? You were the one performing his moves earlier, weren't you?"

"Well I can't have him be the only great pilot out there. I'm waiting for a rematch so I can show him that he's not the only pilot who can do crazy stuff" The gang simply let out a small laugh, relieving them of their anxiety of the battle around them.

"Valkyrie mum to all units. (…!) A-02 is now entering its attack sequence. It will be in your positions at approximately 20 minutes. Prepare to intercept any enemy in the attack point"

"Valkyie 2A, roger that. Alright people. Break-time's over! Keep your eyes peeled on your finger on the trigger. This is going to get messy"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

**(Flagship Saijou)**

"The Final Defense Line at Mano Bay is holding. 3rd Company has successfully withdrawn and are resupplying at the Command Post"

"The ships of the 4th Fleet have exhausted all ammunitions. The supply fleet is moving to their position now. They will be ready in 15 minutes"

"Echo Unit is holding is down to the last regiment. They're withdrawing to Lake Kamo to rejoin with the platoon guarding that area. Two more sinkholes have appeared as well. Our defense line in Ryoutsu Bay is completely compromised"

"No good! Our second wave of artillery barrage had great affect, but more BETA just seem to resurface from those areas!"

"So much destruction for a single surprise attack…" Admiral Kozawa muttered holding back the sadness in his eyes. "The BETA are truly frightening. Their sheer dominance is insurmountable. (Sir?) Have the transport ships pick up the wounded. Those who are no longer able to fight are top priority. (Yes sir!)"

"Admiral?" Yuuko raised a brow in question.

"Forgive me, professor. I am merely considering the safety of those men and women who are fighting for our sakes. Those who can no longer fight today will at least be given a chance to raise their sword tomorrow"

"I see… then proceed. It has nothing to do with my plan. (I thank you) Do not misunderstand. I am merely making sure that nothing will interrupt Plan B"

"Of course. I will never do such a thing to jeopardize the mission. As a soldier it is my duty to ensure it works"

"I see… I apologize then. Suzumiya. (Yes?) What's the status of A-01?"

"Valkyrie Company is still holding the attack point against a large BETA contingency. No complications are expected"

"What of Isumi and Shirogane?"

"No response. I've been trying to reach them for awhile but they have yet to reply to my hails"

"Tch… just what in the world is taking them so long?" Yuuko looked at her watch again recalling the time left before the main counterattack began. "Only 10 minutes left… (…?) Keep trying to contact them. They should answer eventually"

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**(Kanai Town)**

The members of Cracker Squad were having a difficult time that moment. Even though they had the advantage of terrain, fighting against an opponent with no hesitation of facing death was still difficult. A human opponent was easier since soldiers with a conscious are more susceptible to stop and duck or retreat against an opponent with superior firepower. But these aliens were different.

They were not like the humans. They knew no fear. Hell… it would even be called a miracle if one of them knew to even retreat. They simply charge head on with no sign of feint or trickery whatsoever. They'd stare the front barrel of a gun and simply brush it off as another piece of the environment. If they had any conscious whatsoever… they probably threw it away already.

"Die you monsters!"

"Damn it! There's no end to them! What the hell is taking those U.N. guys so long!-?"

"Cracker 1 to HQ! We need artillery support on our location. We can't hold out much longer! Hurry it up!"

"HQ to Cracker 1. All artilleries have been reassigned to assist Whisky and Echo. No artillery support can be assigned to your location at this moment"

"Don't fuck with us! Why the hell aren't we getting any support!-? Aren't we protecting some kind of special package? (Gwooo!) 04, fall back to the town center. (Roger!) Genji, you cover me. (Alright!) Akira—we need you to support here. Can you use that Shiranui you're in? (…) Akira? Akira, do you read? (…) What the hell!-? Akira, respond!"

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**(ALTERNATIVE II Facility)**

"Raaaaaar!" Isumi cowered back deeper as the Venator continued to tear its way to her face. She was running out of room to hide and it was also getting harder to breathe in such tight spaces. The wound on her shoulder and her sprained leg wasn't helping either. She tried to contact for help but the thick walls of this facility was probably more than enough to block any radio frequency… not to mention that she was also underground.

Right now she was somewhat regretting sending Shirogane away. That boy would be an immense help right about now. But for all she know, he was probably fighting the BETA up top and killing thousands in the name of humanity. A smile appeared on her lips.

"Damn it… I was hoping for a better way than this" Isumi always knew that one of these days her number will be called. But she thought that she at least would die honoring the code of the Valkyrie. Dying like this didn't suit her at all. She dreamed it to be something more flashy and daring than anything she could've imagined. But at this situation, beggars can't be choosers after all.

"Raaaaaaar!" The beast ripped the metal plating that separated her from its giant jaws and began squeezing its way to bite her. A grotesque beast indeed.

She could die without having to see such a creature up close but it seems like god wasn't willing it. If there is a god left that is…

What else was there to give in but her life? The BETA was already ripping in and any more attempts would only be a waste of strength. But before she submitted, the biohazard warning sign caught her attention.

A crazy thought entered her head.

Sure it was probably stupid and obviously both of them will probably die in a painful burning death but it was a lot better than to be eaten by one of these freaks. There were probably more chemicals in these containers to complete the plan, a little waste here and there wouldn't make much difference.

"Raaaaarrr!" There was no time for second thoughts now that the monster grew closer. Isumi reached out for one of the pipes and was ready to pull it out on moment's notice. She gave the monster a few more kicks on the face out of satisfaction. If she wanted to make it angrier she got her wish. Because now the Venator began to chew its way towards her ripping the metal plates like they were made out of cardboard.

"Heh… sorry everyone. Looks like I won't be able make it to our family reunion after all" The beast grew closer and its face was only inches away from her own. "Akira, Marika, Yayoi… I… don't really know why I' m saying this. (Raaaaar!) But… I really wish I could see all of you, one more time. (Raaaaarrr!) I wish we could've spent one more day with him just like we did back then. (Raaaaarrr!) Tch… looks like I lose this race. (RAAAAAARR!) Masaki…" She resigned herself to her fate.

But just as she was about to end it all with a pull of a plug, the beast that was about to eat her suddenly stopped on its tracks. It began to choke and cough like it had a cold of some sort. Even the captain found it strange. But the explanation came when a sharp metal bar suddenly struck out of its head.

"Isumi! Isumi! Can you hear me!-?" A voice boomed on the other side

"Masaki?" Michiru looked up beyond the dead corpse and saw a hand reach out for her. On the other side she could see a boy with chestnut hair and eyes wearing a green jacket. She recognized him as someone she knew very well back in the past. She didn't know what compelled her but her hand simply reached out for the boy on the other side like it was the only thing keeping her from going mad. But when her fingers came into contact, the boy's face faded, replaced by one much younger but of similar features.

Shirogane's loud booming voice echoed from the other side. He came back the moment he heard gunshots fired and found the Venator trying to chew its way into the chemical tanks. He didn't want to risk using his sidearm in such a place so in an act of desperation he pulled out of those metallic pipes that nearly fell on him earlier and found one with a razor sharp end. With a single plunge she killed the wounded BETA right where it stood

The boy panted through breaths and it was clear to anyone that he was not in the best condition to fight but even so… his visions alerted him to the danger behind them and he acted upon his instincts.

Fearing for the captain's life, the boy rushed to the dead corpse of the Soldier Class BETA and shoved it off from the pipe.

"Captain! Are you alright?"

Isumi's visions returned to reality. "Huh? Sh… Shirogane?"

"Hold on! I'll get you out of there in a second!" The boy pushed the creature off with all his might, eventually freeing the trapped girl inside. "Grab my hand! (Ruffle)" Shirogane pulled her out and carried the wounded soldier by his arms.

**(Takeru's POV)**

Haaaaa… haaaaa… haaaaa… I can't believe I just did that. I know what I just did there was completely reckless but you can't argue with the results. That was too close. If I had been a second late who knows what might've happened.

"Captain, are you alright?" She removed her oxygen mask for a moment to let out a few coughs. The air down here was thick so it's pretty hard to breathe. The captains seems to be wounded on the shoulder. Her exosuit was completely torn and messed up in so many ways that it should be considered a miracle that she was able to last this long against a BETA at close range. "You're wounded on the shoulder. Hold on—I have some bandages"

She shoved my hands away. "No time! We need to get back to the surface. (But…) I can handle this much. The longer we stay here, the more danger we'll be in. We'll stand a better chance with the BETA on board our TSFs"

She has a point there. If there's one thing you need to know about BETA is that when there's one… there's bound to be a thousand more. We're sitting ducks out here with just our side arms.

"Alright. Give me your arm, I'll carry you out" I quickly helped the captain on her feet and made our way out of that accursed room. All I need to do is follow the trail of glow sticks back to the elevator shaft and we're home free. I just hope Akira and the others out there are holding.

"Tch… I got sloppy. (Huh?) And here I kept telling you guys never to let your guard down even for a second. If Hayase hears about this she'll never let me hear the end of it. (Captain…?) It's nothing. (…) Thanks… Shirogane…"

"Hey… we squad mates have to watch each other's backs. Didn't you say that your team is also your family?"

"Heh… yeah I think I did at some point"

"Don't give up just yet. We're almost there. Just a few more corridors and—(Shh!) Huh?"

"Quiet, Shirogane. (…) Listen…" I quickly kneeled down on the ground and listened in the silent hallway. (….rrrr…) …! "Did you hear that?"

"Yeah… more of them. At least three Soldier Class" Damn it! And we were so close too! We just needed to get across a few more rooms and we'll reach the elevator shaft. There's too many for us to take down and my side arm won't be enough to take down even one of them. I was lucky enough to take out one but right now my physical and mental state are not at their best. "We need to double back. Do you know another way to avoid those monsters?"

The captain took out a small blueprint map from her torn out overcoat and scanned its contents. "There is… but it's a long detour back at the chemical room" All the way back there? Geeehh… but I guess we have no choice. At that distance it'll cost us significant amount of time but it's better than facing those things head on at this rate. (Ruffle) Only 10 minutes left. I have to make it no matter what.

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**(Imperial Royal Palace, Tokyo)**

No one could've imagined how quiet the Shogun was that afternoon. Even though there won't be any meeting until tomorrow due to the major operation happening, she couldn't help herself relax one bit. The Grand Chamberlain had been attending to Her Highness's needs all day and even urged the young lady to rest at such a rare holiday. But Yuuhi couldn't find it in her hear to sleep. She will wait until the very minute until the results are given.

Now the Grand Chamberlain has asked her to cut a bonsai tree to help ease her stress but for all she knew it was simply taxing her body more.

"Haaaaaaaa…"

"What is the matter, your highness? You've been sighing like that since this morning. That's not good for your health, you know?"

"I worry for the soldiers fighting at the frontline" She answered back. "Even now I cannot seem to fathom what they are facing"

"They are soldiers of the empire, your highness. I am certain that they are in good hands. Lord Ikaruga is one of the finest warriors in the empire… have trust in them"

The Shogun remained silent. She gave out another sigh before finishing the small bonsai tree. She had faith in the soldiers of the empire more than anyone but that wasn't the thing that bothered her. It's true that she was worried about the soldiers but there was something else that she refuses to mention. It was that same feeling she had when she saw that boy dueled with Sagiri Naoya a few weeks ago. Her chest tightened a bit around her heart making it beat faster as if it wanted to pop.

Though it has only been a few hours since the battle began, it felt as if an eternity had passed by. This war with the BETA has lasted longer than she lived and in all honesty, it was truly getting tiresome. Though no veteran will openly admit it, there are a large number of people who are getting weary of this never ending fight. The stalemate they have with the BETA now was becoming more and more hopeless as the day go by.

That is why Japan needed this victory. They were tired of this stalemate. Tired of a war that had no future—only prolonging the inevitable. They needed a tiebreaker to finally get out of the rut they were in.

_"We may have only met this night… but all that ask is for you to put a little faith in the very people you swore to protect!__"_ The Shogun recalled the boy's words that night when he came and begged her to put her faith in him. It was an immature act… but one that made the boy into who he was. It moved not only the rebel leader, Sagiri Naoya… but her as well.

"Oba san" She muttered out softly to the old lady as she gazed at the afternoon sun outside the terrace. "Is it fair for me to put my faith in a single person? (…?) Can a single life do something what a thousand cannot?"

"In the end, a man is just a man your highness. Humans possess many things and can only go so far before they fall. Even the common man cannot do everything on their own"

"But… what if he is not like the common man? What if that person possesses something that no one else has?"

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**(Takeru's POV) (ALTERNATIVE II Facility)**

Keh! Damn it. There's more of them here! It's like they have this facility completely surrounded. I doubled back to the chemical room and took that long detour back to the other labs but surprisingly there are even more BETA in this area. They haven't detected us yet but that can change if I move any closer.

"What's the situation?"

"I'm seeing at least 4 Soldier Class and 2 Warrior Class. There's no way we can go through that with just our guns. We'll have to go back to the old labs"

The captain has been leading me through this facility with that map but so far all the routes that we've taken has only been leading us to more BETA infested areas. I know I'm not supposed to think like this but the situation is looking pretty bleak right now. "The recent earthquakes must've weakened the support on the lower floors. That's how the BETA are able to get in. (Ruffle) There's another way through this corridor. If we go through two other rooms we can make it to the other side and save some time. Gah!"

"Captain!" Her wound is opening. That BETA took a good bite off her. It wasn't serious but at the rate its going, that might change rather quickly. "Come on. Let's get that wound treated inside"

"There's no time for that. We have to get back to the surface quickly"

"I understand ma'am but if we leave that wound like that, you might lose concious of blood lost. I know that we're all in a hurry but rushing things won't help when you're wounded" She seems to understand her perdicament. "Not to mention we're also leaving a trail for the BETA to follow us" I gestured to her blood on the floor.

"Arlight…" She admitted my help and quickly allowed me to take a look at that wound.

…

…

Yeah… this room will do. The BETA won't be able to find us here. I cleared one of the lab tables and placed the captain down to mend her wound. There was no time for stiching it up so she'll have to be satisfied with bandages. It won't stop the bleeding but at the very least it will slow it down.

"You don't need to worry. I already applied painkillers so it shouldn't hurt as much. Go on ahead"

"Ah… yes ma'am" I was lucky to bring these bandages with me. After my fight in Susono City, I trained myself to bring some first-aid equipment just in case. You never know when they might come in handy. I better remember to thank Mikoto when this is over.

"Have you had any contact with the surface?"

"No… I haven't been able to reach anyone. Communication can't seem to work this far below surface"

"Heh… I guess that's no surprise. The walls are almost four inches thick. Any long range frequency will probably be impossible to get down here. At this rate they might consider us dead" That's true. Usually we have to maintain contact with the base but considering the fact that we've been down here for more than ten minutes now, they might consider us KIA. "With the current situation, it might prove difficult to make it out of here. Heh… I can't I'm wishing of a strange thing right now. (Captain?) No… never mind. It's nothing. How is it?"

"Huh? Oh… I'm just finished here. The bandages won't stop the wound but it should slow your blood lost. You should seek a doctor for proper medical treatment. I also wrapped around your bad leg to keep yourself from spraining"

"Hehe… you're starting to sound like someone I know. (Eh?) With that face you're making, you might even pass for an identical twin but he's a lot older than you are right now" Someone? Do I remind her of someone? (Tug!) Gahh! No! Not now! (Tug!) Damn it! Why now of all time? "Shirogane? (…!) Oi, what's wrong? You look pale" (Flash) Who…? Who is that person? Who is this guy I'm seeing?

(Tug!) "Gah!"

"Shirogane?" (Flash) Masaki… (Flash) Maejima Masaki… why do I know that name? "Oi… are you alright?" (WHAM!) Gah! The door! "They're here!"

The BETA… they found us. "We… have to get out of here. Come on!" I quickly pulled the captain on my shoulder and made a break for it. I don't know how they found us but they seem to be chasing us rapidly. I could hear the steel door breaking down behind us and their inhumane roar coming not far.

"Go through there!" The captain pointed the way which I followed. (Tug!) Gahh! Shut up! I'm busy here! "Shirogane, pass me your gun! (What!-?) I'll cover us while you lead. You need both your hands to carry me but I can still use my other hand. (…!) Hurry!" Gah! Giving a gun to an injured person is probably a bad idea but I can't argue with that logic. "Keep moving!"

"Roger!" I dragged myself through those rooms and into the main corridor. I know this place. Just a few more rooms and we'll reach elevator shaft. Come on, just a little longer Takeru. Pull yourself together!

Bang! Bang!

I can hear the captain shooting back behind me and the BETA marching up. However, this corridor was built for humans so they can only move in the file of one. But if these things corner us in a room then it's all over. I have to move faster, faster!

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Make a right on the next corridor and a left on the next intersection. After that we'll reach another room. From there it's only one corridor until the elevator shaft. Keep it up! (Yes ma'am!)"

Bang! Bang!

Come on… I'm so close! (Wham!) What the hell? This door is locked? Why this door of all places!-? "Captain! The door's lock"

"Input the authorization code, 4-5-0-0-2-3-9-9-4!"

Geh! Codes of all things! Umm… 450023994. The Captain kept shooting as I input the code slowly. The BETA were too large for these halls so they couldn't move that quickly. (Whoosh!) Yes. "Alright we're in!" (Bang!) The captain took a pot shot at the old fire extinguisher which burst open crowding the BETA together. That should buy us some time. "Haaaa! We made it"

"Just barely…" Isumi added, tossing my pistol away. That was my last clip anyway so it's pretty useless now.

"We need to keep moving. Come on captain. Just one more corridor to go! (Right…) Alright… it's all clear. Let's go" Tip tap tip tap…

Come on Takeru. Keep it together, you're almost there. I can see the elevator shaft. The monsters are probably on the other side of the corridor now so they won't be able to see us. Just hold on.

"Gahh! ( Captain…!-?) I'm… I'm alright. Just keep going" Her wound is still hurting. The bandages I applied earlier were now stained with her blood. "Damn it. If it wasn't for this leg… (…) Don't stop you idiot! You want to get us both killed? (But…) I can handle this much pain. Just keep your focus on the door. (Yes ma'am!)" I pushed myself even harder to get us through that corridor. The elevator shaft is so close now I can almost reach it. (Tuf!) Damn it. I'm feeling my headache swooving over my body. It really took a lot of mental power off me on the first few thumps and it hasn't gone away since. My legs can barely stand straight and my visions are getting blurry too. "Shirogane, focus!"

"Keh…!" I slammed my shoulder against the wall to jolt myself awake. Something's not right. I… I can't stand. I… I can't breathe!

"Shirogane, look out! (Raaaaar!)" Gahh! Where the hell did that guy come from? Another Soldier Class? Here? It's blocking the corridor leading to the elevator shaft. (Rarrrr!) And I can hear the other dozen trailing not far behind us.

Tip… tap…

I took a few steps back giving us some distance from the monster. There's no way we can outrun it.

"Shirogane…" The captain spoke to me. "Listen to me. There isn't enough time for us. You'll have to run for it while I distract the BETA. (… captain?) The passage is wide enough for us to go through but at this rate I'll only slow you down" Isumi… what are you…? "Take this. (Ruffle) It's the access code for releasing the chemical tanks onto the surface" She handed me some kind of device that needed to be put on a computer. "Once you make it to the surface. Seal the passageway. That should give you enough time to input the codes and get out of here. (No…) Shirogane, this isn't the time. You have to do your duties to the best of your abilities. Don't let your emotions get in the way of the mission. Thousands of lives are counting on us!"

"I'm not leaving you here!"

"I'm giving you an order! I'm not going to bring you down because of my carelessness! Go! (Captain!) Please Shirogane. (…!) Don't make this any harder than it is now. Please…"

(Flash) No… you can't, captain. You can't possibly ask me to run away again. (Flash) If you do… how will I be able to I face your sister again? How can you possibly ask me to leave you when there are people waiting for you out there? The mission is important, I know… but right now… the only thing important to me is to see all of us live through this battle alive. The last time I ran away, two people who I loved the most died. Marimo… Sumika. If you asked me to leave you… I will only hurt those around me. I can't run… no… I will not run. I'm through crying.

"… I understand… Captain" I answered back before placing her by the wall.

"Thank you… Shirogane. Now hurry up and—hey! What are you doing?" I put that little device she gave me back in her overcoat and grabbed the fire extinguisher by the fire alarm.

"I'm not going to leave you behind" I answered back. "I'm going to draw that monster's attention. Once he's onto me, you'll make your way to the elevator shaft. I'll follow you after I'm done down here"

"Shirogane! Don't be an idiot! This isn't the time to be playing hero!"

Heh… Hero? Well that's a start.

"Sorry Captain. But you can't stop me from being an idiot. (…!) Hehehe… it's stupid, I know. Teeeeehhh!"

_"Instead of leaving behind a friend, I'd rather die right here!"_

_-Shioon from The Breaker: New Waves-_

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Takeru charged in without a hint of a feint or hesitation. Even though his opponent was almost twice his size and weight he didn't back down. The Soldier BETA tried to grab his with its giant arms and bite his head off but Shirogane simply whacked it with the fire extinguisher creating a rather loud metallic noise. The beast growled and if any of these monsters had any emotions whatsoever, this one would probably be mad like a disturbed hyena.

"Go!" Takeru barked out to Michiru who was still irritated by the boy's idiotic plan. She followed it anyway and slowly dragged her wounded body by the wall. It was a slow and painful movement but then again… if she didn't give it her all, what would her squad say? "Come on you bastard! Come and get me! I'm right here!" The boy whacked the creature again and again on the same two spots earning its attention.

Time seemed to have slowed around Michiru as she limped her way out. Slowly but painfully she was doing it. With every movement her leg would ache and her shoulder would complain. She wondered why the painkillers she applied haven't kicked in harder than it should have.

As she was about half way there she could hear more of the BETA roaring behind her. The ones that chased them had already arrived. But even though he was outnumbered, Shirogane didn't falter. He had faced numbers worse than this and he didn't flinch. He faced the heart of the BETA invasion force in his previous loops so many times that you can probably call it a routine. But then again… he was usually behind the wheels of a TSF most of the time.

"Come on! I'm not even getting started yet! Come get me!" If the BETA understood anything he was saying they'd probably be blowing steam off their heads by. The boy cursed, taunted and called them names—anything he could do to keep their attention fixed on him. They tried to grab him… but their cooperation soured in the tight space in that corridor. Their large figures were unable to cope with the small area.

The fact that Shirogane survives, fighting the BETA was an admirable trait for sure. The captain herself seems to agree with it. But the fact that he was winning was more of a surprise. He was actually beating the Soldier Class back and with nothing more but a fire extinguisher to back him up.

In a matter of minutes, the captain made it through the gauntlet and into the elevator shaft. "Shirogane! I'm through! Hurry up!" But then she suddenly noticed three more of those monsters approaching behind the boy. "Shirogane! Behind you! (…!)" But he couldn't hear her. He was far too deep to let anything bother him. "Damn it! That idiot!" But before the captain could go out and help him, a pair of hands stopped her. "You! What are you doing here!-?"

"Shirogane! Duck!" Akira came by with a rifle in hand. She fired a full burst and emptied her clip on a single target. Shirogane was awestruck since he wasn't expecting any backup. "Don't just stand there like an idiot! Get over here!" The boy nodded and quickly released the plug of the extinguisher giving himself some time to get away. "Michiru, take this" Akira handed her sister her sidearm which she used right away. The two Isumis putting holes onto incoming BETA like it was target practice.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Eventually the three of them made it out of that facility with all their limbs intact. They came back to the giant canister at the surface and took a moment to get a breather.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Haaaaa… haaaaa… haaaaaa… we made it. That was close. Far too close. If I had stayed there with the BETA a few seconds longer, I wouldn't have been able to hold them. But at the very least… I was able to save my friend.

"Shirogane… are you alright?" The captain asked worryingly. "Are you hurt anywhere?"

"No… I'm fine" I replied through pants of breaths. "They didn't get to me"

"Good! (WHAM!)" Deh!-? She smacked my head all of a sudden. "That's for acting recklessly! What the hell were you thinking, pulling out a stunt like that? You could've gotten yourself killed! (But I…) Not only that but you could've gotten both of us killed as well. Jeopardizing the entire mission! Did you ever stop to think for a second what might've happened if we both failed? (…) Goodness. The others were right about you… you really have no regard of your own safety"

"S… sorry captain… I…"

"Quiet!" Geh… "If we weren't on the battlefield right now I'd probably subjugate you for court marshal. (Sigh)"

"I… I'm sorry captain. I… wasn't really thinking at the time"

"We'll discuss about your punishment later. In the mean time we'll…" She stopped momentarily when she turned her eyes to Akira. I expected some kind of lighthearted reunion but we were interrupted when another voice.

"Valkyrie mum to Valkyrie 1A, do you copy, over?"

The captain reverted back to her military self and answered the call. "This is Valkyrie 1A, I copy. Contingency plan is in place. Requesting an update check"

"Valkyrie company, under 1st Lt. Hayase is facing stiff resistance from the BETA. Whisky and Echo Unit have suffered extensive damage and both are no longer able to continue the battle. (…!)" What!-? Both Whisky and Echo? There are about ten TSF regiments in them. How could they have lost this much already? "Massive sinkholes have appeared on our defense lines and have critically damaged all of our forces. High Command has now approved of the testing of Plan B" Sinkholes? There weren't any sinkholes in my previous loop. What's going on here? "A-02 will be arriving at the attack point in 15 minutes. No complications are expected"

"Valkyrie 1A, roger that. Proceeding to install the device onto the container. I'll just need a few more minutes"

"Understood. Please hurry"

The captain then turned to me with a serious face. "Shirogane, get to your TSF and prepare to evacuate. I'll handle the rest here. (But…) This is a direct order. Now follow it!" Keh… d… damn it all.

"Yes ma'am…"

"And take her with you" She pointed to Akira who simply nodded back in understanding.

I quickly took Akira back to my TSF which was parked right outside the canister. The smoke around this place also seemed to have gotten thicker too. I can still hear the rumbling of artillery fire going about.

Geh… I really don't like leaving the captain in there alone but… if I go back now, she'll probably never forgive me, ever. She's injured and leaving a wounded comrade behind was highly unethical for a soldier. But… even if she does hate me for it… I can't just standby and leave her like that. I know that it's not very soldier like for me to be putting my feelings in front of duty but… I just can't stand the idea of running away and abandoning those who are precious to me.

_"I can't even think of choosing… to run away and abandon my friends"_

_-Kenichi from History's Strongest Desciple-_

"Don't worry about her, Shirogane" Akira reassured me. "Though she won't say it out loud… I think deep down, she's really thankful for what you did for her. (…) Heh… I'm glad to see her face to face and I'm sure she was happy to see me too. (Akira…) Heh… she hasn't changed either. Even after so long… she's still the same stubborn onee-chan I know" Akira… even though she tries to hide it I'm sure that deep down she's also worried about her sister. Heh… it kind of reminds me of the Shogun and Meiya. (Tug!) Gehh! "Hmm? Hey… are you alright? You look kind of pale"

"I'm fine…" I answered back holding my head up. "I'm… just a little shaken after that fight. Come on. We should check in with the rest of your squad" We quickly got on board my TSF and contacted the rest of the unit that was protecting us here. "This is Shirogane to Cracker Squad, come in"

"This is Cracker 1, we read you. It's a good thing that you're here. We just beat back the last group of BETA… but just barely. We also got word from HQ that more enemy force are on their way here. I don't think we'll be able to hold them off any more"

"We should fall back as quickly as possible or else we'll be cut off from the main force completely" Another guy voiced up.

"Shut up Genji. Our mission is to hold this line and we're going to hold it" This place is already littered with BETA corpses. If more of them come, these guys won't make it for sure.

"Shirogane here, understood. But I think your subordinate is right. (…?) You should retreat while you still can. We're almost finished here. I can protect the captain from here on"

"Are you sure? There's a whole lot more of them coming. You won't be able to hold them on your own"

"Let me deal with that. You guys should get to safer grounds before things get any worse. I also have one of your pilots with us. Can you take her in with you?"

"Roger that. We're moving to your position now. Genji, cover me. (Yes sir)"

"Are you sure about this?" Akira asked me. "You're going to be up against all those monsters on your own. You might get cut off from all reinforcements"

"Heh… don't worry about that. I think it's safe to say I've handled worse"

She gave me a small smile. "Heh… you kind of remind me of someone. (Huh?) He was pretty cocky with his skills too. A protégé in everything…" (Tug!) (Flash) Who? That person? Why do I know him?

"Maejima… Masaki… (Eh?)That person…"

"Eh? How do you…? (Rumble!) Wh… what's going on?" What the? The seismic sensors are suddenly going off the charts. It's happening in almost a beating rhythm.

"Sinkhole!" Cracker 4 yelled out. "There's a sinkhole happening in next to the town!"

"Cracker 4, fallback. Regroup to the U.N. pilot's position! Go!"

"HQ to all units on the field. It's been confirmed—a massive BETA counterattack is on sight. Approximately 30000 sources have been identified on satellite feed!" 30000? Then that means…

**(Flagship Saijou)**

"…we're out of time" Yuuko muttered with a hint of irritation in her voice. She had to admit that the BETA's timing was impeccable. If Shirogane hadn't told her about this attack she would've been surprised for sure.

"To think the BETA still had this many hiding under that Hive" Admiral Kozawa stared at the screen in horror. "If the Hive Infiltration Corp had remained there… they would've been destroyed for sure"

"Whisky Unit is suffering extensive damage! The last defense line has been breached. They will soon be surrounded! The Imperial Honor Guards have also lost more than half their numbers and are slowly withdrawing back to the beachhead"

"Signal from Echo Alpha Leader has been lost. Echo Bravo will now take command. Echo Unit is down to 40% of its fighting strength and will no longer be able to continue the battle"

"The 2nd Orbital Diver Corp is still holding north of Mano Bay but at this rate they'll be cut off and surrounded for sure"

"3rd and 4th fleet have exhausted all ammunitions and are now withdrawing to a safe distance. The 5th and 1st auxiliary fleet's ammunition are exhausted to a mere 10%"

"This is Cpt. Abe of the 2nd Fleet. We're requesting permission to assist our troops on the ground"

"HQ, negative on that. No coordinates have yet been marked for you. Continue to remain on standby until further orders"

"But all our ships have fully resupplied. Please, allow us to at least provide cover for the retreating force at Mano Bay"

"Negative Captain. The 2nd Fleet is to provide assistance to A-01. That is all. (But…!)"

"Be at ease Abe kun" Kozawa calmed the youngster on the other line. "I understand how you must be feeling but know that we cannot act so rashly. The U.N. forces are now your top priority. You must ensure their survival so that the sacrifices today will not be meaningless"

"…" Abe let out a silent groan in return. "Understood. The 2nd Fleet will remain on standby until further orders. Forgive my reckless behavior"

"I appreciate that, captain…" Kozawa then turned off the transmitter and turned to the professor who seemed to be this operation's only hope now. "Professor Kouzuki…"

Yuuko nodded in appreciation to his words. "Thank you admiral. (Of course…) 1st Lt. Suzumiya… order the Valkyrie Company to hold the mountain path. (Yes ma'am) 1st Lt. Jinguuji, get me a top priority line with Shirogane and Isumi. (Understood) 1st Lt. Piatif. Have the 2nd Fleet switch to anti-laser rounds and prepare to fire behind the BETA defense lines. (Yes commander)"

The admiral raised a brow. "Anti-laser rounds? But there hasn't been any report of Laser Species on the battlefield yet"

"Soldiers on the battlefield have excellent information gathering skill, I'm sure. But unlike the army… I have another source of information. (…?) Do not worry. I'm not betting the lives of many on a hunch, admiral"

"Vice Commander" Marimo called out. "A direct line has been established with the Captain"

**(A-01 defense line near the attack point)**

"Grrrr! What the hell is wrong with these guys!-?" Akane grunted out loud after she skillfully killed another batch of BETA singlehandedly with her 4 barreled guns. "They breed like ants!"

"There's no end to them when we're this close to a Hive, Akane" Hayase brooded over. "The least we can do is keep those bastards out of the attack point. All units, report in"

"A Platoon, all clear" Chizuru answered back, still stuttering over the fact that she was in command again.

"C Platoon, we're done too. No BETA in sight" Munakata answered back calmly while double checking her scanners.

"Alright. Those who are low on something, get to the supply containers we've gathered and rearm. We were ordered to hold up so that's what we're going to do. Keep your eyes on your sonic sensors as well. There have been giant holes appearing on the ground knocking everyone and everything thing in the way. Make sure you don't get caught in one as well. (Yes sir!)"

"But the BETA has never incorporated such a strategy before" Kazama added sounding a bit puzzled. The others seemed to agree too. Out of all the operations, there has never been a case where sinkholes appeared around a BETA Hive. "Could this be some kind of new strategy?"

"Only the BETA would know…" Ayamine answered back.

"Well said Ayamine" Hayase approved. "It's true that this is all new to us but we can't let this get to us. We have to make sure our part of this mission succeeds. We've already wiped out this lot of BETA and we have a good 30 kilometers to the attack point. Just stay focused on the mission and don't let anything get in the way. (Yes ma'am!)"

"1st Lieutenant" Meiya's voice suddenly popped in. "Has there been any transmission from Shirogane… or the Captain?"

"Not yet. Something must be jamming their communications. (…) But I wouldn't worry about those two. If Shirogane's there then it should e a piece of cake. If he can fight me to a standstill then a few hundred BETA should be child's play"

**(Takeru's POV) (Kanai town) (Near the BETA Gate)**

Oh… my…

How do I… I don't even know how to describe it properly. It was like a massive earthquake had just struck out of nowhere. A whole section of the town 500 meters wide on all angles just… vanished. By the time the dust settled, nearly half of the ruined town was buried underneath a pile of earth. We were lucky enough to be far from where the sinkhole was or else it would've eaten us along with it.

"How? How can the BETA do such a thing?" Akira asked as if I had the answer. "How can they… level half a town?" She sounded shocked. I don't blame her. Even I was having difficulty believing what I was seeing myself.

"I don't know" I answered back. "But we don't want to stick around to find out"

"Cracker 1 to U.N. pilot, you ok?"

"Y… yeah, we're fine. Just a little shaken. Listen. This place isn't safe anymore. Take Akira and fallback to the defensive line before things get any worse. (What about you?) I'll be fine. Just make sure you guys make it back to the beachhead. You've done your part here so leave it to me"

"Alright. I'm heading your way now"

"Good. (…) Akira…"

"Yes, I understand" She nodded back to me. "I'll leave it up to you, Shirogane. But please… (…?) Take care of onee-san for me. She can be pretty stubborn at times but she understands what's best for the mission. So…"

"Don't worry. (…?) I won't let anything happen to the captain. I promise you that. She's someone who's precious to me too. (…) Now come on. Let's get you on the other side before more BETA shows up. (A… alright)" Heh… even when her own life was at stake she still cares about her sister. This girl even went down all the way to a top secret U.N. Facility to rescue us. She might be younger than the captain but I can definitely tell that these two are related. She has the same spirit and camaraderie as her sister does.

"Valkyrie mum to Valkyrie 1A and 2B! Emergency Alert! (…!)"

"What is it?" The captain appeared on my screen.

"The BETA around the Hive area is moving in your general direction! I repeat… a horde size force is approaching your immediate area. (…!)" What? Why the hell are they coming here? I thought they're supposed to go to where Hayase and the others are!

"Were the diversion units wiped out already?"

"Negative. Whisky and Echo units are still engaging multiple hostile groups near the beachhead. The Sawata southern defense line has crumbled completely" Wait… if the Sawata defense line is broken then that means…

"We're completely isolated from the main force" This is… not good. That means we're completely on our own. There's no way Cracker Squad will be able to retreat now. "Valkyrie 1A, understood. I'm finishing with the final stages of the contingency plan. Some complications are expected but we'll try to remain on schedule. Valkyrie 1A, out"

Damn… at this rate, we'll be swallowed up by the BETA. "Cracker 1, this is Shirogane. It seems like we're cut off from the main force"

"Yeah we know. HQ just radioed us about it. As of now we're completely on our own"

"Not completely. We still have one force in the south. Take Akira with you and head for the old ravine near the dam. The rest of my unit is stationed there. Regroup with them and coordinate with 1st Lt. Hayase. (But…!) Just go! We'll catch up when we can" I quickly opened up my hatch and unfastened the safety vest around Akira. "Alright. It's time"

"I understand… but… Shirogane. (…?) Are you sure you'll be alright?"

"Don't worry about me or your sister. I promised you that I'll protect her didn't I? (…) Now go! I can feel another earthquake coming" I quickly dropped her off at Cracker 1's cockpit and detach myself from the area. The one bad thing about opening the cockpit of a TSF is that you have to close all circuits. The emergency eject does the same thing too.

"Cracker 1 to all units. We're withdrawing from this place. Full-power NOE boost to the south now! Switch to Arrow 3 Formation. (Roger!) Hey… you, Shirogane. (Yes?) Good luck…" And with that, they boosted off.

Rumble…

Another tremor… and it's very close by. Half the town already sank into the bottom of the earth. Are the BETA going to sink the other half along with it? The facility beneath this place should support the structure around the town… but considering the size of that sinkhole… anything can happen.

Rumble…

There it is again… only this time it feels like it's coming right beneath me. "Captain, it's me. We need to get out of here soon. It's not safe here. This whole place could collapse any second"

"I'm… I'm almost done here Shirogane" Huh? What's wrong with her? It sounds like she's in pain. "I just need a few more minutes before it's complete. You go on ahead with the others. I'll catch up"

Rumble!

"Whoa!" The whole place is shaking now. My sensors are going haywire. (Crash!) Buildings after buildings are falling down like dominos. At this rate, it'll be an open field battleground. (Rumble!) Oh crap! It's happening right next to us! (Rumble!) (Beep beep beep!) Another sinkhole! And it's happening right now! The captain's TSF! (Crash!) Gah! No! Damn it! It sank to the bottom along with the other part of town. I can't get a reading off it. The fall must've broken its transmission somehow.

"Shirogane, report!"

"Another sinkhole appeared right next to Kanai town. Almost right next to the last one! Your TSF sunk along with it. The BETA are closing in on us. We need to go n—huh? (Grrrrrrrr…)" What was that? For a second there I thought I heard some kind of growling noise. (Grrrrraaaaarr…) It's getting louder. It seems to be coming from inside that sinkhole. Could it be my imagination? (Rumble!) (Graaaaaaarrrr!) Whoa! What the hell? Another earthquake?

Boom!

Gahh! The sinkhole just exploded! (WHAM!) Geh! The debris are falling everywhere! Shit! The captain! She's still in that container. One small hit and it's all over for her. The armor of my TSF should be able to handle the impact so I can shield her with it. (WHAM!) Keh! This almost reminds me of the time when I was in Mt. Tengen when the volcano erupted. (WHAM) All that lava and debris falling on your head while watching the environment burns up into ash.

Wheeet…

My computer shut down on its own. I guess all that hits must've forced it to restart. Damn… I have some very bad memories in dark cockpits like this. First Mt. Tengen and then… the XM3 trial. (Flash) Ahh… forget it. No time to remember bad memories. I came here to change just that.

Rumble!

"Shirogane? Shirogane, are you alright?"

"Y… yeah I'm fine" I answered back to the captain.

"What happened there? I heard an explosion"

"The sinkhole suddenly exploded. I don't know what happened. Just let me get back on my feet" (Wheeeeet) My computer came back to life as I reconnected my suit to it. "Listen captain. I don't think we should stay here any longer. It's getting too dangerous for us and… and… (Shirogane?) Oh… no way… (Shirogane? What's wrong? What do you see out there?)" By the time my cameras were active and the dust settled… I saw what very people get to see in their lifetime.

Over there by where the sinkhole started, towering over me by a huge margin was a giant creature. A creature so enormous that if you stood at the royal palace, you'd have to be looking up.

It was a worm… a giant BETA worm…


	33. Black Christmas Part 4

**Chapter 33: Black Christmas (Part 4) (Shattered Hope)**

**(Flagship Saijou)**

The whole Imperial Army was now in a state of panic when the sign of more BETA appeared on screen. They were having enough trouble dealing with the enemies earlier but now to see so many of them filling up the monitors it seemed like a nearly impossible feat.

"New BETA strain confirmed! I repeat—new BETA strain species is confirmed! Standby!"

"We're gathering information on the subject as we speak. Please hold"

"Whisky Alpha, do you have a visual of the target?"

"We can see it but we don't know what it is! Can you tell us anything?"

"To think that the BETA would have something hidden in their arsenal" Kozawa muttered in anguish. "This must be the very thing that swam right under us earlier. How horrifying"

"Lt. Piatif…" Yuuko called out to her secretary. "Can you get me a satellite visual of where the new BETA is sighted? (Yes, Vice Commander) (Beep) …!"

"It's… it's enormous"

"Preliminary scans confirm. The length matches the unidentified object that appeared on our sonars a few minutes ago, maybe even larger. It has appeared on the intersection between Kanai and the outer edge of Old Sado City"

"And it's right next to Kanai…" Yuuko muttered silently to herself. "This can't be a coincidence. Lt. Piatif. Order the 2nd fleet to begin firing their anti-laser rounds behind the BETA battle lines. (Yes ma'am!)"

"Anti laser shells will have little effect on the BETA themselves professor"

"Call it a woman's intuition, admiral. (…?)"

"Laser heat sources confirmed! (…!) At least 40 large and 60—maybe 70 small. 89% of anti-laser shells were shot down. Heavy metal cloud is now forming above the area! The remaining BETA are heading towards Kanai town at the speed of 60km/h. (Beep) Wait… the enemy appears to be splitting up. Half of the attackers have altered their course and are now heading towards the A-02's attack point"

"Tell the 2nd Fleet to switch to regular ammunition and resume bombardment. (Yes ma'am) And order the Valkyrie squad to attack them before they reach the attack point. They will coordinate with the artillery bombardment as they advance"

"What do we do about the new BETA strain?"

"…" the mad scientist let out a sigh. "Get me Shirogane on a secure line…"

**(Takeru's POV) (Kanai Town ruins)**

What the hell? That thing is huge! It's a worm… a giant BETA worm. It's so big that it blocked out the sun from view. How can I possibly stop something like this? A better question yet… why is this thing here? There wasn't anything like this back in my last loop. (Flash) Wait… could this be it? (Flash) Could my previous actions in this timeline launch this event? That's a like possibility but I don't how these events are even related in the first place.

The worm was about the size of a couple of football stadiums with even bigger than a Fort Class by a large margin. Its skin looked as if it was made of jagged rocks and the mouth piece seemed to open and close in a random whim like it was breathing.

Raaaaaarrr!

Is this it then? Is this the thing that's been causing all the sinkholes to appear around the battlefield?

Beep!

Eh? An encrypted channel?

"Shirogane…" Yuuko sensei? "Listen to me. I'm contacting you through a private line"

"Yuuko sensei! Are you seeing this? There's a giant worm in the middle of the battlefield! What's going on? (Calm down Shirogane!) Geh…"

"We have no idea what this monster is but it's clear that it's definitely a new species of BETA. We're looking through your cameras right now and are getting a clear visual. Since we don't know what it's capable of we have to assume every possible action. How's Isumi?"

"The captain is still dealing with the contingency plan. But do we have any ways of stopping it?"

"A plan is still being formulated. We'll keep an eye on it but at the moment the bigger threat is the Laser Class that reappeared on the defense line. There are at least 40 Heavy and nearly a hundred Small ones behind the BETA formation. The A-02 is only a few minutes away from the attack point but we can't risk exposing it to any Laser fire. The Valkyrie Squad is heading to engage the enemies heading to the attack point but at this rate they'll never reach the Laser Class in time. I was hoping to have the contingency plan in place to counteract this but it seems impossible now. You're the closest unit to them so do everything in your power to eliminate the Laser Class"

"Wait… if I leave here then the captain will be exposed. She doesn't have anything to defend herself with"

"It will have to do" You're kidding me! "The importance of this mission is too great to let morals get in the way. (…!) Isumi wouldn't do it any differently… (…geh!) Think what might happen to Sumika…" (Flash) Sumika!

Damn it! Why now of all times? "Alright. I'll deal with the Laser Class and come back for the captain. Give me their locations"

"Good. I'll have Marimo coordinate with you to deal with the Laser species. We'll notify you when the Susanoo reaches its final checkup. (Beep)"

Damn it, damn it, damn it! Our casualty ratings are going through the roof. At this rate our diversionary teams will be wiped out in a matter of minutes. Gaaaaaah! What the hell am I doing wrong? Why is everything falling apart now of all times?

"Valhalla base to Valkyrie 2B" Marimo chan… "I'll be marking your targets with heat signatures. The Laser Class BETA generate extensive heat after each shot so they should be easy to spot. (Roger that) I'm now giving you directions to where the BETA are thinnest" (Beep) That's a pretty long detour.

"Alright I'm on it. Heading that way now" Grrr! I don't know what's going to happen next but the only thing I can do now is fight. It's the only thing I've ever been good at. I may as well put it to good use!

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

**(Valkyrie Unit Main Force)**

"Valkyrie mum to all units" Suzumiya contacted the team that were awaiting new orders. "Laser species BETA have been confirmed on the battlefield. Heavy metal cloud has been formed over the central part of Sadogashima. You will be coordinating with the 2nd Fleet to concentrate in eliminating the BETA approaching the attack point"

"Valkyrie 1B, roger that. We're trying to push our way in right now"

"Negative on that" Haruka explained. "The main bulk of Valkyrie Squadron is now to provide a diversion for the BETA forces. Valkyrie 2B will then cut through from behind. (…!)"

"Shirogane? Alone?" Akane sounded bewildered on the other line. "He can't! If he does that, he'll get cut off from the rest of us!"

"But it seems like the only logical course" Munakata agreed hesitantly with the new battle plan. "With both diversionary force already exhausted from the fight, the only way he's going to get through is that someone act as the bait. (1st Lieutenant!-?) I don't like this either but right now we have to believe in Shirogane's skills"

"Well said Munakata" Hayase nodded. "Alright you heard the plan. We're going to provide a distraction for Shirogane. Break into platoons and engage. Once you have a bunch of them following you, break off the attack and head to the dam. (Understood!) We'll lure them into a crossfire. Ayamine, Mitsurugi, with me! We're going to pull a chunk of them with us! (Roger!)"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

**(Flagship Saijou)**

"A-01 main unit is engaging the enemy! Most of the BETA are pursuing but there are still large portions remaining at the area"

"Have the 2nd Fleet continue their bombardment" Yuuko ordered. "What about the giant worm?"

"It seems to have submerged underground. We have no visuals"

"Recalibrate the long range sensors to detect tremors matching its previous attacks. That way we can at least keep track of that thing until we figure out what to do with it. (Yes ma'am) (…) Is something the matter, admiral?"

"No… I am merely baffled at your strategy, professor. (Hmm?) You fired anti-laser rounds even though we did not detect any Laser Class earlier. (Call it a woman's intuition) Perhaps… but still… even with the Imperial Army nearly defeated, you still continue to put your faith in such a small unit. (Hehehe…) Forgive me… but you are indeed strange. I did not expect the Vice Commander to be so… reckless"

"Reckless huh? Perhaps his personality is starting to rub on me. (…?) Nothing of importance. But in either case, I realized the reason for the Laser Class to not fire earlier is because they were waiting for the A-02 to show itself. (What? But how can they possibly…?) Dunno… go ask them if you have time. But right now… airborne objects are still their top priority. Its onboard computer is the most advance in the area. The only reason I can think of now… is that the computer maybe a little too special"

"A-02? I read the files about it but nothing solid. It's supposedly an unmanned weapon, yes? Is the fact that it flies the reason why the BETA are attacking it?"

"That would be the logical point of view right now"

The admiral nodded back. "I see. But in any case, we cannot allow them to destroy humanity's best hope"

"I wouldn't worry too much admiral. My unit alone will do. (…?) They will hold off the BETA until it arrives"

"But professor… no matter how well trained Unit A-01 is… a few TSFs simply cannot hold off that number of BETA"

"You stress yourself too much. I've already planted the seeds of motivation in his heart. He just needs to nurture it until it grows. (…?)"

"Valkyrie 2B has breached the enemy defense lines! (…!) At this rate, Shirogane will reach the Laser Class in 30 seconds!"

"Incredible! A single unit was able to get through all those BETA on its own?"

"Heh… faster than I expected. You fail to disappoint me… Shirogane" Yuuko grinned in expectations of the boy's superior skills. "Marimo, guide him to his targets carefully"

"Valhalla to Valkyrie 2B. Heavy Laser Class is coming to your right. Conserve your 120mm rounds to penetrate their thick armor. I'm going to mark each of your targets on your radar. Be ready!"

**(Takeru's POV)(BETA defense lines)**

"Valkyrie 2B, roger that. (Raaaarrr!) Get the hell out of my way!" Damn it. I'm right in the thick of the BETA formation. I can't afford to get careless here but at the same time I have to be quick or else my opening move will lose its effectiveness.

"Shirogane. There are at least 24 Fort Class surrounding the Laser species and dozens of Grapplers and countless Tanks. You should break off and find an alternate route of attack"

"There's not a lot of room for me to move here. I'll have to take more extreme measures. Besides, we don't have enough time to find another path. Just tag them for me as they come. (Understood…)" Alright Takeru… focus. Hmmmm! Listen to your heartbeat. Hear it run faster and faster.

…

…

…

There we go. My perception of time has been altered again. Everything around me is moving slower… even my TSF.

"Valhalla to Valkyrie 2B. 4 Heavy Laser Class coming on your right, behind the Fort Class in front of you. (Roger!)" Whoosh! A slice of my blade and all four lie dead. "Two dozen Small Laser coming on your left. Once you get there, advance twenty five meters and you'll come upon another 3 Heavy Laser Class"

Aim. Shoot. Kill. Stop. Switch and then swing!

"All targets down! Give me the next one!"

"Another batch of Heavy Lasers behind the Grapplers 45 degrees north! There are at least 20 more under it" Right then… Toooooohh!

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"43 Laser Heat sources have ceased. Shirogane is proceeding to the next target at an increasing pace! The rest of Valkyrie Squad have lured a large portion of the enemy and are dealing with them at a steady rate. No tremors have been heard"

"Shirogane. Be careful. The next batch is surrounded by Fort Class. (I can handle it!)"

Yuuko couldn't but smile while the rest of the staff officer and the admiral himself gawk in awe of the casualty ratings that the BETA were receiving behind them. "What do you think now, admiral?"

Kozawa had to tip his hat to her. "I will admit… your unit really is special after all, professor. For a single company to face off against such odds has left me speechless. (It has?) And for that single pilot to slay almost half of the Laser Class in such a short time… I am simply in awe. (Hmm…) And that lone pilot must've killed several times that many BETA to even get those Laser Class to begin with. (Heh…) And the fact that this company alone has achieved this without a single casualty… is worthy of praise. Your personal force is even more powerful than the rumors say"

"I'm honored by all these compliments, units in this company are using the latest OS developed by the U.N. Army. It's only natural for them to do so well. And not to mention they are still receiving aid from the 2nd Fleet so I'm sure Captain Abe deserves some of the credit"

"Yes… that is true. But to achieve this many kills with mass-produced weapons… is impressive on its own. (…) Perhaps when the day comes when all TSFs are equipped with the new OS, we won't be seeing so many of our soldiers die"

"Hehehe… the man who thought of it said the same thing"

The admiral raised a curios brow. "Professor, that OS was not your idea?"

"No… he's out there right now, fighting for god knows what"

"Oh? Is that person… the lone unit you sent to destroy the Laser Class single-handedly?"

"My apologies, admiral, but I can't say anything more"

"Very well. That man must be another one of ALTERNATIVE IV's secrets"

"I'll leave that to your imagination"

"Vice Commander! A-02 is entering the first sequence of its attack. It has reached the southern end of the ravine and making its way to the attack point at average speed"

Yuuko looked at the map on the screen and calculated the distance and time needed to bring her plan to fruition. "Lt. Piatif. Tell the 2nd Fleet to conserve their ammunitions. Once A-02 reaches the final stages, we'll have them use whatever they have left to provide cover for A-01. (Yes ma'am. Ordering all ships to cease fire) Suzumiya, have Hayase keep holding the line until the last second. Fall back only on my signal. (Understood) Marimo… how many Laser Class are left?"

"According to the heat sources, there are at least 8 Heavy Laser Class. All the smaller ones have been destroyed. Shirogane is moving to the last batch right now"

"Tell him to fall back as soon as possible. He'll be caught in the crossfire if he stays there any longer"

"Yes ma'am!" Marimo quickly got to her radio and called out. "Valhalla to Valkyrie 2B. A-02 has just entered the first sequence of attack. Withdraw from the area immediately. (Not yet! Just a few more to go!) Enemy forces in your immediate is growing by the second. If you don't escape now, you'll be surrounded. (Just give me a few more minutes. I'll be done in three minutes, tops!) Geh… fine! The last remaining Heavy Laser Class are right at the center of their formation. They're completely protected by Fort and numerous Tank Class!"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Right… just a few more of them!" The Fort Class are trying to surround the Heavy Laser species, using their bodies as living shields. Well they won't hold me! I already ran out of 36mm rounds and 120mm shells—and I'm down to my last sword. I'll have to make every strike count! Uooooooo!

Guuurrrrr!

It doesn't matter how big you are! (Whoosh!) You die just like the rest of these freaks! (WHAM!) (Crash!) If it can bleed, it can die! It's as simple as that. So come on then! It doesn't matter if there's a hundred, a thousand, a million… I'll kill you all! (Raaaarr!) This is my world and I won't let you bastards ruin it like you did like the last time! (Flash) Because of you! Because of all of you… my friends… (Flash) They all had to suffer and die! (Flash) If any of you think that you can stand a chance against me then think again! Because this time… I have the power! I have the power to beat you assholes back to where you came from!

Tooooooohhh!

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

On the other side, the members of Valkyrie squad were pounding the living daylights off the BETA that tried to get through.

"Too slow!"

"Reloading!"

"Haaaaaaa!"

"This is Valkyrie 2A. I'm running low on ammo. I won't be able to keep this up for long" Chizuru continued her relentless fire as she explained her situation.

"Valkyrie 3C here. I'm the same" Akane added. "I spent most of my ammo on those 3 Fort Class. I'm down to my last clip"

"This is Valkyrie 1B, roger that. Once you're out of ammo, withdraw to the rear of our formation and keep watch. (Clang!) …! Mitsurugi! Here, take my spare blade. (My thanks…) Try not to overuse it. There are still plenty of these monsters to go around!"

"Valkyrie mum to all units. Valkyrie 2B has successfully silenced all the Heavy Laser Class BETA and is now withdrawing from battle. (…!)"

"He took them all out?" Hayase showed a sly grin. "Heh… as expected of my subordinate"

"A-02 is now entering the third sequence of its attack. The 2nd U.N. Armed Fleet will begin diversionary bombardment once it reaches optimum position. They will fire on where the BETA are thickest. Evacuate the danger zone within 90 seconds"

"Valkyrie 1B, roger that. Alright ladies, you heard her! Retreat at full speed in an Arrowhead-2 formation! Speed is of the essence so drop everything you have and go! We can rearm at the attack point! (Copy that!)"

"Valkyrie mum to all units! Emergency alert! (…!) A small detachment of Destroyer Class has been sighted near the attack point!"

"What? How the hell did they get there? We didn't let any of them through!"

"They're approaching A-02's location and are in attack formation!"

"Crap!"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

But right before those Destroyers could get close to the Susanoo, a hail of gun fire came from the sidelines followed by another round of 120mm explosives, instantly killing the BETA in the area. The group was shocked.

"This is Cracker 1 to the U.N. Army. Your attack point is secured. (…!) Don't go burying us just yet. The Imperial Army is still in this fight! 02, you're with me. 04, cover us from the mountain top. We're gonna hold these bastards off even if it's the last thing we do! (Roger!) Aim for their exposed backs! That's their weak point!"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

**(Takeru's POV)**

"Cracker Squad is holding the attack point! I repeat, Cracker Squad is holding the A-02 attack point. Valkyrie Squad, respond to the attack immediately!" Cracker Squad? (Flash) Akira… thank goodness. So they made it safely after all.

"This is Valkyrie mum to all units! A-02 is preparing to fire! 120 seconds until full charge! Valkyrie Squad, Cracker Squad, move to the flank to protect it from indirect attacks! (Roger!)" It's finally here. Sumika's here! "All units, brace for aftershock!" I can see the Susanoo from here. It's just as big and monstrous as I remember when I piloted one of it to the Hive Core. (Flash) The sheer dominance and firepower it possessed was truly unmatched. I guess it's to be expected seeing that it was developed by the American after all.

If we had somehow had this weapon at the beginning of the war… maybe… just maybe… we would've stood a chance against the BETA.

"Emergency alert! New BETA Laser Heat sources detected! (…!)" What! That's impossible! I killed them all. "Two energy sources! They just surfaced from underground! The A-02 is receiving fire!" NO! Sumika!

…!

"HQ to Valkyrie Squadron. Rutherford Field distortion within tolerance of laser fire. All components are functioning normally. (…!)" The beams… they're bending due to the force field around the XG. Sumika! Please be alright.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"This… this is…" Kozawa's eyes widened at the sight of what just happened. The beams which have been one of the BETA's deadliest weapons in this war were simply thrown out of the equation.

Satisfied with his reaction, Yuuko looked back at the monitor preparing for the best. "Now… let's begin. Do your best out there… Sumika…"

**…yes**

"Engine power output reaching maximum power! Opening cooling hatches and recoil stance! A-02 will be ready to fire in 20 seconds!"

In that very moment, every staff officer on board the ship held their hands on their chests in silent prayer. Some were asking for a divine intervention of some sort and some hoping for a miracle. This was their last chance of giving humanity hope and if there was a god left in this galaxy… then perhaps he would give them a tiny nudge in the right direction.

"Maximum power output achieved! A-02 is now firing!"

The world held its breath once more and all eyes turned towards the giant machine on the battlefield.

The chest of the Susanoo opened and in seconds a bright beam blasted from the stomach right towards the BETA. A bright ray of light flashed creating a shockwave that would've made tsunamis. It was a ringing sound that brought the dawn of a new day.

In that very moment when the dust cleared out… the whole world paused in shock.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Every captain of every ship who saw the blast first hand could not help but gap their mouth in awe of the sheer dominating firepower that originated from the XG-70. Every soldier, every officer, every mechanic, hell even the janitors of each ships couldn't help but stare… as everything that was caught in the path of the blast was annihilated in a blink of an eye. Even the members of the Valkyrie Squadron were baffled. All… except once who had seen it already.

Out of all the soldiers and sailors out there, the first one to recover was Cpt. Abe of the Shinano who was perhaps the closest who felt the blast on board his ship.

"The Hive…is… gone" He gritted his teeth holding back the rush of emotions coming through his face. "This is truly it then…" A drop of water ran down his cheeks as he muttered out. "Humanity has finally… done it. (…) At last… at long last we've… finally struck back at the enemy!"

The rest of the fleet and the army followed. In jubilant rhythm they gave out the biggest yell this world has yet seen and all over the air waves, you could hear soldiers cheering, shouting, and crying all at the same time.

Soldiers passed around hugs, tears of their suffering slowly dropping like an endless loop. It was perhaps their first… and their greatest triumph over the long fought enemy in a long while.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

On the Mano Bay beachhead, the Imperial Guards who remained to defend the command post were also in shock. To see the symbol of the BETA vanish in an instant was like a dream come true.

Tsukuyomi and her commander remained silent while the rest of the army echoed in the distance. The woman's subordinates were also cheering, unable to hold back their joy of finally seeing true victory at long last.

"Heh…" The man in blue could not help but let out a small laugh. It was not becoming of a relative of the Shogun to express such emotions but right now… who can help it? Hell even Tsukuyomi herself couldn't hold back a smile.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The members of the Valkyrie Squad and Cracker Squad were also cheering in their own way. But as the time went on, Hayase quickly ordered her group to reform. "Valkyrie 1B to all team leaders! Head to your designated positions—and keep your eyes peeled! (Copy that!) This fight isn't over yet so don't get your head over it! More resupply containers have been deployed around the attack point. Grab everything that you need and rearm. The BETA have been hit hard but they're not through just yet!"

"Copy that!" The whole squad responded in kind.

"Kazama, Kashiwagi, Yoroi, you three grab the ALM Launchers. C Platoon will go first, A then B—in that order. We can't afford to get sloppy! These bastards might be coming from underground as well! Cracker Squad will cover us while we resupply. (Understood!) You all saw it, right? Humanity can win with this thing. We have to protect it! Protect it as if your life depended on it, understand!-? (Copy that!)"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Back on the flagship Saijou rounds of smiles and laughter were given.

"60 seconds remaining until A-02's charged particle cannon reaches the critical energy point" Piatif stated out remembering her duty. "At the speed its going as well as the time needed for the coolant vent to return to normal temperature, it will be ready to fire again in 5 minutes time"

Yuuko nodded, her face not even showing a hint of concern or cheerfulness. "What's the status of the Hive?"

"The Monument itself has been destroyed. Everything but the base appears to have completely crumbled. The BETA in the south, southeast and southwest areas have been vaporized!"

The admiral held onto his chest, reminding his body that he needs to breathe to continue living. "W… wonderful. Such… power! (…)" He turned his head to Yuuko and bowed lowly in respect. "I am grateful, Professor—no—Vice Commander Kouzuki. (…) With this weapon… there might actually be a chance for us to truly survive"

"We've only blown up the Monument, admiral. The Hive itself is still intact" Yuuko explained not feeling the least bit flattered.

"That is true. But not once since the war began… has any human dealt this much damage to a Phase 4 Hive. With this act there is not a single doubt in my mind that you alone have carved your name into humanity's history. (…) Soldiers and children alike will likely remember you for generations to come"

"Hmph… it's not that big of a deal"

"After achieving something like this, do you really have no interest in such things?" The mad scientist simply let out a sigh. "You are too modest, Vice Commander"

"You misunderstand something, admiral. (I have?) I said leaving my name in humanity's history isn't that big of a deal. (What?) At this rate, that history will end within a decade. What do I care if my name is at the end of that? (…) Stuff like history won't really matter until we exterminate the BETA from this world. Let's save the pithy speeches after we win this war. Besides… I'm just fulfilling my promise to the empire. Nothing more…"

"Heh… perhaps they will accept it as the best Christmas gift ever… Vice Commander"

But while the rest of the army celebrated this historic moment, one soldier remained pessimistic of his views.

**(Takeru's POV)**

Geh…!

That was strong. I almost forgot how powerful a blast from the particle cannon was. It's a good thing I put my TSF in a crouched position. Using the machine's weight against that wave lessened the aftershock by a great margin but I didn't go unscathed. I still felt the recoil of the blast and I almost fell off this hill.

No matter how many times I see it, this will always amaze me. That huge symbol of BETA control over Japan was wiped off the face of the Earth after only one shot. To me, it's probably just another shot of the great weapon, but to the others it was a sign. A signal that we no longer have to fear the BETA and their kind. A signal to the world that hope still remained on humanity's side.

I can hear on the open channel of people yelling and crying out in joy of this victory. The 1st Lieutenants in my squad screamed with joy and some of them are probably shedding tears through their eyes. That blast blew away their doubts, their fears of the BETA and all the negative thoughts that had been inside the hearts and minds of everyone in this world. Most of the people are probably celebrating in their own ways as well.

Well they should be. Everyone in this world has lived their whole lives under the threat of BETA. They've been living with the reality of someday being wiped out. After seeing this first hand I'm sure everyone would believe that humanity now has a realistic chance of survival.

…

…

…

But even so… why do I feel uneasy about this? I should be happy. If this goes on we'll beat down the BETA for sure. Once the BETA Hive is neutralized, the myth of the G-Bombs being the only that can defeat the BETA will be gone for good. The supporters of the ALTERNATIVE IV will have much more to stand on with this kind of proof behind them. The guys planning on ALTERNATIVE V will have nothing on them.

Yuuko told me herself that the supporters of ALT V are still holding strong but the sudden events of the coup on the 12-5 incident only weakened their base. Once we show that this weapon can change the tide of this war… we'll hammer in the final nail on their coffins and break their chain of support for good. ALT V will never happen… ever.

But yet why? Why do I have this lingering feeling that something bad is going happen? All Sumika needs to do is to shoot that cannon two more times. The first shot blows up the monument, the second shot will blow up the base and the third will neutralize any BETA within the Hive itself. It should be perfect… right? (Tug!) Grhhhh! My headache… it's coming back.

"Valkyrie mum to all units. A-02 is entering the final sequence of its attack. It will fire in 5 minutes. Move to rear support positions" Keh! I can't lose myself now. I need to keep myself focused. The captain is still out there. It's a good thing I was able to get her suit's ID tag before we left so I can see her vital status and location. The container was far from the blast so it should receive the least of the impact. The BETA that were heading towards it were killed as well so she should be safe. But that wasn't a guarantee. There are probably a few more BETA hiding in the facility under it.

"This is Valkyrie 2B. I'm heading back to the captain's location"

"Negative on that, Shirogane" Marimo sensei? "The area you have to go through is within the danger zone of the particle cannon. You won't reach it in time. Head back to the A-02's attack point and assist with the defense"

"But the captain…!"

"You're needed there, Shirogane" Yuuko sensei. "The mission is the top priority at the moment. Isumi will be fine where she is. The container she's in is reinforced to withstand a direct attack from a 120mm cannon. As long as you complete your mission, it will work. (But…) Don't take actions that you'll regret. Right now… I need you near her. The 00-unit is your top concern, isn't it? (…!) Get your priorities straight. You can't afford to fail now"

"Geh…" Why does she always use Sumika against me? But… I guess she has a point. The Captain would priorities the mission over a single soldier no… matter… how… (Flash) Ugh… no no! Keep your head straight, Takeru. "Alright, I'm heading back now"

"Good. And be careful what you tell the others of where Isumi is. That facility is still a U.N. military secret"

"I'll do my best ma'am"

Whoosh!

There they are. Everyone is in one piece. That's good. As long as they're together, they won't fall.

"Takeru!" Ah… Meiya. "You're here. I was worried when we lost contact with you earlier"

"Ah… sorry about that. I got here as fast as I could. I didn't think I would—"

"Oi! Shirogane!" Hmm? 1st Lt. Hayase? "Good work taking out those Laser Class. It almost made me wished I was there with you" Hehehe… "Hurry up and rearm. We have to set up a defense line around the A-02 and… eh? Where's the captain?" Geh… I can't tell them about the ALTERNATIVE II Facility underground. I'll have to make something up to clear the situation. "Did she…?"

"Captain Isumi is handling something with the Imperial Army. She's safe at the moment. (…)" Did she buy it? That was a poor excuse but it wasn't far from the truth.

"Alright. It doesn't matter. Our top priority right now is protecting the new weapon. Everyone, keep your eyes peeled for anything suspicious. I don't want anything going wrong, you hear me!-? (Yes sir!) Munakata. Take your platoon to the high grounds. Your sensors will be more affective on the mountains. (Roger that) Shirogane. There are some supply crates near A Platoon. Make sure you're ready in case of anything"

"Yes ma'am. I'm on it" It's a good thing too. I had to throw away my assault rifles when they ran out of bullets and the last sword I had broke when I ploughed my way out of the battle lines. There are plenty of weapons here and even more to be had. (Tug!) If only this headache would go away. (Tug!) Ugh! Come on! Focus Takeru! We're almost there! Just two more shots to victory. If Sumika pulls this off then we're home free. You can't allow yourself to get distracted by… (Flash) Captain…? (Flash) No… don't bring that up now! (Flash) Is it because I'm in this familiar scenery that my memories are acting up?

Are my suppressed memories slowly resurfacing because I'm seeing something nostalgic? No… it can't be that simple. I can feel it. There's a voice echoing words inside my head. These visions, these memories… they're coming in too frequent to be some kind of coincidence. It feels more like… my subconscious is trying to tell me something.

"Valkyrie mum to all units! A-02 will be firing in ten seconds! Stay clear of the firing line! Brace for shockwaves and cover your eyes!"

Here it comes…

Booooom!

There. The second shot completed that task. Both the Monument and the base area of the Hive are gone. All we need now is one more shot to take out the BETA reactor down below. One more shot and this whole battle will end! Come on Sumika. You can do it! Please… change the future… for me…

**Anomaly scan… complete.**

Huh? There's that voice again. It's not coming from the coms or my computer. There's nothing on the open channel either.

**Subject… unknown.**

But I can hear it like that person is whispering next to my ear. Now I'm definitely sure that this isn't my imagination. Something or someone is speaking to… (Tug!) Arghhh!

**Threat level… high…**

**Course of action… research and process.**

(Flash!) Wait… (Flash!) I recognize this voice tone. (Flash!) There's no mistaking it. It's definitely the one… (Flash) The creature I saw at the bottom of the Core Hive! But if that's the case then…

…!

(TUG!) Gah… gahh…! (TUG!) ARGHHHHHHHHH!-!-!-!-!

"GAHHHHHHHH!-!-!-!-! (…?)ARGHHHHHHHHHH!"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Takeru! What's the matter with you?" Meiya called out when she suddenly the scream coming from the boy's channel.

"ARGHHHHH!-!-!" Takeru screamed and ran around in circles. His eyes were bulging from their sockets, his face marred with sweat and veins began to show themselves around his head. "GWAHHHHHHH!"

"Shirogane! Get a hold of yourself! (ARGHHH!) Mitsurugi. What's wrong with him?"

"I… I don't know! He's suddenly screaming!"

"Damn it. Yoroi. Can you get his vital signs on screen?"

"Yes ma'am! (Beep) (…!) Th… that can't be. Takeru's vital signs are dropping considerably! Something's wrong with him!"

"GRAAAAAAAHHHH!"

But then suddenly to everyone's surprise, another alert warned them of an impending strike. Gravity Deviation Warning kicked in.

"1st Lt. Hayase! A-02 is crashing! (What?) It's headed straight down!"

"All units scramble! Stay away from the XG. Don't get caught in its Rutherford Fields! (Roger!) Mitsurugi, Ayamine! Carry Shirogane out of there!"

The gang quickly broke off and got themselves to safer grounds away from the giant mech.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Back in HQ, the crew were once again scrambling in disarray.

"Unable to stabilize spatial coordinates! The hull is sliding to the right! (…!) The Moorcock-Lechte engine output is unstable!"

"Run all diagnostics! Find out what's causing it!" Yuuko ordered.

"We're trying. There aren't any errors or malfunctions in the A-02! (What did you… Impossible!) The XG has made an emergency crash land. No damage sustained"

"Put up the vital signs on the monitor! Show the readings from now to a few minutes ago! (Redirecting to monitor!) …! (Vice Commander?) Admiral… prepare the fleet for Plan D. (Beep!)"

"Irregular split in Rutherford Field dimensional boundary surface! Engines offline! Rutherford Field is down and cooling vents are not responding!"

"How is this happening? There's nothing wrong with the XG or the computer" Yuuko pondered in thought for awhile before she noticed another voice calling out on desks.

"Shirogane! Shirogane, what's wrong with you?" Marimo was calling out to the boy who was still screaming on the coms. His voice marred with pain and agony.

"Shirogane too? This can't be a coincidence. (…) Marimo, bring up Shirogane's vital signs next to the one here. (…?) Just do it. (R… roger) (Beep) …! That… can't be!" Yuuko's face was marred with an expression that did its best not to believe what was in front of her. "They're completely identical damages. (Vice Commander. What is going on?) What's Shirogane's condition at the moment?"

"I… I don't know myself. He suddenly started screaming all of a sudden. His heartbeat is going almost extremely high and his muscle tissues are emitting strange readings!"

"I should've expected this. Could it be a psychic attack? No… that's too convenient. (Commander?) Input the restart codes onto the XG. (Y… yes ma'am!) Admiral… please have the fleet prepare for Plan F instead"

"Emergency alert!" Suzumiya called out to everyone's attention. "Vibration signs detected 20 kilometers directly in front of A-02! It matches with the sign of the worm! The worm is surfacing! (…!)"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

And indeed the worm did surface. A sinkhole first appeared and the giant monster sprung from it. It let out a roar and directed its mouth at the soldiers below.

"All units open fire!" Hayase ordered out. "Give it everything you've got! Don't let it get close to A-02!"

"Cracker 1 to all units! Add your firepower to the monster! Shoot it down! Empty your guns if you have to!"

But the shots they gave out simply bounced off the thick hide of the worm. Even the missiles barely even made a dent on it.

"It's no use captain! Our attacks aren't doing any damage!"

But after awhile the worm decided to strike back. As it lay still on the ground, it's humongous mouth reopened and to everyone's surprise, a horde of BETA emerged from its stomach.

"This is Valkyrie 1B to HQ! A division-sized herd of BETA just came out of the monsters mouth! Ranging from Grappler Class to Fort Class! We also have readings coming from underground! Please advise!"

"Hayase! Look at the radar!" Munakata called out. "Another herd size group of BETA just appeared behind our formation!"

"What the hell!-? How did they get behind us!-?"

"We need to divide our forces and hold them off!"

"We can't! If we divert any of our firepower here, they'll breach our defenses and reach the XG! (…!) HQ! Requesting artillery strike on the worm's position! We need assistance! Any kind will do!"

"Valkyrie mum to all units. Artillery strikes are on the way! We're prepping up whatever troops we can spare but it'll take time for them to reach you"

"Well they better get here pretty damn fast! We won't be able to hold them off for long at this rate!"

**(Old Kanai Town ruins)**

As the situation worsened for the army… Isumi suddenly received a call from her commander. "This is Isumi. Plan F is now in place"

"Very good…" Yuuko nodded back in reply. Her voice sounding somewhat distant and apologetic. "I had hoped we would use this plan earlier… but things have spiraled out of control here. I appreciate what you're doing… Isumi"

"No… it's alright… I'm happy to have helped you… Vice Commander"


	34. Black Christmas Part 5

**Chapter 34: Black Christmas (Part 5) (His Unbreakable Will)**

**(XG-70 Attack Point)**

Hayase was not having a good time. Even though she probably did say that she can match any opponent no matter how big they were she was beginning to find out that she began to take in more than what her and her squad can chew.

The BETA were literally overwhelming them with huge numbers. Grapplers were pouring from the mouth of the giant worm like a flood and Fort Class were even harder to take down too. They were doing their best but even with their combined firepower they were powerless to stop the monsters from getting any closer to the XG. Another bad point was the fact that the squad's ace pilot had fallen under some kind of illness.

"Mitsurugi! Three of them, behind you! (Whoosh!) Keep holding them off! Don't let them pin you!"

"Hayase! The BETA group at the rear is approaching the XG-70!" Munakata warned. "At this rate, they'll reach the weapon in just a few minutes! (Tch!)"

"1st Lieutenant…" Meiya called out. "A single unit alone should be enough to hold off the group approaching the rear. I volunteer to take position as the rear guard"

"Denied! (…!) We need every gun we have to hold this wave off! The worm is still spouting out more of them. If we lose our position here… it's going to be a catastrophe!"

"But if we don't get rid of them. The XG will…"

"I know that! But I'm also worried about my team! Either way, we have to hold this batch until we weaken them!"

"Valkyrie mum to all units. Artillery barrage incoming! Be wary of impact shells!"

A rain of bombs suddenly dropped onto the ravine placing the whole field in a sea of fire. But still… even after all that shell shock, the worm remained almost unscathed.

"You're kidding me!" Hayase gapped. "Valkyrie 1B to HQ! Artillery had little effect on the worm. I repeat—the worm was unaffected by the artillery barrage!"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Valkyrie mum, roger that. Artillery strike has not affected the new BETA species. Now ordering all cannons to fire on new locations"

"The armor of the creature must be exceptionally hard to survive such an attack" The admiral added trying his best to keep himself calm. "What do you intend to do now, Vice Commander?"

"Since the XG-70 is not accepting the restart command codes, I have to put Plan F is in effect. (Plan F!-?) Yes. It's already been put in motion. But I never thought that it would come to this. Please have the soldiers evacuate while they still can"

"But… you're not even going to try and retrieve or repairing the XG—70?"

"We're going to try that right now. But just as an emergency case… I don't want anyone losing their lives needlessly"

The admiral nodded back in defeat. "I understand. I will have the fleet moved to a safer distance. I only wished that we had more time to see our dreams come to fruition"

"Do not worry about that. I will fulfill my promise to the Empire. If worse comes to worse… I will activate Plan G myself"

"I shall pray that it does not come to that"

Yuuko then turned her attention back to the fight at hand. "Give me a status on the current battle?"

Suzumiya showed the map of the attack point on screen and brought her up to speed. "The worm BETA has emerged exactly 20 kilometers from the A-02. From what we've listened so far, it has also carried with it a large number of BETA species in its stomach. Tanks, Grapplers and Fort Class appear to be the mainstay of that group. Valkyrie and Cracker Squad under 1st Lt. Hayase's command have formed a defense line on what was old ravine dam. However, the BETA numbers continue to increase and a rearward force has also appeared. They're still minutes away from the XG but without proper support, they will be unable to defend the position successfully"

"What about Shirogane's condition?"

"Still nothing. His vital signs are still in the red. All forms of communication aren't getting through!"

"So his symptoms aren't neurological after all. (…?) Marimo. Apply level 9 battle hypnosis and apply 5mg of stims on him. (…!)"

"Level 9? But such a thing would cause unstable side effects! (Do it…) Geh… Yuuko… (Do it!) Un… understood. Applying stim and hypnotic battle treatment on subject. Sending it through encrypted channel… now"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

**(Takeru's POV)**

Graaaahh! Grrrrrrrr! Ahhhh! My head! Something… is trying to get… into… my head! (Flash) I can feel it! (Flash!) I can hear it. It's… talking to me! AHHHHH!

**"What are you?"** Grrrrraaaaa! **"Why… do you exist?"** It's… slamming against my brain. I can hear it calling to me, asking me questions—arghhhhh! "Anomaly… you are…"

Beep!

Gahh! Haaaa! Haaaaa!

"Sh…ne…" Wha? Who is it now? "…hiro…ne!" Someone is calling me. (Tug!) Geh! An… encrypted channel? But… who? Marimo… chan? "Shirogane! Do you copy, over?" Arghhh! Her voice it's too loud! It's booming all over my ear! "Shirogane. We're going to apply battle hypnosis. Prepare for transmission! (Beep!)" Battle hypnosis? At this stage? (Beep!) GAHHHH!

_"Oh soldier, you who face death on this day…"_ A level 9 hypnosis? I've never had one of those befo—ARGHHHH! _"Abandon all hope and fear not the world of the afterlife. May your sacrifice under the stars lead you not to despair but to strength. For you shall join your brothers and sisters… in the promise land of glory and death"_

CRAAAAAAP!

"Activating stim packs!"

Pssst…

Gah! Stims… and a lot of them too. I feel like a guinea pig being experimented on. (Tug!) Ughhh! Why now?

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"No good! The battle hypnosis and stim had no effect on his psyche! Subject is still unstable!"

Yuuko groaned. Just when she needed him the most, the boy was totally useless. "Add another 20mg to the suit's functions and give him a level 10 hypnosis and keep repeating it! (…!)"

"Vice Commander! That kind of treatment is extremely dangerous" Marimo halted. "A level 9 therapy alone can damage the brain psychologically. No one has been able to come out of a level 10 hypnosis without severe damage to the brain. (That's exactly what I'm hoping…) Eh? Wait… just what are you trying to pull? If we apply this treatment he might never recover!"

…

…

…

"…do it. (…!) That is an order, 1st Lt. Jinguuji…"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"This is stupid! Where the hell are those reinforcements?" Cracker 4 complained as he continued raining hell on the enemy. "I already lost count on how many Grapplers I took down!"

"Cracker 1 to Valkyrie Squad. We can't hold our position! I repeat—we can't hold! There's just too many of them!"

"Valkyrie 1B, roger that. Fall back to C Platoon's position and assist from there. A Platoon. Grab as many supply containers you can get and reform a defensive position near the XG. (Roger!) B Platoon, listen up. We're going to try and buy as much time possible. Focus on the Grappler and Tank Class. The Fort Class can't move as fast as the others so don't bother wasting your energy on them. (Copy that!) (Raaaarr!) Keh! Try again! (WHAM!)"

"Hayase! The BETA are approaching the XG from behind!" Munakata called out.

"Damn it! Valkyrie 1B to Valkyrie mum. Focus all artillery fire at the rear of A-02. We cannot form a defense line around the XG so we need them to buy us a little more time!"

"Valkyrie mum, roger that. Sending new coordinates to the 2nd Fleet

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"This is Captain Abe to all ships. Focus all guns at these coordinates. Do not let up!"

"Captain! Emergency alert! Laser heat signature detected on the starboard bow! (What!-?) I'm reading at least 14 sources! They're aiming directly towards us!"

"Why didn't we detect them earlier?"

"I… I don't know. They just appeared suddenly on radar!"

"Damn it! Tell all ships to break off! Have the destroyers protect the smaller ships! Our armor can withstand their firepower better than the others!"

"Aye aye! Ordering all ships to move about!"

GAAAAAAHHHH! **"Why… do you exist?"** Why? How would I know why I exist? **"What… are you?" **(Tug!) ARGHHHH!

Shut up shut up shut up! How the hell should I know!-? Who the hell is asking me all these questions? If I knew then… (TUG!) GRRRRR! **"How… can you exist?"** (Flash) Gaaaa! "What… is your purpose?"

(Flash) Geh! Damn it…! Why am I getting flashes of my home now!-? (Flash!) Grahhh! (Flash)What…? What are you doing to me? (Flash!) ARGHHHHH! Get out! OUT! This… is… my brain! (Flash!) And these memories… are mine! So get the hell out!

**"Why… why do you exist!-?"**

"That's because I chose to!" (Beep!) GRAHHH! (Pssst!) Geh! More stims? Damn it! I feel like my blood is rushing to my brain faster than it can circulate everything.

"Shirogane! We're now applying level 10 battle hypnosis. Standby!" Level 10? (Beep!) ARGHHH!

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Brainwave activity is spiraling!" Marimo announced. "The hypnosis is taking a heavy strain on him. Recommend, we cease the program!"

"Denied" Yuuko ordered back. "Keep it on and focus on the battle at hand. If he doesn't recover from this then it's already too late. (…!) Admiral. I suggest you move the fleet back in case of Plan G"

"I already have, Vice Commander. The only ships that remain are the TSF motherships that have yet to leave the bays. With the arrival of new Laser Class it has become rather difficult to withdraw everyone"

"What units do we have left on the field?"

"Other than A-01 and Cracker Squad. The Imperial Honor Guard 16th Battalion is still holding the Command Post. Commander Ikaruga has volunteered his force to be the last force to leave the island. Echo 5th Regiment is still holding Ryoutsu Bay but just barely. They will be the next group to evacuate. The 4th and 5th fleets have withdrawn to safe distance. The 3rd Fleet has withdrawn back to Niigata for repairs. Half of the 2nd fleet has been sunk by laser fire and are almost out of ammunitions"

Yuuko groaned. The situation really was turning for the worst. Without supplies or any reinforcements, the members of Valkyrie Squad were completely on their own. "It'll be impossible for reinforcements to get to them in time. (…) Get me contact with Isumi"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"This is Isumi… what is it, Vice Commander?" The captain of the Valkyrie Squad opened up an encrypted channel. She could hear the rumbling and roaring outside of the container she was in. So far the BETA have not yet taken notice of her activities but there was no telling when they might come back.

"Isumi. We're proceeding with Plan F. How are the things on your end?"

"It's all fine, ma'am. I have complete control over the facility now. I've rerouted the ventilation shafts. Once the tanks reach critical level it will burst throughout the entire facility and spread down the Hive. I've lowered the temperature in the rooms to be below -20 degrees to slow the process of the chemicals as well. In a matter of minutes, everything with a 15 mile radius both below and above ground will burn"

"I'm sorry that it came to this…"

"Not at all. I was the one who volunteered for this mission. But you didn't have to send Akira as reassurance"

Yuuko gave out a fake laugh. "Aha… so you noticed?"

"I've known you long enough to see through your ruse, professor. It seemed like something you would do. (…) But I'm also glad. (…?) To get a chance to see her again… even on the battlefield was quite a relief. To know that what I'm about to do will save her calms me down. (Isumi…) But we shouldn't dally. The chemical tanks holding the white phosphorus will be going critical in a matter of minutes"

"You're right. The last of the Imperial Army should be evacuating in a matter of minutes. I'll relay new orders to the others. Good luck… captain…"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"It's no good, 1st Lieutenant… the BETA have breached our lines! We cannot hold!" Meiya announced as she withdrew from the battle lines.

Hayase cursed out. Even though she was putting her heart into this fight it seemed almost impossible to hold them. "Tch! Just how many bastards did that guy had in his stomach?"

"Hayase! BETA units have reached the XG! (…!) Kashiwagi, Kazama, cover the XG. Pick them off but try not to damage the unit itself! (Roger!) Akane, use your four pronged gun and clear the southeast corner! (Copy that!)"

"Valkyrie mum to all units! Steer clear of BETA worm! The worm is submerging back underground! Be careful of tremors!"

"This… really isn't good" Hayase muttered out before killing another Grappler Class. "We won't last much longer at this rate. (Raaaaaaar!) Ayamine, Mitsurugi. Fall back to our final defense line! We have no choice but to hold them there! Protecting A-02 is our top priority right now!"

"Roger th—ah!" Meiya then noted that Shirogane's TSF was still inoperable on the battle lines. "Takeru!" She rushed in and tackled the first Fort Class tried to come close.

"Mitsurugi! What are you doing!-? Do you want to get us all killed!-?"

"I'm sorry… but Takeru is still not moving! (…!) I cannot leave him behind!"

"Damn it! A Platoon. Cover us! (Roger!) Ayamine, with me! We'll clear the path for Mitsurugi! (Understood!) Yoroi! Fire your missiles in our direction! Give us a few seconds to catch our breaths. (Yes ma'am!)"

Meiya charged out and sliced a few more BETA that tried to get near Shirogane. As her comrades provided her with covering fire she quickly dropped her weapons and grab the boy's frame in an attempt to pull him out of the field. "Takeru! Get a hold of yourself! (…) Takeru, if you can hear me please say something! We need you now more than ever!" She shook his TSF and called out through his channel but there was nothing. At first there were screams and cries of pain but now that line had gone silent. Hell… there wasn't even a picture on screen anymore. "Takeru! Please! Answer me! Please say something!"

"Mitsurugi! Look out behind you!"

"…!" A Fort Class appeared from the smoke and raised one of its ten legs against her. But even though she was unarmed, Meiya parried the blow head on, protecting her comrade from death. "Please… Takeru! Wake up!"

**(Takeru's POV)**

"Takeru!" Ugh… who? "Takeru!" Meiya? She's… calling me. But I can't see her. (…) I can't see anything at all even though my eyes are still open. I can hear the voice of that hypnotic therapy but all the words died out ages ago. "Takeru! Wake up!" I… can't move my body. I feel… so tired. What happened to me?

(Flash!) I can see her. I can… see Meiya fighting along with everyone. Why am I not moving? What happened to my body? I had a terrible headache and now I'm… I'm… asleep?

"Takeru san!" Tama? She's also here. She's also fighting. (Flash!) Hmm? Tama's old man? Why is he appearing in my visions now?

(Flash) _"I shall leave… my daughter in your care"_ I remember this. This was the time when the Undersecretary General visited us on the base back in my previous loops. But… why does it feel like he's… trying to say something else to me?

"Takeru!" Mikoto? Am I hearing his voice in my head too? "Takeru, get out of there!"

(Flash) _"I'll be waiting for good news, son-in-law"_ Mikoto's old man? Why is he looking at me like that? I've never seen him show that expression before. _"Please take care of Mikoto… for me…"_ Yoroi…?

(Flash) _"Take care of onee-san for me"_ Akira…? _"She can be pretty stubborn at times but she understands what's best for the mission… so…"_

(Flash) Tsukuyomi? _"Please… take care of Meiya sama… somehow. Please… I beg of you…" _Tsukuyomi… she cried to me and begged me to save her. Everyone.

Yoroi… Tama's old man… Akira… Tsukuyomi… Yuuhi… Yuuko… Marimo… Captain… everyone… they're relying on me. They want to protect their loved ones too. (Flash) Though their deaths were not my fault, that doesn't change the fact that I was weak! I was too weak to protect them. But now… now I have the power… the power to protect those that I love. Those that I care about! I have to do it. (Flash) I can't let them down. (Flash) The people of Japan, this entire world… they're all counting on me to finish what I've started. I won't fail. I can't fail! I will not fail! (Flash) That's right. This is what I came back to do. The reason why I came here. This is the reason why I exist!

**…!**

Come on you stupid arm! Move! Move! I can't lose now! I came back to change the future and I'm not going to let some alien freaks stop me! No matter how many there are, no matter how big they become… I will top them all. I beat them before… so I can beat them again! I will do it… I will change this world and I don't care if I have to go through hell to do it! (Flash) I won't lose my friends… I won't lose anyone who is precious to me anymore! That is my purpose… the reason why I live! The reason why still exists in this plain of reality!

**"Purpose… unacceptable—further research is required"**

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Mitsurugi! Get the hell out of there!" Hayase ordered.

"I cannot! If I do then Takeru will…!"

"God damn it! There's too many of them! (Click!)Out of ammo? (Raaaarr!) …! Mitsurugi! Two more Fort Class, behind you!"

Meiya looked behind and saw the two large figures standing behind her. Their legs raised and prepared for one final strike. She looked around but saw no way of protecting herself. Her swords were already broken and her gun was thrown. At the face of death, she could only shout one name…

"Takeru!"

WHAM!

Boom!

…!

And just as miracle wanted it… the boy's frame rose from the ground and with a swing of his gun and sword, every BETA around him were dead in seconds. Even the Fort Class that Meiya was holding against fell head first on the ground in a defining thud.

"That's…" Hayase saw the whole thing occur in a flash of a second. She didn't know how it was possible but there was no doubt that Takeru just pulled off some kind of killer move. "Shirogane…?"

"Takeru!"

"Haaaaaa…" The boy breathed out over the com. Though his visions maybe deterred and his body weakened from the over-dosage of the stims his conscious refused to let his body down. His whole body was letting out painful aches and his migraine did not falter. But even when his mind and body were on the verge of being destroyed… his willpower compelled his conscious to stand. "You won't win… (…!) Even if you come at me with everything you have! Even you throw a whole mob of your puny soldiers at me! I won't lose!" The voice in his head roar out in anger but it slowly died out from the shouts of his comrade. "Because I'm going to change this world! So come at me you assholes!"

He let out another hail of fire killing a large group of tanks in the process.

"Ayamine, cover Mitsurugi! I'll support Shirogane! (Roger!) Platoon A, C and Cracker Squad. Focus on the guys at the back of the XG and finish them off quickly. We'll hold the guys that the front. (Understood!)"

"You heard the Lieutenant, Yoroi, Kashiwagi, Tamase, Sakaki, Akane. Focus all your firepower at the rear! Wipe that group out and let's do it quickly!" Munakata ordered out which they all followed.

The tide of the battle then turned. As Shirogane rose from his painful posture he gritted at the enemy in front of him.

"Nice of you to join us" Hayase flirted to her subordinate. "And here I thought you were down for the count. (1st Lieutenant…) Fall back for now. I can handle things from here"

"No… I'm fine" Shirogane insisted. "I can fight…"

"You sure? It's going to be a tough fight and your readings are still on the red"

"Don't worry about me. Just point me to where the BETA are and let me do the rest"

Hayase simply smiled at him. Even when he was looking like that, Shirogane still had the spirit and determination to fight. "Alright. We're going to have to be in the thick of it. Two units are the smallest element in an attack. If we can divert some of these BETA away from the XG it should give Munakata and Sakaki enough time to eliminate the smaller unit behind us. You up for it?"

"Yes ma'am! You can trust me to have your back any time!"

"Glad to hear it! We can really use some of that genius piloting skills right about now. Mitsurugi, Ayamine. Fall back to the defense line. Shirogane and I will launch a diversion attack. That should split the attacking group by a small margin"

"But 1st Lieutenant!" Meiya objected. "Shirogane's condition is…!"

"It doesn't make a difference!" Hayase barked back. "Sick or well, these guys will kill us no differently! If you have the strength and will to fight then fight! That's all that matters! You guys handle the few that get pass us. Let's go Shirogane! (Yes ma'am!)"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Battle tide has turned! I repeat—Valkyrie Squad is now counterattacking the enemy force!" Suzumiya announced out. "Valkyrie 1 and 2 B have successfully divided the enemy force! Enemy casualty rating is increasing steadily! (…!)"

"The 2nd Fleet has exhausted all their ammunitions and are withdrawing to safe waters. 29 of their ships were sunk. 15 of them were carriers and 4 were decoys"

"…" Yuuko looked at the screen a bit irritated. Though the fight was going their way she had to admit that there was a bit of a sour taste in her mouth.

"Vice Commander Kouzuki" Kozawa spoke up, breaking her train of thoughts.

"What is it admiral?"

"I did not mean to disturb but I have managed to secure an empty carrier vessel to evacuate A-01. The Okami. It should be landing close to the southern end of the ravine behind the canyon path. Once the unit reaches the end of the canyon, it will only be a two minute boost jump to the ship. Since it's also on the lower ground, it is protected by laser fire itself"

"I see. That's excellent. Thank you admiral. Once we've secured the area around the A-02 I'll have them withdraw to that location. (Of course) Do we have any ship left to provide cover for them?"

"The auxiliary ships are still resupplying the 3rd and 4th fleets but it'll take them some time. Most of the 2nd fleet has exhausted their reserves except for the flagship and two destroyers. Those are all that we have at the moment"

"Just three ships…" Yuuko groaned. "This might be difficult, even for 'him' at his present condition"

"Vice Commander!" Suzumiya called out to get her attention. "A-02 is secure. The BETA to the rear of the XG has been eliminated. Only those that were thrown by the worm remains. They should have the perimeter secured in a matter of minutes"

"Good. Have what remain of the 2nd fleet prepare to fire a diversionary bombardment but only on my signal"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

**(Takeru's POV)**

"Teeeeeeehh!" There… that's the 14th Fort Class I've taken out. There really is no end to how many these monsters are. I've even lost count of how many I've taken out.

"What's the matter? Don't tell me you're getting tired already!" 1st Lt. Hayase. Heh… it's been a total of five minutes and I think I must've killed at least a hundred of these monsters already. We've been going on a back-to-back beating anything that came near us. So far it's been working great and we've killed most of the BETA around the XG. But even so… I don't know how much longer I can last. My headache is still ringing from time to time making my visions blur and my body feels like it could collapse at any moment. It's already painful trying to move my fingers.

"Not in the lease!" I answered back keeping up my posture. "If I can fight you to a standstill then these bastards should be no problem"

"Heeeeeh… you got spunk. I like that in a guy. (Raaaaarr!) Get lost!" Heh… she's as fiery as ever. It's no wonder she's the second in command of the unit. Hmm? "Tch… looks like they got us surrounded again" She's been fighting for quite some time now. She's only been using her sword and it'll probably break after a few more swings.

"Hayase… here. Take my spare gun and blade. I have two spare clips so try not to waste them all"

"I won't but what about you. (…?) You're not looking so good yourself"

"Don't worry about me 1st Lieutenant. You just try not to get yourself killed out there. Like you said… it doesn't matter if I'm sick or well. They'll just kill me the same as any other man"

"Precisely! Let's go! (Bang!) Eh? What the?" Huh? What was that?

Bang! Bang!

Sniper shots? Where?

"Did you forget about us already?" Munakata! "We can't let you have all the fun"

"Heeeeh… took you long enough, Munkata. I thought you'd be faster than this"

"Sorry if we took too long. I'll just make up for it by killing more than you"

"Not going to happen!" Heh… these two. They can still have a quick chat in the middle of a crisis. As expected from seasoned fighters.

"Alright you heard her! Yoroi, Tamase, support Ayamine and Mitsurugi. Kazama and I will support Hayase and Shirogane. Platoon A will focus all their firepower at the front! Don't give them another inch! (Roger!)"

"This is Cracker 1. We'll support you as well. 04, 02. Reverse wedge formation! (Copy that!)"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Haaaaaaa… haaaaaa… haaaaaa… I don't know how it was done… but we did it. After what felt like an eternity we beat back the last of the BETA. Judging from the radar that are still thousands more coming but they're still 15 minutes away from our current position. That should give us some time to recuperate. But for me… well… I think I'm done in this fight. I can barely even lift my hands up anymore.

"Valkyrie 1B to Valkyrie mum. A-02's attack point is secured. I repeat—A-02's attack point is secured. All nearby BETA have been eliminated. Awaiting instructions, over"

"Valkyrie mum, roger that. I'm patching you to a private link with the Vice Commander. Standby"

Beep!

Yuuko sensei? "Sorry for the wait. I'd compliment you on a job well done but we have little time at the moment. As you may have noticed already, the army has agreed to go on with a contingency plan that we've set up. Most of Whisky and Echo Units have already withdrawn from Sadogashima so it will be obvious that you will be the BETA's next target. I'm here to brief you on Plan F" Plan F? Blowing up the Susano was Plan G. So this is before that? "I will brief you on the details of the plan so listen well"

"We're listening, commander"

"To ensure that every BETA on the island is killed, high command has approved of the use of a high volatile chemical weapon to be used on a city wide scale across the island. (…!)" Chemical weapon? (Flash) Is she talking about the White Phosphorus tanks we found below Kanai town? "The chemical will spread through the BETA Hive and then the surface killing every living thing within a 15mile radius" 15mile? That's crazy! "While that happens, A-01 will recover a prototype computer in the XG and return it to HQ"

I see… so instead of blowing the Susanoo, we'll just use a chemical weapon to kill every BETA on the island. It's a simple task. Yuuko can't talk about the ALTERNATIVE II Facility so she disguises it as a chemical weapon.

"Understood. How do we deploy the chemical weapon?" Hayase inquired in a professional tone.

"Isumi has already… volunteered to release the weapon" The Captain? (Flash) She's still in that canister. "She will release the weapon voluntarily after A-01 has reached the mothership south of the ravine. Once there you will rejoin with the 1st U.N-Empire fleet in the north to be redeployed on further missions if need be. I'm uploading you the route you need to take to reach your destination. Any questions?"

"No questions ma'am. My unit and I will…"

"Wait!" I called out interrupting their conversation. "Yuuko sensei… what about the captain? What will happen to her after she releases the chemical weapon?"

…

…

…

"Isumi… will probably be affected by the chemical weapon as well. (…!)" You're kidding! "I've already spoken with her. She has accepted her duty"

"But I thought the weapon could be triggered remotely!"

"That was the original plan at first" Original plan? What is she talking about? "The chemical weapon was supposed to be triggered once the captain and the rest of the army withdrew to a safer location. But due to the rapid increase of BETA and the damage done to the package… the radio signal cannot work. She will have to operate it manually from the base" Are you kidding me? That's right in the middle of the BETA infested ground! She'll be the first to feel the effects once she releases the chemicals! "I've already spoken to her and she has agreed to the plan"

"But shouldn't we at least try to rescue her!-?"

"The Army doesn't have the time or the resources to pull off another operation of that scale. There are simply too many enemies to handle. The best solution now with the least number of casualties will be to operate Plan F"

"Don't screw with me! We can still save her! (…) You can't tell me to run away now! We've come too far to let everything fall to pieces now!"

"I am merely looking at the realistic point of view" What kind of an answer is that?

"Are you saying that… are you saying that it's ok to just leave her there!-? To just turn and run with our tails between our legs while the captain gives her life for all of us!-? That's just not right!"

"Shirogane!" Keh! "You need to put your priorities straight! There is no time or place in this world for your self-absorbed ego!"

"My ego has nothing to do with this! My priority right now is saving my friends! Why can't you understand that!-?"

"Let it go, Shirogane" Hayase!-?

"1st Lieutenant? Don't tell me you agree with this plan too?"

"The captain wouldn't do anything different here" Ah! "Our mission takes top priority. Have you forgotten that? Being a member of the A-01 means that everyone here is ready to give up their lives when it is necessary. That has been our way. The captain would sacrifice a life to save a thousand more"

"DON'T FUCK WITH ME ABOUT SACRIFICE! (…!) Are you saying that all of us here should just go while there's even the slightest chance of getting all of us alive!-?"

"Takeru…"

"That's just not right!" I don't want to relive that moment again! (Flash) I don't want to see anyone else die while I live. "If there's even the slightest chance to save her we should take it! It's what comrades do, isn't it?"

"Enough!" Geh! Yuuko! "You have to get your head straight! Think about what's important right now, Shirogane! Everything that we've worked for is the completion of this mission. If you can't do what is asked of you then perhaps you don't understand a thing!"

"No! What you don't understand is that no one should be standing by and allow someone to suffer because we do nothing!"

_"What's important is not standing by, and allowing someone to suffer or die because you do nothing! If you don't get that… then you don't get the first thing about being Spider-Man!"_

_-Peter Parker to Miguel O'Hara from the game Spider-Man: Edge of Time-_

…

Yuuko… she's silent. "Perhaps I overestimated you, Shirogane. (…?) You're unneeded… (Beep!)" Hey wait!

Click… click!

That son of a bitch! She cut me off from the coms! Gah! No! (Wham!) No no no no no no NO! Why is this happening!-? I did everything right! I told her everything and gave her everything she needed yet why!-? Why doesn't she just give me a chance to… GERRRRAAAAAAHHHH! Yuuko! (Flash) Even if you don't use the G-Bomb… sacrificing the captain of all people! How can you possibly justify that? How can you just willingly send off one person to die while the rest of us… (Flash)… just live on…?

(Flash) _"You kept speaking as if there has always been a different way without sacrifices. Was all that bravado you showed at Susono nothing more but empty promises? If so then you are truly a disappointment Shirogane"_

Tsukuyomi… I promised that I would show her a way. A way to win without sacrifices! That the old way is through! I know that Sumika is my highest priority but if I run away now. If I let her die then I'm nothing more but a hypocrite! A guy who wanted to be a hero but failed three times over!

(Flash) _"Weakling…"_

No… no more! I won't let it happen again. I promised to Kasumi in my death that I would change the world. I promised that to Sumika and myself when I killed myself. I can't back down now. I've done stupid things before and it worked so why don't we just throw everything we've got in a gamble again? It's not like I've got a life to lose.

Ok think Takeru, think! What can I do now?

Oh… wait. I remember I still have that secret channel that Yuuko sensei gave to me during the coup. It should still be working but since she cut me off from direct communication I'll have to use an open frequency. Everyone will hear and see me but at the very least I should be able to reach them. Come on Shirogane…!

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"So you both understand the plan?" Yuuko finished up after she explained the detail of the mission to Hayase and Isumi who were on a conference.

"Yes, ma'am" Isumi nodded back. "Everything is ready here. The chemical tanks are already reaching critical pressure"

"The mission's top priority is the safe retrieval of the 00 Unit. Next would be the release of the chemical weapons. We have already attempted to reactivate the autopilot thirty times to no avail. We can only assume now it's a physical error. The reactivation process will be difficult afterwards. (Ma'am) We'll wait until the 00 Unit has been moved to a safe distance and at most until the last ship has reached safety. If we can't reactivate the XG when the time ends, the chemical weapon will get released afterward. Understood?"

"Yes ma'm!"

"Then I'll explain the procedures. First the 00 Unit's retrieval. It will be handled by 1st Lt. Hayase in this case. First you will have to—(Beep!) …?"

"You can't!" Shirogane's voice boomed over the radio.

"What the?"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The commander of the Honor Guard paused for a moment when he noticed a channel open to his com link. "Hmm? What's this?"

But Tsukuyomi and her subordinates immediately recognize the person on the open channel and was wondering what the man was doing on an open broadcast.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Even Captain Abe's crew was receiving it on their ship. "Hmm? That is…"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Yuuko sensei! You can't release the chemical tanks! Not like this!"

"Cut off that communication!" Yuuko ordered but to no avail.

"I can't. It's some kind of restricted channel" Suzumiya explained as she attempted to lock the boy out of the conversation. "I can't intercept it. (…!) It's been transmitted on an open frequency"

"Yuuko sensei! Please listen to me!"

"Shirogane! Your interruption will cost all us greatly!"

"Then at least let me go and save the captain! I can make it! A few jump boost and I can get her out of there!"

"The important thing right now is for you to disappear! (…!) Humanity is at stake and we don't have time for children like you"

"What's the point of saving humanity if every one of us is willing to throw away another person's life!-? (…) If you think that humanity will benefit from something like this, then you're wrong!"

"Shirogane! Enough" Isumi ordered out. "There's no need for you to—"

"Captain. You said to me before that every life in this world is precious… and is worth saving no matter how small or how insignificant they maybe! (…!) All of you here taught me that we're a team and that we will always have each other's backs! We save people! We don't throw them away without a fight! (…) It doesn't matter how many I save, as long as I can save one person then I'm satisfied! I will go as far as these two legs will take me to save one person, just as far as I will go to save a thousand! It makes no difference!"

"…" Yuuko gritted her teeth, irritated by the boy's words.

"Yuuko sensei! You and I came to an agreement that we both have the same goals but we have different methods of achieving it. Well this is my method! And sacrificing one life is not part of it. (…) I won't turn my back on my friends ever again like I did before. I don't know what it truly means to be a soldier Yuuko sensei… but I do know that I haven't lost my humanity yet! (…)I won't anyone down! Not you… nor anyone in this army!"

_"I don't know if you ever let someone down. Got your ass kicked, or straight up failed. But those are the moments that define us. They push you further than you've ever thought possible and force you to make choices. No matter what the cost"_

_-Cole from the game Infamous 2-_

"…" The mad scientist let out a sigh. She was getting annoyed… downright angry if one would look closer. "Isumi… prepare to release the gas. (Ma'am)"

"If you sacrifice her life Yuuko, then you're no different from those people from ALTERNATIVE V!"

WHAM!

In a rare show of anger, Yuuko slammed her fist right on the boy's face on the monitor. Her eyes sharpened like daggers, her lips marred her fangs and hand bled from that action. Suzumiya and Marimo backed away a bit, never before in their lives have they seen the Vice Commander show such anger before.

"You…" She muttered out bitterly at the boy. "Do you have any idea of the gravity of what you said just now!-? I'm nothing like…"

"Sacrificing one life to save a few hundred? That sounds like ALTERNATIVE V to me! (You…) You know deep your heart I'm right! Besides, the Yuuko I know wouldn't quit on a half-assed job like this! She would never commit such a thing until she looks into everything! (…) This world has enough death and destruction as it is, Yuuko sensei! If you really want to change the world then you start by giving it everything you have until you have nothing left to give!"

"…" The mad scientist calmed back down but her expression remained unchanged.

"You've seen what I am Yuuko sensei! You saw what I can do and know exactly what I'm capable of doing! I can do things that no other person can! I've seen things that no one else would believe but you! I'm more powerful than you give credit for and you know this! You have the power to save everyone, so don't hesitate to use me! (…!) If you can't do what I asked then maybe you shouldn't be here!"

…!

**(Takeru's POV)**

There… I've said it. I've opened up myself to her and gave her every reason to see my way and it seemed to have gotten under her skin. She got so irritated that she even smashed the monitor with her bare fist. Now she's giving me the silent treatment. She's just standing there with her hand still bleeding.

…

…

…

"Fine!" I yelled out in continuation. "You don't need to agree with me if you don't have to. I'll go myself!"

"Wait, Takeru!"

"Don't try to stop me, Meiya!"

"I'm not trying to…" Eh? "I'm here to join you. (…!) You are most certainly correct… Takeru. I cannot stand by and leave my comrade to die here. If we do not put our full strength to use… then we have already been beaten. I am not as powerful as you but if you will have me… then I will follow"

"Meiya… I…"

"I'm coming too… (…!)" Ayamine? "I'd like to see how far I can go with you…"

"You two…"

"M… Miki will come too!" Tama? "I… I'm not sure how useful I will be but… I agree with Takeru san! I won't abandon my comrades… not now… not ever!"

"I'm going too!" Mikoto!-? "I've seen Takeru pull some amazing things in front of my own eyes. I want to see what else he can do. I wouldn't want to miss a second of it" Heh… you idiot.

"Haaaaa… I knew that this day would come eventually" Class rep? "I knew your idiocy would be contagious. But I never thought I would get affected too…"

"Class rep… everyone…"

"Hooo? That sounds pretty interesting. Count me in" Eh? Kashiwagi? "I wouldn't mind seeing some Takeru genius skills for once"

"I'm in too" Kazama!-? "I've always wanted to see how far we'd go by doing something stupid"

"Hooooo. If Touko chan is going then I guess I have little choice too" Munakata too? "You got room for one more in your batch of idiots, Shirogane?"

"Munakata… all of you…"

"Oi oi… why am I the only person feeling left out here?" Hayase san? "Geez… and here I thought I was the reckless one. (1st Lieutenant…?) Alright Shirogane… you can call the shots from here on. Who wants to live forever anyway?"

"You guys… I… I don't even know what to say"

…

…

…

"This is Captain Abe of the Shinano. (…?) I support the U.N. Eishi's ideals"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Abe kun?" Kozawa's eyes widened when he heard a familiar voice on the radio. "What is this?"

"Admiral… forgive me for barging into your transmission like this… but the boy is right" Abe stated his thoughts out on the table pure and simple. "Even I cannot stand idly by knowing full well that my comrades are still fighting. If I do not at least put everything that I have… then I will have failed those who have given their very lives in this operation. (…) If every shell on my ship can save even but one life from these monsters then I will call that a victory! (Captain…) U.N. Eishi. (Y… yes?) My ships only have enough ammunition to provide a few salvos of bombardment. If my crew and I can be of any assistance, please do not hesitate to ask"

"Captain Abe… I…" Shirogane muttered out from the unexpected support. "…thank you"

"I understand, Abe kun. Give them hell for me. (Yes sir!)" Kozawa then turned to the mad scientist who seemed to realize that she was defeated. "Well? What say you, Vice Commander, Kouzuki?"

The woman gave out a heaving sigh. "… do whatever you want…"

**(Takeru's POV)**

"Thank you very much, Yuuko sensei!" Alright! Let's do this! "We'll split into group. One will go with me and the other will stay and defend…"

"Leave that to us" Huh?

"Cracker Squad?"

"You're going to need everyone to get through that hell of a mess, kid. You can leave the guard duty to us. All we need to do is to keep the BETA from this big guy, right?"

"Y… yeah…"

"Then you can count on us. We won't fail you. You guys go and be heroes!"

"I… I thank you!"

"Alright Shirogane. You got a plan?" Hayase asked me.

"Everyone arm up! We'll split into different teams! Make sure you pack heavy. Empty all containers and bring all the spare ammo and swords you can carry! Class rep, Mikoto, Tama, you three will the firing support team on my left. (Roger!) Munakata, Kashiwagi, Touko san will handle the right! (Copy that!) Akane, Hayase will be the new Vanguard units! (Eh?) You've always wanted to be partner with Storm Vanguard one, didn't you, Akane? Well now's your chance. You'll support Hayase san in the frontline. (Understood!) Meiya, Ayamine, you two are with me! Anything that gets through them will be ours! (Yes sir!) Valkyrie 2B to Valkyrie mum. Can you give us the captain's exact coordinates?"

"Roger that. Uploading the canister's position on your map. Good luck Valkyries"

"Valhalla to Valkyrie Squad. I'm sending you a route that has the thinnest concentration of BETA and…"

"No time for that! (…?) If we want to finish this quickly we're going to have to plow straight through to Kanai! (Eh!-?)"

"Oi oi…isn't that a bit rash?" Hayase questioned. "I'm all about charging in with guns blazing but we'll get surrounded in no time flat"

"Not to worry. I have a plan for that. (…?) Captain Abe. I'm activating my tracker beacon for you to see. Once we breach through the BETA lines, I want you to fire on my precise location. (…!) We're going to plow straight through without stopping!"

"I see… and when the BETA get behind us… the artillery will drop on them!" Munakata seems to get my plan.

"Exactly! We're going to leave a trail of fire behind us and rescue the captain!"

"Hoooo! I'm liking this plan more and more! It's like one of those fantasy stories where the knights go and rescue the princess from a tower surrounded by monsters!"

"Shirogane!" Captain? She's still on conference. "Just what do you think you're—"

"Captain… please… don't give up. (…?) Even if the world has gone straight to hell I wouldn't give up. I won't let the BETA have their way. (…) I will save you… even if I have to drag you out of that place myself! (…) Besides… I made a promise to Akira that I wouldn't let anything happen to you. (…!) So please… don't give up on us just yet! I promise you here and now… I will save you! I will give it everything I have to save all of us!"

"Shirogane…"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

On the beach near Mano Bay, the Honor Guard Commander laughed. "AHAHAHAHAHA!" Humored by the boy's words, the man in blue could not help himself. The words he heard have gone beyond the point of naivety so who could help but laugh at them?

Tsukuyomi looked back, puzzled by his gesture. "Ikaruga sama?"

"Interesting… very interesting, this… Shirogane Takeru. Who knew that there are still fools in this world? (…?) Tsukuyomi… tell the battalion to use a Double Wing Five Formation. (…!) We will attack the enemy… one last time. (… sir?) To fight alongside one who would show such courage and dedication is nothing short of an honor!"

"Understood my lord. Crest 2 to all units in the 16th Honor Guard Battalion. Switch to Double Wing 5 Formation and advance!"

"Good—Now onward! All of your… charge!"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Is everybody ready? (Ready!)" Everyone seems to be armed up to the teeth now. "Right then. We'll be going on an arrowhead 3 formation. You all know your teams. This battle will test all of you so everyone here needs to be at their best. No holding back whatsoever! You will have to follow my instructions exactly. No complaints! (Roger!) Get to your positions…"

…

Sumika…

Please wait for me. I'll come back for you… I promise! So please… don't give up on hope either!


	35. Black Christmas Part 6

**Chapter 35: Black Christmas (Part 6) (Stand up and Fight, Shirogane)**

**(Niigata) (Imperial Army Command Center)**

Yoroi Sakon, the Section Chief of the Imperial Ministry of Intelligence sat calmly as he looked outside the dockside where the soldiers of the Imperial Army were loading up supplies on the ships. Half of the port was being used transfer ammunitions to the attacking fleet while the other half was used to collect and assessed the wounded and casualties. Medics, nurses and doctors were being rounded up there to take care of all the injured that were coming in. Hell, the hospitals around the area were piling up by the dozens too.

You can hear echoes of screams and cries of help out there. It was a sorry sight but one that no one can avoid.

"Would you like more coffee, Yoroi san?" A lady in her mid 20s with green hair asked from the doorway.

"Yes. That would be nice. Thank you Isumi…"

The eldest sister of the Isumis nodded back before pouring another cup for the map. "If I may ask… how are things working in Sadogashima?"

"Pretty grim… if I do say so myself. With the amount of injured returning and considering the number of soldiers that were sent on the operation I must say at least more than half are probably dead. (…) Are you worried about them? Your sisters I mean?"

"I would be lying if I said no. But it can't be helped. They have devoted themselves into this operation. I can only pray that they will return safely"

"I see. It must burdening"

"What of you, Yoroi san? Your daughter is fighting there too, isn't she?"

The man paused as he sipped from his cup. "I wouldn't worry too much. (Hmm?) She is a capable soldier. I have seen her grow with my own two eyes and I do not regret it. Besides… my son-in-law will make sure that she is protected"

"Son-in-law?" Isumi raised a brow. "I did not know Mikoto chan was married"

"Ah… I guess you can say that she's in an open-marriage relation. (Eh?) The boy she has her eyes on will undoubtedly be hard to tame. Not to mention about those around him as well. (Ha?) I wonder if your sister will be open to polygamy. (Yoroi san…) Hmm… but perhaps that might just be allowed seeing that the male population has dwindled to at least ¼ of what it used to. If other men knew of his situation, people might actually want to kill to take his place"

"I do not think your daughter would be pleased to hear you say that, Section Chief"

"Ahahaha… perhaps she would. But I don't think she would mind seeing that they're all friends. A harem sounds like a man's paradise, don't you agree?"

"I'm afraid I have to refuse to answer that question"

"Haaaa… being hard as always, aren't you, Yayoi san"

"I merely wish to retain my sanity while in your presence" The lady let out a small chuckle in turn.

Yoroi burst into laughing mode. "Sanity? In this world… is there such a thing nowadays? (Eh?) But I guess you can say that. After all, we're nothing more but puppets being toyed with by an invisible string called fate. (Huh?) Can't you feel it? This war between humanity and the BETA is merely prolonging something even greater. The lives that have been lost, the struggle and the ordeal that we've been going through these past few years… it feels as if we're just the opening act for the real stars to make a grand opening"

"Yoroi san… are you… alright?"

"And when the final curtain is called, what will happen to those who are no longer needed on the stage? Do they have the honor of joining the actors for the final act or will they exit the stage in silent bow?"

"Yoroi san… are you well? You seem strange today. Well… stranger than usual"

The man let out a small scoff before looking at the gray clouded sky above. "I am merely considering the future possibilities. (…?) But despite the bleak future we have at the moment… today's weather forecast seems to guarantee a clear day. (Ah…?) Just what amazing stunt will you pull this time… Shirogane kun?"

**(Sadogashima)**

If one would visit Sadogashima as it was now, they would probably say that it was a freak show of some kind. Aliens called BETA ranging from the smallest of Soldier Class to the biggest Fort Class were walking as if they owned the place. Their numbers were near infinite and anyone who dared oppose them would quickly turn away understanding their superiority. They were like a plague that swept all life but their own and would not stop until everything in their sights is consumed for purpose unknown.

The Imperial Army who challenged them has all been defeated and those few who survived would only live to tell the tale.

But in amidst the xenos that infect the island… a small group of soldiers who are determined of victory cut through the last remaining forces like butter.

**(Takeru's POV)**

"Teeeeeeeehhh!" Get out of my fucking way! It's been on minute since we attacked the BETA and we've been cutting them like butter. Our attack is working. We're avoiding most of the Fort Class since they take too long to handle so right now the only things we're facing are Tanks, Grapplers and Destroyers. We're just a few kilometers away from Kanai but this fight seems to drag on forever.

Boom!

The explosions behind us took out most of the BETA that tried to approach us from the rear. Captain Abe should handling thing on his end. The shots from the shoreline are pretty accurate. They're hitting all the BETA and scattering them right when they covered our backs. So all we need is to focus on the front and push in hard! If we can get to the canister before the BETA swarms the captain then we're home free!

Luckily for us the BETA are still disorganized. They're still spread thin from Mano and Ryoutsu Bay which gave us some time to move along. Most of the Laser Class species near the Hive were also obliterated by Sumika when she fired the particle-cannon. But that doesn't mean we have it easy. Diving at the thick end of the BETA formation we've encountered a heavy bunch of Grapplers, Tanks and Destroyers. I don't know how many BETA are left on this island but I'm pretty sure it's more than any of us can count.

(Tug!) The headache is still pushing its way to my head. It's really distracting and hampering with my visions but fortunately the stims that Marimo injected into me have begun to take effect. Even the hypnotic battle therapies are making me pumped up. I'm pretty sure the side-effects will come but right now I have a short boost of stamina in me. (Tug!) Come on!

"Not gonna happen!" Akane seems to be giving it her all. She always dreamed about becoming partner with Storm Vanguard One but has been pushed back due to emotional issues. Hayase doesn't seem to mind either. With Akane's superior firepower and her skills in melee combat those two can by the new dynamic duo.

"You're not getting through!" Class rep, Tama and Mikoto are holding the left. Since they've been a team longer the others they work well together. Tama and Mikoto have been partners for as long as I remembered and of course they can easily get used to the fact that Class rep was the platoon leader. It's more of a psychological effect if you look closely.

Munakata, Touko and Kashiwagi are guarding the right with long range shots. These three are the best snipers in the business with Kashiwagi besting them all by a long shot. It's no surprise since she was a point guard in basketball in my world. She can make three-point-shots with her eyes closed and I've seen her do a half court shot without even breaking a sweat. Touko and Munakata obviously work well together since they're best friends.

As for Meiya, Ayamine and me… we were the Strike Vanguard team at the back center of the formation.

Anything that gets through the first line, we handle. We support each line any time a monster gets too close and deal with it in a flash.

"Valkyrie mum to Valkyrie 2B" Haruka called up. "The canister where the captain is located is 40 kilometers north of your current position. BETA formation is tightening. I can only suspect that they are reacting to your attack column" I see… so the BETA are attracted to large number of computer circuits that we carry. That's how they distinguish soldier from machines. If that's the case then we don't have to worry about the XG being attacked.

"Valkyrie 2B, roger that. We'll handle them as they come but keep an eye out for the worm. It could pop up any second"

"Understood. I'm linking your monitor with the long range sensors. If the seismic activity matches the worm's previous activities, it will alert you with a Code -02"

"02, copy that"

"Takeru! Four Grappler broke through the left wing of our formation!"

"On it! Meiya, cover the right! (Roger!) Ayamine, with me! (Got it!) Teeeeehh!"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

**(Flagship Saijou)**

"90% of All Whisky Unit have been evacuated from the island. All that remains are the staff of the Command Post by the beachhead and the remaining units from the 2nd U.N. Orbital Diver Corps"

"All of Echo Unit have safely evacuated from Lake Kamo. The 4th Fleet has withdrawn to safe distance and are awaiting new orders"

"The 16th Imperial Honor Guard division is still engaged with the enemy. They're creating a foothold on the of Sawase defense line"

"Valhalla to Captain Abe. Inputting new coordinates for artillery. You may fire at will"

"Valkyrie Company has reached ¼ of the way towards Captain Isumi's location. Enemy casualty ratings continue to increase at an astounding rate"

"Tell the remaining ships around the island to withdraw once all survivors have been accounted for" Kozawa ordered which the crew followed. "Once we reach optimal distance we will follow as well. Is that alright with you, Vice Commander Kouzuki?"

The woman who was being treated on her bleeding hand by 1st Lt. Piatif nodded back in response. "It can't be helped at this point. Whatever happens now… it will be on his head…"

"Somehow… I believe the boy took that into consideration when he went against you, Vice Commander… (…) It's shameful for us adults… truly. We wished not to bring children to this war… but it seems like a new generation of warriors have outgrown us faster than we expected. Perhaps it is people like him that will lead us to a new path"

"Heh… you speak as if there are still heroes in this world…"

"I do believe. (…) I do believe that there really are heroes left on this Earth. Vice commander… (…) Do you think me naïve to believe in such things?"

"No… not at all" Yuuko removed her hand from first aid kit and rubbed the bleeding stains with a slightly painful grunt. "But you might want to keep something just in case something happens"

"Heh. When the time comes when all the players must place their bets on the table… I will definitely choose your Special Task Force for sure"

"Be careful admiral. You're starting to sound like someone I know"

"Vice Commander" Piatif called to her attention. "There seems to be a strange activity happening to the XG. (Hmm?) The readings are… strange. The mechanic doesn't know what to make of it"

"Show it up on my monitor. (Yes ma'am) (Beep) …? This reading is… (Beep!) Ah! What happened!-?"

"Emergency shutdown of all systems. Without the coolant vents, the engine overheated and has switched the emergency procedure. But this isn't right. The system should only shutdown the engine and not the whole unit"

"Can you reestablish a connection with the basic systems at least?"

"Yes ma'am. We're still connected but we're cut off from all important aspects of the machine!"

"What in blazes…? (Beep!) What now?"

Haruka's eyes widened as she looked closely at the screen. "S… something is wrong. All the BETA around Mano, Ryoutsu and Mt. Kinpoku have changed course! They are now on an intercept course with Valkyrie Squad! (What?) Not only that. But the ones that were heading towards the A-02's attack point have also turned around as well! It's as if every BETA are targeting the primary unit"

"What? Why is that?" the Admiral looked back in amazement. "Why would the BETA target such a small unit? What about the Imperial Honor Guard?"

"It's unnatural. They're ignoring the Imperial Honor Guard unit completely!"

"Did the emergency shutdown cause them to ignore the XG entirely?" Yuuko pondered in deep thought. "Or… has 'he' been placed to be a higher threat than the others? (Ma'am?) I'll have to assume the latter for now. 1st Lt. Piatif. Can you transfer manual control from the XG to my console? (…?) As long as we're stuck here we might as well see what's causing the error. Send me the files and the recorded readings from 5 minutes before the computer system crashed"

"Understood ma'am. Transferring all requested data to your computer"

**(Imperial Royal Palace) (Tokyo) (The Shogun's private quarters)**

Rumble…

Yuuhi looked up from her window when she suddenly heard the clouds above roaring. A storm was gathering above the capital city that afternoon, blotting the people of their daily dose of sunlight. A rainy day like this was rare even this season but it was not something that people welcomed. With the war with the BETA making people depressed as it is, the last thing they need was something to bring down their day.

"Goodness… a storm of all days" the Grand Chamberlain stated before folding the window curtains close. "It feels as if the gods themselves are weeping for our misery"

"Huhuhu… you were always a pious person, oba san…"

"Piety has nothing to do with it. I simply wish to believe that the gods have feeling too. But… I guess there is some good in this. At least this way I don't have to water the garden outside. (Huhuhu…) Hmm?"

"You seem to always find a silver lining in the smallest of things"

"Heh… the world has enough sorrow. A smile in the darkness can make the world a brighter place. (…) Oh… and I almost forgot. I went to the orphanage where I recommended to your highness, yesterday. I met the two that you saved from the coup"

"Eh? Eiko chan and… Rin chan?"

"Yes, those two. They send their regards to you with heartfelt smiles. (…) Such young ones to know nothing of the war that befalls upon us. They are truly blessed"

Yuuhi let out a calming smile appear on her face. She can still recall the faces of those two little girls like they just met yesterday. Their toothy grin and their innocent nature that was oblivious to the struggle of man. It must be nice to feel no threat looming over their heads. "I see… so they are well?"

"They did not have much time for an old coot like myself. They were much too busy playing with their new friends to pay any attention to anything I had to say. (Huhuhu…) But if it calms you… they did ask me to give you something. (…?)" The Grand Chamberlain pulled a worn out piece of paper which had been drawn on with crayons. "It is a rather crude item… but I thought that you might like it"

Yuuhi looked at the paper and brought it up to take a closer look at the drawing. It was a childish drawing but one that she can interpret with just a glance. It was the scenery of a fantasy world with rainbows, blue sky and a bright yellow sun with mountains and trees all green and gray. The water at the bottom was colored with a mixture of blue and cyan which opted to tell that there was more than one artist working on the canvas. And at the center of the picture were three little girls' holdings hands together along with an elderly lady, all with giant smiles on their faces.

One of the girls was taller than the two and for a strange reason she had a very distinctive samurai haircut.

Outside the circle of three was a woman clad in red which often resemble a fire breathing dragon followed by three oddly haired subordinates.

The picture was enough to make the Shogun break out a small laugh. She had to admit that Tsukuyomi can make that kind of an impression to kids. Though she wasn't yelling all the time, her sharp razor eyes can be quite scary.

But at the very center of the drawing was a comically drawn character of a certain chocolate haired soldier clad in black. Though he looked rather dumb with overly exaggerated wide mouth and tiny arms which showed his character, he was still portrayed well carrying a wooden sword.

Yuuhi let out a small chuckle. Those two girls must've been expressing the event that happened based on what they saw. They must've seen Tsukuyomi as the villain of this story and Shirogane as the hero of some sort. Such a childish imagination.

"Takeru…"

**(Takeru's POV)**

"Teeeeehh!" We're almost there! We've already crossed the half way mark and killed more a hundred of these monsters. If this keeps us then we might reach the captain in about 6 minutes, more or less.

Everyone is doing their part well. This must be how the captain felt when she led us to fight against the BETA. It's exhilarating but at the same time it makes you cautious of everyone around you. You can't go ten second without glancing at your squad mates' vital signs or checking their TSF's condition.

"1st Lt. Shirogane!" Hmm?

"What is it Kazama?"

"I just got word from Valkyrie mum. All the BETA around Sadogashima are now targeting us!" Eh? Every BETA on the island? I know that we lured a few groups as bait but to lure the whole island against us is crazy. But how is that possible? I thought they were just going for us because we were fighting them but… could there be another reason entirely? "They will be converging on an intercept course in about 2 minutes. At this rate, their defense line will strengthen immensely!"

"Then we just have to cross that line faster! (Beep!) Everyone. We're going to pick up the pace! Hayase, Akane. Switch places with my group and full power to your engines! We're going to plow right through them! (Roger that!) Everyone else, keep to where you are and keep those BETA off our backs. Watch your aim but don't slow down or else the shells will hit you! (Copy that!) Valkyrie 2B to Valhalla. How much longer can the artillery keep up?"

"The captain states that they have enough rounds to make a few more salvos. I don't know how long but they'll try to provide support as much as possible" If the fleet is running out of ammunitions then we might not have enough to make the return trip. We're going to need all of them if every BETA on the island is out to get us.

"Alright change of plans! Marimo. Please tell the ship to hold fire until I give the word. (…?) We'll use their remaining shells to punch a hole in their lines and escape through that route! Team, listen up. Once we reach the thickest area of the BETA I'm going to cross it alone while the rest of you turn back around to avoid them. (…?)"

"Oi oi… isn't that a bit risky?" 1st Lt. Hayase inquired. "That's a 3 kilometer jump. Your boosters will give out before you can get to the other side"

"Don't worry about that. Ayamine will give me a boost. Remember what we did back in our mock battle? (…!) She'll throw me across and that alone should give me an edge to the other side"

"…" Hayase looked somewhat nervous about this idea. She's been agreeing with my plans so far but only because it sounds stupid and possible. But I don't think she's acting without a conscious. "Alright. We don't have enough firepower to deal with all of them in the first place. But I'm coming with you"

"That won't be necessary. A single unit should—"

"You're not taking all the glory in this fight you moron! (Geh!) Once you're in there, you're going to need someone to watch your back! (But…) This is not open for negotiation! We're already deep shit in trouble if we make it out of here alive so don't take anymore unnecessary risks. Understand!-? (Yes ma'am) Munakata. You're in charge of the unit once Shirogane and I rescue the captain. You'll coordinate with the fleet and give them the location where the BETA are thinnest. We're charge through one area and evacuate from there!"

"Don't worry about us. Just try not to get killed in there. (Understood) Good luck you two"

"Alright. If everybody gets the plan then we'll go through with it!" Right… there's no time to hesitate. This is the battlefield and every second counts. "Akane, you partner up with Meiya and Ayamine. The enemy's main defense line is almost in sight! (Roger!) Class rep, Tama. Cover us!"

"We got it!" Class rep yelled back at me. "Enemy main defense line is straight ahead. The BETA are beginning to converge on our position. We should keep moving to avoid being pinned down!"

"Right then… here we go!" There it is. The enemy's main defense line. There are BETA Grapplers and Fort Class that stretched on from one horizon to the other. It's going to be close but the time we save will definitely be worth it. (Raaaaarrr!) Get lost! "No turning back now! You ready for this, Hayase?"

"I was born for this!"

"Then let's go for it! Ayamine, now! All units, full stop!"

The whole squad pulled up a complete stop at the most heavily entrenched line of the BETA formation. We needed five seconds to complete one throw—so it's a total of ten seconds.

The Valkyries formed a line around me and Ayamine grabbed my arm just in the nick of time. Her Space Ayamine Throw was perfect. It would sling me about half of the way and allow me to boost right to the canister where the captain is.

"Yoroi san! Three of them are coming in on your right!"

"I got them!"

"Three Grappler Class at 12 o'clock! Take them down!"

"Destroyer Class coming in!"

"Save your 120mm rounds! We're going to need all of them break through!"

Right. The angle is perfect! "Alright Ayamine—just like we did in practice! (Roger that!) You've done this to me plenty of times before so don't hold back!"

"I never do… (Clang!) Haaaaaaaaaaahhhhh! (Whoosh!)"

Goooooohhh! This is just like Ayamine. Her throws are truly her moves. She grabbed not only the shoulder but my back to make a complete swing. It's like a hybrid move of judo and hapkido put together to make one powerful throw. I can practically feel the pressure of the air outside my cockpit! But I'm used to it. I've been thrown by Ayamine more times than I can count; I'm practically used to the aerodynamics around here.

Raaaarr!

What the? Those Fort Class are tightening their formation!

"Shirogane! I'm right behind you! There's too many get across! We have to use our boosters now!"

"Not yet! (…?) Follow my lead. We're going to ricochet our way from that Fort Class and jump right on through! (What!-? That's crazy!) What's the matter? You're getting cold feet already?"

"Geh! Now you've done it! Fine! I'll show you that you're not the only bad ass pilot out here! Lead the way!" Heh… you shouldn't worry too much Hayase san. Besides… you were the one who taught me this move in the first place. Back in the battle of Yokohama. Being reckless on the most desperate of times sounds fitting for you!

"Goooooohh!" Alright! This is it! (WHAM!) The Fort Class's thick hide should be just enough to support my feet! Hold on captain! We're coming!

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Valkyrie 1B and 2B have breached the enemy formation! They're closing in on the container!"

"The BETA are reacting to the attack and are turning around!" Marimo stated out loud. "Shirogane. You have a 20 second window to rescue the target. Valkyrie Company is holding the line and are now moving eastward. You won't get another opportunity like this so make it count! (Roger that!) Valkyrie 1C. The remainder of the 2nd fleet is preparing to fire their next salvo but the heavy metal cloud above your area is interfering with their auto-targeting retinal. They require you to provide laser targeting system if possible"

"Valkyrie 1C, roger that! We'll find the weakest spot of the BETA formation and have it painted in no time. Standby"

"Superb…" Kozawa and every sailor who had nothing left to do could only sit/stand and watch as the Vakyries push themselves far beyond their limits. It took the Imperial Army 10 regiments of TSFs, mechanized infantry, tank battalions and a boatload of artillery shells to penetrate that deep into the island. Yet in front of them, stood 12 young soldiers with life just as fragile as theirs, doing something they could barely accomplish without a single casualty. "Truly superb…"

"Are there really just 12 of them?" One of the operators inquired to his seatmate.

"They're penetrating deeper than any of us…"

"But how…?"

Even the crew of the other ships who heard about the Imperial Honor Guards and U.N. Special Task Force's actions couldn't help but wonder what they all could accomplish in such little time. Captain, Iguchi, Tadokoro and even Admiral Kozawa himself were even hoping for the faintest glimmer of light in this darkness.

But out of everyone there, Yuuko ignored their situation completely. She wasn't even paying attention to what the others were saying anymore. Her mind was now solely focused on the monitor on her face.

"Still no change in the 00-Unit's" Lt. Piatif reminded her. "We're doing another scan before inputting the reset codes"

Yuuko's mind was boggled. She saw two sets vital signs on her monitor but she still couldn't see the link. "Just how is it possible that they are related? A causality conductor and her…? Just how are they connected? Are they connected psychologically? No… that's impossible. (Ma'am?) What kind of bond do they share at a logical level? Their vital signs are identical and they felt the same pain as the other. There's no coincidence that they are linked but what? (…?) …! Unless…"

"Vice Commander?"

Yuuko rose from her seat and ran the theory in her head. It was a logical theory… perhaps the only logical theory there was in this universe.

"I see… so that's it… isn't it? He really was the key after all… (…?) Lt. Piatif. Do we have any audio functions to the 00-Unit's cockpit? (Audio?) Anything that we can use to transmit a signal or sound or a voice to it directly"

"No… there was no need since we could control it remotely from here. But… if we use one of the processing computers and connect it on the 00-Unit's exosuit, we might just be able to get something to her. (Do it…) As you command. Ordering the mechanics to begin processing to the requested terms"

Yuuko turned back and gave out a sigh. "Connect it with the open frequency that Shirogane left open. (…?) If that won't bring her back… then nothing will. (…understood) Geez… yapping like a wild dog and not even closing his transmission. What an inept boy, he is"

**(Takeru's POV) (1.5 kilometers to the captain's location)**

"Get the hell out of my way! (Wham!)" Even though we made it through the thickest part of their defense line the BETA numbers haven't lessened one bit. It's like they're breeding one creature a second. Hayase and I were able to cut our way through but with all the slow Fort Class that stayed behind, it feels as if we're being punched down to a puddle. But we can't stop now. I can see the canister where the captain is. The BETA haven't taken notice of her yet because they're all focused on us. But if we can't break through this last line of stragglers then…

(Flash!) Geh! No! I made a promise to Akira that I would protect her. I'd bring her back no matter what. (Flash) I won't let the G-Bomb myth resurface. I won't let any of my friends die. I will defeat the BETA! (Flash) I will protect Sumika and all of my friends! (Flash) And once I'm done… I'm… I'm… (Flash!) I'm going back home! So… you assholes. (Flash)

"Shirogane! Four of them, in front of your!"

I won't let you… I will never let you… "I will never let you take her away from me again!" Gooooooohhhh! "Eat this and die! (Ratatatatatat!) (Boom!) I can take anything you throw at me! So give it everything you got!"

"Container, 1 kilometer ahead! We got a 20 second window of opportunity here, so don't waste it Shirogane! (Copy that!) This is Valkyrie 1B to Valkyrie 1A. We're approaching your location in about two minutes. So whatever you plan to do, you'd better do it now!"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Inside the canister, the captain braced herself for the coming conflict. Once she received the transmission from Hayase she quickly got to work. With a pull of a lever an echo of hiss noise emanated from the transceiver. The gas was being released.

The freezing temperature she made for the facility was cooling even the sweat on her brow.

Though a part of her was somewhat angry at the team, another part of her mind was feeling somewhat… over-joyous. She had taught her subordinates about the importance of a mission and that if one of their lives was needed to ensure its completion then they would gladly give it. She explained to them in their squad motto. She taught it to them using psychological words and hypnotic therapy… and drilled it to their brain to remember it even if it means breaking them. But then here came one boy. A naïve boy who she thought that had no regard whatsoever of the mission, changed the minds of her unit so quickly.

She wasn't surprised that his former squad mate agreed to it but to see Munakata and Hayase actually going along for this wild ride was just plain bizarre. It was as if the boy's words defied all the logic this world had built itself upon. And what surprised her more was that Yuuko actually allowed them to go.

The captain knew the mad scientist ever since she was promoted to captain. That woman always had things her way regardless of what others may believe. Every coincidence that happens in an operation can usually be traced back to her in the most bizarre way. Even if you think you were doing what you thought was right you were probably doing her bidding without even knowing it. But now… that very same devil actually surrendered.

"Keh!" Isumi gritted her teeth in pain as she held onto her bleeding shoulder. The bandages that Shirogane applied earlier was now stained in red drops of her blood were ruining the floor cover. The ache on her ankle wasn't helping either. She applied pressure on both areas and slowly waited for whatever fate that came to her.

She wanted to shout off to her subordinates to forget this foolish endeavor and save themselves but… for some reason she paused on the thought of reaching out to communicator.

Raaaarrr!

"Ah!" But then her attention was caught up when she heard a very familiar roar coming from the hole that she dug. "N… no way…" She quickly switched the camera view on the monitor to the few floors below and what she saw there made her gasp in fright. "That's impossible!" A horde of BETA was digging their way out of the research facility. Venators and Naris species were crawling upward. They had reached the hole that she dug with the massive drill and were about to reach the surface.

The girl quickly reached out for the rifle that her sister left behind on the table but she was quick to find its cartridge empty. The captain cursed out loud and grabbed the cabinet where the weapons were stored. However… reloading the weapon proved difficult with her injured arm.

Raaaaaarrr!

A monstrous arm poked itself from the floorboard followed by an inhumane roar of a beast. She could see it digging out of the ground. It's terrifying eye poking from that spot.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

There it is! The canister! And not a single BETA in sight! It seems like Marimo was right about that 20 second window there. It's a small opening but a precious one nonetheless.

"Go! Shirogane! I got your back" Alright! Here goes nothing!

"Captain! I'm coming to get you!" (Whissss…) If people saw me now they'd probably think I was out of my mind. Running around in a BETA infested territory with only 20 seconds to spare is just plain suicide. It's even crazier to be running out here without even a pistol to defend yourself.

I landed my Shiranui near the canister and ran like there was no tomorrow. I can see it. The door is just in sight. Come on you stupid thing! Open!

"Captain!" (Beep!) Locked? Don't screw with me! "Captain! Open this door!" (Flash!) Ugh! (Flash) (Flash) (Flash!) The captain… she's in trouble! (Flash!) There's a hatch on the top of this canister. But how did I…? Arghhh! There's no time to think about that now! Come on!

Tap tap tap tap tap…

I climbed the emergency ladder on the side of the door and made my way to the top. The hatch that was connected to the top of the canister was right there. I hope that I'm not too late.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Bang! Bang!

Isumi fired three shots at the BETA that came out killing it instantly. The BETA had surrounded and the doorway leading out of that place was on the other side of the room. The woman knew she was doomed at this point, but she wasn't going to make it easy for them. As a soldier and commander of the Valkyrie Squadron she was going to fight until her last breath. Every monster she takes down with her will only add to her kill tally. If she can bring at least a few dozen with her then she'd be happy.

Raaaaarrrr!

The next freak showed itself from the hole and began charging at the woman only to have its face filled with holes. The 3rd, the 4th and now the 5th. Each one of them was going down like flies. If Marimo was here, she would've been showering that girl with praises.

But just she killed her 8th victim, Isumi felt her arms growing tired. She carried a gun plenty of times before and was even more injured than this but has it always been this heavy? It felt as if her body was made completely out of lead.

"Damn it… (click click!) Ah! No! Not now!" The gun was empty again. And as if the BETA knew what that noise meant, they came out of that hole in force preparing to deliver the killing blow. "Looks like it's a little too late for all of you…"

"Not this time!" But then miraculously, the said boy suddenly poked his head from the top of the room with his hands held up.

"Shirogane!-?" The lady was puzzled but there was little time to think right now.

"Captain! Take my hand!" Isumi followed, dropping her gun and grabbing onto his hands for the second time of that day. In one swift motion, the boy pulled her up from that hole, leaving behind a large group of angry xenos that have just missed their meal.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

That was too close. A second longer and she might've been BETA food for sure. "Captain! Are you alright? (Ugh…)" Ah! Her wound! Of course. I almost forgot about it. The bandages are completely red now. I need to change it to keep it from leaking.

"Shirogane!" Hayase called up to me. "What's the problem?"

"I have the captain but she's wounded. I'll need to change her bandages"

"No time for that! We got BETA incoming and a whole lot more if we don't get out of here!"

"Shirogane!" The captain yelled out at me.

"Yeah yeah, you can court marshal me later. Right now we need to get you back to my TSF and get the hell out of here! (Beep!) This is Valkyrie 2B to all units. I have the captain. Prepare to retreat back to the A-02's location at max speed!"

"Valkyrie 1C, understood. We're now lasing the targeted area for an artillery strike. It'll come in approximately 40 seconds. You'd better get your butts over here fast!"

"Roger that! Hayase, cover us! (You got it!) Come on captain. We need to get out of here fast!" I quickly carried to captain to my TSF before more BETA showed up. She was a lot lighter than I imagined. Almost as much as Meiya when she rode with me during our mission in Mt. Tengen.

"Looks like they caught up to us!" Hayase warned… and she was right. The BETA were now onto us. My radar and alert systems are going on the fritz with the code 991 poking on every screen.

"Ok captain. I'm attaching your safety harness. Please hold on. (Click!) Alright. Hayase. We're going to make a break for it. Follow me! (Roger that! I'm right behind you!)"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

On the other side of the BETA defense line formation, Munakata and the rest of the Valkyrie Squad were now fighting the enemy at a safe distance. "Alright. This spot will do. Kazama, you will laze the target. The rest of us will hold off the enemy until the artillery is confirmed"

"Roger that. Deploying guidance laser on targeted area. 5 seconds until lock on, confirms. Valkyrie 2C to Valkyrie mum. Laser guidance system on"

"Valkyrie mum, roger that. Sending new target coordinates to the 2nd Fleet. Look out for stray ammo shells! Don't rely too much on the projected trajectory sensor"

"1st Lieutenant!" Chizuru called out. "The BETA are turning towards us in force! (…!) I'm reading at least 40 Grapplers and 10 Fort Class!"

"Looks like they're moving up. Everyone hold your position. Shirogane and Hayase better hurry or else we'll have a bigger fight on our hands"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Alright we're almost there! This little escape of ours is really taking its toll. I already lost count on how many BETA I've killed since I've arrived. But I know it's nowhere near enough. The only thing we can do now is retreat.

"Valkyrie mum to all units. Artillery salvo incoming! Be wary of debris"

"It's about damn time" Hayase complained. "And here I thought we were done for" The artillery strike should open a path for us out of this hell hole. Even if it's just three ships, it should be enough to kill two or three dozen BETA in the process. If we go on like this we'll—(Beep!) (…!) (Beep!) An alarm? …!" This sensory alert is…

"What's wrong?" The captain looked up to me when she noticed my distorted face.

"Everyone get away! (…!) There's a sinkhole happening! It's the worm! (…!)" Damn it, I was careless!

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

And just as Shirogane predicted, the worm did make itself apparent on the empty spot near the BETA, giving out a mighty roar. The Valkyrie Squad quickly backed away, not wanting to tackle something as frightening as that thing.

"Tch… why now of all times?" Munakata cursed under her breath as she maneuvered her TSF out of harm's way. "Everyone, pull out back! Our weapons will have no effect on that thing! (1st Lt. Munakata!) What is it, Kazama?"

"The position of the worm… it's right in the way of the artillery strike! (What!-?) Cannon salvo incoming! Everyone, scatter!"

A hail of explosive shells landed atop the worm and like before the creature barely flinched. It shrugged off the shots like they were mere rocks being thrown from a distance.

"That thing… it's acting like a shield for the BETA!" Chizuru deduced. "But how can they predict where the shots will come from?"

"We can ask the BETA, after we deal with them!" Munakata ordered. "This is Valkyrie 1C. The worm has resurfaced! Requesting additional artillery strike from a different angle! The last attack had no affect!"

"Valkyrie mum, understood. Changing the coordinated attack zone. Standby"

"Munakata! (What now?) The mouth of the worm. It's opening! (…!) I'm getting the same reading as before. There are BETA inside of it. Fort, Grappler and Tank Class!"

**(2nd Fleet Lead Vessel) (Shinano)**

"Artillery strike had no effect on the area!" The operator announced out to the captain. "The new BETA strain has nullified our attack!"

"What?" Abe kept his cool. "To think that they would… tch. Have the ships alter course. We'll attack from another angle! Reload all cannons and prepare to fire on my mark! We'll see how they can defend themselves if we attack on different points!"

"Aye aye. Ordering all ships to change course. Loading up cannons and preparing to fire!

**(Takeru's POV)**

Damn it! We were so close! That monster just had to go and ruin everything! At this rate… we'll never be able to join up with the rest of the squad.

Raaaaaarrrr!

BETA are pouring out of that creature's stomach like crazy. How the hell does it stuff them in there in the first place?

"This is bad, Shirogane" Hayase stated and I agree. The situation was turning in for the worse and according to Haruka, the next salvo won't be here until three more minutes. We're completely cut off and the BETA gates are just a few kilometers from us. At this point we'll be surrounded before we know it. There has to be a way out.

(Tug!) Ugh! N… no! Not now…! (Tug!) Damn it… if this continues, the captain will notice. (Tug!)

"Shirogane? Wh… what's wrong? (Raaaaaarrr!) Shirogane! Look out!" Ah cra—!

Bang!

"What the hell is wrong with you, idiot! Keep your head in the fight!" Hayase… I owe you one for that. "I can't afford to have you dozing off in the middle of a battle!"

Come on Takeru. Keep at it. You've come this far now, you can't afford to make tiny mistakes. My body is feeling the effects of the stims that was injected to me. I feel really pumped up and strangely motivated to do something. The BETA here are too thick. Pushing through seems impossible. (Beep) Gah! What now!-? (…!) You… you're kidding me! More of them!-?

"Valkyrie mum to Valkyrie 2B. Enemy forces are emerging from every gate in Sadogashima! Their numbers range to almost 100,000!" A hundred th—no way! We killed so many of them and they still had plenty more? I thought the blast from the particle cannon vaporized most of them… but they still had this many left.

"Well this is quite a jam you've got us in" Hayase… "What's the plan now, Shirogane?"

"We stick to it! We'll plow right through this area of BETA and through to the other side! The worm is only dangerous at the front so we'll use that as our leverage!"

"Roger. It beats staying here"

"Everyone else, focus your attack on the BETA around the worm! Clear us a path as quick as you can! (Copy that!)"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

**(Flagship Saijou)**

"BETA forces have emerged from every Gate near where the Hive monument once was" Haruka announced, unable to cope with the sudden turn of events. "Numbers are ranging to at least 150,000 units and more are pouring out"

Kozawa could not contain his awe of his enemy's dominance and was beginning to lose all measures of hope. If a single Hive possessed this many BETA then there's no telling how many more are in Asia. "Im… impossible!"

"To think that they still had this much strength to spare" Yuuko added, agreeing with the admiral's expression. "The BETA really aren't to be underestimated"

"Cracker Squad is facing light resistance around the A-02. No further reinforcements in sight. Most enemy units appear to be drawn towards A-01"

"Valhalla to Valkyrie Squad. The BETA are converging on your location! Get the hell out of there!"

"We're doing that right now!" Shirogane's voice boomed on the other line.

"Vice Commander…" Lt. Piatif called to her commander.

"What is it?"

"We're getting a strange reaction from the 00-Unit. (…!) There appears to be… some kind of wave pattern of sorts. We can't really tell what it is. I've never seen it before…"

"I have… (…?)" Yuuko paused as she looked at the monitor. "I've seen that reading plenty of times…"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Teeeeeeehhh!" Come on! Just a few more meters! (Raaarrr!) You're in my way! Get lost! (Wham!) Crap… Fort Class now? I don't have time for you! (Wham!) Gah! What the?

"Shirogane! Destroyer Class, behind you!"

"Stop screwing with me!" (WHAM!) I'm almost out of bullets and I'm down to my last sword.

"Two Fort Class are blocking our way!" No! No no no! Not now! "Damn it! We have to fall back! Shirogane, get out of there!"

WHAM!

"Gahhh!" Damn it! Another Grappler? They're swarming us! (Wham!) No… this can't be happening! (Wham!) Damn it damn it damn it all! This isn't supposed to happen! I came back here to save my friends! I came back to change the future! What the hell went wrong? Why? Why am I not strong enough? What can I do to become stronger!-? I have that power to save them yet… why isn't it enough? Please… someone please! Just give me a chance!

**…Takeru… chan…**

…!

S… Sumika! That's her voice… I can hear her in… my head.

**…Takeru… chan…**

Sumika! Please let my thoughts reach you. (…) Because right now… you're the only person I can count on. I know you're tired, I know you're scared and I know that you don't want to do this. But if you have any sympathy left, please… give me the strength I need to save those around me. You brought me here and made me into who I am now! So please… take me, my life is yours… but all I want in return is to save my friends. (…) Please… don't let them take anything precious to us…

TUG!

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Vice Commander!" Lt. Piatif yelled out as she brought Yuuko up. "We're getting a major spike in the 00-Unit! (…!-?) I don't know what to make of it. The brainwaves are just…"

"This is…" Yuuko turned to the screen, baffled by the sight.

"Vice Commander, what is the meaning of this?" Kozawa inquired feeling strange not to be in the loop.

"In all honesty, admiral… I only have a rough idea of what is going on…"

**(Inside the XG-70)**

The empty halls of the XG-70's cockpit hummed from the computerized sounds echoing from the electronics around it. In there, slept a single redheaded figure, dressed in pink colors. A girl about 15 years of age, clutching onto two handmade Santa Rabbit toys lay peacefully as she did many months ago when she last closed her eyes in the arms of her love.

An echo of a long distant voice came to her mind. It rang a bell in her head and her eyelids flicked as it awoken by an alarm clock. She dismissed it as a noise and returned to her slumber… only to find the voice once again pestering her ears. With a heartbeat, she recognized it. A familiar voice that filled her mind with all the happiness in the world, a voice that called her name and begged for help. The three magic words slipped from that voice and them alone caused her heart to melt.

"I won't let them…"

The computer clicked… and began to groan as if a beast was disturbed from its slumber.

"I won't let them take you…"

Lights of every color of the rainbow flickered in the halls, steam rolled from beneath her feet and sounds resonated from every corner of that spherical room.

"I will never… ever…"

A wildly beast opened its eyes, roaring out, making its declaration to the world…

"I will never ever let them take my **TAKERU** **CHAN AWAY FROM ME AGAIN!**"

And just like that… the computers sprung to life…

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"V… Vice Commander! The A-02 has rebooted its systems!"

Yuuko's eyes widened in return. "What? Did it accept the reset codes?"

"N… no. I didn't do anything. The computer restarted on its own. Engine levels are reaching average velocity. It's powering up the Particle Cannon and aiming directly at the BETA Hive with max power! (…!)"

"How long until it fully charges?"

"Due to the emergency shutdown, most of its functions are still buffering from start. It's still unclear. Perhaps… 7… maybe 10 minutes tops!"

"10 minutes…" Yuuko breathed a long nervous breath. It was a long shot… but it was a chance that she needed to win this. Gathering her courage and her determination she turned to the Captain and barked out. "Admiral!"

The seasoned sailor understood and quickly raised his arms to order his men. "Understood! Order all ships to resume attack!" Every officer on scene sprung into action at the sound of his voice.

"HQ to all ships! HQ to all ships! Resume attack! I repeat, resume attack!"

"I want every available TSF up and engaging the enemy force! (Roger!) Tell those ships to bring us about! We have to buy the Special Task Force ten more minutes!"

"HQ to all motherships! Emergency scramble! I repeat—Emergency scramble! All units that are fit for battle are to return to combat immediately!"

"Marimo! Get me Valkyrie Squad on the line, now!"

"Yes ma'am!"

**(Takeru's POV)**

"Shirogane!" Geh…! "Shirogane, can you hear me!" Yuuko? What does she want now?

"I'm a little busy at the moment! Can you call back later!-?"

"There isn't time for your puns! Listen up, all of you!" She's really persistent. "The Susanoo has rebooted its systems. (…!)" The Susanoo? The XG? "As of right now, it's preparing to fire the particle cannon, one more time! The whole fleet is performing an emergency sortie and all units that are close to the island are being deployed as fast as they can. (…!) The entire battle is riding on this! Hurry up and get back to the XG as soon as possible!"

Sumika… she… she heard me…

Sumika… you…

"Ooooooohhhh!" (Whoosh!) "This is Shirogane to all units! You heard her! We're still in this fight! Munakata. Take the squad back and deal with any BETA that tries to reach the XG!"

"What? But what about you three?"

"The BETA's formations are all twisted! We'll make it out, somehow!"

"Don't be ridiculous Takeru!" Meiya… "Are you asking us to leave you after all that talk about never abandoning a comrade?"

"Meiya… trust me. (…!) I've been through tougher situations than this. I promise you… I'll make it out of here with the captain and Hayase! I won't let these BETA take anything precious to me ever again! (…) So go on! If we can't protect the XG… then everything we've done today will be for nothing!"

"He's got a point there, girls" Hayase supported. "Besides, I got his back. I'll make sure to bring him back alive"

The girls paused for a moment before Munakata finally agreed. "Alright. You two be careful out there. Shirogane… take care of the captain as well"

"You don't have to tell me twice! (…Takeru…) Go on Meiya. I'll catch up to you soon!"

"I… I understand…"

And just like that… they're gone.

"Alright Shirogane… what's the plan this time?" Hayase asked and truthfully… I haven't got the slightest idea.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

On board the Yamato, Capt. Tadokoro was shouting out to the rest of his fleet. "All ships, aim at the center of Sadogashima! Fire at will!"

"Sir! We're still awaiting firing coordinates"

"No need! Just target the highest concentration of BETA you can find and fire! (Y… yes sir!) We didn't come all this way just to turn back now! Iguchi san, I'm leaving the Motherships in your care!"

"Leave it to us, Tadokoro. Those BETA won't lay a finger on them as long as my ships are here!"

"I'll leave it to you then. Tell the rest of the fleet to scatter around Ryoutsu Bay! Fire on different areas and keep shooting! We have to buy the U.N. Army, ten minutes!"

"Sir! If we keep this up, the motherships will get crowded on the bay!"

"It doesn't matter! All they need to do is deliver the fighters to the battlefield! It'll be disgraceful for the Navy to go just half way of the fight! (Roger!)"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

In one of the TSF carriers, one of the pilots was urging the deck to hurry up with the deployment.

"This is Stinger 1 to command! What's with the delay!-? Deploy us already! We can jump boost the rest of the way!"

"Stinger 1, negative on that. Supply ships are still 5 minutes away. Standby"

"Don't screw around! We don't have time for that! Forget about the bullets! Just give me something to bash a BETA with! A sword, shield! Anything!"

"Understood. Arming your unit with supplement armor and blade"

**(Mano Bay)**

"This is Whisky Alpha Leader to all units! Engage the enemy at will! Formation doesn't matter, I repeat—formation doesn't matter! We just need to fend off the BETA just ten more minutes! 2nd Company, set up a defense line at the Sawase point! 1st Company will assist the Imperial Honor Guard! (Roger that!)"

"This is Whisky Bravo Leader. Roger that! All units, attack! Show that U.N. Eishi that he's not the only one with the spirit to fight! Go!"

"Ooooooohhhh!"

**(Flagship Saijou)**

"Surviving members of Echo Unit have successfully redeployed at Ryotsu Bay. Echo Bravo Leader is leading them to assemble a defense line around Lake Kamo"

"Whisky Alpha and Bravo have arrived at Sawata and are advancing along the battle lines with the Imperial Honor Guard. The 3rd Fleet is in tow but their ships exhausted of all ammunitions. The remainders of the 2nd Fleet are still pressing on to provide aide for A-01"

"BETA formation appears to be tattered. Smaller divisions are engaging the U.N. forces near Kanai town while the majority of the main force is divided to engage our troops that are landing on the beaches"

"Order the Imperial Army to create a wide range defensive line along the front of the A-02!" Kozawa ordered. "Do not let a single one of those monsters near the mountain path! (Yes sir!) Have the 1st Fleet move in as well. Provide as much covering fire for all troops for as long as possible!"

"Emergency alert! Laser heat sources detected on the radar! (What!-?) Trajectory confirmed! They're aiming at the A-02 unit!"

"Have our ships fire anti-laser shells on their location immediately! Buy us some time! (Yes sir!) Have Whisky Alpha engage the Laser Class and Whisky Bravo to hold the line!"

"It's too late! The Laser Class are firing! The unmanned weapon is exposed! 5 sources!"

"Damage report!" Yuuko demanded, deafing herself to the alarm sound around her.

Lt. Piatif looked at the monitor and contacted the engineers on the other line but all reports were going bad. "The XG-70's anti-laser armor is holding, but just barely. It won't last long if it keeps receiving fire from the Laser Class!"

"Suzumiya. Order the A-01 to deal with the Laser species! Prioritize their targeted coordinates for the 2nd Fleet! We can't afford to lose now! (Yes ma'am!)"

"8 more Laser Source confirmed! (…!) 6 more are following! (…) Impact!"

The admiral gritted his teeth in anger. To feel so powerless to stop the BETA was almost too painful to bear. "Order the 4th Fleet to prioritize the Laser Class! Show them the true strength of the U.N. Navy!"

"Admiral! All of our ships are nearly out of ammo!"

"Bring out the reserves! As long as can keep them from shooting the new weapon then we'll have done our part! Tell the other fleet to do the same! Spare no expense and have the auxiliary fleet resupply those that are already empty! (Yes sir!) Tell the ships that even have at least one or two shots to do the same! Every shell counts!"

"Vice Commander!" Marimo alerted Yuuko to another danger. "We have more incoming!"

"We have an island full of incomings! (Yes but this is different!) What!-?"

"It's the worm. The worm is now moving above ground! According to its projected course, its heading straight for A-02! (…!)" Yuuko grunted loudly. She was expecting the BETA to use that worm as a weapon eventually but it was still too early. "At the speed it's going. It will reach the XG in approximately 5 minutes!

"What do we do, Vice Commander?" The admiral asked. "We've already used everything we had against it. None of our weapons have even made a dent on the monster"

"Tch… to think that it would come to this…" the mad scientist gave out a hearty sigh once more.

**(Takeru's POV)**

"Haaaaaaa! Come on you bastards! I've got plenty more where that came from! Even if you throw everything you got at me, I won't die! I won't let anyone else die" (Flash!) "I won't let anyone else die because of you! (WHAM!)"

"Shirogane! Behind you!"

"I got it!" The BETA are really messed up. No… they've always been messed up and never regarded much for strategy. But now it seems like their superior numbers are working against them. They can't organize properly and since we destroyed most of their Hive they have almost no room to move on. This is our chance…

"Shirogane, can you hear me?" Yuuko? What now? "We have a problem on our hands. The worm is now traveling towards the XG-70. (…!) The Imperial Army has set up a defense line but they won't be able to hold off something that huge" The worm is heading towards… Sumika! "Do what you can on your end to distract it. Anything will do"

"I understand! Don't worry about me, Yuuko sensei! I'll stop that thing for sure!"

"Good. In the mean time, I'll round up what I can about that monster. I'm counting on you…"

But even so… how the hell do we even stop something like that? The cannon fire didn't even make it flinch and our guns will be nothing but peashooter to it. But… even so… I can't stand here while everyone is giving it their all!

"Hayase! We're going after the worm! Follow me! (I'm right behind you!) The worm is moving at a fixed speed. We'll jump right on top of it and get a vantage point of the battlefield! (Roger!)"

Whoosh!

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

**(Flagship Saijou)**

"Attack boat 13, Hotel, and 19, Kangaroo, have exhausted all ammunitions and are now withdrawing from battle. Aegis cruiser Romeo is switching to normal shells and resuming fire"

"Captain Iguchi, your ship has been resupplied. You may fire at will"

"Thanks for that! We'll give it everything we've got! That's a promise!"

"Heavy metal cloud has been confirmed! We're identifying at least 50 sources of heavy laser and 200 of small ones. Redirecting all batteries to target!"

"A-02 is still sustaining heavy laser fire! The armor can't hold!"

"How long until cannon fully recharges?"

"8 minutes 20 seconds!"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Geh! We made it. Getting on top of this monster wasn't easy but we did it! But now the problem is how to stop a 500 foot worm? The skin is as tough the rocks beneath it.

"Alright. So how do we stop this thing?" Hayase asked. "None of our weapons have any effect. And I think it'll probably consider my swords to be toothpicks"

"Find a weak spot!" I barked back. "This monster must have one!"

"We don't exactly have time to look for one. This thing is almost as big as Yokohama base" Keh… and it's only a few minutes away from the XG. I can try poking my sword but it'll just break. This worm has a pretty tough skin.

"I think I know of one" Huh? Captain? "Since conventional weapons doesn't work on it, we'll have to use something unconventional. (Huh?) The chemical tanks in Kanai. (…?) Look at the map, both of you. The creature appears to be taking a detour route through the Imperial Army. But before that, it'll come across the town of Kanai in approximately 1 minute 50 seconds. If we deliver a strong enough blow, it will create a draft that will burn a large part of the worm itself. It'll be like using an SD-11 Device but with a smaller destructive force"

"Sounds like a plan" Hayase seems to agree quickly. I guess she can see that we didn't really have a lot of options. "So what do you need me to do?"

"Create us an opening. The worm might be hard on the outside but I bet its insides are softer. Find a way to wound it and get its attention fixed on us. That way we can at least buy the A-02 more time. Go! (Roger that!)" The captain then turned her attention to me. "Listen up Shirogane. I'm downloading into your com-link, the schematics of the research facility. The sinkhole that the worm created near the town opened a path directly to the base itself. I saw this the moment you got me out of there" Wow… she analyzed all that just by glancing at the battlefield? "The place where you need to strike is a small ventilation shaft area on the west side of the facility. I set the temperature of the base to below 20 degrees to slow the critical procedure of the white phosphorus. If you cut all four of them at the same time… it will cause an updraft. The sudden gush of wind and air will force itself upward" Ah… I see. It's like trying to take a ball out of a bottle without touching the bottle. You simply add water and then the ball will float up into top.

"Alright. We'll do it! There's no point going back now after coming so far!"

"It might just work. But the facility was made to endure the strongest earthquakes. You'll have to cut it using an extremely powerful swing. If you think about it… even if you add the weight and mass of the Type-94, it won't be enough to cut through"

(Flash) Cut through? Wait… maybe I can use that! "What if we use the jump boost to gain altitude? (Huh?) I… learned about it when I was a cadet. If we use the jump boost into the air we can add extra weight using gravity to our advantage"

The captain thought for a moment before answering. "It'll make a lot of difference. But I don't know what the optimum altitude is for such a strike. (I know…) But how would you… (…) No… I guess you know what you're doing. If you're crazy enough to charge into a wave of BETA alone then this shouldn't be too difficult"

"If we can stop this thing then I'm all for it"

"If you're determined on going through this course then you're going to need two sets of eyes. One will have to monitor the height and distance of our target and the other will have to swing the blade"

"Then I guess it wasn't such a bad idea to rescue you after all" I gave out a small smirk to reassure them.

"Alright then. I'll brief Hayase on the details"

"Valhalla to all units. 7 minutes remaining until the XG fully charges. I'm linking your suits with the timer countdown! Prepare to evacuate the area once the timer reaches 1 minute. That will give you enough time to clear to safe distance from the particle cannon"

**(Mountain path)**

"Heeeeeeehhhh!" Tsukuyomi charged herself through the thick of the battle with her sword and gun blazing in the distance. The BETA were as thick as the mud in a swamp. Even if you scrape a few of them off your back, the moment you put your foot down, there's more of them. "Face my wrath you swine! Teeeeeehh!" Left and right, she was killing BETA by the dozen and even her subordinates were providing the necessary support.

The battle was a messy one. With soldiers and TSFs mixed in with the BETA, killing each other without a care in the world, artillery strikes falling down like a never ending rain and beams of lasers whistling in the ear… it felt like the end of the world was near. Some of the Eishis there didn't even care if they were surrounded. They just wanted to take a piece of the BETA as a souvenir.

"1st Lieutenant! More BETA approaching from the north. At least 4 dozen units have slipped through the line" Kamiyo looked left and right, making sure that the surrounding area was clear.

"I see. Gather the others. We'll rejoin with the main force and engage the enemy that breached through. How are our forces fairing?"

"Whisky Alpha and Bravo trying to assemble the Sawata line in the west but are facing stiff resistance. The U.N. Orbital Diver Corp is providing assistance but they can't do much due to their almost depleted ammunition storage. Echo Unit is holding to the north east but they won't be able to join us. As for the center… our unit and the U.N forces are all that remain"

"And we still have 6 minutes too. This is going to be a long fight. (Bzzzt…) Tch…"

Kamiyo noticed the small spark on her commander's arm and gapped in shock. "Ah! 1st Lieutenant! Your unit is…"

"Don't worry. It's not hampering my combat efficiency. We will push forward"

"But at the very least, please get some new weapons. There's a supply crate 200 meters south of here. I can provide you cover while you resupply. (There's no time for that!) But 1st Lieutenant!" (Rumble!) But then suddenly, a small tremor caught their attention.

"Oh no! Kamiyo! Below you! (WHAAAA!) Heeeh!" Tsukuyomi quickly pushed Kamiyo out of the way and swung her sword downward only to be caught by Grappler's claw. "Damn it!" The lady in red tried to push harder but the strength of the beast was far too great and it snapped her blade in two. "Keh!" Gathering her strength, Tsukuyomi used her fists to knock the BETA down to the ground and stab it with the lower part of her broken sword.

But her worries were far from over when Kamiyo noticed three more appearing from the ground. "Lieutenant! To your left!"

"Ah!" Tsukuyomi tried to raise her arms to shield herself from the oncoming blow but the damage on her arm weakened its reaction time. "Tch! Defective equipment at a time like this! (Raaaarr!)"

"Tooooohh!" But the blow never came when a familiar voice echoed from the coms. Meiya appeared and with one swift motion she fell the BETA with a swing of her blade. "Are you alright?"

Tsukuyomi recognized it instantly. "That voice… you… you're…" Another dozen Shiranuis with the same color pattern then arrived to provide their assistance.

"Here, take my spare blade. There are more enemies on their way here. We need all the hands we can muster"

Tsukuyomi held her emotions back and accepted her help. "That was disgraceful of me. I thank you"

"Valkyrie 1C to all teams. Listen up! 6 more minutes remaining until the XG fires but it can't sustain all that damage. The Laser Class BETA are just beyond this point! Force your way through the enemy battle lines and take out as many of them as you can. Everything is riding on this battle! Don't let this chance go to waste! Go! (Copy that!)"

Meiya quickly followed the others, blasting her way through the thick of the BETA infestation. There was no hesitation in her movements.

Tsukuyomi returned to her feet and watched as the young lady went on without her. It was obvious that both of them wanted to say something but kept it hidden inside. This was a battlefield after all and emotions like those have no place here. But then again… the same can't be said for a certain boy…

"Meiya sama… please be safe"

**(Takeru's POV)**

Keh… alright… we made it. We're at the mouth of the worm. I can see the whole island from here. This place had become a warzone for the 2nd time. I can hear cannons firing in the distance, rifles firing nonstop and voices of soldiers on the open channel.

"You ready for this, Shirogane?" Pffft… as if the captain needed to ask. "There's no turning back from here on. (Ready!) Alright then. Hayase. Are you in position? (I'm right here!) Alright. We have roughly 6 minutes before the XG fully charges! We only get one shot so be at your absolute best! Set timer on my watch… ready? Mark! (Raaaaarr!) The mouth is opening! This is our chance! Launch, Shirogane!"

"Goooooohh!" Drop all weapons save but the sword! Max output on boosters! No holding back! (Flash) Remember, Takeru. Remember how Meiya and I made that incredible blow. We used everything we had to make it happen. To save that old lady's house in Mt. Tengen. If you can pull it off years ago then you can do it again! Remember what Tsukuyomi and Meiya taught you.

"We're now reaching 400 feet! Boosters are reaching critical level!"

Drown out all sights, all the sound, and all the distraction. Focus your mind on the target—see nothing but the target. Remember the teaching…

_"The nodachi was made to cut through the thickest armor. The only thing it lacks is precision._

Accuracy is all I need. The gravity and the weight of the sword and the swing of the TSF will do the rest. All I need to do is point it at the right direction.

"Altitude reaching 600 feet! Override booster emergency shutdown!"

If I go too fast, I'll miss my target… if I go too slow, my blade won't have enough force. It must be just right.

"Altitude reaching 800 feet! Booster strength failing! Get ready to detach!"

"No! We need to go as high as possible! (…!) Go as far as we can! We need to have as much force as possible!" We need to go higher! The Shiranui is obviously heavier than the Fubuki so it's no big surprise that it can higher. Come on, just a little bit more! (Beep!)

"Altitude 1000 feet! Boosters are going critical!"

"Now! (Clang!)" Yes… I remember this feeling. The G-Force ramming right in front of me.

"Hayase! We're coming down! Get ready to jump!"

"I was born ready! Everything is up to you!"

Ooooooooooohhhhhhhhh! Take this you bastard! A technique that the Mitsurugi Family taught me in this world and the other! Teeeeeeehhhh! (CLANG!) (CLINK!)

_"Entrust your life with me!"_

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

In that very moment, Shirogane's frame dropped down from the sky like an asteroid entering atmosphere. With a single well-timed blow, he cut through the earth like a knife through beef and reached the bottom of the facility, cutting the air vents off.

The worm paused for a few moments and noticed the white fog surfacing from the ground. As the fog came into contact with its skin, sparks of fire burst forth like a forest being struck by lightning. The worm's body was engulfed with fire and even its mouth began spewing embers like crazy.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Yes! We did it! We were able to cut through the vents! The impact was just enough to slice through the hard metal casing of the lab and almost immediately, this white fog came bursting out like crazy. I've heard of the effects of white phosphorus before but this is the first time seeing its use up close. Everything it touched was set on fire. Heck even the arms of my TSF was caught in it.

I can hear the monster roaring above me. It sounds like it's in pain. I guess even that thing can't withstand an explosion of that caliber without feeling something.

"Did that do it?" I asked feeling slightly hopeful.

"The explosion was big enough to level the whole town to the ground" The captain explained to me. "Even if it didn't kill the monster, it should've hurt it a little"

"Shirogane! Captain! Are you guys alright down there?" Hayase? Ah there she is. She must've followed us after the explosion.

"We're fine Hayase. What happened on the surface?"

"The worm's gone to ground after the explosion. I don't know where it went. But I don't think we should stick around to find out" She's right. We were able to wound the worm. That alone should be enough. Even if we didn't kill it, we were able to buy Sumika more time to charge up the particle cannon. All we need is that last shot to end this battle once and for all. We still got a few minutes left. That should be enough time for us to get out of here and regroup with the others. I hope they're ok.

"Alright then we'll retreat for now" The captain ordered us. "We burned off our boosters on that last jump so we'll have to rely on you, Hayase"

"Leave it to me"

"Sorry for the trouble, 1st Lieutenant"

"What are you talking about? I haven't had this much fun in months. I knew I made the right choice in following you here. Come on. There's a sinkhole opening over there. Once your jump boost cools down, we'll… huh?"

Rumbling? An earthquake? No… it must…

RAAAAAARRRRR!

"Shirogane! Look out!" Ah crap! (Rumble!) Sh—it!

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

**(Flagship Saijou)**

"Preliminary scans confirm. The worm has submerged back underground!" Suzumiya announced to everyone's relief. "Judging from the point of its submersion, the worm is now heading eastward. Readjusting all scanners to identify seismic activity"

"5 minutes 15 seconds until the XG fully charges!"

"A-02 is still receiving laser fire! Primary engine is severely damaged! Recalibrating both engines for optimal output!"

"Haven't we dealt with the Laser Class yet?" The admiral grunted. "What's taking the soldiers so long?"

"45 major laser sources have been silenced by the artillery but more Laser Class just keeps appearing on our radar! More than half of them are focusing their fire on our artillery shells"

"Lt. Piatif. Is the Rutherford Field still not operational?" Yuuko asked to her secretary who shook her head back in reply.

"No. All systems were shut down during the crash. We're barely getting an input on the particle cannon itself. (…) One moment ma'am. (…) What? (…?) It's been confirmed! The core unit has overheated. There's fire inside the XG's main control area!"

"Activate emergency sprinklers! Keep the core unit cool as long as possible! (Yes ma'am!) …!"

**(XG-70's attack point)**

Back on the last defense line of the XG. Cracker Squad was doing everything in their power to prevent the enemy from getting their hands on the weapon.

"Die you son of a bitch!" The three last remaining fighters were killing off BETA as they came through by a pair. It was a slow trickle considering how much firepower the other soldiers were giving out there in the frontlines. "This is ridiculous. Captain! I can deal with a few Grapplers and Tanks but we can't hold out against this many!"

"Keep holding out for as long as possible! I promised that kid that I won't let a single BETA near this weapon. He's counting on us right now!"

"But sir. We can't do a thing about the lasers! At this rate, we'll be fighting for nothing!"

"Tch!"

But just as they were disheartened, another voice came into the coms. "I have an idea! (…Akira?) Captain… can those supplementary armor shield us from the lasers?"

"The shields? They were meant to withstand a few direct strikes but nothing more. Why?"

"If we grab one or two of those shields. We can jump right between the weapon and the lasers! (…!)"

"Are you crazy!-?" 04 yelled out. "You want us to jump in front of a laser beam?"

"It's worth a shot!" Their captain agreed immediately. "02, you're with me. Grab as many shields as you can find in those supply crates! (Yes sir!) 04. Continue holding this area. (Eh? Me alone?) Do it or jump in front of a laser! Your choice! (…) Then we'll go with Akira's plan! Come on!"

**(Takeru's POV)**

D… damn it. That was too close. The worm just crashed through the ground like it was made out of cardboard. If we hadn't dodged that for a second later, we would've been flattened in no time. "Captain, are you alright?"

"Y… yeah. Don't worry about me. Just focus on the situation" The wound on her shoulder isn't getting better. I need to get her help as quick as possible.

"Hayase, can you read me? Are you alright?"

"Ugh… I… I've been better. It seems like the worm is coming around for another attack. I think we pissed it off when we burned its mouth"

"Yeah… we've done our part. Staying down here will just be too dangerous. (Whiirrrrr…) Huh? (What's wrong?) That's odd. The boosters aren't… wait… let me try again. (Whirrrr) Ah crap! The jump boosters! The circuits are completely fried. I must've overused them when we cut the ventilation shafts!"

"How long before they cool down?"

"About a minute or two. But there's no guarantee that it'll work even after it cools down" And we only have about 4 minutes left before the XG fully charges. Damn… if only we had more time to… (Rumble!) (Raaaaarrr!) What now? (Beep!) What the? Code 991? BETA!

"Shirogane! Look out! Above us!" Keh! The BETA? They're coming down from the surface. They must be reacting to the explosion that just occurred. Destroyers, Grapplers, Tanks and even Fort Class are present. "They're covering the exit ground. We won't be able to fly on that direction"

Damn it. At this rate we'll be swallowed whole. There's no way we can fight through that bunch with the weapons that we have. All I have left are my knives and that won't do much against BETA. We can't stay here and we can't all escape together… not unless…

…

Not unless I do something stupid…

…

…

Right… okay…

"Hayase. I got an idea. (…?) Take the captain with you. I'll run a diversion for the BETA and take care of them. (…!) (What!-?) We've completed our mission objective. All we need to do now is escape. There's not enough room for three of us in a cockpit so you'll have to go alone"

"Wait! What are you saying, Shirogane!-?" The Captain yelled out at me. "At this rate you'll…"

"Oi… what happened to all that talk about never abandoning a comrade? Are you going to contradict yourself?"

"I'm different from Isumi san. Unlike her… I have no intentions of dying. (…) You said I get to call the shots in this mission so listen to me now. Please Hayase… you know what I can do"

My commander gave out a defeated sigh. "Fine. You'd better keep your promise. I'm in no mood for a liar today"

"You got it. Captain… if you will… (…) Captain?"

"You'd better come out of this alive. I'm not letting your actions go unpunished just yet"

"I'm ready to take full responsibility for my actions" I gave back a reassuring grin before removing her safety harness. "Now go. We don't have a lot of time. Hayase. Do you have anything I can use? I pretty much used all my weapons already"

"Two swords… that's all I got. (Whirrr) Give'em hell, boyo"

"That already goes without saying" I quickly opened my cockpit and carried Isumi to Hayase's unit. This is good. At the very least those two will make it. "Switch complete. Wait on the corner while I lure the BETA to my side. Go on my signal only. (Copy that)"

Raaaaaarrr!

Heh… this takes me back. Even though I'm facing my doom… I don't feel scared at all. I feel as if… all the chains around me broke. (…) If that's the case then…

Alright…

Come at me you monsters. Come at me with everything you've got. Because you assholes have no idea… what I'm fully capable of!


	36. Black Christmas Final Part

**Chapter 36: Black Christmas (Final Part) (A Blue Sky waits for all)**

**(Sadogashima)(Mountain path defense line)**

Munakata led the group back safely to the defense line near the Imperial Army after dealing with the Laser Class. It has only been half an hour since Shirogane persuaded them to charge outward but it felt like they've been fighting for days. Most of them had already lost count on how many BETA they've killed and how many times they resupplied in quick instances just to be thrown into the wolves again and again.

Everyone was panting heavily and even their exosuits could not contain the sweat coming down their brow. Some of them were short on breaths and those who were too exhausted to even move had to pump stims into their system.

"Everyone, form up" Munakata ordered through pants. Even the most experienced member of the group was unable to keep up with the demands of HQ. "More supply containers have been dropped. Around in the area. Resupply within a 30 second window. Kazama, Kashiwagi. Take the AMLs. (R… roger…) Yoroi, Tamase, ammo for rifles are in the third one on your left. There aren't a lot of ammo for machineguns so take what you can spare. Akane, Sakaki. If you're low on energy then supply in the 1st one. Ayamine and Meiya will cover us"

"H… hold on for a moment" Akane protested. Her fingers were growing numb and much of her body can't take much more stress. "Can't… we get… a few seconds of breather?"

"I'm so… tired…" Miki added feeling her own body swell up. "I can't even move my arms anymore"

"We went through that wave three times already" Mikoto panted deeply and removed her headset for cooler air. "I don't even remember how we got through that place alive"

Misae couldn't blame them. They were just humans after all and not to mention that this is probably the 1st sortie of half of nearly half of the company. To be putting this much pressure on rookies was not a good idea to start their career but the situation demanded it.

"Listen… I know that you're all tired but we only need to hold this area for 4 more minutes. Whisky and Echo are counting on us to keep the BETA away from the XG"

"But there's just no end to them" Akane complained. "It's like no matter how many we kill they just keep pushing us back"

"There are over a hundred-thousand of them" Chizuru added as well. Even though she killed a whole wave of BETA, their numbers just didn't seem to lessen at all. It was like trying to stop a force of nature with nothing but sticks and stones. "We can't hold off against that many without proper support"

"The Imperial Honor Guards are doing what they can to help us but it doesn't look like they'll be able to do much with such small numbers"

"Valkyrie mum to all units. Enemy forces are breaching the second defense line set up by Whisky Unit. Fall back and set up a perimeter along with Cracker Squad"

"Valkyrie 1C… roger that. We're on our way now. Come on everyone! Gather'round! I know we're tired but if lose our ground here then it'll all be over for us. Besides… if Shirogane were here… he'd be scolding your ears off. (…) So come on. If you're not going to do this for the team then at least do it for the man who brought us this far"

…

"Tch… and just when I got him out of my head" Akane let out a soft grunt before returning to her feet. "You had to ruin it"

"Heh… but it's true. If Shirogane were here… I'm pretty sure he would be scolding all of us to go further. After all… that's what he does best"

Meiya followed grabbing a blade off the container. "Indeed. Even as we speak… I believe Takeru is still out there giving it everything he has in this battle. So long as he can still draw breath… he will fight. We all saw his strength and determination back then… didn't we?" An image of Susono City came into the minds of the former cadets of the unit. It was true. Even back then when his Fubuki was broken right down to its last leg the boy didn't show a hint of surrendering. He fought down to the bitter end no matter how bad the odds were.

"Yeah… you're right" Chizuru was the first to agree. "He's too stubborn to know when to give up"

"But that's exactly what makes him 'special' neh?" Ayamine added earning a curious brow from her superiors. It was a rare sight to see those two agree on anything.

Miki and Mikoto followed afterwards raising their rifles back up. "Yeah… we won't lose to him…"

"Miki will… Miki will give everything she's got!"

**(Kanai town underground) (Takeru's POV)**

Toooooohhh! (WHAM!) Heh… these guys are tough. It's becoming increasingly difficult to hold of this horde with just two blades. Not to mention that my boosters are still not functional. But I can't give in now. I have to open a hole big enough for Hayase and the captain to get away. (Beep beep!) Roughly 3 minutes left. I have to do it! Even if kills me again I will do it! I will change the future!

"Goooohhh!" Come on you assholes! Come and get me! Let me show all of you what millennia of time and training can do to a person like me! (WHAM!) (WHOOSH!) (POW!) Faster, stronger! I can feel my body racing again.

My heart is beating faster and faster. I can see it on my own vital signs that the suit shows. Everything around me slowed as I cut through one BETA at a time. I felt myself growing stronger with each kill and the headaches are barely even bothering me anymore. I can feel the BETA around me. I can tell who was going to attack next and when. I can hear their every breath and their every footstep. It was like… a rhythm… a pattern of some sort that only I can see. It's like… that time in the simulator with the VOLKS Program. I can see it… this beating sound…

Raaaarrr!

The one in front charges first… distracting me so that the one behind me can attack. This is basic tactic when fighting with a far tougher opponent. These monsters may look like they're just charging out blindly but they're actually thinking of how to strike an enemy. (WHAM!) Next… if the first tactic fails then the closest BETA on my left and right will attack at the same time, disorienting me. (Crash!) Yes… I can do this! I might just be able to pull this off!

Graaaaarr!

Too slow! (WHAM!) There it is! The BETA are now considering me a bigger threat than Hayase. They're totally ignoring her and the captain and turning their attention to me. Right! "Hayase! Now! The BETA are creating an opening! Go through it and get out of here! (Roger that!) I'll be following you soon! Don't worry about me!"

"I'll meet you at the rendezvous point at the A-02. Don't be late!"

"Yes ma'am!" (Whoosh!) And off they go. They should be able to make it to the defense line. But right now… how the hell am I supposed to escape this batch? There are at least two… maybe five hundred of them down here with me. I could try forcing my way out but with those Fort Class in the way, it might be too difficult. I could also look for another way out but there's no telling how far this tunnel goes and with that worm still down here… it could prove too much… even for me.

That opening above me is my only chance to survive. And I need to survive if I'm going to change the world. What if I… jump from rock to rock and boost my way from platform to platform? It might just work. The jump boost will allow me a short spark but nothing more than that. Ok… let's do it!

I have to time it just right. Come boosters… just give me a little juice. All I need is a few seconds of leverage. (Raaaaaarr!) Right! Here goes!

WHAM!

I'll use you for leverage! And jump! (Crash!) Right… that's one. Now I jump to the other side and keep repeating until I reach the surface. (Crash!) Yes… that's it. Just a little further. (Whiiirrrrr…) Just a little bit more. (Rumble!) Huh? Oh no… not now! (Raaaaaarrr!) That worm is back again! Why can't you just leave me alone? (Raaaaaarrr!) Tch… fine! You wanna fight? Let's fight!

I jumped off the wall and faced the mouth of the worm head on. It's try to get back onto the surface! But it won't! (WHAM!) Stay down! (Raaaaaarrr!) Geh! Alright… I can use it as a platform to reach the top. Hmph!

Yes…! I can make it from—(WHAM!) Ah crap! I almost had it! I'm so close to the surface but the worm broke the platform that I was trying to reach. I was able to stab my blade onto the wall to create a ledge but I can't hold on. Geh! Come on Shiranui. Just a little further. If I could only. (Crack…) Oh… no no no no no! (Crack!) Ah cr—!

…

…

…

Eh? I didn't fall?

"Charging straight into one's death is admirable…" Wh… who's that? Someone was able to catch me before I fall? A blue Takemikazuchi? "… but charging straight into the jaws of a devouring beast is worthy of many praises. (…?)" He pulled me up to the surface with relative ease. "I heard that the fool who made this possible was somewhere here… foolishness and courage… are very much alike… if one would give it some thought"

There were Takemikazuchis around me all painted in black. Only the guy who saved me was colored differently. They must be the Imperial Household Honor Guards. But what are they doing all the way out here? Not that I'm complaining of course. "Th… thanks. You saved me there…"

"Do not take my assistance to mean anything" Eh? "I did not save you out of the goodness of my heart. (…?) You owe me nothing. I simply did because my honor demands it" His honor? "I simply cannot stand it when someone else displays greater courage than I…" Uh… what am I supposed to say to that? "But it seems that you are unharmed. Can you still fight?"

_"Can you still fight, boy?"_ Huh? Wait… where have I heard this guy before?

Raaaaarrrr!

"Ikaruga sama! It's the worm!" Ah crap! That thing just doesn't know when to quit! "All units, fire at it! Don't let it get close!" You idiots! Your weapons are useless against it! (Raaaaarrr!)

"Look out for its mouth! (Gwaaaaaahhh!) Damn it!" The worm trampled over them like the dirt beneath it. All five of them were taken out just like that. How the hell do we stop this thing?

"Do not bother. (Geh…) Even a foolish mind like yourself can tell that it is too late for them" The commander said to me. "Fighting something of this magnitude head on will only come out with damaging results. Though it is unsightly—we will have to withdraw for now. Crest 4. Tell the rest of the unit to fall back. The other group will cover our retreat. (Yes sir!)" Tch… he does have a point. If an explosion like that didn't kill it then it'll be impossible for us to do any damage. But still… this monster must have a weakness. There has to be a way to wound it or at least get its attention at us… hmm? Hey wait…

That sword sticking out of its skin… that was the one I used when I stabbed it to get out of the underground. There's blood leaking out of it. But why… ah! I get it now!

"Wait! Commander!" I yelled out to the Imperial Honor Guard. "I think I know a way to do some damage to that monster. (…?) The new weapon from A-02 can destroy it but we have to keep it from going back underground"

"Oi! You idiot!" One of the soldiers barked at me on an open channel. "Do you have any idea who you're—"

"Let the man speak" The guy in blue cut him off. "Do you have a plan, boy?"

"Yes. Look there" I showed him the sword poking out of the monster's skin. "The explosion earlier caused the skin of the worm to crack at several points. If we focus our attacks on those areas we might just be able to kill it, or at the very least, wound it. (Hmm…) A strong blow from the sword or a 120mm shell should be able to break through and cut the soft skin underneath"

"I see… cracking the armor to pierce the skin. Unoriginal but noteworthy. (…) Crest 4. How long until the new weapon will be ready to fire?"

"Approximately 2 minutes 50 seconds. But General. (What?) The BETA. A large number of them have turned around. It seems like they're trying to support the worm"

"Then we will simply have to hold them until the boy completes his mission" The commander stated back. "This creature represents the greatest threat to the hope of mankind. Killing it seems to be the most logical course of action. For those who have given their lives and for those that was taken by this beast, it is only right that we slay it. We shall follow with the U.N. Eishi's plan and strike its broken skin. Group 2, follow Crest 4 and destroy any BETA that approaches us. The rest remaining units will follow Crest 5. (Yes sir!) I will be following the U.N. soldier. Go! All of you! (Roger that!)" The whole company charged off in synch. "You there… boy" He pointed at me. "You take point…"

"Roger that!"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

**(Flagship Saijou)**

"2 minutes 30 seconds remaining until the XG fully charges!" No one could possibly imagine the tension happening around the Headquarters of the invasion force that afternoon. People were running around like it was the end of the world. If one would see it they'd probably call the people in the com center to be roughly disorganized. Operators were yelling on their coms, soldiers calling out on the other line, swearing and even rough languages were used. The only few people who were actually calm about this whole ordeal were Yuuko, Piatif, Admiral Kozawa and the Valkyrie Operators.

"Whisky Alpha and Whisky Bravo have silenced all Laser Class BETA on the other side. They're now working in conjunction of holding the enemy main force at bay"

"Echo Bravo has broken through the BETA Fort Class formation and are now forming a firing line above the mountains. They're requesting more supply canisters to be drop at their location"

"The new BETA strain is continuing its march onto A-02's attack point at a slower pace above surface level. The Imperial Honor Guard is engaging it but I don't know how long they'll be able to hold it"

"Valkyrie 2B is fighting with the group as well" Marimo reported before answering her radio. "Shirogane. Your unit is heavily damaged. It won't be able to sustain much more!"

"He's… really giving them hell…" Yuuko muttered out silently to herself. "Suzumiya. Tell the Valkyrie Squad and all the other units to form a final defense line at the opening of the mountain path in front of the XG. (…!) Is that alright with you, admiral?"

"Hmm… I see your plan" The old sailor agreed. "With our forces so thin as it is—perhaps it would be best if we focused on a single defense line rather holding onto areas that are a lost cause"

"Yes… but also I'd like to wipe out every BETA along with it. (…?) If the XG fires… then it will obliterate everything within its path. We'd hit the Hive and every BETA in between the crossfire. Two birds with one stone—as they say"

"I see… very well. You have my full support, Vice Commander. You there… tell the Imperial Army to withdraw immediately. (Yes sir!) They have 30 seconds to do so! We cannot allow the BETA to get any closer than necessary. (Aye aye!)"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

**(Takeru's POV)**

Teeeehh! (Clang!) Dammit! This is useless! The BETA are piling up one after another like ants. It's like they're trying to use their own bodies to shield the worm from us. If this keeps up we'll never be able to kill it and we barely have time to strike it down!

"Toooh!" (WHAM!) The Honor Guard Commander seems to be doing exceptionally well. We're matching pace with one another and killing a dozen at a time. The specs of the Takemikazuchi are truly superior to the Type-94 that I have. "Tch… we're going in circles if we continue on like this. Crest 9, fire your AMLs at my position! Provide us some covering fire! (Understood!)"

Damn it all. My boosters are still fried. It looks like I really overused it during that last operation. I'll have to find another way to get on top of it. But I have to think fast. The XG is so close already. At this rate… the worm might reach it before it fires. (Flash!) Sumika! No! I promised her that none of you will ever lay a finger on her again. I won't let you get near her! Not in this life time!

"Haaaaaaaaaa!" Right… this should work. (Whoosh!) Yes! Cutting all of them simultaneously created a small opening. "Commander, follow my lead! (Hmph!) We're gonna force our way through. Keep at my back at all times!"

"I understand. Lead the way"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

**(Mountain path) (Joint U.N.-Empire final defense line)**

On the final defense line that was quickly made by the Imperial Army, the BETA were pounding on them like a wave on a wall. Those with weapons unleashed everything they had and those with shields formed a formidable wall that could not be pressed back as so easily. In that narrow path… the brave men and women fought. With shields, swords and guns they held the line… they held it for as long as they could.

_"Give thanks, men, to Leonidas and the brave 300! TO VICTORY!"_

_-Dilios from the movie 300-_

"Don't let them through!"

"Come on! Just try to eat me now you monsters!"

"Don't give them another inch of this mountain! We need to hold them off just a few more minutes!"

"Heeeeeeeeehhhh!" Meiya was among the few at the rear of the formation, dealing with the stragglers that were able to break through the wall of the Imperial Army. Behind her, Tsukuyomi, Ayamine and the Three Idiots were also giving it their all to protect the greatest hope of mankind. Even if their bodies were exhausted down to the last breath, they continued to stand again to fight against whatever opponent came next.

"Don't underestimate me!" Tomoe followed, unleashing a barrage of bullets from her four barreled gun. (Click click…) Hearing that dreadful sound of an empty clip, she dropped her weapon and pulled out a knife from its holster. "Haaaaaa!"

"HQ to all units! A-02 is preparing to fire in 1 minute! Fall back immediately to a safe distance before it charges up. The Navy will provide a heavy barrage on your locations!"

"Whisky Alpha, roger that! We're falling back to—gah! N… no way! (It's the worm!)" The monstrous BETA reared its large and hideous mouth in front of them, crushing through everything in its path. "Don't break formation you idiots! Focus on the smaller ones down below! Our weapons are useless against that thing! (Y… yes sir!) Whisky Alpha Leader to HQ. Requesting an artillery strike on the worm's current location! Give it everything you've got!"

"HQ here, negative on that. All ships have exhausted all ammunitions!"

"Don't screw with us! You gotta have something left!"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Don't we have anything left to shoot it with?"

"HQ to all ships. Requesting weapons' check. Any ships with the ability to fire are to concentrate at the mouth of the mountain"

"The 3rd Fleet has exhausted all ammunitions and are now pulling back to safe waters"

"The 5th Fleet as well. We just don't have enough ammo to supply everyone!"

**(2nd Fleet) (Shinano)**

"Why have we stopped firing?" The captain asked as he noticed all of his guns were silent for the past minute.

"All shells have been exhausted! We have nothing left to shoot with captain"

"What about the auxiliary fleet? Where are they?"

"They're saying that they have no ammunitions left and the reinforcements from Niigata are still minutes away"

Abe slammed his fist on the table and cursed his weakness. "Damn it all. Is this as far as we can go then? Is this as far as we can do to support our allies?"

**(Takeru's POV) (Final Defense Line)**

Come on you stupid thing! BREAK! (Clang!) We were able to force our way to the worm but now we can't crack the skin off. Damn it! Come on! (Clang clang!) Why won't you break!-?

"You fool! Stop what you're doing" Geh… the Honor Guard Commander yelled at me. "Do not let anger cloud your actions. Think!" … he's right. I need to keep a cool head. We have 1 minute left before the XG fires and judging by this distance… we're pretty much gonna hit it around the same time. It's going to be a close cut that's for sure so I need something to even the odds. But what? "Think boy… (…) How were you able to cut through its skin the first time?"

The first time? Right before this guy rescued me I leaped off the wall and stab it with the sword. It's supposed to be impossible considering the density of the skin but if I'm right then maybe it's because gravity and two forces moving at opposite directions had some part to play in it. (…) That's it! If I can somehow produce enough force that was equal to the one I used when I sliced through the research facility, it might be enough to pierce the broken skin. But to do something like that… I'll need leverage.

…

Right…

"I have an idea!" I called out to the commander. "… but I'm going to need some help"

"If it can be done then I shall do it. What do you need of me?"

"Do you have any explosive rounds left in your guns?"

"I have 4 shots of 120mm HE-shells. Why?"

"Prime them and place all of them inside that large crack. Once that's done I'll strike them all at the same time with my blade. The explosion should be enough to make a hole in the armor"

"If you do that, you would be risking your own life. I cannot guarantee your safety"

"Trust me on this commander. I have no intentions of dying. Once the hole is made you'll be the one who will deliver the killing blow"

"You're giving me the lead role in your grand plan?"

"The Takemikazuchi has greater output of strength than my unit. The greater the damage, the better chance we have of hurting it"

"Heh… tis an honor. (…) Very well. We have little time to argue. Get to your position… we will need to work as one to ensure your plan succeeds"

"You got it!" This has to work. Everyone is counting on us now… this must work!

**(Flagship Saijou)**

"The BETA worm has breached through the final defense line! It will reach the XG in 40 seconds!"

"How much longer until the A-02 fires?"

"50 seconds ma'am!"

"50 seconds? They're cutting it too close" Yuuko grunted irritatingly as she watched as the battle progressed on. It was a hairy fight. A crude one to be exact, but it was a fight that would determine the fate of ALTERNATIVE IV. "Tell everyone to get out of the firing zone now! They've done their part now let the XG do the rest! Move!"

"Yes ma'am. HQ to all units. Fall back to the rear of the XG-70. I repeat: Fall back to the rear of the XG. The new weapon is preparing to fire!"

"Valkyrie mum to all units. A retreat order has been given. Fall back with the Imperial Army now! This is a priority order! Fall back!"

"The BETA worm is picking up speed!"

"Tch! Shirogane… I'm counting on you"

**(Takeru's POV)**

"The explosives are in place. We have to hurry. The BETA are not known for their patience" Right… with the explosives and my attack it should be enough to break the shell completely. I don't have enough time to do the math but everything is riding on this. (Flash) Captain… (Flash) Hayase… (Flash) Munakata… (Flash) Everyone…

I will do it. I will change the world!

I will defeat the BETA and all your kind! And I'll start it… by kicking your ass! "OOOOOOOOOHHHH!"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The Imperial Honor Guard Commander could not help but see the splendor of the boy's act. Without any hesitation, without any doubt and without any worries, he charged in head first onto the targeted crack in hopes to defeating this monster. He had hope to match his courage with his own but it seems obvious to his naked eye that boy was more than a match to him. There was simply no way for a sane man like him to compare to a fool such as that.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"20 seconds remaining until full charge!"

"The worm is still on course! Impact in 14 seconds!"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

With a single thrust, everything blurred in slow motion. Fire engulfed the boy's Shiranui covering every inch of his frame in a beautiful yet dangerous element. His right arm tore apart in a single wide explosion, ripping it into the earth, never to be seen again. Pieces of the worm's skin broke along with scraps of metal from the boy's frame, each mixing in their own crude way. The creature groaned a painful growl alarming the BETA and the humans that were still fighting.

Inside the cockpit, Shirogane felt like he was thrown into microwave itself. The fire heated the whole room, burning a portion of his suit and his skin as well. But Takeru was sure that he survived worse. If he could survive a full blown air raid during the coup, an explosion at point blank range should be nothing.

But in the end, the blast was too much for his mech and he was recoiled off the flames like a slingshot. As the boy fell off from the worm's body, he cried out to Honor Guard dabbed in blue. "NOW!" The General readied his blade and followed the boy's example. No hesitation… was needed when fighting.

But before Shiroagne felt the hard ground below him, Hayase appeared out of the blues and caught him by a hairline. "I gotcha!"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"10 seconds!" The admiral prayed on his ship along with the other crew while Yuuko, Marimo and Haruka stared at the screen.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Toooooohhh!" Ikaruga charged and stab the blade down to the skin impaling the soft innards of the worm. Blood and meat burst out and within moments, the worm cried out a truthfully painful roar. Its body twist in agony and wiggled like it was trying to get whatever hurt it off its back. "I take no joy in taking someone else's kill… but for his sake I will fulfill my task!" The General twisted his blade sideways while half of it was still sunk into the worm's skin. Fountains of blood burst forth painting his TSF in a new color. "Shinde kudasai…"

The beast roared and finally, losing its momentum it crashed onto the walls of the mountain only a few meters from the XG.

Knowing that his task was done, the General ordered his battalion to withdraw and escape.

As the clock ticked to zero on every monitor… the world held its breath

"SUMIKA! NOW!"

**(Yokohama Base) (The tree behind the school)**

Yashiro Kasumi stared blankly at the light… her eyes watering slightly by the brightness…

Inside the base, everyone who were indoors or outside stopped whatever it was they were doing and quickly looked out to where the light was shining. Hell… even Kyozuka, the cafeteria lady stopped on her grill for a minute there.

**(Imperial Royal Palace, Tokyo)**

The ground trembled around the palace as a large explosion was heard from a distance. Clay pots and cups fell from the cabinets and the ceiling dropped specs of wood and sand to the floor.

"My goodness! What in the world?" The Grand Chamberlain covered herself from the window as a bright light imitating a second sun burst from the distance. The Shogun felt the shock too and quickly rushed outside the see this anomaly with her own eyes. "Your highness! Please get away from there! It's dangerous!"

Yuuhi covered her eyes slightly with her long robes. The flash was so powerful that it could even be seen behind Mt. Fuji itself. She can tell immediately that all eyes were turned to that light. It was a sign… a symbol… it had to be.

"…" The girl held her breath and her heart feeling a strange unease creep over her. After a few seconds, the bright light ended, returning the world to its natural order.

"Your highness! Are you alright?" A squad of Imperial Honor Guards entered the door and quickly kneeled on the floor when they saw the Shogun unfazed.

"Yes… I am unharmed. Please find out the cause of that light and aid those who were injured during the quake. (Yes ma'am!)" As the soldiers saw themselves out, the chamberlain came to the Shogun's side to make sure that she wasn't harmed.

"That light… I am sure it came from Sadogashima…" Yuuhi nodded in agreement to her words. "Goodness… just what could that mean…?"

"I do not know… my friend" The Shogun answered back before looking up to the empty sky. "... but the rain... has stopped..."


	37. A Silent Victory

**Chapter 37: A Silent Victory**

**(Sadogashima) (December 25, 2001 Monday—Christmas) (Flagship Saijou)**

No one could've imagined the expression on the soldiers' faces as the light from the XG-70 died out. Every soul, the wounded or the weary or even those who were still fighting on the island all had the same shocked look. Sadogashima Island… the place that was known to be overrun by BETA and once a thriving land of the Empire… was scorched down to the last grain of sand. At the northern part of that island where a monument of the alien's occupation once was… loomed a giant mushroom cloud of smoke flowing freely into the sky. From that mountain to the ravine to the south, there were BETA as far as the eye could see. They used to roam this land freely like they owned the place. But now… after one final glorious shot… they all… vanished. Each and every one of them… obliterated into nothingness.

"Vice Commander. A-02 has collapsed due to exhausted energy. Damage sustained on the engine and particle cannon has exceeded the safe zone. The emergency shutdown on all systems has been acknowledged"

"The damage to the BETA Hive is unknown. The mountain range once known as Mt. Kinpoku has been leveled down. Radiation level is still above average but according to our scans the Hive is no longer producing any energy within"

"No surviving BETA detected. All 150,000 units that were present earlier have all… been destroyed"

"Is it… really…?" The admiral spoke up, hoping that he was not dreaming. "Did we really… do it…?"

"Whisky Alpha Leader and Whisky Bravo Leader are reporting in"

"Echo Alpha is also reporting in and giving visual data. There are no BETA within or under the immediate grounds"

"…" Yuuko looked at the monitor with her wounded hand and sighed with a hopeful tone.

"Actual data is coming in from the 2nd Orbital Diver Company! BETA activity around the Hive: 0%. BETA activity around Ryoutsu Bay, Mano Bay: 0%! BETA activity at the south and mountain path: 0%! Mechanized infantry in the scout location is also reporting an all clear signal!"

"Then it is true…" A tear drop fell from the admiral's eyes as he lowered his cap to his face. "… at long last… after so many years… after all the nightmares we've been through. We have… we have finally fulfilled our promise to our comrades. (…!) At long last… we have struck a blow to our enemies!"

"YEAHHHHHH!-!-!-!-!"

Another round of jubilant cries echoed on the airwaves.

**(A-02's Attack point)**

All around that narrow cannon, every Eishi had their hands up in the sky. Each and every one of them cheering and celebrating in their own way. They shout, they cried and few even broke down in joy. No one could explain how they all felt. Freedom… relieved…satisfaction… fulfillment. Many more words will probably be needed to even begin to understand their feeling.

But among the troops scattered there, a few remained solemn in their own.

**(Takeru's POV)**

It's… over…

Hehehe…

It's really over. I… I can hardly believe it. That last blast… it not only obliterated the BETA and the Hive but the mountain itself. Everything between us and where the Hive Monument used to be was burned down to ash and even the ravine we were in was reshaped. The worm that was in front of the XG was cut into an almost perfect half. Only a part of its body that was inside the wall of the mountain was able to survive.

I had my doubts about our victory but… this was… this was real. We really did it… for real this time. We really won…

Everyone was bursting through their eyes. I can hear Akane sobbing while Class rep was comforting her. Tama was openly bawling at this point with Mikoto not falling behind. Munakata, Touko and Kashiwagi can't even contain their joy and were yelling out things even I couldn't understand.

But I can relate to their feelings. Even I can hardly believe what had just happened. It was an overwhelming sensation that not even I can explain properly. My radio was bursting with cheers from different channels. The reality of death and extermination was finally gone from the minds of the soldiers. Hehehe… I'm actually so happy… I can't even feel my legs anymore. Keh… damn… I'm… I'm actually losing conscious. All that stim and hypnosis that Marimo forced into me was taking its toll. Heh… I'm also crying at the same time. My body is acting really weird right now.

"HQ to all units. BETA activity around Sadogashima has reached below minimal. Reinforcements from Niigata and Shizuoka will be arriving in 10 minutes. Secure the area around the mountain path"

The soldiers quickly began disbursing around the area. I guess they learned from the previous battle not to get too overconfident. But I'm pretty sure the BETA won't show themselves. After taking that insane amount of casualties, it'll be impossible for them to recover that quickly. The first two shots from Sumika must've riled every alien inside the Hive and forced them all up. I don't know if that's true but for now… I think we can relax.

But… I really did it. I changed the future… again. The coup d'état, Sagiri Naoya, the XM3 trial, Marimo chan, Captain and Kashiwagi… all of them are living proof of what I am capable of doing. This whole island is the greatest proof I have of my powers.

With this… with this victory… humanity finally has a real chance of surviving!

"Yo… Shirogane. Are you still alive in there?" 1st Lt. Hayase? "You didn't pass out, did you?"

"No… I'm still here. How's the captain?"

"She's fine. Well… she's crying a bit so it can't be helped neh? (Oi!)" Heh… I can hear Isumi's voice in the background too.

"What about you Hayase san? Aren't you crying too?"

"Of course! There's nothing to be ashamed about tears of joy!"

Hehehe… (Tug!) Ah… damn. I'm really going to pass out like this. But… if everyone's alive then… I'm happy… I really am…

"Can you still move?" Huh? That voice. Meiya? "Takeru… are you… alright?"

"Yeah. Just a little tired, that's all. How is everyone?"

"They're fine. What of you? Are you injured anywhere?"

"No… I'm good. A little rest will bring me back to full strength. But… I can't really say the same for my TSF"

"You are as reckless as ever. Charging in alone like that"

"Heh… well you know me. That's what I do"

"Well… if you are fine then I have no worries. I will inform the others of your location. Stay safe until then

"Roger that…" (Beep!) Huh? An encrypted channel? (Beep!) …! Yuuko sensei?

"Shirogane. Can you hear me? (Sensei?)" Calling me out after a battle celebration. It must be important if she's using an encrypted channel. "I'll take that as a yes. I have a mission for you. As of right now, the XG-70 has completely shutdown. We're getting no response from the core unit itself but we know that the 00-Unit is safe" Sumika… that's good. She's alright. "We can't risk any more delays so we're commencing the emergency procedure of retrieving the 00-Unit. Should the island be secured, another unit from the nearby U.N. Base will dismantle and retrieve the XG" I see… so something this huge can't be moved manually. They'll have to toe the parts piece by piece.

"I understand… so what do you need me to do?"

"I'm sure this is not the first time you entered the XG yourself but I'll give you a rundown anyway. To ensure the secrecy of the 00-Unit and the XG's safety, you are to retrieve the main computer from the unit and rendezvous with the TSF Carrier Okami in the south which will then take you to HQ. Isumi will also be assisting you with this mission since only you two have the proper authorities to enter the XG. However… I will also explain to you the backup plan for such an event"

"Huh? A backup plan? For this?"

"We cannot allow anyone to discern what the 00-Unit is. The official word is that the XG-70 is an unmanned weapon. If they see you carry Sumika out… it will grow suspicions" I see. Captain Isumi knows about the existence of the 00-Unit but she doesn't exactly know what it looks like. They'll probably freak out if they know that Sumika is actually a computer. "So as a make belief story we will now refer Sumika as the 'Engineer' of the XG" Engineer? "That should past as a believable story and buy us some time"

"I understand. But if that's the case… then how will I explain about Sumika isn't the 00-Unit"

"Inside the cockpit where Sumika is located, there's a duffle bag filled with various electronic equipments. We'll pretend that to be the 00-Unit. That way, the real 00-Unit will be cast off as another wounded on the battlefield. I assume you're already used to carrying passengers on your cockpit" (Flash) Meiya, Akira and Yuuhi came into mind. "I already explained this to Isumi and she'll be the one delivering the fake 00-Unit. She won't suspect a thing" So that's it. We're going to be pulling an act in front of everyone. It's rather unusual but I guess it's necessary. The less people know about Sumika being a super computer… the better.

"Alright. I understand. I'll do as you ask"

"Good. We'll move on to the next phase. We don't have much time so I'll connect you to Isumi. Understand? (Yes ma'am) Fortunately the air around the BETA isn't contaminated. So be sure to get it done while things are still quiet"

…

…

…

**(A few minutes later) (XG-70's main computer room)**

We arrived at the Susanoo right after Yuuko explained to us the situation. We entered through the airlock and got through with ease. We were now in the main computer room where thousands of computers were flickering at us. The laser did a number on the weapon breaking each part with ease. Sumika… she must've held on with every bit of strength she had to fire that last shot. I hope nothing bad happened to her.

The room we were in was haunting. Almost like something out of a science fiction movie. It's strange to see that this whole place is nothing more but an elevator that brings up Sumika.

"…" The captain seems to be focused on her task. Even with a wounded shoulder and sprained ankle she's pushing herself to not be a burden on anyone. "Looks like we're here. Ready yourself, Shirogane. (Yes ma'am) This is Valkyrie 1A. Shirogane and I are in. Remain on your defensive positions until ordered otherwise. (Copy that) The mission we're undertaking involves highly sensitive information, so we will remove video and audio feeds from the data link until we exit the XG. If you call us, voice-only conversations will be possible as usual, so it shouldn't interfere with the mission. That is all. Be on alert"

"Roger that!"

The tension is killing me. I'm happy about our victory here, no doubt about it but for some reason I just don't have that flare. Everyone is probably more than happy to be a part of this first triumph over the BETA. If anything I'm sure they'll probably burst it all out by the time we're dismissed from active duty.

"Shirogane, Isumi… can you hear me?" Yuuko sensei?

"Yes Professor. We hear you. Is something the matter?"

"It looks like the damage to the XG was worse than we thought. The elevator that lifts the 00-Unit up isn't responding. You'll have to go down the elevator shaft through the emergency stairway and extract it manually"

"Understood. We're on our way"

"Wait a minute Captain" I stopped her before she went further. "You won't be able to get far with that leg of yours. If the lift isn't working, getting back up might be harder than you think"

Isumi looked at her wound for awhile before replying. She understood how severe her injuries are so I don't think she'll argue about it. "You're right. If anything, I might just prove to be a hindrance at this point. Go on. But if anything happens, contact me immediately. (Yes ma'am)"

The ladder was long and deep. My flashlight was barely enough to make me see things down below. There was a feint trace of fire at on the walls and a lot of smoke puffing out of it. The emergency sprinklers must've doused them all out just recently.

Tip… tap… tip… tap… tip… tap…

It's pitched black down here. I can barely make out the shapes of anything. Is Sumika really down here in all this darkness? It must be pretty lonely and I have a phobia for dark cockpits too. (Tap…) Hmm? AH! There she is! She's sitting on that pad. (Fwup…) Thank goodness. I linked my suit to hers and checked her vital signs. She's breathing and everything looks nominal. She's also wearing a headset which is providing her with air so she's not breathing any of this smoke. (Rattle…) Hmm? What's this?

…!

This is…

That Santa Rabbit necklace and doll I made for her. She brought both of them with her out here on the battlefield? (Tug!) Argh! Crap… that was a big one. I almost blacked out for a second there. Tch… keep yourself calm. There's nothing to be worried about. Sumika's just sleeping. She'll wake up right before you know it.

"Shirogane. What's the status?" Yuuko contacted me. "We're not reading much from our computer so you have a better reading than we do. Can you tell us anything?"

"Umm… it's pitched black down here. There are some electrical sparks from the computers but nothing more I can see. Sumi—I mean… the…"

"The 00-Unit… is it damaged?"

"N… no. Not that I can see"

"Good. Extract it and the engineer as well. We'll need a full report from her" Right. I need to keep calm. Now let's see. Where's that duffle bag that she told me about? (Ruffle) Ah! Here it is. It's right under where Sumika is sitting. There are a bunch of computer chips and things that looked super high-tech. I guess anyone would be fooled by the looks of it.

"T… Takeru…?"

…!

"Sumika!" She's conscious! "Sumika! Are you alright?"

"Takeru… chan… I… I heard your voice… I heard you…"

"You don't need to look far. I'm right here with you. Look at me Sumika"

"Are… are you… real?"

"As real as I can be. (H… how?) Here… I'll prove it!" I removed my headset and placed her hand on my face. "Now… go ahead and tell me that I'm fake! (…!) This is the real me and there's no way that I can be copied. Trust me…"

"Takeru… chan (Sumika…) Did… I… do it? Did I… protect… everyone?"

I held her in a tight embrace and felt every part of her body on mine. I took down everything down to the scent of her hair. "Yeah… you were awesome Sumika. You were… incredible"

"That's… good"

"Go ahead and rest. I promise I'll get you back to base and we'll do anything you want. (Anything?) Yeah… anything. You name it and I'll do it. That's a promise. Now hold onto me. I'll get us back up top" She held onto my neck as I climbed the ladder back to the airlock. My body was getting heavier as I move. My strength was waning so I need to be fast.

When I got up, Isumi grabbed my free hand to pull me to the ground. "Good work Shirogane. Now we can—who's that?"

"Ah this? This is Sumika. She's the… engineer of this place. Yuuko sensei told me about her"

"Ah… I see. And the 00-Unit?"

"Right here" I showed her the duffle bag. "Yuuko sensei said that you're to deliver it to her personally. I'll carry the engineer with me"

"Very well. This is Isumi. The 00-Unit is in our possession. We're now moving up. All units. Form up around the XG. Be prepared for anything. This is Isumi to Valkyrie Mum. Priority package retrieved. We'll be moving towards the Okami soon. Hayase, get ready. (Roger that) Let's go, Shirogane" It's just like Yuuko said. Isumi suspected nothing. She doesn't even realize that what she's carrying is just a dummy of the 00-Unit. I don't like lying to my friends but this was necessary. The less that people know about Sumika, the better.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Tip tap tip tap tip tap…

Whirrr!

Whoa! What the? Are those… helicopters? What are helicopters doing all the way here? The whole sky is filled with them.

"Valhalla to all units. Imperial Army 14th Air Support Unit has arrived. Reinforcements from Niigata are deploying around Ryotsu Bay and will be cleaning up whatever BETA resistance that remains on the island. The 2nd Orbital Divers Corp will be holding the position around A-02 while Whisky and Echo Units return to their carriers. I'm plotting a route south of the ravine where the Okami is docked. Hurry up"

Whoosh…

I returned to my damaged Shiranui and closed the cockpit. Sumika slept peacefully on my lap like she didn't have a care in the world. Her face… it looks too innocent to be fit for military. It's hard to believe that a sweet girl like her is being used to fire something so powerful. I guess the saying that 'great power belongs to the incompetent' proves true here. But I'd better not waste time. The safety harness should be alright. (Click…) There. She's fastened and secured on my lap.

"Valkyrie 1A to all units. We'll now be moving south towards the Okami. Stay in a Box 3 Formation with Valkyrie 1B and 2B in the middle. Munakata will take point. (Roger that!)"

"And don't slack off either" Hayase added. "We might have the aerial support group but that doesn't mean we can let our guard down. Keep your eyes peeled for anything. A BETA can be lurking around anywhere"

…

…

…

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

**(Flagship Saijou)**

"Reinforcements have been deployed at Lake Kamo and are now proceeding northward towards where the BETA Hive used to be. Radiation levels are above average levels. Halting all visual scans until biohazard crew arrive"

"The airborne support units have established command post at the high grounds and providing visual image of the surrounding area. So far there has been no encounter of BETA"

"Seismic sensors are quiet. There's nothing moving below ground"

"Heh… isn't that a bit overconfident of them?" Yuuko noted seeing how fast they were able to reclaim the island when there was no opposition left. "Bringing aerial units even before we gave the all-clear signal. They must be really sure of themselves"

"It is all the force they can muster in such a short time" The admiral explained. "They say that troops from Hokkaido are also marshaling to assist us with constructing a new base here"

"It's only been a few minutes and the military knows about it. I guess they can't resist the temptation. Whenever they see a bandwagon, they jump right on it. Politics and military… they're similar in these times"

"Hehehehe… perhaps you are right, Vice Commander Kouzuki. (…) But regardless… allow me to show my appreciation to you in person. Thanks to you… there might actually be a future for mankind. I… no… we, the people of Japan, owe you a debt of gratitude.

"Don't be so humble" Yuuko waved him off. "The Japanese government will make compensation for all of it"

"True… but as a parent and a grandfather, I cannot help but show humility. Forgive me for my weaknesses. (…) But at least give me the honor of showing a bit of our gratitude"

Yuuko gave out a small laugh. She wasn't expecting praise especially from old coots like him. "I guess I have no choice. (…) I accept your appreciation"

"Thank you… Vice Commander"

"Vice Commander" Marimo interrupted. "Valkyrie Company has reached the Okami and are loading up. They'll be reaching us in about 2 minutes"

"I guess we'll have to save the pithy speeches for another time, admiral. I still some things to attend to. If you don't mind I'd like a few rooms ready for the coming passengers"

"Of course. I shall have the medical deck cleared of all crew members. Use it as you see fit"

"I appreciate it, Admiral"

**(Takeru's POV) (TSF Mothership, Okami)**

(Tug!) The headache still remains. It's hurting me badly like some kind of drill going through my head. I'm actually surprised that I'm still conscious after so much anti-sleep side-effects. Even though we're already in safe waters, Hayase and I were ordered to remain on our TSFs until we safely deliver Sumika and the fake 00-Unit to the command carrier.

Everyone else was dismissed from duty and was ordered for some immediate R&R. It's strange. Even though we were on the south side of the island I can still see hundreds of ships coming along. The Imperial Army reinforcements were coming in force. I can see helicopters swarming the sky and TSF motherships with fresh troops coming to relieve the exhausted force from duty. It was like the beginning of the invasion all over again.

(Tug!) Argh! Crap… I… can't last much longer. I'm really going to faint at this point.

"Unn…" …! Sumika! She's waking up. "Takeru… (Ah…) Can you… take this off?" Huh? Her headset? "I can't see you clearly in this…" I don't think there's any harm in removing it. Right then.

"Ok… one second…" The headset acts as the main interface of the suit. It provides tactical data of anything you're linked to. "How's that?"

"Better…" That's good. Her face is regaining its color. "I can see your face with my own eyes… at last" Heh… somehow hearing her voice calms me down. "Takeru chan… I… I have to tell you… something. (What is it?) I… remember (…?) I remember… everything now—"

"Valkyrie mum to Valkyrie 1B and 2B" Ah crud. "Carrier connection is complete. You may board the Saijou now. Vice Commander Kouzuki is waiting for you" Yuuko sensei herself came in person? That just goes to show how important Sumika is to her… or is she trying to play the part of the act herself?

"Let's go, Shirogane" Hayase added. "The faster you guys finish this, the faster I get to relax. (Yes ma'am)"

"Takeru chan… I need to tell you…"

"Hold that thought Sumika. I'm going to get you to Professor Kouzuki. She can help you recover. Once you get better, we'll talk all day long. (Ah!)" (Tug!) I can't maintain this. I have to… hurry…

Tip… tap… tip… tap…

Right… I just need to get out of my TSF and get Sumika to safety. Come on Takeru… you can do this!

Whirrrr…

I kneeled my damaged Shiranui down and carried Sumika in my arms. A group of armed guards and medics are approaching me along with… 1st Lt. Piatif? But where's… ah… there she is. Just as I thought, Yuuko went to recover the fake 00-Unit herself to complete the act. She's glancing over to my side.

"1st Lt. Shirogane" Piatif san opened up first gesturing her hands to the stretcher the medics provided. "Please place 2nd Lt. Kagami here. We will take care of the rest" I followed her instructions and put Sumika there. She was still looking up to me with pleading eyes. I… I don't want to let her go. I feel as if… I want to be by her side just a little bit longer. "Do not worry, 1st Lieutenant. I am certain that Vice Commander Kouzuki will do everything in her power to ensure that she recovers. You've performed admirably"

"Ah… yeah…" (Tug!) Crap… not again. I'm really out. I… can't…

"We will have her guarded at all times. In the mean time the Valkyrie Company will be put on standby until we reach Niigata base and—Hmm? 1st Lt. Shirogane? Is something the matter? (…) H… hey. 1st Lieutenant? Are you alright?" I can't… feel my legs… "Ah! Hey! 1st Lt. Shirogane!" The woman was able to catch me right before I fell. Ah… I'm really out. My whole body is completely spent. I'm… blacking out… "We need another stretcher here! Now! Get me another medic team!"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

_"To all people of my beloved Japan… today has been a day of great joy and sorrow for all of us. Many of our brothers… and sisters have lost their lives this day to achieve the greatest dream of all mankind. This incident… this war has taken its toll on many of us… and none is of any exception. We have all sought for a dream to no longer fear our greatest enemy… and at long last… our prayers have been answered…_

_… The event that took place this morning had taken place because of lives both young and old still sought that dream and made it a reality. Their deeds are surely not one to be forgotten. I too cannot turn away and let their wish go unfulfilled. Their names go unheard. But we must not mourn the loss of the great men and women who fought so that we may live to see a better tomorrow…_

_… I have come to believe that we should send them off with our smiles and show the fruits of their greatest legacy… ourselves. Though I know that the ending of this war still remains out of reach, let us move on past this ordeal and together, the greatest dream of all mankind can be achieved…_

_…_

_…_

_…_

_…To all my beloved people…_

_…I only ask that you do not forget those who fought and those who made the ultimate sacrifice this day… and lend me your strength… just a little bit longer…_

_…Let us all look to the future… and learn from this trial, so that we may not repeat the same mistakes… but to do what each of us was meant to do…"_

**(Marimo's POV) (Niigata Base PX) (05:20 PM)**

It… was over. I can hardly believe it. It feels like I've just been through a very long dream. After the stand down order was given, the Imperial Navy took over the role of the attack force and relieved us from duty. After the battle, the U.N. Fleet was ordered to resupply back at Niigata port to allocate all casualties and wounded. The Valkyrie Company was first to withdraw and were immediately admitted to the triage center for basic treatments and therapy if needed. All pilots are usually required to go through this procedure after any encounter with the BETA.

Captain Isumi Michiru was admitted to the hospital right upon her arrival at Niigata. Out of everyone here… she's probably the most injured. The nurse said that she suffered some blood lost and few broken bones but they should recover with a little treatment.

The rest of the squad members were relieved of duty but they all volunteered to assist with the casualties. It must be difficult to even take a break after such a long hard battle.

They'll be fine. I'm certain that those girls won't have any problems at all. They've already had a taste of war and perhaps their own baptism of fire. They know the risks when they're on the battlefield so I'm sure that they'll do just fine.

As for me… 1st Lt. Suzumiya and I were given leave at the base to submit a full report to HQ. At around 1500 hours, it was officially announced by the military and provisional government that Sadogashima was successfully reclaimed by the joint efforts of the U.N. and Japanese Army. I don't really know how to express my feelings. I should be happy… but I'm just too tired to even give out a cheer. Everyone in the base probably have the same thing. They know they won but they just don't know how to show it.

The Grand Shogun of Japan, Kobuin Yuuhi also gave her speech a few minutes ago to express her gratitude to the hard working soldiers of the United Nations and Japan. It must be very overwhelming for everyone.

It's been said that a new base would be built on Sadogashima later on to act as the new 2nd defense line of the Empire. Even now a new structure of defense was being organized by the high command. With this victory… the BETA will now be exposed to an attack on both sides. If anything… the nearest threat to the Japanese people is about a few hundred miles off the coast of Shimane and Fukuoka. With this… the island countries like Japan and the Philippines will become the bedrock of our attack force. The next Hive that was closest to the water is on the old Korean Peninsula.

But right now… the next battle seems so far away. And I feel like I could just…

"Umm… 1st Lt. Jinguuji…?"

"Hmm? Oh. What is it 1st Lt. Suzumiya?"

"I brought some tea from the PX lady. I thought that you might want some after such a long day at work"

"Heh… yes I would love to" We were at the PX that afternoon taking a long needed break. A crowd had gathered there. Engineers, soldiers and even medics who were off duty were celebrating in silence. Many of them had brought out sake and red bean buns for this event. I guess everyone had their own way of expressing their joy to others. "It's hard to believe all of this… isn't it?"

"Yes… I agree. A part of me wishes to cry… but yet at the same time another part of me mourns for those who gave their lives for this mission. However… I do know that with their sacrifice… Japan will definitely see a better and brighter tomorrow" The greatest dream of any Japanese… is to see this country see a better tomorrow. Heh… Arai. You said the same thing once before…

"Well… it can only turn for the better"

"I pray that it does…" We shared a small laugh that evening. Heh… it's strange. The battle had just ended but it feels as if that fight in Sadogashima took place a long time ago. "Eh? Isn't that Mitsurugi san?" Mitsurugi?

"1st Lt. Suzumiya" The samurai girl called to us in a salute. "Forgive me for interrupting but 1st Lt. Hayase requests your presence at the quays. (…?) She said that she needs someone to handle the 'ink works' or something. I'm sorry… she was not clear. She said that you would understand what it meant"

"Ah… I see…" Suzumiya nodded as if understanding what Hayase was talking about. "Hayase never liked paperwork. She's probably going to dump it on me or Misae san again. She can be quite lazy for a staff officer sometimes"

"Then you will…?"

"Yes… I understand what she meant. She must've done something wrong again and wishes me to fix it. Please tell her I will be joining her shortly. (Yes ma'am) Hehehe… even after all these years… she hasn't changed one bit, Mitsuki san"

When Mitsurugi left I turned to my co-worker. "Oh that's right. You and 1st Lt. Hayase joined the company roughly on the same day, didn't you?"

"Yes. And even since then she hasn't changed. Hehehe. Excuse me. I should go to her before she comes looking for me. Can you sort the rest on your own?"

"It shouldn't be a problem. We have plenty of time before we need to submit these documents. Go on. I'll handle the rest here" With a polite nod the girl left, limping on her bad leg but not as obvious as one would believe. So much spirit for one such as her. Well… I guess I shouldn't lag behind. I'll finish this up and go see the others.

After all… I should hold my own especially since I'm part of this team.

**(Hospital ward) (Private room)**

Isumi Michiru looked out the window from her sick bed that evening gazing at the setting sun as it sunk into the sea. She felt irritated to be sitting in this bed of all things. Being wounded did not sit well for her and knowing that the rest of her unit was still out there didn't exactly help. At the very least she would've asked the nurse to bring her a field report so that she could work her mind. But sadly the nurse that she was assigned with a cruel one and ordered that she should just sit back and relax.

The air conditioned room was a luxury and the TV that she had control of was a pleasure only few would have. If she were at home she'd probably turn to the comedy show that she liked so much. But she didn't even bother reaching out for the remote.

With a heavy heart, she let out a sigh.

"Geez… if you're not going to sleep at all then give this room to someone else who needs it" The captain snapped her head around at the ring of a familiar voice by the door. There… she saw two of her sisters, standing by with Akira holding onto a fruit basket. "Yo…"

"Akira! And… Marika?" She recognized them almost instantly.

"… nee san" Marika smiled back happily while her little sister berated on.

"I see you've recovered nicely. How's the leg doing?" Akira asked as the two of them approached their sister by the bed.

"Better now. The medic said that it's nothing serious but I still need to be kept in a medical facility just in case. But Marika… I thought you were in the second defense line?"

"We were brought in to replace the loses we sustained at Sadogashima. I was out on a break when I met Akira wandering near the triage center. She told me about you. (…) I didn't even know that you were even sent on the battlefield, nee san. (…) Huhuhu… I haven't heard from you for quite awhile. I keep writing letters to all of you but only Yayoi nee san answers back. I'm really bothered that you don't take our promise seriously"

"Ah… yeah… sorry about that. Your letters have been piling up on my desk these past few weeks. I've been so busy these past months that I don't have time to write back"

"Heh… well… I got to meet you again today so I'll forgive you this time. (Ahehehe…)"

"Tch… don't get all mushy both of you. It's hurting my eyes" Akira added turning away from the two while rubbing a tear drop off her cheek. "Here…" She stated out before shoving a fruit basket onto Michiru. "A get well present from the PX"

The young captain accepted the gift and placed it to the side of her bed. "Thank you. It's not easy to get real fruits nowadays. I'm surprised there are still any left in the PX"

"Supplies are being transferred to Niigata for the construction of the new Sadogashima outpost" Marika explained. "It's to be the new first defense line in the Far East"

"Oi oi… isn't sharing information to outsiders against the rules?" Akira inquired poking her sister's face.

"Ah… there's no need to worry. It'll be announced later today"

"Heh… still the same old Marika" Michiru sighed happily at them. "Not even a care in the world"

"I could say the same for you, nee san" The 2nd youngest cooed back flicking her sister by the head. "Still the stubborn as a mule. Always thinking she can hold the weight of the world on her back. (…) Sometimes you just don't seem to learn. (Hey!) Ah… I simply can't tell who among us, is the eldest. (…) But… I am glad you are safe… nee san. I am… truly glad that we were able to meet again… even though it was far from the promise we made all those years ago"

"Hehehe… yeah… I remember that" Michiru looked back at the window as if remembering something. "You sent us a letter about a year ago. Promising to get together once more at home. How long has it been?"

"A couple of years. No one's been home ever since you joined the army. The landlady has been taking care of it in our absence. I hope our home is still as it was when we left it"

"Ahh… my room is probably all messy again" Akira whined thinking that she would have to clean the place.

"Heh… I don't think it was ever clean to begin with. (What was that!-?)" Michiru added earning herself a small barrage of insults from her sister. The three of them shared a small laugh altogether… enjoying their company as time would allow.

"My my… isn't this is a beautiful scene?" The three sisters whipped back as a green haired woman appeared from the door wearing proper office attire. "If I knew all of you would all be here I would've brought something to eat"

"Nee san?"

Yayoi walked in with one hand placed on her hip while the other carrying a familiar drink that only a handful of soldiers loved. "It's good to see you all again. So tell me… what did I miss?"

**(Dream) (Takeru's POV)**

Ugh… what the hell happened to me? I feel like I was knocked into the stratosphere by one of Sumika's drill milky (way) punch. Ugh… but where am I now? Ah! Ah crud… not this place again. This is the endless hallway I keep seeing. This is the third time I had this dream. I remember each and every one of them clearly like they just happened yesterday. During the first time the hallway was my school and then afterwards it turned into my barracks. First I met Sumika… then I saw the XFJ-01 and all of them resulting in the same process.

I die… and wake up…

Is this some kind of sign or something?

Oh well… I might as well see where this takes me.

(Click clack) As before, the door that I last entered refused to open and the wall behind me closed in whenever I look away. I feel like this dream is following a rather peculiar pattern. Oh well. No point in staying here.

…

…

…

Hmm… the endless hallway was the same as ever. It was better on the first time when I had a window to look out to but the barracks here was pretty cramp. I've been walking for a few minutes now but still nothing. There are no turns, no twists… just a continuing hall that goes nowhere. I can't even see the end of this—(thwack!) Yeow! What the? Ow… my nose. I closed my eyes just for a second and then this door appeared out of nowhere. Eh?

A door? That's odd. It doesn't seem to blend in with the scenery. While the whole hallway was made out of tin and concrete like our barracks, this door was made completely out of wood. I can see a familiar scene behind the glass lookout window. H… hey wait… isn't that?

Click…

Eh? Wait a second… isn't this… the hill behind my school? Yeah… I remember this place. That's the famous Hakuryo Cherry Tree but it withered here during the past years.. It was nighttime with the moon giving me a soft light to see my surroundings. Around me was an empty field with completely nothing to go around. There was just this tree, the grass around it and the night sky.

I've never knew much about the history of this tree. As far as I know it's been behind our school longer than I first came to it. I don't see a lot of people hanging around it so I made a habit of coming to this place whenever I wanted to skip class. I haven't seen it bloom since I last visited my world

…

Heh… visited. Since when did an alternate dimension become a vacation spot for me? I'm starting to think of it as a place I can just go to in a matter of minutes. (Flash) Boy… I do miss that place. Even though I'm pretty much in the very same spot… that spot seems so distant.

But why am I here? Why is this place in my dream…? And where's the hallway that I was walking in earlier? The door I came through just disappeared as well.

I wonder… if this really is a dream then why don't have any control over it? Isn't the dream supposed to be the work of our own subconscious?

"…"

"Hmm?" Someone's there under the tree. "Hello? Is someone there?" H… hey. I recognize that face. "Kasumi? Is that you?" It is! I'd recognize that hairstyle anywhere. It's not like anyone here has a rabbit hairstyle like her. "What are you doing here?"

"…"

She stared blankly at me. This… is a dream… right? I mean… that's the only reason why she can be here. Dreams are recollections of our subconscious memories. Am I supposed to be dreaming about Kasumi right now? (Flash) Ah! No no no no no! Don't go there! That's the first thing people will go to call you a lolicon! (Flash) Ah! Stop stop stop stop! I don't need that right now, especially this. I did not do anything with her! (Flash) Did I? Ahhh! Crap! This has got to be a nightmare!

"It is not a dream…" Huh? Kasumi? "It is… something else" Something else? What is she talking about? "Look…"

She pointed towards the moon above. I heard the stories about the rabbit on the moon but I don't think that has anything to do with it. I mean… come on… eh? Hey… wait a minute. Has our moon always been blue? I remember seeing it white or yellow or sometimes gray but never blue… I think.

And… I don't remember the moon being that big before… nor did I remember seeing any jagged tops. No… I don't think that's our moon. It looks more like… another planet? But… how is that possible? Wait… have I seen it before? It feels… somewhat familiar.

"You cannot stay here…" Huh? Kasumi… "You have to leave…"

"Leave? What are you talking about?"

"You have to leave… for that place?" She's not making any sense. "That is the place you must go… (Go?)… good bye…" Huh? (Tug!) GAH! Dammit… not… again… "I'm sorry…"

**(Triage center)**

Ugh… where am I? Am I… still dreaming? No… this looks like a medical center. Judging from the fabric of the ceiling… I must be under some kind of makeshift hospital or something. There's a table next to me and a glass of my blood. Eh? Who the hell puts blood in a wine glass?

"Well now, this is a surprise" Huh? Who's that? Oh… it's Mikoto's old man. What is he doing here? "Good evening, Shirogane kun. I hope you slept well. (Y… Yoroi… san?) Ah… I'm glad you remembered my name. I was afraid that you may have suffered amnesia. But then again… if you had suffered amnesia… it would've been an easier task to persuade you to join me. Hmm… that is a thought"

"Wh… where am I? How are you… here?"

"Ah yes. You're in Niigata. As for the reason I am here. It's because I had a premonition that you will be waking up today. (Waking up?) Yes… it's difficult for me to say but you've been sleeping for nearly 4 years now, Shirogane kun"

…?

Eh? Huh?

Ruffle!

"WHATTTT!"

"Ara… he's up" Yoroi muttered as I berated off. 4 years? I've been sleeping for 4 years?

"4 years!-? Are you kidding me!-? How long was I out? What happened when…?"

"Oi will you shut up?" Eh? Yuuko sensei? "This is a hospital. You're supposed to be quiet…"

"Didn't I tell you Shirogane kun?" Sakon added before he took of a sip of… the… glass of… "Ah… your blood is of excellent quality as always. (Clang!) Ara? Is something wrong, Shirogane kun?"

"There are too many of them to explain right now!" I stood back up after falling from my bed. "You just drank my blood!"

"Ah… did I forget to mention that I'm part vampire as well? (WHATT!-?)"

"That's enough, Sakon…" Yuuko stopped him. "If you keep doing that he'll hyperventilate and go into shock"

"Ahahaha… forgive me. I just couldn't resist"

"What are you even doing here in the first place? I posted guards around the tent and…"

"It was quite easy to infiltrate an Imperial Army base since I belong to the Imperial Army" Sakon answered back with a coy move. "And with the number of doctors and nurses running around, I simply needed a proper disguise and a fake ID to pass through" Huh? Now that he mentioned it he wasn't wearing his usual coat and hat anymore. Instead he was wearing what looks like a doctor's lab coat. "As for my reasons to be here—well I just wanted to see if my son-in-law was still alive and healthy. I was quite worried" Yeah right… as if Yuuko would take that as an answer.

"What are you trying to pull this time, Section Chief…?"

"My my… aren't you a bit grouchy. I assume you already have a few theories of why I'm here, Professor Kouzuki. Why answer a question when you already know the answer? (…) Ah… I am saddened by your distrust but I understand. It seems that our conversations will have to be postponed for another time, Shirogane kun. I wish you a speedy recovery. Good day…" And just like that… the strange man was gone. What was his problem?

"And you… (…!)" Geh! I completely forgot about Yuuko sensei. "I'm guessing you yourself have some questions"

I rushed towards Yuuko and grab her by the arms. "Yuuko sensei! What year is it? (Ha?) How long was I asleep? Was I really in a coma for 4 years?"

"Haaa… it seems like Sakon got to you. (Eh?) Calm yourself down and sit. Remember, this is a hospital. There are other patients that are resting. (Y… yes ma'am) Now… if I'm not mistaken—you're probably rattled by something Sakon said. I don't know about this 4 years coma but as far as I know, you've been sleeping for only 4 hours after you collapsed on the deck of the Saijou right after the battle of Sadogashima. (…!)" Sadogashima! Of course! I remember now! "Before I start answering your questions, tell me how much you remember"

How much I remember? Umm… right after the battle… I was sent to pick up Sumika from the Susanoo and deliver it to Yuuko herself. I somehow collapsed then and there and woke up here. I remember being part of the first wave charging into Ryoutsu Bay and the ALTERNATIVE II facility and then the giant BETA worm. There are a few places that's hazy but other than that I seem to recall most of the major events that happened.

"And… that's about it…" I finished my recollection to Yuuko as she did a minor checkup on my head.

"Good. As far as I can see you seem to remember everything that happened. No sign of memory lost or any concussion. I guess you can thank your regenerative abilities for that. Perhaps they don't only heal you outside but inside as well"

"Sensei… what happened after that? When I was out…"

"Ah… I guess you're anxious to know what happened" She finished her diagnosis and turned away from me. "Approximately 2 hours ago—it was declared by the Imperial Army and the Provisional Government of the victory at Sadogashima. (Victory?) An emergency meeting was session was held afterwards to decide the future of the island. It's been concluded that both U.N. and Imperial Army will establish a joint hold of the island" A joint hold? So we'll be controlling the island together. "A long scan was initiated and it's been confirmed that every BETA that were once in Sadogashima… are no more"

"Then… that means…?"

"But you were just as reckless as ever" Huh? "Charging in like that. Disobeying orders… going on a suicidal mission that may have just cost us everything. (Geh…) Speaking out against your superiors, and going rogue. If it weren't for this victory I'd probably have you locked up in a cell by now. (Guuuu…) You were completely out of control. Thanks to you, I had to play the role of the villain when you shouted out like that" Ah… I seem to remember that. She's probably still pissed about that time. "Not to mention putting your entire company in danger like that. You say you want to protect your friends but all you seem to do is giving them even more trouble. "You don't think about what you do, you simply act on instinct. If you keep this up, one of these days you're going to send one of them to their graves!"

Keh… I can't seem to fight back at this point. She's right. That stunt I pulled out on the latter part of the battle nearly cost me the lives of my team. I was too engrossed with rescuing the captain that I lost sight of everything else. One of them could've died because of me. If they did then… there would be no one to blame but myself.

"… I… I'm sorry" I lowered my head in shame. "I… hadn't really thought about it…"

"Of course you didn't! That's because you don't think in the first place you idiot!" Ugh… she's really scolding me. "I can't believe I'm actually partnered with someone of your caliber. Sometimes I wish someone else were to take your place. (…) But… then again… I guess the end result is all that matters at this point. (…?)" She reached down to my face and rubbed the dirt off my cheek. "You may have caused a ruckus… but there's no way of denying the ending. (Sensei?) I guess it's safe to tell you. You'll probably see it on television tomorrow anyway. As of twenty minutes ago… I received a call from my sources in America. The Vice President of the United States and half of the cabinet members are planning to resign tomorrow afternoon to avoid prosecution from their competitors. Most of the political parties, including the right wing are now debating the use of the XG-70"

Right wing party? What is she talking about?

"These parties alone are the key backers of Operation Babylon, which was a plan to initiate a massive counterattack on the BETA using a large amount of G-Bombs. (…!)" (Flash) Operation Babylon. Yes I remember that! But wait… if those that were supporting that operation are resigning then that means. "Yes… I see you understand"

"Wait… does that mean… ALTERNATIVE V…"

"Will never happen…" Yuuko finished with a sly grin appearing on her lips. "Without support from the American senate and the Japanese provisional government and the rumors of the Vice President's involvement in the 12/5 incident… all key backers to the plan are now suspected of treason. And so the only way to avoid suspicions is for them to resign from power. ALTERNATIVE V is now officially… canceled"

"ALTERNATIVE V is… no more…" Then that means… I… I did it. I actually did it again. I changed the future!

"You'd be surprised to see how many calls I'm getting. Haaaa… sometimes I wonder if this is a curse or a blessing. Thanks to you I'm going to be busy for next few days. And here I thought I'd get to see the southern islands again. (…) Ara…? Are you crying again?"

"I… I'm sorry… I just… can't contain myself" I did it. I really did it. I was able to achieve the destruction of ALTERNATIVE V one week earlier than before. With Sadogashima standing as our sign, everyone here now has a reason to stay on Earth and fight. We can do this… we can win this war!

"But don't go thinking you're off the hook just yet. (Eh?) I'll admit… you were impressive at Sadogashima but that doesn't clear you from military regulations. A serviceable punishment will be waiting for you once we reach Yokohama Base. (Punishment?) No good deed goes unpunished. After all… you were the one who created that miracle after all. (Miracle?) Forget it. Just remember what you said. You did say that you would bear the weight of your crimes… so be a man and take responsibility"

"Yes ma'am" I stood up and nodded back at her with fire in my eyes. "I will take responsibility for my actions"

Yuuko turned back to me and gave a soft and gentle smile. I almost missed it. "Very good. That's exactly what a man should sound like. But you're fine now. Go on… your team mates are out there waiting for you. We'll meet again"

"Ah… wait, Yuuko sensei. (Hmm?) What about Sumika?"

"She's fine. I'm having 'her' and the 00-Unit transferred to Yokohama base. You don't have to worry. She's only gone into an unconscious state because of the strain on memory processing ability. All she needs is rest and she'll be ready by tomorrow. (…?) We need to be ready for anything. After all… the future is changing rapidly… and your prediction isn't going to be enough anymore"

"Excuse me, Vice Commander" We were interrupted by 1st Lt. Piatif who came in suddenly. "But you have a call from General Radhabinod from Yokohama Base. He says its… ah…" Huh? Why is she looking at me like that?

"Oi… have some humility and put some clothes on" Eh? AH! Crud. I didn't even know I was half naked from the stomach up. That's embarrassing. "So what is it, Lt. Piatif?"

"Ah… yes. General Radhabinod says that he wishes to speak to you about the XG relocation operation"

"Haaa… I see. They must be having trouble disassembling it. Tell him I'll be right there. Shirogane. (Ma'am) We'll talk more when we reach Yokohama.

And with a wave of her hand, she was gone with Lt. Piatif following behind but not before she took a quick glance at me. It feels weird… but strangely good at the same time. After what Yuuko said to me, my whole body seems to drop out of exhaustion—like all the hard work I've done up until now has finally paid off. Cpt. Sagiri, Marimo chan… Yuuhi, Isumi and Kashiwagi. They're all living proof that this world is changing… the future is changing.

With ALTERNATIVE V gone and the threat of the BETA removed from Japan… things will finally look up. But I can't afford to get careless. Just like Yuuko said… the future is changing and what happened at Sadogashima clearly states that my memories of the future won't be reliable anymore. The worm and the 100,000 BETA that surfaced wasn't part of the initial defense. I can only suspect that my involvement in the recent months had something to do with it. Though I can't pinpoint what actions I took changed the strategies of the BETA here, it seems to be the only logical answer at the moment.

But I shouldn't be dawdling here. I should go check on everyone and tell them I'm ok… otherwise, Class rep will smack me again.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The makeshift hospital I was in smelled of medicine and blood. There weren't enough rooms in the hospitals so they placed people here near the water supply. Rows and columns of the wounded were lined up neatly outside the tent. There were medics going all around and nurses passing towels to those who needed them. On one side there were the injured and on the other were fresh Eishis preparing to go to the fight. Most of the men here are probably from the mechanized infantry divisions.

Soldiers with nothing but rifles, bazookas and tank cannons against BETA. Any man who joins that kind of a company is considered to be rushing to their deaths. But I guess that's why these troops are primarily used for defense rather than offense.

Bump!

Huh? Someone hit me?

"Ah! I'm sorry. I wasn't looking" Huh? Wait… that dangerous hairstyle…

"Tama? (Eh?) Hey! It is you! (Ah! Takeru san!)" My comrade was carrying a large stack of towels that covered her face. That's why she couldn't see what was in front of her. "What are you doing carrying all those towels?"

"Ah… I um… volunteered to assist the relief force" The relief force? "Right now they don't have enough manpower to help everyone so we're doing our best to help everyone. (We?) Yeah. Mikoto san knows a lot about medicine so she can help the doctors. Mitsurugi san is handing out bandages to the soldiers over there with Kashiwagi san and Kazama san. Chizuru san is helping with the management party over there with Suzumiya san and Ayamine san is helping the paramedics move the patients to more comfortable spots"

Wow… even after the battle these girls are still giving it their all to help these people. I thought they'd be taking a break after the fight.

"Even the other 1st Lieutenants are helping out too"

"Geez… those girls are workaholics. (Ahehehe) It wouldn't kill them to take a short break now and then"

"Ahehe… yeah. But like you said Takeru san… we should go as far as our two legs can take us to save a single life just as far as we'll go to save a thousand"

"Heh… if you put it like that then I guess I should help you guys out. (Eh?) Do you mind if I give a hand around here? Tama?"

"Of course not. The Lieutenant in charge says that any free hands are welcome"

"Good. I'll help you hand out the towels. (Sure!)"

"Ah! Well lookie here. I thought I saw someone flirting with Miki chan. It was only you, Shirogane"

"Huh? Ah! Kashiwagi and Touko san! You guys are alright"

"It's good to see that you are well, 1st Lt. Shirogane" Touko stated out plainly with a soft smile.

"Oi oi… that sounded like you were expecting us to be dead Shirogane"

"Ah… sorry. I didn't mean it like that" I apologized. "I just thought about… well… you see…"

"Hehehe… take it easy" Kashiwagi patted my shoulder in return. "I'm just trying to lighten the mood. But I guess I failed there. (Ahehehe) But it's good to see you back on your feet. You kinda disappeared on us there" Huh? I disappeared? "Right after you boarded the command ship, we didn't see you since. Were you on some kind of secret mission or something?"

"Haruko san… you know we can't ask that kind of information" Touko elbowed her partner earning a soft apology from my former basketball point guard player. "But anyway Shirogane san. It is good that you came. One person in particular was quite worried about you"

"Ah that's right. Where is she anyway?" Kashiwagi quickly look about and noted Meiya sneaking up behind. "What are you doing there Mitsurugi? Didn't you say you wanted to see him? (…!) Haaa… you're evil, Shirogane" Huh? When did this become my fault? "Making a girl worry about you like. It'll cost you a lot of points for sure. (Eh?)"

"K… Kashiwagi!" Meiya barked out, her face marred with a red blush. "Please do not speak falsely. I said no such things!"

"Ahahaha… it must be nice to be young. (Kashiwagi!) Hai hai… "But Shirogane. Making all these girls wait for you almost looks as if you're making your own harem. (What!-?) Ahahahaha! Your expression is priceless"

"Geez Kashiwagi… you're almost as bad as Hayase—(Thwack!) Yeow! (Wawawa!)" Who the hell just hit me on the back? Even with my exosuit… I still felt it.

"What do you mean by that… Shi-ro-ga-ne?" Eeeep! H… Hayase! "What were you saying about me being as bad as Kashiwagi? (Ah… um…)"

"I was just telling him how he's making a harem of his own. (Huh?)" Geh! Kashiwagi! "Seeing how many women are around him all the time, I'd say he's a danger to all of us"

"Hooo? So the blood of the Alpha Male has finally awoken in you, Shirogane?" Munakata! Don't use your animalism on this. "Hmm… at this rate it will be bad for the squad to have an 'impotent' member. (Ehhh!-?) Very well. I shall volunteer in curing your urges. Come and meet me behind the warehouse later"

"What? No! No it's nothing like that! Please stop taking this the wrong way!" I barked back in anger. These girls… they really do enjoy teasing me, don't they?

"Ara ara… so the horse in season decides to make the first move?" Kashiwagi added. Don't they know that they're only adding fuel to the flame? "Looks like you have another rival, Mitsurugi san. (K… Kashiwagi san!) Ahahaha. It must be nice to be young"

"Haaaaa… I was wondering why it was so loud around here" Eh? Ah! Akane, Class rep Mikoto and Ayamine? "I should've known you guys were involved. It's only you guys that would make such a ruckus like this. Don't you know that this is a hospital? You have to be quiet around here. (Ah! Takeru)" Mikoto yelled out when she noticed my face. "Ah… and what's this? So I guess the rumors of the invincible Shirogane wasn't a lie after all"

"That's just the way he is. He's too stubborn to get seriously hurt on the battlefield" Class rep added in tune. That's not a very nice thing to say. "You can slam him with a book and he still won't feel anything"

"Ahehehe…" Stop laughing Kashiwagi! "It must be really nice to be young. You're a lucky man Shirogane" Stop saying that! And you sound old when you say that. "Now you even have more girls around you. I bet some of the guys here will kill to be in your positions right now" Hey! Stop that!

"Eh? But I thought you were going for the Captain's route?" Akane stated out. Captain's route? What is she talking about… and why did everyone suddenly fall silent? "You set up all the appropriate flags already. I thought you were aiming for her"

"Ah… yeah I completely forgot about that" Munakata added, her grin widening. "What was that line again? Ah… yeah. 'Come at me' or 'Just try and kill me now!' or something like that" Huh? Wait… I remember saying those phrases out loud but… how do they know?

"Takeru san… you were shouting on the open channel the whole time" Tama explained. Eh? I was?

"Ah… that's true" Ayamine? "It hurt my ear"

"You were shouting all over the air waves. It was beginning to get annoying" Class rep too?

"But what was that last line he said again?" Hayase inquired gesturing to everyone. "Ah that's right. 'I will never… let you… take her away from me again!' (Geh!) Ah… that was such a cheesy line I wanted to laugh. (H… hey!) It sounded like something that came straight out of a movie"

"Hooo? So Shirogane has it in for the captain. Another love rival has appeared, it seems"

"Oh come on!" I yelled out. "I didn't mean it like that! It was just… the spur of the moment! (…) G… guys?" I don't like those stares.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

After that fiasco the gang split up to their units to help with the casualties of the war. The sun was setting now and the doctors recommended that the injured shouldn't be kept out in the cold night or they might get worse. Every space available on the base was being used for medical condition. The army that came by to relieve us was already sent to Sadogashima to secure the area. They're probably going to burn off the corpses of the BETA and build a base there. I saw a large group of U.N. Eishis too. I guess the joint control party was finally agreed upon.

It's kinda funny. It wasn't until last night and this morning that I saw the BETA Hive Monument striking out in the distant. Now… there was nothing. Only a giant crater at the place where it used to stand. Back in my last loop… that island vanished from the face of the Earth. The G-Bomb not only wiped the BETA out of that place but it sank it to the bottom of the ocean with its 5th Dimensional affect.

History is changing. The future is changing. From here on out… we're going to be flying blind into the unknown. I thought my memories would help with the invasion but like the Professor said before… you can't expect what this world will throw at you.

I planned to tell Yuuko sensei about the invasion of Yokohama Base later today but that seems irrelevant now. With the number of BETA we destroyed here, it's obvious that it will never happen. The aliens no longer have the strength or the grip to launch such an attack. If there are any survivors here then there's no way they'll be able to breach the Imperial Defense Lines.

But… there'll be a time for that later. Right now… I feel like I could use… a long… break…

…

Ahh… there's a nice breeze too. The cold gentle wind just hitting my face feels so cool. This place wasn't anything like Shirahama Base. Although… I wasn't exactly conscious when I was there the last time. I hope this peace can last just a little bit longer.

"Takeru. Are you coming in?" Oh it's Meiya. "The base is closing down now. The lieutenant says that it might start snowing tonight. There's food in the barracks and Hayase just informed us that we'll be escorted back to Yokohama base a little later"

"Ah… I see. I just needed a little time alone. I thought… I might come out here for a little air"

Meiya breathed a sigh. "I understand I shall inform the Lieutenant of your absence. But… (Hmm?) Are you… truly alright? (Huh?) Ah… do not take my word to mean much. It's just that… your body… it expresses something I cannot understand. You look as if a great weight has just been lifted from your back yet at the same time it feels like that weight has been replaced by something else. You are calm and anxious. It is as if your aura is conflicted with one another" What does that even mean anyway? I'm anxious and calm? Is that even logically possible? But… then again… I get the feeling that she isn't wrong either.

"I see. I must look like that to you. Sorry… I didn't mean to worry you. I'm just a little conflicted about all this"

"If you have any troubles then you know you can consult with me. (…?) Ah… I didn't mean it that way. I'm just saying that… you can rely on us a little bit. After all… you did say that you shouldn't hold everything in"

"Ah… yeah I guess I did say that. Sorry. (…) I have a lot on my plate right now but I'm sure I'll get over it eventually. Thanks for worrying about me. I won't be long, I promise"

"As you wish. But if you need anything. Please don't be ashamed to ask. We are a team after all. (Yeah…) I should go. If 1st Lt. Hayase caught you out here she'd give you another pounding for sure. (Heh… yeah…) I will see inside, Takeru"

Heh… that girl. Even after everything that happens she still has time to worry about me. Meiya… she's really like her sister more than she knows it. Heh… this world… is slowly coming into place. I know I'm doing the right thing. This battle with the BETA is the turning point of the war. A single step closer before I can finally go home.

…

…

…

"Pardon my interruption" Huh? "But are you, Shirogane… Takeru?" Huh? An officer? And is that… Tsukuyomi behind him?

"Sir!" I noticed his stripes and immediately stood at attention with a salute.

"At ease…" The man replied gesturing me with a wave. "There's no reason for the U.N. soldiers to salute to a commander of another force" Who is this guy? He's wearing a blue exosuit with the Honor Guard markings. Is he a part of the company that Tsukuyomi is in? "Please don't take my visit to mean anything. I am merely here to express the gratitude of Her Highness to the U.N. Soldiers who participated in this battle. She sends her regards through me personally and I am here to relay it to you" Gratitude… from Yuuhi? "But I must admit I am a little disappointed. I was expecting the brave pilot I fought with to be… taller. (Eh?)" Have we met before? "Did you forget me already? Boy?"

(Flash!) Now I remember that voice! "You! You're that guy. (…!) (That… guy?) The guy who I fought with on the worm!"

"Hmm… I never saw that expression before. (…?) But nonetheless… I am glad that you remembered me. You are indeed the same one who rode the Type-94 Shiranui in my aid. I am also pleased to see you unharmed. After such bravado with the BETA, I feared that you would've been injured. Hehehe… I'm pleased to see that I was wrong. (…?) But in all truth I simply wanted an excuse to meet you in person, Shirogane Takeru. (Me?) Yes. I was wondering about the fool who charged blindly into the fray of the enemy. It stoked my curiosity so I sought you out. Truth be told… I am a little unsatisfied with the center of the reality"

"Uh…" I'm not sure whether this guy was complimenting me or insulting me.

"But then again… I guess no one can judge a book by its cover. (Uhh…) Huhuhuhuhu… interesting. You are just like she described: Strange in almost every way. (Huh?) But at the same time, you demonstrate your superiority over the TSF. The way you maneuver such a beast as if the controls simply flow out of your hands… it makes me feel like as if my own abilities are incompetent. Heh… there really are some amazing people left in this world after all"

"Ikaruga sama" Tsukuyomi called out to the man. "It is time…"

"Yes of course. I wish we had more time to talk but it seems our duties fervor us from one another. Regardless… my message has been given. I do hope we get to meet again, Shirogane Takeru. Until then… may you and your comrades continue to be in good health"

Tip tap tip tap tip tap…

Ok… that was weird. That guy just said what he wanted and left. Tsukuyomi gave us a formal salute and followed him afterwards. He looked like a commander of sorts. Hmm...?


	38. Respite for the Wounded

**Chapter 38: Respite for the Wounded**

**(Yokohama Base) (December 26, 2001 Tuesday) (Takeru's Room) (07:10 AM)**

Shake shake…

Uhh… not now. I'm still tired. (Shake shake) Oh come on Sumika. Can't you just let me sleep in just this once? I slept in late last night. (Shake shake…) Just five more minutes… (Shake shake…) Ugh… you're not gonna stop shake me are you?

"Dor~ya~" (WHAM!) Ow! What the? Who the hell hits a sleeping person with a book!-?"

"Sumika! Ah? (Good morning…) Ah… Kasumi?" She's holding onto a thick paperback book and now she's writing on it. Did she hit me with me with that thing? "Wh… what are you doing?"

"Writing my diary" Diary? Oh… that's right. I remember seeing Sumika teaching her how to make a picture diary. "Making wonderful memories" Wonderful memories? Does hitting me in the head counts? "First thing today at 07:11 AM: Wake up Takeru… check"

"Is that suppose to be a diary or a schedule? (…?) (Knock knock) Hmm? Ah forget it" Who could be knocking on my door at 7 in the morning? (Click) "Eh? Marimo… sensei?"

"That's 1st Lt. Jinguuji! (Geh!) Geez… even till now you can't get rid of that old habit, 1st Lt. Shirogane. (Sorry…) Well… it's not like I can punish you like before anyway. Hurry and dress up. (Eh?) Did you forget already? Today's the first day of your temporary reassignment" Geh! I totally forgot! "You forgot… didn't you? (Ah… hehehe…) Goodness. We've only known each other for two months and already I get the impression you're not going to be a prime example for the students. Hmm?"

"Good morning…" Kasumi? Oh right…

"Ah… good morning…" (Tip tap tip tap tip tap) After their awkward greeting, Kasumi left, leaving Marimo to turn a rather angry eye at me. "Shirogane… what was Yashiro doing here so early in the morning~?" Uh… ok… that tone of hers is dangerous. I can sense some high measure of killing intent coming from fists.

"Ah… wait, Marimo chan. It's not what you think. It's all just a complete misunderstanding and—(SHUT UP AND GET CHANGED!) Yes ma'am!"

Haaa… this is depressing. I barely started the day and already I'm in a terrible mood. That Yuuko sensei is terrible. She said that I would take responsibility on my actions but I never expected this. It's true I disobeyed orders and maybe went rogue. Usually something like that would be assigned to demotion or court marshal or maybe even isolation for a few days. But instead, the good professor decided on a more severe form of punishment. No, I wasn't going to be cleaning the latrines all day long, but instead I'll be assisting the instructors around the base on their supervision of the new cadets.

In other words… I'm going to be assigned to the one job I never expected myself to be in.

A teacher…

Haaaa… that lady is evil I tell you. If I didn't know better I think she's probably down in her office (Lair) plotting her next revenge act on me.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

After changing into my formal ware, I got out to meet with Marimo chan who still seemed annoyed for some reason. Really now… I'd wish Yuuko sensei would've lessened my punishment to a few days in the detention center instead.

"Shirogane… are you listening? (Ma'am) This is important. Since most of the senior staffs are being temporarily allocated to the front we're tasked with continuing the cadets' training curriculum. (Yes ma'am) That's the reason why I had to wake you up before roll call. I'll be handling most of the lectures and you'll be dealing with mostly physical and mental training. Here's your schedule" She handed me a piece of paper which pretty had my day written on it. "Your first task will be to observe Cadet Squadron 330 in their simulator training. This squad had just completed their Comprehensive Combat Skill Evaluation last week and have attuned with the simulator cockpit. You can inquire more with the instructor. If you're lost… simply consult with the schedule I gave you"

"Haaaa… this sounds pretty troublesome"

"Shirogane… can you at least show some enthusiasm in your work? I've been doing this for years now, so show some appreciation at least"

"Ah… yes ma'am. I'll do my best"

"Good. I've written the room numbers and location on your schedule too so it shouldn't be hard to find. Oh and here's a file of the cadets you will be seeing. Since my first class isn't until later I'll help you manage your first session. Afterwards you're on your own. We can meet up at the PX later for a 30 minute lunch break"

"Eh! We only get 30 minutes for a break!-? Isn't that overkill?"

"I've been working with this schedule even when I was teaching you! Stop whining and get to your station. Just follow your guide and everything will be fine. Come on

Wow… I never knew that being an instructor would be this tiresome. It makes my daily routine feel like a vacation of sorts. 30 minute lunch break and 10 minute break in the afternoon. What the hell can a guy like me do in ten minutes? Haaaaa… well no use complaining about it now"

**(Simulator room)**

Ahh… it feels like ages since I last stepped into this room. Ever since we got our Shiranuis we've only been having mock battles to prepare us for the coming fight. The VOLKS Training data were useful but only to a certain extent. But anyway I should focus on more on the situation at hand. Let's see. According to the files Marimo gave me, Squad 330 is one of the more experienced squad. They volunteered about a year ago and they've been training for almost two years now. They took the Comprehensive Combat Skill Evaluation once and passed with average scores. The team consists of 5 girls all with seemingly regular backgrounds. They work well as a team and have a friendly attitude with one another. Hmm… a well rounded team.

"Attention!" Hmm? "Salute!" An instructor and her cadets formed up in front of us.

"At ease" Marimo replied in her proper military tone. "We're here for the evaluation quota of Squad 330"

"Yes ma'am. My squad is ready for your evaluation. Thank you for your time"

"Of course sergeant. Please carry on. (Yes ma'am) Let's go Shirogane. We can observe at the command post above. (Ah… yeah…) Don't be so stiff. You're only here to look and judge. Relax a bit"

She tells me to relax but it's already hard to even breathe around here. Everyone was saluting at us since we're commissioned officers. It feels… weird.

"Ah… good to see you again Jinguuji san" the man who worked at the observation post stated as we entered the room. "Oh? And Shirogane san too? I guess you two must be the temporary observers for the week. It must be nice to work with someone so close neh?" Huh? What does he mean by that?

"Sergeant… would you please drop it with the rumors? It was troubling just hearing about it"

"Ahehehe… my bad. Anyway we should get on with the test"

"So… what will the test be about?" I asked feeling somewhat left out. "It says on the schedule that I'm supposed to observe the test but I don't have a clue to what it is. I don't we had a test when we were cadets" I don't think we even had it during my last loop either.

"Your commissioned was issued a lot earlier than most cadets" Marimo explained. "Usually, cadets have to go through a final TSF training to see their combat efficiency. If they pass then they'll move on to more pressing training and will then be issued Fubukis for mock battles. (Heeeh?) It's part of the new training curriculum given by Professor Kouzuki. I guess you could say that it was redesigned to fit fighters like yourself. The cadets will have 3 days observation. If the scores don't add up or if they don't improve they'll be forced to retake the test again until they pass or quit"

"Ah… I see…" So the TSF training was changed because I was here.

"But I don't think we'll be able to find another with your caliber, Shirogane" The man on the computer gave me a short laugh. "As far as I can see, no one here has been able to break your record. Even with the new OS, everyone is still a large margin behind. Maybe you can show the rookies how a real Eishi does things with those controls"

"Ahehehe… I don't think so"

"Alright. Squad 330" The instructor barked out to her unit. "Board the simulator cockpit and prepare for Training Course B"

"Training Course B? Isn't that…?"

"Yup… it's the same course you aced singlehandedly" Marimo added. "Now listen, Shirogane. As an observer, you're to watch the screens at all time and evaluate each squad members and find their strong points and faulties. Everyone has one so don't be afraid to state it out openly. (Yes ma'am) I'll be going now. I'll see you at the PX" And just like that, she was gone. I hope I don't screw things up…

"Initiating Training Course B. Priority mission is to defend the installation. Past all twelve waves to complete mission objectives. (Roger that!)"

**(15 minutes later)**

Hmm… these girls aren't bad. They made it through the first two waves without a hit. But that's only because they had to defend two attack points at the same time. So far their teamwork is above average. Almost like Meiya, Tama and Mikoto paired up against me, Ayamine and Class rep. The A.I. of the enemy units was impressive too. They're a lot more difficult now that the new OS has allowed them almost freedom of movements. There are times when a computer player can be more challenging than a human player. I've played a lot of fighting games back in my days in my old world with Mikoto like Road Fighter or Spirit Caliber. I can beat him hands down but whenever I set the difficulty of the game to Hard Mode, there's just no way I can handle it.

Hmm… I wonder… is it possible for TSFs to be controlled by A.I.s like the ones in the simulator? It would make our fights with the BETA less threatening but I don't think our technology is in that level yet. But still… that would so cool. If a single soldier can manipulate two… or five TSFs at a time… it would make fighting so much easier. We have long range remote control system that allows us to control another TSF from a distance but if you try to perform both at the same time it would seem almost impossible.

Bah… what am I thinking? This isn't like the movies or video games. There's no way you can do that… can we? Well… my OS was based on the designs of a game in the first place but those only mimics movements and impact. I wonder…

"How is it, 1st Lt. Shirogane? (Hmm?) Do you have any preference on the squad?"

"Ah… yeah they're pretty good. They seem to work like a good team covering each of their weaknesses. The installation hasn't even received one hit. If they keep this up they might just walk away with a perfect score"

"Hehehe… don't go making judgments just yet" the sergeant on the computer said to me. "It's true that they work like a team on the first round. But wait till you see when they fight the next wave"

5th Wave…

The fifth wave was when the enemy decides to attack from all sides. There's no real way to hold all of them at once so the only general strategy split the group in two. One would take out the smaller groups while the other tries to hold the fort. That… or they can just try to hold the fort altogether.

BANG!

Eh?

"Ora! Watch what you're shooting! You're hitting the installation!"

"04, I'm low on ammo, someone cover me!"

"Get more of the supply containers over there!"

"I'm not going, you get them!"

Bang!

Ok… (WHAM) What just happened just now? For a minute there the team was working fine together but just when they received word of the next wave they've begun arguing amongst themselves. One of them was still fighting while the other 4 berated on for some reason. Could it be that… these girls can't work under pressure?

"Gyaaaaa!" That's one of them down.

"04, sustained damage on power supply and cockpit. Unit destroyed"

"Haaaa… I suppose you can say that this is their weakness" the squad's instructor said to me. "They work well as a team, for sure but after awhile they can get a bit… panicky"

"I see… so they don't do well under pressure after all"

"Yes… sir… it's their only major flaw. Apparently they can be quite panicky when in a pinch but when they keep their heads calm, they can perform admirably"

"Hehehe… well… I'm not going to say much. This is only the first day of the evaluation after all. They still have two more days before the final test"

"If you know a sure way to have those 5 get together, that'll be a miracle on its own" The simulator manager added with a slight hint of a laugh in his voice. "As far as I know, those girls can't get along with one another unless they have a common goal. It'll be like putting a viper and a mongoose in one room and telling them to play nice"

Heh… for some reason his anemology sounds correct. It's going to take a long miracle for those girls to get closer to one another. (Flash) Hmm? Wait. Back in my first loop… I remember during our mock battle, Ayamine and Class rep was a terrible pair. No matter how hard they tried they just couldn't roll with each other's rhythm. They argued during matches which obviously caused our defeat. But then… someone had the idea of putting the two of them in my room and let the course slide. (Flash) For me… it's probably a nightmare that was burned into my head.

But then again… if that method worked for those two on a temporary basis… then maybe it can work for them. It's worth a shot. Besides—it's part of my job as an observer to give comments and recommendations.

"Ah… excuse me, Sergeant. I think I might have an idea on how to get them to cooperate better. (Hmm?) It's just a theory but hear me out for a minute"

**(Firing Range) (A few minutes later)**

Ah… the firing range. I haven't been here since I was a cadet… which was… well… about two or three weeks ago. I sometimes come here to improve my shooting skills like Tama taught me with discipline but as of now I haven't had the chance to use a rifle since.

Right now I'm to observe a new batch of cadets learn how to shoot. Squad 115. They joined the U.N. Military armed force about 3 months ago before the coup d'état. They're all kids my age but they've been taught how to fight.

"Aim for 150 meter targets! Fire one round at a time on full auto! Begin!" Their instructor ordered which they followed almost immediately. I was placed in the sandbag bunker to observe their shots with a helmet, vest and binoculars provided. So far so good. The new training curriculum made by Yuuko sensei seems to be performing fine for any newbie.

"1st Lt. Shirogane. We will be having sniper shot test for the next round. Do you have any preferences?"

"Huh? Ah… no… just go on as usual"

Haaaa… no matter how many times I see it, I don't think I'll ever be able to get used to people saluting to me. Now that I was of a more senior rank, these people have been looking at me differently. I hardly noticed it until now but whenever I walked around the lower part of the base, the officers there kept standing at attention. I know I wanted power to change the world but I never thought about the after effects of my rank. Haaaa… oh well… I'd best get used to it.

"All troops, reload to a new clip. Aim for 300 meter targets at full auto! Begin!"

Hooo… these guys are pretty good, especially that girl at the far end of the range. She has complete control over her weapon and holding her breath back to keep the sights from moving. She's even using the British Sniping Style with her whole body placed on the ground. (Bang!) An almost perfect bull's eye. You don't get to see that kind of shot often. She kind of reminds me of Tama at this point.

After about ten minutes or so, the training ended with the next squad coming in tow for their time in the range. Hmm… it's still 10AM. I have about 30 minutes before I'm needed for the next session so I guess I can walk around a bit. Now that I think about my free time… I don't think I had breakfast yet. I wonder if oba san is still cooking. I bet the good stuff are all taken but I can at least have something in my stomach. Even plain rice will do. (Thump!) (Kya!) Hmm? Did someone just smacked at me?

"Owawawawa…" Eh? Who's this girl? She looks familiar. She was wearing a chef's apron and covered with dirt. Is she a chef? "Ow… ow… ow…" She was carrying two pots with a flower in each which landed safely on her lap.

"Ah… s… sorry about that" I should help her up. It was partly my fault after all. "I didn't see you there"

"Uwaaa… thank you. (Ruffle) AHHHH! My flowers! (Uhh…) They're ruined~~ (Uh… sorry?) I'll have to get a new one from the batch" Hey… that flow. Isn't that Saintpaulia? I know only one person who has that flower around here.

"Tama?"

"Huh? Ah! Takeru san!" Wow… I never knew Tama would look so different with her hair down. She looks… pretty elegant. With her cat like style, she looks childish but when she puts them all down she becomes a completely different person. Almost like a princess in a movie. "What's wrong?"

"I… just never saw you with your hair like that before" I covered my face to hide my blush.

Tama looked confused and slowly reached out the back of her hair like she was trying to grab something. "Ah! I totally forgot to do my hair this morning! (Huh?) I don't believe it! I must've been like this since breakfast! (Uh…) Uuuuu… everyone must've seen me like this! No wonder everyone was looking at me so differently!" You just noticed that now? Well… I guess I shouldn't say anything about it. I barely even take a look at myself in the mirror when I wake up.

"But… you look completely different Tama. You're like a totally different person. (Eh?) It's like you… have this new elegant side I've never seen before"

"Was that a compliment or sarcasm, Takeru san. (Geh!) Do I really look that different?"

"Yeah… totally. I didn't even realize it was you until I saw those flowers"

"Do you… like it… better this way?"

"Huh? Well… it's new to me. If you want to keep it then it's your choice (…) But I would prefer my original Tama over a new one any day. (…?) But I have to say you actually look more mature. If you grew a little taller someone might actually mistake you for a married woman"

"Ahehehe… well… honestly… I had my hair down once when I was living with papa" Hmm? With her old man? "My dad actually said that I look a lot like my mom with my hair down" Her mom? Hmm… I don't think I've met her in this world or my original. I remember seeing portraits of her when Tama and I were dating but that's it. I can't really picture her face since it was a long time ago. "She said I looked so much like her that I nearly gave him a heart attack one time. Ahehehe…" Ah crud… I get the feeling that this conversation will only force her to well up inside. I'd better change the topic and quickly.

"Umm… so what are you doing with those flowers? (Hmm?) You're two pots with you"

"Ah yeah. I was planning to plant these around here to spread some fauna around the base. (Here?) Yup. I was planning to plant them around the base but there's not enough for each place"

"So you're planning on planting flowers… here…? (Yup) In the firing range? (Yup!) Where people shoot? (Yup yup!) … Ok (…?) So let me get this straight. You're going to plant flowers, which is the symbol of peace and life… in the firing range? (Correct!) Don't you see the irony in that?"

"Ah it's not that. I'm planting them here because this area is the most fertile ground in the base. (Huh?) See those trees behind the targets? They've actually just grown right after Yokohama was retaken. Since half the grounds here are still salted I thought about planting them there. (I see…) So I thought about planting two of them just in case. (Only two? Why not ten?) I don't have that many and besides… there aren't a lot of places around here that can sustain the needs of plants" Good point. After the G-Bombs used here, much of Yokohama has grown infertile. The whole province is pretty much just plain dirt and dust. That's probably the reason why this is an ideal place for a military base.

Even the cherry trees out on Devil's Hill leading up to my school used to bloom. (Flash) I remember that scene… walking up to this school with Sumika with me. Haaaaaaa… if only I can make them bloom again. Heh… but that would be impossible. Back then, Sumika used to be afraid of Sakura trees because of a story I told her about dead men buried under them because the trees use their life force to bloom. It's a pretty common story around and I ended up regretting it when she planned to cut every cherry tree in sight.

But… even if I can't make it bloom Sakura—then the least I do is to let this place bloom Saintpaulia instead.

"Hey Tama. Want me to help out as well? (Eh?) I did promise you yesterday that we'd plant some flowers together. (Eh?)" I quickly grab one of the half broken pots and place it on the lower end of my uniform. "Come on… I know a great spot! (Ah! Takeru san, wait!)"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Ah… here's a good spot. It was right behind the firing range, on the edge of the tree lines. There was a rough patch of grass growing here meaning that the land wasn't badly damage. I heard that farmers move goats and cows to places with grass so they can graze instead of feeding them dry wheat. Other than the sound of gunfire now and then, I'm pretty sure no one will notice them until they fully bloom.

"Waaaa… it's beautiful!" Tama's eyes sparkled as she looked at the sun through the trees. The leaves blocked most of the harmful rays so there's no threat to the flowers here. Also, even when it snows, it'll probably just be brushed away by the trees. "Waaa… I can barely see the sky from here"

"You like it? (Absolutely!) Right. Then I hereby declare this spot to be Saintpaulia garden! Let's dig! (Yes sir!) (Ruffle) Uh… but you know. We're going to need a lot more than just two flowers to make a garden"

"Not at all. Saintpaulia can grow even in mild conditions. They're usually used for house decorations back in the old days but you can't really see that many around these parts. (I see…) Ah! No Takeru san. You should bury the other one on the other side"

"Eh? Why? Wouldn't it be faster if we just buried them together?"

"That's true but Saintpaulias are a different signs in flower language" Flower language? (Flash) Wait… I remember this. Saintpaulia in flower language means… a little bit of love. I remember it because everyone told me about it back in my previous loops. "They say that a little bit of love can bloom in someone else's heart. Since both of them are from the same pot… I thought that one day they would reach one another. Love is a strong tangent and no matter how far apart you are… love will lead you back to one another. (…) So… no matter how far apart these two flowers are… I know that they will bloom together. And when their children meet, it'll be a great reunion with both of them"

"…" Tama… that's… actually quite a beautiful story you have there.

"Sometimes these flowers can understand how I'm feeling. Even though papa and I apart… I still love him no matter what and in turns he loves me. (…) I also get this feeling with my mother. Even though I barely even knew her when I was born… I can still feel her love inside of me. I've only seen pictures of her in my life but somehow… I know that deep inside… I still love her. (…) Because she was the one who brought me to this world after all ^_^"

"Tama…"

"I… I just wish… I could let her know how grateful I am. (…?) Because it's thanks to her I had the chance to enjoy life as it is. I enjoy all the things I do, all the mistakes I've made, all the silly things I've done. I'm grateful to my mom for bringing me here. And it's thanks to her I've had the chance to meet with Mitsurugi san, Chizuru chan, Kei chan, Mikoto chan and everyone else in our squad. (…) Because of her… I was able to meet all of you and it makes me happy to live it in her name. (…) But most of all… I'm thankful of mom for giving me the chance to meet you, Takeru san"

…!

Tama… what did you just…?

(Flash!) Wh… what the? What was that image just now? The moment the wind blew through her long silky hair I saw a picture flash before my eyes. I saw Tama… older and more radiant than ever and the flowers blooming all around her. Her face was… so… beautiful. And her lips… seemed to move as if she was talking directly to me.

"…" I paused in thought as the image ended in a flash. The wind stopped and everything was back to what it was.

"Ahehehe… I guess it must sound weird to you, Takeru san"

(Flash) Ah crap… I can't get her face out of my head. My face is going red. "N… no! Not at all. I… I think I can understand you… Tama. (Ahehehe)" Ah… I never expected myself to be blushing around Tama of all people. My heart is racing and my stomach feels funny. Is my subconscious acting up again? My memories and feelings for Tama are probably to blame. After all… we did date and eventually got married in one loop or another. (Flash)

**(Hallway)**

Uhhhh… that was really weird. After what Tama said to me I couldn't bear to look at her in the face. She poured her heart out to me and opened everything that she felt inside. She showed me how she really felt. Even if this world was doomed to a near extinction, she can tell everyone from the bottom of her heart that she had enjoyed the life she was given.

That image of her came out of nowhere. She looked pretty cute with her hair down… but I guess it's just because I've never seen her like that before. Ahhh! I can't stop blushing and my mouth can't stop smiling. I guess this is how people feel when they're in full bliss. Uuuu… maybe I should give something back to her. If only I wasn't tied up with this punishment I'm given.

15 minutes left until I have to back to the simulator room for my next observation class. Haaa… even if it just watching other cadets in their training regime, it can be pretty boring and tiresome. It makes me feel like being in detention was a better punishment. At least there you can sleep as much as you want. Maybe I'll go and get a quick bite at the PX. A little meal never hurts anyone.

…

…

…

Hmm? What's that noise? (…) It sounds like a musical instrument of some sort. (…) It sounds like it's coming from the roof.

Hmm… that's a nice tune. It's almost alluring for some reason. I haven't heard any form of music for quite awhile now except for those they show on TV in the PX.

Click…

Oh? The door to the rooftop was locked but the person who locked it didn't close it properly. Is someone else here?

Creeeaaak…

…!

Is that… Touko san? Munakata is there too so I'm pretty sure it's her. (…) That's incredible. Touko san is playing the violin. That must what's making that beautiful tune. I never knew that she knows how to play the violin. But then again… I don't exactly know the senior members of the group.

…

Ah… I can listen to this all day long. It's soothing in a way—but it looks like they're having a private moment. I should probably just leave and—(Crunch!) Oh crap!

"Who's there!-?" (Twang!) Yeow! Munakata suddenly threw a hairclip at me. "Show yourself!" You're kidding me! She's really going to use her sidearm for this?

"Wait Misae san!" Touko called her off. "It's alright. It's just Shirogane san. (Shirogane?) Please do not worry 1st Lt. Shirogane. She won't harm you. You can come out now" Well… no point in hiding now. I poked my head out of the doorway and gave out a friendly laugh.

"Oh… it really is you" Munakata confirmed me before holstering her pistol. "Don't you know it's rude to sneak up on people and worse yet to eavesdrop on them? (Ahehehe… sorry about that) How'd you get up here anyway? I'm pretty sure I locked the door"

"Ah… yeah. The door was locked but you didn't close it properly"

"I see…" Touko nodded as if understanding something. "You must've heard the sound and decided to investigate. (Y… yeah) Now now, don't be angry Misae san. It was partially your fault that Shirogane is up here in the first place"

"Yeah yeah, I get it" Munakata added gesturing her eyes annoyingly at me.

"Uh… what do you mean?" I asked.

"Ah… it's nothing. Misae san just gets irritated when someone interrupts her peaceful moments. (Huh?) Sometimes, she can get very territorial on things"

"What she's trying to say is… that I don't like people who interrupt the good part of a movie" Oh… I get it now. "Sorry about the hairclip. Here…"

"Ah… thank you—geh!" It's that horrible drink again!

"What's the matter?"

"N… nothing. But I'm fine… really. Besides… I'm still on duty today"

"Oh that's right. Your punishment" Munakata grinned happily returning to her usual everyday attitude. "I guess there's no point to get angry with someone who's already being condemned. (…?) How does it feel to be an assistant instructor for awhile? (Tiring) It must be rough. I can relate to that. But if you want to unwind after a hard day's work, I can help you out with that. (No thanks) Tch… you're no fun"

"Ahehehe… but Touko san… I didn't know you played the violin" I quickly changed the topic and pointed at the musical instrument in her hands.

"Ah… well not normally. It's embarrassing to say but I actually practice on a few rare occasions. It's not as good as the professionals but I try my best"

"Not at all! It was pretty good. I was actually drawn to it from the first floor up. It's the best one I heard ever. (Ahuhuhu… you exaggerate, Shirogane san) Not at all. I think you're pretty awesome, Touko san!"

"Don't bother trying" Munakata said to me with a soft smile. "I've been telling her that since I first saw her play but she has too much humility to try to play to a bigger crowd. (M… Misae san!) I kept telling her to play to a larger group but she seems to have stage fright"

"Heeh? Really? But you play in front of Munakata"

"Well she's different" Touko explained. "Misae san caught me playing one time and asked me to play for her. You could say that I've grown accustomed to her watching me"

"Watching her in the shower is nice too. (Geh!) (Misae san!) Ahahaha… alright I'll stop" Geez… this woman. "Well… why don't you play another tune for us, Touko? (Eh?) Since Shirogane caught you playing, you might as well play him a tune. Neh?"

"We… well"

I grabbed her hand in reply. "Please Touko san! (Wha?) I'd love to hear you play! Please!"

"Hear that, Touko chan? He'd love to see you play"

"F… fine. I'll play. But please don't complain if it turns out bad"

"Yes ma'am!"

**(Yuuko's office)**

Kouzuki had already lost count on how long she has been on the phone today. She had been so busy these last few hours and she would've swore her ears would've come off with all those praises she was being showered with. At the moment she was now on the last video conference with her source from America and was smiling all the while with the news the man on the screen had to give.

"I see… so you've received the latest designs for the XG, Mr. Secretary?"

"Yes, I've skimmed through it and sent it to the boys at the labs for analysis" The aged man on the other line nodded with a satisfied smirk. "I must say you're taking your job very seriously, Professor Kouzuki. Have you ever considered taking a break from all of this?"

"One victory doesn't mean we've beaten the BETA. We may have driven them off from Japan but we still have an entire world to liberate at this point"

"I understand. But are you sure you don't want to visit the states while you're at it? I assure you that you'll be more than welcome in Seattle"

"I'm comfortable where I am, Mr. Secretary"

"You'd certainly have less enemies here than in Japan. Especially now that the right wing party has taken a liking of you. But it's your decision so I have no say in it. Oh and before I forget. The President wishes to send his thanks for putting his competitor out of the picture. Now that most of his enemies in the senate are gone and all parties starting to agree with him, we're in a better position to increase our support to the U.N. You can have your sources in the FBI to thank for that"

"America seems to still have interest in the Far East islands"

"That will no longer be a concern. (Hmm?)" The mad scientist raised a brow. "As of right now, all interest in directly aiding Japan has been pushed off the table. As of tomorrow I will be holding the office seat of the Vice President"

Yuuko couldn't help but throw a small laugh. "So the President and the Secretary of Defense plotted to throw the former Vice President out of power? You're quite slick. In the end I still seem to be serving your goals"

"Profiting from other people's actions is a common tactic for any political parties. The U.N. is of no exception. Hahahaha… But in any case… you won't need to worry about us interfering with your work. Instead, the U.S. Army will now be concentrating its forces in Europe to aid Great Britain. From what I last heard they're preparing to open a beachhead into France through Normandy. But we won't be abandoning the east entirely of course. We still have troops stationed in the Philippines as an early warning group"

"I see. So in the end, America still takes some of the credit for my work. I'm impressed"

"Please don't flatter me. I'm only doing my job as the Secretary of Defense, Vice Commander. As for the modified XG-70, I think I can have it built in a few days time. No need to thank me. We merely have a… mutual beneficial relationship, no?"

"Heh. Indeed. I await for good news… Mr. Vice President"

The man on the screen laughed. "Ahaha… please don't jest. But are you sure I can't convince you to visit America for a few days? Our security here will be much safer than what you have in Yokohama"

"I'll agree the presidential security is top notched… and the FBI could help me with my work with their resources… but I think I'll pass. Besides… I already have a loyal guard dog watching over me. (…?) It's nothing. Just a little musing. (Beep) Hmm? Oh… it seems like I have a visitor. We'll have to save the talks for later. In the mean time, I'll send someone to observe the details of the XG"

"Are you sending that Yoroi person again? Heh… I understand. He's probably the best for the job"

"I'm actually surprised he hasn't caused an international incident yet" Yuuko mused before closing up. "Anyway. Thank you for your time, Vice President. I hope to see you on better terms. (Of course…) (Beep) Come in…" The door swung open and to Yuuko's surprise… her visitor was none other than the famed captain of the Valkyrie Squad. "Well this is a surprise. I didn't expect you to return so soon, Isumi"

The officer saluted properly before replying. "My injuries weren't severe so I was able to leave the hospital early. Besides… I can't hold my team back forever. (…) I came to bring the psyche evaluation of the team as you requested"

"You could've just asked Piatif to send them. Pushing yourself hard won't heal your wounds"

"That's true. But to be honest… there is something that I wanted to discuss with you directly" Isumi suddenly turned. "… there's actually a reason why I wanted to visit you myself, Professor Kouzuki. (Hmm?) I have a request to make prior to the operations at Sadogashima yesterday. (Hoo…?) I request permission to speak freely… ma'am"

"Do you really need to ask that?" Yuuko waved her hands playfully before accepting the stack of papers from the captain.

"It may be informal but procedure needs to be followed"

"I see. Very well, it's granted. Speak your mind"

"Thank you ma'am. (…) If it's possible. I would like to request 1st Lt. Shirogane Takeru removed from the Valkyrie Squad. (…) I know that I usually have no say in the unit under your command but as far as being the squad leader, I have to force this request"

"I see. Does this have anything to do with the stunt he pulled back on Sadogashima?"

"That's one of them. (…) Though I will admit his talents behind a TSF are remarkable, I find him to be a rather loose-cannon. He rushes deeply into battle with little regards to his surroundings at times. Not only did he disobey my orders but yours as well which nearly jeopardized our plans. I may owe him my life but military regulations cannot be ignored. He broke more than 10 infractions and it is clear he acts only upon his emotions. (…) Not only that, but his medical condition has also endangered the lives of my squadron"

"Medical conditions?" Yuuko raised a brow to which the captain flinched.

"I found it strange at first so I thought about reviewing his medical records in my free time. But strangely I found it to be restricted. So I can't decipher what he is suffering"

"I see… I guess his mental breakdown nearly cost us everything"

Isumi nodded back in agreement before continuing. "Also… as a personal request, I would like to assign him to a professional psychiatrist and multiple hypnosis therapy if possible. (Ha?) I have noticed something when I was with him during our battle with the BETA. Though it was difficult to read at first, I believe that Shirogane may not be entirely sane himself"

…

…

…

"Pffftt…!"

"Professor?"

"AHAHAHAHAHA! AHHHAHAHAHA!" Yuuko burst out in a full blown laugh when Isumi finished her reasoning. It was so unexpected that the captain backed away from her table as the mad scientist stood up holding her stomach in nearly insane laughter. "That's right! She's absolutely right! AHAHAHAHA! Of course he's insane. Why wouldn't he be? AHAHAHAHA! I always knew he was crazy… but to hear someone else say it is absolutely hilarious! (…?) After everything he's been through and all the things he told me? He might just be crazier than me. AHAHAHAHA!"

"P… professor? What are you talking about?"

It took awhile for Yuuko to control herself again. But who could blame her? It was the truth in the form of a joke. She knew that being crazy was part of being a mad scientist but to hear someone else being insane was just a punch line just waiting to be said in the right moment. Shirogane was crazy. How else can you describe a man like that? He claimed that he's from the future with predictions of the coming apocalypse. He has relived this life a hundred times knowing every final result before others can even see it. For all we know, he could've been a thousand years old. In fact… the professor was actually still surprise the boy can still maintain himself after all these years.

"Ah… sorry about that. Ahahaha…" Yuuko returned to her seat after finally settling her laughter down. "It's just that… you're right. Maybe he is insane. (…?) But are you sure those are the only reasons why you want him removed? (Huh?) Shirogane… is special… and in more ways than one. I cannot explain it you directly… but there is a reason why he is assigned to your unit. In a way… you could say that he is linked with the 00-Unit in a very different level. (…) You and I have seen many horrors during the last few years of the war, Isumi. We struggle through this ordeal and endured many hardship… and Shirogane is no exception. Actually… right now… I'm even surprise he can hold himself together"

"…" Isumi remained silent and listened on to what the professor had to say.

"I'm guessing you're not going to leave this room without a valid answer. (Yes ma'am…) Very well then. (…!) If he bothers you that much I'll have him removed from your unit and place him somewhere else. (…) What's the matter? You look as if you were expecting something else"

"N… no ma'am. It's just… I never though it would be this easy"

"If you put all the calculated risk involved, I'm at a disadvantage. After all, you're right. He disobeyed orders, endangered his team and even went all the way to abandoning his mission. I think you can consider that a huge stain on his records. But… I don't think you can blame him completely for the actions of others. (…?) If you listened back… he was prepared to go alone. The others simply agreed with his ideals and followed him. He was even able to move one of the U.N. Captains to come along"

"Then that's all the more reason he should be put back" Isumi nodded, agreeing with the Vice Commander's words. "Soldiers like him will only make things worse on the battlefield"

"But didn't it work out in the end?"

"In Sadogashima, he was lucky. But should he collapse again then there's no telling what may happen in the future. One of these days, he will collapse when the team needs him the most and in that time, he may be responsible for the death of one of my squad mates"

"…Hmm…" Yuuko raised a curious brow at her. "I see you've already made up your mind about this. Anything I say will simply bounce back off as empty words"

"Yes ma'am. Usually I would fix this issue by consulting with their psychological, mental and medical profile but since all of them regarding Shirogane requires a Level 5 Clearance and knowing that you're one of the few people who can access those files, I have no other choice but to implement this. As the team leader… I have to consider the safety of my company as one of my top priorities"

"Impressive as always, Isumi… (Ma'am) Logical and coolheaded. I made the right choice in making you team leader. You are right in every way. Shirogane is still far from perfect. (Perfect?) But I guess you can say that he's the closest thing to perfection. After all… he knows more about this world than I can guess. (…?) But you're absolutely right. His ideals are strange. You might even call them childish. But unlike most people he has the strength to back those ideals. This is a war and you can't expect to walk out of it without a scar or two. I think he knows that better than anyone. (…) After what he has seen… what he went through, I guess it's only natural to put his life on the line over and over again"

"I respect him for putting his heart on the battlefield… but if his actions endanger my team—"

"I think you're mistaking something, Isumi. (Huh?) You can't blame one person for the act of one. If I recall correctly, Shirogane volunteered to go alone. The others simply followed on his lap by agreeing with his ideals. I don't think he brought them with him… they simply all agreed on one thing. (…) They didn't want you to die. (But even so…) One bad call doesn't make a bad person. Everyone makes mistakes… and even the greatest of us will eventually make one. I think Shirogane made more than his fair share. But despite everything that has happened, I think I finally understand something of him. (Which is?) When the time comes when that boy has to make a choice—I'm sure he'll make the right one"

"You… trust him that much?"

"It's not about trust, really. More of… an understanding"

"So… are you saying that I should give him another chance?"

"I've already agreed in removing him from your unit. The decision is still yours to make. (…) But I wonder… will removing him be a mistake?"

Isumi grunted under her breath, dropping her shoulders. It was obvious now what the professor was trying to play. A reverse psychology with more twists and turns than a roller coaster. It's now even difficult to tell if you wanted what you originally wanted with her as your boss. "You're as manipulative as ever, professor"

"I'm merely trying to make sure that this is the best thing for your team. Nothing more" The mad scientist added with a confident grin.

With a heavy sigh, the captain surrendered to her. "Very well… I will give him one more chance to correct himself. But if he makes one mistake…"

"He won't…" Yuuko reassured her. "But if he does… then I will have to try something new for a change" Her eyes then darted to the opposing room where a certain redhead was slumbering peacefully on a soft comfy bed after a hard day's work.

**(Rooftop) (Takeru's POV)**

"Hachoo!" Uhh… the cold wind up in the roof really isn't good for my health. I've been up here for almost ten minutes now and it's beginning to snow again.

"Ora… did the great and powerful Shirogane catch a cold?" Munakata teased as we both listened in to Touko violin recital. I don't really know any classical music nor do I listen to any but when I listen to Kazama's tune… I feel as if I was drawn to it. I don't really have the words to explain it but I feel like I can just sit here and listen to her play that violin all day long.

"Sorry… I didn't mean to. It's just that it's kinda chilly right now. Aren't you two cold?"

"Not at all" Touko answered, putting her violin down. I was kind of sad to have her stop. "Our bodies are more accustomed to different kinds of weather after years of being on the field. Sometimes during patrol or guard duties we were often confined to our TSFs for at least a few days" Oh that makes sense. These girls have been in more campaigns than I have. It's no wonder their bodies are more tolerable to the harsh weather out there. "But it seems you haven't had much outdoors training, have you, Shirogane san?"

"Ahaha… yeah. The only outdoors operation we had before joining up with you guys is during the coup a few weeks ago. I guess our bodies haven't experienced it yet"

Munakata held a chunk of snow on her hand before implying to me. "But you have to admit that it's a lot colder than usual. I guess it's that time of year again. It'll be a lot warmer to be wearing my exosuit. But then again… I might need a warm blanket near me" She licked her lips and cooed next to my ear. The seductive tone of her voice was enough to make my skin crawl.

"No thanks, I'm good"

"Tch… what kind of a man are you to leave a girl in the cold. (Geh!) You still have a long way to go if you want to impress a girl, Shirogane" Uh… (Flash) Munakata san? Wait… what was that? Another unknown picture? I see… Munakata and Touko san… together. They're wearing Hakuryo High uniforms—or is that… cadet uniforms? No… I don't think I've ever seen them like this. They graduated years before I came to Yokohama base so it's physically impossible for me to see them as a cadet. But then… why do I feel like I'm trying to remember something? Is it a dormant memory in me? (Flash)

"Shirogane san? Is something wrong?"

"Ah… no… sorry. I was umm… I just remembered… something…"

"I see. Then please drink something at least. Kyouzuka oba san gave us some herbal tea as a reward for coming back yesterday. (Ah… thank you) My pleasure…" Ah… tea… the simply joy of life. "But Shirogane san. You really shouldn't take Misae san's words so seriously. It's because you react to everything she says, that's why she enjoys teasing you so much"

"Haaaa… somehow I know that but I still can't get used to it"

"It's not that I enjoy teasing" Munakata corrected. "It's just that Shirogane is the first guy we had in the team so I wanted something different for a change. Seeing that girls don't react too much to my approach I had to go with the weaker mind. (Geh!) But I guess that's one more reason to enjoy you neh? (Misae san) Alright, I'll stop"

"Thanks Touko san" I appreciated the interruption. "But I'm actually surprised how calm you two are. (Hmm?) I mean… we've only just got through a fight with the BETA but you two seem to be adjusting well. (…?) I thought anyone that goes through that would need a little time off to settle down. I mean… not just you two, Hayase san and Captain Isumi are all the same. It's like you guys have complete cooperation with one another. I feel almost calm being with all of you"

"Heeeeh… so that's how you see us?" Munakata made a childish frowny face. "Well I guess that's no surprise. The last batch said the same thing too. (…?) You could say that everyone in the team has a mutual understanding with one another. In fact… I don't think your sight of us is that far off track. But to be honest… we're not as well molded as you think we are. (Huh?) (Misae…) In fact… a few years back, I nearly had a fight with Michiru. (…!)" A fight… with the captain? I find that hard to picture. "It was a silly thing really. But back then I guess you could say that new recruits like us had a hard time adjusting to death. (…) If Touko chan hadn't stopped me… I wonder what would've happened to us"

"…" Wow… I guess everyone had their own gray stories behind them. Well… that's expected. With Class rep and Ayamine fighting all the time it's only natural to see other people with the same background.

"Ah… sorry. I guess I just made it depressing for all of us"

"No… it's ok. It wasn't any of my business to begin with. I should probably go"

"At least have a meal with us, Shirogane san"

"No… but thanks for the offer Touko san. It's almost time for the next session of my punishment. Even if it was just a short I really enjoyed my stay with you two. I feel like I got to know you guys a bit better now. I also enjoyed your violin recital. You should definitely play it for all of us one of these days"

"Huhu… I shall think about it. (Later then!) Yes… good luck to you, Shirogane san…"

**(PX) (A few hours later)**

"Haaaaaaa…" Finally… lunch time. This morning has got to be one of the most boring days ever. I've done nothing but observe and comment on cadets' performance. It would've been better if I had something to do but the instructors seemed to just want me to sit and watch. But I guess it wasn't a complete waste of time. I was able to see a few good matches in the gym today. Since it was snowing, all outdoor trainings were canceled and moved to the large building instead. The CQC experts were really giving it their all, tackling and punching people like there was no tomorrow.

Also… I got to see Touko san play her violin. It was a memorable moment. I also got closer to Tama and Munakata. Everyone has their history and things they want to hide underneath. Only by getting to know them, will they decide to open up to you.

"Ara… it's the crybaby" Hmm? "I should've expected you to be here"

"Oh… Akane, Haruka and Class rep" The trio appeared before me. They look like they've just been through a shower. "Are you guys having lunch too?"

"Yes, we just finished our independent training at the hangers" Haruka answered back.

"Training? In the hangers?"

"Since it was snowing outside, we had to find a place with a lot of room" Class rep explained. "We were running laps around the hanger floors to make up for lost time" Oh I see. The hangers are pretty big so I guess it's a good substitute.

"But wait… all of you ran?" I asked to which they all nodded in return. "Even you Haruka san? (…?) (Oi!) Uh… I mean. Umm… what I mean is…"

"Ah… do not worry too much 1st Lt. Shirogane" Haruka reassured me. "It's true that I can't keep up with the rest of the squad in terms of stamina and strength… I have to keep myself fit for all situations. I just keep steady at my own pace. So should the need arise where I am required to be quick, I will be ready" (Flash) She didn't need to tell me that. I've already seen her determination first hand. (Flash) I won't be able to forget it even if I re-looped this world. The image of Haruka dying in that control room in the Hive Reactor beneath this base… will probably haunt me to the rest of my days.

"Oi oi… don't look down on onee chan like that!" Akane defended when I realized my face was looking directly at her sister's injured leg. "If she wanted, she can kick your ass right here, right now! (Ah! Akane!)"

"Ah… sorry. I didn't mean anything bad. I was just curious. But I see you two are competitive as always. (…?) Judging by how much you guys are breathing, you must've been trying to beat each other again"

"I won by a few seconds" Class rep stated proudly much to Akane's irritation.

"That's only because you have advantage on land! If we were at the pool, I'd beat you with half of the time I made today. (Huhuhuhu) Hey!" Well I guess this shouldn't be a surprise. Akane was part of the swimming team back in my world and one of the best there ever was. Class rep was the captain of the Lacross team so it's no wonder that she'd have the advantage on land. Somehow these two complement each other. Both of them are competitive and they play fair. They accept their defeat in a… proper manner and gloat only when necessary.

"Now now, you two" Haruka stopped them from their friendly fight. "Let's not disrupt other people's meal. Shirogane san. Would you like to join us for lunch? (Sure!)"

"Be careful nee san. I heard his idiocy can be contagious. (Akane chan!) Ahehehe"

"Hey… I think you already contracted it" I joked back which we all laughed. I guess a little food and a little chat with my friends was all that I needed to bring my spirits back. But I'm amazed. It's only been a day since Sadogashima and already these girls are recovering nicely. I guess moving on was the best thing to do after such an experience.

"Shirogane!" Geh!

"M… Marimo sensei?"

"There you are! I've been looking for you. You were supposed to report to the Instructor's office ten minutes ago. (Eh?) Didn't you read the schedule I gave you?"

"Ah… yeah… but…"

"No excuses. We're already behind schedule and I need you to help out with the paperwork. Double time!"

"Yes ma'am!"

Haaaaa… I guess lunch will have to be postponed for a little while longer.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

**(TSF Hanger)**

Mitusurgi Meiya was at the hanger bay that morning, looking at the machines that were under maintenance by the mechanics. The sound of mechanical grindings and the noise of the machine bothered her at first but after awhile… she found them soothing for the ear. Perhaps she has grown so attached to this base that even the most annoying thing seems to keep her calm.

Her eyes darted to the stands where a particular TSF was stationed, gathering cobwebs from its idleness. She wanted to say something about it but the machine but no one would dare speak about the machine under the circumstance of their life being on the line. The best the mechanics here can do is shrug and look the other way. If Shirogane were here she would probably have a conversation about the machine but unfortunately the boy would not be here today. If anything he's probably too busy with his punishment which they've already been informed of.

"Meiya sama…" A familiar voice alerted the young woman of a presence behind her.

"Tsukuyomi…" She recognized her face almost immediately. There was simply no way that she would forget, even if she tried. "I apologize. 1st Lt. Tsukuyomi…" The woman recalled her position and showed the proper courtesy with a salute. The red garbed soldier found discomfort in saluting back at her but her duty demanded it. "I'm glad to see you unharmed from the battle"

"And you as my well, Meiya sama. It seems the gods did not see it fit to claim our lives just yet"

"Are you here on a task?"

"I am. My unit and I are to be stationed here for the duration of the year as part of the new rear guard force. With the successes of Sadogashima, the Honor Guards are being deployed all around the countryside to aid with the needed security. (…) Though we were victorious, it was not without cost. Much of the country's resources are now being pulled to levy the needs of new soldiers in the fronts. Most of the veterans including those who have retired are being brought back on duty. (…?)"

"I see… so we are not without our own losses as well"

"Indeed. There are also rumors that if we do not meet the quota of the minimum needed guards… we may even have to use prisoners as well. (…!) The Provisional Government sought to use it so… but it is unlikely that will happen"

"Unlikely? What do you mean?"

"Perhaps you have not heard but there has been a slight increase in volunteer force for both the U.N. and the Imperial Army after the battle of Sadogashima. It may have boosted their morale greatly now that they've seen that our greatest enemy can be beaten. Fear… has a tendency to make men cowards… but hope… can perhaps turn fear into courage. (…) Hmph. Perhaps it is foolish to comment on those who come only when they are no longer needed. (…) Ah… I also bring the regards from Kamiyo, Tomoe and Ebisu"

"Tsukuyomi? (Yes Meiya sama?) Is there… something else you wish to say? (…?) Perhaps it is my imagination but you look a bit… uneasy"

Tsukuyomi's shoulder dropped and her mouth breathed a heavy sigh. It seems like Meiya knew her more than she thought she did. "Yes… Meiya sama. In truth… I am actually here on another task as well"

"I see. So that is why you approached me. Usually you would do anything within your abilities to avoid confrontation with me. (Forgive me…) Then I shall not bother you longer. You should pursue with your task until it is done"

"Yes Meiya sama. (…) I come bearing a message for you from… a certain person with influence. (…!) Though it is rather crude of me to say I will say, forgive me. (…) She says…"

The sound of heavy machineries echoed throughout the hanger bay. It rumbled and rhymed with the walls, echoing over and over like an annoying drill digging on the road. The sound blocked all others and no one but the two could hear one another.

"… I see…" Meiya's face nodded in response to the message. "Is that all…?"

"Yes. I believe those are her exact words. Forgive me for being unable to imply more with feelings I cannot comprehend"

"No… that is alright. I understand completely. (Meiya sama…) Ahuhuhu… I would've said the same thing. I thank you for the message 1st Lt. Tsukuyomi…"

"Nay… it was only my duty to perform. Nothing more"

"Ah… yes you are right. Ahuhuhu…" The two of them shared a small laugh together. Even if it was just a joke in a tone… it was something greater to both of them. "Send my regards back to the three as well. (I shall…) It would've been nice to see all of you again"

"I am unworthy of such praise…"

"By the way Tsukuyomi. (Hmm?) What is that you are carrying?" Meiya pointed towards the small plastic bag attached to the Honor Guard's wrist. There were carrots and radishes sticking out from the top and the lower unseen section had the smell of fish. Some might even call it a grocery bag from their perspective.

The lady in red noticed it and quickly hid it behind her. "Ah… this is… (…?) This is umm… perhaps I should say that this is payment for my debt. (Debt?) It is a personal business of mine. Nothing worth mentioning. (I see…) Then… if you will excuse me…"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

**(Takeru's POV) (PX) (01:30 PM)**

"Fooood~~" At long last… food. I feel like it's been so long since I had a meal. The fish in front of me looks so delicious right now but I don't have the strength to even lift my chopsticks. I spent all of it in the office sorting through the files.

"Shirogane… aren't you overreacting a bit on a little work?" Marimo chan was dining with me that afternoon. The rest of my squad had already finished are off doing something else probably. "There wasn't even that much to sort out to begin with. But because of your constant whining, it took longer than necessary"

"I don't know how you do it, Marimo sensei. How can you do all that still have the energy to do anything?"

"I can say the same for you. (Eh?) You can spend all the time in mock battles and simulator training for hours without even breathing hard but moving papers can cause you to sweat? Don't you find that strange at all" Geh… I can't argue with that right there. "Now hurry up and eat. We only have 20 minutes left before we have to report back. (Yes ma'am…) Don't say it like that. Shirogane… you're a commissioned officer of the U.N. the least you could do is act the part"

"Well I can't exactly play someone I'm not. I was never a good actor to begin with"

"Haaa… fine. I'll let this slide because it's your first day. But you have to get your act together"

"Yes ma'am…" Alright… let's just savor the bland taste while we still can. They say that food tastes better after a hard day's work, right? That might spice things up.

…

"Hey… is that him? The guy that the instructor talked about?" Hmm? Is someone whispering around here?

"Yeah… that's him. The guy that got top score in the TSF aptitude test and all the top score in every training course in the simulator"

"They said that he joined the cadet squad for only a few weeks and aced the Comprehensive Combat Skill Evaluation. He was then commissioned in two months time"

"I heard from the sergeant that his unit got assigned to some mission during the coup d'état and the guy fought twenty TSFs on his own with a Type-97"

"I also hear that he has a close relationship with Professor Kouzuki"

"No way! The Vice Commander? Really?"

"They also said that he killed his first BETA when he was 10…"

"I heard that he's an experimental super soldier that the U.N. Army is developing. I had a friend who said that he was injured to the point near death but on the next day he was fine"

…

"Monster…"

Hey… what's with this overly twisted evaluation here? As a matter of fact… why do I get the feeling that everyone in the cafeteria was looking at me. Usually around this time, the cadets would be off on their training so only commissioned officers would be here. But it seems like they are taking an interest in me.

"Huhuhu… see what I mean when I said you should act the part?" Marimo added showing a victory smirk. "There are people out here who are curious of you. The title of Legendary Rookie holds a lot around here"

"I know that… but do they really have to say it so openly?" I'm getting the same feeling I had when Meiya first came to my class room back in my world. Everyone was spouting out nonsense and reading between the lines, believing that I was engaged or something.

"That's a part of being a celebrity. Why else do you think Yuuko gave you this form of punishment?" So in the end I was just there to give morale. I guess when cadets see the Legendary Rookie they often try to give it their all. Heh… I don't really know how to feel about that.

"I guess everything she does has a use somewhere huh?"

"She didn't get to be Vice Commander without a good reason. Even in high school she was the same. She always had a look that says that she was plotting something under her nose"

"I guess nobody knows her true qualities better than any of us. (Ahahahahaha!) Hehehehe"

"Just be sure not to land as another one of her experiments, alright?"

"I make no promises, Marimo sensei" Hehe. It's nice to talk with Marimo chan like this. I never expected to be able to get to know her this way. Though she still stuck with her military regulations, it seems like her attitude towards me has changed. Maybe it's because of my rank but still… I feel like somehow we're acting like we've known each other for a long time. The way she talks and the way she laughs. It almost makes me feel like that time we hung out at the southern islands on our vacation. (Flash) Huh? Wait… vacation? No that can't be right. I've never been to the southern islands until I came to this world when I took the Comprehensive Combat Skill Evaluation. (Flash) But yet… why do I feel like we've been there together? (Flash) Wow… Marimo chan—in a bikini? Now I'm sure I'd definitely remember something like that.

"Shirogane? (Huh?) What's wrong with you? You've been holding your chopsticks in your mouth for awhile"

"Ah… no. I was just… thinking… about something…"

"Something perverted, no doubt. (Geh!-?)" How could she possibly…? "Your nose is bleeding" Geh! Ah that's embarrassing. "Geez… and here I thought you'd grow up a bit. But even now you still act like a child" Ow… that's more painful to hear than you realize, Marimo chan. "I thought that being a commissioned officer would change you but I guess I was wrong. (Hey!) Now hurry up and eat. The tomatoes today are particularly good"

"Haaaa… yes ma'am" I sighed in defeat. I never could win at arguments like these anyway so I just stopped trying. Besides… I can never go against her. I guess my manly pride doesn't count for anything around here. Hmm… but she's right. The tomatoes are pretty good today. "Hmmm you're right. It's not too sour and it's not too sweet either. They're just around perfect. It almost reminds me of your cooking, Marimo sensei. (Pfft!) Eh?"

"Baka! Don't say that out loud!"

"Why not? It's not like you haven't cooked before. The fried rice, the chicken with soy sauce were pretty good if you asked me. (…!)"

"Hoooo? So you two have gone that far already? (BWAH! Oba san?)" When the hell did she get here? "I could hear your lover's quarrel a mile away. You guys really have no common as all, do you? Eating together and quarreling over the smallest things. I'm surprised you haven't proposed yet, Takeru. (Kyozuka san!)" P… proposed?

Murmur… murmur… murmur…

"Hooo? So it's true then?"

"Student and teacher eloping? Kya! That's so romantic!"

"I knew there was something going on between them"

"I never believed it until just now. Cooking lunch for him eh? Must be nice…"

Th… these people. Everyone in the cafeteria had their eyes on us. I can feel their stares at the back of my head. They're so easy to read.

"Ahahaha… looks like everyone's expecting something out of you two" Oba san! You're just making it worse! "If you're going to make a meal for Takeru chan, then you're welcome to my kitchen any time, Jinguuji san"

**(A few hours later) (Barracks)**

After that fiasco, Marimo chan refused to speak to me for the rest of the day. She gave me the cold shoulder and a sense of awkwardness came between us. It wasn't until everything calmed down until I got the gist of what had happened. Apparently there's been a rumor going around the various departments that Marimo chan and I are dating. I don't exactly know when the rumors started but apparently a lot of people believe it. And after the stunt at the PX… I think this rumor will spread even wider to others.

I wanted to look for Marimo and talk to her but my punishment prevented me from doing so. I had to go and continue 'observing' which bothered me to no end. Haaaa… I didn't even get to finish my lunch when I was called in.

Right now I'm even hungrier than before. Oh well… after this, dinner will probably be a better option.

"Takeru"

"Huh? Oh hey Meiya"

"What's the matter? You look like you haven't eaten in days" Ahehe… that's about half true there.

"Well… let's just say that it's been a busy day. I don't even know where to start. (…?) Anyway, what about you? I haven't seen you all day today"

Meiya flinched a bit which made me raise a brow. "Ah… I had something to do in the hangers today" The hangers? "It's nothing important. Perhaps you'd like to join me for dinner?"

"Sure. A full meal without any interruption for once will be a nice change of pace. We can also catch up on the others if they're there"

"Indeed. It would be nice for all of us to get together after awhile. Some of them must still be sorting out their feelings after the battle. But we should remain optimistic"

"Yeah… that's true" I agreed. "Come on. The PX should be serving dinner around now"

"1st Lt. Shirogane…" Huh? "Sorry to interrupt… (…?)"

"Oh… 1st Lt. Piatif" I saluted back to the officer. "What can I do for you?"

"Vice Commander Kouzuki requires your presence at her labs immediately. She says that it's important"

"Oh… ok then. Maybe next time Meiya"

"I understand. I'll see at the PX then. (Yeah…)"

**(Yuuko's Lab)**

Hmm… I wonder what Yuuko sensei want from me? Usually she'd send Kasumi to get me but I guess this must be something important for her to send her secretary"

"We're here…" Lt. Piatif announced as we stopped at the brain room. "Professor Kouzuki is waiting inside. I shall depart from here. Until next time, 1st Lt. Shirogane"

"Ah… yeah. Thanks for all your hard work" She gave me a salute and left.

Whoosh…

The brain room was the same as it was after I left it. The pod that used to contain Sumika at the center of the room was still there. Although broken, it still gleamed with an alien blue glow. The room was still a mess since then and I don't think Yuuko sensei had the time to clean it all. Oh… there she is. She's standing by the table, busying herself with some documents. "Yuuko sensei. I'm here"

"Oh… it's you" Eh? She sounded different for a second there. "Good thing you came. I was just about to call it quits for the night. (Huh?) Come. We don't have much time" Before I could ask anymore, she went off to the next room in a quick pace. I trailed her out and followed her through a few corridors in the lab.

"So… where are we going, sensei?"

"No questions. Just follow" Uh… ok. We walked for a good length before finally stopping on a bulkhead door at the far end of the hallway. I've never been in this part of the floor before. This door looks as if it could withstand any kind of attack. "She's been asking to see you for quite awhile now. (She?)" With a simple touch of her hand, locks made of metal unbolted and the door swung open with a defining click. "Make it quick. She needs her rest…"

"Rest? Ah! Sumika!" It is! It's Sumika! She's sleeping on a bed in a room that looks almost identical to my quarters in the barracks with table and bookshelves included. And Kasumi was there too sitting by her side.

"Lower your voice! (…!) Her conditions at the moment are stable but she's far from being well. (…) Don't strain her mind too much… ok? (Y… yes ma'am) I'll be waiting outside. Don't take too long" And just like that… she left, leaving the three of us in that room alone.

…

I slowly made my way to Sumika's side. She was sleeping peacefully with a warm blanket over her body. Someone had taken the time to change her into more comfortable clothing too. I knelt down and grab her free hand with my own. She was warm… and better yet she was alive. I feel my heart sinking as I looked at her face. She looks so peaceful that even the slightest bit of movement could disturb her. I don't even feel like waking her up. (Flash) Shit. Looking at her face is recalling the memories of my old loop.

The last time she looked this peaceful was when she passed away after we completed our mission. Why do I have to remember that stupid thing now of all times. (Flash) Sumika…

"…she's fine" Huh? Kasumi? "She'll be… just fine…"

…

"Ah… yeah. You're right. I'm probably just worrying too much. (…) Did you stay with her this whole time? (Nod…) I see. Thanks… thanks for keeping her company. It… means a lot to me" Because of all the things… I don't want her to be alone ever again. Never… again…

"Unn…" Ah! Sumika! She's waking up. "Take…ru…?"

"Sumika!" Ah crud. I have to keep my voice down. "I'm here. I'm right here with you…"

…

…

"Takeru… chan…" Her voice is so soft and so weak. Her body must still be recovering after the battle. "You're… here…" I brought her hand up to my face and let her know that I was the real deal. Her hands… are so soft… have they always been this soft? It feels like if I added anymore pressure, I might just break it. But it didn't matter. It was enough to bring me to tears. "You… didn't run away… this time, neh?"

"Of course not!" I forced out a smile. "I told you before that you won't be able to get rid of me that easily. It's gonna take a lot more than a few goons to drive me away. (Ahehehe) Hahaha… besides… I'm probably too stubborn to run away"

"But Takeru chan always runs away whenever we have to clean the class room"

"Geh! Ahahaha… well that's true… I guess my laziness compels me not to clean. (Ahehehehe…) So… how're you feeling?"

"A little tired… but I don't feel pain anymore. (That's good…) Ahehe… Takeru chan. Don't make that face. It doesn't suit you. (Ahehehe…) I'm sorry… but I don't think I'll be able to go on our date today. (Date?) You promised that… I can do anything I want with you. That's why I wanted us to go on a date together. (…) Ahehe… I want you all for myself… for one whole day"

Oh yeah… I guess I did promise her that when I rescued her from the XG. "Alright. A date it is. I have a feeling that it'll be fun"

"I plan… to make the most out of it. (…) Kasumi chan… can you give me a moment with Takeru chan? Just for a few minutes. (Nod…) Thank you" Kasumi granted a smile and left the room just as fast. We were now alone. "I had a dream yesterday. (Hmm?) I dreamt of the time when we first met… on the hill overlooking the town… on Christmas Day"

"Christmas Day? (Flash) Oh that's right. That was the time when I first gave you that Santa Rabbit, wasn't it? Heh… I guess it's become our tradition. (…yeah…) Hey… how about this? On our next Christmas, I'll get you a Santa Rabbit just like the one I gave you the first time"

"Ahehehe… Takeru chan… don't make promises you can't keep"

"Hey… a whole year is a long time. Who knows what might happen then?" We shared a laugh… our first laugh together. It feels so… nostalgic. I placed my hand on her face and removed the bangs covering her eyes. Her soft expression was priceless. I felt… strangely calm just being here… in this room with her. "The moment you get better and walking up again… I'll show you around the base… and we'll hang out together… just like we used to. It'll be… so much fun"

"Yeah… I would like that"

…

…

…

"Sumika?"

"Huh? Oh… sorry. I guess I dozed off again"

"Ah that's alright. You should probably get some rest. There'll be time to talk tomorrow when regain some strength. (Fwup!) Ah…? Sumika?"

"N… no. Takeru chan…wait…" Sumika. She's not letting go of my hand. "There's… something I… have to tell you…"

"Visiting time is over… (…!) (Yuuko sensei?) Sorry… but her brain is straining too much now. She needs her rest. You can talk more, later"

"Alright…" I complied myself. "Sumika… you get some rest. And when you're all better, you can tell me everything. Ok? (…) I'll see you soon. So in the mean time… make sure you smile a lot for Kasumi, ok? (O…kay) Thanks"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

I followed Yuuko sensei out of the room and back to her office. It's hard to believe that Sumika had to stay in that cold room but I guess that only shows how valuable she is to everyone on the base, even if they don't know it yet.

"Here…" Hmm? "Wipe your face. You won't look good walking around like that" Ah… crap. I didn't even realize I was crying until Yuuko sensei handed me that tissue. "Even though it was only a few minutes, you seem to have gotten a lot of things off your chest. (Thank you) So… how are you feeling?"

"A lot better now. Thank you, sensei"

"Don't thank me just yet. Her conditions at the moment are stable but there's no telling what might happen in the long run. (…?) Sumika pushed herself far beyond her limits. Her information processing abilities were strained over the danger levels during Sadogashima. I'm surprised she was able to bring herself to consciousness at all"

"Wait… what does that mean?"

"She was this close to burning her brains out" Burning her brains? "When a computer is overused, it burns itself. Sumika is no different. If she had remained in that status for a few more minutes… there's a good chance that she could've died. (…!)" Died? Sumika? "I guess it's safe to say that you're partly to blame for all of this. But then again… I guess the end justifies the means"

"Sumika… almost died… because of me?"

"I thought you'd realize that after what just happened. We got lucky this time because of the failsafe system I put in place but there's no telling what could happen in the future now that your memory is useless"

"… I… I didn't know"

"I guess a soldier can only see the battlefield after all. (…) You were so engrossed with one tiny thing, it blinded you from the bigger picture. But anyway. I didn't bring you all the way here just to prattle you"

"Is… Sumika… going to be alright?"

"That remains to be seen. (…!) Relax. I said her conditions are stable, didn't I? She won't die unexpectedly without me knowing. Which brings me to my next task for you. (Huh?) I guess I should start from the top. I've just been in contact with the Secretary of Defense of the United States. With the stability of both the government and military control, they've begun mass producing the XG-70 in hopes of countering the BETA threat"

"Mass producing… the XG?" They're going to make more of that huge monster? One was enough to blow a single Hive and billions of BETA in between, now they're going to make dozens of them?

"It's part of the U.N-U.S-Soviet agreement. Since America is the only country left with a large number of factories, they're most suited for the job. Besides… it was their weapon to begin with. At the moment, six units are being constructed to test their single anti-Hive capabilities. Three of them will be shipped to the Euro Front in England in hopes of creating a second front in the war. Another two will be sent here as part of the great offensive plan on the attack on Asia. The sixth will be sent to Alaska for the Russians to redevelop and modify if necessary" They're going to use that many?

"What are we planning to do with so many of the XGs?"

"It was a redesigned plan offered by the U.N. council. You might remember it as Operation Babylon" (Flash) Operation Babylon, a worldwide counter offensive by mankind against the BETA using a large number of G-Bombs. "However… instead of using G-Bombs… we'll be using the XG-70 instead to destroy the Hives. (Eh?) It's not been made official yet but it seems like they plan on ending this war quickly"

"Wait a minute! Isn't that a bit reckless? Rushing everyone to the battle so quickly?"

"Like I said… it hasn't been made official yet. They're simply putting the pieces together, should the need ever arise. (…?) In which case… we might be forced to bring the 00-Unit out on repeated missions" Sumika! (Flash) They're going to use her to destroy one Hive after another… just like any weapon? "But of course that's only a last ditched resort. Only when things are looking bad"

"But if they do that… then the casualty ratings will be… huge! Even if we retake Earth, there's no telling how many of us will be left to see it!"

"Then I guess you'll be up for the task to make sure we keep winning. (…?) You came here to make a change, didn't you? Are you still strong enough to do it… or are you going to run away again?"

Clang!

"Never!" I barked back. "I'll never run away… not again… never again"

"Then we have nothing to worry about. (Eh?) As long as your dedication hasn't wavered… then it's fine. I just wanted to make sure that you were still with us until the end" So this was just a test. Heh… I guess it should be expected from Yuuko sensei. "You still remember why you're here, don't you?"

"Yes… of course. I'll defeat the BETA… and go home"

She showed me a rare smile in return. "Very good. Go on and get some rest. You have a big day tomorrow. And don't worry. I'll make sure that Sumika's well taken care of. (Ma'am) You still need to fight… for her sake… right?"

"Yeah… I still need to fight. That's the only thing I can do now" That's right. To make sure that Sumika and all of my friends stay safe I have to fight. I have to get stronger… tougher… faster. "Yuuko sensei… thank you. I feel a lot better now. (You're welcome) I… should probably leave. If you ever need anything, don't hesitate to ask"

"I will…"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

And with a determined look on his face, Shirogane left the room, his hands clenched together with his hopes and dreams riding on it.

But as the door closed behind him, Yuuko's proud exotic face dropped to a mighty frown as she sensed a presence by the bookcase in her room. "How long do you intend to hide back there? I saw you the moment I came into the room…"

Yoroi Sakon, the man who irked her nerves, appeared from his hiding spot in his usual attire hiding a wicked grin under his hat. "Aha… it seems like I can't get anything pass you after all, professor. But I must say that I had a rather difficult time entering the base since the security around the lab has increased since I was last here. I apologize for the rude entrance" The man giggled under his coat, showing his blank face expression to her.

"With worms like you prowling around, it should be understandable. (Ahaha… that's cruel) But now that you're here, it saves me the time for calling you. (Hoo?) I need you to go to Washington to watch over the shipment of new weapons that we'll be shipping off soon. The members of ALTERNATIVE V may have been disbanded but certain fanatics might try something ridiculous. Not to mention to Anti-ALTERNATIVE extremists that have been going on for the past months"

"I see… then I guess I'll be acting a security manager at this point. They won't like it…"

"You've played the bad guy plenty of times, haven't you?"

"I can say the same for you with Shirogane… professor…" Yuuko's face stiffened a small scowl with the mention of the boy who just left. "Such cruelty… using his own freedom against him. You placed all the classic maneuvers in one setting. (…) First you place him in a sense of guilt… making him vulnerable to all offense. Then you make him feel uncomfortable to derail his thoughts. Then afterwards… you give him hope… only to make a pawn in your game. (…) Hehehehe… you are evil. Using this… 'Sumika' as a leash to keep him in line. (…) As an agent, I must say that you performed admirably and I can only admire its execution. But…I cannot help but wonder. Are you putting this leash to control him? Or is it because you fear of losing him?"

"…" Yuuko did not reply. She simply stared at him with unblinking eyes as if they expected the other to lose in this unannounced staring contest.

"But… I supposed it is not my duty to question you guard dog's behavior. (…) I shall go to Washington tomorrow as you instructed. I can hardly refuse your offer, after all" Yoroi turned his back to the mad scientist. But before he departed, he turned his head sideway to give one last gift. "I shall indulge you one piece of information for the benefit of our mutual relationship… professor. (…) I received orders from the head of the Ministry of Intelligence this morning which was also sent to all field agents in Japan. Shirogane… is to be observed. (…!) He has been approached by one of the Five Great Families of the Shogun. As it is our duty… we must investigate him to judge whether he will be a threat or a prominent ally"

Yuuko understood this and suddenly breathed a sigh in return. "So… I guess I couldn't hide him forever, after all"

"No action is being taken at the moment…" Sakon added quickly to prevent a misunderstanding. "We are merely to observe him. Nothing more. (…) Well then. I'd best be going. Until next time… Vice Commander"

**(Takeru's POV) (A-09 Barracks)**

Haaaaaa… in the end I couldn't make it in time for dinner. By the time I reached the PX, everything was already cleaned up and oba san had taken the leftover elsewhere. I slumped my shoulder and headed back to the barracks. At least I'll be able to swallow my hunger down with a bit of tea and a good night's rest. Today has been exhausting and somehow I feel like my meeting with Yuuko and Sumika just drained in the last of my energies.

If only I had one more cup of instant ramen then maybe I would have enough to get through the night. But thanks to my constant consumption and my friends pinching in whenever they could, my supply drained out fast. (Growl…) Haaaaa… thinking of food is just making me even hungrier. I should probably just take a quick shower and sleep. Tomorrow will be another day of 'observing' and I'm sure Marimo chan won't let me off the hook that easily.

Click…

Hmm?

"…!"

"Ha…!"

"Eh? 1st Lt… Tsukuyomi?" What is she doing in front of my room?

"1st Lt. Shirogane. I see you're here… good. I almost believed that you would not appear tonight"

"Did you want something?"

"I planned to leave and come back tomorrow… but I found your room unlocked. Your sense of security is lacking" Geh… that's right. I never learned to lock my door. Even though I kept the key with me, I still never got around doing it myself.

"Sorry… I'll try to improve that habit of mine"

"It's irrelevant now" She replied. "But… in any case… here" Goh! She shoved something heavy onto my chest. "With this… my debt to you is settled" It was a big white box with flower paintings on it. It was about the size of three of my hands and it had a strange aroma coming from it. "It was a rushed job, so do not expect anything fanciful. (Huh?) Take it… with my thanks"

"Huh? Ah… ok" That's odd. For a moment there I could've swore I just saw her blushing. It must be my hunger playing tricks on my eyes. Hmm? Oh there's a note on the box. "A letter? (…!) Whoa!" The moment I mentioned the letter, Tsukuyomi's hands flashed through my sights and took it before I could even react.

She tore the letter to pieces and tucked them away in her pocket. "It is nothing of importance! Since we now have a chance to speak directly, I do not believe a letter would be appropriate"

"Uh… ok…" I replied looking a bit baffled. "So… what is it that you want? Surely you can't be here for a social visit"

"If it's possible… I would like to discuss something with you inside" Discuss something? It sounds important.

"Alright… please come inside. (I appreciate it)"

Uwa… I haven't had a chance to make my bed this morning because Marimo chan got me out early. But that's natural… usually I just leave my bed the way it is for a whole week without even knowing. I guess being messy is a natural habit for guys like me. I placed the box on my table and pulled up a chair for her. It was the only chair I had so I sat on my bed.

"Your room is deplorable" Geh… did you really have to point out the obvious? It's bad enough without people mentioning it. "But as a soldier… cleanliness is the least of your concerns"

"Ahehehe… yeah. Sorry about that" I laughed it off before getting down to our discussion. "So… what did you want to talk to me about?"

"It is something that isn't classified, so there's no need to worry" She explained to me in retrospect. "But I would like it better if no one else heard this. (Uh… of course) Before I begin, I would like to congratulate you on surviving the Sadogashima Campaign. I commend you on the abilities that you've shown thus far"

"Ah… it's nothing great, really. You guys were there too. We wouldn't have been able to win if you guys didn't show up on the last minute"

"We were merely performing our duties as members of the Household Honor Guards. Nothing more. Besides… even if we did support you from the very beginning of the mission, I am certain you would've done fine without us, 1st Lieutenant"

"Ahehe… I'm not that great" That's strange… I feel like her attitude towards me has changed somehow. It's not just the way she addresses me but the way she speaks to me. It's like she lost her edge or harshness towards me… or maybe she's just holding it all in for some reason. "I'm sure there are plenty of people who are better than me"

"Perhaps that is true. (Ahehehe) But if you and I fought… will I win? (Huh?) Nothing. You appear to be modest of your talents… even Lord Ikaruga complimented on your abilities… you should be honored. (Lord Ikaruga?) Hmph… perhaps I was too quick to judge. Though your skills are amazing, you lack common sense in these parts" Well I'm not going to argue with her there. This world is pretty much littered with things that I still don't know or don't understand. All I can summarize that this place is way different from the Earth I came from. Government… major events, people I've known… and we definitely didn't that thing we call BETA. "But nonetheless… you are the one Meiya sama placed her hopes in. Not only that… but Her Highness has also placed a great deal of trust in you. (…) Though you continue to baffle all those around you with your willpower and skill… I still find you… strange"

"Tsukuyomi… I… I'm sorry. (…?) I don't think I'm such an amazing person who you claim me to be. Even with all my powers… I'm still immature to an extent. (…) In Sadogashima… I got caught up with my own emotions I didn't even see that my actions were putting others in danger. I wanted to save the captain so badly that I lost sight to everything else. (…) I almost lost someone precious to me too because of my pride and… I placed Meiya in danger too"

"That is true… you drove your squadron to their limits in that fight… but it brought us victory in the end"

"That doesn't change the fact that I nearly got everyone killed. Yesterday I got lucky but who knows what might happen in the future? In the end… I simply can't protect everyone"

"Perhaps you've forgotten about the things you said to me before, 1st Lt. Shirogane. (Huh?) Did you not say before if you had the power to protect everyone, you would use it no matter what the consequences may be?" I… I said that… yeah. "Back in Sadogashima… I think you've shown me a glimpse of that power. (…?) Perhaps your powers of observation was lacking at the time… but I do not think even Kamiyo can deny on what had happened" What happened in Sadogashima? I don't get it. "I guess you were too busy to notice it but during the time… Lord Ikaruga and most of the Imperial Army were listening in on the open channel that you carelessly left on"

"Geh!" That's right. I think Tama told me about that back in Niigata. Apparently when I was shouting at Yuuko, everybody heard it.

"I do not know which part of that barking of yours was an act but I am certain that every soldier who listened were moved by your words. It brought them courage… it brought them the will to fight once more and it brought them the means to defeat our most hated enemy. In other words… you've given them the strength they needed to protect themselves. (…) The power to protect others doesn't necessarily mean that you need to shield them with your own body… but to make them stand on their own is just the same. You had that power… and you used it without even realizing it yourself"

I… I had it? I really… had that power? I didn't even know…

"Your words alone were enough to make even one of the U.N. Captains, fight to the bitter end with his remaining ships. Though the political parties will not acknowledge it… the soldier who fought there can all agree on one thing: That you were the one who led them to victory"

"Tsukuyomi… san…"

"Ahuhuhu… it is alright to cast away your humility for a little while and accept praise when it is offered. You should be proud of yourself"

"Uuuuu… well if you're right about that then maybe this punishment of mine was the consequence"

"Do not worry. No deed in world is justly rewarded" I can't believe we're actually laughing like this in my room. It feels almost like I've returned to my world again. This is the Tsukuyomi I remember. Kind hearted but strong at the same time. "But if it will soften that broken heart of yours… then please take 'that' as a token for my gratitude" She pointed towards the stack of boxes which I picked up. "I did not know what you would like so I choose something simple"

…

"G… ga… gahhh!" OOooooooohhhh! This… this is… this cannot be!

It's a real… genuine Makunouchi Bento! There I've only seen this popular plate a few times on the subway back in my world but they're often too expensive for a high school allowance! The plate may be small but the contents inside was enough to make me drool. Fish, pork, eggs, vegetables and rice with thinly sliced grains of radish. On the side were sweetfish-sushi and even a dry umeboshi on top! Uwaaaaa! This is it! This is a true bento to be! Ahhhh… just the smell alone is drifting me off to heaven.

"D… don't stare at it too much. It was a rushed work so I did not have enough time to add the final touches"

"Eh? Wait… Tsukuyomi san… did you… make this?"

"Of course. But do not take this to mean anything. I am merely fulfilling my debt to you" Debt? Did she owe me for something? "Judging from your face… you seem to have to forgotten. (Ahehehe…) Haaaa… I cannot tell whether you are competent or incompetent in these matters. But regardless, I did what needed to be done. I should leave now before someone notices me. It would not suit well if we are discovered together, especially here" She's right. An Honor Guard and a U.N. commissioned officer all in the same room? That'll be the headline of the newspaper for sure and I already have enough rumors built around me especially in the PX today. But still…

"W… wait Tsukuyomi san. (…?) Would you like to join me for a little snack? I don't think I'll be able to finish this all by myself"


	39. A Day of Peace and War

**Chapter 39: A Day of Peace and War**

**(December 27, 2001 Wednesday) (U.S.S Mississippi)(South China Sea near the Pratas/Dongsha Island)**

In a remote island a few leagues from the mainland of Asia. A U.S.-U.N. joint fleet was stationed nearby. Doing a little reconnaissance for the good of man. They didn't have the numbers to launch a full invasion but just about enough resource to make a clear sketch of what they would be facing next once they reach the mainland on BETA's home turf.

"This HQ to all squad leaders, report in" The operator ordered to the men on her screen.

"This is Alpha 1. All quiet on our end. No contacts with BETA at the moment. Proceeding to waypoint 3 and continuing scan. We'll report back once we get something"

"This is Charlie 1. We're checking the old city of Hong Kong. It's nothing but a ghost town. The BETA must've done a number on them. Proceeding to next way point"

"Bravo 1 here. We've secured the port area. Most of the things here are still operable. Damaged… but operable. Infantry squads are just about ready to deploy UAV scout-decoys. We'll be joining with Charlie on the next waypoint, over"

"This is HQ, roger that Bravo 1. Proceed to next waypoint"

"This is Falcon Squad. MQ-9 Reapers and MQ-8B Fire Scouts are in the air. Command Post at the port of Hong Kong is set up. Sending visuals now, over"

"Roger that Falcon. We're receiving your signal. Thanks for the view"

"My pleasure, lady. But let's just get this over and done with. I don't like to be on foot especially in BETA country"

"Understood, Falcon. We just need accurate data on the surrounding outskirts. Hold positions on the outpost for further orders. Landing crafts are standing by for extraction if needed. Emergency Response teams are to remain in case something happens. (Roger that)" The operator then turned her head to the captain. "Sir. All squads have reported all clear so far up to waypoint 3. UAVs are deployed and giving us a detailed plot of the area. Should I recall the units back?"

"Send them deeper inland" The skipper answered back. "Tell them not to engage any hostile unless absolutely necessary. We need as much intel on the area to conclude if it's safe for ground forces to land. Have our satellites and unmanned vehicles switch to thermal if it gets too cold out there"

"Aye aye, captain. Switching all cameras to thermal and sending the UAVs further in. All units, proceed into the city and scout out for anything suspicious. (Roger that) Take care, boys"

"What's the situation of the U.N. scout forces?"

"They've just finished establishing a lookout post at the Hainan Island and are moving towards the Leizhou Peninsula. No contacts so far"

"What about our satellite scans?"

"There's… to much interference in the network. I can't get a reading any further inland and the Orbital Fleet in atmosphere is reporting Dark Clouds as well. Possible blind zone caused by an old jamming device left here during the war. They were used to intercept missiles and encrypted transmissions during the war. There are plenty of them littered around and are still active. We found a lot of them in old military bases and such"

"Right then. If our satellites can keep pace then we'll have to place beacons to boost the signal to our scanners. Keep me posted on all new activities"

"Yes captain. This is HQ to Alpha 1. New orders from command: You're to place a beacon on the city to boost our transmission signal"

"This is Alpha 1. Solid copy. Alpha 3. Stay behind and act as our beacon. Boost your signal to max and standby here until we reach the last way point. We'll come and pick you up on our way back"

"Alpha 3, copy. Setting up signal on my location. Don't take too long, captain"

"We'll try. Alpha 1, out"

"Charlie 1 here. Route to waypoint 3 is covered with debris. Moving on to waypoint 4. (Copy that) This city is like a maze. I hate it when we can't use our jump boosters"

"Let's get this done quickly ladies and gentlemen" The captain urged them. "I want this recon mission wrapped up before breakfast. The sun is rising and I don't want to be here when the BETA wakes up"

"Captain…" Another operator called out to him. "We're getting strange readings on the satellite. (…?) It's like a rumbling noise"

"Rumbling?" The skipper raised a brow. "Switch to sonic and motion sensors immediately. Get me a reading, now"

"Aye aye. Switching to motion sensors. (Beep) …! This… can't be right. (What?) I'm reading a large seismic activity from the surface. I've… never seen anything before"

"Sir! We just lost contact with the U.N. recon group at the Qiongzhou Strait. (What happened?) I don't know sir. The line just went dead so suddenly"

"Get in touch with the Filipino Support units. Have them scan the coast line. See if they can get a reading on any other life form. (Aye sir) Have the Emergency Response Team prep for combat. I don't want any more surprises"

"Captain. Seismic activity is going off the scale. We're reading two… no three large sources coming from below Charlie Squad"

"Gaaaaaaahhh!" But their attention was caught quick by a yell of one of their soldiers.

"What was that?"

"Alpha 3, what's the matter? What do you see?"

"They're everywhere! Help m—! (Bzzztt!)"

"Alpha 3? Alpha 3, respond! (Beeeep…) We lost signal from Alpha 3. His exosuit isn't responding!"

"This is Alpha 1. We're heading back to Alpha 3's location. (Roger that!) Come on Peterson. Don't you dare die on me!"

"This is Bravo Squad. Seismic activity is going off the charts! Th… the BETA are below us! (Clang!) Gaaahhh! (Ratatatat!) Huh?"

"You ok, boss?"

"I'm… I'm fine"

"Bravo 1. Report your status"

The man on the other line calmed down a bit before answering. "This is Bravo 1. A Grappler Class just tried to take me down. I think they're moving below ground to avoid detection. I'm reading hundreds of sources"

"Captain! The U.N. fleet is under attack! (What?) Getting a visual… now"

The captain looked up to the large monitor and was horrified to see what was on the other line. He could hear fighting and the camera that was being used was shaking repeatedly.

"This is the U.N. Cruiser, Apolaki. We're under attack by the BETA and are falling back. Our command ship went down on the first wave. We don't know where they came from. They just appeared underground and started attacking us with a giant worm. I'm evacuating all troops from the Hainan Island but we won't be able to provide assistance. If you're reading this, withdraw immediately!" Within seconds, the transmission went dead.

It took a moment for the American Captain to get himself together. "Issue a retreat order, now! (Yes sir!) Have the fleet set on red alert. Move the Mississippi out and ready all guns. Load cluster missiles on salvo 1-4 but do not fire until I say so"

"Roger that! HQ to all units. A retreat order has been issued. Alpha, Bravo, Charlie—head to your evac points immediately! Falcon Team. Pack up and go"

"Falcon Team, solid copy. We're packing up now. We'll be out of here in a minute and—(Rumble) Wh… what the? What the hell was that?"

Raaaaaarrrrr!

All crew members looked out of their windows and saw in the distance a giant worm suddenly poking its head out of the ground. A sinkhole emerged and from it… this creature.

"What in god's name…?"

"Captain! The outpost on Pratas Island is under attack! (What!-?) BETA forces have appeared! They're coming in from the shorelines. They're boarding the Aegis Cruiser!"

"How come we didn't detect them earlier?"

"The cold weather and snow is hampering our thermal sensors. We lost contact with the ground force and they're boarding the smaller vessels!"

"Order all ships to scatter now! Send out the Emergency Response Teams! Tell them to hold the island until we can evacuate as many personnel as possible"

"HQ to Delta Squad. You're clear for launch!"

"Copy that HQ. We're going… (Rumble!) What the?"

"Seismic activity! Below us! (What!-?) A second worm! I repeat, a second worm! Patrol boat Gecko signal lost!"

"Three of them?" The American Captain looked back… baffled.

"Commander, orders?"

…

…

…

"Proceed with Plan D. (Huh?) Relay this message to all ships. Prepare for Scorched Earth. We'll level Pratas Island and Hong Kong down. (…!)"

"But sir… we still have troops stationed there!"

"Order Delta to hold the line for as long as possible and retake the carrier if they are able. I will take full responsibility for my actions. (…) Do it…"

"Aye aye. HQ to all ships, commence with Plan C… I repeat: Commence Plan C"

…

"God forgive me…"

** (Takeru's POV)(Takeru's room) (07:10 AM)**

Shake shake…

Haaaa… just five more minutes… please?

Shake shake…

I don't really want to go to work. I was to sleep in my bed and snuggle in for the rest of the night.

"Hn…" Oh? She stopped? Maybe if I pretend to sleep she'll go away? I got Sumika with that trick one time, maybe it'll work on her. (Ruffle) Eh? Wait… what is…? What is she doing? (Ruffle) Kasumi… she's… climbing onto my bed. (Ruffle) Now she's putting my blanket over her. "Hmm…"

Wiggle…

Ok… I can feel her hands… on my back and… she's rubbing? Ah… ahehehe… ok… this feels… kind of weird but nice. It's kind of relaxing. (Wiggle) Eh? (Wiggle wiggle) What is she… doing now? (Wiggle wiggle… wiggle) Guuuuuuu… (Wiggle wiggle)

"Alright! I'm up! Get off me!" I threw myself off the bed with a panting face. "How's a guy supposed to sleep when someone keeps doing that?"

"Hn…" There she goes again writing on her diary.

"Hey! Kasumi! Are you even listening?"

"Wake up successful…"

"Wha? (Sigh) Never mind. Get out of here before someone else sees you. I already have enough problems of my own and I don't need more misunderstanding than necessary. (Hmph…) Hey!" Why is she being so persistent? Now she wrapped herself with my blanket staying on my bed. "I need to change… so you need to get out of here. (No…) Kasumi… I'm giving you a fair warning. (No…) Geeeeeeeeeehhhhhh! Why you…? Sumika's been teaching you something hasn't she? (…) Alright little lady. I'm gonna… (Knock knock) Geh? Who could that be at this hour? Stay right there. This isn't over"

"Hn…" Guuu… I can feel her laughing behind me. I'll get her for this.

Knock knock…

"Yes what is it!-? (…!) Ah…! (…) Ah… Marimo sen—(Whack!) Ah hey! Wait!" She slapped a piece of paper on my face and bailed before I could even call her name. Her face was bright red and I think she was blabbering something. Ah! No time to think of that. I need to chase her and clear this misunderstanding before it gets any worse. (Tap tap tap tap tap tap tap…) "Marimo sensei! Wait!"

Tap tap tap tap tap…

Damn she's fast. As expected from a former Drill Instructor and Eishi. Even though she was put to training courses she hasn't dropped down her training. But I've had years of training built into me. You were the one who put all this knowledge in my head after all. You can't beat me when it comes to stamina!

…

…

Ok… she's can't beat me in terms of stamina… but when it comes to navigation… I'm at a complete disadvantage. She made so many twists and turns that I can barely keep up. She knew this base better than me and I'm sure she probably knows a few shortcuts that take her from one place to another. But I can't give up now. I have to make sure that I clear this misunderstanding before it gets worse.

…

…

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Guuuuu… damn it. I lost her! I thought I could catch up to her but she mixed herself behind a group of officers going to their morning duties. Haaaa… it's useless. At this rate, I'll just be exhausting myself.

"Oya? Takeru" Huh? Oba san? "What's the matter with you? You look like you've just run a marathon"

"You… could probably say that…" I looked back with a nod. Somehow I found myself at the PX as oba san just finished opening the place up. "Did you see Marimo sensei run through here? (Sensei?) Yeah. I was chasing her but I lost her half way. Did she come through here?"

"I see… no wonder she was running so fast" So she really did come through here. "She passed through here a few seconds ago. But I don't know where she could be now" Damn… she could be anywhere by now. The PX is pretty much connected to every area on the base which makes it a noticeable meeting spot. "So what happened? Did you two have another Lover's Quarrel?"

"Oba san! Please! It's nothing like that at all! I'm just trying to clear a misunderstanding. Please don't go spreading false rumors again! I have enough of it as it is"

"Whaaaaat? So Jinguuji is not your type of girl?"

"Huh? Well… no… I mean. I don't exactly dislike her like that. I mean… she's probably someone who'd be a great girlfriend but I don't think she sees me like that. (Hmm… so you like her?) I won't say that I don't like her. But… she's just someone… who is very precious to me. And I don't want her to feel uncomfortable around me. (Hoooo?) " Geh… I don't like that stare. "Wh… what is it?"

Kyozuka oba san gave out a small laugh. "I see. So she's precious to you, eh? (Very…) I understand. You want to express that feeling but she can't seem to find a way to accept it. You're full of problems today, aren't you?"

"A lot of problems that others just don't understand…"

"Very well…" She returned a satisfied smile. "If you want my advice Takeru… then maybe you should give a peace offering instead. (Peace offering?) My father once told me that nothing says sorry more than a gift. Finding her is one thing but to say you're sorry or to explain a misunderstanding… you need to give her something to calm down" A gift huh? That doesn't sound like a bad idea. "Now hurry up and get to work or you'll just upset her even more. Think hard of what to give her and be sure to let it show that you want to makeup, ok?"

"Yeah… thanks oba san. You've been a great help"

"Heh… kids these days…"

**(Marimo's POV)**

Dig dig… dig dig… dig dig… dig dig…

That was the sound of my heart thumping. I can't stop it. I feel so lightheaded that I think I'm gonna faint.

_"But… she's just someone… who is very precious to me. And I don't want her to feel uncomfortable around me"_

Shirogane… how can you say something like that with a straight face? (Pfff…) My face is so red I can actually feel it blowing steam off my ears.

"Oya… just how long do you intend to hide back there?" Geh!

"S… sergeant Kyozuka…?"

"Geez. I almost feel bad lying to him. I promised to hide you but if I had known what was going on, I would've sold you out right on the spot. (…) So… what are you going to do now? (Huh?) You can't keep avoiding him forever. The boy wants to set something right. If you don't answer him quickly, he might do something extreme. (…) Haaaaa… I don't get you youngsters at all these days. Is it really that hard to love someone else? Take my advice from one lady to another, Jinguuji san. You should act now before it's too late. Otherwise… you'll miss your chance" Kyozuka… san? "Besides… stubborn men like him are extremely hard to come by. I bet some of the girls here would kill for a guy like him. Ahehehehehehe!"

And before I could answer, she was off.

I already know that. But what am I supposed to say exactly? How am I supposed to talk to him after what just happened? Buuuu… my face is going red again. Every time I think of him, I get a huge flush over my cheeks. I can't let this bother me. I have to avoid him for the rest of the day and then I'll probably think of something later on. Yeah… I'll do that.

**(Takeru's POV) (Track field)**

Haaaaaa… this is useless. No matter where I go I'll never be able to find Marimo chan this way. It just goes to show how much I still have to learn. If I keep searching like this, I'll just be wasting energy. Haaaa… it's barely the start of the day and already I'm in a bad mood. I might as well complete my punishment for the day and hope for the best.

Flick…

Hmm… the note that Marimo chan left me is well detailed. All morning classes are lectures from the instructors so I don't have to attend those. In the afternoon I have to observe a mock battle of a new squad who are scheduled to graduate next month to see if they're ready for a real field test. There are also two simulator sessions I have to attend as well. Hmm… I guess I have the morning off for today. Haaa… what a bore. Even the sky seems to be reflecting on my mood today. It's not snowing as bad as yesterday so it's a perfect time to use the outdoor facility.

Swish…

Hmm? What was that? Oh… someone's playing basketball? In this weather? (Swish) Ah… that's a nice sound of a 3 pointer going in through the hoop. Oh… that's Kashiwagi?

"Ha!" Ooooh! A jump shot! (Swish) And it's good! As expected from the point guard of the all-girls basketball team. She was the best player in our school so it's no wonder she's good in this world too. (Thump thump!) Ohhh! Three dribble and shoot! (Swish!) And another 3 pointer! I guess this shouldn't be a surprise to me. "Ara? Shirogane?"

"Huh? Oh… sorry. Was I bothering?"

"No not at all. I was just wondering who was staring at me all this time. It's just you. You play basketball too?"

"Not much" I answered back. I used to play with her a few times but that's pretty much it. "I played with a friend before but that was a long time ago. How about you, Kashiwagi?"

"Actually, I just started today. (Huh?) I was a little bored this morning and since most of the facilities are being used by the cadets I thought I'd take my time here instead. This is actually the first time I played this sport"

"Eh? But you're doing so well. I thought you might've been a professional of some sort"

"Ahehe… don't exaggerate. I never knew I could play this well. It looked fun when I saw it on TV so I thought about trying it out" No way. I thought she'd be playing it forever but the fact that this is her first time means she was gifted from the beginning. Maybe the Kashiwagi in my world is the same too. No wonder I couldn't beat her. She has too much talent. "Oh… by the way. Aren't you supposed to be on duty for punishment today?"

"Yeah. But I got the morning off so I'm fine for today"

"Hooo? It must be nice. (Ahehehe…) Wanna join me for a one-on-one? It'd be nice to go against the Legendary Rookie against something"

"Ahaha… no thanks. Besides, it's almost time for breakfast. I don't want to miss a meal like yesterday"

"Heeeh? Don't tell me you're chickening out now. (…!) Is the great and powerful 1st Lt. Shirogane all talk after all? (Y… you…) I guess he's just too afraid to be beaten by a girl"

"Guuu… you're saying all that… just to get me to play with you?" There's no denying that she's taunting me to play her game. If I backed out now, it'll ruin my pride. But… can I beat her in her own game? "Fine! I'll bite. Bring it on, Kashiwagi!"

"Hoooo? Now this should be interesting"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

We quickly got to our positions and waited for the game to start. I know that I've never beaten Kashiwagi in a game of basketball but this time it'll definitely be different. If my skill behind a TSF can be accumulated through loops then maybe my skill as a basketball player will follow.

"Get ready. I won't hold anything back" Kashiwagi challenged me with the ball in hand. "Best out of ten?"

"You're on! Don't underestimate me. You may have talent but hard work and willpower will always triumph in the end!"

"Talk is cheap. Show me what you've got!" Hehehe… sorry Kashiwagi but I know all your moves. We trained together in gym class and I know that you'll probably fix yourself with your techniques from the mock battle. So this match was mine from the start. "Here I come!" Ora! Ha! You can't break through my defenses that easily. In a battle of endurance, it's my win hands—(Swish)—down? "That's 2 points…"

"Eh? Huh? How did you…?" Wha? How did that happen? I… I blocked her off but then she just gave out a shot and it went right in.

"What's the matter? Did I baffle you?"

"Guuuu! Don't get cocky. I can still catch up. I'll show you my very own Shirogane dunk style that'll leave you speechless. (Bring it…)" Heh… alright. I'll match her time and her speed. And when she's weakened, I charge in and then… Bwah! (Thump!) Ow… I fell…

Swish…

"And that's 4-0. (Guuu…) What's the matter? Giving up already, Shirogane?"

"N… not yet. I was just… getting started, that's all!"

"Hai hai… my turn" Damn it. My legs got tangled up in the moment. I have to focus now. "You can still quit if you want. (Shut up! I can do this) Hehehe… fight to the bitter end. That's the way I like it. Yosh!" Alright calm down. She might be good but if I can read her movements, then it'll be all over. "Hmph!" Yeah… just like I thought. She's moving just like she does in mock battles. First charge is a feint. "Tch!" The second charge will be another feint and then she twists to the other side. "…!" Yes… I can read her moves.

Once she feels cornered she'll take the shot from the best angle she can find. "Oh no you don't!" (WHAM!) I got it!

"Damn it!"

Dribble the ball, aim and then shoot! (Swish) And that's 2 points!

"Ha! I told you I was just getting started"

"Hoooo? I guess the Legendary Rookie does have the skill to back it up after all. Then I guess I don't need to hold back either. (Ok!) Hehehe… don't cry if you lose"

…

…

…

D… damn it all. Even after all that effort I just can't beat her in basketball. She's just too good or too talented. The best I could do then was achieve 6-10. As expected from the most seasoned player in our school. No matter in what universe… there's just no way I can defeat her in this game. Ughh… my hair is all messed up from all that moving around. I didn't even get the chance to clean up for the morning either.

"Hehehe… you're hair looks funny" My competitor added with a bright sunny side up smile. "You almost look like one of those old rock stars with their wacky hair"

"Yeah… all I'm missing now is a guitar and some piercing" I replied jokingly before falling silently onto the cold dirt. Haaaa… it's such a good day. A bit cold but bearable. Right now I wouldn't mind going to the southern islands for another round of Comprehensive Combat Skill Evaluation. At least the weather there would warmer.

"Ora ora… don't go making a sad face. Here…" Oh… bancha tea. "I got some when we were at Niigata the other day. They're not bad, once you get used to their taste. It's a lot better than that synthetic juice they give us every day" That's true. The synthetic juice had some measure of taste but all it really had was the protein and vitamins. At the moment, health was more of a necessity than luxury. "But… I guess you could say that we're the lucky ones"

"Hmm?"

"We might not like the food they give us, but I can only imagine how the regular people get by every day" She's right. Food is prioritized to the soldiers fighting on the battlefield. Civilians are of a secondary concern. I can only imagine those people getting by with just enough to live. That's also the reason why there are so many squatters around the country. Soldiers like us get to have second and maybe even a third serving but I wonder what a regular citizen would have for his daily meal. "Ah… sorry. I guess I'm making you even more depressed"

"No… not at all. (Ahehe…) What about your brothers, Kashiwagi? (Hmm?) How are they getting by?"

"Don't worry. I made sure they're well taken care of before I left. They won't starve. We exchange letters from time to time so I don't have any worries. What about you, Shirogane? Do you have anyone out there you send letters to?"

"No… not really" It's not the fact that I don't have any friends out there. It's just that… everyone I know or supposed to know are all here… in this base.

"I see… I guess I shouldn't intrude on your privacy. The captain told me once that worrying can be a distraction. So I try not to think about them whenever I can. Otherwise it might stray my thoughts from the mission. (…) But… I guess you could say I'm a little worried about them right now. (Huh?) I thought that when the new weapon worked perfectly in Sadogashima, it would exempt them from the draft. But instead, it worked against me. Thanks to the success of the XG… the U.N. and Imperial Army is seeing an increase in recruitments and volunteers" Oh yeah… I heard about that. Ever since the XG was made into an official weapon, there has been a steady increase of recruits this month alone.

I guess a lot of people are beginning to believe that we might actually have a realistic chance of winning this war. Sumika not only destroyed the greatest threat on the Japanese borders but also wiped out all uncertainty in people's minds. With ALTERNATIVE V completely destroyed… humanity can finally join together in a unified attack against the BETA. I heard from Yuuko that the XG was being mass produced in preparing for a massive counterattack against the aliens stationed in Asia. If we attack using these new weapons then it might just be possible for us to achieve total victory in just a few weeks.

But still… that kind of an attack will only result in massive casualties on both sides. Even if we do defeat the BETA, there won't be enough humans left to rebuild Earth. Yuuko made it clear that the plan would only be implemented if the U.N. Council finds our progress to be insufficient. For that reason alone… we have to be victorious no matter what. Kashiwagi is fighting… and she'll be fighting even harder to make sure that her brothers would not be needed in this war.

"That's alright… Kashiwagi. (…?) As long as you survive out there… I'm sure your brothers will be just fine. I don't know what I can do to help but if there's anything I can do. Anything at all then don't hesitate to ask. After all… we're all fighting so that other people don't have to… right?"

"Heh… you're starting to sound more like the captain"

"Ahehehe. I'm still leagues below her. But I'll catch up to her eventually"

"Hehehehehe… (What's so funny?) Now I see why Munakata is so fascinated by you. (Huh?) If you keep this up… I might actually want to go out with you. (Geh!) Just kidding. Besides… I don't think as much chance as the other girls. (Huh?) Nothing. Just be sure not to break any hearts while you're at it, Shirogane"

**(A-09 Barracks)**

I got back to the barracks a few minutes later on to change into my uniform. Kasumi was gone by then so it was uneventful at best. Hmm… I still have time for a quick breakfast. I have nothing to do until the afternoon so I might as well eat till my heart's content. (Thump!) (Kya!) Ow! Who in the…? I bumped onto someone. I've been bumping into people a lot these days. It's like a natural habit of not watching where I'm walking.

"Sorry. I wasn't paying atten—Captain?"

"Ah? Shirogane?" It is! It's Captain Isumi! "Watch where you're walking next time"

"Sorry about that. I was just… lost in thought for a second" I helped the captain back on her feet. But I have to admit—that was a rather girly sound she just made there. That 'kya' noise sounded so feminine that you'd have a hard time believing that it was from her. "But when did you get back to Yokohama base? They said that you were still hospitalized"

"I just came back yesterday. Early release. (Oh…) I've been making rounds, making sure everyone was doing alright. I can see that you're still energetic as always. (Ahehehe…) Be sure to keep that strength up. Try not to be a burden to anyone again, understand? (Yes ma'am) Oh… I also met with the head engineer. He says that you need to see him concerning your Shiranui. (Geh!) He's saying that this is the third time you've wrecked a TSF. He was already complaining my ears off it"

"Ahehehe… I have no excuse, ma'am…" I almost forgot about it. My Shiranui was completely wrecked when we left Sadogashima. I blew off its right arm to stop the worm and melted most of its circuitries down to crisp. I'm actually surprised that I was able to get it up to HQ at all. By the time we got back to base, the head mechanic gave me an earful about it and said that if I keep doing this, then he'll have to file another shipment of parts straight from the factory.

"Well anyway. I'm being called to the command center for debriefing. Tell the others I said hi whenever you see them. (Yes ma'am) I have to go now. I'll see you later, Shirogane"

"Yes ma'am" And… there she goes. I'm amazed. Even after going through a mission as tough as the one she did on Sadogashima, she's still maintaining herself not to become a hindrance to the team. I guess she isn't the leader of the Valkyrie Squad for nothing. She has a quality unlike any other. She almost reminds me of Marimo chan sometimes. But… I guess I should be glad about this. With both the Captain and Kashiwagi still alive it only strengthens my resolve to see this world through. History can change… and so can the future. I'm changing the events of this world one at a time and saving more lives than I dared hope.

This only goes to show that what I'm doing isn't a waste of time. That the BETA can be defeated and as long as I keep this resolve… then there's no doubt in my mind that I can win this. I will change the world and save mankind!

**(TSF Hanger)**

Haaa… the hangers. It feels like awhile since I've been here even though it's only been a day. All of our TSFs were lined up neatly by the maintenance bays undergoing minor repairs from our last mission. All of them looked exceptionally well, except mine which was being worked on by a handful of workers. It looks almost like it's been handled up by a wrecking ball and blown in head first with a full blown air raid. Hehehe… it kind of reminds me of my first Fubuki during the coup. Heh… it feels almost nostalgic.

"Hmm? Takeru?"

"Huh? Meiya? What are you doing here?"

"That's supposed to be my line. Aren't you supposed to be on your punishment right now? Don't tell me that you're skipping"

"Ah… no. I have the morning off today. I'm just here to make sure my TSF is back on working order for our next mock battle"

"Oh that's right. I heard the mechanics complaining how roughly you handled them. (Ahehehe…) You must take pity on the workers here. Replacing parts and machines is not easy especially with our resources strained as it is. But… I guess I cannot complain. Your skills are just so well refined that even the machine such as those cannot handle it"

"Ahehehehe… don't say that. You'll make me blush"

"I am merely stating the truth. After all… it is the duty of the Eishi to give it his all on the battlefield. It is simply your reckless ways of doing things that create such damage. Even having Ayamine throw you across the field is considered dangerous in its own right" Hehehe… well that's true. Ayamine's Space Tornado Throw is a unique way of flying high into the sky and landing on your back. I guess that's how my arm got destroyed so easily to begin with. "This is no laughing matter. You should care of your machine as it is your own life. Otherwise it might not protect you when you need it most"

"Well I guess that's true. But as long as I complete my mission, it's all good, right?"

"You make it sound so simple…" I throw another laugh at her. "Ahuhuhu… but I guess that is just how you are. Ever since you've arrived, you've always taken the simple route. Though they were easy… it was how you executed them that made the difference"

"Hey you're praising me again"

"It is merely the truth" Ahehe… ah I'm blushing. Getting showered with praises from Meiya of all people is making my skin feel funny. "I am certain that one of these days, the cadets will be talking about your talents in years to come"

"Heh… you're making me sound like a hero"

"Then perhaps that is the best way to describe you. (Eh?) Perhaps you are the hero this world has been waiting for, Takeru. Huhuhu. Oh… and before I forget. Thank you…"

"Huh? For what?"

"For finally teaching me what it is that I must do" Huh? What does she mean by that?

"2nd Lt. Mitsurugi…" One of the mechanics approached us with a file in hand. "They're ready to start the procedure. Please sign here"

"Of course. Thank you for your hard work"

The mechanic nodded and headed off. "What was that about, Meiya?"

"Oh… I simply wanted to add an aesthetic view of things"

Whirrrr…

I heard the machineries move up one of the units in the hanger. "Hey… wait a second. Isn't that the Takemikazuchi! (Correct…)" What is she planning to do with that monstrous machine?

"Alright. We're ready over here! Paint it up!"

Ah! No way! They're… painting over the Takemikazuchi! The purple haze is slowly being removed and replaced with a light blue glow. A standard color for U.N. TSFs.

"Purple was never my color to begin with…" Meiya added looking like she was just parting with something precious.

"Is this why you've been hanging out in the hanger all day yesterday? (Nod…)But… are you sure about this? To paint it over like that?"

"The TSF was a gift to me. Therefore I have every right to do whatever I wish with it. (…) The next time we sortie… I will be riding it" Riding it? That thing!-? (Flash) I haven't seen her use the Takemikazuchi since Operation Ouka. That thing was 10 times… no… 50… no… a hundred times more powerful than a Shiranui. I've seen it work on the field with Tsukuyomi and the Three Idiots and they dominated the battlefield faster than you can breathe. And I fought alongside with one during the battle of Sadogashima. Even with all my skills, the specs of that machine outlast my own. It was fast, strong and downright scary even if it was on our side.

"But… I don't understand. What made you decide to use it? I thought you wouldn't use it no matter what"

"You did…" Huh? Me? "You changed my view in things. Back in Sadogashima… when we went to rescue Captain Isumi from the BETA… something in your voice moved me. (Huh?) You were planning on storming the BETA horde even at your current condition. You wanted power above everything else to save someone… yet… you knew you were lacking. (…) I too sought power to protect that which I cared the most… yet all this time… it has been with me… just within reach. (…) Ever since then… I've been asking myself. If I had used this machine in Sadogashima… would I have been able to save more lives than I did before"

"Meiya…"

"Ah… forgive me. I'm merely prattling on what ifs. I must be boring you"

"Not at all. But… I thought you didn't want to be treated any differently from the others"

"If this machine will make others look at me differently… then I shall bear it. (…?) It is a shame I will bear if it means I will be able to save more lives because of it. (…) I have already submitted the necessary documents to my unit transfer. My Shiranui will remain here on standby just in case so there's nothing to worry" It looks like she's made up her mind about this.

"Well… it seems like whatever I say will just be empty words. If this is what you really want… then I don't see any reason why I should stop you. (Thank you… I am grateful) No need. I didn't really do anything important"

And in a matter of minutes, the Takemikazuchi was successfully repainted. The thick smell of tonner was in the air but I know that Yuuhi wouldn't complain. Heh… if only this war was over… maybe those two can really catch up on things.

Hmm?

That's…! That's Marimo chan! There's no doubt about it. No one else in this base has that kind of posture. I burned it solely to my mind so I wouldn't forget. She must be here on another one of her duties. This is good. If I can clear things up with her then all the misunderstanding will go away.

"Marimo sensei! (Ah! Sh… Shirogane!) I'm glad I found you. I was looking for—ah hey! Wait!" The moment she saw my face she bolted off like a rocket.

"Was that… 1st Lt. Jinguuji?" Meiya looked at me with a questionable eye. "Why was she running all of a sudden?"

"It's a long story. Anyway I have to catch up with her. Later Meiya. See you at lunch!"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Tap tap tap tap tap tap…

Aha! There she is! "Wait! Marimo sensei! Stop! (…!) Wait! Why are you running!-? I just want to talk!" D… don't make me run like this! I just played basketball with Kashiwagi and I'm still exhausted from it. "Marimo sensei! Stop! Come back!" Damn it… there's no way I'm letting her slip by this time. I'll chase her down even if it kills me! She doesn't want this rumor to escalate anymore than I do so why in the heck is she avoiding me!-? Gahh! I'll just get those answers when I catch her. (Fwup!) Ah! She took a turn to the PX. There's no way she'll…

Bwah!

What the heck? The whole place is packed! Why is it crowded like this now? What time is it?

09:30 AM

That means that roll call is over. Which means that the cadets will be filling this place for breakfast. Terrific. I guess Marimo chan knew about this so she ran in here. There are four possible exits from the PX. One is where I'm standing. Another leads to the barracks, the other two leads to the courtyard and the mail room. There's no way I'll be able to find her in all this mess. Not unless someone can point me to where she might've went.

"Oya, Takeru. You here for breakfast?"

"Ah… oba san!"

"You skipping out on your training today?"

"Ahehehe… no. I just have the morning off. (Really?) Yeah. Anyway, I'd love to stay for breakfast but I'm still looking for Marimo sensei"

"Ehhhhh? You're still looking for her? I thought you'd find each other by now. (Sorry) But now that you mentioned it. I think I remember seeing her running through here a second ago. (…! Really?) Yup. She was in a bit of a rush. Didn't even stop by to say hello. I think she went through the barracks. If you hurry you might still catch her"

"Yes! Thank you oba san! I owe you one!" If she just came through I can still catch up. The hallway leading there is pretty long and she might take a break in the corner. Right… I can still make it!

**(Marimo's POV)**

Tap tap tap tap tap tap…

And off he went. Phew… that was too close. If he'd gotten any closer he would've seen me for sure. Luckily I was able to mix myself in the crowd and hide under the PX booth before he came. There's simply no way I can outrun him at his current speed… and his stamina is beyond normal that's for sure.

"Just how long do you intend to stay down there?" Geh… Sergeant Major Kyozuka called out to me. "Goodness. You're starting to make me a liar Jinguuji san. (Sorry…) I don't understand why you can't face that boy at all. All he wants to do is talk to you. There's nothing to be scared about"

"I'm not scared Kyozuka san… I just… don't really know how to respond"

"What's so hard to respond? You either answer him or at the very least, just listen to him. (…) Takeru is a good kid. A little childish at times but a good kid nonetheless—the kind that you don't see very often around here. I can tell just by looking at him that he wouldn't hurt you. If you don't face him soon, there's no telling what he might do"

"I'll… try to keep that in mind"

"Geez. And here I thought young love was nothing but beautiful. Now I see that it's so complex. I'm glad I'm not you. (Guuuu…) But take my advice to heart: Talk to the boy. If you don't then I'll rat you out the next time I see you. I'm not going to lie to him for you anymore, got it?" Guuu… why do I feel like I'm being scolded by my own grandmother?

"But… I don't know what I'm supposed to say to him. (…) I'm not familiar with love life Kyozuka san"

"Is this what it's all about? So you're just afraid?"

"No of course not"

"Jinguuji san. I've lived long enough to see people afraid of things they don't quite understand. But the question right now is… are you afraid of what might become… or are you simply afraid of his answer?" Huh? "Goodness. Young love nowadays. In my time, boys would come with nothing more but flowers and their own guts to confess to someone. The only thing us women had to do is stand there and say yes or no. We either break their hearts or answer to their feelings. It was so simpler back then"

"O… oba san. That makes us girls sound really evil"

"Oh but it's the truth. It's the good part of being on the receiving end of things. You either catch it or break it" For some reason, that sounds really old school. "Now go out there before he comes back. I expect to hear good things when you two makeup"

"Yes… I'll… try…"

I know I said that but what exactly am I supposed to do? I kept avoiding him for the past few hours and meeting him directly will be too confrontational. What if I… accidentally meet him on purpose? No that wouldn't work. Haaaaa… I'll have to think this over. If I remember correctly, he'll be observing the first mock battle of Cadet Squad 305 right after lunch. I don't have anything to do until then so I might be able to catch him during his working hours. No that won't work. Thinking like this will only exhaust me. It'll be best if I just avoid him for the entire day and speak to him tomorrow when I have time.

**(Takeru's POV) (Barracks)**

Damn it! I lost her! I was sure I'd be able to catch up but she must've reached the crossing before I did. Now I'll never be able to find her like this. Haaaa… maybe I should wait until lunchtime before I meet up with her. That way I'll at least know where she'll be.

WHACK!

Yeow! Who the hell hit me?

"Yo, why the long face, Shirogane?" Eh? Hayase? "Did you lose something?"

"Haaa… in a matter of speaking, yes. But Hayase san… can you change your greeting style? That smack on the back would've really hurt if you applied more pressure"

"What's with that attitude? My subordinates aren't that weak willed. As a Storm Vanguard, you should consider yourself at the peak at all times. We can't have you going about looking so low like that. It'll ruin your image as the legendary rookie too. (Yes ma'am) I know. How about you and I go for another mock battle spar? I'll rekindle that spirit of yours back in no time! (No thanks) Tch… you're no fun" The last thing I want is another mock battle with her. The first and last time we sparred, we nearly tried to kill each other. If it weren't for Cpt. Isumi, one of us might've ended up in the infirmary.

"There's no way I can match up with your enthusiasm, Hayase san. Besides… I'm still on duty"

"Ah… yeah. I completely forgot that you still have your punishment. Must be rough to be a teacher so soon after graduating"

"Tell me about it…"

"So what are you looking for around here?" She asked out of curiosity.

"Actually… I was looking for Marimo sensei"

"Marimo? You mean 1st Lt. Jinguuji? (Yeah) Why are you looking for her?"

"I need to talk to her about a certain misunderstanding. (Misunderstanding?) It's a long story" A really—really long story. One that I don't even know where it begins or ends. "Anyway, you wouldn't happen to see her run through here, would you?"

"Nope. I just got out of my room. But you sure get intimate with people. Calling them by their names like you're their close friend"

"Ah… yeah sorry. It's just that I feel like I've known her for awhile now" Longer than most people that's for sure. I still call Ayamine by her last name because Kei just sounds so… intimate. Even after we started dating in the other world I still call her by that name.

"Heeeeh? Then why don't you call me by my name. (Eh?) Go on. Say it…"

"But… isn't that a little too close?"

"Come on. We both risked our lives out there on the battlefield. I don't think we can get any closer unless you and I were dating. (Geh!) Ora! Don't go blushing like that. You'll make people misunderstand things. I'm only saying that if you really wanted to, I wouldn't mind you saying my name"

"Eh? But isn't that a little too close?"

"Like I said. If you wanted to. But we'll leave it like this for now. (Ahehe…) That aside, you wanna head to the PX? I'm sure we can get an early breakfast if we wanted"

"I'd love to… but I still need to try and look for Marimo sensei"

"Ara… it looks like I got turned down. (Geh!) Just kidding. But I hope you find her. I'll see you the next time we have a mock battle. Hopefully the captain will let us fight again" That's what I'm afraid of. Anyway this isn't the time. I have to find Marimo chan as fast as possible and end this misunderstanding before it gets worse. Think… where would she be around this time? As an instructor she wouldn't dare miss one of her classes so she'll probably make it there. Uh… of course! The schedule she gave me has everything listed on. She said before that she'll be handling all lectures regarding BETA and TSF handling for cadets since she's already done them before.

Therefore… she'll definitely be in one of the next class by morning. I only need to find out which one.

Right… all lectures are being handled in the east wing… that's where the old school building used to be. I'll catch her there for sure!

**(Command Center)**

But while Shirogane was off busying himself with his love life, those at the lower levels of the base were having a heated discussion about the situation around the world.

"Sorry I'm late" Isumi apologized to her co-worker as she entered the quiet command center to listen in on a report that just came in a few minutes ago. "I had something to do at the office"

"It's alright" Yuuko noted waving it off as another excuse. "We're just about to start" Every high ranking officer was there. Even General Radhabinod, the base's CO was present. Only by looking at their faces, Isumi knew that something big was going on.

"I thank you all for coming on such short notice" the General began. "We don't have much time to discuss this so I'll get straight to the point" Every officer tensed at his words. He had that kind of impact to people. "Earlier this morning at around 0300 hours, with the approval of the U.N. Council, a joint recon force of both the United Nations and the United States has made landing at the South China Sea. This mission was tasked to the troops we had stationed in the Philippines to scout a suitable entry point for our future operations in Asia. The possible entries are the Hainan Island, the old Capital of China, Hong Kong and Leizhou Peninsula. However… approximately 90 minutes after they secured the area, the recon teams encountered an attack from the BETA at an unprecedented level"

"…" The officers in the room remained silent, continuing to listen to the commander's words.

"The BETA launched a full scale counterattack and wiped out all our ground forces in just a matter of minutes. None of the troops stationed in Hainan… survived. (…) The U.S. Navy was able to salvage the situation by launching a full naval strike on the BETA concentrated areas. From their last transmission, they confirmed 3 large potential targets that can pose threat to our future operations here on the mainland" Lt. Piatif then distributed a number of photos to the high ranking officers to let them know what they were dealing with. "It's been confirmed that the new strain of BETA which was first sighted during the Sadogashima Campaign was also part of the counterattack. At least three of them have been sighted during the recon mission"

"…!" Hushed words and disturbing thoughts were passed around one another like a gossip forum. It was obvious that everyone was nervous about this situation. Well… all except for Yuuko who remained silent at the moment.

"One of the U.S. Ships is now monitoring the BETA movement underwater and judging by their speed and their course… they will be arriving on the northern coast of the Philippines in a matter of hours. (…) Our forces there will be mounting a full on defense to protect the capital city and the rural areas but so far no outbreak has occurred yet. Also… our intelligence also states that this particular group of BETA is different from the rest. (…?)"

"Different?" Isumi muttered quietly to herself as she continued to listen in.

"Different, how sir?" One of the officers in the room asked.

"Other than the new strain of BETA which we will now call the 'Carrier' Class, this particular group of BETA appears to be more intelligent than what we've encountered so far. (…!)" Yuuko's expression changed for a second there. "As our previous battles with the alien life forms, they've done nothing but attack relentlessly with numbers but this group seems to be following more specific orders. (Beep)" The screen behind the General changed into a system of red dots following a much larger dot in the center. "The BETA that has been traveling in the South China Sea is moving at a fixed rate. Before, the Destroyers, which are the fastest of the BETA can reach the speed of 170km/h, are the first to reach our battle lines. But this group appears to be moving at a fix speed of 50km/h. Each of them is moving to match the speed of the Carrier which they are following. (…) On further note we also scanned that they are moving in an Arrowhead Formation. The forward lines consist of Destroyers, behind them are the Grapplers and Tank Class. At the center of the formation are the small and heavy Laser Classes. And finally, covering the flank and the rear are the large Fort Class. We can also assume that a large number of Warriors and Soldier Class will be present"

"…" Again the officers began to mutter amongst themselves thinking that this might just some coincidence. But all evidence seems to be solid. They can't deny the fact that the BETA are indeed getting smarter. It was a horrifying revelation to all of them.

"Do we have the exact numbers of BETA that are attacking?"

The General closed his eyes as if in thought and took a deep breath before answering. "From what we've heard… the BETA numbers appear to be roughly 700,000 in numbers. (…!)"

"Do we have a defense plan?"

"Our intelligence groups are looking for a solution but as of the moment we are to provide aid for the troops stationed in the Philippines. The commanding officers in the country are preparing every possible contingency they can think of. They're also ordering the rural areas to be evacuated as soon as possible. If worse comes to worse, we will use all our available resources to assist them evacuate civilians to Japan. Until we are certain of the enemy's movements we will not publicize this information. The U.N. 11th Pacific Army will remain on standby until then. Dismiss…"

"Sir!" After the officers gave their formal salutes they quickly grabbed their notes and headed off. Isumi followed not too far but glanced back when she noticed Yuuko still there with her arms folded together.

The mad scientist was deep in thought, looking at the screen as if deciphering a riddle hidden in one of Leonardo da Vinci's masterpiece. She knew that the BETA were acting strange but this goes beyond what she imagined. With such numbers going up against such a small force stationed in the Philippines, it seems almost too obvious.

"What do you make of this, Professor Kouzuki?" Radhabinod asked after making sure everyone was out of earshot.

The mad scientist gave out a soft sigh in return. "I have a few theories but no solid evidence so far. (…) Were you expecting me to have the answer, General?"

"Ahaha… I apologize. It's just that with your recent successes, you seem like the person to turn to at a time like this"

"Heh. The XG was an American idea. The 00-Unit is my greatest creation. I simply put two and two together. (…) But I must say that this is unexpected. (Hmm?) In the past decade humanity has been fighting against the BETA, they've always resulted to using the same strategy against us: Swarming us with overwhelming numbers. But now they're moving together… in formation. This can't be a coincidence"

"Then what do you think, professor?"

"The most logical theory I can think of right now is that the BETA… are finally taking us seriously. (…?) During the ALTERNATIVE III plan, we've learned that the BETA does not consider humanity as a life form in its own. In other words they consider us to be less than nothing"

"Are you saying they're second guessing us?"

"That might be. It's the only logical theory I can think of right now. After we toppled one of their Hives to the ground… they're confused and probably scared as well. (Scared?) Perhaps I shouldn't compare humans to BETA. But the human's first reaction to think they don't understand is fear. They don't know what it is or what it's capable of doing. They fear it and through that emotion they will try to destroy it. Humans are such ignorant creatures"

"Hehehe… perhaps you're right in that manner, professor"

"Now the BETA are considering us to be more than nothing. I don't know whether I should consider that a good thing for humanity"

"We will consider all options, open for now. (…) I'll have our fleet on standby just incase"

"Wait… General" Yuuko stopped him before he reached the door. "Has the U.N. Council approved of a final solution to this threat?"

Radhabinod gave out the third sigh that day. He knew that nothing would get through Yuuko no matter how hard you try to hide it. "If the defense force in the Philippines fail… they will have no choice but to unleash a payload of SD-11 units from the Orbital Fleet, leveling everything on the island country. I'm sure you already expected this"

"Yes… of course. Thank you for being honest"

The old soldier gave her a small laugh. "You would've find out even if I didn't tell you, professor"

**(Sumika's Room)**

"Hnnn…" Sumika woke up late that afternoon… or at least she believed it was afternoon considering she was buried underneath a base. The room she was in offered no comfort whatsoever. It was windowless, lifeless… just like the rooms of the other soldiers here in the base. The only difference was the giant security lock door that would weigh as much as a tank.

She looked around, noticing that she was still in her bed and Kasumi sitting by her side reading a book with a familiar title: A City with No People.

"Good morning…" the bunny haired girl greeted when she noted the red head stirring from her sleep.

"Ah… Kasumi chan… good morning" Sumika replied weakly to her, still feeling exhausted even after sleeping for over 24 hours straight. "Were you… here with me… all day long? (Nod…) I see. Thank you. (…) Did… Takeru chan… visit me today?" Kasumi paused for awhile before shaking her head in response. "I see. I guess he must be busy with other things too. (…) Ah… there's no need to worry Kasumi chan. You don't need to get him. I'm sure when he has time… he'll come. He's that kind of person after all…"

"…" Kasumi looked sadly at the poor weakened girl sitting there. It was heartening to see such a young girl bear such a heavy burden on this world and the only thing clinging her onto such a bleak existence was a boy who loved her truly.

"Kasumi chan… do you mind reading to me that book you have there?"

Obviously, she was just trying to change the subject but Kasumi didn't want to point that out. With a soft gentle smile, she turned back the page and began reading ever so slowly to her long time friend.

"In this city… there are no people" She began in a low toned voice. "The lights are on in all the houses. But there's nobody on the streets. Are there people inside? I peek into the window to find out. There are people. But they are with **_them_**. I look in the other houses. There are people with **_them_**, too. This city… is just like all the rest" Kasumi leaned back and showed Sumika the pictures on the book. "Being with **_them_** is fun. More fun than being with people. Nobody comes outside anymore. There are no people in this city"

"No people…" Sumika muttered out softly before returning her head to the pillow provided to her.

Kasumi paused for a moment, trying to decipher what her friend was saying but quickly brushed it away and continued. "I will leave this city and go to another one. I hope that I will meet someone. Someone just for me. But if that special someone falls in love with me… I will have to leave that someone"

"Leave…"

"Even so, I want to meet that special someone. This… is what I think as I leave the city… with no people"

_'A City with No People Vol. 1'_

_-From the anime/manga: Chobits-_

**(Takeru's POV) (Training Field Command Post)**

Haaa… in the end I couldn't find Marimo chan anywhere at all. I looked at all the obvious places for her to be but no dice. I even checked the places she was supposed to be but they were all replaced with fakes. She must've seen this coming and changed the names of the instructors on my schedule as well. What cheek!

Haaaa… but there's no point crying over spilled milk. I'll just have to quit my search until the afternoon when all classes are dismissed. She's bound to show up.

But right now I'm stuck here observing the mock battles between teams that are still trying to get used to the XM3 system. The new OS makes all the controls more sensitive. These guys are still overbearing with the difference between the old and new. As I think about it now, it's kind of surprising how something from a video game was able to make all the difference here. You'd think parents would say that these things are bad for children. If only they knew that it would now be saving the lives of billions out here.

"04, damage on cockpit and energy supply, unit destroyed. Stand down" The instructor the team stated out to the screen. It reminded me a lot of the time when I first had my mock battles with the rest of the team. Hehehe… thankfully with the power of the new OS, I was able to save us, two weeks of training. Class rep and Ayamine often fought and even during the match they would argue, making it completely impossibly to synchronize with themselves. On our first mock battle ever… I had to handle Meiya's team all on my own because those two can't agree with anything. Back then I barely had the skill to pilot a TSF and it was near physically impossible for me to fight against 3 at the same time.

This team however seems to be working well with one another. It almost feels like I don't even need to observe them to know what they're capable of. As far as I can tell they earn nearly perfect score.

"Ah Takeru"

"Hmm? Oh… Mikoto and… Ayamine?" That's an odd pair. "What are you two doing here?"

"We heard that you were helping out with the instructors on the base so we came to see if it was true. (Ahehe) But I'm surprised. I never thought I'd see the day when you'd be teaching others, Takeru"

"You're not the only one. Becoming a teacher was probably the last thing I have on my agenda. But I'm mostly just doing observational work. Nothing complicated. (Heeeh?)"

"In other words… you're just for show" Gah! "…useless furniture…" Guuuu! Ayamine!

"D… do you really have to put it like that?" I asked feeling a little imaginary stab on my stomach.

"Now now, Kei chan. Remember: We're here to support Takeru, not make his life harder"

"Hmph… no fun at all" Grrrrr… why do I get the feeling of hitting someone right now? "Here… (Huh?)" She handed me something that looks like a…

"Oh… wait. Isn't this Yakisoba Bread?" I asked.

Ayamine showed me a confident grin and a thumbs-up. "Experiment number 200… successful" Experiment? Oh wait… I remember. She was experimenting on how to make the perfect Yakisoba Bread on the rooftop a few days ago. She was mixing up sauce, meat and bread altogether to make the ultimate snack. Are you telling me that this is her 200th experiment? "It's perfect…"

"Eh? What are you talking about?" Mikoto looked at both of us feeling a little puzzled. "What is that thing?"

I ignored her and kept my gaze on the treat she handed to me. I already told her the perfect one but this one looks kind of messy.

"Do not judge because of appearance" Ayamine added as if she's reading my mind. "Taste and discover the truth…"

"Hmm… alright. I'll take your word for it" I probably shouldn't eat while on duty but the people in the command post are barely even noticing me. They're too focused on their work to even bother with the superior officer like me. Ok… here goes.

Chomp!

…

…

…

"Takeru? Are you alright?" Mikoto looked to me as I took my first bite and paused as if I was deep in thought.

…

…

…!

"Ayamine… (…) This is… (Hnn…)… the…" I raised my shivering hand to her shoulder as I spoke softly at her face. "…best experiment you've ever done…" No… it's perfect! It's too perfect! The moment I put it in my mouth, my brain shutdown for almost ten seconds and all my brain cells went into savoring the taste on my tongue. It was THE perfect Yakisoba Bread! The meat outside was just for show. The moment you sink your teeth in you can feel the tender synthetic meat inside just squishing together in your mouth. The noodles hid all the onions and added ingredients like they were mashed together therefore not filling your mouth. The sauce in it was enough to make it watery but not enough to spill onto your shirt when you eat. And the more you get to the center… the tastier it gets!

"T… Takeru! You have a weird look you…!"

"Ayamine. Please continue on with your experiment. That… is a direct order from you superior. (Understood…) (Eh?) Now excuse me while I send myself off to heaven…"

"T… Takeru wait! You can't go off to heaven just yet! Ah! Someone help! His soul is leaving his body!"

"Shirogane's seal of approval… recieved…"

**(Marimo's POV) (TSF Hanger)**

Maintenance training. It's been awhile since I last supervised one. It hasn't been long since I was promoted into the service but it feels like forever since I last had a class with cadets. Maybe it's because squad 207 graduated a few years earlier than I expected. They were a special group. Though they had their flaws they eventually managed to pull themselves together when they needed it most. Heh… it actually feels kind of nostalgic to look at these cadets learn how all the equipments are handled by the mechanics. Everyone had trouble on their first try but with enough dedication and hard work they can overcome anything. But of course that kind of traits doesn't apply to him… (Flash)

Ugh… why do I have to remember him now of all times? I try to keep him out of my head but no matter what I do I just can't get his face to leave me. Haaaa… it must be because of what Sergeant Major Kyozuka said to me. I know that I can't avoid Shirogane forever… it's just that… whenever I see him he's just so… mysterious. (Flash) I remember the first time when Yuuko brought him to me a few months back with his transfer documents. She asked me to monitor his movements and report any strange behavior whenever I can. I thought it was just some monitoring duty. I wasn't afraid to expose Yuuko's suspicion to Shirogane since it wasn't an official mission.

I had a lot of free time since I only had one squad to train. So to continue my investigation I looked through his file in the archives. It had everything from his birthday, birthplace and even his old residential address. Apparently he used to live in Hiiragi Town right next to Yokohama Base. There was a report that he moved before the retaking of the mainland. From there on there was nothing suspicious. His parents died and he had no living relative to speak of. His last address before conscription was a residential apartment in a small rural town near Kyoto.

But what came after didn't make sense. His history background was missing a lot of chapters. It's like no one has done a background check on him at all in the past. But that's normal for cadets like him. Most cadets who joined are only cross-referenced through the wanted list and then cleared. The U.N. doesn't turn its back on new recruits, especially good candidates that are willing to work for food.

However… I knew immediately that Shirogane was a special case because of how Yuuko accepted him so. He addresses the 'Vice Commander' as 'sensei' and speaks to her like she was an old acquaintance. I thought it was weird since I know most of the people that Yuuko knows. I think it was from the moment I began training him that my fascination of the boy took place.

Shirogane was different. He was stronger, faster and more skilled than all my cadets put together in their prime. I heard that he had been in fights before but I never thought of anything but street brawls in his time. The boy was already trained before I even put him through my curriculum. He knew everything in the textbook before I state them and can give the most logical and efficient strategy for any situation. And of course, who can forget the fact that he is a genius behind a TSF? Just the first round in the simulator, and he already broke the training course by a factor of five. I think that's how I became more interested in him than I already was.

I've seen many cadets go through the training course and no one, not even those in the Imperial Army Household Honor Guard had his kind of records. His aptitude test for the TSF was far beyond human and his control logs are almost impossible to copy. I know that every soldier has their own unique fighting style but his is just… not… normal.

I came to know Shirogane personally in these last few days that have gone by. I spoke with him in private and even went as far as opening up to one another just a little bit. From what I can tell from my analysis… he's… just a normal boy. I know that everything I've thought until now seems to contradict my theory of him… I know that for a fact that… he's just a boy. He doesn't seem to be hiding anything from us… at least nothing confidential. But I just can't bring myself to believe it. I guess you could say that… he's… ordinary… in a very unique way.

"1st Lt. Jinguuji…?"

"Huh? Ah… yes sergeant?" I broke out of my train of thoughts as one of the mechanics came to me.

"I've checked everything they've done. None of the equipment seems to have any problem. Shall we dismiss them for today?"

"Yes… it's almost time for dinner anyway. Thank you for your help"

"I'll bring the papers you need to sign in a moment. (Of course…)"

I really need to stop thinking so hard… or else it will affect my performance in these sessions. (Flash) But… I really can't get him out of my head. It's like his face has been engraved onto my memory or something. It's been going on like this ever since I woke up in the hospital after the XM3 BETA incident. Though I can't really remember much… I remember the nurses all having similar stories on how I was brought there. They all told me that he came in like a knight in shining armor with me in his arms like a bride. They said that he was like a man who about to lose someone important to him so he didn't care who saw him cry and begged on his knees for someone to help. He never left my side since I was admitted and the battle had already settled then.

Hmm… I wished I was the least bit conscious at the time. At least then I would've known how it felt like to be ca—ahh! No no no no no! What the hell am I thinking? I'm thinking like a high school kid trying to find a bit of romance in her life again! Ahhh! This is stupid! Why the hell am I blushing because of some kid who can't even decide about his own love life! Stupid stupid stupid stupid!

"Uh… Jinguuji san? What are you doing?"

**(Much later) (Sundown) (Hallway)**

Haaaaaa! That was good. Nothing hits the stomach better than Yakisoba. Thank you Ayamine for her wild and crazy experiments. I haven't had this in a long while now. Who knew that one of her creations would actually taste so good? Hehehe… after she said that she got my seal of approval, she handed me three more as a finalization before making a batch for everyone to enjoy. Hehehe… I'd like to see the look on their faces when they take their first bite on this baby.

Haaaaa… but even so… thanks to that, I completely forgot about looking for Marimo chan. Damn it. I even went all the way to make her a gift during my free time. It wasn't much but it's the only think I can make by hand. (Sigh) I'm sighing a lot today. Maybe I should just leave this in her room and write a note down as an apology. (…) No! I should do it face to face! Mom always said that if you're going to say sorry to a girl you always have to do it face to face! That's what she called about being a man! (Sigh) But the hard part is trying to catch her. Marimo chan knows the base like the back of her hand. It's like trying to play a game of tag with an invisible person. There's just no way to beat her like this.

But I guess I can understand her. She's probably awkward about this whole thing herself. I know I wouldn't want to do anything with the rumor itself but avoiding me won't solve anything at all. If I'm right… people might even start to think that we're having a lover's quarrel. Ahhhhh! This is stupid! How the hell can a rumor grow this big and we don't even know about it?

"You look troubled, 1st Lieutenant…"

"Huh? Oh… 1st Lt. Tsukuyomi" I saluted out of reflex. "It's good to see you. What are you doing here?"

"I was merely taking an evening stroll. Then I noticed you acting strange in the corner. You look like someone who is bothered by something heavy"

"W… well I guess you could say that. At the moment I'm a little confused on what to do myself" I threw out a nervous laugh.

"Hmm… can I be of assistance? (…?) I know that it is no business of mine but seeing you troubled here alone seems rather foolish. As an acquaintance it would be rude not to offer some help" Huh? She wants to help me? "Besides… I still indebted to you for your loyalty and assistance to the royal family"

"It's no problem, really" I waved it off. "This is something I have to handle myself. But I really appreciate your help. Besides… I'm still grateful for the dinner you made"

"I was merely paying what I owe from a gamble that I made. Besides… your care for Meiya sama has still have me indebted to you"

"Heh. I don't think she needs any protection at this point. She can handle herself in a fight. (So I see…) Oh… and did she tell you about the Takemikazuchi? (Yes…) Oh…" It must be quite troubling for Tsukuyomi to see the TSF of the Shogun repainted like that. After all… it did belong to Yuuhi before. "Does it bother you?"

She returned me a smile. "If you had asked me that a few weeks ago… I probably would've said yes. But the least I do feel unease by it. (Really?) But Her Highness chose to give it to her so it now belongs to Meiya sama. I have no say to what she does with it"

"Well… she did say that purple was not her color"

"Ahuhuhu… yes… she said something similar to me once. It almost feels like she has opened herself to you more than myself"

"That's not true" I shook my head in return. "There are probably still tons of things that you know about Meiya that I don't. (…) I don't have any proof of this but I know that she cares about you. Very much. If it means anything she probably considers you and your subordinates the closest thing to a family"

"Heh… a very strange family…"

"More like an awkward family with stiff problems. (Ahuhuhu) Hehehehe…" Wow… I never thought Tsukuyomi can look so soft that way. She gently moved her hair on the side unconsciously, which uncovered her ears. If anything she looked like a regular girl just trying to have a normal conversation. I've always seen her in both worlds as a headstrong, unbeatable person but now… she looks so… cute. She that I had the aura of making people feel at ease around me. Maybe that's why she's so relaxed right now. (Flash) Ugh… I'm having these random images again. My perverted mind must be making up these perverted visions come to my head. I never did that with Tsukuyomi and I doubt I will now.

"You really are a strange person, Shirogane Takeru. (Hmm?) On one side… I see you as one of the greatest soldier ever trained on this Earth—one who is capable of doing almost anything. But on the other, you look like an ordinary, ignorant boy who simply wishes to laze around and stare at the clouds all day long"

"Hey, it's been proven that cloud gazing is just another form of meditating"

"Huhuhuhu… then perhaps I should try it out sometime. But I fear I might grow lazy because of it. (Ahahahaha!) Ahuhuhuhu…" Ah… this is nice. To have a normal chat with Tsukuyomi san makes me feel more at home than I thought it would. It almost feels… nostalgic. "Well then. I should probably head back. I… have to… continue my stroll!"

"Oh… ok then. Thanks for the help Tsukuyomi san. (Of course) And I'll bring your box to your room later"

"Heh. If you enjoy homemade meals that much, the cafeteria lady would be depressed"

"Don't I know it…" After we said our goodbyes, we parted ways. But that was nice. I got to see the cute side of Tsukuyomi san. I keep forgetting that even people like her are still people and not to mention that she's still a girl too. Heh… hehehe, seeing her like that really brightened up my day.

I should probably get to the PX. Dinner should be served right about now and I don't want to be late for any meal time. (Ruffle) Hmm? That's my room. Is someone inside there? (Click) …! That's…! Sakon! Mikoto's old man. But… what was he doing in my room? (Tip… tap… tip… tap…) He's walking away slowly with something in his hand. It's a small book of some sort… Ah! That's! Sumika's picture diary! The one I found in the ruins of my old house the other day! What's he doing with it?

"Hmm?" Crap! He's looking around. That must mean he's conscious of his surroundings. He doesn't seem to notice me though. "Hn…"

He's walking towards the courtyard. This is definitely suspicious. Maybe if I trail him… I can get that book back. I know I should probably tell Yuuko about this but I can't afford to lose that diary.

…

…

…

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Hmm… he's walking around the fence area by the edge of the base. I've never been to this part of the base because it's mostly just the garbage dump site. Patrols aren't really needed here because the electric fence and cameras cover this ground.

(Ruffle) Huh? What's he doing? (Ruffle) He's using kitchen gloves? Ah… I get it. A part of that fence is cut loose but you can't really see it unless you look at it closely. It's big enough for him to fit in and when he's under to the other side he closes it so patrols won't be able to tell that there was an intruder. Clever. That area also seems to be in the camera's blind spot too.

But I can still follow him from here. (Ruffle) There's a low current going on the loose section of the fence. It's not enough to hurt but enough to leave a sting.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Yoroi seems to be going to the old Hiiragi town ruins. Usually I wouldn't take notice of him but why would he want that book of all things? I can't keep trailing forever either. If he keeps going around, I'll have to confront him at some point.

Tap tap tap tap tap tap…

…

…

…

This is ridiculous. I've been trailing him for over ten minutes now. He's been going through buildings and old subways that are difficult for me to follow but I somehow managed to track him down. So far he hasn't taken notice of me. I guess he's too sure of his own skill that he wouldn't be followed. Hmm… judging from the direction he's going, he must be heading towards the river banks. But why would he go there? It's a dead end there.

…

…

…

Huh? What the? Where'd he go? I was sure he went this way. It's an open road with no buildings or underground passages. He couldn't have just disappeared, could he?

"Are you looking for someone, Shirogane kun?"

"Bwahhh!" Ooof! Ow!

"Oh… that's a nasty fall. I hope you didn't hurt yourself. Here, let me help you"

"Y… Y… Yoroi!" I quickly regained my balance and drew out my sidearm.

"Ara? Has helping people become a crime?

"What are you… how did you?"

"Ah yes… before we direct ourselves to a civilized conversation, can you please put that away first? As you can see, I am unarmed"

"Ah… uh… right… sorry" I apologized before returning the gun's safety back on.

"Hehehe… nothing gets your blood rushing like a 9mm aimed you. Perhaps I should learn to carry a sidearm next time"

"Sorry about that. I was just surprised and… wait. Why the heck am I apologizing for!-? I have every right to be pointing a gun at you right now!"

"Ahahaha… if you're talking about this, then I apologize" He took out Sumika's picture diary from his jacket and tossed it back to me. "I needed a reason for you to follow me so I had to take something from your room to make good bait"

"Bait? Then… you know that I was following you all this time?"

The man threw a small laugh. "Of course. You did not expect one of the Section Chiefs of the Imperial Ministry of Intelligence to be that incompetent, did you? (…) Ahahaha… I guess there is still much for you to learn. But in any case, I was successful in bringing you here, Shirogane kun"

"Bringing me here? Then all this time you were actually drawing me somewhere. (Of course) But for what? If you needed to talk to me, you could've just made arrangements like you did last time"

"I'm afraid that same process cannot be done here. (Huh?) It was a favor from someone. Using the same method would only be suspicious. Besides… she's not the type to be speaking with you in public. (Huh?) One moment please" He walked to the middle of the road for a minute and looked around as if he was searching for someone. "Hmm… it seems like you were not followed after all" Huh? Was he expecting me to be followed? (Click… click…) What is he doing now? He's holding his cell phone next to my uniform. "And you do not seem to be bugged. That is good"

"Bugged? Followed? What are you talking about?"

"I apologize for the behavior… but I cannot take any unnecessary risks with the guest and all" Guest? What guest? "Well… you are clear. You may proceed. (Huh?) I'll leave you two alone for now. Pardon me…"

"Huh? Ah hey! Wait Yoroi san! Where are you going?" And… he's gone. Ok… I don't get it. I know that he's hard to understand but that was probably his weirdest act yet. He drew me out with a bait and then he leaves. Even he should consider that to be weird.

"Please do not blame him" …! "I was the one who arranged for this meeting"

"Who's there?" I drew my gun again and pointed it at the source of the voice. "Show yourself!"

I can see a silhouette on the other side of the ruined building. The voice dictated that it was a woman. "I apologize for this abrupt meeting. I did not mean to scare you" Wait… that voice.

"Meiya?" I lowered my gun as she approached me. "What are you doing here? Did you follow me from the barracks?"

"Ahuhuhu… I'm afraid, I am not who you think I am… (Huh?) It's good to see you again… Takeru…"

"Y—Yuuhi!-?"


	40. What the Heart Yearns

**Chapter 40: What the Heart Yearns**

**(Takeru's POV) (Hiiragi town ruins)**

"It's good to see you again… Takeru…"

"Y… Yuuhi!-?"

My eyes blinked a couple of times before I finally got the information into my head. There was no mistaking it. I know I've only met her for a short time but her image burned brightly in my head like a suppressed memory that has already been let out. The tone of her voice, her hair and even the clothes she wore bore a resemblance to the person I was tasked to safeguard during the rebellion on the 12/5 incident. I couldn't forget her face no matter what I tried.

"It's been awhile…"

"Uh…" Wait a second. What should I do? Should I bow? That seems like an appropriate action but… wait… I don't even know what's going on!

"Is… there something wrong?"

"Uh… I well… I…" There are a whole lot of things wrong at the moment that I can't even point it out. "Y… you're… really… here"

"Perhaps arriving in such a manner was a shock even for you, Takeru. I apologize for meeting you in such a crude manner"

"Then… you're really… Yuuhi?"

"Ahuhu… I'm glad that you have not changed your way of addressing me. (Geh!) It's almost comforting to know that you have not changed at all since we last… no… since we first met"

"Wait… you said you're the one who arranged this meeting… then that means the person that Yoroi was talking about is… you? (Correct…) Uh… (Is something the matter?) I'm still trying piece the puzzle together. Right now I have a lot of missing pieces that I can't seem to find"

"Ahuhuhu… worry not" Yuuhi assured me showing a soft cute giggling face that made me blush. "You have my word that you are in no trouble or danger. You are here because I requested it"

"Then… you called me? (Yes…) But… isn't that a bit dangerous? I know I haven't been in the military long but if people see us together, wouldn't it be bad?" I said the same thing with Tsukuyomi before the Sadogashima campaign too.

"Indeed… which is exactly why I had Yoroi keep watch for me. Though I am certain that the Grand Chamberlain will lecture me upon my return, I simply had to see you myself" She had to see me? "In truth I am feeling quite shameful for disobeying her advice but… I believe it was worth it" The Grand Chamberlain? That old lady I saw when we first met?

"Then… you came here all by yourself even after all that? (Yes…) Isn't that… a little selfish?"

"Ahuhuhu. Yes it is. Thanks to a certain someone who influenced me so. (Geh!) Will you share a moment with me, Takeru?"

She offered her hand up like a lady waiting for someone to ask her for a dance in one of those fancy parties. The sun glittered beautifully behind her and her posture was graceful, like a swan landing on the river bed. (Flash) Images from another time raced through my head repeatedly like it tried to remind me of a time when everything was right with the world. (Flash) I saw Yuuhi's face close to mine even though she was a good distance away from me. I saw our lips close to my face, her breath tickling my neck and her lotus scent growing in my nose.

My hand moved up as if guided by some unseen force and it took hers as if drawn by a magnet.

We walked down the old boulevard just a good distance away from the polluted waters. If you had placed me and Yuuhi in my world we would look like a young couple going home after a day of a romantic date.

"Peaceful… is it not? (Y… yeah…) Every time I look out the window, I often try to picture how things used to be before the war. Remember how I told you of how the Grand Chamberlain used to tell me of stories before the war? (Yeah…) It might sound strange but ever since we parted ways, I began asking her about that period to get a better understanding of it. (…?) She told me that she once came to the boulevard such as this and had a rendezvous with a man just her age. She told me of how dashing he was before they parted ways"

"…" I remained silent in response. I didn't have anything to say after all.

"She remembered that day in explicit detail as if it had occurred only moments ago. She told me how he brought her to the fair and rode the rides offered in that place" (Flash) The image of Sumika and me riding the rollercoaster came to mind. "Afterwards they would spend the time eating in the green grass, enjoying the breeze of the wind offered them. The water in the pond was so clear that you could even see the very bottom without haze" (Flash) Eating by the boulevard sitting in the green grass… that sounds a lot like the time when Sumika gave my fries to that stupid dog. "Oba san was a true romanticist. Sometimes I find it difficult to believe that she would have a husband of such caliber"

"Y… yeah…"

"I cannot tell which of those was true and which was fiction made from her imagination. She often tell me things that I find difficult to believe. (…) But I remember the one thing she said before the end of the story. She told me… that the time they spent together there was more precious than all the wealth in the world had to offer"

"That sounds really… beautiful" I said finally after breaking through my voice.

"Indeed. I agree. Such memories are worth holding onto. She's right to hold on to things even at her age. (…) What's the matter? Are you feeling unwell?"

"N… no your highness… it's just that… I don't really know how to strike a conversation among all of this. (…?) Surely you didn't come all this way just to make small talk with me"

"I see. So my presence really does bother you" Her face saddened.

"No!" I raised my hand in defense. "I didn't mean it like that. You just don't meet the Grand Shogun and expect it to be a small talk. (…) I'm sorry… I guess I'm being a terrible host"

"No… you need not apologize, Takeru. Your reaction is normal. Perhaps it was not wise of me to simply call you out so indirectly. You were already suspicious of Yoroi's activity. (…) I apologize. It's just that… I wanted to…" Wanted to? Wanted to what? "I just had the feeling that I must meet you. (…?) I do not understand what brought us together Takeru… but I know that fate must've played a part in it somewhere"

"Your highness…"

"I know that it was selfish of me… but I truly wanted this moment. A moment where I would truly feel myself. I… cannot explain it clearly but being with you right now makes me feel… grateful to all the mistakes I've ever made. (…) It sounds ridiculous I know… but somehow… I feel as if everything I've ever done… all the rights and wrongs… because all of them led me down the path that brought me to you"

…!

Yuuhi… you…

_"And perhaps one day my heart shall reach yours as well…"_

_"No matter how you see her or how she acts, she's still a girl, Shirogane…"_

In the end… she's still a girl. She's still an ordinary human who wants to experience life to the fullest. She wanted to see me so badly that she even risked sneaking out of the palace to get here. She could've asked for Meiya but she chose me instead. Heh… somehow I feel really… fluffy inside.

"Ah…" I can't even get a word out of my mouth. What can I say? Yuuhi has just poured her feelings onto me without any hint of regret. Her smile, her gesture and her eyes… they're all saying that she's waiting for me to respond but I've got nothing. All I have is a blank expression on my face.

…!

Huh? What the? My hand feels a little wet. "Bwah! What the? (Ruff ruff!) A… dog?"

"A dog?" Yuuhi mimicked me with the same surprised look on her face. But what's a dog doing all the way here?

"H… hey hey! Stop that!" The little rascal had a little light brown hair around its body and it grows white around the front. She has big round eyes and a fluffy curly tail to boot. He kind of reminds me of the dog that I saw with Sumika right in this very spot. H… hey! It's sniffing my pocket. "Hey stop it. Bad dog! (Ruff ruff!)"

"Ahuhuhuhu… she appears to be attracted to you" Yuuhi giggled at me breaking the ice in the silence.

The dog was a 'she' alright but she seems to be attracted to my pockets rather than anything else. "Oh wait… are you trying to get… something? (Ruff!) (Ruffle) Oh… that's my snack" My last Yakisoba Bread. I had it wrapped in tissue to save it for later. "Sorry little guy, but this is mine. It's not every day we can get to enjoy Yakisoba in the PX. (Whimper…)" The little mutt was panting heavily with its tongue sticking out. I'll admit that she does look cute but there's just no way I can give one of my precious belongings to a rascal. (Ruff!) I can see how it was able to live near the boulevard. Training and mock battles doesn't extend to the river because of the risk of TSFs falling into the ocean.

"Ruff ruff!" The dog barked at me, as if it was begging for the treat.

"Listen. There's just no way I'm giving… (Flash)" Images from that time Sumika gave the dog my fries came to me. Ugh… no matter what I just can't get it out of my head. "Haaaa… alright fine. Here…" I broke 1/3 of my bread and handed the smaller piece to the little mutt. It quickly ate half of it and made a strangely satisfying sound. Her tail was even waggling happily like a kid that was receiving a gift from Santa himself.

"Ruff ruff!"

"Ahuhu… I believe she's saying thank you, Takeru" Yuuhi added as if she was finding my little act of generosity to be humorous.

"I hope so. (Ruff) Alright now you little fur ball go! Shoo!" The little mutt picked up the rest of its meal and bolted off, not even chewing it down. "Haaaa… well there goes a portion of my midnight snack. Maybe my friends are right, maybe I am too nice for my own good"

"Kindness is a trait you have Shirogane. (Huh?) Something that is rare in this world. Even if the dog had not begged for it… I still believe you would give in without the need of being asked just as you did before. (…) Perhaps it is in your nature to be kind to the helpless"

"Heh… that's probably true" I admitted shyly.

We sat on the grass and stared at the snowy sky as the sun set into the ocean. Though it was rather strange to be with the most influential and powerful person in the country I didn't feel anything different. It almost felt like I was sitting next to Meiya instead. They both had the same demeanor that showed their noble side but the way they act was completely different. While Meiya was headstrong and stubborn, her sister was rather calm and controlled. Heh… I guess no two people are exactly alike in these days either. Even twins will show at least some measure of difference.

"There are times… I wish such peaceful moments like this one would last forever. (Yeah)" I agreed with her unconsciously.

I took a bite off my bread before offering her one. "Here. It's not as good as what you have in the palace but I'm sure you're hungry"

"Yes. Thank you" She took a piece off and started to chew. Heh… even the way she eats was cute. Usually people would just bite the whole thing but she's eating them bit by bit… like a squirrel. I might not be the best when it comes to understanding women but this is really starting to feel like a real date. "Shirogane. May I ask… what is your favorite color? (Eh?) I know it is a strange question to be asking but… indulge me on this. What is your favorite color?"

"My favorite color?" I mimicked. No one's ever asked me that before. "Umm… red… I guess. Why?"

"Because I wish to know you better" She answered honestly. "Back when we first met in Susono, it seemed as if you had known me forever. (…) You are probably one of the very few people I truly opened to. When you spoke to Sagiri, you poured my feelings out to him and showed the world that I was more than just a symbol to the people of my country. You understood my desires, my wishes and my words as if they were your own"

"Heh… I wasn't that good. But I guess I can understand why Sagiri would go through such lengths. There are still many people who would bend your words to suit their own needs. He thought that he was doing the right thing but in the end it doesn't justify killing people. (…) In the end, the two sides fought for their own beliefs. Each thinking that justice supported their side. I'm no different either. I too have my own brand of justice and my own way of believing. In the end… we're all just different sides of a dice that only rolled in my favor"

"You sell yourself too short. (Huh?) It's true. Your talents in a TSF and your charisma had given you an edge over your enemies. But you had the one thing they did not have. (And what's that?) Your unbreakable will. Even when all seemed lost… even when your enemies were bent on killing you… you still believed that they could be redeemed. You spared Sagiri and you sought an end to the conflict without shedding blood. From where I stand… it was that very will that brought the others to believe in hope again"

"Ahehe… you make it sound like I'm some kind of hero"

"Huhuhuhu… it is true. I apologize. But with the stories I've heard of you… I find it difficult to see you as anything else" Stories about me? What has she been hearing? "I see you are confused. You would be surprised to hear what many soldiers in the capital have to say about you. Many Eishis, as well as members of the Imperial Household Honor Guard spoke highly of you. I also heard it directly from a close relative of mine" Close relative? Does she mean that guy in blue? "He spoke of a foolish U.N. Eishi who he had the honor of fighting alongside with…" The fool huh… that sounds like him. "Ara… the dog appears to have returned"

"Huh? Ah!" It's that dog again. "What are you doing here you little mutt? I already gave you half of my meal. (Ruff ruff!) Ah! Hey! Stop that! Hey that tickles! Ahahaha" It's licking my face nonstop. This little rascal really knows how to plead.

"Ahuhuhu… she appears to have grown affections for you"

"Heh. If only it were this easy" Ahh… this dog is now snuggling itself on my lap. "Alright you little mutt. I give. Here… take it… (Ruff!)" It ate the last of my Yakisoba Bread and barked up happily with its tail waggling like a kid. "Ah! Hey you're going to get sauce all over me! Stop that!" Ugh… now I got slob all over my cheeks. This is one of the reasons why I don't want pets in my house. Huh? (Ruff ruff!) Ah! No way! Puppies? Seriously?

"Ahuhu… there are more of them" Yuuhi smiled grew brighter when she noticed the two little ones that followed behind. They had a little bit of sauce on their mouths too. The mother must've given them the larger piece earlier and came back for more. "Shh… do not worry… I mean them no harm" She slowly cooed to them with the mother sitting on the Shogun's lap. "It must be difficult for you to live under these conditions. (Ruff!) But you endured, didn't you? No matter what happens you continue to live for the sake of your children. (Ruff ruff!) You are an honorable companion. I wish more people were like you" She's talking to the dog like a living being. Kind of reminds me of Meiya back in my world.

"Ruff ruff!"

But these dogs… are really tough. Even after half the world was wiped out, they continue to live. I have to admit… I'm a little impress by their endurance.

One of the puppies crawled up to me with its soft round eyes staring at my face. I can tell that it's just asking to be petted. Guuu… you little mutt if you weren't so cute I would never… haaa… who am I kidding? I'm far too soft to even get angry at a pup.

"Ah… that reminds me. I bring a gift from Rin chan and Eiko chan"

A gift from those two little girls from Susono City? (Ruffle) Yuuhi handed me a worn piece of paper which seems to have been torn out of a scrap book of some sort. There were drawings on it. Like a childish sketch that I see in Sumika's picture diary. Heh… I don't believe it. That guy at the center wielding that sword is definitely me. The three girls at the back must be Yuuhi, Rin and Eiko and… pffft! I don't believe it. The woman in red with three witches in white was definitely Tsukuyomi. They portrayed her as a fire breathing dragon with mean looking eyes. Hehehehe. I guess that's the kind of first impression you get when you see her. On the outside she looks like a person who wouldn't hesitate to break your arm but deep down she's actually a soft kindhearted woman who would do anything to help those she cares about.

I couldn't hold back a laugh. "Ahahaha… those girls. They really are childish"

"I had the same expression as well" Yuuhi added chuckling beside me as we both looked at the drawing. It's hard to believe that such a simple thing can make my heart so light. "Though they seem to portray you as the hero of this story well"

"Hehehe… back then, I didn't act like a hero at all"

"Untrue. Though they are young, they understand the meaning of justice well. Those who defend the weak, those who defeat evil, and those who hold on to their beliefs… these are the people they view as heroes. Through their eyes you are a person who fights for justice, a hero. Perhaps it is an immature way of seeing one but they too share my views"

"Yuuhi…"

"Ahuhu… I must sound ridiculous saying such things. I apologize"

"No… well. It's just hard to see myself as a hero" I saw myself as a hero once before and I learned the hard way that it has more responsibility than I imagined. I can't let myself become a beacon of hope for humanity. Everyone will have to stand on their own.

"Ahuhu… You are special Takeru. Don't ever forget that. You carry a heavy burden on yourself. I can see it in your eyes. I can feel that you are holding something heavy on your shoulder and you do not wish to share the pain with anyone. You take comfort in those around you and knowing that they are there, ease that burden"

"Your Highness" Yoroi suddenly came by from nowhere. "It is time…"

"Is it that time already?" Yuuhi sounded quite sad as if she wanted to extend this little chat of ours. "It is shameful that we must cut this conversation short, Takeru"

"No I should be the one apologizing. I've been nothing but awkward to you"

"Untrue. You have been nothing but unexpectedly kind to me. (Ah…) It's strange. Even though we've met twice… I feel as if I've known you forever. But at the very least, you're still the kind hearted man I met a few weeks ago" Ah damn… I'm blushing. "You are… special… to me. (…!) Ahuhu. You're adorable when you're flushed" Geh! Damn it! I was teased! "Well then… until next time, Takeru. (Yeah…) Oh… and before I leave… I wish for you to have something of mine. Yoroi san…"

"Yes Your Highness…" Huh? What's that? It looks like a katana.

"Take this. (EH!-?) It is a symbol of the royal family and a close treasure of mine. I wish for you to have it" She handed me the sword. It's heavy… almost like a rifle. It reminded me of the blade that Tsukuyomi gave me when I first married Meiya. However that blade was more of a decorative use. This one feels as if it was used to fight off attackers. The blade was well made from an experienced smith to create a medium steel weight, the hilt guard was encrusted with the emblem of a lotus and the grip was long enough to be held my two hands. Just by holding it slightly you can tell that this sword has seen combat. The sheath was also lined with gold dust shaping a dragon. From a personal view… any man can tell that this was expensive.

"Whoa… it looks like a family heirloom"

"That's because it is. (HA!-?) What you hold there is one of five blades carried by the heads of each member of the closest relative of the royal family"

"Wha!-? I… I can't accept this! You can't just hand something precious as this out of the blue!"

"Why not? It is of no use to me. Just as I have given my Takemikazuchi to my sister because there was little meaning for me to possess it"

"That's different! This is… this is a symbol of the royal family! It's not something an ordinary person like me to hold out in the open!" This thing is a symbol of the Imperial Family. Making comments and jokes are even horrifying. Even Tama's old man feared to make any statement to Meiya when I first met him during his visit to Yokohama Base.

"Do not mistake its meaning, Takeru. (Eh?) Because at the moment… this is the only form of reward the military knows of. Just as they reward soldiers with medals on their chests, this is how we reward those who display greater performance on the battlefield. (…) Does it trouble you so?"

"Well… I… it's just that… I wish I had something for you as well. This looks really expensive and it really looks like it's important to you"

"All the more reason why I chose you to have it. (…?) Ahuhu… Tsukuyomi was right. I cannot tell whether you are competent of incompetent. (Hey!) Ahuhuhu. But please… accept it with my blessing. This is what I truly desire"

"Yuuhi…" Guuu… it was once said that rejecting a gift once is manners, twice is persistence and thrice is an insult. My dad taught me this lesson before because of his old school style. I took a deep breath and swallowed my pride back in. "Very well… I accept…" I took the sword from her hands and placed it on my stomach. The weight of the blade slowly sinking into my hands.

"I thank you. Oh… and one more thing, Takeru" Yuuhi added placing her body closer to mine. Huh? Hey wait… her face is… (Chuu…) "Take care of yourself… and know that you go with my trust"

…

…

…

…!

It took me a moment before my mind started to kick in again. Hey! Wait a minute! Did she just… did that just really happen? She… k… k…

"Ruff ruff!"

It's sweet…

**(December 28, 2001, Thursday) (Takeru's Room) (07:10 AM)**

Tick… tick… tick… tick… tick… tick…

That was the sound of my clock ticking away the seconds that were passing by. I couldn't sleep last night. How can I? After I returned to my room all I could about was The Shogun. I tried to close my eyes and get some needed rest but every time I did that I would picture her face in front of me. (Flash) I've also been getting weird images for the past hour with me and Yuuhi. She was smiling… truly smiling like the girl that she was. Laughing with Meiya right beside her. It's troubling not being able to remember something that precious. I almost feel regretful for not being able to recall them. I'm sure it would've meant a lot to me.

Haaa… 7 o'clock… 30 more minutes until Kasumi comes to wake me up and another hour until roll call. (Flash) Crap… I'm really a hopeless romantic. I can still recall the moment I had with Yuuhi. The hint of perfume that she used was ticking my nose, the softness of her hands and tenderness of her hair. The tone of her voice still rings in my ears and her lips tasted like… gahhh! This is stupid! What the hell was that suppose to mean? I can take a peck on the cheek but what she gave me definitely had meaning! I know I'm dense when it comes to women but even a guy like me can tell what she doing! She looked like an average high school girl confessing to her love and leaving it off without an answer! Yuuhi san! You can't just kiss someone and leave them hanging like that! Gahh! This is so frustrating that I'm rolling around my bed like some idiot!

Clang!

Ah! Crud… the sword. And this too. She gave me this… a symbol of her status as a member of the royal family. I might not know what the system of the royal family works with but I'm definitely sure that this sword has to mean something. You don't give anyone something like this just as a gift. I'm not an expert on this world either so I have literally no idea to what it could mean. Ahhh! This is stupid! As if I didn't have enough on my plate! I still have my one week punishment to deal with and Marimo won't talk to me!

Maybe I should ask Meiya about this. She'd probably know more than I'd do. In the mean time I should probably hide this somewhere where no one else could find it. Who knows how people would react if they find me with an heirloom of the royal family? (Ruffle) Ahh! I can't sleep in these conditions. I should probably get out and do some independent training. A little workout will help steam out my anxiety. (Click…) And besides, I could use the fresh air-ahhhh! (WHAM!)

"Gya!"

Thump!

Ow… what the hell did I hit?

"Sh… Shirogane…?"

"Eh? Marimo… chan?"

…

…

…

It took me moments before I was able to process the information into my head. Ok this is puzzling. Marimo is below me… and I'm on top of her in a very awkward position. Her legs spread out and me, right dabbed in the center of this formation. Her hands were clutched to her chest holding onto some books and folders and a piece of paper which I deduced was my schedule for today fell right on shoulder.

…

If someone were to look at us right now I wonder what their first reaction would be.

"G… good morning…" She said finally after a brief pause between us.

"Ah… yeah… good morning to you… too" I stuttered back feeling slightly awkward myself. "S… so did you want something… Marimo… sensei?"

"I… came to… deliver your… schedule… for today" Oh right… I knew that. "C… could you get off me, Shirogane? I'm not… ummm" Geh! That face she's making… it's so cute! It's like that puppy I saw yesterday.

"Ah, yeah… I'm sorry. I've been tackling people a lot lately… ahehe…" Ok umm… how to do this? We're stuck in between the doorway and there's not a lot of room to maneuver. It's a good thing nobody wakes up this early or else this would've been even more… awk—ward…

"Good morning…"

…

…

…

"K… Kasumi/Yashiro?" Marimo and I said together when we noted the said girl looking down on us from the sideline. "Y… you're early today…"

"…hnn…" Her eyes cast a powerful gaze down upon us. Like a witness bearing down a mighty hammer of judgment or something. After a quick look, she wrote something on her diary and closed it with a definite thump sound, a small remorseless frown creeping on her lips. "See you later…"

"Y… yeah… sure. Later…" I replied unconsciously, with my hand waving back as the girl walked off into the distance.

…

"WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING!-?" Bwahh! Marimo started yelling at me. "Get off me!"

"Wait! Marimo sensei! Don't move so much! You're not making this easy!"

"This is exactly the reason why people misunderstand our positions! Now get off! (Hey wait! Bwah!) Don't you have any sense of shame whatsoever?"

"Please! Just calm down for a minute!" Ahh! Crap! Her buttons are tangled with my shirt! It's ripping both of us off and Marimo's panicking motion isn't exactly helping.

Click…

Gah! Crap! Someone's coming! If this continues then the whole base will have a field day for sure. Guuuu…

"What was that?" Crap! It's Meiya!

"Who's making such a racket so early?" Mikoto!

"Did you guys hear something?" Class rep too!-? This is the worst!

I have to think of something quick! Umm… ahhh! No choice now! "Sorry about this Marimo chan (Huh?)" With a quick motion, I pulled Marimo into my room and took off my shirt and hid her in my bathroom. Yes! Perfect! No one will ever know. "Stay inside here and don't make a sound!"

"Eh? Wha?" I closed the door and turned off the lights. Now all I have to do is wait till the whole thing blows over.

Knock knock…

"Takeru? Are you in there?" Crap! That's Meiya! They're here! Gahh… there's no time to change now! Right… stay cool and answer normally. "Takeru. If you're in there, please answer the door. (Click…) Eh? It's unlocked"

"That's no surprise" Class rep added. "He never locks his door. Just open it"

"Nonsense. It would be rude to enter another person's room without permission. Not to mention he's also our superior officer"

"Not unless it's an emergency situation. Here, let me do it"

Nooo! They'll see Marimo for sure! If they catch whiff of her there'll be more misunderstanding!

"YES!-?" I opened the door wide open and greeted my friends with a wide open smile. "What is it?"

"T… Takeru? (Yeah?) Wh… why are you sweating all over like that?"

"Oh… I was umm… exercising! (Exercising?) Yes! Exercising! I was um… doing pushups! That's why I'm sweating all over, aha… ahahaha…"

"But we heard a racket. Was that all you?" Class rep asked. I knew she wouldn't it go so easily.

"Ah… yeah. I um… accidentally tripped over some of my old stuff. I've been moving them all back"

"Hmm… I see" Meiya nodded in understanding. "Your dedication to your training is admirable, Takeru. But try not to disturb others. It was quite loud. (Yeah… sorry…)"

"Were you hurt anywhere?" Mikoto asked me with a worried face. "Did you sprain anything at all?"

"No, I'm fine. Really. Thanks for worrying"

"You made a lot of noise for one person. You sure you're not hurt anywhere?" Class rep poked her head in but I quickly blocked her way through the door.

"There's no need to worry about me. I'm fine, really. I was just about to… take a shower!" Yeah… that's a perfect excuse. "Yeah… I was about to take a shower. I wanted to be fresh before roll call. So there's really no need for you guys to check me up"

"I wasn't worried!"

"Yeah yeah, I'll take your word for it. So see ya in an hour. Bye! (Clung) (Ah… Takeru!)"

"Forget it Mitsurugi" I heard Class rep speak on the other side. "This is one of the many reasons why we won't understand men. Just leave him be. We have to get changed ourselves or else we'll miss the roll call too"

…

Phew… they're gone. That was too close. If they had pressed me further, I would've blown up for sure. I've got enough people misunderstanding me and I don't need them included in all of this. With Kasumi out… I don't think I can expect people to come visit anytime soon. I should probably get Marimo chan out of the bathroom too and explain that all of this was just a complete misunderstanding.

Click…

Eh? That's odd. The bathroom door is locked. "Marimo sensei. Can you unlock the door? It's alright to come out now" Wait… I can hear her in there. Is she… is she crying? "Marimo sensei?"

"Just leave me alone~~" Geh! There's no mistaking it now. She's definitely crying in there. "Just leave me to my misery~" I banged on the door softly and called her out a few times but all I can get in response was a few cry talks.

**(Marimo's POV)**

Uuuuu… It's over. My life is over. I gathered up my courage this morning to settle things straight with Shirogane. I thought that avoiding him wasn't the best course of action since it only spread the rumor of us going together. But it's done. My life is over, my career as an instructor is over. I thought that I could clear things up but instead I fell head over heels against the boy, screamed bloody murder on his face and looked what happened! Now I'm trapped in his bathroom, a boy's bathroom, with parts of my uniform torn off and now I'm using his strung up t-shirt to soak up my tears of shame. Uuuuuu… just shoot me now. Just put a gun on my head and pull the trigger and put me out of my misery.

"Marimo sensei!"

I can hear him calling me on the other side of the door. I don't know why but I just couldn't bear to look at him in the face. When I heard the girls knocking on his door my unconscious state took over and locked the bathroom before anything else happened. It was only then till I realized the position both of us were in. I know that sexual stress release has been allowed by the military during the war but this isn't something I expected to happen to me.

Everything that's happened until now has been a misunderstanding. Every event that led to this very moment was all because of certain circumstances and people misreading the things that had happened between us. If even a single person caught a glimpse of me leaving this room… the soldiers will probably have a field day with us. I won't be able to show my face in public ever again.

"Marimo sensei…"

"Just leave me be…" I whined back tearfully. I can't think straight anymore. All I can feel is just pure shame, anger and downright confused about everything that's happening. I don't know how to react or what to react and right now… I feel so powerless to do anything. "Just… leave me in here…"

"You know I can't do that. It's just that…" I can see his silhouette on the other side of the door. He paused for a moment in his sentence as if he was thinking. I don't know why… but I don't think I can look at him in the eye with the same straight face again. It's just that… he's… Shirogane. He's a kid… a really immature yet mature kid who has the respect of the entire Valkyrie Company within a matter of days.

It's all thanks to what Kyozuka said to me yesterday. How am I supposed to answer his feelings when I don't even know what he feels about me and right now… I don't quite know how I feel about him too!

Shirogane is a good kid. But that's all there is to it. I'll admit that he has some good qualities. He's mature enough but has some childish issues. And yes he did save me twice now and I guess he does have a certain… charm. Wait… no! Ahh! I shouldn't be thinking about that! He's my student. A person that was once under my tutelage! Just the thought of an intimate relationship with someone who was under my care should be a violation of several codes of conduct already. But… I can't help but recall the time when the nurses told me of how he carried me all the way from the battlefield to the infirmary. He also saved me at the time in Susono and bandage the wound on my stomach—ahhh! No! Stop it! Just stop thinking!

WHAM

…

…

Oww…

"Marimo sensei? Are you alright in there?"

This is really pathetic of me. Not only did I lock myself in his bathroom, now I'm contemplating my mistakes here. Put a few bottles of sake in here and you can arrest me for being drunk and disorderly… and it's barely even time for roll call. Haaa… I'm the worst…

I leaned my back to the door and sat there. I can still hear him calling my name. It sounds a lot like Arai. But of course, Shirogane's voice was more caring than his. Heh… I feel stupid sitting here in someone else's bathroom. It almost seems like we really are a married couple who just had a big fight over something really stupid and now we're just avoiding each other. It's nearly identical to one of those drama shows that I used to watch when I was a kid.

Ruffle…

Hmm? What is he doing now?

"Marimo—ah… no. Jinguuji sensei…" Shirogane seems to be kneeling over by the door. "Listen. I… I don't really know why you're avoiding me. I know that a lot of people misunderstood of what happened between us but hiding isn't exactly going to help either" I know that. "I'm… sorry… for whatever I did. I know that an apology won't be able to make things better so please… just talk to me"

…

"…" This is insane. My chest is starting to hurt. I… I don't know why but hearing him speaking in such a sad tone is breaking me too. What should I do… what should I say?

…

…

Right. This is stupid. I shouldn't be hiding. I should face my fears. If I don't… then Kyozuka won't let me hear the end of it. Ok… breathe in… breathe out. I'll just… talk to him. Right… here we…

WHAM!

"Yeow!"

…go?

"Sh… Shirogane?" I completely forgot that the bathroom doors open both ways. I swung the door with too much force and slammed it on his face. "A… are you alright?"

"It's nothing… just a little bruise" He answered holding his nose. Ah! It's bleeding. "Ah… I need a tissue"

"Tissue. Right! Tissue…" I got him a few rolls from the toilet side and handed it to him to plug his nose. "Tilt your head upward and don't let it fall out" I unconsciously helped the boy down on his bed and put his head up. It was basic treatment for a bloody nose. "There… now stay still and the blood will stop on its own"

"Thanks… Marimo sensei… I…" I tossed him back his shirt before he could finish his sentence. I should put a mental note to never put my pins that low.

"Put something on before you talk" It's hard enough just to look at him with what's been happening. (Ruffle) Ok… now what do I do?

"Umm… so about yesterday" Guuuu! Wait! I'm not prepared! I came out to talk but I completely forgot that I've prepared nothing to talk about! Ahhh! "I'm so sorry! Please forgive me! I was an idiot!" Eh? "I mean… what happened the between us wasn't completely your fault! Because of how I acted with you and how I kept calling you Marimo chan in front of everyone caused everyone to misinterpret our relationship!"

"Sh… Shirogane?"

"So I apologize for any harm that I may have caused you! So in this case I will never call you Marimo chan again! Please forgive me!"

…

…

…

…

…

Pfftt!

"Ahahaha!"

"Sensei?"

Oh this is ridiculous. Here I was trying to sort things out and of all the things he's now bowing to me and begging for forgiveness. This is really awkward. If I start to cry and laugh at the same time it will just make things worse.

This boy. He's probably just as distraught as I am. That's why he's been chasing me. He wanted to sort this all out but I was too afraid to even face him. Haaa… and here I thought I was the mature side. How shameful of me.

"I see… I guess you felt just as awkward as I was" I was finally able to speak through my laughs. "I'm sorry that I put you through all of it as well. (Sensei?) But I guess it's not entirely your fault either. Because of how I acted towards you, people misinterpret our relationship. I'm sorry… for everything that's happened between us as well. (…?) But it's ok to call me Marimo chan. Besides… I think I'd prefer it that way seeing that we're no longer student and pupil. (Marimo sensei!) But only when we're alone… understand? I don't want this going out of proportion like before"

"Y… yes! Of course! Marimo sensei!"

"Ahuhu… I guess I turned out to be the kid in this fiasco. (Huh?) Nothing. But I'm glad we had this talk eventually. (Ahehehe…) Alright… I guess we'll go with the routine make up ritual and shake hands. It's the least we can do, right?"

"Right…"

…

…!

His hands… they're strong… like a grip that just won't let go. I've known people who trained their bodies to chiseled perfection but his hand… it feels like you can break a watermelon with just one squeeze.

"Sensei?"

"Huh? Ah… right" I broke out of my daze as the boy looked back to me with a sorrowful gaze. That's odd… were his eyes… always that deep when we first met?

"Oh and before I forget, I'd like to give you something. (Huh?) It's something I made during my free time. Kyozuka san said that I should give you a gift to… make things better between us" He ruffled through his desk and handed me a small silver chain attached to a small item at the center. It was a puppy in a sense with big giant eyes and a fluffy tail. It was a cheap item to be made but it somehow brought a smile to my face. "It's not much… but I was hoping you'd keep it… for me"

"Ah… Shirogane…" He must've spent time making this. Ugh… maybe the next time I run away from him, I'll hide in the maintenance room rather than the PX. "… thank you" I held the necklace close to my chest and nodded with a satisfied smile. I'm too much of a fool to let this go on. "Well… we'd better go before roll calls starts. (Y… yeah…) I… I'll go first and make sure no one is looking. It would cause less of a disruption that way"

"Yeah… good thinking" I took a quick scan around the hallway and made sure that no one was around. After straightening my hair and my clothes I walked up with my head held up high. "Marimo sensei…" Hmm? "I'll see you later"

…!

Gahhh! No no no no! My face is turning red! Why does he have to say that? It's like a couple seeing each other off! Gwahh! I nearly tumbled on my feet and quickly made a dash towards the PX. That idiotic boy!

**(Hallway) (Takeru's POV)**

Haaaa… I'm glad that's over with. I'm not sure whether what Marimo said was a positive thing but at the very least I was able to sort something out with her. And also she started talking to me again. Haaaaa… I'm too tired to even think anymore. It's barely even morning and already I'm exhausted.

Well… at least I don't have any classes in the morning. Maybe I should use this time to go and visit Sumika. She must be really lonely down there with only Kasumi to visit.

**(Yuuko's lab)**

The bulkhead door that leads to Sumika's room was as frightening as ever. You'd think that when you see a door like that it should lead to a final boss of a game or hidden treasure of sorts. But instead it kept an innocent girl locked up. But I guess there's little difference. Sumika is… after all, the core of ALTERNATIVE IV… the last best hope for mankind. Yuuko wouldn't take any chances of her safety. If she wanted it her way she probably would've had guards posted out here 24/7.

I slipped my card onto the console and waited for confirmation. I wonder if she's awake at this point.

Whirrr…

The room was dark as usual. Only a single lamp illuminated from the table. It looked similar to my room but a lot more depressing. Heck… I bet the holding cell had more spark than this.

"Sumika? Are you up yet? (…)" Oh… she's sleeping. I was hoping we could talk for a bit but I guess that's out of the question. I shouldn't disturb her.

"I don't think you should do that" Bwah! Ah! Yuuko sensei! "I was wondering who it was. If you're looking for Kasumi, she just left a few minutes ago. Sumika has been placed in sleep mode earlier to conserve her strength and processing power"

"Oh… I see" I answered back calmly. "So… how is she doing?"

"Her conditions are improving but it will take time for her to fully recover"

"How much time?"

She raised a brow at me. "As a rough guess, I'd say another week. She went beyond her limit in her first mission so you can't be surprised on why she needs a lot of rest. Once her nerves cools down a bit we'll put her through the tank and purify her. (Purify?) Didn't you say before that I told you that she needs to be placed back inside the BETA Reactor at least once a week?" Oh that's right. Sumika needs to be charged up again and again inside a BETA Reactor to prevent her from losing her mind. I don't remember all the details but I know that she can't survive without being plugged once or twice.

"Yeah… I remember. Sorry. It's just been a busy morning"

"She'll recover with time. But this also puts the ALTERNATIVE IV project in a buzz. (Huh?) Since she needs to be plugged into the reactor once a week, it limits her operational time on the battlefield. We won't be able to send her to missions that requires long exposure on the area"

"Huh? Wait a second. You're going to send her again? (Of course)" Is she saying that she's actually going to send Sumika on the battlefield again? "But why? Don't we have the other XG units coming from America?"

"The XG-70 is only an accessory to the plan. It's not a requirement. Sumika's ability to use the Rutherford Field produced by the Moorcock-Lechte Engine is the finest achievement we have. What's the saying again? A good defense is a good offense?"

"I thought that now that we have the cooperation of the world, we won't need to put her as part of the plan anymore"

"Sumika isn't a part of ALTERNATIVE IV… she is ALTERNATIVE IV. It's the only way we'll be able to defeat the BETA… slowly. (…) This is war Shirogane. Everyone needs to play their part… even those who don't even want to fight. You can't allow your feelings to get in the way. (…) Besides… you'll be there to protect her. Isn't that the reason why you stayed?"

I darted my eyes to Sumika and saw her sleeping figure. Who was I kidding? I thought that by altering the course of history I would've been able to spare her from the horrors of war. But I guess I was wrong.

"Right…" I said finally. "You're absolutely right. We still have headways before this war is over. But if there's anything I can do to help, anything at all… please call me"

"Of course…" She answered with a small smile. "But since you're here already, why don't you come to my office? We can talk there"

"Huh? Oh… ok…"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

We arrived in her lab a few minutes later which was still as messy as I remembered it. But… I guess cleanliness is probably a secondary concern for someone who's planning to save the world.

"Right… so what did you want to talk about, Yuuko sensei?"

She took a seat in her favorite chair before speaking. "I wanted to discuss about the 00 Un—… no… I mean Sumika"

"It's alright" I stopped her. "You don't have to retrace every word on my account"

"Really? I thought you wanted me to treat her like a human"

"As long as you keep calling her Sumika or at the very least, visualize her as a human, then that should be enough"

"As you wish" She waved it off like it was nothing and returned to her comfortable position with her legs crossed. "But anyway, I wanted to talk to you about her. (…?) Back in your previous timelines, what was her condition when she first returned to a physical form?"

"Physical form? Well… I'm not entirely sure. I wasn't here when she first came out of the pod. Back then… she was rather unstable. Her mind was fueled with hatred and rage. You could say that Sumika was closer to becoming a feral animal"

"I see… go on…"

"Back then she would say nothing but 'kill'. But considering her environment, I think it's only natural for her to be that way"

"And how did we overcome it?"

"By using me. (…?) It's a long story but according to what I still remember… she reacts differently every time I approached her. She began to show fear of lost and sadness. (Hoo?) For some reason… you called it progress"

"That is amazing progress…"

"Anyway. After that I was determine to get rid of those emotions otherwise she'll be swallowed up by them, unable to feel happiness, pleasure or any other positive emotions"

"So you're saying that her experience with the BETA was traumatic enough to give her some kind of PTSD? (Yes…) Judging from that tone… you must be speaking from experience. How were you able to get pass yours?"

"It's not really part of the topic. Mine was smaller compared to Sumika. The reason I was able to get through mine was due to being shocked by further trauma. It's something that you from my world, provided. (…) I'm… not entirely sure if I actually got over mine either" We were also limited in time as well so progress couldn't be made so quickly.

"I see. I guess you must've gone through a lot"

"I'm planning to go through a lot more if I have to, Yuuko sensei"

The professor returned a smile and nodded. "Alright then… I guess I'm satisfied. We'll move on to your regular checkups"

**(A few hours later) (PX)**

Ow… ow… ow…

My body was limping as I forced it down the hallway towards the PX. Yuuko went all out on me. She was quick about it but the process of getting my blood out of my system wasn't exactly painless. I believe if she did things her way, she would've used a screw driver to plow a hole on my arm and bled me dry like a mad scientist. But I guess I can't complain too much. She needed to make multiple wounds on me to get the right amount of blood because every time she made one, the cut would heal almost instantly.

I'll admit, it was cool on the first few tries but after awhile it just got creepy. The scars remain but the wound itself healed as if it was done by magic. They still hurt but after awhile it would go away like it never even happened. It's as if the skin just sews itself back together.

Even during the Sadogashima Campaign, I felt the effects work over me. Even with my exosuit, I still received some damage when I blasted the research facility and blew a hole in the giant worm's head. I was even bleeding through my head but it closed almost immediately after it was inflicted.

I feel like… I'm growing even further away from being human.

…

Bah! I'm thinking way too much. Yuuko will probably have an answer for me once she finishes with her research and tests. I have to think about Sumika at this point. Besides, I have bigger things to worry about. Right now I can't tell anyone about the visit I had with the Grand Shogun. Who knows what might happen if anyone found out about it? A scandal? Romantic rendezvous? A secret meeting between the U.N. and the Royal Family? The list can go on for miles and I get the feeling that all of them are bad. But still… (Flash) That sword that she gave me and… that… (Flash)… k… kiss. I can still remember how soft her lips were.

Even if it was just a quick peck on the lips… my brain worked up every little detail like it was racing against a super computer. The tenderness, the scent of the perfume she was using, even to the taste of lemon that was left on my lips. It was such an innocent…

"Takeru?"

"Huh? BWAHHH! (Ahhh!) M… Meiya…?"

"Wh… what's the matter with you? You screamed all of a sudden" Haaaa… haaaa… oh that got my heart racing. For a second I thought that Yuuhi was there. "Is something the matter? You looked distracted"

"N… no… I was just thinking about something. You just caught me at a bad time"

"Is that so?" She gave me an annoyed pout like I just teased her. She looks almost identical to her sister, only more headstrong.

"Well, what is it? (…?) You called me for a reason"

"Ah yeah. The others and I are having lunch together. We were wondering if you would like to join us"

"Oh that'd be great. I have nothing to do today. Just let me grab something to eat and I'll join you guys. (Alright)" Haaa… the smell of freshly made synthetic food. There's no better prescription in the world that can match that. Well… except for the steak sandwich that Yoroi brings me all the time that he visits.

"Oya! Takeru chan!"

"Oba san. Set me up with my usual, please"

"Already on it. Oh… and I heard you made up with Jinguuji san too. (Geh!) Ahahaha! There's no need to be all red boy"

"Who did you hear that from? Did Marimo sensei tell you about it?"

"She didn't say anything" Eh? She didn't? "I can tell from how she was behaving. She came here for breakfast this morning and she was all smiles. And by the way… a puppy necklace? (Geh!) You really know how to charm a girl"

"Th… that's because you told me to make a gift for her!"

"Ahahaha! I expected flowers and chocolates… but a handmade gift is something else. As expected from a guy surrounded with girls. Ahahaha!"

"It isn't what you think it is! You're just looking at it wrong!"

"Hai hai… I won't pry. But when you tie the red string together… go with my blessing. (Oba san!) Ahahahaha! I've always wanted to say that. Anyway, here you go. Special deluxe pork dongpo with extra fish and rice. Enjoy!"

"Huh? Wait… this isn't my usual" This thing was the special deluxe. The thing that oba san rarely makes on the plate. The rice was stacked up twice the size of the cup with meat sticking out of it, sliced vegetables decorating the sides and hot sauce to add the spice on the dish. A soldier's dream meal on the battlefield.

"It's on me. There's nothing wrong with a little treat every now and then! Just be sure to give it your all, neh, Takeru. (But…) Alright off you go. I have to get back to the grill. There are other customers waiting"

And with great regret… I left the counter without even resolving one single issue. Haaaa… the more I try to explain, the worse things get with this rumor.

"Hmmm… you must be really hungry to get all that" Meiya looked at my tray with one brow raised.

"No, it was just oba san's way of showing her appreciation"

"Ahuhuhu… she must really like you if she would make something of that caliber"

"Yeah… but I don't think I'll be able to finish it all" The thing was about size of a miniature version of Mt. Fuji. The only time I've ever had this much was when I was when I first tried out for the TSF aptitude test for the first time. "So where are the others? I thought they'd be with you"

"Sakaki and Mikoto are finishing their routine in the gym. Ayamine and Tamase are probably still changing after the morning training. (Training?) Yes. We decided to go a group independent training in the simulator to hone our skills. With most of our TSFs still in repairs, we thought that we may as well keep ourselves strong when our skills are needed"

"That's great"

"But what of you, Takeru? (Hmm?) You disappeared again since this morning. I thought we might've had a chance to talk"

"Ah that. Sorry. I had to go visit Yuuko sensei at the lower floors. (Oh… I see…) Hey don't worry about me. It's not like she's using me as a guinea pig" Well… technically she does but not to a point where I can complain.

"I understand. Being under her command must burden you with a lot of special missions. I will not pry. But please do take care of yourself"

"I'll try to do that if you promise to do the same" I joked out loud, which she laughed back in return.

"Ahuhuhu. Considering the fact that we risk our lives on every possible opportunity, it's safe to say that neither of us will make such promise"

"Good point" She really is like her sister. She can smile even though a heavy burden still lingers on her shoulder. But I guess we all have our own burdens to share. "By the way… can I ask you something odd?"

"Odd?" She raised a question mark on her head. "How so?"

"It's about the royal family. (…) Do you know how their system works? From the Emperor to the five families close to the Shogun?"

She looked at my face, as if she was trying to decipher my agendas for such questions. "Hmm… you are right. That is odd of you. (Sorry…) No. It is fine. I guess you could say that I know some connections and how they work. Why do you ask?"

"Well… I heard that the heads of each family are given a sword to symbolize their authority"

"You mean the Swords of the Daimyos? (Daimyos?) Yes. I've seen them before myself many years ago. The swords are given by the emperor himself to the heads of the houses that represents their loyalty to the ruler. They are handed down from one head to his successor which would often be an offspring of the head, a sibling or perhaps a close relative"

"Would the Shogun have one of these too?"

"Of course. They symbolize their loyalty to the Emperor and lead them to a straight path of justice"

"So… what would it mean if they give that sword to someone else? (…?) Like say… the sword was given to a member of the Household Honor Guard. Would that mean anything?"

"I see. You say that if a blade is given to someone other than a member of the house. (Yeah…) Such a thing has not happened before in a long while. But… should an outsider be handed one… people would partake it as a gesture of greatest trust" A gesture of trust? "The sword symbolizes loyalty… but at the same time it is also a weapon. Giving a weapon to another states that you are relinquishing your ability to protect yourself. Without the sword, your life hangs upon the action of another. It is the symbol of greatest trust. With such actions, it means that you are almost literally putting your life in another person's hands"

"Putting your life in another person's hands…" (Flash) I don't get it. Why would Her Highness…?

"It's not really restricted to the royal family alone though. (Eh?) There are many families that still practice such traditions. You could say that it's one of the country's oldest traditions. Blades and heirlooms are passed down from the parents to the child or a successor. Items can vary to something precious to the person and given to another but the sword is the oldest form of trust and has a deeper meaning"

"Is that so?"

"Yes. But why do you ask? It doesn't sound like something you would question"

"Yeah… that's why I said it was a weird thing to ask"

"Does this have to do anything with your special mission?"

"Huh? No… it was just a personal curiosity. Sorry to ask"

"Not at all" She returned me a smile. "If it your own curiosity then I will not pry. I just find it strange for you to ask such things. But now it is your turn to answer my question. (Eh?) I answered yours but now you must give something in return. Will you indulge in my question?"

"Uh… sure. Why not?"

"What do you think about tomorrow's match up? (Huh?) Were you not informed? We will be resuming our regular training starting tomorrow. The captain said so herself this morning" Oh right… I went to see Sumika this morning right before roll call. I guess I must've skipped that part. "We will be having a mock battle with another team to test the efficiency of our teamwork. It will also cover the needs of future amphibious operations"

"Amphibious operations? I guess that's to be expected. Since there's a good chance we're going to be attacking the coast of Asia soon we'll need to be ready to fight on both land and sea"

"True. It would be nice to break out of this routine. A day in the frontlines would strengthen our resolve"

"Yeah… but I wouldn't mind a few more days of rest either"

"Ahuhuhu. If you show that laziness in front of 1st Lt. Hayase, she will definitely issue another rematch for the tie you had a few days ago"

"I hope not. I don't think I can take on someone with that kind of spirit"

Meiya gave me another laugh. "Nonsense. If there is a time where I had to place my life… it would be on your side, Takeru"

…!

"Meiya…"

"Ah… no I didn't mean it that way. I was simply referring to your question of placing a life on your hands. Ah… no. What I mean to say is that… I… I wouldn't…"

"I understand…" I gave her a sly-teasing-grin.

"What are you grinning about!-? You are merely misinterpreting my words! I… I… I was not speaking of something intimate! And besides… you're… um…"

Whirrrrrrrrrr!

…!

"What the?" This sound… it… can't be. It's… the emergency summons!-?

"All units, we are now in DEFCON 2. I repeat, DEFCON 2. All available combat units, report to your designated positions at once. This is not a drill. I repeat… this is not a drill. DEFCON 2. I repeat, DEFCON 2—all available combat units…"

"Wh… what in the world?" Meiya looked baffled just like I was. "Emergency summons? Takeru!"

"Right. Let's go!" Everyone in the PX jumped to action on the first notice and headed off to the barracks. Dishes were left and the counter was closed down almost immediately. Whatever was happening… it was definitely something huge…


	41. State of Emergency

**Chapter 41: State of Emergency**

**(Takeru's POV) (Briefing room) (12:40 PM)**

Meiya and I rushed as quickly as possible to the briefing room when the alarm sounded. The whole base itself seemed to have sprung to life. Soldiers were going left and right and even cadets were arming up for battle. It was like someone had just stomped on a beehive. By the time we got to the briefing room, 1st Lt. Hayase and the others were there.

"Shirogane! Mitsurugi!" Class rep was the first to notice us.

"You're late!" Akane scolded us.

"What's the emergency?" I asked out.

"We're not sure. It's just that we received orders from the high command to remain on standby"

If the whole base is being placed on standby and the situation elevated to DEFCON 2… that means that a viable threat is imminent and that we might get deployed very soon after this.

"Has anyone been told of the nature of the summons?" Meiya asked as well which Hayase answered back for her.

"Not yet. But considering that everyone is being mobilized, it has to be something big. We'll remain here until then"

"It could it be… a BETA attack" We all darted our eyes at Munakata who gave her opinion. (Flash) Could it be that attack on Yokohama base again? No… that's impossible. We annihilated every last one of them in Sadogashima. There's no way the BETA can recover that quickly. Besides… that attack came around 6 o'clock in the evening not on broad daylight.

"That seems like a possibility" Mikoto nodded in agreement. Everyone feels a little slump but I guess that should be natural before a mission.

But before we could add more of our own assumptions, we were interrupted by the sound of a sliding door. Hayase moved quick and called out to the rest of the team. "Attention!" We stood up front of the podium where Captain Isumi just arrived with Marimo and two other staff officers. "Salute!"

"At ease. Good. Everyone's here" The Captain nodded in all seriousness at us before signaling one of the staff officers to turn off the lights and the other one to man the projector at the back of the room. "We don't have a lot of time so I'll get this over as quick as possible. We have an emergency situation on our hands. Earlier today, we've received information of an impending BETA invasion. (…!)" So it is the BETA. I should've expected as much. We saw the projector open and the slides showing a map of the South China Sea. "Following yesterday's operation approved by the U.N. Council, a large BETA horde had been sighted from our satellites" Operation? It must've been done by another army since I've heard nothing from high command or Yuuko.

The clip changed and to our surprise, we saw about half of the southern China coast to be swallowed by a swarm of red dots which indicated the BETA.

"At 0930 hours yesterday, satellites detected the BETA launching a full scale attack on the northern coast of the Philippines. The attack consisted of at least 700,000 units. (…!)" 700,000? That's almost three times the amount of enemies we had to fight in Sadogashima. I can't believe the BETA still had that much to spare in an attack. "4 Companies of U.N and U.S. TSFs along with a hundred ships were decimated in a matter of hours. Evacuation of the country was set up but were canceled afterwards when we realized that the Philippines wasn't' their target. (…?) After destroying most of their coastal defenses near Cagayan, the BETA immediately changed their course. (…?)" The BETA changing course? "At 1500 hours the attack group left the coastline moving towards the Philippine Sea, heading northwards towards the Kyu Kyu Islands. We have reasons to believe that the BETA chose this path specifically to bypass our defenses in Taiwan and the naval mines we placed in the East China Sea"

Naval mines? Wait… I remember hearing about that in my previous loops during Operation Babylon. Those were contact bombs leftover during the 2nd World War. It was originally used to prevent submarines and ships to cross the East China Sea. I think the Japanese Government left them there to do some damage to any BETA coming directly from the mainland.

The clip changed again, this time showing of a fleet that was following the BETA horde.

"The remnants of the U.S. 8th Fleet that was stationed in the Philippines has been tracking its movements ever since the attack and have been feeding us intel on the location and size of the enemy force" Isumi continued, turning her gaze to the screen.

"Do we have a battle strategy against the enemy?" Class rep asked with her hand raised.

"A strategy is being formulated at the moment. But at the moment we will be treating this as another defense mission. We will be temporarily be incorporated into the standard force and follow their chain of command. The defense strategy will be as follows" The screen changed again to the new defense lines of the Imperial Army. "The 9th Imperial Navy is now erecting a blockade along the south of Shikoku with the 56th Armored Corp. This will serve as the country's first defense line of both ships and armored units. The Imperial Honor Guard and various other military components will be settling along the Kagawa and Okayama provinces which will make up for the bulk of the Imperial Main Force"

They're committing a lot of resources on this. Even though they've just recently recovered from the Sadogashima Campaign… to fight two battles in such short time must be stressful for the soldiers out front.

"Since this attack is an international incident, the U.N. will also intervene. However we won't be participating in combat directly. (…?)" We won't? "We will be assisting with the evacuation of civilians along the borders of the mainland. Hyogo, Osaka and Wakayama will serve as the 3rd defense line with Kyoto serving as the 4th and final one"

"Tch… so we'll be doing grunt work. That's no fun" I heard Hayase mutter out softly with a disappointed face. Maybe she wanted to get in on the action as well.

"Is there something we should expect, Captain?" Touko asked looking somewhat bewildered by the unrealistic numbers.

"Yes…" The Captain added, earning our attention once more. "Though I do not wish to provide a scare for you, we have reasons to believe that this particular attack group is far different from the ones we've tackled so far. (…?) One thing to note that this attack is being led by a new strain of BETA that I'm sure you're all familiar with" The clip changed again, this time revealing the sight of a torn down city.

…!

"That's…"

"This here is the new strain that we've encountered during the retaking of Sadogashima. We've dubbed it as a 'Carrier' Class from here on" There was no doubt about it. That creature was embedded on my mind like the rest of those who participated in the last mission. The giant worm the size of a dozen football stadiums—it'd be hard to forget. "According to what we've been informed: Three of these new strains were sighted leading this attack group. (…!)" Three of them? It took nearly all our arsenal just to stop one of them and from that time we had to make an improvised an SD-11 bomb, shower it with artillery fire and break off its skin in the crudest manner possible. In short… we were pretty desperate just trying to stop it. In the end, it took the point blank range of the XG-70 to destroy it.

"…" I can hear some of the team muttering amongst themselves. I guess they're pretty shocked on hearing this too.

"Fortunately for us however. During the attack on the Philippines, the U.S. Army was able to destroy one of them in the process" They destroyed one?

"How did they stop it?" I heard Meiya ask.

"The captain of one of the ships carrying a payload of explosives sacrificed himself and his crew by becoming bait and swallowed in by one of the worms. The worm took it down to the bottom of the sea floor before the ship detonated itself. (…)" A whole ship. It was a sacrificial move to take a big one down. "However, even with the loss of one of their Carriers, the BETA attack group still remains a viable threat to the safety of Japan. (…) I will now brief you all on our mission"

The clip changed again, this time showing the location of our operation's area.

"We will leave Yokohama Base in approximately 1 hour after briefing using a new Type-40 jump unit to maximize energy usage. We will travel through the main road escorting two armored divisions to the ruined city of Kobe. From there we will begin evacuation of civilians from various towns. Squatters and alike are of no exception either" So we'll be tasked with helping out people again. It's a safe bet but knowing that we won't be fighting makes it kind of depressing. "The highest ranking officer of this operation on our side will be General Radhabinod himself. We will be following his orders even if it should come from other officers. Considering the amount of resources the Imperial Army is putting into its defense we don't expect to be in combat soon but that doesn't mean we should let our guard down. Be vigilant at all times and be ready for any situation. Understand?"

"Understood!" We replied altogether.

"Remember that you'll be working side by side with the Imperial Army. Don't do anything that will humiliate the Valkyries or the U.N. Armed Force! We'll all meet up at the TSF hanger in 30 minutes. Dismissed!"

"Salute!"

**(Takeru's room)**

I can't believe we're actually going to fight again and so soon too. I thought that with our complete victory in Sadogashima we'd actually have some breathing room but the BETA just won't have it. Now they're sending a whole army against us with their new giant worms to boot. It's depressing… but what pains me even more is the fact that my memories of the future are being altered too. I planned to change history for the better but it seems like my consequential actions have finally caught up to me.

This invasion really shows that my memory of the future is no longer relevant. I was able to give us a few months head start against the BETA and the coup but from here on end, I'll have to make things up as I go.

Ruffle…

Hmm… let's see. According to what the captain told us we might be staying in the operation's area for a few days. We'll be in our exosuits most of the time so two extra pairs of shirts will have to do. I already changed into my exosuit and armed my pistol with a fresh clip. Commissioned Eisihs like us are allowed to carry firearms. Even cadets are given one so that they know the responsibility of handling and owning a weapon. Back then I barely knew how heavy a real gun was… but now it feels like it was just another part of my hand.

Well… this should be everything that I need.

Heh… I kind of remember how my mom used to pack for me in my fieldtrip days. She'd stuff my backpack like I was going on journey around the world in 60 days. Even just a little visit to the zoo would make her panic. Bah… I remember how Sumika used to make fun of me because of that. Hehehe…

Oh that's right. I should say goodbye to Sumika too. I don't want her to worry about me when I'm gone for awhile.

Alright… everything's packed. Clothes, extra rations and some other necessities. All the things you need to survive on a defense mission. Right… I still have twenty minutes before I need to meet up with the rest of the team. Plenty of time.

Click…

Wham!

Ooof!

"Kya!" Ow… oh… great not again. I really need to watch where I'm going. I'm tackling a lot of people lately.

"Sorry about that. I wasn't watching where I was—Class rep?"

"ow… ow ow, ow… ow… my back" Class rep groaned out painfully. "Shirogane! Watch where you're going! (Sorry…) How many times have you tackled me already? It feels like you're making a habit out of this" It's not like I'm doing this on purpose. I just have a habit of thinking while I'm running. It's called an active mind… but I don't think I want to say that out loud.

"Sorry about that. I'll try to be more considerate next time"

"You're really strong, Shirogane. I guess all that work out of yours must've made your body like steel. (Ahehehe) So where are you heading? You look like you're in a rush"

"Ah… I was going to see Yuuko sensei" It was true. After I visit Sumika I may as well pay her another visit to get a better view of things.

"Oh… that's right. She has you running on special missions" Class rep looked dejected after recalling that my direct superior was the base's most deceptive VIP and Vice Commander. I think her name has been the shield I've been carrying for awhile. Whenever someone tries to press me for information like Tsukuyomi did when we first met, Yuuko's name made her hesitate just for a moment. "Well anyway, don't overdo anything. We don't want the Legendary Rookie to be out of commission just before battle"

"Hey… that's a lot of pressure for one guy"

"You talk about pressure but have you ever done any paperwork at all? (Geh!) See? So if you're not going to do any of that then you may as well do twice the effort on the battlefield"

"Oh come on Class rep. That's just mean. It's not that I don't want to do paperwork… it's just that I don't like doing it"

"Those are the same thing" Geh… she's sharp. "Haaaa… whatever. It's not like I can point the faulties of a superior officer. (Ahehehe…) Just… don't push yourself, ok?" She placed her hand on my cheek. It's smooth and yet rough at the same time. "We all still need you out there. Now more than ever" Class rep… (Flash) Uh… what the? "Takeru? Is something wrong?"

"No… it's nothing. Just a little déjà vu" Strange. For a moment there… I felt like my whole body was warped back to my world. I saw the time when Class rep and I went to the temple on New Year's Eve flash before my eyes and it looked as if she was saying something to me. (Flash) Ah… I can see it. The crowded temple… my usual clumsiness of dropping that two thousand yen bill into the donation box, Class rep in her mother's kimono. Wait… her mother… (Flash) Wait… what am I seeing now? Is that… my wedding with Class rep? (Flash) Ah… it's all a blur. I can't really recall much but I do remember parts of it.

"T… Takeru? Are you alright? (Huh?) Are you hurt somewhere? You're…"

"Ah… crap" My eyes suddenly got watery. "Sorry… I just felt… nostalgic. Ahehe…"

"No… I'm supposed to be the one apologizing. (Ahehe) Hehe… maybe Akane's nickname of you wasn't so far off after all" Guuu… that girl calls me a crybaby. "Anyway… you should probably go. The Vice Commander isn't someone you should keep waiting. (Yeah…) I'll be in the hanger with the others. Don't be late"

"I won't. (Ahuhu…) Oh and Class rep. (Hmm?) Thank you"

"Eh? For what?"

"For… (Flash) Everything…"

**(Sumika's room)**

"Hello? Sumika? (…!) Oh… Kasumi. You're here"

"Good morning…"

"Yeah… well… it's actually afternoon right now but I doubt you'll be able to tell time from so deep underground. (…)" I walked up to Sumika's bed and kneeled to her side. "She's still sleeping huh?" The rabbit girl nodded in reply to me. Sumika was still in the same posture as I left her. Beautiful… and peaceful to a point. I still have a hard time believing that a sweet girl like her would actually be mankind's last hope. That's a lot of pressure for one person, even for me. Her hair was all messed up and all over the place. I bet when she wakes up she'll be in for a surprise. "How long has she been sleeping?"

"A few hours…" Kasumi answered with a pause. She looked back to Sumika and held me a book. "I read her a story last night before she went to bed" A story huh? That sounds nice. Let's see. 'A City With No People'. Where have I heard this story before? "She wanted to see you before she went to sleep. (Huh?) She said that… talking to you was… a tradition"

Talking to me before I go to sleep? (Flash) Oh… that's right. Every night right before I go to bed, Sumika would knock on my window and we'd both have a quick chat about… well… everything that happened today. It's not much of a choice since our bedrooms are almost linked together. I guess whoever designed the neighborhood had a major flaw in their architectural development. But even so… that moment was our special alone time. It didn't matter if it rained or shine… if the world was ending tomorrow… I'm pretty sure that she'd still come out of her way just for one brief moment with me… alone.

"Yeah… it was…" I answered finally.

"I'll leave…"

"No… it's alright. I won't take long. Besides… I'd like to be beside her for the next few days if possible. Sumika gets lonely really fast. (Hai…) Thanks" I turned my head back to face Sumika. She's sleeping soundly and she seems to have gotten back her colors. "Hey there" I began in a whisper. "Sorry I couldn't visit you earlier. I've been busy with a lot of things. You won't believe the punishment Yuuko made me do for the past few days. Who knew teaching and observing would actually be such a pain? Now I know how Marimo chan feels about us… oh and speaking of Marimo… I made up with her this morning too. It's a long story and I'd love to tell you about it. I bet anything you'd laugh for sure. (…)" All I got in reply was a wheeze. "There's… so many things I really want to talk with you, Sumika. (…) I'm leaving on a mission in Kobe City. I don't think either of us has been there before so I'll be sure to bring you back a souvenir, ok? (…) Ahehe…"

"…" I feel stupid. I wonder if she can even hear me at this point.

I looked at my military watch and counted the minutes. I don't have much time left and it doesn't look like Sumika will be waking up any time soon. With a heavy heart, I gave her one final peck on the forehead and whispered gently to her face. "I'll be back before you know it. I promise. So until then… get better. (…) I'll see you later…"

Ah… damn… I'm crying again. Maybe Akane was right… I am a crybaby after all. I feel like I was saying goodbye to a love one like in one of those military dramas. A husband goes off for his military duties leaving his wife and child behind at home. Heh… I'm probably just over-thinking things.

I left Kasumi behind with her and closed the bulkhead door behind me as it locked with a heavy bolting sound. Security around her was tight. Too tight even for my taste. But as long I get to visit her whenever I want to… then I have no complaints.

"… I see… so I guess it's only a matter of time" Hmm? That voice. Yuuko sensei?

"That's correct, professor. I'm sorry that it's come to this. But I must request that you take your staff to the capital until the situation has been cleared" Who is she talking to? That voice seems familiar somehow.

"I appreciate the thought, Commander. But my research is in its most critical stage. I can't abandon it now"

"I'm willing to move all your research to another lab in the capital. With the situation as it is, there's a good chance that this base may be placed in the frontlines as well. Consider the circumstances before making your answer"

"Are you asking me to abandon everything I've worked here and sit on a tropical island somewhere? You can't be serious" It seems like she's having a serious talk with someone around the corner.

"You're the very reason why the world is now looking up to the U.N. It would be shameful if you were to disappear"

I heard Yuuko give the man a joking laugh. "I see. So you're merely acting on the council's orders. I guess I finally made it into their list of VIPs, didn't I? (…) But regardless… my answer remains the same, Commander"

"You're very persistent today, professor" The man on the opposite side replied with a heavy sigh. Wait a minute. That's the base's CO! The General! "Very well. But should the base become the center of the defense in the near future, I will have you removed even by force if I must"

"Do what you must and I'll do what I can, Commander"

Maybe I shouldn't interrupt. But I wanted to talk with Yuuko before I leave for combat.

"Who's there?" Geh! "Identify yourself!" Damn, the man noticed me.

"Ara… we have an eaves dropper" Even Yuuko knew I was here. "You can come out. We won't hurt you too much"

I shyly came out of the corner with my head down. "S… sorry about that"

"1st Lt. Shirogane" The General pointed his voice to me. I've never spoken to him directly before so it was quite intimidating. "May I ask what you're doing on this floor? All available units will be sorting out soon" Geh… I have no excuse!

"I called him" Yuuko said suddenly which the General turned to glance at her before returning his stare at me. His gaze was powerful. Almost three times tougher than Tsukuyomi's stare. "There's something I wanted to discuss with him before he went on his mission"

"I see… so this boy is the rumored guard dog of yours I've been hearing so much about, Professor" Guard dog? Who calls me that?

"Sometimes a scientist needs a hound to chase off unwanted people" Uuuuu… even Yuuko sensei is…

With a sigh, the General headed off. "Very well. I shall leave you to your work, professor. But please… do be careful"

Yuuko made a face before returning to me. "Haaaa… they must really be pressuring him if he's acting like this" I don't get it at all. Maybe this is something people would call… an adult talk. The atmosphere around them is completely different… like two hornets keeping a friendly demeanor while trying their best not to sting the other person even though it looks very tempting.

"S… sorry…" I apologized unconsciously. "I shouldn't have eavesdropped like that"

"That's fine. It saves me the time for calling you. (Eh?) There's something I wanted to give you. Let's go to my office. We can discuss things from there"

Her office was probably the most secured room in the entire base. It's where Yuuko conducts all of her business and research without the fear of someone listening or watching. The only people who ever had access to this room are me, Kasumi, Sumika and Yuuko herself. Mikoto's old man is probably the exception but I don't think he's dumb enough to try to prank Yuuko sensei. The man's smart and cocky but he knows when he's met his match.

"So what did you want to talk about, Yuuko sensei?"

"Nothing really. I just wanted to give you this" She handed me a small metal box with a complex electronic lock. "I've been studying your headaches as of late and I figured out how to stop it" My headaches? "Inside that box you'll find a customized syringe and six shots of a new… 'cure'… if you'd call it that"

She's probably taking precaution for me. During Sadogashima my brain suddenly went into a meltdown for some reason. It almost felt like my head was going to explode or something. If it wasn't for Meiya, I don't think I'd be standing here right now.

"So… this thing will stop my headaches?"

"I'd save you the detail of how many compounds we've put in that cure but just know that it will work" She sounds quite confident about it. "We can't afford you breaking down again like in Sadogashima. I had to make a rush job because Isumi was complaining about it"

"Eh? The Captain?"

"No… never mind. In any case, take them with you. Apply them only before you enter battle. Don't try to mix them with anesthetics or any other chemical or they won't have any effects. You should be grateful about this. You're getting a lot of customized items for a regular soldier. (Ahehehe) Anyway…" She returned to her seat and cast a look on me. "You came to say goodbye to Sumika, didn't you?"

"Ah… yeah…"

"Heh… you're acting like a military husband in one of those dramas on TV. (Geh!) But I guess I can understand your needs. (Ahehehe…) Don't worry. I'll make sure she recovers by the time you get back. She won't be going anywhere without me knowing"

"Yeah… I know. It's just that. (…?) I wanted to talk with her… just for a little while"

"Her brain is still in sleep mode so she'll probably wake up in a week. Kasumi and I will be around to monitor her the whole time"

"Eh? You're not coming with us?"

"No" She answered plainly. "This is an international event that involves all parties. If we were going to deploy an XG or the 00-Unit… then I might take some authority. I'm a scientist… not a strategist. Radhabinod wanted me to move to the capital until the danger was over. I guess old people like him get overprotective sometimes" I see… that must be what they were arguing about in the hallway.

"Oh… that reminds me. I heard on the briefing about the new BETA strain"

"Ah… you mean the 'Carrier' type. It's true. Three of them were sighted. The U.S. Navy were able to take down one of them but the other two might cause problems for us"

"Do we know anything about them?"

"It's new to us too" She waved her hand up in response. "Besides… there isn't much to go on since the one we killed in Sadogashima was practically vaporized. The best we can do is look for possible weaknesses. (Geh…) But if we get anything, I'll be sure to pass it around. That will be all for today. You should probably return to your team before they leave without you. (Yeah…) Good luck out there… and try not to die, alright?"

**(TSF Hanger)**

Alright… I'm fully charged now. I don't know what the future has in store for me… but I'm ready for anything. I won't let Yuuko sensei down. I will protect Sumika no matter what it takes. I have the resolve and the ideals to believe in. As long as I hold onto my faith in humanity and my skills and those around me… there's hope.

Ruffle…

I held the sword that Her Highness gave to me the other night. I don't know why I brought it with me… but it felt like I just needed it for some reason.

Yuuhi san… I promise you… I won't betray your trust. I'll defeat the BETA and through that I'll defeat whatever enemy that stands in my way. There will come a day where you and Meiya can enjoy life together. I promise you that.

_"You can't save the world if you don't have ideals to believe in"_

_-Kouichi Hayase from Kurogane no Linebarrel-_

"Hoooo? That's a good face you've got there" Eh? Who? "You look one of those soldiers in movies that's about to meet their demise on a one last stand fight"

"Geh! Kashiwagi?" Oh well… that's embarrassing. I was so sucked up in my own thoughts that I made a strange face unintentionally.

"Just kidding" She quickly turned the mood around, patting my back to reassure me. "You looked so serious for a moment there I thought you were posing for a picture"

"Ahe… sorry. I was thinking about something"

"Don't look so glum. You should get used to sorties like this by now since we'll get sent to more missions later on. (Yeah…) Here… you should keep your strength up while you can" Oh… orange juice. I completely forgot that I skipped lunch this afternoon when the emergency siren went off.

"Thanks, Kashiwagi san. I needed that"

"Haruko is fine. You make me sound like my brothers"

"Hehe… alright, Haruko san"

"Don't get all stiff. We can't have the Legendary Rookie down before the fight now, can we?"

"Yeah…" And after a brief nod, we parted ways.

My Shiranui was still being loaded up with live ammunitions so I still had plenty of time before we sent out. Outside, I can see soldiers being equipped with winter gear. The weather and temperature at this time was below freezing point. Even some parts of the river were already turning to ice and will probably melt next spring. Tanks and Heavy artillery units were being loaded onto aerial transports as well. The U.N. Armed Forces really are bringing everything they had on this fight. I heard that they're even bringing more from the bases in Hokkaido. That would count to at least one… maybe two hundred Eishis. Almost the size of the force we brought to take back Sadogashima Island.

This war…

It seems like the end of the war seems so far away. If the BETA had this much to spare for one attack… how much more would they have left in defense? In my previous loops I became a part of Operation Babylon… the final stages of a mission that ended the war here on Earth using a large number of G-Bombs. A single one of those bombs vaporized millions of BETA in a flash but in the process it salts the earth around it making the land itself inhabitable for years to come.

Sometimes we try to justify our actions with reasons… saying to ourselves that by destroying the BETA we will give humanity a future. But as far as I can see those are just excuses. By destroying the Earth itself… we also take away our future. I always thought that the system was just a plain of black and white… but after that day… I can see shades of gray everywhere. Heroes and villain are just…

Heh… forget it. It's not like my thoughts would mean anything now. I have to stay focused. As long as I have the willpower to see this through… there will be hope. Our victory in Sadogashima is all the proof I need.

"You seem pretty confident" Hmm? Oh! "It almost looks as if you're prepared to lay your life on the battlefield"

"1st Lt. Tsukuyomi" I saluted in response. "Are you being sent out too?"

"Yes. My company is going to be sent to the front lines as the vanguard force" If Tsukuyomi and the Three Idiots are going then that can only mean the royal family will be participating in this defense as well. "We will be guarding the first defense line along with the Imperial Navy"

"The first defense line? That must be rough"

"I have no doubt that it will be difficult. But that is to be expected of us. To give it our all no matter what the situation may be"

"Then I'll give it my all too!"

She struck a small laugh. "Ahuhuhu… if things go in our favor, your group may not need to fire a single bullet at all"

"Ahehehe… that's true. But looking at the situation, it must be tough for the Imperial Army to fight another battle so quickly after they won in Sadogashima"

"True. There are still many who have yet to recover from our previous battle. But nonetheless they will perform their duties to the utmost. It is simply the pride of being a soldier" Pride of a soldier. Where have I heard that before? "But anyway… I believe that I may leave knowing that Meiya sama will be in good hands. This… I have no doubt. (Tsukuyomi…) Ahuhuhu… strange. I feel a lot calmer with you for some reason. (Huh?) Ah… nothing. It's nothing. Well then… I must deploy soon. Until then… try not to die"

"Hey, like you said when we first met. I'm already dead. So I can't die twice… neh?"

"Ahuhuhu… you have a point. It's useless for me to say so with your ridiculous talent"

"And same goes to you. I wouldn't mind having your homemade cooking again. (…!) Ahehe"

"Idiot… please keep that bit of information confidential" Oh… she's blushing! The great and powerful Tsukuyomi is actually blushing. She looks so cute. "It would not benefit any of us if others would learn of our… (… our?) Tch… I must leave. Good day to you, 1st Lieutenant" And just like that she bolted off. Wow… I never imagined I would actually make the stone hearted person like her blush. Well… I did make her cry back in Niigata so I guess that counts.

"This is Valkyrie 1 to all units" The captain appeared on my headset. "We're deploying in 5 minutes. Everyone, report to your designated unit and meet me at the front of the base"

It's time…

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The base was in full mobilization. The moment I stepped out of the base I saw TSFs jumping off in every direction and soldiers mounting on vehicles like they were in a rush for their lives. The only time I saw the base this active was during the coup and back then we didn't have enough manpower to fill the whole army.

After we formed outside the base, I put Yuuhi's sword on the side of my cockpit right alongside my change of clothes and rations and placed the metal box that Yuuko gave me in the First-Aid compartment. I don't know how long we'll be gone… but according to the reports, we might actually be staying in for a few days. In battle… I'm not really worried. I fought countless times already in my lifetime so one more won't really make a difference. I promised myself that I will protect Sumika and everyone around me. I don't know what the future holds from here on out… but I know one thing for certain… I'm going to give it my all…

"All units, listen up" Isumi continued. "We'll be following the convoy in low altitude in NOE conditions. We're not expecting any trouble along the way but that doesn't mean we should let our guard down. We will be guarding the flanks of the middle group and leave the security detail to mobile command post. (Roger!) Report to Platoon Leaders every ten minutes and keep your wits about. Prepare to deploy. (Understood!) Hmm? Hayase… aren't you missing someone?"

"Eh? Oi! Who the hell is missing!-?" Oh that's right. I just noticed that one member of B Platoon is still not here.

"Not me…" Ayamine replied coolly.

"Not me either" I followed not wanting to be the center of her wrath.

"If not you or Shirogane then… ah! Mitsurugi!" Meiya? How unusual. I thought she'd be the first one out here. She's often diligent about her duties. "Mitsurugi! Where are you?"

"I apologize for the wait" Meiya replied through the radio. "The mechanics insisted that he take one last look before deploying. I am ready now. (Whirrrr…) (…!)"

That unit…! That's… the Takemikazuchi! Right… I completely forgot that she said that she was going to deploy it on our next sortie. She had it repainted light blue to match us but even by a single glance you can tell that the specs and the difference in our power output was far different. Everyone seemed surprised but me.

"You're late!" Hayase barked out pretending not to be fazed by it. She was probably just glad to see Meiya out here. "Next time, tell that head engineer to make it quick otherwise we would've left you already. (Yes ma'am) Geez… you youngsters nowadays"

"Ohhhh… that sounds like something an old man would say, Hayase" Munakata mocked with a grin up her lips. "Maybe it's time for you to retire to a penthouse somewhere in the city"

"Oi! Who are you calling old!-?"

"Now now, settle down" Isumi cooed to them. "Save your anger when we fight the BETA. But… I am a little worried. (…?) With Hayase's hotheadedness, Ayamine's powerful throw, Shirogane's amazing talents and now this? I get the feeling that B Platoon is becoming way too overpowered"

"They're hogging all the good stuff too" Munakata added with a no-pun joke. "Why don't you bring Shirogane to our side?"

The gang shared a laugh.

"I'll think about it" The captain answered looking like her old self again. "But with that in mind, I expect greater things from you, Mitsurugi"

"I promise to live up to your expectations, Captain"

"Good. All units fall in. Don't shame the name of the Valkyries. Let's go!" As our team formed up, we leaped forward to our destination.

**(Yuuko's office)**

As the noise around the base finally died down after the deployment of every available military force… Yuuko decided that it was time for her to continue her work. After all… she had to keep her end of the bargain in this war.

Just as she scrolled on her computer and opened a classified file concerning Shirogane, her attention was snatched by the new presence by the doorway. To her surprise… it was Kasumi, carrying a certain redhead by her shoulders. "Yashiro? Oh? Kagami?"

The rabbit girl gently carried Sumika in, her arms just barely holding onto her weight. Sumika was wearing nothing but her pajamas, her eyes weak as if on the verge of closing and her body soaked with sweat.

"Ta… keru…" She was able to mutter his name out just only above a whisper.

"He's not here at the moment" Yuuko answered honestly before closing her computer. "He went out on a mission. He won't be back for quite awhile"

The redhead nodded weakly, her body leaning by the doorway. "I see. So… he's not here anymore…"

"He promised to come back in a few days… so you should get your rest before—(That's good…) Hmm?"

"If he's not here… then I guess… that's… for the best…"

Yuuko raised a brow. She knew that the 00 Unit was not something a normal human can understand but this is something she wasn't expecting. "What are you saying? (Ruffle) Ah! Kagami!" She hurried from her seat when the girl fell to the floor with a loud thud. "You're weak right now. You should get back to bed and get some rest. Yashiro, help me bring her back to her room"

"There's… no time… (…?)" Sumika's voice strained for a bit. She looked like she wanted to say something… something very important. "We… don't have time… before it all ends…"

"What are you talking about?"

"He… has to leave. (Eh?) Takeru chan… has to leave or… he will… start all over…"

"Kagami? You're spouting nonsense. Let's get you to—" But Sumika brushed off her hand before she could touch her. And with one swift move, the 00 Unit grabbed the professor by the face and allowed the visions to sink in. "Gah…!"

"You must see what you need to see…"

Within moments, the room was engulfed with darkness…


	42. Heroes on Both Ends

**Chapter 42: Heroes on Both Ends**

**(December 28, 2001 Thursday) (Takeru's POV) (Highway) (03:04 PM)**

It's been about an hour since we arrived at the 5th checkpoint of our trip to Kobe City. The convoy was a lot thinner now due to the crisscross we had to pull. Traveling all the way from Yamanashi, Aichi, and Shiga in just a few hours feels like torture. We were at the edge of the Osaka Prefecture now and had to leave a lot of men and equipment behind to create the new defense line. A detachment was also sent to Wakayama to reinforce the southern position if necessary.

Now I know I'm no military genius but considering that we still need to fill a hole in the Hyogo Prefecture, our forces are spread pretty thin. We were fragile enough as it is and I don't know if reinforcements will be able to get here in time.

We were told to remain in our TSFs and resupply at the station for another trip. Traveling halfway across the country seems tiring especially for those who have to sit through the cold weather on trucks. The soldiers were now digging trenches and placing up barbed wires to hold out the smaller BETA strain but I doubt that'll be enough. Against such a massive foe, it'll feel like we were just throwing rocks at them.

But nonetheless, the team seems to be ready for the fight. After the battle of Sadogashima, everyone here has been released from the title of rookies. No one can deny that we fought and survived the BETA… twice… and won both times. I bet everyone is getting the feeling of respect from the others too.

"Valkyrie 1 to all units" Isumi's face came to my screen. "We have new orders. Our assignment of escorting the convoy has just been completed. We will now split up into teams to assist area locations in evacuating civilians. (…?) I know that this is highly unusual but our army is stretched so thin that they simply don't have the manpower to maintain the defense formation" I knew it. We were being split up so many times that it's a miracle that even made it to the coast at all. "Most of the commanding officers are also needed at the front so we'll divide from here. Hayase, you'll head south to Wakayama with the 4th Mechanized Infantry Division to evacuate civilians from the premises. From there you'll work with the Imperial Army in fortifying the beaches"

"Moooo… you want me to babysit? Fine. But I want to make it known that I don't like it"

"I'll make a note of that" Isumi smirked in reply. "You'll take Ayamine, Mitsurugi and Sakaki from my platoon as well. (Roger) Munakata will remain here in Osaka with Tamase, Yoroi and Kazama to assist with the locals. (Understood) I will be heading to our original point in Kobe City with Jinguuji and the rest of the convoy. Shirogane…"

"Y… yes ma'am?" I stuttered out in surprise when she called me out.

"You'll be traveling to the Kyoto Province with the relief unit to relocate several VIPs from the area. Kashiwagi, Akane and Suzumiya from the command post will go with you" Eh? She's sending me to the rear lines? "From there you'll meet up with a detachment from the Imperial Honor Guard. Once all residences have been evacuated you will meet up with the U.N. 205th TSF Armored Regiment from Hokkaido and the 10th Infantry Division from Nara to set up the final defense line. Are we clear?"

"Yes ma'am"

"In the mean time, you will the ranking officer in the area so make sure to keep yourself focused at all times. (Understood) Alright. Move out to your designated positions. All team leaders are to report back to me every hour until told otherwise. (Roger that!) Keep your channels open and make sure to stick to your training. I'll keep you updated on the situations at the frontlines"

Sending me to the rear? I guess all of our duties are important especially if I'm going to be guarding VIPs. But still… I'm going to be the ranking officer from there on. I'm no leader. The only experience I have in leadership is when I led Squad 207 during Operation Babylon. (Flash) Even back then I only led them in small skirmishes and support roles. Anything more than that would be because I had excellent intelligence work. During the coup I had led the team with tactical knowledge from playing videogames. But of course in games you don't exactly feel guilty about losing a few hundred soldiers since you can just replace them back at the base.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

I left with Akane, Kashiwagi and a detachment from the convoy to Kyoto. Visual was almost zero in this hail so we had to rely on GPS and follow closely on the main road. I can't see a thing through any of my cameras and thermal scanners are picking up almost negative. Kyoto was rather lush with cherry trees during the spring time. Unlike Yokohama Base, the cherry trees here can still bloom. Maybe when I have time, I might bring Sumika here for a date. I bet she'd love it. A natural colorful view might get that bleakness out of that room she's staying in.

"Valkyrie mum to Valkyrie 2B" Oh Suzumiya. "Long range scanners are detecting multiple contacts. (…?) IFF registers them as Imperial Honor Guard TSFs. Patching you with our scanners" It's a good thing our radars can link with one another. That was if one person detects an enemy unit we can all see it. Two pairs of eyes are better than one.

"Thanks Suzumiya. Good work down there"

"Ahehe… it's nothing. This is just what I do, Shirogane san. I'm not as amazing as you are in a TSF" Ahehehe… I can't help but blush to her compliment.

"Don't spoil him too much nee san" Akane added butting into our coms. "Deep down that exterior is just another crybaby" Guuu… that girl. No matter what I do I'm still on her bad side. Does the title of Storm Vanguard 2 mean that much to her?

"Heeehh? But I still remember the first time we met him" Kashiwagi came afterwards with a wide up smile. "Akane chan was apologizing for the first time. I've never seen our mighty lion purr like a kitten back then. (Hey!)" Ahehe… yeah I remember that. How can I possibly forget?

Whirrr…

Oh crud. The cold weather is really freezing my cockpit. My headset alone is fogging up. I'd better adjust the temperature before I die of frostbites. Back in junior high someone had the idiotic wits to create a game on who can put their hands in the cold water the longest. I think we were fighting about who was going to take the last piece of pineapple bread. It was science class and we were just having a lesson on preserving goods in cold temperature so we had the lab all to ourselves. We made a wager and dunk our hands in the cold water that still had ice in it.

Some of us lasted on five minutes before going out. Obviously I was the winner but in the process my fingers hurt like hell and the teacher scolded me for it. It was only till I realize that if I had place my hands in that bowl any longer I might actually lose them to the cold. But at the very least I got the pineapple bread as a reward for my risk. Sumika scolded me too that day and said that I was acting very Takeru-like to do something so stupid.

"Halt!" A shout echoed on the open channel. "This is Acting Captain Tekoro of the Imperial Honor Guard 16th Battalion to unidentified units. State your unit's ID number now"

I quickly opened up to the channel and respond. "This is 1st Lt. Shirogane Takeru of the U.N. 11th Pacific Army A-01 Special Task Force. We've come to assist with the evacuation of the civilians in the area. Transmitting ID now. (Beep) Hehehe… that's probably the first time I've ever stated my full identity out loud. I kinda sound like Captain Isumi. Was I too loud? Too quiet? Ahehe… I'm over-thinking things. (Flash) Hmm? What was… (Flash!)… that…? (Flash!) …! "Akane! Look out! (…?) (Bang!) WHOA!"

"W… what was that?"

"All units, full stop!" Suzumiya ordered out.

What the hell was that? Gunfire? That was close. If I didn't warn Akane, she would've been hit for sure. That wasn't a warning shot.

"I will say again: This is Acting Captain Tekoro of the Imperial honor Guard 16th Battalion. Identify yourself and state your intentions immediately!" What the hell? Three Takemikazuchi units just dropped from the sky all painted in white. Didn't they hear me the first time?

"Hold your fire!" I barked out putting my volume to full. "We're with the U.N. 11th Pacific Army! We came under orders to assist with relocating the VIPs in this area!"

"Do you take me for a fool? (…!-?) We've heard no such orders!"

…!

Beep beep! Beep beep!

The Lock-On Alarm? (WHAM!)

Six more Takemikazuchi suddenly dropped on our flanks but unlike the ones up front they were all painted in black. Each one of them had their guns trained on us, all with different weapons. Kashiwagi, Akane and I responded in kind with their weapons ready. This is insane. I'm not to start a war with the Imperial Honor Guards.

"Shirogane! More of them coming in from the rear!" Akane warned me showing it through her camera. You've got to be kidding. They said it was only a detachment… not an entire company!

Beep beep!

Geh! Missile alarms now? That means they have LRMs stationed at the back. That's a lot of equipment for one detachment.

"This is your last warning" The man on the other line continued. He had his sword raised up as if preparing to strike. I quickly drew out my sword as well to match his attack. All those years of training gave me this ability as a reflex. A gun can't match a sword at close range. "Identify yourself and state your intentions. If you do not then we will be forced to destroy you"

"I already told you! We're with the U.N. Armed Force!" A sweat went down my brow. Is this really going to happen? Am I really going to shoot another human… again?

"Then you've sealed your fate" Geh! That's it. Disabling IFF reader! "All units—(Stop!) Hmm? (…?)"

"All units stand down immediately" Eh? That voice… where have I heard it before? A woman? "Orders just came in from High Command. A U.N. detachment was sent to assist. Lower your weapons at once"

"But captain…!" The man who was ordering out earlier urged back. "This area is…"

"That is an order 1st Lieutenant. Stand down and let them through. The meeting is over" Meeting? What is she talking about?

"Understood. Standing down" Phew…

When the Honor Guards lowered their guns I let out a breath of relief. For a moment there I actually thought that we were going to shoot each other. It's a good thing that woman interrupted when she did otherwise we'd be minced pork for sure. The power output of a Takemikazuchi is in a different league than ours and with the new OS that's been implemented to the army that makes them twice as dangerous.

But what the hell was that all about. I never imagined the Honor Guards to be that trigger happy. It looked almost as if he really wanted to shoot us.

"Phew… that was too close for comfort" Haruko added. I can see that she was sweating when all those guns were trained at her. Even I felt a little nerve wrecking. We were outnumbered and outgunned on all sides.

"Yeah…" Akane too let out a sigh. "My fingers are numb…"

But now wasn't the time to recoup. I have to remain focused.

"Valkyrie mum to Valkyrie 2B. We're moving the convoy to the open field area and we'll set up the relief camp immediately"

"Yeah… thanks Suzumiya" I said back lowering my gun. "Take care of the rest for me"

"Understood. We'll set up relief camps and await the reinforcements from Hokkaido and Nara. I'll contact you again once we're set up"

I let out a sigh and all that tension leave my body. We didn't even get into battle and already my blood is pumping. But the feeling I got from those soldiers. There was no doubt about it. Those were real killing intent. It's thanks to my years of experience and training in my head that I was able to resist it. Those men were really prepared to kill us at the flip of an order. I guess Yoroi was right about one thing. Nothing gets your blood boiling more than a 36mm gun aimed at your face. Because it got mine riled up for some reason. I still can't shake off that fear.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

I'd better go down and help the others. Maybe a little time out will get me back on my feet. (Whiirrrrr….) Bwah… the snow is already piling in. I guess winter has finally come to Japan. I put on my overcoat and headed down from my TSF in a kneeling position.

The soldiers seem to have got out of their way to set up camp as soon as possible. From here we will draw the last line of defense for the Imperial Army. Well… I'd better keep my image too. Suzumiya is probably waiting in the mobile command post.

One thing good about this giant vehicle is that it was big enough to house all the equipment to make a small base. Communications, satellite uplink, radar and even shortwave radios. It even has its own heater to warm people up.

"Ah, 1st Lt. Shirogane" Suzumiya came up to me from her seat. Akane and Kashiwagi were already with her sipping hot tea to get rid of the cold. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah… I'm fine. Just a bit shaken"

"That's understandable. Here… tea"

"Oh… thanks" Ah… I'm looking like a complete wreck. I should man up and get to work. "Anyway, we should start work immediately. We can't let one little act ruin our day"

"Yes sir. Everything is being prepared" Suzumiya then showed me to the main console where she was working. "I've already laid out orders to the other units. The camp should be ready in about ten minutes. Most of the units we brought from Osaka are convertible trucks. We should have things running at full capacity in about 5 minutes tops. I've issued the evacuation order on every local channel in the vicinity so anyone with a radio or anything that can pick up our transmission will receive it. I also had MPs assist with relocating the squatters to this area. I also recommend that we separate the military command vehicles from the relief camp to keep the civilians calm and to keep military intel from falling others. Is that alright with you?"

…

Ok… right then… I believe I only understood half of what she just said. "Uh… yeah. Wow… you're good at this"

"Not at all. It's only standard operating procedure when conducting evacuations. This isn't the first time I've have to command a small group like this" I see… she must've been in more than one defense operation before we've met. That's Suzumiya for you. "Sometimes I even have to manage an entire base by myself. It's tiresome work"

"Ara ara… what's this?" Akane gave me a confident smirk. "Is the Legendary Rookie seeing new light in nee san now? She can be very demanding so you'd better watch yourself next time. (Akane!) Ahehehe…"

"She's not our primary operator without a good reason" Kashiwagi added with an equal grin. "One time she actually got mad at me because I filed the papers in the wrong order"

"Kashiwagi san… please don't exaggerate that incident. (Hehehehe…)" Heh… these girls. I guess I shouldn't be surprised that they're close as sisters. "You people really do enjoy teasing me, don't you? You're just as bad as Munakata san. (Geh!)"

"I don't want to be compared to that person of all people" I gave those two a small laugh.

Well… it looks like everything's in order. Once the villages in the area have been evacuated, we can just sit here and wait. I thought managing a group would be difficult but if Suzumiya is here than we should be fine. I don't think I can match up to her tactical thinking any time soon.

Beep beep…

"1st Lt. Suzumiya…" One of the staff officers called out. "We're receiving a communication from the Imperial Honor Guard. (…!) Should I patch it through?" The Honor Guards? What do they want now?

"Yes. Please patch it through" Suzumiya nodded and quickly took out one of the wireless transceiver and place it on her head. "This is the U.N. Army detached force. We read you. (…) Yes… (…) Yes of course. We will aid you in whatever way we can. (…)" She seems to be talking seriously with the person on the other line. The only Honor Guards I know of are Tsukuyomi and the Three Idiots so I really don't understand their chain of command. The group we saw earlier seemed very eager to shoot us but fortunately we didn't have to kill each other.

"What do you think they want?" Haruko whispered silently to us.

"Whatever it is, the very least they have to apologize for giving out that shot" Akane answered back looking rather irritated. It's understandable. If someone took a potshot at me I'd be pissed too.

"Yes… I understand. I will tell him immediately" Suzumiya finished clicking the off button on the radio before spinning her seat directly to me. "That was the Imperial Honor Guard Commanding Officer. She asks if we can provide them with one vehicle to transport VIPs to the checkpoint down the hill"

"Eh? Just that?" I raised a brow expecting something bigger.

"Yes. They do not wish anything more"

"That's a lot to ask for people who were about to shoot us" It doesn't seem like Akane will be forgiving them for that accidental shot. "What should we do, Shirogane?"

"Well we are ordered to assist whatever way we can. So if they're just borrowing then I think we can let it slide this once" Even I have a rough feeling about this. "Akane, Haruko, you two stay here and help out with the evacuation. Suzumiya, have one of the vehicles ready. I'll drive it there myself. (…?) Everybody here but me are busy at the moment so I might as well make myself useful"

"Understood. I'll have a transport waiting outside"

What is this feeling I'm getting? What is this sudden feeling of dread that's creeping onto my shoulder?

**(Wakayama Defense Line near Arida City)**

On the 3rd Defense Line near the inland sea, Hayase gave out a boring yawn in return for the boring job she was performing. She was a soldier, not a babysitter and the job she hates doing the most was watching over people who can't protect themselves. It was like watching ants march over from one side to another in an endless stream.

From the mobile command post she could see everything happening around the city just by flipping the switch to another camera. All over the city, the U.N. and Imperial Army soldiers were helping the civilians move out of their homes and into relief camps stationed a few miles away from the combat zone. If worse comes to worse, they'll at least have a small chance to move safer into the mainland before the BETA reaches them.

But this was boring. She wanted to fight… she wanted to clash swords with someone or perhaps have a decent spar with another person in the training room. But due to the weather, she doubt anyone but her would be up for a match.

Letting another bored yawn out she turned her attention to the screen and saw the position of their forces. She wasn't really needed here. With more troops coming in from other provinces, the security here was probably tighter than most. While the others were helping with the evacuation, all she needed to do was sit in that room and sip tea like an old man. It was troubling.

"This is Valkyrie 3B to Command Post" Mitsurugi's face appeared on screen. "Dispute at the southern area has been settled. The town is evacuated. We're ready to receive the others to set up shore defenses"

"Command Post, roger that" The operator answered. "Tank division is being relocated to your vicinity. Standby for further orders"

Meiya was already helping out in more ways than one around here. The moment she arrived she made it a point to put all her effort in making sure the people were as comfortable as possible. She provided rations to the hungry and First-Aid to the wounded. In these parts, clinical treatment was almost nonexistent. So her aid was a welcome for the squatters.

"Valkyrie 4B, all clear" Ayamine too was helping out. Even thought she was a girl with few words, her talents in hand to hand combat made her essential for the team. Her massive throw techniques are also something to be admired even putting its use onto the TSF.

"This is Valkyrie 2A" Sakaki was next to report in. Even the rookies were doing a more commendable job than she was. "All roadside secure. Returning to base to resupply"

After the reports were done, Hayase returned to her lazy posture and took a few sips from her cup. Babysitting was probably the most boring assignment for soldiers like her. She's not a blood thirsty killer mind you… she's just the type of girl who wants to get into the action as fast as possible. She can take a few errands for awhile but when the action is delayed she wants to be satisfied at the very least. She wanted to take a swing at someone, maybe even issue a challenge to let off some steam.

Back in the days she had infinite supply of candidates who want to take on her skills. But now that she was commissioned officer the only people she can spar with were her comrades. But none of them could give her the thrill she was seeking. Most of the fights she's been in don't even last more than a minute before she takes her opponent down with a throw or a grapple. It was boring.

She wanted to fight till her heart's content. That's one of the reasons why she enjoys fighting the BETA. They never complain and you can always count on more of them to show up sooner or later. But then again… none of them last that long with the exception of the Fort Class and Heavy Lasers that don't go down as easy as their counterparts.

But the real fight she wanted was with a certain brunette who held her to a draw.

Shirogane… Takeru…

That name has been in her head ever since she first heard of it from Vice Commander Kouzuki. She'll admit… when she first saw the vids of his training she didn't believe they were real. The movements were just too… surreal… like something that came out of a movie. His spins, his turns, his attacks and even his quick draw-fire left most people at awe. His first simulation aptitude test was something that her friends quote as 'Not humanly possible' and she tried to prove them wrong. Hayase looked through control logs over and over but there was simply no way she can copy them. The movement of the boy's hands looked so complex but from his point of view, it seems to come naturally like it flowed out of his fingers like they were reflex.

That alone got her to wanting a duel with that boy. If he was half as good as he is in the vids then maybe he can give her a good match.

And her answer came sooner than she expected. When the day of the duel came she gave it everything she had and almost lost herself in that drive to fight. She struck him blow after blow and every time he miraculously counters it with his own battle style. There was simply no way to read him and it was certain to everyone that he's been in a fight before. No rookie can move like that. Not on their first try at least. A man who can move like that must've piloted something similar to a TSF but he was no older than she was… perhaps a few years younger but that made little difference.

She was a person who was prepared to lay her life for the greater good but at the very least she wanted to experience some measure of thrill before everything dies over. Every time she clashed blades with the boy her lesser instinct nearly took over for the first time in years. Hayase wondered if Munakata was right about her… that battle was like masturbation. She didn't want to think about. But if it was true then fighting with Shirogane would be even better.

The way they parried each other, how they dodged… how they fought and how they tried to get a read on one another. It was definitely a close match but she could tell that the boy was holding just a bit out on her. Maybe he was doing it unconsciously and maybe not but that didn't change the outcome. When she realized that he wasn't taking her seriously, that was when her switch flipped over. No one looked down on Hayase and gets away with it. It was then her lesser instinct completely overwhelmed her. With all her might she was going to jam the sword onto the boy's frame. It was an overwhelming battle with her having the advantage in reach…

But again… that boy had… flexibility.

_"I had reach but she had… flexibility"_

_-Garrus Vakarian from the game: Mass Effect-_

Thankfully the match ended in a draw with the help of the captain and the fact that both of them had a knife or sword almost literally pointed at each other's throats. But if they were going to judge things from damage alone then Shirogane may have taken the win. Her sword was aimed at his head which by all means will probably just interfere with his lock-on system and targeting reticule. Shirogane on the other hand had his knife aimed at her cockpit. If it had came any closer it probably would've pierced the shell and if lucky enough, it would hit her or the energy supply which would undoubtedly blow her TSF to pieces.

But out of everything that happened and the silent stare she got from Isumi she will admit that it was worth it. The rush she felt in that short moment burst into her brain like an orgasm. When that knife came close to her camera, her basic instincts crawled away with their tails between their legs and were replaced with the sensation of near death experience. Her hands trembled at the controller and sweat dripped from her face.

The experience, the adrenaline, the fear… all of it came back in a near instant. Even now she can feel that blade close to her cockpit. And what she wouldn't give to feel it again?

"1st Lieutenant?" Hayase was brought out of her perverted thoughts when one of the com officers called out. "Are you alright?"

"Ah… yeah. What is it?"

"The Imperial Army 94th TSF Armored regiment has just made contact. They're requesting permission to join up with their forces in Kagawa"

"The Imperial Army?" The blue haired officer raised a curious brow in reply. "I thought the Honor Guards had that part covered"

"Yes ma'am but they're transmitting codes now. (Beep beep) One moment. (…?) The 20th Armored Battalion from Nagano and the 65th Infantry Division from Yamanashi have just sent their codes as well. They're requesting ships to transport them to Tokushima"

"Eh? They're bringing troops that far out? (Ma'am?) That's quite a distance to travel just to get more troops. (Beep beep!) Hmm?"

"Umm… 1st Lieutenant. I'm getting word that troops from Toyama, Iwate and Aomori are also on their way here" Another officer added looking a bit confused himself.

"Oi oi… what the hell is the Imperial Army doing sending out troops from half way across the country?"

"What should we say?"

Hayase let out a gruff noise before answering. "Well… we're here on an assist role so we have to help. Do we have any carriers to transport them to Shikoku?"

"We have a few civilian oil freighters from the docks. But not enough to move all of them at once. Shall I have them do cycles?"

"Do it. (Yes ma'am) (…?) What's going on? Why are they all coming here?"

**(Takeru's POV) (Kyoto Defense Line)**

Brrr… this blizzard is terrible. The chill is reaching me even in my exosuit and I can barely even see the road from here. The vehicle I was driving was a Humvee equipped with snow treads to traverse through difficult terrains. Going alone seems the most viable thing to do. I don't want them going all trigger happy on us like our first encounter.

I traveled to the where the transmission came from. There's nothing here but an empty snow land as far as I can see. I'm guessing the VIPs here are part of the government.

I drove for about five or so minutes before finally seeing a sign of civilization. It was a walled up compound of sorts. Definitely old Japanese architecture. All of the buildings are made out of wood, each elevated slightly off the ground with tiled roofs and fusumas camouflage as walls.

The Honor Guards we met earlier were present there too. Their Takemikazuchis were taller and slightly larger than our Type-94s. It's like having a rabbit fighting a lion.

After the Honor Guard notice my vehicle, they made way, revealing a large gate right between the walls. A group of armed guards were stationed there, all wearing black exosuits. Each of them had weapons attached to their waist and nothing like the MPs in our base.

I got out and made myself known. The whole complex was surrounded with Honor Guards on foot and on TSFs. I can see some lights in the distance meaning that there are more of them hiding in the snow and were using this blizzard to cover themselves from thermal sensors. This is quite a security detail.

"Identify yourself…" Hmm? A man with broad shoulders wearing white colored exsuit approached me. Where did he come from? "U.N. insignia?"

"Y… yes sir" I stuttered. "1st Lt. Shirogane Takeru of the 11th Pacific Army"

"…" He made a 'hnnn' sound with a blank expression. He approached me and closed his distance like he was trying to deliver a punch. Is he trying to judge me with his presence? "You feel… different. Are you really just a soldier?" Keh! My heart nearly skipped a beat. What's with this deadly feeling? My breathing just got a little harder too. "…? You're… unusual…"

"That's enough, Lieutenant" A voice interrupted before he could continue. Suddenly a woman appeared from compound gates. Hey… wait a second. Isn't that…? "You already made one blunder. Don't try to make two in one day"

"Yes captain… forgive me" The man backed off a bit giving me some breathing room. Geh… for a second there I thought he was going to hit me.

Once the man returned to the group with his head lowered, the woman approached me. "Forgive my subordinate's actions. It is in his nature not to trust outsiders. Paranoia is the role of the Guards stationed on this post and I understand he offended you on your first—(Tsukuyomi?) Hmm?"

It is! There's no doubt about it. "1st Lt. Tsukuyomi. It is you. I thought you were going to the 1st Defense Line with the others. (Hmm?) And when were you promoted to captain? This morning you were just an officer, not a commander"

"Ah… it seems you have me mistaken for someone else. (Eh?) I think you are referring to a relative of mine. My cousin if I understand"

…!

"Cousin?"

"Yes… Tsukuyomi Mana. She too is a member of the Imperial Honor Guard like myself"

(Flash!) No way… Tsukuyomi has a cousin… here? That can't be right. I don't remember seeing any… (Flash) relative. I've been living with her with Meiya at the Mitsurugi residence when we were married and not once did I hear anything about a cousin.

_"Mana sama!"_

_"Mana-Mana sama~"_

_"Mana-Mana?"_

_"That's one too many Mana, Takeru sama"_

Wait… no. I remember this. Tsukuyomi Mana was her given name. But if that's so then… who…?

"I am Tsukuyomi Maya. Captain of the Imperial Household Honor Guard 16th Battalion 1st Regiment. And you are?" Maya? (Flash) Wait… why does it feel like… I should know her?

"Ah… yeah. I'm 1st Lt. Shirogane Takeru of the U.N. Armed Force 11th Pacific Army, Special Task Force A-01. It's an honor" I feel like I've been saying that for about a dozen times since I first arrived here. But still… this is shocking. Maya looks almost identical to Tsukuyomi. She has light blue hair and small rectangular glasses that goes just below her eyelashes. She also wore red robes around her body, the same uniform that Tsukuyomi does… but… she looks so much like her. "Sorry about the confusion earlier"

"No… it is entirely our fault. We've isolated ourselves from the main group for some time now and it becomes difficult to receive new orders from branch headquarters in this blizzard. The harsh weather makes long range transmissions almost useless until the storm stops for a short period of time. Even then there's no guarantee that we'll receive word at all" I see… I guess that makes sense why they didn't receive word about us coming. But that still doesn't explain why they need so much security for place that has almost no strategic value. "But in any case, we should not dally. With the snow storm getting worse by the minute I have to order all troops to evacuate from this area. Please follow me"

"Ah… of course" I answered back clumsily.

The building we came to was the main compound. The place was huge… almost 10 times larger than my house with three extra floors to boot. I think back in the old families, prominent families and such often have estates like this so that all their relatives can live together in one place with one family head to lead them all. But wow… I've never expected myself to be in such a place.

The complex may look like old design but I can tell that it's been modernized somewhat. I can feel that there's a heater that warms up the entire complex, light bulbs powered by electricity, probably from a built-in-generator and the wood that made up the floors are fake.

But still… this place is also pretty heavily guarded. Every guard here wore exosuits like me. They must all be Eishis… TSF pilots. They're all giving me the stink eye like I was some kind of outsider. I guess Household Guards don't really have much trust with us.

"So… what did you need us for… exactly?" I asked out of curiosity's sake.

She took a quick glance at me with her eyes before returning to her original posture. "One of the trucks we brought had its engine frozen due to the storm. We had no replacement so we had to settle with yours for the moment. I thank you for providing aid even after such treatment you've received"

"It's nothing. I'm used to getting glared at" Back in my loops with Tsukuyomi and the Three Idiots. Though the eyes of these people are fierce, they're nothing compared to theirs. You could say that it was training. "But I'm surprised. (…?) Tsukuyomi san never said anything about having a relative inside the same force"

"You speak her name as if you know her as a person" She glared at me. Maybe I shouldn't have mentioned her. "I'm not obligated to speak of it. You should ask her yourself if she trusts you so much" Wow… her personality is just like Tsukuyomi when we first met. Untrusting and cold. But I guess that's understandable. She is an Honor Guard after all and they take their job very seriously.

We walked through a long hallway that seems to stretch on forever. Every few minutes we would pass by a room with four guards watching the doorway and another four inside watching the windows. With so much security I don't think even Yoroi would be able to get in.

"…" Hmm? I hear voices coming from the other side. There are people talking in the main hall.

"We're here" Tsuku—I mean Maya whispered to me before we approached. There were a few high-and-mighty looking people there. They were well dressed in suits and such and I think I recognize a few faces from the news channel on TV. Diplomats, delegates? Whoever they are… they look important. "Ikaruga sama. We've procured transportation for your guests"

"Ah… my thanks, Tsukuyomi"

"I am merely performing my duty, my lord" She bowed lowly to the man. Wait… that guy. I know him.

"Hmmm? Aren't you…?"

"You're that guy…" I said out unconsciously with my finger pointing at him.

"Ahaha… well now. This is most interesting" He gave me a small childish laugh. "Fate must be at work if we are to meet at such conditions"

"You there!" One of the Honor Guards barked out to me. "Watch your tone!" But the man simply waved his voice off.

"Leave it be" The Eishi in black bowed away irritatingly to the man's words. "This is not the first time we've met. Last we saw each other was during… Sadogashima… wasn't it?" I was right. This is the guy; the guy who fought with me against the BETA worm. "It has been awhile, Shirogane… Takeru. (…) Ahuhuhu. Your expression is rather unique. I've never met a man quite like yourself. I am pleased to be reacquainted with you"

"Ah… n… no. The honor is mine" I quickly bowed following Maya's example. But wait… if Maya follows his orders… then does that means he's a member of the royal family? It would explain why there are so many Honor Guards around the complex.

"Please, raise your head. Somehow that gesture does not befit one of your stature" His smile is warm… but his eyes are deep. It's hard to see what he's thinking. He's wearing the same uniform as his guards but it was made with more expensive silk and dabbed in dark blue. His hair was long and somewhat spiky. "I don't believe we were properly introduced to one another, young man. Forgive my rudeness. (Ah… no… it's… ok…) Nonsense. It is only natural that I speak my own name. I am Ikaruga Takatsugu, head of the Ikaruga Household and 1st cousin of Her Highness, the Grand Shogun, Kobuin Yuuhi" (Flash) A direct relative not only to the Shogun but to the emperor as well! (Flash!) Huh? (Flash) What the? "It is a pleasure to meet you… Shirogane kun…"

"Ah… th… thank you your… excellence" I lowered my head in reply ignoring the images that were coming to my head.

"Tsukuyomi. (Yes…?) Change the arrangements for the relocation. (…?) The guests can go on my personal carriage. I would like to travel with this man. (…!)"

"B… but your excellence! You can't possibly…" Even the important dignitaries raised a curious brow to me.

"I understand your worries. An inhumane vehicle like theirs is beneath me. But the company it provided is more than worth the trouble. (…) This man fought alongside me in Sadogashima. He is to be commended. Please treat him as such"

"Ah… v… very well your excellence" This is embarrassing. To be bowed by the Honor Guard is too much even for me. "But at the very least, bring one guard with you for protection…"

"Having one of your subordinates will not make the trip any more interesting. (…!) There is no need to worry. I am sure that this man will protect me. Right, Shirogane kun? (Huh?)"

"Ah…" Maya opened her mouth to protest but stopped at his dark gaze. She gritted her teeth and bowed deeply in apology. "Very well. But at the very least… allow me to accompany you. I am merely performing my duty as your guard"

Ikaruga let out a sigh. "You were only recently elevated to this position. There's no need for it. But if it will lessen your worries then by all means" This is a really weird event. Firstly… Tsukuyomi's cousin, then a relative of the royal family, and a secret meeting with delegates from the government? There are too many things in this puzzle. "Gentlemen… your assistance in this matter has been most helpful. I offer my heartfelt thanks and wish you all for your continued support" The delegates muttered positively to the man. Each of them bowing, nodding and such before a group of guards escorted them away to the opposite hall.

"I will go make the arrangements" Maya added before heading off to the corner to mutter something on her transceiver.

All I could do then was just stand and look dumbfounded by the barrage of information. This feels like the time when I first met Yuuhi in Hakone in my last loop.

"Now then… I shall be in your care, Shirogane kun" Huh? Lord Ikaruga raised his hands out of his sleeves to shake a gesture of friendship which I accepted.

"Ah… yeah… of course. Likewi—(Flash!) Gah! (Hmm?)" Wh… what was that? My body suddenly moved back as if it was reacting to his gesture. I feel… strange… and not in a good way too. My whole body is trembling. Is my headache coming back?

"Ahuhuhu…" His eyes sharpened suddenly to my face. "My feelings were right about you… after all. (Huh?) You are indeed unique—almost too good to be true. (…?)" This man… just his presence is making me uneasy. "It has been awhile since we first met in Niigata. During that time we only had a brief moment to converse. I was hoping to know more about you, Shirogane kun. (M… me?) Yes. I've learned a great deal about you since our last encounter. I make it a habit to know of things I set my eyes on and memorize them by heart"

"Uh…" This guy is giving me a strange vibe. It's not bad or good… just weird. Almost like when I first met Mikoto's old man.

"Superior abilities in every field, the highest ranking in aptitude test and top notched talents behind the controls of a TSF. (…!) Ahuhuhu. I apologize for nosing too much but I find you rather… attractive in a certain way. I was hoping that we would meet again but never expected it to be here of all places. It almost feels like this rendezvous of ours was fate's handiwork, isn't it?"

"Umm… yeah" What's with this guy? I can't get a read of him at all. He knows my military records but no one but U.N. officials should have access to that. (Flash) And why do I get the feeling that this isn't the first time we've met?

(Flash) _"Can you still fight, boy?"_

"Ikaruga sama" Maya interrupted us before he could continue. "They're ready. We should leave, now"

"Of course. Well then… shall we go, Shirogane kun?"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

**(U.N. 3rd Defense Line near Nara)**

"Haaaaaa…" That was the sound of Munakata Misae who yawned boringly in her TSF as she stood guard over the base. Guard duties. It wasn't the most boring job but it certainly wasn't the most fulfilling either. All she had to do was sit and watch and wait until one of her sensors go off.

"That was a big one" Kazama chuckled as she heard it on her coms. "Are you that bored, Misae san?"

"Ahhh… I never thought we'd have to put up with guard duties again" Came her reply followed by another yawn. "I thought we graduated from this"

"Ahehe… come now. We had plenty of guard duties before this. (I know…) I bet Hayase san feels the same way if not worse"

"After this guard duty, getting beat up by her doesn't sound so bad"

"You must really be bored if you're saying that"

"We could be doing better things than standing here like scarecrows" Munakata pouted with a sigh.

"Huhuhu… are you just bored because you can't tease Shirogane san?"

"Oi… that sounded like it meant something else"

"Well it's true" Touko pointed out. "You like to tease him whenever you get the chance. It's almost like he's become a new hobby of yours"

"I just like how he twirls around like a kid. You haven't done that for me since we joined this unit"

"That's because I've gotten used to your teasing, Misae san. You can go so far before you become immune to a cold. Ahuhuhu. (Hehehe…) But why don't you try teasing others instead of Takeru?"

"Nah. They're no fun. Shirogane has that spark. Besides… I think I'm getting bored teasing women alone. He's the first boy we had since we joined this team"

"Ara… that makes me sound lonely, Misae san"

"Ahaha… don't worry. You're still my favorite, Touko. I just like to have something new from time to time. (Ahuhuhu) Hm… I wonder if Shirogane would be up to Polygamy? (Eh?) Let's ask! (Ha?) (Beep!) Oi Tamase, Yoroi chan"

"Y… yes ma'am?" Both girls reported in.

"Random question: Are you two open for polygamy? (Ehh!-?) Just answer. Yes or no?"

"Oi oi, Misae san!" Even Touko felt a flush over her cheeks. "Are you trying to corrupt the pure minds of these innocent girls as well?"

"Not at all. It was just an open question. (…?) With male population down as it is, we might need to consider possibilities, neh? (Ah…?) Don't worry Kazama, I'll make sure that you stay my favorite. I'm sure we can all come to an agreement one way or another"

"Are… you ok, 1st Lieutenant?" Yoroi raised a brow, the hair on her neck feeling a little chilly from the strange question that was posed. But Touko waved it off.

"Don't take her seriously, Yoroi san. She's just bored because she can't tease Shirogane at all today"

**(Takeru's POV) (Kyoto defense line)**

I drove Ikaruga down the hill just as I promised. The trip was peaceful nonetheless with Maya sitting at the back constantly keeping eye on me and outside the window. As expected… she wasn't Tsukuyomi's sister without a reason. The Honor Guards take their duties seriously even if it means having others hate them. I had a similar experience when I first challenge Tsukuyomi with her ideals. I remember it ending badly on my part. But I knew that there was a way around it.

I followed the group of armored vehicles down the road to a hidden airstrip where a plane was waiting for them. But… are these people seriously going to travel by air? After the Laser Class BETA appeared, everyone began to have the fear of flying. Even Eishis like me don't stay in the air for too long unless we're in a secure area.

"Shirogane kun…"

Gah! "Ah… y… yes?" Ikaruga was silent at the beginning of this drive and spoke up so suddenly.

"There's no need to be so tense. You can speak to me in whatever way you find comfortable"

"Ah… sorry. It's just…"

"Does my title bother you so?"

"No… it's just that… I don't really know how to react"

"Ahuhuhu. Please don't be modest. Reply the same way you did when we first met. I'd prefer it if we became friends" He's a rather friendly person considering his status. But that lingering feeling still bugs me. I guess this is how I must've reacted when I first met Yuuhi. I should probably just be normal.

"Alright…" I answered finally with a deep breath. "I'll… try my best…"

"I am grateful" He returned to his natural posture with a content smile on his face. "But forgive me. I was simply curious when we first met. (…?) I was hoping to ask… but who taught you how to pilot a TSF? (Eh?) It has been something that has been perking my interest for quite some time now. (…?) When I first met you in Sadogashima, I saw you perform stunts and tricks unlike anything I've seen before. I have worked with countless U.N. Eishis before you and some—more seasoned but none of them are as talented as you are"

"Ah… well…" In truth nobody really taught me. It's mostly self-taught techniques built by the reflex of videogames and countless loops of battle. "I guess you could say that it's self taught"

"You mean you had no instructor?" He asked looking a bit bewildered by my answer.

"No. I had a great instructor. She taught me the basics when I was a cadet. Everything that followed afterwards just came up from my head"

"I see…" Did he buy it? "I guess every soldier develop their own style after they master the basics. You are certainly unique, Shirogane kun. But out everyone that I've seen so far, your abilities outdoes them all by a large margin"

"Ahehe… n… no… I'm not that good"

"Do not sell yourself short. Even I must admit that I had difficulties following your movements when we fought side by side in Sadogashima. You were magnificent. Some of my subordinates also spoke highly of your skill. The position of Special Forces truly befits you. The U.N. Army is fortunate to have someone like you in their ranks"

"Ahehe… please don't praise me too much. I get snobby quite easily" Maybe my gut feeling was wrong about this guy. Nobody's ever showered me with so much praise before.

"Ahuhuhu. I am merely stating what I have in mind. Nothing more" He added with a small laugh. "But my attraction to you is not because of your skill alone. (Eh?) What truly captured my attention was the moment you spoke up your ideals. (…?) Even against orders you argued against your superiors" Geh! He's probably talking about the time I unconsciously shouted at Yuuko sensei. "Your feelings were so strong that it strengthened the hearts of those who heard it. It gave them courage… it gave them hope… and it gave them the strength and the will to take up arms once more. Even I was moved by it"

…

"…" I breathed out softly as he spoke. Tsukuyomi said the same thing about me once. My words moved people. But now… I'm not really sure if it was me… or just the spur of the moment.

"To be honest I am a bit envious" Ikaruga continued hiding his mouth behind his sleeves. "To speak without freely without restrictions. It is something that many of my relatives and even Her Highness, desire but are unable to do so. (…!)" Wait… does he mean Yuuhi?

"Your excellence!" Maya warned but was quickly silenced with a gesture of his hand.

"It is alright Tsukuyomi. Even the royal families have weaknesses in such moments. Her Highness also spoke highly of you when we last met" (Flash) Yuuhi's face appeared in my mind. "I am glad that has someone that she trusts"

…

…

…

I could not reply. I was too conflictive in thought to even speak. From what I can tell… Yuuhi and this guy seem to be close. If she revealed this much to him then she must trust him a great deal.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

We drove for another ten minutes before we arrived at the airport. A plane was taxiing at the runway with the Honor Guards surrounding it. The VIPs that came before us dropped first before I pulled up behind them.

Maya and Ikaruga strolled out but not before His Excellence stopped by to give one last word. "It is a shame that we did not have more time to talk. I would've enjoyed having a longer conversation with you, Shirogane kun. (Yes your excellence) Please, you need not call me that. You may call me whatever you find comfortable with"

"Ah… yes sir. I'll try…" Ahehe… I scratched my head dumbly in reply. I feel gooey all over inside.

"But nonetheless… it certainly was fun to meet again at such an unusual way"

"Ikaruga sama" Maya interrupted us again. "We have to leave, now"

"A few more minutes, Tsukuyomi" Ikaruga replied holding his poise before turning back to me. "Shirogane, I can see in your eyes that you carry a great burden on your shoulders. Your ideals maybe childish but I support them nonetheless. You have the power to move people hearts and I have the influence needed to make it into reality. I am certain that if we work together… nothing will be impossible. (…) And I am sure that Her Highness would like to see you again. (Ah…!) Would you consider about becoming my subordinate? (…!-?)"

"M… me?"

"Yes. With your strength, my influence and Her Highness's leadership… humanity's goal of banishing the BETA from our world may be closer to reality that we'd hope. (…) I have seen your resolve to fight our common enemy, Shirogane. We all bear a scar left behind by the BETA. But if all of us worked together, I believe… no… I am sure that we can defeat them. You can carry the sword of humanity and strike down at the beast that threatens us"

Thump… thump…

My heart began to race at his words. Is he serious? Me? A member of the Imperial Household Honor Guard? I don't know what to say. This is too sudden for me to make a decision. But he's right. All I have with me is power. In this world I've been relying on Yuuko's influence to make my ideals a reality. Using my memories of the future and her connections we were able to achieve great things. The BETA attack on November 11th, the HSST Destroyer that nearly crash landed on Yokohama Base, the Coup d'état on December 5 and even the retaking of Sadogashima. All of it were done because of her. Strength alone can only get me so far. I thought that by becoming a more powerful pilot, it would get me noticed somewhat… but reality is harsher than people tend to believe.

I became a better soldier… a good soldier. But no matter what… I'll just be another pawn in someone else's game. All I'm ever going to be is a soldier that fights in the frontline and that's never going to change. But even so… (Flash) if I take his offer… then that means I'll have to leave everything behind. All my connections… all my friends. (Flash) Sumika!

No… I can't. I can't leave her She needs me…

Sumika is all that I need. My future with all that power is meaningless without her.

…!

"I'm sorry… (…!)" I answered finally after a brief pause. "But I can't take that offer…"

His Excellence nodded back in understanding. "I see. Perhaps I proposed this too soon. I apologize for that. I was merely caught up in the spur of the moment. But at the very least… please consider my offer. I would hate to see something happen to you before your dreams are realized. (…) Heh… well… until next time… Shirogane…"

…

And just like that he walked away. He doesn't seem like a bad person. He seems to understand Yuuhi's feelings well so maybe he and I have something in common. But even so… I don't think I can join him. Sumika would feel bad if I had to work so far away. And if I did, Yuuko would probably string me alive—literally. Hehehe…

The guy spoke too highly of me. I'm not used to getting showered with praises like that. Ahehehe…

"This is Command Post to Valkyrie 2B" Hmm? Oh it's Haruka. "Can you hear me?"

"Ah… yeah I can hear you Haruka. Are you still getting static on the other end?"

"Negative. The blizzard has passed but long range transmission is sketchy. I've sent Akane san to repair the nearby radio tower to boost our signal. Evacuation of civilians has commenced and no probable delay is detected. We should be ready in about two hours. Valkyrie Leader is requesting an update report. Should I send reply?"

"Maybe it would've been better to have you command rather than me, Suzumiya. You're more used to this than I am"

"Of course not. I'm merely performing the basics. All final decisions are yours to make Shirogane san. Anyway, how goes your task?"

"Ah… yeah. The VIPs are gone. They just left. I'm heading back now. Tell Isumi what you just told me"

"Understood. I'll relay the success of our primary objective to the captain. Command Post, out"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

On the plane that was about to take off, Lord Ikaruga returned to his seat with a rather disappointed face. A bottle of sake awaited him and beside him, sat Tsukuyomi Maya who stared emptily at the window, gazing at a certain chestnut haired boy who was standing around waiting for them to depart.

"That was… disappointing…" The man sighed, opening the bottle and pouring himself and his guard a cup.

"Is something wrong, my lord?" Maya asked not changing her expression.

"I was hoping that a certain piece would come to my hands… but I guess it's too late for that. (…?) He has already been chained to one side and I doubt he even realizes it. Poor boy. Nonetheless. It is of little consequence. What about you Tsukuyomi? (…?) Aren't you happy? We will be returning to the capital soon to see Her Highness. You were once her guard after all"

Maya breathed in a sigh, her throat parched from the sudden question. "That title does not fit me, anymore"

"Nonsense. You were ordered to hold the line while Her Highness escaped from the capital. It's only natural that you would be elevated to the rank. (…) But it seems to displease you. (…I… I do not…) Huhuhu. You have an honest face… unlike your favored cousin. (…) But let us enjoy the time we have together. Have a drink"

"I appreciate it, Your Excellence. But I cannot possibly…"

"Your mind is clouded, Tsukuyomi" Ikaruga repeated, his voice more demanding than requesting. "Drink…"


	43. The Role of Men and Monsters

**Chapter 43: The Role of Men and Monsters**

**(Takeru's POV) (Kyoto U.N. Defense Line) (Mobile Command Post) (06:20 PM)**

Brrrrr…

My body is freezing all over. Ever since we've arrived here, the weather had gone from bad to worse. The blizzard outside buried nearly everything under a blanket of snow. There were the occasional times where it would stop for a short period of time but it doesn't really last very long. Everyone has been huddled in here with nothing but blankets and warm coffee and tea to sooth the cold.

But we had it easy in here. The soldiers outside have to bear the cold in the trucks and use light small campfires to keep them warm.

It's also getting dark out there. At this rate we'll have zero visibility and almost no way of communicating with the outside.

"Waaa… now this brings back memories" I heard Haruko give out a healthy breeze. She appears to be the only person enjoying this weather. "This reminds me of the time when I was trapped in the southern island on our Comprehensive Combat Skill Evaluation" No one asked you about that. "We were withering away under the tree lines when it all happened. It rained for three days straight so we had to make camp under the woods to stop ourselves from catching colds"

I gave a sigh in return. I didn't even have the strength or the mood to reply to that. "Haruka, how does it look over there?" I asked the elder Suzumiya sister who remained alongside the radio console.

But she shook her head in response. "Not good. Even the short range radio is barely working. We cannot get any signal from headquarters or anywhere for that matter. The last transmission we received came by about an hour ago"

In other words, we're all trapped here until the storm ends. These conditions are the worse. Not only does it hamper us from operating properly but it also affects our units. The reinforcements that were supposed to meet us were delayed because they don't want to get lost in this weather and there's just no way will we be able to relocate the people from the area.

My dad traveled to Kyoto in a blizzard like this once. He went there on some business trip and his car's engine died out along the way.

Fortunately our TSFs were built to last any kind of weather. Something like this shouldn't be enough to hamper their performance. Even if the circuitries freeze up, a simple restart of the engine can thaw the whole thing in ten seconds flat.

But still… I hope this weather doesn't last. It's irritating not knowing what's happening in the outside world. For all we know, the Imperial Army could be fighting the BETA right this moment. I can only hope that they're having a better weather than we are right now. If we have to fight in these conditions, we'll be running blind. It'll be like trying to fight the BETA in their own Hives but worse since your radar and thermal sensors would be useless.

Clang! Clang!

Hmm? Someone's knocking at the front entrance.

"Ah, that must be Akane chan" Kashiwagi quickly got to the doorway and opened up. And true enough, Akane was there and for a split second I can feel the chilly wind outside. After she got in, we closed the door. "Welcome back…"

"Hn… thanks" Akane shivered before removing her snow goggles. She's a lot tougher than her size dictates. "But this weather is the worst. You can't move ten steps without the risk of getting buried under tons of snow. I was able to get the antenna fixed but there's just no way will we be able to get a signal out in this blizzard"

"I was afraid that would be the case" Haruka noted it mentally. As far as I can tell, it seems like she's more capable than me in terms of command. I'm a soldier, not a leader. I wasn't even trained on how to run an operation of this size. Unlike her, all I can do is fight. That just goes to show that even now… there are still a lot of things for me to learn. Maybe this is the reason why Captain Isumi assigned her with me. We're practically equal in terms of rank but she put me in charged instead. Was she expecting me to learn while I was here? "Shirogane san?" Hmm?

"Bwah! Ah… Haruka?" Geez… she scared me.

"Are you alright? You look as if you were deep in thought"

"Ah… yeah. Sorry. My mind isn't really focused right now"

"Isn't that obvious…?" Guuuu… Akane…

"Akane chan. Please try not to fight with your superiors" His sister scolded but I doubt she'll listen to that. I've been on her bad side ever since I became partner with Hayase and that's not going to change any time soon. "Here, Shirogane san. Have some tea. It'll help you handle the cold. (Ah… thanks) It's my pleasure. But please don't take my sister's comments too seriously. She only acknowledges you as your superior in a certain way" That's a strange way of acknowledging someone. "Akane chan has always been trying her best to get into the Storm Vanguard's position like yourself so she sees you as the biggest obstacle that she has yet to overcome. I think the term would be: Rival" Hehehe… if there's anything I know about Akane… it would be the way she tackles against obstacles. In my world she'd take on any problem head on like Attila the Hun and not look back. But I guess that comes from the competitive side of her.

"Rival eh?" I laughed at the word. "Sometimes I wonder about that. But you're really good at this Haruka san. (…?) I never really understand what happens inside the Command Post before seeing that I'm always fighting outside. I never thought that it would be this complicated"

"Ahehehe… you're only saying that because you've never seen actual combat from behind the lines, Shirogane san. It's true… I don't get to see what the soldiers see from their point of view but I try my best to give them intel from here. Sometimes a bird's eye view can make a difference in a fight against the BETA"

"Yeah… I can see it now. But you're more incredible than I thought. To be able to handle all this work alone must be tiring"

"Passing information to one unit is easy… that's why we have a lot of operators handling information and processing them to the other squads. It can get pretty hectic once the battle starts since we have to process hundreds of information to different areas. Coordinates of allies, enemies and combat strength and then relaying them to support are our duties. But I'm sure once you've experienced it you'll get used to it quite quickly. Even I was nervous on my first try"

"That only goes that we were all rookies once, neh?" We shared a laugh. I guess there was once a time that Haruka was new to all of this. "But still… to this all by yourself. You're incredible, Haruka san"

"Ahehe… don't praise me too much, Shirogane san" Oooh! She's blushing!

"Ora ora~ What's this~? Is the great Takeru aiming for Haruka chan? (Geh!) (H… Haruko?) Complimenting her like that. Do you have a thing for damsels in distress, Takeru? Or… are just a little cold from this weather?"

"Hey! What's that supposed to mean?" I barked back.

"Ahehe… if you're cold then I know a perfect way to warm you right up! (Wiggle)" H… hey wait a second! There's a soft feeling at my back. It's round, wiggly and… Heeeeeeh! "Ora… see? You're heating up already. (H… hey!) Ahahaha. You're all red now"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

**(Kobe City) (U.N. 3rd Defense Line Headquarters)**

Isumi Michiru took another sip of her coffee mug as she looked at the screen notifying the positions of all the troops stationed in Kobe City. It has only been a few hours since she arrived but the work the soldiers performed was amazing. In just a short span of time they turned this ruined city into a fortress with enough firepower to withstand almost any attack. There were TSFs guarding every major entrance and artillery holding the high-ground and from what she heard, more reinforcements from the north would be arriving soon. It wasn't surprising seeing that the U.N. was contributing all of its Western Defense resources to this stronghold.

But her moment of peace was interrupted when she heard the door to the base opening revealing the General with his adjutant officers. "At ease…" Radhabinod motioned to them before any of the officers could call to attention. "Captain. What's the situation so far?" He asked Isumi who saluted back in return.

"Sir. As far as we can tell, the defense around the mainland is as good as it can be. We have troops stretched thin around Hyogo, Osaka and Wakayama as planned and most of our reserves from Hokkaido and Okinawa are being deployed in Kyoto. Evacuation of these provinces is being hampered by the poor weather conditions. The roads are being snowed in, and all of our communications are barely working as well. We lost contact with our troops in Kyoto but they'll try to contact us when they can"

The General nodded with his expression unchanged. "Do we know when this weather will clear up?"

"Our satellites show that this blizzard may last until tomorrow morning" Isumi answered. "Maybe earlier if we're lucky"

"I see… and what about the front?"

"The Imperial Army and Navy have taken complete control of Shikoku Island and its surrounding waters and are setting defenses as we speak. They're under the command of the Imperial Honor Guards. So far there have been more soldiers coming in from the Eastern borderlines. They've been requesting assistance in transporting tanks and equipments to the island"

"The damage done during the Sadogashima Campaign must've been greater than anticipated if they're sending troops directly from the capital" The General deduced feeling a sense of pity over him on the soldiers of the Empire. "We will continue our role in supporting the main army. Grant every ship to their service until they've completed with the preparations. (Yes sir) And what do we know of the BETA attack force?"

"The U.S. Fleet is transmitting their coordinates through a shared network" Another operator answered showing the picture on screen. "The BETA attack group just reached the sea bed and is now traveling at a slower pace. It may due to the lower temperature of the water that's hampering their movements"

"So… we're not the only ones affected by this blizzard. Do we know when they'll arrive?"

"Estimated time of arrival at the Shikoku Island will be… a few hours more or less if the weather conditions improve"

Isumi stared at the screen and noted how things were looking. With so many Imperial soldiers gathering at the front lines, it seemed like they might actually have a chance at stopping this force. Sure the odds weren't in their favor. It hardly ever is. But if the country is capable of committing this much to one defense then there's good chance that they can win it. Once the troops on their side of the ravine get across to their troops on the other end, Shikoku Island will become a fortress in every sense of the word.

Morale was still high in this country. After the victory at Sadogashima, the dream of driving the BETA away became so much closer than it anyone originally thought. Soldiers and Eishis alike were even talking about what they were planning to do once the war was over. They talk like it actually might end tomorrow even.

But who could blame them? With the world now moving as one against the BETA, victory seem so close. If the BETA were predictable in a sense, some people would say that this major offensive of theirs was just a desperate way to get their feet back on Japan. They did not expect to lose the Hive in Sadogashima… hell even the victors didn't expect it.

"HQ to engineer team. We have another antenna down by the hotel top floor. Please send a team to repair it"

"Again?" The man on the other line groaned. "That's the third time this hour. The snow will just blow the whole thing down again. We'll have to wait until this weather clears until we can fix anything"

"Negative. We need that antenna to receive word from different areas"

Another groan came from the radio. "Roger that. I'll send someone to fix the dish. Engineer corp. out"

But it seems like the war itself might go on a standstill from here on end.

**(Takeru's POV) (Kyoto Defense Line)**

Wah… I feel revitalized after taking a quick walk outside. Damn that Kashiwagi. It's all her fault that I'm steaming right now. Her teasing is practically almost on par with Munakata. I couldn't stand to be in the Command Post any longer so I came out to cool myself down—literally. The weather hasn't improved either from the past hour and it's not likely to change any time soon. (Whirrr) Brrr… even my suit and overcoat isn't helping. I've even adjusted my bodily regular temperature to above average and it's still freezing me over.

Whaaa… this weather is even worse than the time during the coup. I can barely see anything beyond my own hand and I'm sure if I sleep down here I doubt I'll be able to wake up at all. Brrr…

"Oh? 1st Lieutenant…" The late shift guards saluted to me. I'm still getting used to that fact. Back in my previous loop my rank wasn't all that impressive but I never really notice anyone saluting at me with such rigor. I waved the two off and returned to my stroll. Our camp wasn't that big but we had more than enough room for everyone.

Out of everything we had, the only viable defense noticeable was the three Shiranuis standing guard by the hilltop.

Brrr… I should probably head back. No matter how many patrols we have around here, the results will be the same. This weather will just tire us out eventually.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Ah… it's so much warmer inside. Waaa… the heat is actually making me sleepy.

"Yo, welcome back" Geh! Haruko! "Hai hai… don't worry, I won't tease you anymore. Scout's honor" If she was Munkata, I probably wouldn't believe her. "Here, tea…" She offered me a mug which had a godly aroma.

Ahh… nothing warms you up better than a nice cup of tea. Class rep would've preferred coffee but only because the caffeine in the drink works better than most. And I agree… but I prefer to have the taste to wake you up.

"Where's Haruka?" I asked looking around.

"They're over there" Haruko pointed me to the corner where the two Suzumiya sisters were sleeping peacefully side by side with their backs against the wall and a blanket over them. "They're so cute. Akane chan especially. You rarely get to see that side of her. The only time you get to see her so defenseless is when she's with Haruka chan. That's siblings for you"

"Yeah… but I still get the feeling that she hates me"

"Ahehehe. That's just her competitive side. I've worked with her for almost a year now so I can tell how she acts. In my opinion… I think she's only acting tough because she wants to be strong for her sister. (…) And… I guess you could say that it's roughly because of our team. (Eh?) Since you were a late minute member, I don't think you know that Squad 207 used to comprise of two groups, correct"

"Oh I heard about that. Akane led one batch while Class rep led the other"

"Yeah. Actually… before your group was incorporated into ours, there used to be 10 of us fighting in the frontline. (…?) We lost most of our team during the 12/5 incident a few weeks back and a few more during the BETA attack on November 11th. (…) And during the XM3 trial, we lost… Tsukiji. It wasn't anyone's fault. It was mildly because of lack of experience in our parts. But Akane chan seems to blame herself for their deaths. (…) She carries a leader's guilt on her shoulders. Even though she doesn't show it… I can tell that has it"

…

I knew that already. Kashiwagi is simply telling me something that I knew in my previous loop. Out of everyone here, Kashiwagi is probably the only living teammate of Akane, that's why they understand each other well… that's why Haruko can read her partner very well.

But still… it's that leader's guilt that also prevents her from becoming Storm Vanguard 2. Captain Isumi constantly reads our psych profile on a daily basis and knows what Akane is going through. She knows that with that kind of mindset, Akane would probably be ready to throw herself in battle regardless if she lives or not. That's why she was put in the support role so that she would keep herself out of harm's way.

"Hnn…" I saw the said girl grumble in her sleep. I guess the title of Little Lion suits her. Noble, protective and downright fierce.

"Ah… I guess I said too much" Kashiwagi smacked herself playfully. "I shouldn't be talking about Akane behind her back like this. Please don't tell her I told you about this"

"That's alright. I don't pry into other people's business unless it involves the team"

"Thanks. I appreciate it. Now why don't we get some sleep until this weather blows over? Hai… let's share blankets!" Huh?

**(Tokyo Airport)**

Ikaruga gave a soft and pleasant sigh as he exited his plane. The lights of the city lit the place despite the cold weather that they were having. The chill didn't bother him. In fact he welcomed it. After a brush with death in Sadogashima, a little cold to cool his boiling blood was a welcome distraction.

Down below the rampart, an entourage of Honor Guards in uniform awaited for him by a limousine. As he approached the floor, one of them rushed to his side with an umbrella to cover him from the blizzard.

"Welcome back, my lord" The guards lowered their heads in unison. "How was your meeting at Kyoto?"

"It went perfectly" Ikaruga answered with a small smile creeping up his lip. "Our European allies still have some measure of support to give us. Though I was a bit surprised by the last minute visitor, the results were the same. We have the full cooperation of the cabinet but there are some who cannot take sides. They will come to their senses in time. What of the matters here?"

"We have the cooperation of the Imperial Army. As per your orders, most of the central and eastern forces have been committed to the west to Shikoku Island. The remainder of the Capital Garrison has been diverted to Kyoto. Only a handful of defenders remain in the city"

"The Capital Garrison?" Ikaruga raised a brow to the man. "I thought they were disbanded after their failed coup"

"You've been away from the capital for a long time, my lord" The man bowed in apology. "Though we were able to capture the ringleaders of the coup, many of their compatriots were able to avoid prosecution under the guise of simply following orders"

"So they turned against their own comrades. An unsightly thing. But I can understand them. The trust bond between the Imperial Army and the Honor Guard are still stingy at best since that incident. But we cannot allow ourselves to show weakness. In any case, what about the special package that we delivered along with the reinforcements?"

"It has gone unnoticed. The U.N. and Imperial Forces were unable to detect it due to the snow storm. They're already entering the final phase of its construction. The heavens themselves are with you in this endeavor"

The last comment only made Ikaruga laugh. "The heavens? Please spare me the colorful words. What we are doing is simply the will of the people. It matters not whether the heavens agree with me. We will see this plan through to the very end" He stared up into the cloudy skies and raked at the chilly wind splashing on his face. "Japan's rebirth will come through the ashes of fire. This is the dream that Sagiri Naoya envisioned. It's a shame that he won't be around long enough to see it come to light"

"What is our next move, my lord?"

"Sometimes the best move is not to make any move at all. (…?) I will go and visit Her Highness in the royal palace. She must be awfully lonely there. Besides… I'm sure that she would like nothing better than to be reunited with Tsukuyomi san. Oh… that reminds me. Please help my captain out of the plane. It appears she had a little too much to drink on our way here"

"Of course, my lord" The man then signaled a few of his subordinates up the plane to assist with the recovery. "Were you able to find out anything?"

Ikaruga remained neutral in his expression. "Yes… her information was indeed invaluable. I was actually quite surprised. (…?) In fact… she has given me a whole new perspective of Her Highness. It's as if she's a whole new person to me" A small smile appeared on his lips as he turned his gaze to the royal palace in the distance. "Perhaps… I was merely unobservant…"

**(December 29, 2001 Friday) (Takeru's POV) (Kyoto Defense Line) (08:10 AM)**

Wah… what a scene. This place really is worthy of the name: Old Capital of Japan. The scenery is to die for. You can see Mt. Fuji from here and a few skyscrapers from the city. Wahhh! Just a glimpse of this can already make one forget about the terrible blizzard last night. It's still cold but at least we have some sunshine at least. If someone were to build a ski resort here they'd make a fortune once a snowstorm. Sumika would definitely love it here especially on the hillside. It'd be romantic and cool—like one of those happy moments in a soap opera show. Right! Day planner No. 1! Once Sumika recovers, bring her to a romantic resort for 3 days! It'll be perfect and a quick reminder of when we first met as kids!

Yosh! That's perfect!

"Umm… 1st Lt. Shirogane?"

"Huh? Oh H… Haruka?" Crap… did she see me acting all weird?

"Sorry to interrupt… but I couldn't help but notice that you haven't had breakfast yet. I was wondering if you were hungry" Oh! Now that she reminds me… I totally forgot about breakfast. I was just so busy admiring the view that I lost track of time. I guess that explains why she brought two trays.

"Ahehe… sorry. I was a little distracted by the view. After being cooped up in the base for so long you kind of get bored of the scenery there"

"Ahuhu… I think I understand your worries. The sceneries around here are still well preserved. Most of the agricultural habitats are being conducted in the north and east after all" That's right. Most of the food we're eating right now are mostly grown in Hokkaido, Okinawa or imported from other countries. The western part of the country has been ravaged by BETA so there are mostly ruins there. I heard from the news that they were planning to restore farming communities to increase resource output for Japan, giving it a stronger presence for the people. "1st Lieutenant…?"

"Huh? Ah… sorry. I was deep in thought again" I really should stop apologizing so much.

"Perhaps you did not have enough sleep last night? (Geh!) Kashiwagi san… was a problem… wasn't she?"

"I… I wouldn't say a problem. It's just that her teasing rivals that of Munakata" Last night I had to share a blanket with that girl. I was in heat for hours before I finally calmed down and went to sleep. "I had a hard time just getting myself to sleep"

"Perhaps Munakata's habits finally rubbed off on her"

"If those two joined forces against me, I don't think I'll survive the embarrassment. (Ahuhuhu) Ahehehe…" We shared a rare laugh together. It's not every day I get to smile and have a normal conversation with someone of my team. "But in any case… things are really starting to look up here"

"Yes. The reinforcements were finally able to get through. Though… they're not exactly what I expected"

"Yeah… I was surprised too when they came" About an hour ago when the U.N. troops from Hokkaido arrived, we expected veterans like Captain Isumi to show up. But instead… all we received were half baked trained soldiers. In other words… Cadets.

It feels rather nostalgic too to see Type-97 Fubukis. It almost seemed like forever since I last saw one of these in actions. But this isn't exactly the type of soldiers I was expecting. I guess this only shows how the U.N. is serious of putting a stop to the BETA's massive invasion force. If they're calling recruits into the action like they did with us during the 12/5 incident then this really must be the extent of our forces. But I guess it's also understandable.

This gives the recruits a general experience of how we operate and gives them at least some measure of training. I remember how nervous I was during my first sortie. My grip on the controller was so hard that my hands went numb for a few minutes.

So… all in all… the chain of command hadn't changed. I was still the ranking officer of this defense line. Since we were in the rearmost of the battle lines I don't think anyone here would expect any fighting. But then again… it wouldn't really matter to recruits. Even if it is just a guard job they're probably frozen stiff like the ice around me.

"I am quite worried…" Haruka continued as we ate along. "To be sending cadets this far out to the front. Even if it is the safest area…"

"Don't worry" I reassured her. "They said that the fighting won't even reach this far. With the amount of resources the Imperial Army and the Honor Guards are putting into this fight we might not even have to fire a single shot"

"Ahuhuhu… I see you wish to remain optimistic"

"Sometimes it's best to see the brighter side of things. Think positive! That should be made a motto. (Ahuhuhu…) But… I do get rather uneasy being the guy in charge" When I went to meet the recruits and their drill sergeants came to salute me. I was pressured to say something and they were waiting for orders but I simply had no idea what to say to them.

"Ahuhuhu… you need not worry, Shirogane san. I'm sure your time will come"

"I feel really useless at times like these. Maybe I should put you in charge, Haruka"

"Please don't. I may be an excellent officer but I do not have what you have, 1st Lieutenant. (Huh?) It's true that giving orders and having a cool mind is part of being a good commander. But having a conscious and a heart might just play a bigger role in it. (…?) I'm sorry. I don't think I was clear when I explained it"

"No it's alright. It made sense… somewhat. But I still think you should be the one in charge"

"I think the Captain knew this as well, Shirogane san… that's why she sent me to help you. (Eh?)" To help me? Well that would explain a lot. "But I still believe that you would make an impression, Shirogane san. Not only on the battlefield… but in people's hearts as well. (…?) Also… it is because you remind me of someone too. (Huh?) Your kindness really is limitless… just like him"

"Him? Who?"

"Ah! No… I'm sorry. It's nothing. Just some old memories sparking. Forgive me. I should return to my duties. Excuse me…"

"Uh… wait… I'll come with you. (…?) I'm not feeling that hungry myself and I kind of feel useless just sitting around here. Maybe if I follow you around, I'll be able to learn a thing or two of being a better officer, not just another grunt in the front lines"

"Ahuhu… if you're feeling up for learning Shirogane san, then I might have just the task for you"

"If I can help in anyway, then please do"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Wahh… the camp is a lot livelier than before. Out of all the places, the last line of defense seems pretty small. But regardless, we still have enough firepower to take on any BETA that tries to get through. Even if we are running on old models like the Fubuki they can stand on their own in a fight. We even have tanks and LRMs from Yokohama Base too.

All the cadets are gathered in a corner, talking to one another. As expected, they're a little stiff. But I guess that's no surprise. Even the mechanics handling the armored vehicles are just about my age. The drill sergeants are the only ones who are older than any of us.

They're debriefing everyone about the situation at hand. So far there's been no word about any fighting yet but they're still tracking the BETA off shore. Not that we've been able to contact anyone. Even after the blizzard had gone, we haven't been able to contact anyone outside of the Kyoto Prefecture. The storm must've knocked a lot of our com systems. Even Kashiwagi said that it would take a few hours at best to get in touch with anyone.

"Shirogane san?"

"Huh? Oh… sorry. I drifted off again"

"I'm starting to think that this habit of drifting off of yours is part of your personality, Shirogane san. (Geh!) Ahuhu. But here. Please take a look at this" She brought me to a table outside of the Mobile Command Post and handed me a thin stack of folders and papers.

"What's this?"

"This is the unit detail we have. It's not much but I think the best way of learning is to first know who and what we have in the base. In that folder is the roster of officers we have on the base camp. Please try to memorize as much of it as you can"

"Only officers?"

"Of course. Memorizing every face and names can be quite difficult that's why we only look at the officer in charge as he or she may represent the unit as a whole. The Commanding Officer will also be the one who knows the names and faces of his or her unit which is why we relay to that person to know the status of the unit as a whole. It's called a system" That's right. It's the duty of the team leader to know the conditions of the group. Captain Isumi is a prime example and Marimo chan can be another. They knew how each of us works… and how we are fairing.

"I see… that makes sense"

"Right. Then please follow me"

We took a tour around the camp passing each area like it was a routine check. The relief camp and military camp were separated to keep civilians from passing our security. Haruka did a thorough job about this.

Hmm?

"Hey… isn't that Kashiwagi?" I'd recognized that short blue haired girl anywhere.

"Ah? Yo Shirogane, Suzumiya! Morning!"

"Good morning Kashiwagi san" Haruka greeted back.

"Yeah… a good day. Yo Shirogane. Did you sleep well?"

"Not much, thanks to you. (Ahehehe) What are you doing out here in the morning?"

"I heard this group arguing so I came to help. What about you two? Did you just come back from your date?" Pfffft! "Ahahaha! It' must be nice to be young"

"K… Kashiwagi san!"

"Haruko!" Geez… this girl. She really is becoming a mini Munakata. She really is doing this on purpose. "What in the world would give you that idea?"

"Well… two young teens walking side by side in a snowy weather. If you go by the hillside over there I'm sure the atmosphere would be perfect" Geh! I thought about that too. "Haaa… I'm happy for you Shirogane but I feel sympathetic to Suzumiya. (Eh?) I'm sure you could've done a lot better"

"Hey! What's that supposed to mean!-?" I barked out looking flushed. Is she saying that I'm not the perfect guy!

"Ahahaha! Look at you all flushed. You two would make a lovely couple"

"Kashiwagi san… please refrain from speaking in such manner… (…!) (Geah!)" Wh… what the? What is with this aura? The hair on my back are suddenly feeling a certain dread over me. The atmosphere around Suzumiya changed so suddenly. I feel like a rabbit being looked down by a tiger that had just eaten its main course. "If you do… I do not know what may become of your records…"

"Ah… ahaha… ahahaha… I was just kidding! Kidding! Aha… ahahaha" Kashiwagi can feel it too. That dreadful feeling emanating from the lovely princess. Even what she said seemed like a very viable threat. "Th… there's no need to take me so seriously, neh, Shirogane? (Huh?)"

"Well then… at the very least you understand" Haruka's face returned to normal once she got her message across.

"Ah! 1st Lt. Suzumiya" One of the officers approached us. "Sorry to disturb you, but we have a situation at the Command Post. Please return immediately"

"Yes of course" Haruka returned to her usual self. "Pardon me Shirogane san. I promise I will teach you more later"

"Y… yeah… no problem. (…)" After a short moment, they were out of sight.

"Uwa… that was scary" Haruko continued with her face sweating in buckets. "Maybe I shouldn't have pushed my luck too far" I agree. I've only seen Akane's sister serious face once in my previous loop and it was scary. They say that you quiet ones are the ones you need to look out for.

"Yeah…" I agreed. "I never knew that she could be that scary"

"Heh… maybe I'll hold back on the jokes next time. But you'd better be careful Shirogane. Haruka may be pretty but Akane won't give her up without a fight"

"Kashiwagi…" I sighed. "Seriously, it's not what you think. She was only teaching me some things that I wanted to know. (Hai hai…) Geez. And to think that I have enough misunderstanding on my plate"

"Oh… you mean the one with you and 1st Lt. Jinguuji? (Geh! You know?) Everyone knows! It's all over the base. I heard it from one of the cafeteria ladies. (Geh!) Hoooo? So you like older women? I never would've thought you were that type of guy, Shirogane"

"Of course not! It's all just a plain misunderstanding! Kashiwagi!"

"Ahahaha! It must be nice to be young. (Guuuu!) And it's Haruko. Not Kashiwagi"

Guh… she really is treating me like a little brother. I guess she really sees herself as an older sister to everyone considering the fact that she has younger brothers at home.

"…"

Huh? Those cadets have been staring at me for awhile now. They look like they want to say something.

"Ano… Kashiwagi sempai…"

"Ah sorry about that" Kashiwagi apologized to them. "We got distracted. So what is it?" The three girls didn't look any older than me. Younger maybe… but definitely not older.

"…" Their eyes were trained on me like daggers. "Umm… could you be…?"

"Yes?" I jerked my head back.

"Come on, ask him" The ones behind her urged.

"A… ah… um… are you really… Shirogane Takeru… the one they call The Legendary Rookie? (Eh?)"

"Ahahahaha!" Kashiwagi laughed again. "Looks like you're popular, Shirogane"

"So it's true!" The cadet squealed at me. "You really are him!"

"Y… yeah… I am" I said back after the initial shock hit me.

"Can you please tell us how you were able to pull those moves? (Ha?)"

"Are the rumors true that you're actually a cyborg in human skin? (Wha?)"

"Is it true that you actually beat up a BETA with your own bare hands when you were just ten years old? (Eh?)" Beat up a BETA with my own hands? Where did that come from?

"Ahahaha! That's a good one" Kashiwagi laughed out loud.

"You're enjoying this, aren't you!-? (Ahahaha!)"

**(Seattle, America) (Space Needle)**

Yoroi Sakon was having a peaceful evening in Seattle, with a fancy dinner in one of the most famous restaurants in the city. Still wearing his usual suit and hat, the man felt no need to keep his guard up, seeing as how the FBI had placed hidden guards to keep him safe at all times. The place was rather this time of night but they didn't stop serving customers who brought them good money, especially diplomats like himself.

Yoroi was more than happy to be here, especially now that the country was stable. Back then, government feuds would be all over the news and people with different opinions argued back and forth like a never ending game of tug-of-war. But after the downfall of ALTERNATIVE V and the resignation of those who were part of it, the battle turned one sided with him being on the winning side.

But the main reason why he was here was because it was a personal favor from Professor Kouzuki herself. To win one for a beautiful lady like her was a duty of a gentleman. That… and perhaps some jokes to toss at her when they meet face to face.

He loved teasing a woman of her caliber, especially now when things are finally going her way. If she was in a bad mood there was no doubt in his mind that she would have him thrown in a detention center somewhere in the middle of the desert.

Being here and managing the construction of mankind's greatest weapon against the BETA was a rather fulfilling task. Though rather uneventful, it was arduous.

Ring ring…

The man was interrupted when he noted his phone ringing. He looked at the caller ID and recognized the name. "Good evening to you Yayoi chan… ah… wait… I should probably say good morning there, shouldn't I?"

"Section Chief!" Yoroi's recognized the voice. "Thank goodness I was able to reach you. Are you alright?"

"Ahohoho… did you miss me? I'm quite touched" Sakon let out a small laugh. "What's the matter?"

"I was going to ask you the same question. Have you received any word from the heads of the Ministry of Intelligence?"

"No… I'm afraid I have not. Though it's likely because one of the heads despises me so much"

"That's what I was afraid of" The emerald haired woman wavered in her voice.

Sakon noticed this and raised an invisible brow off the corner of his eye. "What's the problem?"

He heard the woman on the other line breathed deeply for a moment before answering. "I'm not quite sure myself. We received orders from the Honor Guard High Command"

"The Household Honor Guards? (Yes…) What did they ask for?"

"They're requesting our full cooperation in a matter regarding a leak in our information"

"Leak? That's quite a broad statement"

"Yes… they said that they're also sending in liaison to provide support. I tried to confirm this with the Ministry of Intelligence but we've received no word at all. (…) Should I contact the authorities? (…) Hello? Section Chief? Are you still there?"

"Yayoi… tell me what's happening around Tokyo right now? (Eh?) Please tell me the situation around the city. I need you to tell me everything that has been happening in the last few hours. Everything"

The eldest of the Isumi was caught by surprise by the serious tone of her CO but kept calm to avoid suspicion from the others. "Umm… what is it do you want to know, specifically?"

"Has the Honor Guards made any unusual changes?"

"Well… a few" Yayoi answered raising a folder up to her face, putting the phone by her shoulder so she could shuffle through the papers. "Nothing worth noticing. They've relayed troops from the capital and the surrounding prefectures to aid with the defense on Shikoku Island"

"Is that so? So there's no one left protecting the capital?"

"No. There's a handful of Capital Guards left by the Imperial Army. Just enough to cover all of the shifts. Considering what happened during the 12/5 incident, the trust between both the Honor Guards and the Army is still in tatters. They set up borders and jurisdictions between the districts and having the Royal Palace completely blocked off from the rest"

"I see… but if that's the case then…" Yoroi was about to conclude the small pieces of the puzzle he had together but found the canvas to be a lot bigger than he originally thought. "That's the same tactic that was used during the coup. They wouldn't… (click!)" He heard the cold hard steel of a pistol noise echoing behind him.

"Section Chief? Is something wrong?"

Sakon turned his eye to the window to try and get a reflection of what was behind him but it was not clear enough. Reaching for the gun tucked in his trench coat he whispered softly to the phone. "Yayoi… where is the Prime Minister and his cabinet at this moment?"

"The Prime Minister is currently overlooking the reconstruction project in Kyoto. His cabinet members including senator Ichida have been accounted for. Why?"

"No reason. If the Prime Minister is in Kyoto then he should sufficiently protected"

"Sir? I don't understand. What is—?"

"I'm afraid I'm out of time, Yayoi chan. (…!) Please tell all members to evacuate the facility and leave the capital immediately. (Chief?) I have guests to entertain and they do not like to be put on hold. I will contact you again"

"Section chief? What do you mean? Yoroi s—!" Sakon hung up.

"Now let's see. Four… no… six? Americans? No. Europeans? No. Haaa… this is quite a handful" He took a sip off his coffee and placed the cup down. With a quick gesture he drew out his gun and open fired.

**(Imperial Royal Palace, Tokyo) (Shogun's room)**

Yuuhi was tending to her garden that morning by her balcony with the Grand Chamberlain beside her. Trimming the roses and other floras was a welcome distraction to many and it proved to be a favored pastime for many. It was supposed to be a meditative training… something to make the Shogun relax and take her mind off things, like her duties. But despite all the mental training she had endured in the past years, she could not focus. Her hands trembled slightly and she was certain that it wasn't because of the cold weather.

"Is something the matter?" Her caretaker asked when she noted the young Shogun putting down the cutter. "You seem… distracted"

"No… I am… merely tired, oba san…" Yuuhi answered back, wiping a drop of sweat from her brow. But she was surprised to feel her caretaker's hands on her forehead.

"You do not appear to have any fevers. Were you cold from last night's blizzard?"

"No. I am well. You need not take my health so seriously"

"It is my duty to ensure that you are in perfect health. I've been caring for you since you were but a child. I will cut my own hands first before I allow you to become afflicted with any illness" Yuuhi could not help but laugh. There really was no way of changing her. After all… she's been with her the longest.

"Ahuhuhu. I am well, oba san. Please do not take it seriously. I am… merely exhausted from last night's endeavor"

"Hmm… very well" The Grand Chamberlain accepted her excuse for now. "Forgive me. I was being too forceful"

"You need not apologize. You were merely performing your duties. (…) Perhaps we should tend to the garden later this afternoon. I would love to have some tea"

"Oh… of course Your Highness. Please allow me to prepare some for you"

But their peaceful moment was suddenly interrupted when a voice emerged from the room.

"Do you have room to make for three?" The chamberlain shook back in return.

"Who goes there?" She demanded. "How dare you enter Her Highness's room without permission and without announcing yours-…!" But she stopped midway and quickly lowered her head to the floor when she realized who spoke.

"Takatsugu?" Yuuhi recognized the face almost instantly from the balcony doorway.

"It's good to see you again… Your Highness…"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

After the two greeted one another, they resumed the conversation inside the room to keep themselves from the cold weather. The Grand Chamberlain quickly made some of the said tea and placed it on the table in quick succession.

"This is rather unexpected" Yuuhi stated sounding more cheerful than usual. "I heard that you went to the frontlines along with the others"

"Yes… but the heads of the Honor Guard requested that I be put back since my battle in Sadogashima. I have sent another to take my place" Ikaruga spoke casually with Her Highness. He was perhaps one of the very few who actually treated her as such. "I understand that they mean well but it is rather distasteful of me to be in the rear while I can be aiding them. Sometimes I wonder if they're more concerned of my safety than this country"

"They are merely performing the duties given to them"

"Ahuhuhu… you understand well how they work" The man gave a kind laugh.

"…"

"Is something the matter? You look restless"

"Ah… no. It's just that I was not expecting any visitors today" Yuuhi explained feeling a little embarrassed.

"I see. That may be my fault. Perhaps I should've made an appointment before visiting"

"It is fine" The Shogun waved it off. "I am simply not used to having such visitors so early"

"Is it so strange for a relative to visit another?"

"No… I did not mean it that way. Seeing another friendly face is welcoming for me"

"Ahehe… I am honored to be one of those faces" He mused waving his cup freely. "But… you are not wrong either. I indeed have an ulterior motive for visiting you. (…) To be honest… I was actually quite worried on you were feeling. (…?) It must not be easy for you… to be burden with the weight of a country at such a young age. I am much older than you… yet you have to endure such thing because of your lineage. (…) Many of our children and our friends are risking their lives on a daily basis yet this war seems far from ending. It makes me wonder what's going through His Majesty's head sometimes. (…!) Ah… forgive me. I spoke without thinking again. I shouldn't be wording your father so carelessly"

"Nay… it is fine" Yuuhi shook her head in reply. "But I thank you for your concern. The decision was perhaps troubling for him as well"

"I can only imagine what you must be going through. Though we share the same fate we are chained by our duties to this country and this world. (…) How ironic that the very world we are trying to save had become our eternal prison" The man's eyes darted downward feigning shame. "Ah… but there really is no virtue in 'what ifs'. All we can do is make the best of what we have right now"

"Yes…" The Shogun agreed with a sad smile creeping up her lips. If she had turned her eyes to the window she would've seen her Caretaker making the same expression. "It's true that we are burdened with great responsibility… but I live with the thought that I can bear this weight on my shoulder… then at the very least… no one else will have to"

Ikaruga's eyes widened a bit. "Ahuhuhu… as expected of the Grand Shogun. You are indeed strong. You are more than worthy of the title"

A blush formed around her face. "No… I simply… had time to reflect on my actions. (…?) A man told me something that I've forgotten long ago: Not all of us can choose where we are born. But we have the right as humans… to choose how we want to live. (…) This is the decision I've made and I will live my life caring for this country as my duty commands"

"Ahuhu… you really are strong, Yuuhi" Ikaruga lowered his cup and poured himself some more before continuing. "Even after what you've gone through these last few weeks… I thought you would be weakened. But here you stand… as mighty as the mountains themselves. It seems that the people of Japan… are in good hands. (…) It was a mistake for any of us to doubt your wisdom, especially the rebels…"

"They merely fought in what they believed in. Justice is only a word. A difference in opinion"

"That is true… which is why some people must do what is necessary to ensure peace. (…?) Though some choose to ignore it… we cannot deny the fact that Japan is divided. Our beloved nation is torn by factions. Some vying for control… some for profit for themselves… and some… simply wish that our greatest enemy to be defeated. Every man, woman and child hope to one day see the end of this fruitless war… but with our own conflict… that dream seems to be inching away even further"

Yuuhi looked at the man's face… trying to figure him out… but his expression seems to be genuine. "You share the pain of many, Ikaruga san. Even I understand why the people chose to rebel. But we must endure. This endeavor is…"

"Will this endeavor grant us victory?" The man interrupted, his tone suddenly changing as his expression twisted in disgust. "Will it defeat the BETA for us? No. In the end, it is the action of men alone that will change the world. Be it beggars or kings, it is they who will shape the country to what it is. (…!) A question has been posed to me long ago. If you had the power to save this world… would you use it? My answer was left hanging in my throat…"

_"Will endeavor, grant me an army!-?"_

_-Delita Heiral from the game Final Fantasy Tactics: War of the Lions-_

"Ikaruga…" The Shogun noted his words carefully and felt a rather uneasy lump in her chest. "What are you saying?"

"Do not think ill of me, Your Highness. Even if we become demons… my life is already forfeit" Suddenly, out of the quiet blues, two Honor Guards in uniform stormed into the room, guns in hand. "I will not ask for forgiveness nor will I expect any from you. But I swear… that I will bring this pointless conflict to a close… once and for all…"

Yuuhi rose from her seat in shock but kept her face from showing it. The Grand Chamberlain was also equally surprised and was ducking back. "Ikaruga. What is the meaning of this?"

"I am tired, Your Highness" The man in blue answered plainly. "Tired of this war that has been raging for 30 years, tired of our conflict, of this world. All of it. With this act alone, I will unit Japan… no… the world under one banner"

**(Philippine Sea) (U.S.S Mississippi)**

Beep beep!

The alert noise in the console attracted the heads of the sailors on board the bridge.

"Captain!" The operator called out. "We have contact!"

The elder sailor on the bridge quickly took his place along with his crew. "What is it?"

"The BETA group that we've been tracking has split into two groups. Each Carrier Class is moving along with a large portion of their attack force"

"Alert the Japanese Army of this new development. I don't want them getting any surprises once they get there"

"Aye aye sir. Sending message now…"

"Let's just hope they can hold…"


	44. Symphony of a Madman

**Chapter 44: Symphony of a Madman**

**(Shikoku Island 1st Defense Line) (December 29, 2001 Friday) (10:02 AM)**

Tsukuyomi watched as the men of the Imperial Army sorted themselves along the coasts of Shikoku Island. Never has she seen so many brave warriors gathered together in one spot since the day she fought in Sadogashima a few days back. There were enough firearms on this island to rival the capital and more seemed to be on their way.

TSFs, tanks and artilleries lined up the mountains, manned by the finest men and women this country had to offer, waiting to rain down on the aliens that dared to invade their homeland.

She had to admit that she was quite skeptical of the Imperial Army at first. Despite the loses they've sustained in battling the Hive, and the accusations brought upon them during the 12/5 incident, these men and women seemed at least honest about redeeming themselves in the eyes of the people. The Imperial Army lost its face when Sagiri attempted that coup a few weeks back. The scars left behind by that incident still linger among the faces of the locals.

And so it was necessary for them to win this battle. To prove to the world that the Imperial Army can still hold its own and defend those they have sworn to protect.

"This is Kamiyo" Tsukuyomi turned her attention to her subordinate. "Our sonar has detected movement 800 feet from the coast. At least 4000 sources detected. They're moving at a rough speed of 120kmph"

"They've come" Tsukuyomi muttered back before drawing her giant blade. "Relay this message to HQ. Switch to red alert. Ready all companies and prepare to intercept!"

A siren echoed throughout the bridge and within moments every soldier within a ten mile radius sprang into action.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

In the Headquarters of the Imperial Army, the Honor Guard Commanders began their own orders as well.

"Lt. Colonel!" One of the operators called out. "Message from the frontlines. BETA movements detected at the sea floor. They'll be arriving at the first defense line is ten minutes"

"Very well. Order all available units to prepare to divisions and tank battalions are to be at the forefront. Long range artilleries are to fire when ready. (Yes sir!) How many are we dealing with?"

"Mostly Destroyer Class, sir. Grappler and Tank classes are trailing behind"

"What about the Carrier?"

"Negative sir. We're getting no trace of it"

"Our defense fleet stationed outside has begun dropping depth charges to slow down the enemy advance! Two of our destroyers were sunk in the initial attack!"

"Tch… order our forces to engage. If we play with the small fry, the big fish will notice us sooner or later. (Roger!) Send out the reserves as well and bring up satellite uplink. We need to get an eye view from the sky"

"Lt. Colonel, sir" Another Honor Guard approached the commander from behind, whispering to his ears to keep others from eaves dropping. "Should we prep the package as planned, sir?"

"No. His Excellence demands much more than this. We will proceed on my call, alone. (Yes sir…) But in the mean time… ready the others. Once our defenses fail… they will clear HQ of all resistance. (Understood sir…) At the very least… let these men and women believe that they died… protecting their homeland. That will be all…"

"Yes… Lt. Colonel…"

**(Marimo's POV) (Kobe City) (U.N. Headquarters)**

Whiiirrrrrr!

That was the sound of emergency summons calling into play. Right after breakfast, every soldier, officer and commander ran around the base, assembling into teams. It only meant one thing. The BETA had arrived.

"Give me a situation update!" General Radhabinod ordered as he entered with his adjutants.

"The Imperial Army and the Honor Guards have engaged the enemy. BETA attack formations appear to be focusing solely on Shikoku Island around the coasts of Kochi. No sightings of the Carrier yet"

"The Imperial Navy is also engaging the BETA by the beachhead" Another officer announced.

"Have all battalions prepare for combat. Recall all patrol units. Alert the other stations on our defense line as well. (Roger! Relaying message) Have the 8th Fleet move out of the harbor and begin attack…"

"Yes sir. Relaying orders to fleet"

It wasn't long until the picture came up on the main screen. It was the same as Sadogashima. The BETA attacked with overwhelming numbers. The coast south of Kochi was being swarmed with red dots both big and small. It was like watching the whole island being consumed by a tsunami. I've seen this pattern over and over and all we can do now is bear the brunt of the attack while we mow the attackers down one by one. This has been our combat doctrine against the BETA for years now and it has proven to be affective on certain times.

"General, we're receiving orders from the Imperial Army Headquarters. They're using old frequencies due to some of the communication equipments being damaged. (Relay it…) Yes sir. They're asking us to continue with our support roles and hold the 3rd Defense Line. (What?) That's all they're asking. Should I respond?"

"Do they intend to defeat the BETA alone?" Radhabinod grunted. "Their pride will be the end of them. Tell them we will comply. Order all units to stand down but remain on standby. The BETA will come to us eventually. (Yes sir!) 1st Lt. Jinguuji…"

"Yes General…?" I stood at attention.

"The ALTERNATIVE Special Task Force has the privilege of operating outside of command, correct?" Huh? What is he…?

"Ah yes sir. It's the initiative granted by the Japanese government during the creation of the ALTERNATIVE Plans. (…) May I ask… why… sir?"

"Get me Captain Isumi and assemble your team"

"Yes… understood General"

"General! Emergency alert! BETA forces spotted in Wakayama Coast! (What!-?) Communications just came back recently… but we're getting reports that a small herd size group is in the vicinity, heading northwards towards Osaka!"

"How did they get pass our sensors? (I don't know sir) Hmph! What's the status of Wakayama right now?"

"The prefecture is still in the process of evacuation. Only 60% of the total population has been evacuated to safety. We have several battalions stationed there but they won't be able to hold out long"

"Why haven't we heard from the American?"

"No idea. I'm getting no signal from their fleet"

"They caught us off guard" The General seems worked up but remained calm nonetheless. "Have our battalions in Nara support them. They can—(Emergency alert!) What now!-?"

"BETA sighted in Osaka! They appeared out of the waters and are attacking the city! Our defense units are requesting for reinforcements!"

"They're attacking three places at once with overwhelming numbers" General? "This cannot be a coincidence. (…?) Order our forces to fall back from the coast line. (…!) There's no point stopping a tide at its source. Have them regroup from the populated areas. The BETA will prioritize their attacks on mechanized units and Tactical Surface Fighters. If we can lure them away from cities and towns and hold them at bay… we can buy more time for the local populace to evacuate. (Roger that!) Redirect our fleet to move to Osaka immediately to provide support. Tell the Imperial Army Commander about this as well. They will want to know that the BETA have already breached our perimeters. (Yes sir) 1st Lt. Jinguuji. I believe you have your orders"

"Yes sir. I'll relay your orders right away"

**(Wakayama Defense Line)**

In the southern most populated area in the 3rd Defense Line, Hayase was fending off as best she could against the BETA. But caught ill prepared by such an attack, all they could do was fight off as many of them as they can. It was a one sided battle and sadly they were not on the winning side.

"This is Valkyrie 3B" Meiya contacted her. "All personnel in the Command Post have been evacuated. However… they'll need more time to reach a safer location"

"Roger that! Looks like it's only the four of us against this army. Ayamine, Mitsurugi, take point up front. (Roger!) Chizuru, your four barreled guns have a lot of stopping power so you'll cover us from the hill. (Understood!) Alright girls, this is it! The BETA may have caught us by surprise but we're not going to give them another inch of this land without spilling their blood all over it. Reinforcements from Nara are already on their way but it'll take them some time to reach us. Until the evacuees can get to safety, we hold this line! You got that? (Oooh!) (Beep beep!) Here they come!"

"This is Valkyrie 2C. I'm reading at least 60 Grappler Class, 50 Destroyer Class and at least 300 Tank Class. They'll reach us in 2 minutes"

"Yosh! Let's get this over with! Mitsurugi, you're with me, Ayamine will handle those that get pass us. (Understood!) Let's show Shirogane that he's not the only awesome pilot in this team"

**(Tokyo City) (Royal Palace) (Shogun's room)**

If one could read the atmosphere around the room of the Shogun that morning, they would probably faint by the mere pressure of the presence of the two figures staring at each other in an intense glare. Ever since the guards arrived, the two have been locked in an unannounced staring contest with neither side showing any weaknesses to their opponent.

Even the Grand Chamberlain who had only been sitting there watching this scene unfold was feeling the uneasiness.

…

…

…

"May I ask something?"

…!

The guards nearly reached out for their weapons but stopped when they realized who the voice belonged to.

Ikaruga nodded with his carefree smile. "Of course. Who am I to deny you to right to ask?"

"What is it do you intend to do with me? (…?) You claim power beyond measure over Japan and now you have the capital at your beck and call"

The man paused, staring at the Shogun as if discern the purpose of the question. "Nothing. (…?) I have no intentions of harming you Your Highness. I only wish for you to remain here until our objectives are met. My men are here to ensure that you do not come to any harm. If something were to happen to you… the people would panic.

"I see. Then may I request a favor? (…?) Since you intend to keep me here till your goals are met… I would like to ask that you release the Grand Chamberlain from this place"

"Y… Your Highness!" The old lady barked out of order. "I cannot possibly think of a reason to leave your side. Please do not bother worrying about my welfare"

"Please be silent, Chamberlain" Yuuhi ordered which she followed reluctantly. "My subordinate here holds no value as a hostage and I have no intentions of endangering her in my place. I ask that you release her from this place"

Ikaruga was silent again and kept his gaze fixed upon the Shogun. He had to admit that she was good. All the years of training has really hardened the soul. With a short breath, he nodded. "I see no reason for her to be here either. (…!) I will have one of my men escort her to the road outside of the royal palace. From there she can go wherever she pleases. But she may not leave the city. Is that satisfactory to you?"

"Yes. I am grateful for your consideration. (Your Highness!) Please be strong, oba san. I do not wish to keep you here because of my situation. Please take a few days off… and we may return later"

The Grand Chamberlain felt her heart sank below the earth. She did not wish to leave, especially now more than ever when the Shogun needed her most. But her honor demanded it. "This task was given to me by His Majesty many years ago. I thought I would remain by your side until the very end. I never imagined I would be forced to be away from you again…"

"Please do not be sad. I am certain we will meet again"

But their short parting moment was suddenly interrupted when a messenger arrived. "Your Excellence, I have a report!" Ikaruga took note of the man's gold robes and gestured him to continue. "The BETA forces have begun their advance on the mainland. (…!) The defenders on Shikoku Island are being decimated but they are still holding. The U.N. Armed Forces have engaged the enemy in Wakayama, Osaka and Hyogo as well. Casualties are… high"

"So… it finally begins. The BETA have finally made their move" No one has ever been this calm when encountering humanity's most hated enemy but Ikaruga waved them off as if they were just insects. "What of Lt. Colonel Tekoro?"

"He is mounting a strong defensive force against the BETA as we speak. As planned, he has directed most of the Imperial Army on Shikoku Island. They have little means of escaping"

"Then it is no longer necessary for him to stay there. Tell him to proceed with Phase 2. (Yes, Your Excellence…) And what of our Eurasian Allies?"

"Yes. We've just had confirmation that the 9th Atlantic Fleet have went rogue. They are now sailing towards Japan as we speak. It will take them at least two days to reach us"

"I see. That will be all. Relay my orders to Lt. Colonel Tekoro with my regards" The messenger bowed lowly before departing. When the man was out of earshot, Ikaruga noted the face that Yuuhi was making. "You appear to have questions, Your Highness"

"I already know that you are not willing to share answers. As curious as I am… asking will be nothing more but a waste of breath"

"Ahuhuhu… you certainly are feisty. Calm in front of your enemies and fierce when needed. Truly fitting for the Shogun. (…) Feel free to despise me. Your hatred will be the least of my concerns in the years to come especially after we purge this world of the BETA"

"If you truly mean what you said… then why aren't you fighting alongside our men?"

The traitor simply gave out a laugh. "True. I would love nothing more but to fight our greatest enemy in our times of need. But I have learned just recently that neither strength alone nor will alone can defeat such an opponent. To beat a greater beast… the weaker species must band together to fight it. But even with such ideals I find it impossible to achieve such a thing. (…?) My ideals are wide… Your Highness and so is my ambition. (…) In all my years since I became the head of my family… my father and grandfather dreamed of a day where our world would be rid of BETA. We often spoke of it as if it was something that was just within hands' reach. But like every generation, that dreams were shattered because of our differences. I had always believed our people were one… but I realized that humanity is more divided than it should be"

_"Neither will alone nor strength alone will be enough"_

_-Lacus Clyne from the anime, Gundam Seed-_

"…" Yuuhi flinched back to his words.

"Japan has become a carcass, and vultures picked on its remains as if they had any right. They pick on our wealth, our land, our lineage and our people and twisting them to serve their own purposes. Our own people are no different… it's almost sickening. (…) Which is why I came to a decision… to wipe this slate clean of all filth. (…) Ah… oh dear. It seems like I lost myself in my speech. I said too much already"

"That is fine" Yuuhi remained undaunted to his taunts and returned to her normal poise. "Now… about my favor…"

"Ah yes… your caretaker" Ikaruga cast a glimpse of the elderly lady and suddenly shook his head in response. "I have a change of mind. (…!) If she had left earlier… I would've let her go. But like it or not… she has overheard sensitive information that she may be able to pass on to our enemies outside. I cannot risk that. (…) Do not worry. You have my word that neither of you will come to harm. Unless of course it benefits me"

**(Shikoku Island 1st Defense Line)**

"BETA forces have penetrated the beachhead!" Ebisu announced. "Their numbers are steadily increasing. Fort Class have appeared from the ocean and are marching northwards"

"This is Kitsune 4. We just lost our support units. I've taken over the 3rd TSF Armored Division"

"This is Shinigami 1 to Command Post" Tsukuyomi called out. "Our forces won't be able to hold them for much longer. Tell HQ to send reinforcements to the Shimanto River"

"Command Post, negative on that. BETA forces have already breached the Shimanto River line. Reinforcements are on route to intercept"

"What? What happened to the 15th Honor Guard Division that was assigned there?"

"We're receiving no signal from the unit. They may have been annihilated in the previous attack"

"Damn. At a time like this? This is Shinigami 1 to all units. Form a firing line above the barriers. We have to hold this line until our aerial divisions arrive. (Roger!) Dagger Company will hold the enemy force while the rest of us fall back to secondary defensive positions. Have support groups fall in as well. We'll need as much firepower as possible to slow the enemy down. (Copy that!) Shinigami 1 to Command Post! Order the 1st Defense Fleet to resume bombardment on the beach once all forces have been cleared. We'll use that moment to reorganize ourselves"

"Command Post, acknowledge. Transmitting orders to the fleet"

"Tomoe, (Yes…) Are there any signs of Laser Class or the Carrier?"

"Negative. There has been no sign of Laser Class or the Carrier. We're only detecting the regular strain of BETA on the seafloor"

"It's odd for them not to be sending their Laser Class at this point of the battle" Tsukuyomi muttered out with a strange taste in her mouth. But she was right. The BETA have been sending nothing but their regular grunts to do the dirty work. Just by coming through the front gate they've already sustained major casualties. With all the fire, steel and shells they've been raining on the aliens, you'd think they'd learn by now. But numbers always have been their greatest weapon after all.

"Command Post to all units. Defense fleet will commence bombardment is 60 seconds on the beachhead! All units are to evacuate from the area now"

**(Osaka Defense Line) (2 Hours after battle had began)**

Munakata let out a grunting noise when she tackled another Destroyer down to the ground. They came as quickly as they could from Nara but when they arrived they found the defense force in the area to be in tatters. Every battalion stationed there was already fighting for their lives. There wasn't even a chain of command anymore to organize them.

"Misae! Four more coming in from the city!" Touko warned.

"Keh! Just how many more can we deal with? If this keeps up… I don't think I'll have enough bullets for all of them"

"1st Lieutenant…" Mikoto called out. "I'm getting SOS signals from various areas around the city. They're all requesting assistance. What should we do?"

"Ignore. (…!) We can't save them all. The only thing we can do is hold out here. If we lose the main road then the people won't be able to escape"

"But… we can't just leave them!"

"I don't like this anymore than you. But right now we have to prioritize who we can save. The Defense units will handle who they can save inside but right now we can do the most good here. Kazama, you're with me. Tamase, Yoroi, you two handle the 12 on the right. (R… roger!) I just hope we can hold on here until support comes"

"This is Command Post to all units in Osaka. Orders from high command have just arrived. All units are to withdraw from populated areas immediately. (…!) Defense units in Minamikawachi have been overwhelmed. Regroup at Mishima District in the north east. That is all"

"Are they… are they telling us to turn tails and run?"

"Misae san?"

Munakata cursed under her breath. "We have no choice in this matter. If the BETA have taken the Minamikawachi district then it'll only be a matter of time before they outflank us. (…) Change of plans. Tamase, Yoroi. You two will gather as many survivors as possible. Touko and I will hold the BETA here. Once we've gathered all that we can, we'll punch through the enemy lines in one area and evacuate. (…!) We only have a few minutes before the BETA reaches us. We'll try and save as many as we can. Fight and retreat! Go! (Roger!)"

**(Takeru's POV) (Main highway)**

Damn it… we're still too far. Ever since we began seeing gunfire in the distance everyone here has been put on edge. To think that we would be recalled into action so early in the point of the battle. I knew it was a bad idea for me to be put out at the back. Still… this is hopeless. At this speed, it'll take us at least another hour before we reach Osaka.

"Oi oi! Shirogane!" Huh? Kashiwagi? "You're going too fast. Slow down so we can keep up"

"Why? If we keep up at my speed, we can…"

"I know that you want to help the others, but the rookies can't keep up" Geh! I completely forgot. The cadets were also coming with us. Due to the shortage of manpower and firepower every soldier both commissioned and non-commissioned were being ordered to the front. The Fubukis should have greater maneuverability than the Shiranuis but the weapon load out and weight limit slows them down considerably. Damn it all. "I know you're worried but burning your boosters like that will only slow you down when you need them the most"

"Keh… y… yeah… you're right" I have to remain calm. If I lose my cool now it'll only make the others panic. Isumi san always kept a cool head no matter how dire the situation was. She entrusted me to be in command so I have to make do. "Sorry about that…"

"Don't worry. Everyone gets nervous on the first try. They're my friends too so I know how you feel. We'll get there" Heh… as expected of Kashiwagi. She always knows how to calm the team down. I guess all that experience with her brothers made her the big sister of the team.

"Geez… how you made to 1st Lieutenant, I'll never know" Heh… Akane… even she's trying to cheer me up in her own way.

"Valkyrie mum to team. (…!)" Haruka? "I'm giving you a situation update on the battle. All coastal forces are ordered to withdraw from populated areas and regroup at secondary defensive positions. (…!)" Abandon the populated areas? Are they going to abandon the people just like that? (Flash) No. They're probably trying to organize a better defense against the BETA. Fighting in this situation will only yield more casualties. I'm pretty sure everyone's feeling a bit edgy on this. "C Platoon is holding Osaka while B Platoon is withdrawing from Wakayama to regroup with the team from Nara" Hayase… Meiya, Munakata, Touko… Class rep… Mikoto… Tamase. Please… all of you… please be safe.

"Valkyrie 2B, roger that. When are the reinforcements from Hyogo coming?"

"HQ is rounding up the rearguards as we speak. You should meet up with them if you keep following the main highway"

"Roger! Sorry to leave everything on you"

"Please do not worry. I can handle things from here. Do what you can on your end"

"We will. Can you tell us what's happening on Shikoku Island?"

"The Imperial Army and parts of the Honor Guard 19th TSF Armored Division are engaging the enemy in Kochi along the coastline. Though we haven't been able to get clear information at this time, the BETA appear to be attacking on all directions around the island itself" Around it? I guess that's no surprise. With all the electronic equipments they brought there, the BETA would most likely target that area first. (Flash) Tsukuyomi and the Three Idiots are probably fighting there too. They'll be fine. After all… Tsukuyomi is the best fighter I know. She's been through it all time and again. (Flash!) Argh! Not again! These random memories pouring into my head are just… too much. "However… there has been no confirmation of the Carrier Class in the area though our fleets are keeping a lookout"

"Roger that. We'll continue on to meet up with Munakata and the others. Keep in contact for as long as possible! (Understood…) This is Valkyrie A Platoon Leader to all units. We're going to increase our speed just a little bit. Don't fall behind! (Roger!)"

If we increase our speed just a little bit we can get there in 50 minutes. Right now ever second we can spare will count as something. The auto-pilot can cruise through the area without monitoring. I should probably use those shots that Yuuko sensei gave me.

Click…

I can't afford to lose conscious on the battlefield again like before so I have to take this before the fight. There are a total of six vials in there and a customized syringe shaped with a handle like a small pistol. Yuuko sensei said that this batch should stop my headaches. I just hope it works better than the last time.

But to think she would have to make so many customized items like this just for me. Usually she wouldn't treat me differently from the rest of the team but after she discovered my unique recovery and my relation to Sumika… I think she sees me as something more. I could just be over-thinking this but there's no doubt that she has grown a small hint of trust in me.

Regardless… it really doesn't matter now. Bottom line is… we both need each other. Just like Ikaruga said… my strength alone isn't enough to free this world. I've been using her influence to get things done because people listen to her. She has a reputation around this base and can do things I can't even begin to see myself doing. In return I provide her with information of the future, technology and my cooperation. In a certain sense we actually complement each other. We offer each other our strengths to get the job the done. Whenever she needs muscle… or a willing test subject she'd usually come to me. Whenever I need something done, I go to her. Some might say that our relationship is strictly plutonic.

Well… there's really no point to doubt her. I can only hope that these will do the trick.

Hmm… even the vials are specially made for this specific syringe. The hole is different and white liquid inside doesn't look inviting. (Ruffle) (Hiss…) Gah! Ugh… I never liked needles. It should take effect in a few minutes. But at least with this I'd have a better chance of not getting any headaches in battle.

Hold on everyone… I'm coming!

**(Marimo's POV) (U.N. Headquarters)**

This is insane. Never in this history of our war with the BETA has this ever happened before. In the past 30 years since we've fought against these monsters, the BETA have always relied on brute force to defeat us… but now… though no one would want to admit it, they were using strategy.

It was clear as day that they were attacking us simultaneously to keep us disorganized. While their main force swarms over Shikoku Island, smaller groups would hit smaller areas where our defenses were weakest. It's strange. It almost looks as if the BETA knew where our troops were stationed and how many men we had in there. No… it must be a coincidence. Right now I have to focus on my duties. I can't let anyone down.

"Alert! Seismic sensors have detected movement from the ocean!" Detection? Here? "4000… no… 5000! Wait… 6000 sources detected and steadily increasing!"

WHAM!

Radhabinod slammed his hands on the table. "How did they get so close? What happened to our long range scanners?"

"Unknown. Something's jamming the frequency!"

"To attack… at such a scale. The BETA are planning something. Order our reserves to engage the enemy but do not outstretch too far from the city's outskirts. We need to keep ourselves entrenched. (Roger!) Have our support weapons open fire when they get a clear shot. Relay this to the Imperial Army Headquarters as well. We'll coordinate with them to repel this attack"

"Yes sir!" The operator beside me nodded. "This is the U.N. Armed Force calling Imperial Army HQ. Notify high command of an attack"

"Do we know what types of BETA are attacking?"

"Multiple Fort Class, Grapplers and Destroyers. Smaller strains and Laser Classes are not present. Artillery batteries Gamma and Storm, you may fire at will"

"Support team, Gamma… firing!"

"Valhalla to Valkyrie 1A. Be advised, the BETA are launching an attack on HQ. There has been no change in your mission. Continue your advance to Osaka and link up with the reinforcements from Kyoto"

"Valkyrie 1A, roger that. Good luck to all of us"

To think that the fight would actually come to us of all places. As an operator, we always expected ourselves to be fighting from a distance. (Flash) This tremor… this feeling of dread inside of me… it reminds me a lot of the XM3 trial a few weeks ago. (Flash) I always thought I would meet my end eventually in the hands of the BETA or an enemy. I always knew that my death will be lingering in the corner, waiting for me to make a mistake. But despite all of my attempts… something or someone… continues to pull me away from it.

Clink…

Heh… maybe Arai was right. Maybe I do have a Guardian Angel looking out for me. Even if I did wish to die… I don't think he'll let me go that easily. Heh… Shirogane… you gave me a puppy of all things.

"General… something's wrong. (…?) I can't get in touch with the Imperial Army Headquarters. I'm getting through their line but… no one is replying"

"Something must be disrupting their communication" Radhabinod deduced. "Keep trying to reach them on every channel… (Rumbling noise…) Put up our defenses on screen. (Yes sir!)" A 2D picture layout of Kobe city appeared on the monitor. I could see all of our units stationed in blue arrows and the BETA as red dots. How they came without knowing will probably remain a mystery but with the amount of firepower we have, there's no way they can break through easily.

**(Wakayama-Nara Defense Line) (3 hours after battle had begun)**

"Is everyone alright?" Hayase called in after a brief sigh. They had only recently arrived at the rendezvous point with a large group of refugees and survivors from the city but they barely had time to catch their breaths when word came that every major city along the coasts were being targeted they began to feel pressure coming in on their shoulders.

"This is Valkyrie 3B, no damage"

"Valkyrie 2A, no damage"

"Valkyrie 4B… I'm good"

"Good. I just received orders from Command Post. All cities along the coast of Wakayama is being attacked by the BETA. (…!) Survivors are gathering at this location as we speak and reinforcements from Nara will be joining us shortly. We have a brief window to resupply and recharge. If any of you are low on ammo or energy then now might be the only time we get it"

"1st Lieutenant…" Mitsurugi called out. "The supply stations haven't been erected yet"

"I'll deal with that. (Beep) This is Valkyrie 2B to Command Post. Set up the supply stations as quickly as possible. We'll need to resupply before the BETA force gets here"

"Command Post, roger that. But it may take awhile. We're still assisting the casualties among our own"

"No. I'm giving a direct order now" Hayase spoke with a high commanding tone. "Setting the TSF supply stations is an absolute must. Assisting the injured and civilians is now a secondary priority. (…!)"

"…" The woman on the other line paused as if in shock as well of the order. "Understood. Relaying orders to the mechanics and reserves. Supply stations will be up in 5 minutes"

"Roger. Valkyrie 2B, out. (1st Lieutenant!) I know what you're going to say Mitsurugi but right now we have to focus on protecting these people and we can't do that if we're unprepared. Having the supply station will make the process of recharging and reloading much quicker. Our mission is to hold the line here against the BETA, understand? (Un… understood…) We'll resupply in pairs. Mitsurugi and I will go first. Ayamine and Chizuru will go afterwards. (Roger…) Contact the other units and tell them to do the same"

Mitsurugi wanted to protest but found little reason to argue with. Many of the wounded below them were beyond help. The only thing they can do now is fight and protect as many of them as they can.

"This is Shield 1 to Valkyrie! Shield 1 to Valkyrie, do you copy?"

"This is Valkyrie 2B, what's the matter?"

"More BETA have appeared in the Kozagawa town ruins! (…!) There's too many of them to count! I just lost two of my men"

"Roger that Shield 1. Fall back to the rendezvous point. Once all of us are assembled we'll make our stand over by the town of Kitayama. The enemy's strength in numbers will be weakened in urban terrain. (R… roger that ma'am!) Valkyrie Leader to all teams. The enemy force is greater than we previously imagined. They'll be here in approximately 8 minutes. The safety of the base is our top priority. Form up firing lines and battle formations. Chizuru, you join them. (Yes sir!) Ayamine, Mitsurugi, you're with me. We'll cut through the enemy lines and disrupt their advance. (Copy that!) We have to hold here no matter what…"

**(Shikoku Island Defense Line)**

"This is Shinigami 1 to Command Post!" Tsukuyomi barked out. The battle was really turning in for the worse. She expected this of course. The 1st Line of defense never really held against such a large BETA threat before but at the very least they were able to take thousands of them down. "The beachhead is completely overrun. We have to fall back now"

"Negative. HQ has ordered all units to hold ground. (…!-?)"

"Tell HQ that Kochi is lost! More than half of our fighting force have been decimated by the enemy. At this rate, we'll be wiped out"

"Command Post, understood. We are unable to contact Headquarters at this time. (What was that?) Th… their last transmission was that reinforcements are on their way from Tokushima but we haven't been able to reach anyone since"

"What is going on here?" Tsukuyomi pondered but returned to battle soon after.

"This is Tenard 4. I've taken command of the 18th Tank Regiment. We're down to our last battalion! We can't hold this position any longer!"

"Sergeant! BETA on the ridge! They're—ahh! (Bzztt…)"

The red clad guard could not help but grit her teeth in annoyance. There was really no more point in fighting an unwinnable battle. The only they're doing is prolonging their demise. "We can't fight at these conditions… Kamiyo, Tomoe, Ebisu. Prepare to fall back. We'll gather the survivors and relocate to a more defendable position. (Understood) In the mean time we'll use the fleet to cover our escape. The defense fleet should still have large payloads of rounds to turn the area into a blaze. (1st Lieutenant we have incoming!) Not now Tomoe. We have an entire island full of incomings"

"No ma'am this is different. (…?) This speed and size… there's no doubt about it. It's… the Carrier!"

And just as she spoke the name, the mighty beast raised its head from the ocean like the second Atlantis. The ships that were in its path capsized in an instant. The monster was bigger than what they showed on the vids. Its sheer size puts the tallest skyscraper to shame and its huge mouth made even the bravest men turn tails.

"That thing… is enormous…!" Tsukuyomi was able to control her fear and speak. But she can't say the same for the other soldiers. With their morale already pounded to nothing, it's safe to say that there was absolutely no way that they can turn this battle around without a better plan.

"R…RUN!" the Eishis turned tails.

"We can't win against that thing!"

"Come back here and fight you cowards! Stand your ground! Don't dishonor the name of the Imperial Army!"

But Tsukuyomi understood their fears well. Young and headstrong people are usually overconfident with their skills… but when they meet against impossible odds… it's only natural that they would panic. Only those who have seen this beast before would only shrug it off as another enemy. But Tsukuyomi knew that this was a hopeless cause. With a heavy heart she spoke. "Tomoe, do you read? (Yes sir!) Return to HQ immediately and tell this to High Command: We are abandoning positions and returning to Kagawa. (…?) Ebisu, Kamiyo, protect her flanks! (Roger!) We will hold out here for as long as possible. GO!"

"Understood. I won't fail you!"

**(Osaka Last Defense Line)**

"Teeeehh!" Miki let out a series of shots from her rifle taking out another Grappler Class. Noticing her clip empty, she quickly replaced it, making sure that she had fresh ammo when another BETA rears its ugly head at her. "This is Valkyrie 5C. Eight Grappler Class destroyed. No signs of enemy reinforcements"

Mikoto fired two more rounds on a dead Fort Class making sure it was dead before replying. "This is Valkyrie 4C. Fort Class down. All clear…"

"It's finally over" Touko breathed out a sigh of relief. Even though the fighting has ended on their side they can still see gunshots going into the sky in the distance. The BETA were still there but at least now they can some room to breathe.

"That was a really long fight" Mikoto felt her finger numb by pulling the trigger so many times. "I'm glad we held them"

"We've done our part here. Good work everyone" Munakata showed them a rare praise. "We've bought the civilians enough time for them to reach safe distance. You can all be proud of yourselves today. (Beep) Valkyrie team to Command Post. BETA sources in the area have been neutralized"

"Command Post. Roger that Valkyrie. Several towns in the vicinity are still in combat. We'll begin moving the injured northwards"

"Understood. We'll hold this area for a lit—(Misae!) What is it Touko?"

"Seismic sensors are picking up massive readings below! (Rumble!) BETA!"

"Damn it! There's more of them? How many?"

"At least 60 Grappler Class, 20 Fort Class and there's more coming!"

"Tch! We don't have the firepower to fight that group. Command Post! This is Valkyrie team. More BETA just emerged from underground! Requesting artillery support on our location"

"Command Post, negative. All support units have been diverted to assist other locations"

"Damn it all!" Munakata gritted her teeth in silent anger. "All units fall back. We can't fight against such a force. Get to higher grounds now! (Roger!)"

But just as the four of them headed off to the hills, Miki suddenly noticed a glowing object at the corner of her screen. She zoomed closer and her eyes widened in response. Down in that desolate battlefield, a family of four was huddled together near a boulder, with the father using his own body as a living shield for his wife and kids.

"That's…" Miki was horrified. But before she even thought about the consequences of her own actions she turned around and charge, guns blazing.

"What the? Tamase!" Touko shot out. "Where are you going?"

"Oi! Tamase! What's gotten into her!-?"

"Miki san! Where are you going?" Mikoto was baffled too when she saw her best friend suddenly running over like that. "You're heading the wrong way! Miki san!"

But the pink haired girl ignored their pleas and headed off. All she could think of was that family trying to flee the battlefield. The BETA were closing in on them. "Don't you dare touch them!" With a quick 360 turn she covered the family with her machine and fired a shot at the first Grappler that came near. "Take this! (Bang!) And this! (Bang bang!) And this and this and this and this!" Each shot met their mark with almost demonic precision and without even realizing it she had already spent half of ammunitions.

"What the hell is that girl doing?" Munakata barked out furious. "She'll be killed if she stays there!"

"1st Lieutenant! Look at this!" Mikoto showed her the family on her screen. "I think Miki san is trying to protect that family by that ridge"

"Keh! Of all the things to risk your life for"

"What do we do?" Touko asked.

"We support her! Yoroi, get that family out of there! (Understood!) Touko and I will hit the enemy hard from both sides! Let's go!"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Down below, Miki was fighting like she was going for a last stand. Unloading all her ammo on the approaching BETA she didn't even consider conserving her last clip and made sure she killed the Fort Class down to the ground. "You won't get through! I won't let you hurt this family! (Flash)" An image of Irma Thesleff flashed through her mind. "Teeeeehhh! (Bang! Bang! Click!) Geh!" The dreadful sound of an empty clip echoed in her monitors. "I'm not done yet!" But in a rare sight, Miki used her empty gun as a club and began whacking the next BETA that tried to ram her down.

"Miki san!" Mikoto rushed to her side and began firing. "Hold on! We're here to help!"

"Y… Yoroi san! 2nd Lt. Kazama, 1st Lt. Munakata?"

"No time for chatter, keep firing!"

Mikoto resumed her barrage but with every kill she made, another BETA just seems to spawn over and take its place. It was like they were fighting in the Hive all over again.

"Miki san! Look out in front of you!" Miki looked up and saw a Fort Class BETA hovering over her frame like a rabbit meeting a lion. It aimed one of its ten legs at her and thrust. The girl opted to dodge but remembered that the family was right behind her. She quickly braced herself and took the blow head on.

"Gahhh!"

"Miki san!"

"Don't worry about me! (…?) I… I can handle it! Just get those people out of there!" The Fort Class BETA struggled and thrust another one of its giant legs at her. But like before Miki took it and held it with her own arms. "Don't underestimate me!"

"Tamase, get out of there! Your unit can't handle anymore!" Munakata also saw the extent of the damage but the girl still persisted.

"Don't worry about me. I trained with Takeru san's every day in the simulator. Even if I can't match him… the least I can do is protect these people! (Raaarrr!)" This time, the Fort Class aimed its giant tentacle on its lower body at her. "I won't move! You can try as hard as you like… but I will never… ever… back away! (Miki san!) Takeru san wouldn't back away even if his life depended on it! (Raaarr!) I'll take you on! (WHAM!) Gyaaaaa!"

"Miki san!"

"Damn it! Touko, cover!"

"I can't! There's too many of them!"

"Damn it! Tamase!"

Raaaaarrr!

**TAMA!**

A missile came out of nowhere and exploded on the Fort Class's face before it made another move. The four fighters were shocked and looked back only to find three of their allies rushing through with a group of rookies behind them.

"Get away from her you bastards!" Takeru came in like lightning and struck the BETA like the devil himself. With a swing of his blade, a dozen of Grapplers fell and with a wave of his gun, Tanks and Fort Classes plowed away like they were avoiding the plague itself. "Akane, now!"

"I got it!" The younger of the Suzumiya sisters dropped in front of the group with a wide grin on her lips and with a press of a trigger her four barreled gun unleashed a rain of fire and cold steel on the BETA. "Die!"

"Kashiwagi, support us from above!"

"Roger that!" With a quick sure shot, Haruko took down another Fort Class down with excellent precision. "This is Kashiwagi, the area behind you is clear. Rookies, you're up!"

"Understood!"

And then as the final blow was dealt, a large group of Fubukis and Gekishins appeared from the hilltop unleashing another wave of fire at the enemy.

"This is Valkyrie 2B. You're clear. Munakata san, get everyone out of there!"

"I owe you one for this, Shirogane"

"You can thank me after we get out of this. Get Tama and go! (Roger!) Alright… let's go!"

**(Imperial Army Headquarters) (Kagawa Prefecture)**

Tomoe was grinding her teeth when she finally arrived at the Imperial Army Headquarters in the small military base. To be asked to abandon the fight was taxing but even more so when she had to travel a great distance just to reach this place.

As far as her eyes can tell, the BETA have not reached this place yet. There were no traces of any fighting whatsoever. The only fighting she could see was happening around the island itself.

"This is Shinigami 3 to HQ" She called out on an open channel. "Come in HQ. (…)" All she got in return was static. "HQ, this is Shinigami 3 of the Honor Guard 19th Independent unit, come in. (…) …? This is Shinigami 3 of the Honor Guard 19th Independent unit to HQ, please respond"

"…"

Silence was still the only response.

Tomoe knew immediately that something was wrong here. She felt it in her bones as she got closer and closer to the base.

Arming herself with her pistol, she landed her TSF just outside the base and dropped in.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The place was quiet. Dead quiet. The electricity in this place was still working but the place just seemed… voided of all signs of life.

The guard post was unmanned, there were no medics in the infirmary, no lookout in the watchtower and not a doorman to be seen for miles. Something was definitely not right.

Tomoe moved quickly but cautiously. Her gun was always kept in hand but the safety was on just in case. She moved from room to room, checking the inside for intruders or anyone for that matter. Right now if there was someone around who can give her directions, it would be a lot easier for her that's for sure.

But sadly… there was no one to be found. It's strange… almost as if the place had been… abandoned.

Eventually, the girl found herself in the command center, where she expected to find the highest ranking officer to deliver her message to. But when she entered… she was dumbfounded to find the place… empty.

Every seat and every post were left vacant. Not a soul could be heard or seen. Only the computers and the monitors were making noise in that place. One would say that… it was a ghost town.

Tip tap… tip tap…

Putting her sidearm away, Tomoe reached out for the controls and noted that everything was still on. Knowing little about security details she quickly hopped onto one of the chairs and hacked into the security cameras. With no one around I doubt she'll be facing any kind of court marshal.

Beep… beep…

The girl switched from camera to camera trying to find at least some clue to what was happening. But there was no one… not a soul in any of the hangers or the rooms.

Click…

A metallic sound of a pistol clocking behind her made the girl jump down. (BANG!) A shot came through but it missed her by a hairline. Tomoe un-holstered her gun and fired back, hitting her assailant by the knee.

"Gahhh!" The man fell backwards and dropped his gun right next's to Tomoe's feet. Judging by his uniform he was an Imperial Army officer.

"Identify yourself!" Tomoe demanded her pistol trained on the man's face. There was blood on his uniform and strangely enough it didn't belong to him. "Don't move! I said identify yourself!"

"Keh… hehehe…" The light began to reflect on the man's face. He almost looked… hysterical. "What is this? Another one of your sick joke? (…?) Go on… just kill me now. Kill me like you did my friends! You Honor Guard bastards! (…?) You killed all of my friends… Chigusa… so what are you waiting for!-?"

"What are you talking about? What happened to Headquarters, where is everyone?"

"Like you don't know already…" The man muttered back, barely containing his tone. "You killed everyone… and left us here to rot… (…!) But I won't play a part in your game. I won't be a part of it!" He crawled his weary body to his gun and grabbed it while Tomoe was dazed.

"Drop your weapon!" She demanded.

"I won't… be a part of it. I won't… aha… ahahaha… AHAHAHA!" And to her surprise, the man aimed the gun over his head and without any hint of hesitation, he pulled the trigger.

His head was blown clean off, and his brain splattered across the wall like a messed up buffet. Within moments his body fell to the floor with a loud defining thump. Tomoe had seen plenty of death in her lifetime but to see one so close and personal made her feel sick on the inside-out.

**(Tokyo) (Royal Palace) (Shogun's Room) (05:20 PM)**

No one knows how long it's been since Ikaruga came into this room. For hours now, the Shogun and her cousin have been sitting in the same position, eyes unwavering.

"Beautiful… isn't it?" Ikaruga spoke first remarking in on the scenery from the room. "Even after the coup… you can hardly see any signs of battle. Humanity's will for survival is quite remarkable. Don't you agree, Your Highness? (…) But despite everything the people accomplish, they are still powerless against our true enemy. No matter how many times we rebuild, the BETA will simply topple it down again and again. A never ending cycle of rebirth and death. I see it play out so many times that it sickens me. How do you do it, Yuuhi? How can you endure it, knowing that people out there are slowly being consumed by the fear of death? How can you sleep at night with these thoughts in mind? (…) After the first few years, it becomes rather difficult for me to close my eyes at all. I have the sudden fear that the moment I take my eyes off this city, the BETA will simply come down and crush it to dust. It horrifies me endlessly"

"…"

"Heh… you don't need to answer. After all… no one can truly understa—(You're wrong…) …!" Yuuhi interrupted him.

"Because I still have faith in the people. Like you said before… humanity's will for survival is extraordinary. The people endure… regardless of how bad things may seem. Even if everything is ablaze… even if their world crumbled to dust, even if they know that tomorrow might never come… they will continue to endure, adapt and live on. It is their spirit and the dream of a better tomorrow"

"Dreams are only fiction. An escape from reality"

"Is it wrong? (…)" Yuuhi countered earning herself a glare from the man she was dueling with. "When one's reality is destroyed… they can only visualize it. And maybe someday these people can turn their dreams into something real. (No…) Yes. I have seen it before. Those who struggle with great hardship. (Flash)" A picture of the old lady she met in Susono came into her mind. "Those who dream for a better tomorrow. (Flash)" Eiko and Rin followed with their carefree smile putting the most beautiful flower to shame. "People who endure… fighting for the sake of others" Her sister's crying face was next.

"And what has their struggle given them in return?" Ikaruga inquired hiding his frown beneath his hand. "All they serve to do is prolonging the inevitable"

"No. You are mistaken. (…?) They know their actions will have little effect in this world. But even so they continue to play their part. They struggle not only to survive… but it is because they seek something. A purpose in this life. Some who see it a forever blessed and those who cannot find it continue to search. It is why they continue to live on through this hardship. (…) Perhaps it is just my opinion in this matter. (Hmph…) And you are wrong. (…?) Though it is true that there are those who twist my words for their own agenda… there are those who understand my feelings. (Flash) Someone who truly understands… (…) And that is why I can go on. Even if my hands are limited to this city alone, I can rest easy knowing that others are doing what I wished them to do. My will may not be as pure as I believe… but if it means saving the lives of others… then I will commit them regardless of what others may think of me…!"

…

…

The room was silent for the third time that night. Ikaruga's eyes sharpened at the Shogun but despite her words he seemed unfazed. "Shaping dreams to reality" He let out a smug. "That does sound like a good theory. But… in the end… it will the action of men and women that will make the difference. If we continue to dream… then we are simply looking at a future that may not come. If we ended up doing nothing… because we know that we are powerless… then people will just end up doing less than nothing. If people did that… then nothing would change… nothing would end. (…?) I support your words, Your Highness… more than anything. But to choose between a long term of suffering and death… then my decision is clear…"

"…?"

"I choose death…"

**(Shikoku Island Frontlines)**

"Tch!" Tsukuyomi clicked her tongue as continued ripped another head off a Grappler. She had been chopping through the BETA for hours with no breaks in between. But despite the valiant efforts of the soldiers fighting out front their enemy was just too overwhelming.

"Shinigami 2 to Shinigami 1!" Kamiyo radioed in. "All forward units are down to 15%. The Carrier is breaking through our lines. We cannot hold!"

"Keh! Shinigami 1 to Command Post! Where the hell are those reinforcements? (Bzztt…) Command Post, respond! Has the reinforcements from HQ arrived!-?" Static was her only response. "Command Post? Kamiyo, Ebisu. Can either of you reach base or HQ?"

"Negative. All we're getting is static. It could be magnetic interference"

"What happened to our fire support?"

Ebisu looked to her screen but shook her head in response. "The defense fleet has suffered more than 80% damage withdrawing to Osaka. Our east wing has completely collapsed, they're breaking through!"

"Tch… and to think that we're being pushed this far back. (Beep!) What is it?"

"This is Shinigami 2! It's the Carrier? It's… opening its mouth! (…!) I'm detecting Fort Class, Destroyers and Laser Class! They're coming in by the dozens!"

"So they brought them out" Tsukuyomi gritted her teeth. "Ebisu, tell all remaining support units to aim anti-laser shells at the Carrier. We can't afford to let these monsters get anymore advantage! (Roger!) Kamiyo, rally the remaining TSFs. We need to move out of the way before we get trampled. (Copy that!) (Beep beep!) …?"

"Tomoe to Shinigami 1, please respond! This is an emergency channel, please respond immediately!"

"This is Shinigami 1" Tsukuyomi responded. "Tomoe did you get in touch with HQ? What are our or—(There's no time for that!) Huh?"

"1st Lieutenant. Please listen to me. You have to withdraw all units from the frontlines immediately! (…?) Something is wrong. The whole Chief of Staff at HQ has been killed! (What!-?) The base is now completely empty! (What did you say?) I don't know everything myself, but I didn't encounter any reinforcements on my way here. We've been completely abandoned!"

"What about Lt. Colonel Tekoro?"

"I didn't see any trace of him… but I noticed some trace of gunfire inside the base itself!"

…!

"What the hell is going on here?"

"I also checked in with the situation on the mainland. The BETA are also attacking Osaka, Wakayama and Hyogo at the same time! (…!) They've already bypassed our perimeter! (Impossible!) It's no longer possible to defend the island with the remaining troops we have. Reinforcements from Okayama won't make it in time either! We have to pull back now or we risk getting annihilated!"

"…"

"1st Lieutenant… your orders?" Kamiyo inquired, feeling uneasy for the first time in years. Even their CO was baffled by this piece of information. Without reinforcements, they were lambs to the slaughter against the BETA. Without a chain of command, they may as well be a disorganized group of ants.

But Tsukuyomi remained calm. Though she had a list of questions longer than Santa's list… she had to put them on hold and focus on the more important facts. "Right… if the chain of command is no longer in approval then I will step in. Kamiyo, Ebisu… relay this message to all forces on Shikoku Island. We're withdrawing. (…!) We cannot continue fighting against such odds. Gather whoever you can find and head back to HQ. Leave all unnecessary equipment behind"

"But 1st Lieutenant" Ebisu cut in. "Those with TSFs can easily withdraw but those on foot or on vehicles will need to procure amphibious transportations to cross the Seto Inland Sea"

"Tomoe, send word to the U.N. Forces stationed in Hyogo. Tell them to spare whatever they can under those constraints. (Yes ma'am) Our top priority now is to get as many of our soldiers off this island"

**(Marimo's POV) (U.N. Headquarters)**

Everything was hectic on this base. Even though we possessed all the necessary firepower… the BETA kept pushing forward… without any hint of them slowing down. It was as if they were driven to plow through regardless of the odds. We always thought that the BETA have always been mindless beasts running around without fear or hesitation. On occasion they would use various tactics against us like picking on the weaker units before tackling the bigger threat but never at this scale. It was as if their perspective of us has changed completely.

"BETA forces have breached our defense lines!"

…!

"How many have gotten through?" The General inquired.

"Four Grapplers and one Fort Class. They've entered the city and are continuing their march!"

"Have our infantry stop them before they reach Headquarters. Use any means necessary. (Understood)"

"General… I'm getting an SOS signal from the Imperial Army. Their forward lines have fallen completely. They're requesting assistance in evacuating the injured from Shikoku Island! (What?)" The Imperial Army? But why now of all times? We haven't heard from them since the battle began!

"This is completely outrageous" Radhabinod covered his chin as he looked at the map. His adjutant moved up to whisper to him.

"General… if Shikoku Island has indeed fallen to the BETA hands… then it will be impossible to hold this position any longer. I would recommend a complete retreat on all borders and regroup at Kyoto. (…) Our position has been compromised. If we remain here, the chain of command could completely collapse"

"How many transport ships do we have in reserves?"

I looked to the map before answering to him. "Most of our reserve fleet in Osaka were taken out during the first wave of attack. The defense fleet providing aid on the coast is still intact"

"Tell Admiral Kozawa to send every transport ship to help with the Imperial Army. Once that is complete we will evacuate this area as well. (Beep beep!) What's wrong?"

"Sir… I'm detecting a strange… reading… coming from the island (…?)" Every screen on every monitor was suddenly hazing. My console was also going on the fritz. "Two radiation hot spots… coming from the center" A magnetic interference… that far off? Could it be that the Imperial Army are resorting to use SD-11 systems? "No… this frequency… it can't be…"

"What's the matter?"

"This radiation signature. It's…"

…!

No… that can't be!

I've seen that power signature before… 2 years ago! That radiation level could only mean…

A G-Bomb…


	45. The Opening Act

**Chapter 45: The Opening Act**

**(December 29, 2001 Friday) (Takeru's POV) (Kyoto Defense Line) (8:30 PM)**

This… this is… madness.

I only left this base about an hour ago… and it changed so much. Everywhere I go, everywhere I looked the same scene seemed to play over and over again. Screaming, crying, yelling and pleas came all over this place. How could this have happened? How?

Time passed by so fast that I can barely even remember how I was able to get here. One moment I was fighting the BETA and winning… then the next thing we saw was a big black flash coming Shikoku Island. The blast was so powerful that it knocked everyone off their feet. I spent about 2 minutes spiraling away like a human volleyball.

I already knew what that blast was. Not many of us do but I did. After seeing something like that once it stays with you forever.

It was a G-Bomb. Not just one but two. Two large black spheres appeared on the island swallowing everything within its radius.

By the time we were able to get any sort of transmission from Headquarters, everyone was ordered to retreat to the last line of defense in Kyoto. We had to go no matter what. Even as we crossed the old highways, we could still see people fleeing from the populated centers. Some of them even had children with them. It was… heartbreaking.

And here I was… standing in the very same spot four hours ago where I thought about bringing Sumika to see the beautiful view of Kyoto. But now… it's become something of a horror story.

The snow beneath my feet stained red with blood. Even my suit and my overcoat were drenched in it. There were so many dead and so many wounded that all of our trucks were full to capacity. I can see men and women missing a limb or two, some crying about their own misfortunes. Medics and nurses were rushing from one patient to another, bandages, painkillers and anesthetics were being distributed… but I doubt there'll be enough for everyone. Some of the less fortunate had to be cut open in the middle of this weather.

The sky was now pitched black with soot. I can't even see the stars anymore. Damaged vehicles and TSFs were being towed in like regular cars and even though we get to see more survivors come by… it was heartbreaking to see how many wounded they had to carry with them.

But that's not the thing bothering me. As far as I can tell… I feel absolutely calm. Shocked maybe… but calm. The thing that really bothered me was the fact that I was calm. By now… I should be breathing hard, having a stroke or feeling a dry throat… but none of that was happening. It felt… almost natural to me.

"…"

…?

That's… Class rep. She's distributing bandages to the medics from her personal First-Aid kit. She looks… uneasy.

"Class rep! (…!) Ah…?"

"What's wrong? D… does a patient need something?" Her whole body is trembling. Even her fingers were moving shaking at the mere touch.

"No… I was just checking out to see how you were doing. (I'm fine…)" That's probably one of the worst lies she's given yet. I can already tell that's she's weakening from all the stress her body has been handling. It kind of reminds me of that time when she ran away from home. "No you're not. You need to calm down and rest. (N… no… I can still…) I know you want to help but you're gonna burn yourself out if you keep forcing yourself to stay this way. (No… I… I want to… help…) That is a direct order, 2nd Lt. Sakaki… (…!) You can give those bandages to one of the medics. They'll handle the rest. (But…) Here… give that to me. (Ah!) Hey you!" I called out to one of the medics.

"Yes sir?"

"I have a few roles of bandages here. Distribute them to the more critically wounded"

"Yes sir! Thank you sir!"

The guy walked off with the kit leaving Class rep with nothing to do. Now that her duties were passed to someone else, her body finally stopped shaking. "Come on. Let's get you something warm before you pass out"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Ah… good. The Mobile Command Post hasn't been occupied yet. We had five of these around the base now and I'm sure that everyone else is gathered in one of them to discuss our future plans. It looked as if this whole place was abandoned right after the retreat order was issued.

The coffee dispenser was a lifesaver for all of us and luckily this one still had some left in it. Something warm in our stomach should keep us up for a few more hours.

"Here…" I offered her a cup. "Drink it up before it gets cold. (…) Class rep?"

"Huh? Ah… um… th… thanks…" She still seems pretty shaken. I'm not surprised. Even the senior members of the group were barely handling it.

"Don't sweat it. Conserve your strength for now. There's a good chance that we might be sent to fight again"

"I… didn't mean to worry you like that. (…?) It's just… I can't help myself…"

I held her shoulder and directed her eyes to me. "I know what you're going through. It isn't easy… but you can't push yourself too far either. If you collapsed out there… it would only make things worse for everyone. (…) Right now, the best thing for us to do is to keep a cool head. We're soldiers… and I doubt neither of us can perform any kind of professional First-Aid procedures. I can handle a gunshot or a cut but out there… I don't think I'll be of any use"

"I… never felt so useless before in my life. (…?) When I look out there… at those soldiers… I just feel…"

"Powerless? I know the feeling" I've felt it more times than I'd remember.

"How do you deal with it? (Eh?) How can you be… so calm about all of this?" In truth, I don't really know the answer. It's probably due to my dormant memories playing a part. I've seen so many deaths that my subconscious got bored of it already. But it's still odd for me. I'm oddly calm… oddly… still. It's as if my heart and mind have hardened after all these years. "Is this your first time… seeing something like this?"

The image of the Yokohama Base disaster came into mind. The memories still linger at the back of my brain… like an itch that I can't reach. "No… it's not the first. I've had my share"

"Oh… I'm sorry. I guess I shouldn't pry"

"That's alright. I've been keeping a lot of secrets from you guys with my special mission with Yuuko sensei and all"

"That's right. You're part of a special mission with the Vice Commander. I guess having secrets is a necessity. (Yeah…) It's funny. All these times I feel like I've known you for ages… but in reality… I hardly know you at all"

"Well that's only natural. You think you've been with someone for ages and you think you know them but then you continue to find something new with them every day. (Ahehehe…) Heh…" There we go… that's the smile I wanted to see.

"Thanks… Shirogane. I feel… better"

"Hey… I keep telling you to call me Takeru. And besides… I told you before: If you ever have any problems, my door's always open"

"Yeah… I'll try to remember that. Thanks" We stayed there for awhile, enjoying the hot coffee while it was still hot. At least now she was calm. I understand what she's going through. Even I feel a little distraught by this. Everyone here was so optimistic then. We were all expecting victory, having high hopes that this invasion would end in Shikoku… but that dream was vaporized in an instant. It was like someone just swooped in and stole our dream under our noses.

I don't know what high command will do next… but I get the feeling that this isn't over yet. Not by a long shot.

WHAM!

…!

What the? What was that noise?

"You son of a bitch! I'll kill you!"

"Oi! Stop it!"

"Stop him! Hold him down!"

What the heck is going on out there?

"We should go!" Class rep announced which I quickly agreed.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

We quickly got outside and saw the drama played before us. There was some kind of fight. I can see in the middle of the camp a group of soldiers trying to restrain one of their own to the ground. Another medic was bruised and beaten up.

"Gahhh!"

The attacker seemed to have calmed down a bit but still struggled to resist. What the hell happened?

"Put him in the detention center along with the others!" The captain over there ordered. "We don't need more conflict as it is!"

He was then dragged away while he still yelled. I couldn't even tell what he was crying about. But the captain was right. We didn't need more conflict while we're still recovering from the last battle. The last we need is infighting among one another.

"I should probably go and help"

"Yeah…" I answered Class rep and let her go. Her little break should be enough to calm her down.

Hmm? That figure over there. That's Hayase.

"Oh… Shirogane…" Even she looks a bit fazed. I guess the sight of a G-Bomb dropping must've shaken even the toughest of us. "Are you helping out too?"

"No… I was just passing by when I noticed the crowd. (Oh…) Are you alright?"

"Yeah… I'm… no. I'm not fine" At least she's honest with it. "I don't think anyone can be fine with this for the first time. (…) But don't worry. I'm sure I'll get over it eventually. I just need time. (I understand…) But I can see you've gotten over it. I guess men like you are made of stones…"

"Gender doesn't really have anything to do with it. It all just boils down to experience. (I see…) Anyway… what was that fight about just now?"

"Oh that… I guess you could say that it was a little internal strife. (…?) We shouldn't discuss this openly. Do you have a place where we can talk privately? I could really use some alone time…"

"Sure… I know a place"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

We returned to the mobile command post that I went with Class rep earlier. The place hasn't been occupied yet.

"Hooo? A room all to yourself" Hayase cooed to me trying her best to relax. "It must've been nice having this place all to yourself neh?"

"Heh… not really. I usually let Suzumiya handle all the work. I'm not fit to be a leader. (Hehehe…) Here, coffee… (Ah… thanks) So… what was that fight about?"

"Oh… right… that. I don't really know what to make of it. But I'm sure that I can relate to what everyone's going through right now. (…?) Haven't you heard, Shirogane?"

"No… I just arrived about an hour before your group. I haven't been able to get in touch with anyone else for that matter"

"I see… then I guess you haven't heard the rumors. (…?) Apparently… the two G-Bombs that detonated in Shikoku Island was the work of the U.N. (…!)"

"What!-?" Is she serious? Is she saying that we were the ones responsible for that!-? (Flash) What happened on Shikoku… was our doing? "But… but why!-? Why would they use that weapon without letting us know? I haven't heard anything about it!"

"Calm down. None of us heard about it either. (…) The U.N. Armed Forces are denying that they used it. I'm having a hard time believing it too… but the fact remains that thanks to that explosion, many of us in Kobe City were able to escape. It was the perfect exit strategy… even if it was… genocidal…" This is news to me. I haven't heard anything about this when I arrived. I was too busy helping out to notice any kind of order. "Apparently the Imperial Army caught wind of this as well… and you can understand why they're so tense with each other right now" So that's why that soldier was beating up that U.N. Medic. I can relate. If someone took my family and friends away from me… I'd beat them up too.

"But it still doesn't make sense. Why would the U.N…?"

"I already told you that they're denying it. I don't know whether I should believe… or just leave it in that matter. (…) I just… don't know…" 1st Lt. Hayase? "Ah… sorry. I shouldn't be depressing us like this after you came to cheer me up. I… I think I'll rest for awhile until we're called in again. You mind if I use this place to bunk for now?"

"Yes… of course. For some reason the soldiers aren't using this place and the coffee is still good"

"Hai… thank you very much, commander" She gave me a playful salute and headed off to the officer's bunk. "You know… you kind of remind me of someone I knew, Shirogane. (Huh?) You just have his aura for some reason. (Aura?) Never mind. Forget it" And just like that, she was off like a light.

But even so…

The use of a G-Bomb here in Japan… again? It's not like we don't have the capability to do it. Yuuko sensei does have the material to make one or two but I know her. She would never resort to using such methods unless she's really backed up against the wall. Damn it all! At this rate, the myth of the G-Bomb solution will resurface again. Just when people are starting to look into the ALTERNATIVE IV someone had to drag us back to the starting line. So someone else… no…there's no point in thinking about it now. I'm not good with politics and weapons. All I can do now is standby and watch how everything plays through. But at the very least we were able to stop the BETA invasion. With that done… I'm sure we can put our heads together.

Haaaa… this is no good. I need to clear my head.

**(Marimo's POV) (Temporary Headquarters of the U.N)**

The base was in turmoil both inside and out. To find all of our defenses crushed like this is beyond measure for any of us. There just wasn't enough room here. Kyoto was supposedly our last but weakest line of defense in the whole system. We never expected the BETA to get through this far so it was only natural that this place wouldn't have the adequate facilities to house everyone.

Our defenses were strong… stronger than most. But our enemy was cunning, ruthless and relentless. It was only a matter of time before we fell deeper into the mainland.

"…"

The high command of the U.N. Army was gathered in this mobile command post. All of General Radhabinod's adjutants and his chief of staff were debating on the situation. I've never seen the CO so stressed out before. But then again… no one was expecting something like this to happen.

"Quiet…" The room silenced when the General ordered. "Let us recap on the things we have at the moment. Give me an update"

His closest advisor nodded and slowly read through the folder as he pointed the area out on the computerized map on the table. "Yes sir. As far as we've gone through… our forces are still in complete disarray. Battered battalions are still scattered amongst the prefectures and we have rescue teams moving in and out as we speak. The 14th Infantry Division have made a casualty collection station in the old Ando town ruin in Nara and are still waiting for relief supplies. However due to our lack of communication caused by the Dellinger Effect we are unable to mount any operations effectively"

Another of the officers came in and continued from there. "We were able to hold the BETA at Osaka, Hyogo and Wakayama but they caused significant amount of damage before any of our troops were able to regroup. Civilian casualties are at an all time high. (…) Umm… as a precaution, we've stationed recon troops in the major center areas to monitor any trace of BETA that survived the initial counterattack. But like before… the Dellinger Effect caused by the… G-Bombs… is preventing us from effectively scan the areas. So far only direct wire-link radios are the only effective way of communications"

"And what news has the council directed about the G-Bombs?" The room was once again silenced by the General's voice. The officers looked at one another, baffled as well. They didn't know. Nobody knew. We've heard rumors… but no one can confirm it. No one wants to admit that we were the ones who sacrificed all those men. Even Captain Isumi who was with the General did not feel like speaking.

"We… um…" All eyes turned to the Lieutenant who wished to say something. "An investigation is being carried out at the moment. The U.N. is currently denying its usage but no one has confirmed otherwise. (…) As far as we can tell from the initial radiation we do know that the bombs originated in Kochi and Ehime. The blast radius covered nearly half of Shikoku Island where most of the BETA were present. Adding the numbers of MIAs to the roster… about 70% of the Imperial Army were lost in battle"

…

70%...

That's more than half of their battle strength. Those who were stationed in Shikoku were soldiers from East Honshu and Kyushu. Just looking through the list of names is taxing.

"Thank you… Lieutenant…" The General signed her off with a nod. "With our troops as it is, it would probably be best to continue with defensive strategies until we can reach our base in Toyama"

"We've sent runners to other base already" Isumi added. "But with the amount of time needed to go back and forth from one place to the next… it might take them at least half a day"

"We can't ask for anything faster… can we?"

"No… General…"

"Then we'll request support from the Imperial Army stationed in Kyoto. The hospitals there can provide us with some assistance. Even if they won't accept our wounded they'll at least accept their own into their care and free us some space. (Yes sir…) As for the remaining ships we have near Shikoku Island. We'll have them remain on standby until further notice. (Yes sir) The remaining troops stationed in Kyoto will then—(General!)" All of our attention quickly diverted to an officer who burst into the room. "What is it?"

"We've just established contact with the recon team in Kobe city. They're stating that a second Carrier Class BETA has appeared. (…!)" The second worm? We were notified by the Imperial Soldiers that one of the Carriers was destroyed in Shikoku Island… but they never said where the second one was.

"Where is it now?"

"It appeared somewhere along the coast of Shimane and traveling at the speed of 100kph. Satellite intel are sketchy but from what we're reading there may be at least 400,000 other BETA following it! (…!) Judging from the direction it's taking, it will pass over Kobe City in an hour and reach Kyoto in 5 hours!"

Four hundred thousand? The BETA still have that many with them?

"General Radhabinod, sir" Another officer quickly came in with a phone in hand. "The U.N. Council is on the line for you… sir…"

…!

The U.N. Security Council calling the General directly?

…

My heart skipped a few beats as I watched the General pick up the phone. Despite all the interference… basic communication can still be maintained around these parts.

"Yes… this is General Radhabinod" No one said a word. We all just stood there, packed in that room listening to every word the General had to say. "Yes… that is correct. (…) We have sustained loses but are still capable of fighting… (…) Yes… I know the procedure. (…) I understand. I will do what I can. I know… sir…" He put down the phone with a brief sigh before returning his face to us. "The U.N. Council… is ordering all units that are capable of fighting to attack the Carrier. (…!)"

"But sir! We don't have enough manpower to handle any kind of defense right now!"

"The U.N. Council has already implemented the American 8th Pacific Fleet into our army and has agreed to assist us. The Imperial Mainland Guards stationed in Kyoto will also be providing aid. (…) A general evacuation order has been issued to Kyoto. We are to find a way to buy time or destroy the Carrier before it reaches this defense line. Captain Isumi. (Sir!) How many TSF units do we have that are still in fighting condition?"

"Sir. We have a few scattered battalions across the border including my own team. But if we exclude the training units from Hokkaido and Okinawa… then I'd say we have roughly… 40 units"

40 against 400,000…

**(Takeru's POV)**

Huff… huff…

I can't believe how far I've been walking. Going around from one truck to another, delivering food and bandages to medics and soldiers is too much even for me. I'm feeling like a hypocrite telling Class rep not to burn herself out.

Hmm…? Those girls over there.

"Hey! Tama, Mikoto! (…!)"

"Ah… Takeru…" Wow… even the perkiness of Mikoto can't even force a smile. It must be really bad if she can't cheer me up. "H… hey…"

"Hey yourself. Are you guys doing ok?"

"Umm… yeah… we were out helping out earlier but 2nd Lt. Kazama said that we should take a break" I guess all the senior members have the same idea as me. They didn't want the little guys to burn out especially when we might still be in battle.

"That's good. (…) Hey… I heard you saved a family out there Tama. (Eh? Ah…) You went all the way to even risk your life for them"

"I just… couldn't leave them behind"

"Yeah I know…"

"1st Lt. Munakata gave Miki san a scolding when we got back" Mikoto added. "But she gave her a good job speech afterwards"

"That was nice of her. But in any rate, I'm glad your both safe. I don't know what I would've done if I lost you two"

"Ahehe. In the end we were saved by Takeru again"

"But you guys were incredible" I pointed out. "Holding out for so long all alone without any backup. It must've been harsh. (Yeah…) Well… I'm sure things will get better soon. Until then you two keep watch with each other, ok? (Yeah…) Get some rest while you can too. That's an order…"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The base is getting a lot quieter. I don't know whether I should bring that as a good thing or a bad thing. (Ruffle) Hmm? Oh… it's Ayamine. She's out there all alone. (…!)

"Don't shoot. It's only me…" That girl was reaching for her sidearm when I approached. "What are you looking at?"

"Shikoku… (Oh…)" I doubt neither of us can see the island from here. Maybe in the morning but never at night. The soot from the explosion and from the burning towns outside the province darkened the sky in a never ending darkness. "You?"

"A close friend…" I answered back. Ayamine's tough. Tougher than most girls around the team but I can only guess it comes with her childhood. "How are you feeling?"

"Sleepy…" No surprise there. I can tell that everyone around this base is suffering from a lack of sleep. "How is everyone?"

"Huh? Oh I met with a few of them along the way. They're fine. Some of them are probably resting right about now, like you should too. (…) But it seems like I don't need to say it since you know it already. (…) You're not as shaken as everyone else"

"It comes in the family. (…?) My… father is… was… a soldier. (Your dad?) Yeah. He was a soldier so… it runs in the family"

"I see… then I guess he must've been a great man. (…) You must've inherited some measure of his will but I don't suppose you inherited some of his wisdom. (Heh…) I'll take that as a no. (Shirogane… idiot…) Hey… like I said before: It's idiots like us that makes smart guys look smart. (Hehe…) Hehehe…"

"Shirogane… (Hmm?) You are… strong. (…) My father… would've said the same thing to you… if you met"

"Heh… I'm not that strong. (…?) If I was… I wouldn't be standing here. Outside… I might look like a strong guy but the only reason I was able to get here was because a few people were able to push me. (…?) There were so many of them who pushed me harder… telling me to go further than I wanted. They said that I could do great things if I wanted to but I had very little motivation. So these guys… they pushed me… even though I didn't want to. Heh. It sounds almost like all my life I've been pushed around. But then again… if they didn't… then I probably wouldn't be here either"

"So you had others to help you. (Yeah…) That must be nice"

"No way. These guys were totally annoying. One of them wouldn't shut up no matter how many times I told her. A weird girl wielding a katana, my best friend, our class mascot, and my Class rep, and this brooding girl who knows just how to tick me off. (…) Heh… they were a wild bunch"

"Sounds fun…"

"Yeah… it was fun… while it lasted. (…?) Heh… it just means I shouldn't let other people control me (…?) In any case, I need you to get some rest. You never know when we might be sent off. (Ok…) Alright… you can use the mobile command post near the trucks. Hayase is there but I'm sure she wouldn't mind the company"

"Hey… (Hmm?) In New Year… after this is all over… I will make… everyone… Yakisoba Bread. (Oh?) I made the perfect recipe"

"That sounds nice. I'll hold you up to that"

"You'll be drooling… guaranteed"

"Heh… I'll take your word for it"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Brr… it's getting colder by the minute. I guess I can officially call it night time now considering the dark clouds over us. The storm is starting to pick up again. The soldiers are beginning to set up more blankets around the camp to keep the wounded from dying from the cold. At the very least we're saving a few lives out here. I've been seeing trucks carrying wounded heading in and out of the main road heading towards Kyoto. Any kind of aid was welcomed. (Ruffle) Hmm? Eh? That hairstyle… Yuuhi? No… it's Meiya.

"Hey… (…) Meiya? Hello?"

"Hmm? Oh… Takeru… How long have you been standing there?" The poor girl was staring in the direction of Shikoku Island just like Ayamine. But she must be worried. After all, Tsukuyomi and the Three Idiots were stationed there in the first place. The G-Bombs consumed half of the island but left most of it intact.

"A few seconds" I answered back before walking up to her side. The scene from here was the same as everywhere else. Dark clouds, soot and fire in the distance. It's like a hellish view of Japan. "Are you worried about Tsukuyomi? (How did you…?) I can see it in your face. But you really shouldn't. (…?) Tsukuyomi is the toughest woman I know in these parts and the Three Id—I mean… her subordinates can handle on their own. (…) I'm sure she wouldn't want you to worry"

"You are… probably right. But that still doesn't make me feel better. How can I not worry about them?"

"Tsukuyomi won't fall that easily. To me she's like the invincible super-woman who you can hit all you want but will won't fall while she still has breath"

"Do not mock her…"

"I'm not. That's just how I see her. When we first met, she practically threatened me. (…) I'm telling you now… it'll take more than just the BETA to stop Tsukuyomi. She's not the type to sit down and die while you still need her. (…) As long as she has two legs and a heart… she'll come back to you. (…) You probably know this already… but she really cares about you Meiya… more than her own life"

"…" She gave me a sigh in return. "You speak as if you are close as friends"

"I wouldn't say that. There are times when she still scares me. (…) Sometimes I get the feeling that one day that she'll poison my drink or send one of her subordinates to kill me in my sleeps and make it look like a suicide. (Ahuhuhu…) Hey it's true! That's how she scares me!"

"As believable as that story may be… Tsukuyomi would never do such things. If she wanted to kill you she'd probably do it face to face or catch you alone in the PX. (Geh!) She is… noble… and I am certain that somewhere… she is alive" I'm sure of it too. There have been boats going back and forth to and from Shikoku carrying more wounded back here. A few Honor Guard soldiers came by earlier, badly beaten… I'm sure if they can survive that blast, Tsukuyomi wouldn't be far behind. "Thank you… Takeru. (Eh?) For cheering me up. You certainly have that gift. You should take care of it"

Heh… I'm sure that she's not the first person to say that to me. (Ruffle) Hmm? What's that noise in the distance?

…?

"Hey… do you hear that?"

Meiya nodded in return. "Yes… it sounds like… a TSF. I recognize the thump pattern" Ugh… it's hard to see anything in this weather anymore. My headset is fogging up badly. I can hear the thumping pattern but I can't tell where it's coming from.

"It sounds like it has a damaged leg. Maybe it's—(Takeru! Look out!) Eh? WHOA!" What the hell? A TSF just flew passed us. It nearly hit me too!

"Are you alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine… but… that's a Takemikazuchi…" I'd recognize that machine anywhere. There are actually a few of them here but not as banged up as this one. Its legs are all torn up and the body sustained some heavy beating. I can even see a Grappler Class claw mark on its arm. (Whirrrr…) The cockpit is opening. Who…?

"That's…" Meiya seems to recognize the silhouette. "…Tomoe!"

…!

We rushed in and found the girl leaning on the leg of her mech. She had a nasty cut on her forehead and a few bumps on her face… but nothing fatal.

"Oi! Tomoe! Tomoe, answer me!" Meiya shook her but I think that's only making it worse.

"M… Meiya… sama… ugh…! (Tomoe!)"

"Meiya wait! (…?) She's bleeding!" I announced. "We need to get her First-Aid! (Huh?) It's alright. There's nothing fatal. Bring her here. (Ruffle) I know where we can take her without disturbing others. Follow me"

"O… ok. Please be careful with her"

I quickly made my way towards the mobile command post. Nobody even seems to notice we were carrying a member of the Household Honor Guard with us. The dreadful situation seemed to masked our presence. No one even noticed the Takemikazuchi that just landed right next to the camp.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

There… that should do it. A few bandages around the head after mending the wound should do the trick. I'm not Mikoto but I can at least do basic treatments like these.

"Is she… alright?" Meiya stayed with me during the whole process, sitting by the bench never taking her eyes off me.

"Yeah. She's not that badly wounded… just tired. I connected with her exosuit's vital signs. She's suffering from dehydration and exhaustion. (I… see…) I've already applied her stims. It'll be bad if she falls asleep in those conditions. Give her some time and she'll come to. (O… ok…) In the mean time I'll have to patch some of the wounds on her leg. She suffered a few bruises during her flight and it'll be best if we get them treated right away before they get swollen. So… can you help me with her suit? (Eh?) Her suit. I can't treat her if she's still has it on her"

"Of course. One moment"

The Honor Guard exosuit is a Type-4. One of the latest versions of the exosuits. It provides better protection around the shoulder and leg but it also offers almost no restriction of movement. We eventually grow used to our own despite some stretching needed to adjust.

I moved to Tomoe's back and allowed Meiya to open the plastic covering. There were a few scars and bruises on her waist area. It just goes to show that despite the suit's protection it still wasn't a guarantee on your life. But this girl is tougher than I expected. If she was able to drive all the way out here on her own… it must've taken considerable amount of willpower. Her TSF is badly damaged but I guess her exhaustion played a part in the lousy piloting.

I need to wrap bandages around her waist and apply ointment on her wounds. It wasn't much but at least it'll help with the pain.

"There… all done" I announced before giving Meiya my overcoat. "Put this over her. Once she's conscious again she can put her exosuit back on. (Of course…) (Ruffle) But she's tough. She'll pull through. (I know) You stay here with her while I get us something to eat. I'm sure she'll be hungry when she gets up. And try not to make too much noise. Hayase is resting on the bunk in the other room. (Ok…)"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Wah… the wind really is picking up. It's getting really cold especially now that I don't have my overcoat. The whole place was covered with large blankets from the trucks. Most of the injured are now being taken in tents to save up space.

Now let's see… the ration truck should be somewhere here. I saw soldiers lining up here to get whatever meager meals they could provide. Hopefully there's something left for us.

"Oh? Shirogane?"

"Huh? Oh… 1st Lt. Munakata"

"Surprise to see you here. Did you come to get some snacks too?"

"Yeah… I was hoping to get something to eat. You too, Munakata san?"

She gave me chuckle. "I couldn't sleep. With everything that's been going on I doubt I'll be able to get a wink of shut eye at all" I wouldn't be surprised. After what we saw today… going to sleep seems like a luxury. I'm actually afraid thinking that the world will disappear when I wake up. "I came to get something for Kazama too. Is there something left in there?"

"Let me check one moment" Hmm… the truck seems to have been skinned over from the inside-out. All the ration boxes are gone. I doubt there'll be anything left in the cupboards. Hmm? Oh… "There's some soup left inside the bowl… but it's cold"

"Just soup? Heh… I guess we should consider ourselves lucky to find anything at all. Can you use the stove to heat it up?"

"Sure…" There's enough for a few servings. The cups are a bit small but I'm sure that the others won't mind using used utensils. "It'll take awhile to heat up"

"Thanks a lot. That'll save me some time" I kept the heater on to keep the place from freezing up. The truck was spacious… and it had everything a chef needs to make a meal. Some might call it a mobile kitchen of sorts. There are also a few in the refugee camp not far from here. "Oh… by the way… I wasn't able to thank you for saving us the other time"

"Huh? Oh that… it was nothing. I simply came at the right moment. I actually thought I wasn't going to make it in time"

"We wouldn't have gotten into such trouble if Tamase hadn't gotten into such a mess" That's right. Tama tried to save that family on her own.

"Please don't be too hard on her, 1st Lieutenant. She was only doing what she thought was right"

"I'm actually blaming you for her behavior. (Eh? Me?) Of course. It seems like she's taken you up as a role model of some sorts. (Geh!) Being all 'Giving it your all to save one small life!' kind of theme. I think she began to take you as an example when tried to be cool pulling off that kind of speech with high command. Seriously… I think you're becoming more of a pain to us than you realize. (Guuuu…) Ahehe… but then again… I guess they were like that before you even came to the group. (Eh?) Geez… who would've thought that a rookie like yourself can be such an influence to others?"

"Munakata…san?"

"Anyway… everything went well in the end. I'll let her off this once. (…) But instead you'll have to tell her to think about the team, alright? (I will…) Good. But you really need to stop foreshadowing us too, Shirogane. (…?) At the rate you're going, how in the world am I supposed to repay that debt with you?"

"Ahehe… as long as you guys are alive… that's more than enough for me"

"Hooo? Are you going to keep that debt for something else in mind? (…) Hehehe… there might be a wolf in you yet, Shirogane" Ok… now I'm getting that creepy feeling from her again. "Heh… well… maybe another time when none of us are too busy, neh? I think the soup's ready"

"Huh? Oh… right…" The pot is hot now so I guess the soup is hot too. Hmm… it smells pretty good… for regular plain soup… or maybe it's because I'm really—really hungry. There should be more than enough for all of us.

"Hooo? That's a good smell"

"Did you finish your emergency ration already, Munakata san?"

"Yeah… I shared some with Touko. She can get pretty cranky when she's hungry. Here… let me help"

"Ah! Wait that's still hot!"

"Don't worry. The suit's substance absorbs heat. It won't—ata! (Clang!)" And… there goes one good ceramic cup.

"Oi oi… did you forget already?" I mocked back. "The suit can absorb heat but they don't work well with water. If it did then your body will dehydrate from the lack of water in the air. This was covered in basic training"

"Ah… right… ahehe" How can she be laughing at a time like this? "If Kyozuka san saw me break a cup she'll probably give me an earful for sure" Heh… yeah she must just.

"Here… put your hand in this pouch. The snow will help cool off the burnt skin. (Ahuhuhu…) What's so funny?"

"You know… you're starting to sound more and more like a doting father. (Huh?) But thanks…"

Me… a dad? (Flash) No… I'd make a terrible parent. "You need to be more careful. I'll get you a tray so cool your hand outside. (Hai hai…)" Now let's see. I think they have a few things we can use as trays. A big plate alone would do. Ah… here they are. (Cling clang…) Right… that should do it. "Alright… here's your share Munakata san. I put the small plates on top so they wouldn't get cold when you give it to Touko"

"Alright. Thanks again… Shirogane. (…) You know… if you came onto me right now, I might actually say yes to you. (Eh?) Ahehehe… well then… see ya"

"H… hey!" Geez… that woman. Always teasing me like that. One of these days I might just… no… no no… I'm not that kind of person anyway. I should hurry back to Meiya. She's probably hungry too.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Yup… just the way I left her. She hasn't moved an inch from Tomoe when I left to get food. She's probably still worried about Tsukuyomi and the others and there's a good chance that she might have information regarding the other three.

"Oh… Takeru…"

"Hey… I got you some soup" I handed her a cup which she gently took in. "It's not much I know but there was nothing left in the supply trucks. I would've gotten you some sandwich if I could"

"No… this is more than enough. We should consider ourselves fortunate to even have some left here"

On a hungry stomach and in cold weather… even warm soup feels like a feast. But even so… it wasn't enough to fill our bellies.

"How's Tomoe doing?"

"She's sleeping at the moment. Though I cannot tell when she will be up" Meiya… "I'm worried… Takeru. Truly, I am… (I know…) I… I just don't know what to do. I keep thinking that Tsukuyomi could be…"

"There's no point in thinking about what ifs right now. The situation calls for it. (…) Hey… I'm worried about her too but thinking about that will only make things worse. We have reason to be hopeful, don't we? (It's just that…) I know… so you have to be strong. If the others get wind of you looking like this, it'll only make things worse for them"

"Yes… you… you're right. You always seem to be right in times like this. I will adhere to your advice. I cannot let the team fall because of my own emotions. Forgive me… I was… being unprofessional"

"Hey… it's what teammates do"

"Ugh…"

…!

"Tomoe?"

"Shh…" I hushed her down. "Keep your voice down" The girl was groogling from her sleep. It looks like the stims are finally kicking in.

"Ugh… where…? Ah! M… Meiya sama!"

"Tomoe… I am glad to see you awake. Please do not stress yourself. Sit down and rest for a bit. (…) I assure you, you have nothing to fear"

…

…

The girl on the table darted her eyes suspiciously at me. "I understand…" She slowly raised her body up to size. "How… how long have I been asleep?"

"Thirty minutes" I answered. "You came here on your TSF when you crash-landed on the hill. We took you in amongst the casualties gathered here"

"30 minutes? (…?) Ah! No! My mission! (Whoa!) I need to report back to… ah! (Hey… easy there…) Out of my way! I need to complete my mission immediately. I can't sit by and…"

"You're not going to be piloting a TSF in that uniform either! (…?) We had to remove your suit because you had some wounds on you. Please… just calm down for a second. Even if you want to go, your TSF isn't in a state where it can move properly. I can have some of the engineers do a field repair but it'll take some time. (But I…) I don't know what your mission is but right now you have to worry about your health before you can go any further. Alright?"

…

"Tomoe… please" Meiya came in with a pleading tone. "… listen to him just this once. His reasons are valid. You are in no condition to continue on your task"

…

"As you wish… Meiya sama…" It seems like this world is the same in one point. No matter what, the Three Idiots will always listen to Meiya and Tsukuyomi above all. Tomoe exhaustingly returned to her seat and rested her head on the wall.

"Here… I brought you some soup" I offered her a cup. "It's not much but we don't exactly have a lot on our hands right now" She accepted it hesitantly but at the very least she'll have something in her stomach. Everything down right to the last slice of bread has already been consumed around here and there's no telling when our supplies will be arriving. With no way to contact people from far away, the only thing we can do is make do with what we have.

…

…

"Is 1st Lt. Tsukuyomi alright? (…!)" It didn't seem like Meiya was going to ask her that question any time soon so I decided to do it for her.

…

Tomoe remained silent. No way… you can't possibly mean… "I don't know. (…?) I was in Kagawa when the event occurred. The last transmission I received from my unit was from Kamiyo, 6 hours ago. They were able to secure a ship in Tokushima and are now heading towards the capital. I'm afraid I know little of their conditions at the moment" Geh… this isn't good. But at the very least we know that they're still alive. If they're heading towards Tokyo… then I'm sure they'll be able to find help from there.

"…" Meiya's expression didn't seem to improve either. "…I see…"

"I apologize for not being able to give more"

"No… it is alright. I am glad that you are safe, Tomoe…"

"I am unworthy of your concern, Meiya sama"

We took to our seats and calmed down a bit. I don't know whether I should be happy or just plain agitated of this silence.

"So what were you doing all the way out here in Kyoto?" I continued asking just to keep the conversation going. "I thought you'd be with the rest of your unit in that case"

"I was sent here to transmit orders from high command. (Eh?) In their last transmission, 1st Lt. Tsukuyomi ordered that I be dispatched to the bases in Kyoto, Shiga and Mie. Our long range communications are down at the moment so we can only relay orders from mouth to mouth" I see… the G-Bomb must've messed up with our communications worse than I thought. The one of the key factors of managing an army is communication. Without that… we'll probably just be standing all day long doing absolutely nothing.

"So that's why… (…)" Hmm? Why is she…? Oh… "Hey Meiya… why don't you go and get us some more soup? (…?) One cup doesn't seem to fill our bellies and I'm sure Tomoe could use a little more to fill that small body of hers"

"Ah… oh… v… very well. I will return in a short while"

…

…

…

After I made sure that Meiya was gone, I returned my gaze back to Tomoe who seems to be looking at me with a thankful expression.

"Thank you…"

I waved it off. "Don't worry. It looked like you didn't want to say something but you didn't want her to listen. (…) So what's bugging you?"

"Do you promise not to tell Meiya sama?"

"Depending on what you tell me. If I think she deserves to know then I'll tell her. (…) Well?"

"Is it true? (…?) What they say about the U.N. using G-Bombs… are they true?"

…

"I don't know…" Was my answer. "We heard the same rumors as well but we don't know anything about it"

"I see… so you have no information about it either. (…?)" Was she… probing me for information? "But if that's so… then… (…?) No… I need more information to gather a conclusion"

"What are you talking about? (…) Tomoe?"

"I cannot fathom why Tsukuyomi sama would entrust you with this information" Eh? "Though I do not know much there is one key factor that you must know: We were abandoned in the front lines. (…!) I did not wish for Meiya sama to hear this because it may stir unnecessary thoughts. During battle, before the G-Bomb event, I was sent back to headquarters to relay information to high command. But when I arrived… the place was… abandoned…"

"Abandoned? What do you mean?"

"No one was there. Our entire chief of staff disappeared. That was when Tsukuyomi sama took over command and issued a retreat order. But… right after that. (…)" It must be hard for her to recall such a traumatizing thing. "Fortunately my TSF was the least damaged and I was able to recall help from nearby troops"

"Couldn't they have issued a retreat and you just didn't catch it?"

"I thought about that too but… (…?) There was a soldier… he was… delirious. (What?) No… I cannot conclude anything at the moment. The bottom line is that high command abandoned their post without issuing orders to the frontline soldiers. I will have to conduct my own investigation but at the mean time I must leave"

"H… hey wait… you can't leave yet"

"My body has received enough proteins and calories to continue on to Kyoto. I must relay my message to the other commanders and regroup with my unit in the capital"

"What about Meiya? (…) You can't just leave her without saying something…"

"I have given her the information she desired. Nothing more. It would be best if I left now before she returns. (…) This is the duty of an Honor Guard. I will go even if it means using force!"

"Alright, alright… calm down" There's really no stopping her. But I think this is for the best too. Painful goodbyes are just… too much for some people. "I'll help you suit up"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

We got back out of the command post right after I put her suit back on. Her Takemikazuchi was right where she left it when she fainted.

"I appreciate your help in tending to my wounds. Though it was… unnecessary"

"Hey… Meiya would've done it even if she was alone. (…) Where will you head to now?"

"Kyoto… afterwards Shiga and Mie and once I've delivered my messages, I will return to the capital to rejoin with my unit. I'm certain they must've reached there by now"

"Well… I won't try to stop you now. But Meiya will be sad if you went without at least saying goodbye"

"I know… but… my mission comes first. (…) I shall take my leave now"

And just like that she hopped onto her TSF and rode off into the night. Everyone seems to be having a bad day… or at the very least a bad night. The clouds above us are so thick it'll be a miracle to tell what time it is.

"You can come out now, Meiya. (…!)" The girl I called out shyly appeared from the truck. I knew that she didn't leave far from the Command Post. "You heard everything, right?"

"Y… you knew I was here?"

"Yeah… I guess all that training sensing things finally got into me. Especially when you're training under 1st Lt. Hayase. (…) But I'm sure you heard everything"

"Yes… I… I apologize for eavesdropping"

"It's alright… I would've told you anyway. But let's not think about it just yet. (…?) We can't allow this information to leak until we've heard both sides of the story. It'll only spark unrest amongst the Imperial Army"

"Yes… you… you're right. You've been making more sense recently"

"Heh… I can be serious when I want to. But we should head back. It's not good to stay out here in this wea—(Beep!) …?"

"This is Valkyrie Mum calling all units. Emergency summon at the temporary headquarters. All available Eishis report in immediately" An emergency summons? Now? Didn't we beat the BETA already?

"Takeru!"

"Right, let's go!"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Whoa… the whole place is cramped packed. They must've built this briefing tent in a hurry. They even have a projector at the center of the place.

"Takeru, over there" Meiya pointed to one corner of the large crowd. Oh there's the gang. "Is everyone assembled?"

"Yeah we just arrived ourselves" Class rep answered.

I looked around for a minute and noticed something odd. "Everyone here seems to be a commissioned Eishi. (Yeah…) But what's going on?"

"We don't know. They said that it was an emergency briefing"

If they're gathering every Eishi capable of fighting then it must be something big. But… even so there are still so few of us. This is everyone that can still hold themselves on the battlefield. Even the rookies from Hokkaido and Okinawa are present.

"Is everyone here?" Hmm? Captain Isumi?

"Attention!"

"No need for formalities" The captain waved off Hayase's call. "This isn't exactly standard regulations after all. (Yes ma'am) Stay together for now. Hayase, I'll leave the rest to you. I have to be at the front"

"You can leave it to me, ma'am"

Everyone looks so down. I guess that's to be expected. No one can pretend like it didn't happen. The G-Bomb… the infighting between us, it's all just too much. I can relate but we can't afford to lose focus now of all times. The situation calls for it.

"Attention! (…!) Salute!" That's… the General!

"At ease…" He's briefing all of us personally? (Flash) Wait… why am I surprised? This isn't the first time he's briefed us on a mission. Back during the Sadogashima back in my last loop he was the person to brief us on our assignment. But back then… I guess I was expecting it. "I thank you all for coming here on such short notice. I know that each one of you have many questions but I ask that you keep your opinions to yourselves until this matter is settled. As for the matter of the G-Bombs that imploded in Shikoku Island earlier… (…)… An investigation is currently being carried out. But that is not why I asked you to come today. Lieutenant Jinguuji, if you may?"

"Yes sir…" Marimo chan is managing the projector. The first slide showed us the picture of the land around Hyogo.

"As you may know… the Imperial Army was successful in repelling BETA invasion at Shikoku Island. Amongst the casualty was one of the BETA Carrier Class which led the attack" The Carrier, the primary target of the defense force. At least they were able to take it down. "But we've just recently learned that the second Carrier has diverted itself from the main invasion force. (…?) The American Army relayed this message earlier but we failed to receive it just now. The said Carrier had been lost in the Pacific and has now reemerged north of Honshu. (…!) It has already reached Kobe City along with at least 400,000 smaller BETA strains following its lead. (…!)" Four hundred thousand!-? That's more than what we've faced in Sadogashima! "Judging from its approximate speed, it will reach the borders of Kyoto in roughly 5 hours. Our orders are to stop the BETA before it reaches this defense line"

Are you kidding me? Even if we kill one BETA with each bullet we have it won't be enough. Going against such a horde is plain suicide!

"Captain Isumi. If you will…?"

"Yes sir…" Captain Isumi took the stage as the General folded out. "Our primary target for this mission is the Carrier Class BETA. For whatever reason, the smaller strains appear to be more organized when following it. Even the Destroyers which are the fastest Class within the BETA ranks are matching with its speed. (…) We will now refer to the Carrier as: Target A. From what we currently know, the Carrier itself has an almost impenetrable outer shell which protects it from small to large firearms. Its weight and size can easily crush through any sort of defense we have and it has the ability to release large quantities of BETA when it opens its mouth. (…) We do not know how many more are inside the creature but it we can be certain that there might be more than a thousand"

…

…

I'm beginning to sense the unease around the room. Everyone here can agree that this was nothing more but a suicide mission through and through.

"However… thanks to the efforts of the Imperial Army… we've learned one thing about the BETA. (…?) The Carrier itself… has a weakness. (…!) Though its outer shell is strong, the inside of the Carrier is extremely sensitive to all forms of weapons. An indication states that even small firearms such as pistols are effective inside. A single SD-11 bomb should be enough to kill it inside-out" That's right… I remember when I first fought the Carrier in Sadogashima. It took an Improvised Explosive to create a small enough crack to hit the inside of the monster. Though it didn't do a lot of damage, it was able to divert the monster away long enough for the XG-70 to obliterate it. "However… there is only one flaw. The payload must be delivered within the time limit when the Carrier opens its mouth. From our sources, it takes at least 8 seconds to open and another 8 seconds to close… that gives the attack force roughly 20 seconds to deliver the bomb and exit. This also depends on how many BETA the Carrier is releasing onto the field"

…!

They want someone to deliver a bomb straight into the monster's mouth?

"Which is why we've gathered you all here today" The General added. "With the situation as it is… this is the most viable plan we have against this creature"

"The U.N. Armed Force will be equipping three TSFs with new design jet engines for optimum speed. They will travel from Kyoto base directly to the Carrier Class when it opens its mouth and deliver the explosives in any way possible. That is why we are requesting three volunteers to take on this mission"

…

Everyone began to mumble amongst themselves on what to do. There's no doubt in anyone's mind that coming back from such a mission will be almost none. I'm not surprised that even the bravest of us would hesitate on accepting it. But even so…

"Is there no one?" The captain looked around as if hoping to see someone

…

…

"I'll do it… (…!)" Meiya!-?

"Identify yourself…" The Captain ordered.

"Ma'am… 2nd Lt. Mitsurugi Meiya. I may not be as experienced as most of the Eishis here but my Takemikazuchi has superior capabilities beyond that of any other TSF. It will greatly enhanced my odds of success in this mission"

"Hmmm… indeed. A superior TSF may be the edge we need. Anyone else?"

Meiya… why are you doing this? Is it because of Tomoe? No… that can't be. She wouldn't…

(Flash) _"But if you ever find Meiya sama rushing to her death on the battlefield… I ask only that you do your utmost to prevent it"_

Tsukuyomi… this is what she was counting me on. Geh… damn it. I understand her but I also understand Meiya. I can't force her to back off since she's already put her mind into this.

"I'll go too! (…!)" I raised my hand and my voice up.

"Identify yourself…"

"1st Lt. Shirogane Takeru, sir. I hold the top ranking spot in every simulator course in existence back in Yokohama Base. I also hold the highest scores in the aptitude test and my handling of a TSF is second to none" Wah… it feels weird to gloat. Everyone is looking at me.

"Hmm… that is true… your reputation behind a TSF is quite extraordinary and your record have been spotless so far. Very well…"

"Thank you ma'am!"

"Well if he's going then I guess I'm going too" Eh? Kashiwagi? "Hai hai… 2nd Lt. Kashiwagi Haruko. I've been on the field longer than most so I know how to handle around a TSF. I've worked in long range support and my aptitude test is second only to 1st Lt. Shirogane" Huh?

"Hmm… that is true. You have been in service longer than most" Captain Isumi seemed fixated on it. "Very well. We have our volunteers. The three of you will remain behind after the briefing. (Yes ma'am) The battle plan will be as follows. Due to the nature of the emergency, we will be implementing the American 8th Pacific Fleet to our ranks as well" The Americans? I guess they have as good a reason to defeat this BETA as any of us. They probably want payback to what that monster did to them in the Philippines. "The remaining force of the Imperial Army and the U.N. will mount a joint assault on the BETA using three battle lines"

"…" I turned to Meiya who seemed to be contemplating about her decision. But I guess I'm the same. Going on a suicide mission to deliver a bomb to a BETA… it's almost the same as Operation Ouka where we… we… no… I shouldn't think about that. It's a thing of the past now. No used bringing it up here.

"The American forces will engage the BETA forces from the south while the combined forces of the Imperial Army and U.N. strike from the north. During Phase 1 of the operation, the U.N. and U.S. fleets will bombard the area with anti-laser shells. Our arsenals don't have much left so we only have enough rounds for one assault. Once the heavy metal cloud is present the Naval and Surface artilleries will switch to multi-purpose rounds and continue firing. This will draw the Laser Class's fire for roughly 5 minutes which will give us enough time to begin our attack on both sides"

This is pretty much the same tactics we used against the BETA on Sadogashima. It's been revised to fit the situation but it's roughly based on the same doctrine.

"The U.S. ground force will be called Tango and the Imperial-U.N. forces will be Viper. Our priority will be taking down the Laser Class BETA situated at the very center of the enemy's formation. They are the closest to the Carrier and will undoubtedly be well defended by other strains of BETA. Taking down these units will increase the odds of the strike force's survival and success rate"

So all these attacks… are to support us. The whole army is being put into a support and annihilate role to destroy the BETA to make sure we get the job done. It's going to be close…

"Captain…" One of the rookies spoke up. "Are we… expecting any reinforcements soon?"

"Our long range communications network is still inoperable until the weather dies down. We've sent runners to outlying bases to provide whatever support they can" Tomoe said the same thing too. They've been communicating through mouth to mouth instead of coms. The situation really is bad. "But we cannot expect much. (…) However… short burst transmission and wire link network are still operational so we shouldn't have trouble contacting each other when we face the enemy"

"Sir…" Class rep? "What if… what if we fail to hold the enemy?"

…

…

…

Captain Isumi darted her eyes over to the General asking an unspoken question. I saw him return a nod. With a heavy sigh, she answered. "Should the BETA Carrier cross the Kyoto Defense Line… the U.N. Council has agreed… to use a G-Bomb to destroy Kyoto…"

…!

WHAT!-? Are they serious!-? A G-Bomb!-? I thought the U.N. was against using such methods! It would make us look guiltier than before! Even if we can prove that we didn't fire the first two G-Bombs, using it now would only strengthen the accusations!

"Use it… on Kyoto?"

"Are they serious?"

"What about the people residing in the city?"

The Captain sighed again. "A general evacuation order has already been issued in the city. However… Kyoto has over 1 million people still residing in it. There's a good chance that not everyone will be able to evacuate on time. (…!) I know that this is heavy for everyone… but its all the more reason why we have to win no matter what. If we can destroy the Carrier Class BETA then the council will call off the strike. We need to focus on that… and worry about the rest when it comes. (…) You all have your assignments. You can discuss more of the mission details with your squad leaders. The operation will commence at 0200 hours at December 30, 2001. That will be all. Dismissed…"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Only me, Meiya and Haruko were left in that tent. Everyone else had gone out to sort their feelings. The stakes on this were high… higher than before. As much as I wanted to deny it, hundreds of thousands of lives were riding on our shoulders. It was a lot easier when things were less complicated on the front.

"Yo… Takeru…"

"Huh? Oh… Ka—I mean… Haruko"

"Don't look so down… or else it'll look bad on everyone else"

"Yeah… sorry about that"

"But Mitsurugi san seems to be handling it better than I thought"

She's right. I expected Meiya to be depressed but it looks like she's got some of her fighting spirit back. "She just learned that her friends made it out of Shikoku Island in time. (Hoo?) Yeah… apparently one of the soldiers knew her friends and said that they were already on their way to the Capital"

"Ah… that explains it. I guess it must be a relief to know your friends are alright. How about you? (Hmm?) Do you know anyone in the Imperial Army?"

"Not really…"

"Well… I guess knowing that your friends are safe and not having any have their own uses"

"Yeah… but I'll be alright. Thanks for worrying Haruko san"

"Ahehehe… as expected of the Legendary Rookie. Nothing fazes you out"

Heh… as expected of Kashiwagi. She's trying to cheer me up. The world really does need more people like her. If we did… there'd probably be smiles all around. Everyone could use some of her cheering up spell.

"Oh… that reminds me, Haruko. (Hmm?) About what you said earlier during the briefing…"

"Huh? Oh that. Well it's true. Up until a few weeks ago, I was actually the highest ranking in the aptitude test from Yokohama Base. (Oh…) I was really proud to be able to handle that much G-Force with no problem. But then you came along and blew my scores away by a mile. (Sorry…) Don't be. At this point you can consider me your rival neh? Ahehehe. But it's good. Now that we have The Legendary Rookie at our side, I'm sure this mission will go off without a hitch" I sure hope she's right…

"Team, gather round" The Captain returned and quickly ordered us to her. "At ease. As I'm sure you already know you three will be participating in the strike force to destroy Target A. (…) Though I have to admit that I don't understand you guys at all. (…?) Of all the things, why did the three volunteers all have to be from my team? You couldn't have waited for others to show off?"

"Neh neh, Captain. It only means that your company is the bravest of them all. (Ahehe…) Ahahaha!" Heh… come on now. There's a good chance that we might not be able to live to see tomorrow morning and we're still able to laugh at such simple things. The joke was so bad that I made us all laugh.

"That's true I guess" The captain nodded out. "You guys will be facing off the impossible"

"Then I guess the rest of you will have to do a good job" I added which only earned more humor around here. "I won't be around to watch your backs anymore"

"I'll let Hayase know you said that" Geh! "Ahehe… but in any case, let's get to the point. I'll debrief you on your new assignment" She moved towards the projector and showed us a photo of our attack plan. "As you know, the success of your mission is considered to be top priority of the entire operation. Shirogane will take point as team leader of this unit. (Yes ma'am) All three of your TSFs will be retrofitted with a new experimental propellant jet engine developed by Fugaku and Mitsuhishi Heavy Industries in Kyoto. It will give you longer boost jump in the air and allow you to travel at hypersonic speed in just a few seconds. That way, it will increase the odds of your drop. Here's how you'll do it"

Another picture appeared, this time showing a holographic projection of the worm.

"Once we have confirmation that the mouth is opening, all three of you will launch from Kyoto Base at supersonic speed straight into the battlefield. Hopefully by the time you arrive the teams will have eliminated most of the Laser Class surrounding the Carrier itself. Depending on how many BETA the Carrier will be releasing, you may have more than 20 seconds before it actually closes again. Once you begin your attack run, artillery raids will cease giving you a clear line of sight of the target. You are to then arm your SD-11 units and deliver it in any way possible. Also… because of the importance of this mission you will be flying with two other teams. (…?) The U.S. forces will be sending one team from the south and the Imperial Army will send their teams from the north. They will attack at the same time the signal is given"

It's a pretty vague plan. Delivering it in any way possible? That's just mean we either throw the bomb in or make sure it goes in by diving straight through. Well… even if we win or lose… one way or another… we have to destroy that Carrier.


	46. Struggle to what End?

**Chapter 46: Struggle to what End?**

**(December 30, 2001 Saturday)(Meishin Expressway ruins)(03:00 AM)**

It was quiet…

Dead quiet…

So quiet that even the insects are afraid to come out.

Even though there were more than a thousand soldiers and machines on the battlefield, nobody said a word. They were all sitting, staring out in the horizon waiting for the moment the alarm went off.

Some were holding onto their weapons for dear life, some were sending out silent prayers in their own religion and some… held onto mementos of their comrades and love ones waiting for them. And few others tried to drown themselves in alcohol they looted from places beyond.

**(U.N. Headquarters, Kyoto Defense Line)**

General Radhabinod walked into the mobile command post with his head held high. Everything was ready… despite the lack of time they had for any kind of preparation. Everything they did was done with haste even the operation they were about to commence. Though few in numbers the men and women made up for it with determination. Even should they fail here, they will at least go with the knowledge that they've bought some time for civilians to escape. It was a silly thing to give your life to save a stranger but that was the thought that ran through their heads today.

"Is everything in place?" He asked out loud which the soldiers nodded in return.

"Tango group is giving the all green signal"

"Viper Leader 1 and 2 are ready. Waiting on your signal sir"

"Admiral Thompson and Admiral Kozawa is holding on the coastline. They're ready to fire on your mark"

"Signal interference on coms, clearing it up now. All units report your status"

"Viper Leader 1, ready…" Captain Isumi voiced out.

"Viper Leader 2, standing by…" Another voice echoed.

"Still no signs of the Carrier?" The General inquired.

"Negative sir. All our external radars are still malfunctioning due to the Dellinger Effect. We can only rely on seismic sensors and visual data from the troops on the ground"

"The recon unit said that the enemy is passing through Kobe City along the Meishin Expressway. They should've been here by now"

"Could the Carrier have submerged underground?"

"We can only hope that it has not…"

Whirrrrr!

And then suddenly, as if someone had sent them a sign, every computer in the room began to light up.

"Emergency alert! BETA sources detected on seismic sensors! Getting visual from recon group 4!" The monitor at the center of the room changed its scene to a grotesque sight of the enemy's main force. "Confirming, Grappler, Destroyer and Fort class. Smaller strains appear to be present as well! We are also getting visual on the Carrier!"

Radhabinod breathed in deeply to take the sight of the monster into his head. It was sickening just to look at such a beast and even more frightening knowing that it's out there. "Issue a Code 991 to all units. Prepare to commence operation"

"Yes sir! Alerting all units now"

"This is HQ to all units. Code 991, I repeat: Code 991. BETA are now in the vicinity and are an active threat. Prepare to engage!"

"Viper Leaders, prepare to engage. Uploading target and holographic mapping of the area now"

"BETA speed is moving at 100kmph following the Carrier. Enemy density is focused mostly on the sides. Recon reports Small Laser Class and Heavy Laser Class to be concentrated closest"

"How long before they reach the minefield?"

"At the speed they're going… it'll be… 300 seconds"

The General nodded and slowly turned to his adjutants. "Tell the fleet to ready all guns but only fire on my signal. (Yes sir!) Once the BETA has cleared the minefield, they are to commence bombardment with anti-laser shells. (Yes sir!) 1st Lt. Jinguuji, please notify the Strike Team as well"

"Yes sir, relaying message to Strike Team 1"

**(Takeru's POV)**

Breathe in… breathe out… breathe in… breathe out. Damn it I hate waiting. I'm not suited for a game of patience. I'd rather be out there fighting with the rest of the team than to be cooped up in this snow covered hill. And now I'm even more agitated to know that I have a bomb strapped to my TSF. Detaching the unit and throwing it at hypersonic speed is like trying to throw a baseball during a windstorm… you'll never know where it lands.

"Oi, Shirogane. Are you awake?" Oh… Haruko.

"Yeah. I haven't had much to sleep in" None of us had any chance to sleep other than Hayase of course. 2 hours of rest was all that we had. Everyone who was on the field now had to rely on stims and adrenaline to keep themselves awake. The battle in Osaka and Wakayama took everyone by surprise and we lost a lot to the BETA in Hyogo as well. "What about you?"

"Not a wink either. I guess all that hypnotic therapy is starting to get to me, hehe" Hypnotic therapy can be pretty exhausting. It tires you out mentally but not physically but it still takes a lot of your stamina just to stay awake.

"Valhalla to Strike Team. (…!) Operation is now commencing. Target A has been sighted on Meishin Expressway heading towards Defense Line 1" Our battle lines were made up of three lines. The first line that the BETA will have to cross through is rigged with thousands of mines. Though it wasn't a lot… it could still take a few dozen Grapplers or Destroyers down with them… and if we're lucky, a few hundred tanks as well.

"This is Valkyrie 2—er I mean, Strike Leader, roger that" I bit my tongue in answer. "Ready to take off on your signal"

This is it… come on Shirogane… it's time to save the world one more time.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

**(Meishin Expressway)**

The plan went on like the humans expected. The BETA rolled in through the barren land of Kyoto like they owned the place. Within minutes, the first mine blew up on their faces like a brick. Explosions after explosions came up from the ground harming only a few in their paths.

The worm felt little on its outer skin. The bombs were nothing more but specks of dust on its shell. It trampled through the dirt, ignoring whatever it crawled.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Back in the U.N. Headquarters, Radhabinod noted how little effective their first line of defense was.

"BETA forces have cleared the minefield. Judging from the damage sustained, we must've taken out a few hundred smaller strains of BETA!"

"Then we proceed with Phase 1. Order all ships to fire…"

"Roger. This is HQ to all ships. Fire anti-laser shells! Viper Company, Tango Company, prepare to engage once heavy metal cloud has been formed. (Roger that!)"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The dark sky lit up like it was signaling the coming of an apocalypse. Soldiers down below could not help but bear witness to such a drastic scene that and imprint it to their minds forever. Clouds shifted and the fire burned through the darkness making it just barely visible for the men to see anything.

"This is Viper Leader 1. The strike is successful. Power up engines and move out! (Roger!) Remember our priority target is the Laser Class deep within the enemy lines. Valkyrie Company will close in the flank of the battle lines while the rest of the group diverts the enemy's attention. B Platoon will hit them fast and hard. (Copy that!) C Platoon will support our units as well hitting the smaller targets whenever possible. (Roger!) A Platoon will switch with B Platoon in taking out the Laser Class! (Understood!) Remember, the Strike Team is depending on us to eliminate these Laser units. Focus on your mission whatever the cost! Valkyries… charge!"

"Yosh! Time for us to shine!" Hayase grinned on the screen. "Looks like it's only you and me Ayamine. I'm counting on you to watch my back. (Roger…) Let's show that Shirogane that he's not the only fighter who can pull off insane moves! Let's go!"

Waves of TSFs hoarded out from the shadows, followed by a jubilant yell from the soldiers below. The BETA caught wind of them and quickly shifted to intercept, trying to drown their attackers with superior numbers.

"Viper Leader 1 to all units. BETA forces are diverting to intercept us! Break formation and engage all hostiles!"

"Rhino 1, roger!"

"Gorilla 1, roger!"

"Cheetah 1, copy that!"

"Hayase, your unit is the smallest element we have so the BETA won't be going after you. Focus on the Lasers, we'll deal with the rest!"

"Don't I know it?"

"Viper Leader 2 to Viper Leader 1" the Imperial Army Commander called out. "Something's wrong. I'm not detecting any heavy metal cloud reading. (What?) There's no cloud… it's as if—(GAHH!) What was that!-?"

"This is Kabuto 3. My squad leader and his second in command just got hit by a laser! We have more incoming! They're ripping us apart! Requesting artillery support on our location!"

"Viper Leader 2, roger. Keep up the pressure! All units, switch to sparse formation! Spread out and try not to bog each other down"

"This is HQ to Kabuto 3, understood. Artillery is on the way"

**(Marimo's POV) (U.N. Headquarters)**

This… this can't be. Our artilleries are being shot straight in the air. The Lasers are cutting them down before they even reach the ground.

"Artillery touchdown confirmed. Less than 10% of all multi-purpose rounds met their mark. From the impact sounds we must've destroyed less than a hundred"

"Tell the ships to switch back to anti-laser shells and fire again"

"Already did sir but the Laser Class aren't shooting at them. (…!)" They're not shooting at the combust shells? But why? Anti-Laser shells are equipped with high electronic signatures. The BETA somehow targets the one with the most electronic prowess, it's how they differentiate threat levels like the TSF and tank units.

"They're learning…" General? "This doesn't change the plan. Order all units to press to target. Dealing with the Laser Class is still their top priority. (Y… yes sir!) Order all ship to continue firing as well. Give the BETA something else to fire other than our men"

"Understood sir" 1st Lt. Suzumiya who sat beside me nodded. She must be holding her heart down worried sick about her sister who was fighting at the front. "Valkyrie Mum to all units: The plan is unchanged. Press to target and engage the BETA"

"Viper Leader 1, roger. We'll do our best. We could use some extra support though!"

"Roger. 3rd Armored Support Division will be providing suppression fire on the north end. LRMs and rocket volleys will be on route shortly"

"Thank you. Viper Leader 1, out"

Moving in our tanks this early in the battle? I thought it'd be a bit longer before we resorted to using medium armors against the BETA but this situation was desperate for everyone. Millions of lives were riding on this battle and only a few of us are left to fight it. At the rate the Carrier is moving, it will probably reach our final defense line in approximately 40 minutes. This kind of close call reminds me a lot of Sadogashima. The worm nearly took out the XG-70 when the battle was nearing its end.

But this was also different. The BETA were the ones attacking us this time, not the other way around. It's obvious that we have the home field advantage of a defensive fight but BETA doesn't really care about that. They just swarm in and break anything in their path.

"Emergency alert! Seismic sensors are detecting more sources coming from below! (…!)"

I noted Radhabinod quickly moving from monitor to monitor. "Where are they approaching?"

"On the left flank of Viper and another group right behind Tango. Their groups are separating to engage all hostiles"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Back on the field, Hayase was trying her best to stay level headed. "Teeeeehhh!" But unfortunately, the Storm Vanguard in her just doesn't seem to agree. She charged in deep into enemy lines along with Ayamine and cut through the horde of BETA like a knife on a wild boar's hide. The cut was shallow but they certainly did some damage.

"This is stupid. They're using the bodies of their dead to erect a barricade! Ayamine, how's it going on your end?"

"No luck. They… just keep coming"

"Tch… at this rate, we'll never be able to get through them. This is Valkyrie 1B. We can't get pass the BETA defense lines, the Fort Class are forming up into a thick line formation. We'll have to jump over them"

"This is Valkyrie 1A, negative. There are too many Laser Class out there, you risk getting shot yourself!"

"I understand but… (Rarrr!) Heeeeh! (WHAM!) If we can't get through then there's little point in doing anything at all! (…) We have to make a breakthrough now or we'll be forced to a battle of attrition at this rate!"

Isumi grunted but she found it hard to argue. This battle was going south fast and they had very little firepower to begin with. Even if each of their TSFs can take down a thousand each, it still wouldn't be enough. "Alright. Viper Leader 1 to all units. Change of plans. Focus all attacks on the weakest point in enemy's formation. Kazama, Yoroi, Munakata. Ready your missiles and fire at my targets when I say so. (Roger!) Everyone else, use whatever explosive shells you have. Our combined attack should be able to create a big enough breach for our advance guards to take out the Laser Class behind them. (Understood!)"

"Gorilla 3, roger that"

"Rhino 2, roger that"

"Alright! Ayamine, you ready for this? (Ready…) Good! It's time we showed that Legendary Rookie that he isn't the only good pilot out here!"

And within seconds the army charged in with what little firepower they possessed. Bullets, rockets and swords clashed at a single point of the BETA's formation and cut deeper like a hot knife. They burned through the Expressway that took the country months to build in just a few seconds flat.

"Teeeh!/Haaaa!" Miki and Mikoto fired shot by shot hitting the BETA where it hurts the most.

"Geeeh!/Toooh!" Akane and Chizuru were also giving it their all. Using their four barreled guns they mowed down the BETA by the hundreds.

"It's working…" Isumi noted when she saw the BETA opening up a path for them. "The BETA are avoiding our fire! Advance guards go! Everyone else keep up the pressure! (Raaaarrr!) Tch! Eat this! (Explosion!) Damn these BETA. They're as ferocious as ever"

The fight went on for only ten minutes but for the soldiers it felt as if hours had already gone by. And just when they thought things couldn't get any worse, the BETA just couldn't resist proving them wrong.

The earth shook in a ferocious roar, as if the planet itself was showing some measure of pain in this war. The human armies paused for a moment to let the shaking pass… but what came after did not suit them well.

"C… captain!" Touko noted the sudden rumbling noise and quickly noted where the source was coming from.

"What is it Kazama?"

"More BETA emerging! I'm detecting activity around the front of the Carrier!"

"Is the mouth opening?"

"Yes! The mouth movement is reversing! The Carrier will be deploying reinforcements from the front!"

"Valkyrie 1A to HQ. The Carrier's mouth is opening! I repeat: The Carrier's mouth is opening!"

"HQ, roger that. Relaying orders to Strike Teams"

"Alright ladies, you heard her! We need to clear the Laser Class quickly before they get here! (Roger!) Hayase, you have two minutes to take out as many of the Laser species you can find. Make it count!"

"You don't need to tell me twice!"

**(Takeru's POV) (Kyoto Base)**

"Valhalla to Strike Team! (…!) The Carrier's mouth has been confirmed to be opening!" It's time! Here we go! Time for all of us to show the BETA what humanity is made of! "Prepare for ignition and launch in T-minus 10 seconds!"

"Strike Leader, roger that" I quickly replied and turned off all unnecessary emissions. I injected myself with Yuuko's shots a few minutes ago so I should be good for this fight. "Alright, we're good to go. Meiya, Haruko, you two ready? (Ready…) We'll travel in an arrowhead formation. Meiya, you're on my left and Haruko, you stay on my right. (Understood) The teams out there are counting on us. Let's get this done and rub it on their faces when we get back, alright?"

"Heh… trying to show off to Hayase again?" Haruko humored.

I simply laughed. "Well… if it makes her jealous then by all means. One way or another we're going to take down that Carrier"

"Valhalla to Strike Team. Mouth has been confirmed open! BETA are now beginning their deployment on the field. Arm your SD-11 units and prepare for launch! (Beep!)" The 'armed' sign appeared on my screen. The bomb that has been strapped to the back of my TSF is now live and dangerous. Knowing that there's a bomb on my unit was bad enough but to have a computer clarify that it was there just made it worse. We're really doing this. We're really going to throw a mini-nuke into the jaws of that monster. Survivability of such a mission is pretty low but I think it's safe to say that I've had worse odds.

Come on now. Why am I nervous? I've been through the Original Hive in Kashgar and made it out alive. Something like this should be cakewalk.

Beep!

The green light signaled in. "Right! This is Strike Team Leader. We're launching!"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

And with a gentle push of the thrusters, all three mechs flew off from the ground before anyone can say go.

Back in headquarters, Marimo was monitoring their progress through her scanners.

"Strike Team is away" She announced to the commander in the room. Everyone's hopes were riding on this one strike they had at the enemy. A strike that might just put this whole battle to a standstill. "Strike Leader, you are now reaching subsonic speed. Mach 0.8… 1.1… 1.2, reaching supersonic speed. (R… roger that!) Once you reach mach 5, release thrusters and switch to float mode. You'll be reaching the battlefield in 10 seconds"

"1st Lt. Jinguuji" Suzumiya called out. "Recon units confirm that the mouth has fully open. BETA forces are deploying from the mouth"

"Have the Laser Class been dealt yet?"

"Tango and Viper are wiping most of them out as we speak. But we'll only get a few seconds window for this"

"Tell all units we are now switching to Phase 2 of the operation" General Radhabinod ordered which the others quickly followed.

"Understood. HQ to all units, we are now switching to Phase 2. All artillery batteries are to cease fire and prepare for Strike Team insertion!"

"Viper Leader 2, roger that!"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Back on the battlefield, Captain Isumi and the rest of Valkyrie Squad were feeling a bit pinned down on the whole mess.

"This is Viper Leader 1 to all units. Shirogane and the others are on their way. We need to take out as many of them as possible until they complete their mission. Viper Leader 2, take your group and hold the BETA's advance at the front of the Carrier. We'll handle the rest of the BETA here"

"Viper Leader 2, understood. Moving in now"

"Hayase, how many have you dealt with?"

"We're going through them as fast as we can!" Hayase answered back while she gutted the next Heavy Laser Class that tried to shoot her at point blank range. "There are still a few Fort Class in our way"

"Just focus on the Laser Class for now. It'll give the Strike Teams a better chance of getting through"

"We'll try our best… but it's not going so well. Ayamine. I'll hold them off. You deal with the small Laser Class down below. (Roger…) Use all of your explosive rounds if you have to. Let me deal with the big guys"

**(Takeru's POV)**

Wahhh! These new engines are powerful! This… this really is G-Force. It's very similar to being dropped when I was on board the XG. But back then I had extra protection for my body. Going at this speed and stopping just in front of the jaws of the monster is hectic enough as it is. We're really breaking the sound barrier traveling like this.

Beep beep!

Geh! 8 more seconds? It feels like time itself is slowing all around me!

"Geeeeh!"

"Arghhh!"

I can hear Meiya and Haruko gritting it down on the coms. Come on girls… just bear with it just a little bit longer. We'll be there soon. Arghh! Now I understand why we had to go through the aptitude test. Inexperienced pilots would definitely lose conscious after this. It's a good thing we joined up.

I can feel my body melting away into my seats. Blood rushing to my head and the air becomes difficult to breathe. Everything I saw on the cameras was a blur. Shades and dots of white appear from time to time but that's all I can see. (Flash!) Huh? What the? What was that picture just now? (Flash) Yuuhi? Why is she appearing now of all times? (Flash) Do I have some lingering feelings about something? No… it must be some kind of hallucination. I should be thinking about Sumika right now. She's the only thing driving me forward. If I ever want to see my home again… I need to keep focus. My willpower is one of the few things that are keeping me here in this world. Once I defeat the BETA I can go back to my place with my head held high. I… (Flash) … need to…

"Valhalla to Strike Team. Optimal speed achieved! Detach supplementary engines now!" Gah! Finally!

"Strike Leader… roger!" Geh… we quickly dropped the engines strapped on our jump boosts and slowly returned to normal speed. The blur began to form solid pictures again making sense to the world. "Strike Leader to all units, r…respond"

"Striker 2, I'm fine…" Meiya… she's alright.

"Striker 3, everything looks good" Haruko is alright too.

"Alright, everyone" I quickly forced myself back to reality and looked out through the monitors. "… we're here" I can see the worm as clear as day. Alright… the mouth is still open. There are a lot of BETA coming out of it. Right… we can do this.

"Valhalla to Strike Team, break—break! (…!) Laser Class are still present in the vicinity. Evade!"

Beep beep!

Laser trace? Not good!

"Strike Leader to team! Random evade now! (Roger!) (…!)" Whoa… that was close. A little longer and that would've hit me. I thought that the Laser species would've been silenced by now but there are still a lot of them. I can see TSFs still fighting amongst the smaller Class but they're getting pushed back hard. It's to be expected. There are over 400,000 of them out there and roughly only a hundred of us. And that Carrier is still unloading hordes of BETA by the dozens. Even large Fort Class could fit in its stomach. I just hope our SD-11 bombs will be enough to kill it.

"Viper Leader 1 to Strike Force" …! Captain Isumi? "There are still too many Laser Class present to initiate attack run. Hold your float stance until we can eliminate them, over!"

"Namahage Leader to Viper Leader 1, negative on that" Namahage? That must be another one of the Strike Teams. The Imperial Army? "There's no telling how long before the Carrier closes its mouth. There's a good possibility we'll run out of energy before it can open again. I'll risk getting blown by going in! Team, with me! (Roger!)"

"Don't risk it Namahage! It's too dangerous!"

"Don't underestimate the Imperial Army!"

I can see them! They're really gonna charge straight into the mouth of that monster even with the Laser Class around? It's beyond crazy. (Flash) But then again… if they succeed it means that we don't have to.

"This is Namahage 3, I'm hit! I'm hit! I can stabilize my course!"

"Stay with me number 3. We can—(Gahhh!) Tch. Namahage 2, you're with me. Arm your SD unit. We're going in! (Roger that!)" Geh… it's painful just to listen to them on the coms. To move on so quickly after losing a comrade?

"Valhalla to Strike Leader. Namahage flight group has just entered its bombing run. 800 meters and closing. Standby" Come on you two… you can do it. Just a little further. All the lasers now seem to be focusing on them. It's as if they know exactly what we're planning. "500 meters and closing! SD unit is armed. Prepare for shockwave!"

"Just… a little further!"

"This is Namahage 2! Laser Class just damaged my engine! I'm losing altitude!"

"Break off number 2, break off attack run! (Look out!) AHHH!"

NO!

…

…

"Valhalla to Strike Force Leaders. Namahage 1 and 2 have been lost" Damn it! They were so close too. If only… no… there's no time to think about what ifs. "More BETA are pouring out of the mouth. Our troops can't handle anymore of this!"

"This is Grizzly Squad, we're on it" The Americans? I've never seen those models before. They're not Eagles or Raptors but they're just as fast. "Arming SD unit. Grizzly 2, 3, cover my flanks. We're going in after the next round of lasers hit their mark. We'll have 36 seconds to make a passing!"

"Copy that Papa Bear. We'll cover you"

They're fast… faster than my Shiranui that's for sure. They might just make it.

"Grizzly 3, incoming lasers on both sides. There's not a lot of room to run in" He's right. You're considered lucky just trying

"All units optimize mobility. Don't get caught in the line of fire. Spread out and try to take down a few. (Roger!) This is Grizzly Squad, we're entering bombing run. 900 meters and closing"

"Valhalla, roger that" Right… there they go. They're maneuvering pretty well for TSFs. It's like they're dancing in mid-air. They're dodging laser fire left and right. "Valhalla to Grizzly. 600 meters and closing. Arm SD unit and prepare to deploy!"

"Roger that! We're almost there. Come on… just a little bit more…" He's doing it… he might just do it! "This one is all… (Rarrrr!) What the hell?" What's going on? What happened?

"Fort Class coming out of its mouth! It's blocking out path! Papa bear, break off! (GAhh!) Papa bear!-?"

"I'm… I'm alright" The guy broke off just in time. "The Fort Class grazed my armor. I lost one of my legs. I can still fly but I'm losing altitude fast"

"Copy that Papa Bear. We're coming in to get ya. (No!) What?"

"Damn it… the timer on the SD… it's counting down! There's no way for me to deactivate it" No way!

"This is Grizzly 2, Papa Bear, detach couplings, now"

"No… I'm not going to risk blowing half of us along with it. (…) Grizzly 1 to Valhalla. Give me the fastest course out to sea. Now! I'm gonna try and set this thing off as far away from the battlefield as possible!"

"Understood Grizzly 1. Inputting coordinates now"

"Thanks Valhalla. I'm putting all my energy on my thrusters. Grizzly 1, out…"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

A trail of smoke quickly fled from the battlefield and onto the ocean bed. In a few short moments, everyone could see a bright flash happening in the distance. The explosion was big enough to fool animals into believing that the sun was coming up.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

That guy… he just… exploded…

"Papa Bear this is Grizzly 2, are you there?" The guy's partners are calling him. "Papa Bear this is Grizzly 2, please respond. (…) Papa Bear? (…) Dave…"

This is going nowhere fast. Two attack runs and still no luck. We're lucky that the mouth is still open. It's been over a minute since we arrived and it's still coughing out BETA like it had an endless supply of them inside its stomach. This is insane… just trying to get to the mouth is hard enough but trying to fly through that gauntlet is almost impossible. (…) But there's little choice in that matter. There are a lot of people counting on us. If we don't do this a lot of people will suffer. Right… I can do this… we can do this. Everyone is giving it their all to defeat this thing. I shouldn't hold back either. Why should I be afraid? I've lived a thousand years and died so many times already. Death shouldn't bother me anymore.

"This is Strike Leader. We're going in! Meiya, Haruko! Follow me! (Roger that!) We have to succeed no matter what! Ignore the laser fire and keep pressing forward. (Understood!) Oooooohh!" This is it. Dying isn't something I want to experience again. Right now… I'm actually tempted to go back in time and redo this whole scenario… but… I need to see where this goes. I need to see where I'm heading before I go back! (Flash) Come on… let's do this!

"Valhalla to Strike Leader. You are entering the attack run procedure. Prepare to arm SD unit at 500 meters!"

"Roger that! I won't let you down! I promise! Everyone, increase speed. We'll do a complete 360 turn the moment we reach the mouth! (…!) The sudden alternation of course will expose us for a few short seconds but it has to work! This is the best way we can to deploy the SD without going inside the monster!"

"Striker 2, roger! We'll fly on a line formation to avoid damaging one another"

"Good. Striker 3, you stay behind me!"

"Leave it to me! I've done this plenty of times in the simulator!"

Right… if we go in a line formation and sparsely spread, the BETA can only target one of us at a time. Clustered groups will only give them a bigger target to shoot at. At least one of us has to get through. (Flash) Huh? (Flash!) What the? (Flash) (Flash!) No… no way. The Carrier… it can't be…!

"Valhalla to Strike Leader. Reaching the 500 meter radius! Arming your SD—(NO!) Wha?"

"Strike Leader to all units! Disengage! Evade now! It's a trap! (…!) There are laser class inside the mouth! Break off now!"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

And just like Shirogane saw in his mind, the Carrier opened its mouth even wider, revealing the small Laser Class hiding in its gums. They fired but Shirogane and his team dodged their shots relatively easily.

"Everyone, scatter! Get away from here!"

"But there's nowhere else to go!" Meiya argued but she quickly ducked out of the way when her arm felt the heat of a laser blast. "Gah! (Meiya!) I'm alright! It just grazed me. Get out of there Takeru!"

"I'm on it!" But just as the boy was about to break away from the jaws, a blue flash flew pass him. "What the?" He saw Haruko taking a dive. "Haruko! What are you doing? It's too dangerous!"

"I can make it!" She argued. "I can make it from here! (Haruko!) Don't worry… I'm a better shot than you in basketball. I can throw it!"

"Haruko! No! You idiot!" Without even thinking of his own safety, Takeru gave chase. "Haruko, break off now! That's an order"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"We won't get another chance like this!" What the hell is that girl thinking? There's no way she'll be able to deploy the SD-11 at that speed. (Flash!)

_"Right now… I think she is fighting hard so that her brother won't need to take up the gun. She believes that if she fights well enough, she'll settle enough for two maybe three Eishis on the battlefield. (…) That alone is what I believe gives her the strength to push on"_

Her brothers? Wait… no… she's not going to do what I think she'd gonna…

"HARUKO!" That idiot! She's planning to deliberately deliver the bomb in, with herself included. She's going to blow the Carrier right along with her! "Haruko! Don't do it! Break off now!" Damn it… she switched her coms off. She's really gonna try and blow along with the BETA. What kind of point are you trying to prove by sacrificing yourself like that? What about your brothers? Do you think that they'll be happy to know that you sacrificed yourself for them? God damn it! "Haruko! Damn it, respond!"

"Takeru! Get away from there! The mouth is closing!"

"I'm not leaving without her! (Takeru!) Haruko!" Come on… just get there a little faster. "Haruko, turn away now! (…)" Damn it… she's still not responding! (Laser noise) I can't avoid all these lasers. (Boom!) No! She's hit! Haruko! "This is Strike Leader to Valhalla. Striker 3 is hit. I'm moving in to rescue"

"Valhalla to Strike Leader, negative. It's too dangerous to reach her at this speed!"

"Valkyrie Mum to Strike Leader. The Mouth is closing! 8 seconds until complete shut!"

Geh! I can make it… I can make! Hold on Haruko!

…

…

Her TSF is catching on fire. I have to… I have to catch her before it's too late. (Laser noise) Geh! More of them? Give me a break! (Clang!) I gotcha!

Raaaaaarrr!

Just give me a few more seconds! "Kashiwagi! Get the hell out of there! (…) Damn it all! Haruko!"

**(Tokyo) (Royal Palace)**

Ikaruga left the Shogun's quarters with a satisfied grin plastered on his face. After the explosion occurred he knew that his plans were at its final course of success. Yuuhi was in a state of shock at that moment and refused to speak anymore.

Leaving the room, he signaled the guards to close the doors and notified them to stand guard. The palace was quiet and so was the city. It's so strange how they were able to take full control of the country in less than a few hours. If taking countries were this easy then ruling it should be quite easy.

It's hard to imagine that the people around here were sleeping so peacefully, not truly knowing what was going on in the world. Though the explosion may have stirred some heads only a few took action to it.

Ikaruga looked out from the balcony and formed an expression of disgust. Something about this country bothered him so. Every street, every tower… he hated it all. He wanted to see this city burn and would not hesitate to do so if it were in his plans. The people were filth… just waiting the rot of time to take them away. There was a war waging and the people here still believed that they can still lead ordinary lives. Even after all the crimes they have committed, how is it possible for them to sleep so soundly while soldiers are out there fighting for their lives?

"Your Excellency…" A voice brought the man out of his daze. "I apologize to disturb you but I have brought a report from the front"

"I see…" Ikaruga motioned. "State it…"

"Yes sir" The man then brought a folder in front and read the contents aloud. "Nearly 70% of the Imperial Army's fighting force was destroyed in Shikoku Island. 20% of the U.N. were caught in the aftershock. The combined forces are putting up a last ditch resistance at Kyoto along with the American forces"

"So many sacrifices… for the benefit of this country" Ikaruga muttered holding his hand out to feel the snowflakes on the palm of his hand. "It's a troublesome burden to bear. What about our supporters?"

"Yes sir… we have complete control of Hokkaido and all the prefectures in the Tohoku region is under our control. There are some who are still defiant in the Chubu region but they are being quelled as we speak"

"What of our surrounding prefectures?"

"Saitama, Chiba and Kanagawa have all folded to our control. However… remnants of the Yamanashi defense force still refuses to bow. They appear to have caught wind of our operations and are preparing to intervene with force"

"Hmph… relics of a forgotten age" Ikaruga commented on it. "Send out the troops to stamp out the last of the resistance. Once the U.N. folds, all of Japan will flock to us in droves. We cannot allow anything to interfere. What is the status of our allies from across the sea?"

"The fleet has just entered international waters and will be here by morning. I have already made arrangements at the harbor to welcome their arrival"

"Good… very good. We're so close now… I can almost taste it. Any particular problems that I should know of?"

"Yes sir. (…?) Due to our incompetence, we were unable to locate Prime Minister Sakaki. He was able to avoid our task force during the confusion in Kyoto. We have the Ministry of Intelligence searching for him as we speak but they say that it will take some time"

"Don't bother. (…?) If Kurechika has gone to ground there's no way we'll be able to find him. (…) But this is troubling. I was hoping to get him the most. With his influence it may become bothersome for us. (Forgive sire…) No… it is alright. No plan ever goes straight with the chaos as it is. Let us go. We have some things to do"

"Yes my lord" The man in red bowed deeply in apology.

"We will have our nation… a true… and free Japan… and then afterwards… the world…"

"As you say my lord. But… what of Her Highness? Do you think she will agree with us?"

"The Shogun is the representative of the will of the people. Once the people flock to our side she will have no choice but to join us. It is only a matter of time until she sees things our way. (Sir…) Double the guards around the palace and make sure that the Shogun's room is watched at all times. Once she joins us… this land… this country will be ours…

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Back in the Shogun's room, the Grand Chamberlain was looking after Yuuhi who laid struggling on her bed. After the explosion and reports of casualties came in, the Shogun went into a near state of shock and nearly passed out. But despite the shock, the girl stood fast against her opponent not showing a single hint of weakness.

It was only after Ikaruga left when Yuuhi fell with a high strung fever creeping up her forehead. The old lady did her best and brought all the necessities that the royal family prepared. On normal circumstances a specialized doctor would be summoned right away but she resisted the urge knowing well that the last thing the Shogun wants is to have an enemy's hands laid on her.

The Grand Chamberlain noted the young girl's breathing and quickly brought a wet towel onto her head. The only thing she can do now is wait… and pray…

"Ta…" A word escaped Her Highness just enough for the old lady to hear. "Takeru…"

**(Shirogane's POV) (Somewhere…)**

Geh! Wha… what happened? Kuh… wh… where am I? Oh… I'm… inside a cockpit. (Flash) That's right… a TSF. But how did I…? …! Haruko! Where is she? We crash landed somewhere and… it's all dark. Ah! There she is. Her TSF is in that pool of water.

"Haruko! Haruko, respond! Oi! Kashiwagi! Are you alright in there? (…) Kashiwagi! Say something!"

"I'm… I'm fine. (…!) I can hear you… Takeru"

"Haruko!" Thank goodness… she's alright. "Can you move? Are you hurt anywhere?"

"No… I'm fine… but… my controls aren't responding. My unit is completely immobilized"

"Hold on one second. I'll scan your condition right away" Fortunately our squad shares a condition finder so everyone knows the status of a squad mate's mech. Hmm… her transmission seems to have suffered some dents but nothing serious. If it was completely destroyed then it would explain why she can't move her TSF. If that's not the case then the problem lies elsewhere in her computers. "There must be something wrong in the software. Can you check your computer?"

"Yeah… I think the crash must've severely damaged my control sticks. I can fix it in a minute"

"No time for that. Switch it to remote control on my end. (…?) The manual controls maybe out but it can still be controlled by a second party. If you come aboard you can still control it but on a limited level"

"Alright… but… (Hmm?) My SD unit… what happened to it?" Good point… that bomb could still be active.

"I don't know. But that's not important right now. Get on board. We can figure out what to—(Shirogane! In front of you!) Huh? WHOA!" I quickly raised my 36mm gun at the Heavy Laser Class that appeared suddenly out of nowhere. Its big giant bulging form was easily identified with its skinny legs. The only thing that bothered me was the eye was staring at me. There were… two… three… no twelve! And maybe more! But… why… why aren't they firing? Why aren't they shooting me with their laser eyes?

"They're… not moving…" Haruko mentioned the obvious. "Can't they see us?" No… I can tell they can see us just fine in this darkness. Their eye pupils were following my every step like they were waiting for me to make a move.

Bang!

I fired a single shot on one of them and it died instantly. I guess that gives new meaning to the phrase 'Dead in the eye' ahehe… wait! I shouldn't be cracking up jokes in my head! Damn it… the hypnotic therapy must've gotten into me. It's making me feel more relaxed than normal when I should be panicking. But this is odd… they're not doing anything at all. It's as if the BETA didn't even care that one of them just got shot to death.

They kept their eyes trained on me but they didn't do anything. They're just… standing there… staring.

Bang!

I shot another one and it died instantly. Usually there'd be no way I can take down a Heavy Laser Class with a gun but if you target them at the right point, you can drop them with a single bullet.

"T… Takeru…"

"Wait a moment Haruko. I'll deal with the BETA"

"Not that! Look! (…?) Above us!" Above us? Eh? I can't really see anything except for those large stalactites. Wait… no… those aren't stalactites… those are… teeth! Big… giant… sharp teeth.

If those are the teeth… then that means we're… we're inside the monster!


	47. Engulfed in Madness

**Chapter 47: Engulfed in Madness**

**(Takeru's POV) (Carrier Class BETA) (Mouth)**

There was no doubt about it in my mind. We were inside the Carrier. As I switched on my night visions I began to see my surroundings more clearly. The floor I was standing on looked as if it was made of dead animal parts and tofu. Each part made a strange… squishy noise that reminded me of a horror movie I once watched. Drops of blood spilled from the upper part of the mouth staining my machine with a dark reddish color.

There were BETA of different species lining up in front of me. No… to be more precise, they were everywhere. They were clinging on the inside of the mouth like they did in the Hive. Tanks, Grapplers, Destroyers, Lasers and even Fort Class were in it and deeper inside I can even more stretching as far as my camera can see.

I kept my gun trained on them, believing that one of them would attack soon but it didn't come. It's as if they couldn't move at all. The ones that were closest to me slowly approached my frame. They were slowly boxing us into a corner.

Beep…

I looked at my other three cameras and all of them had the same view. The Grapplers were closing in.

"Shirogane!" Haruko called to me. "Leave me. Run for it! (…!) There's no point in holding on here. Just go!"

"I'm not leaving without you!"

"If you stay, we'll both die! (Shut up!) Listen to me Takeru! You still have your SD unit. If you prime it now I can act as decoy and—"

"No time! Here they come! (Ratatatatat!)" Keh! I'm too exposed here. They're coming around all at once. Crap! There's too many of them and I don't have enough ammo to keep them off forever. I need to get Haruko out of here. But how do I…?

"Shirogane! Please… just leave me!"

"Haruko! Ready your jump boost! (…?) I'm going to use all of my explosive rounds to create an opening! (But my controls…) The boosters have a secondary system. I'll help you direct where you need to go you just focus on giving me full power! (But…) Don't argue with me! I'm bringing you back alive and that's that! (Keh…!) Right… here we go!"

Boom!

It's working. The explosive rounds are clearing a path. They're disoriented. They can catch me on the ground but when I'm in the air, I'm untouchable.

I grabbed Kashiwagi's mech by the arm and quickly pulled her up of that giant pool of blood she was sinking into. There was no way we could leave the Carrier but I can't think of a better way to die than here.

"Stri… to… leader!" Hmm? "St…ke 2 to… rke Leader! Takeru! Please respond!"

"Meiya? Meiya is that you? Are you alright?" I can still get a signal… just barely.

"I'm fine. I joined up with Cpt. Isumi and the Valkyries. Where are you?"

"I'm… inside. (Eh?) I know it's going to be hard to believe but Kashiwagi and I are… inside the giant BETA. (What!-? But how did you…?) It's a long story. How is everyone?"

"They're fine. But most of our forces have been decimated. We're regrouping at the final defense line but I believe that high command will order another strike"

"Alright. You guys do what you can on the outside. Kashiwagi and I will try to find a way out from here. (But…) No time to talk. I'll contact you again soon"

Yeah… but right now… how am I supposed to get out of this place? The worm is about the size of a city stretching longer than I can see. The BETA are also vying for us with their claws and mouths. I have to find somewhere to land soon or else I'll burn my thrusters away.

**(Marimo's POV) (U.N. Headquarters)**

Chaos…

That was the only word I can relate to Kyoto at the moment. When our last ditch attack force failed… General Radhabinod focused all non-essential personnel to assist with the evacuation of the city. There are about a million people living in that city and from what he's told us, we've only have 30 minutes before the BETA reach this line. There won't be enough time to move everyone out… but I guess that's why all of us are still here… to buy the people a little more time to escape before the bomb drops.

"Situation report…" The General inquired.

The operator next to me shook his head in reply. "No good. Our missiles had little effect. Our anti-laser shells aren't being targeted at all. We've tried mixing it up with regular shells but the enemy seems to be able to differentiate between them now"

The BETA were learning. They finally understood our tactics against them. As much as it pained me to believe… it was true. The BETA were taking us very seriously in this matter. At first we thought they would try to overwhelm us with numbers like they did the first hundred times… but now… now it was different. They were using tactics, strategies against us. Pincer movement, flanking attacks and even suppression. It was as if they've developed a militaristic style of fighting to counter our doctrine. I wonder what Yuuko would say if she were here right now.

"No good! The 12th Armored division we had guarding the front had just been wiped out! The 5th and 6th Infantry divisions are still holding but I don't think they'll be able to do much! They're requesting assistance"

"I can't raise Major Urabe! The left flank has completely collapsed"

All the transmissions we were receiving seemed to be quite the same. We were losing… badly…

"How long until the TSFs will be ready with their resupply?"

"We have some units that are fully supplied but are still waiting for the rest of—"

"Tell the Eishis that have fully resupplied to engage the enemy at once. (…!)" General? "We need to buy the civilians more time to evacuate. Every minute we can get will be enough. (…) Do it…"

"Yes sir. HQ to Gorilla 4 and 5, deploy immediately! I repeat: Individual deployment is now in motion. Fill in positions 8 and 6. Cover the wounded and give them enough time to regroup"

"Gorilla 4, roger that"

"Valkyrie Mum to Valkyrie Squad. Any unit that has finished refitting should deploy now. Sending coordinates to Point 9"

Hayase answered back. "This is B Platoon, roger that. I have my team ready. We'll plug that hole and buy you guys as much time as possible!"

"C Platoon here" Munakata called out. "We'll be ready in a few minutes…"

**(Takeru's POV) (The anterior)**

Haaa… haaa… alright. This place looks safer than most. The BETA horde doesn't extend this far out but that doesn't mean they won't come after us. I was able to find us a patch of solid ground. Apparently, this monster seems to eat anything and doesn't really seem to digest well. It was a section of a bridge that got eaten which was good. Everything else we touch seems to be alive. Every muscle, every organ… it sounds like something out of a horror movie.

"Haruko, are you alright in there? (Yeah…) Can you get your control logs back on?"

"Yeah… I just got it working. I have full control again. Although the OS is a little damaged from the fall. I should be fine. How about you?"

"Yeah, I'm good. I didn't get damaged. I still have plenty of oxygen and energy. (Good…) Right we have to find a wa—(WHAM!) Gahh!"

"You idiot!"

What the hell? Kashiwagi… she… she just hit me. "What the hell are you doing!-?"

"I should be asking you that! What were you thinking jumping in like that and interfering!-? You could've gotten yourself killed! (…?) If you had just let me… just let me go, I could've saved us the trouble of being trapped here!"

"And what good would that do!-? I ordered you to break off and you disobeyed!"

"I was planning to save lives!"

"By giving up your own!-?" I barked back. "That would make little difference!"

"Don't you understand? If we kill the Carrier, we can win the battle! That was the whole point of this mission!"

"Not if it means sacrificing people for it!"

"And why not!-? (…!) Have you forgotten your Oath to the Valkyries already!-? Achieve your mission with all your might. Despair not till your last breath. Make your death count!" Keh… of course I do. I took that oath just like everyone else in this squad. But still… I didn't come all the way back just to let my friends die. "A million people are weighing on this mission, Shirogane. If we don't complete it, they'll die. It's what we were trained to do, don't you understand?"

"I know…" I replied understanding what she's going through. She must be worried sick about her brothers and would do anything to keep them off the battlefield. "But giving yourself up willingly… just like that…"

"I've seen my friends do the same thing in life, Shirogane. It's a difficult choice. One of the hardest, that people like us have to make for the better of humanity. (…) But now… it's over"

"It's never over. Not until you've given it your all! I won't surrender just because of one stupid move. We'll get through this… I know it"

…

I looked around for a minute trying to get my bearings. My radar is all a mess and my communications are pretty bleak. I guess we're too deep to get any reception at this point.

…?

"Hey…" Kashiwagi spoke up after getting her mech back online. "You still have your SD unit" Eh? Oh… that's right. I still have mine. Hers was lost when we came in. "Quick. If you activate it now we can—(No…) Why not?"

"I'm not gonna use it just because we're trapped in here"

"But if you don't use it now a lot o people will die! We can end this!" Yes… I could end this battle right here. But… I can't exactly tell her that if I die… then we'll have to start over from scratch. I'll just die and wake up in my room on October 22. Months of my progress and work will be undone in a flash.

"You don't understand. Giving yourself up for the greater good isn't the answer. I know that we can end the battle and kill this monster right here but it won't change a thing. (…?) It's… difficult for me to explain. (Beep beep…!)" A signal? Yes! I can broadcast directly outward. "This is Strike Leader…"

"Takeru! It's me" Meiya!

"Meiya. I'm glad I got contact. What's the situation outside?"

"Not good. Our forces are being beaten back on all fronts. (…!) The Carrier is still moving towards us without decreasing its speed. It won't be long before it crosses the borderline" Damn… I thought I could have more time but at this rate… things will only go from bad to worse. "What about you? Are you alright inside?"

"Yeah. Kashiwagi and I are fine. (Tug!) Argh! (Takeru?) It's nothing. I just got bruised on my last fight. Sorry if I can't give you any visual data here" This isn't good. My headache is coming back. I should probably inject myself with another vial before I black out. I can't risk everyone's life here. "Listen. We're kind of trapped inside the Carrier right now but we'll try to find a way out and meet you guys as soon as possible. We might have to try som—(WHAM!) Gahh!"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

And before he even noticed it, Kashiwagi laid another punch on the boy's face.

"Takeru? Takeru, what happened?" Meiya called out but all she could receive was static. "Takeru!"

"Grrrhh! Kashiwagi? What are you doing…?"

"Something that any soldier would do!" She reached out for the SD-11 attached to Shirogane's mech but he quickly noticed her hands and pulled out before she could lay a finger on it.

"Stop this! I told you already: I'm not going to use it!"

"Are you saying that you're just going to let a million lives blow away?"

"I didn't say that. I'm just saying that there has to be a better way. A way that everyone walks away from this alive!"

"There isn't time to look for that right now! You heard it yourself, didn't you? We're losing! Our friends and comrades are fighting out there and the only way we can turn this battle around is to kill the Carrier. If we don't use the SD now, they'll use the G-Bomb again and we'll all die!"

"Don't you think I know that too? They're my friends and my comrades as well. But killing yourself isn't the answer!"

But Kashiwagi would hear none of it. Her mind was already made up. It was either her or her friends that would die. If one act of sacrifice will save a few others then she was ready. Ready to make the ultimate sacrifice, ready to give her life away just to save her friends. "Maybe not for you. But there are people counting on us. They… are counting on me. (Haruko?) I'm sorry… Shirogane… but I'm going to destroy this Carrier right now!" And without hesitation, she boosted off, tackling Takeru to the fleshy surface of the large BETA.

"Gahhh! Haruko! Damn it! Stop this now! I'm ordering you to stand down!"

"Don't get cocky just because you got top score in the simulator!" The girl continued to pummel blow after blow but the young hero kept her reach from the bomb connected to his TSF. He dodged and guard, not willing to give without a fight. "You…! I just need to reach for that…"

"I said: Quit it!" Shirogane pushed her back punching her Shiranui straight in the face disorienting her radar. "It doesn't have to be like this! What good is there in saving lives if a life is given away in the first place?"

"It's part of being a soldier! Sometimes we have to do things that we don't like. You should know this better than anyone! (Wham!)" She let out a quick jab to his shoulder and another three punches to the face. "What happened to that willpower you showed in Sadogashima? Aren't you prepared to die for another? (WHAM!) If you're not willing to die for something then you're not fit to carry out anything!"

"I am willing to die for something but that doesn't mean I'm going to take you with me! (…!)" Shirogane then countered, kicking the girl right on the stomach sending her back. Kashiwagi opted to get back up but she hesitated when she noted the 36mm gun pointed at her from a distance. "That's enough, Haruko! You're unarmed! Don't make me do this! I'm not going to fight you!"

"Do you really think you can shoot me? (Huh?) Naïve!" She drew out her dagger and threw it straight at Takeru making him block only to have the girl tackle him down again. "I'm sorry Shirogane… but for the sake of everyone… we have to do things we don't like" She drew out her second knife and with a move that made even Shirogane freeze, she pointed it at his cockpit.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

N… no way… she wouldn't… Kashiwagi wouldn't…

But I can feel it. Her killing intent. She really does intend to kill me to get this bomb. Keh… if only I can reach my gun.

"Give it to me!"

Like hell I would! (Click!) "You want it? Just try and take it from me! (…!) Now! (WHAM!)" I was able to get a punch through to her. But something's off. This isn't like Kashiwagi at all. Why is she going through such lengths to kill herself in this manner? It doesn't make sense. The Kashiwagi I know is always calm, and would never result to such things no matter what. She said that herself. But even so… then why? Why would she do this now of all times? (Raaaaarrr!) Huh? Wh… whoa… what's happening now?

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Raaaaaaarrr!

Back outside, the armies of both sides quickly stopped when the humongous BETA worm began to roar and toss and turn as if it was in pain.

"Wh… what was that?" Isumi moved back a bit not wanting to get caught in that shuffle.

"Captain!" Kazama called out in the coms. "Target A just destroyed a portion of its own allies"

"Did one of our attacks connect?"

"No… I… I'm not sure. But it seems to have stopped"

"It looks as if it's having some kind of a stomach ache" Munakata analyzed with a somewhat humorous tone to her statement. "Maybe it ate something bad"

"Maybe…" Hayase agreed. "But this also gives us an opportunity to buy more time!"

"Hayase is right" Isumi nodded. "Whatever happened, we have a chance to eliminate as many of the enemies as possible. Do it while the Carrier is still disoriented. Most of the Laser Class have already been destroyed so focus on the smaller ones! (Roger!) Try not to get too close to the Carrier either or else you'll get thrown around like those BETA. Keep your attack outside of the monster but suppress the lower levels. (Understood!)"

But then Meiya noted something the squad said. "Something they ate?" She quickly recalled what Shirogane said on the line before they were cut. "Captain… I think I may know what's causing the worm to act strangely. (…?) I received word from Shirogane earlier. (…!) (Shirogane?) Yes… I believe that he and Kashiwagi may be inside the worm itself"

"Inside? That thing? (Yes…) Are they still in contact?"

"No, the line was cut off suddenly. But it is likely they've discovered some form of weakness inside. The timing matches with their interference"

"Hehehe…" Hayase simply let out a laugh while the others gave out sighs of relief. "I knew that guy wouldn't fold that easily. As expected of the Legendary Rookie. But if he really is the cause of that quake then maybe he can do more damage inside than the rest of us. (…) Captain, requesting permission to get closer to the BETA worm. If we can get in contact with Shirogane, we might be able to find a way to fight this monster effectively"

"Granted. Do what you can Hayase. We'll cover you guys from here. If you get a signal from Shirogane or Kashiwagi, relay them to me immediately. If we can coordinate with him, the better. (Roger that!) Everyone else continue your attack. Sakaki, Tamase, you fill up B Platoon's space! (Copy that!) Don't let a single BETA get through! We hold the line here!"

**(Takeru's POV) (Lower stomach)**

Ugh… ok… what just happened? I feel as if I'd gotten hit by another one of Sumika's Drill Milky Punch and sent into the stratosphere. Oh… my gun? My TSF is still active… that's a relief. But what happened? A second ago I was fighting with Kashiwagi and then… ah! Kashiwagi! My SD unit? Haaaaa… it's still there. But if she didn't take it then where…? Ah… there she is. Her TSF seems to have suffered some damage from that crash but it looks like it's still in one piece. (Beep…) Her exosuit is also giving out positive readings so she's still alive. That's good…

"Oi… Haruko… are you alright? Can you hear me? (Ugh…) Kashiwagi? Say something…" Not good. It seems like she's stunned by the sudden crash. It's not safe here. The BETA could come around at any minute. I can't afford to lose her here of all times. "Haruko. I'm going to apply your stims manually from here. Hold on…" It's a good thing we can apply stims to others. Higher ranking officers have authority over other soldier's equipments. "There… that should keep you up…"

"Oh…"

"Thank goodness you're awake" Her vital signs are returning to normal.

"Takeru… what… happened?"

"I'm not sure. The worm just suddenly turned. (…?) But it's not safe here. We need to get to higher ground. (Ugh…) The stims should still be working on your body. Switch your controls to remote. I'll pilot it from here and get you to safety. (O… ok…) (Beep…) Piloting two TSFs together is tough but now impossible.

…

…

Yes… this bone ground looks suitable. The BETA won't be able to surprise us up here.

"Takeru… what do you see?"

"I don't know… but the BETA seems to be backing away after that last scuffle. We can rest here for a bit and wait till our vents cool off. (I… I see…) Haruko… listen… I know that—(Takeru?) Eh?" 1st Lt. Hayase?

"Takeru, this is Valkyrie B Platoon leader calling you on all channels, do you read me?" It is. It's the lieutenant.

"This is Strike Lea—I mean, Valkyrie 2B. I copy. I'm currently inside the BETA Carrier and—(We know…) Eh?"

"Mitsurugi told us about it. You really are in deep, aren't ya? How's Kashiwagi? (…) Shirogane?"

"She's fine…" I answered back. "A little winded but she'll come around. We're still trying to look for a way out but the BETA have us cornered"

"I see. That must be one hell of a mess you're in. Hehehe" Heh… you can really count on her to make light of the situation. "Listen Shirogane. The situation out here isn't looking too good. We just lost three of our battalions. As of right now, Valkyrie Squad is the last fighting group still standing. (Eh!) Our forces are regrouping at Headquarters to mount another assault and we've been lucky thanks to the worm tumbling around and killing a bunch of them in the process" Tumbling? Is she talking about when the Carrier began to wiggle wildly? "We've gained some time but we believing the worm will be moving again. Did you guys do anything to make it hurt like that?"

Hurt it?

Wait… I remember fighting the BETA just before everything crumbled. I remember shooting an explosive shell onto one of the organs.

"I remember hitting something. It was an organ of some kind. But I don't really remember"

"This is just a rough guess but that thing you shot could be the heart. (…!)" A heart? Do BETAs even have hearts? I never put much effort into them and besides, this Carrier is still a new strain. I only knew of its existence in Sadogashima. "I said it's a guess. But whatever you did bought us some time to regroup. Most of the BETA are sticking near it to protect it from artillery strikes. If you can give that Carrier a few more blows, it might kill it! (…!) Keh! Listen, we don't have much time. The BETA are still continuing their advance. If there's a chance you can stop it, do it. (…) We could really use your skills out here"

"Yes ma'am. I'll do whatever I can in here. I'll contact you again when I have progress. (Good…)" Keh… looks like it's really up to us. "Haruko… are you ready? (…) Hey! Kashiwagi? Are you alright?"

"Y… yeah… I'm fine" Geez… don't scare me like that. She must still be recovering.

"Listen. The battle is only going to get tougher from here on. It looks like we were able to buy time for everyone outside but it didn't stop the Carrier. Follow me and we'll get through this. (But I…) We'll talk about it later! Right now we need to focus on getting back to the front. You need to live. Both of us need to survive this battle or everything will be lost, you understand?"

"I… yeah… I understand"

"Good. What armaments do you have?"

"I have two spare ammo clips. But they're not meant for your type of rifle"

"Take my guns. (…?) You're a better shot than me. I'll only be wasting bullets if I keep firing as it is. I still have two of my blades and daggers. You have 4000 rounds on each and eight shots of 120mm. Don't waste time on the small fries and focus on those that are closest. I'll cut us a path. Right… let's go!"

We shouldn't have gone too far from where we dropped earlier. If we really can kill this thing without using G-bombs or SD-11 units… then it'll be victory for us. If not… well… going back in time seems like… the only option. Heh… I say that like it's a natural thing to happen to me.

…

Let's see now. I remember seeing a bridge poking out of the flesh. That's where I brought Kashiwagi to recuperate the first time. The BETA attacked us and I fired an explosive round on them. Yes… I can see the residue of explosives… but it was on the surface… not anywhere near an organ at all. There's nothing here that looks like a heart. Maybe I should've paid more attention to Marimo chan's classes. But if BETAs do have hearts… what would they even look like? (Tug!) Arghh! N… no! (Tug!) (Tug!) No… why now of all times?

"Takeru? What's wrong?"

"N… nothing. I'm just thinking too much. Give me a moment" Keh! How can the medicine wear off so fast? I thought that it would last me a couple of hours at least. (Ruffle) Where's that shot that Yuuko gave me? It should still be here…

…!

No way! The serum! They're… destroyed! The vials are all broken! (Flash!) Was it because of my scuffle with Kashiwagi? (Tug!) Arghh! Damn it! (Flash) Huh? (Flash!) What the? Sumika?

"Oi, Shirogane? Are you alright?"

"Huh? Ah… yeah… it's ok…" That was strange… for a minute there I thought I felt… Sumika with me. She was sitting right on my lap. (Flash) Is something wrong with me? (Ruffle) I have two doses of the serum left. They'll have to do. I can't afford anymore screw ups. (…) I have to find a way to kill this beast.

"Shirogane, look! (Huh?) Above you!" Ah…! That's… that's it!

The heart!

Though the organ hardly resembles any kind of heart I've seen in my lifetime the beating sound it's making is proof enough. It's more round than heart shaped and it's covered with some kind of protective layer. There are a few strange tubes connected to it. I don't even know how to begin describing it. In fact, I was expecting the heart of this monster to be bigger. It's just about the size of two or maybe three TSFs put together. There are shrapnel made from the explosive shell. That must've been what triggered the worm to react so violently.

I have no proof of what it is. It might be, it might not be the heart but it's a good a guess as any.

"Right… Kashiwagi we're taking it down. Keep an eye out for me. (Roger!)" It's not that far up and a simple stab of a blade should be enough to kill it. "Heaaaaaarghhhhhh! (Slash!) (Clang!) Whoa!" The heart seems harder than it actually looks. It almost felt like trying to cut through a rock. (Raaaaarr!) But it seems to work. The Carrier is reacting to it. "Ok… one more time! Haaaaaaaa! (Slash!)" There! That did it. I cut the heart right in two. There's a lot of blood coming out of it… or at least I think it's blood.

Raaaaaaaarrrr!

Whoa! What the hell?

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 

Back outside, the BETA Carrier suddenly resumed its course, catching the men off guard.

"Captain!" Kazama called out and quickly moved out of the way before the Carrier got to her. "The Carrier Class BETA… it's moving again! It's increasing its speed! At this rate, it'll reach our last defense line before they can prepare!"

"Damn it!" Isumi bit her lips to prevent herself from cursing out loud. "Hayase, contact Shirogane. Ask him what's going on? (On it!) Kazama, how long before the Carrier reaches the red line? (15 minutes!) All units, retreat. Fall back now! We'll cut the BETA at the last defense line. Hold up there! (Roger!)"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

What in the? I feel like the Carrier is picking up the pace.

"Shirogane!" Hayase? "Are you alright?"

"We're fine. We just cut the heart of the Carrier. Did we kill it?"

"Negative! The Carrier just resumed its course towards Kyoto at an even faster pace! (What!-?) We're pulling back right now to cut it off!"

"But that's impossible! It should be dead!" This makes no sense. If that wasn't the heart then… where the hell is it?

"Wait… Takeru!" Huh? Mikoto? "Can you tell me what it looks like? (Huh?) The heart. Can you tell me what it looks like?"

"What are you getting at?"

"It's just that… I've been thinking. Basic BETA physiology doesn't really describe them as Earth creatures but they might have some feature that may be similar to our own"

"Uh… well… it's round and its extremely hard. I can't really describe it with words"

"Does it have arteries connected to it? (Huh?) Does it have tubes or pipes of some sort connected to it?"

"Y… yeah it does. That's why I thought it was the heart in the first place" Where's Mikoto getting at? I don't see why describing an organ can help in this matter.

"I think that's the heart. (Eh?) Takeru may be right. If the organ is connected with large arteries then it's only natural that it is the heart"

"Then why isn't it stopping?"

Mikoto looked as if she was thinking for awhile before she answered. "I believe the Carrier may be following the basic principles of an Oligochaeta class. (A what?) Like an earthworm. Creatures of that scale, made of liquid substance. Underneath all that hard shell is still a soft worm. They don't have hearts but have aortic arches that acts and behaves like a heart! I think what Takeru just destroyed was muscle that runs one of those arches"

"Wait… I don't understand"

"Each arch helps pump blood into the worm making move. The muscle you just destroyed is probably where the blood goes before it transfer to the other arches"

"I see…" Kashiwagi? Does she understand all of this? "In other words, there are still four more of these heart-like objects deeper inside"

"Yes that's correct" Mikoto nodded in confirmation. "The arches can act independently but when one dies, that usually means they should all stop too. But I think the Carrier may have a different function with its physiology"

"Ok… I think I'm getting the general idea of it" I think… "But how do we find the other hearts?"

"If you follow the arteries leading deeper inside, I'm sure they'll lead you straight to the other hearts"

"You heard that, Shirogane?" Hayase added. "I don't really get what Yoroi just said but it seems to make sense. Get going and destroy those hearts! (Yes ma'am) We're going to focus all of our defenses against the smaller BETA. The Carrier will have to climb the slopes to reach the base so you might have more time than what we counted for. We're gonna try and buy you guys more time and make sure you have a home to return to! And don't you dare die in there!"

"Yes ma'am! I won't fail you. I promise! You ready for this Haruko?"

"Yeah… but it looks like the BETA knows what we're up to as well" Tch! More of those little bastards. They're coming in droves. At this rate they'll catch up us in no time. We can't afford to lose more time here.

"Ignore them. We aim for the heart! Nothing else matters!"

** (Marimo's POV) (U.N. Headquarters)**

"Our second defense line has fallen!"

"No response from Gorilla Squad. All of our reserve units have been completely wiped out!"

"Tango Company is holding the south east end, just barely!"

"The American and our own fleet have exhausted 80% of their ammunitions. Our artillery rounds are still being blown out of the sky!"

"Order the ships to lay down covering fire. Once the bombardment commences, tell our forward units to withdraw immediately" The General was starting to get desperate. With everything that's been going on I'm actually surprised he's still able to lay out orders. We've already exhausted most of our ammunitions and supplies. But despite that we're still able to put up a fight against the BETA. The Valkyrie Squad at most is pretty much the only thing standing in the way of our total annihilation.

"The Carrier is now on the slopes below us. It will reach us in approximately 15 minutes!"

"This is Valhalla to Valkyrie Squad. Artillery strike is commencing near your location. Pull back now"

"Valkyrie 1A, negative on that. We need to hold this line! (…?) Tell everyone not to pull back just yet!"

"Captain Isumi!-?" The General interrupted. "What's the meaning of this? Put her on screen, right now! (Y… yes sir!) Captain Isumi, I need you to pull your squad out of the slopes immediately"

"Sir… if I may" The captain sighed. "I believe we may still have a chance of defeating the Carrier Class BETA that's leading this attack. (…?) I've just been informed that one of our assault teams, was able to get inside the Carrier itself. Strike Leader and Striker 3"

The Strike?

Shirogane?

"The Striker? And how do you know of this?"

"One of my platoon leaders was able to get in touch with the team inside and they are now delivering a blow to the monster from the inside-out. They are my subordinates and I believe that if we can hold the slopes just for a little while longer, they can kill the worm directly without using the G-Bomb to destroy Kyoto. (…) I ask that you at least give them a little more time until they can get some results. My squad alone is enough to hold the BETA here"

…

…

…

Many of us turned to the General waiting for his answer.

"And you believe these two can do it?"

…

The two of them traded looks with one another and the General's eyes even fell on us. He can tell that each and every one of us here in this room was desperate. You can see it in their faces. The despair, the shaken resolve… the fear—it was all too apparent to hide. We were all desperate. Desperate enough to cling even to the smallest hope of a miracle.

"Yes… I believe they can. Shirogane is one of the best pilots I've seen and Kashiwagi has been exposed to many combat situations before this. They will make it…"

…

…

"Very well… I shall hold you on that belief. (…!) Divert our remaining TSF forces to support the Valkyries. The armored and infantry divisions will handle the BETA climbing the slopes on the mountain. (Yes sir!) Captain Isumi, I'm leaving the rest to you. (Understood sir!)"

**(Takeru's POV)**

Keh! This is insane. Just how long is this worm? It feels as if we've been jump boosting forever. The BETA herd is slowly catching up to us and we can do is avoid the Tank Class that are waiting in ambush. The little crawlies aren't a big a threat alone but when they grab onto you it becomes difficult to get them off. Captain Isumi drilled this information into my head when I had classes with her in my last loop.

"Shirogane, over there!" Hmm? Ah! There it is. It's similar to the heart we just destroyed. It had the same beating noise and the arteries seem to connect to it. "Look out! There are BETA all over it!" I guess they really must know what we're up to. The Tank Class are using their own bodies to shield the heart. It'd be a lot faster if we could just shoot the darn thing from a distance.

"Alright. I'll deal with this one! Cover me! (Roger!)" This heart seems to way high up. I feel as if I'm traversing through some horror film where the hero goes for a one last duel with a monster from hell. The wall around me also seems to be tightening up. I guess having its organs messed up so badly gave it quite the scare.

Right then… I have to make sure I slice it good. We won't have a chance to fallback from here on. (Slash!) (Raaaarr!) Bug off! You're in my way! (Slash) And that's two hearts!

Raaaaarrrr!

The whole place is trembling. It must be working. I have to remember to thank Mikoto for being the information the next time I meet her. Even though I have difficulties understanding her, she does come in handy when giving in random knowledge.

"This is Valkyrie 2B! We got another heart! We're moving on to the third one!"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Back outside, the Valkyrie Squad quickly noted how the Carrier Class BETA was reacting. It stopped on its track and began roaring out in pain.

"It's working…" Isumi muttered. "Continue firing! All units, ignore the Carrier. Deal with the smaller ones around it! Hayase, take the Destroyers on the right, Munakata will handle the Grapplers on the left. (Roger!) My platoon will handle the Fort Class at the center! Go! (Understood!) This is Viper Leader 1. The BETA Carrier is having another reaction. Don't get too close or you'll be caught in its way!"

"Viper Leader 2, copy that"

"Tango Leader, roger…"

"Yoroi. Is there anything we can do at all to assist the assault team?"

Mikoto thought for a moment recalling all her knowledge in medical school. "Umm… well… we could try and make the blood go faster"

"And how do we do that?"

"It's the same way as giving a human a heart attack. We can build stress on the body. The adrenaline will cause the blood to rush faster through the organs causing the arteries to clog. But BETA physiology may be different…"

"It's a good a chance as any. This is Viper 1 to all artillery units. Focus your fire on the BETA Carrier! Exhaust all ammunitions if you must!"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Keh! The BETA are getting thicker the deeper we go. It's as if the whole floor is covered with them. It's a good thing the mouth closed early. If every last one of these guys were to be sent out in Kyoto, the defenders wouldn't stand a chance.

"Takeru!" Huh? Kashiwagi? "The next heart is coming up!" Right… the BETA are using the same tactic as before… well we broke through it once, we can do it again!

"Same plan! Kashiwagi, take out the Tank Class! (Roger!) (Ratatatat!) Oooohh!" A Fort Class? Tch! Well bring it! I've taken a ton of you bastards down before. One more isn't going to make much of a difference! "Haaaaaaa! (Slash!) Kashiwagi, on your right!"

"I got it! Valkyrie 4C, Fox 3! (Ratatatat!)"

"400 meters near the heart! I'm going to slice it through! (Beep beep!) Gooooooohhhh! (Slash!) And that's… three! (Clang!) Damn it!"

"Takeru, what's wrong?"

"Nothing. My sword just broke. I still have one more but we can't afford to make any mistakes. (I got it…) This is Valkyrie 2B. The third heart is down! We're moving on to the next one! Hayase san, can you tell me what's happening outside?"

"This is Valkyrie 1B, good work. Everything's proceeding smoothly! The BETA are slowing down but they're still continuing its march towards HQ. Deal with the other hearts as quickly as possible! We have to stop the Carrier before it reaches the city!"

"Roger that! Kashiwagi, you got all that? (Yeah!) We're gonna have to speed the process up! Keep up the pace and—(Wait! Look!) Huh? Whoa!" The BETA! There are thousands of them! The Fort Class are lining up in formation blocking off the middle with the Destroyers and Grapplers guarding the bottom and Tanks clinging on the top. It's a wall of BETA!

"There's no way we can get through that without getting hit! I'll draw them away and make an open for—(No!) Eh?"

"There might be more inside. We're gonna need each other to get through! (…) Focus your attack on the top! Once you've taken out a portion of the enemy, we'll overcharge our jump units and slide on through!"

"You want us to go spiraling at this speed?"

"Start an inverted boost jump forty meters above the Fort Class—then we'll kick the wall above to take advantage of the automatic posture controls! (…!) Trust me. It'll be a cakewalk!" This is a move that Hayase taught me during our spin drive in Yokohama Base. "I'll guide you through. Just follow my instructions as I go, alright? (O… ok!)" Right… almost there. We just need to get a little bit closer. The BETA may learn how to block a path… but they can never be too organized! "Now!"

"Oooooohh! (Ratatatatat!)" Heh… even with a machinegun, Kashiwagi's aim hasn't dropped a bit. She just needs to take down a few of those Tanks to room for us to jump.

"Right! That's good enough! Hit the boosters and follow my lead!" Yes… this is exactly how Hayase did it. We leaped from wall to wall not even decreasing our speed, making it impossible for the BETA to react in time. "Invert! (R… roger!) Kick the wall and let the computer do the rest!"

Raaaaaarr!

I can see one of the Tanks on my rear cams. These guys move fast but we're just more cunning. When it all comes down to it, tactic wins in the end!

"Takeru! I can see the next one!"

"I got it!" The BETA are thickening their defenses. But regardless we still need to succeed. Everyone is counting on this. (Raaaarr!) "You won't get me that easily! (Slash!) Now stay down!"

"The BETA at the rear are disoriented!" Alright… thank to their own blockade, the Fort Class will have to make a complete 180 turn to face us. Thanks to their size and numbers they can move through the Carrier effectively. And with this… (Slash!)…makes four hearts!

Raaaaaarrrr!

The Carrier is trembling! It looks as if it's suffering.

"This is Shirogane. We got the fourth heart! Give me a situation update outside!"

"This is Valhalla to Valkyrie 2B. (Marimo sensei?) We read you. Captain Isumi informed us of your plan to destroy Target A. Valkyrie Squad is currently keeping the BETA occupied at the bottom of the slopes but the BETA Carrier is still crawling towards us. On its projected course and speed it will reach the base in about ten minutes. (Ten minutes!-?) That's all the time we can give you" The Base was built on top of a mountain and behind the mountain is Kyoto City outskirts. So they want to limit the damage of the G-Bomb only to the countryside.

But this creature is ridiculous! Even after we cut out four of its hearts, it's still moving? "Roger that! Kashiwagi and I are on route to the last one. Please hold it off just a little bit longer!"

"Understood. We'll be monitoring your progress, out"

Beep!

Keh! This isn't good. We have to reach that heart, fast! But with the BETA around every nook and corner, it'll be hard just trying to find it. But we have no choice.

"Takeru! More of them coming from the top!" Keh! Damn it! Why won't they just leave us alone for a few seconds? "Ohhhhhh!" The Tank Class are dropping from the ceiling like flies. I guess they too must be desperate to protect the Carrier. (Flash!) Ugh! Damn it! My head! But that's impossible. I took the serum! (Flash!) Ugh! Could the effects still be working? (Flash!) Arghh! No! Not now. I can't afford to lose myself.

Raaaarrr!

Get lost! I'm busy! (Slash!)

Keh… there's a lot more poking out of the corners. We can't afford any more delays. We need to reach that heart. But there are just too many BETA's blocking our path. We'll have to plow our way through. "Kashiwagi! Focus all your firepower at one point! We're gonna try and break through that line. (Leave it to me!) Here we go! One more push! Oooooooohh!"

Raaaaaaaaaarrrr

Kuh! Come on you stupid thing! Move! (Raaaaaarrr!) "I SAID MOVE!" (WHAM!) (Raaaaarrr!)

"Takeru! Over there! (…!)" The last heart! We're so close now. "Go! I'll cover you"

"Roger that! (Raaaaarrr!) Keh! Damn it… a Fort Class of all times?" I don't have time for this! (Raaaarr!) Keh! It's blocking the heart with its sheer size! "I don't have time for you! (Gwaaaaaarrghhh!) You bastard! Just go down, will you? (Slash!)"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"The Carrier is approaching the base!" Marimo announced to everyone around her. "7 minutes until impact!"

"Order all guns to focus on the Carrier!" The General ordered.

"But sir! There's a chance they might hit us!"

"If we don't then the Carrier will all of us! Do it! (Y… yes sir!) We just need to buy them a few more minutes"

"HQ to all units, direct fire on the Carrier. Coordinates 3-3-2, fire for effect"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

How can one Fort Class be so damn annoying!-? It's using all of its legs to block off the chambers and the Grapplers are even piling on top of one another to make some kind of wall. (Slash!) Kashiwagi is holding the guys behind us but it won't be long before they break through. Right, I'll have to risk getting hit to make it to the heart. "Kashiwagi! Stay close to me! (Roger!)" Right… I'll wait till the Fort Class uses its legs. It can't afford to use its tentacle in these tight corners so its attacks are limited. I should calm myself.

If I concentrate… I can see the attacks before it hits. (Doki… doki…) Yes… the power to increase my perception of time.

WHAM!

That's one…

Raaaarrrr!

WHAM!

And that's two. Just a little bit more. Come on! I'm right here!

Grrrrrrrr… RAAAAARRRRR! (WHAM!)

There! An opening!

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

And with one quick and precise cut, the head of the Fort Class BETA was split open like a cracked watermelon. The scene was so grotesque that even Kashiwagi was awed by the sight of it. The Fort Class were presumably one of the toughest species of the BETA that would take a squad of TSFs some time to defeat. Even a single one of them could prove to be a threat to an entire operation. She'd taken down her share of them but always with a partner or at least with support.

But here… the boy took that behemoth down like he'd been doing it for years (which he probably has). She expected him to aim for the joints which were the weakest parts of the BETA but Shirogane aimed right for the head which was supposedly 'tough as a Destroyer's shell'.

The monster's remaining body then fell to the floor with a loud thud burying the Grapplers under its weight. With that done, the path before them was clear.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Yes! It worked! Now the heart is exposed! (Raaaaar!) There's nothing stopping us now! There are still a lot blocking our way but as long as I get the heart! Right then. Max power to the thrusters, elevation is perfect. All I need to do is cut it!

Ooooooohh! Take this! Don't underestimate the strength of humanity you assholes! (Slash!) "And with this… makes five hearts!"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

And right before the BETA reached the headquarters of the U.N. the enormous Carrier let out an inhumane squeal. The head of the creature lifted into the sky and from that, one could see blood spewing out of its mouth. The monster turned and twirled at the edge of the human base not caring who or what it trampled on.

"The creature is disoriented!" General Radhabinod roared back. "All forces fire! Hit the Carrier now!"

The human armies let out everything they had, hurling bullets and bombs like the end of the world was nearing. The Carrier felt the blunt of that attack like a sledgehammer hitting on a wall. It tried to force itself to move forward but the pain it felt both inside and out cornered it. Everyone had their eye on the beast and each gritting, praying and hoping to see that monster go down once and for all.

Before long, the creature's heart… finally gave out and its body crashed to the floor, dead with one final wheeze.

…

…

…

The battlefield became quiet. Time slowed for everyone.

Some were awestruck by the sudden turn and some didn't even know how to react.

But before one of them could shout out their victory cries, the snow on the slopes of the mountain began to fall. The Carrier slipped and before everyone knew it, the large beast that was just slain was falling down on top of the soldiers below.

"Everyone, evade! Get out of the way now! The Carrier is coming down!" Isumi ordered out which everyone below quickly followed.

The monster tumbled and rolled down the mountain like an avalanche. The BETA that saw this tried to back away and escape but they were not quick enough. Before long, the majority of their horde was trampled by their own greatest weapon.

…

Bodies of both TSFs and BETA lay as far as the human eye could see. The battle… was… over

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Th… they did it…?" Isumi's was the first to find the words to say when the chaos died out. It took awhile for the information to sink in. After all… none of them here were actually expecting to see tomorrow. "They really… did it?"

…

"HEAHHHHHH!" The first loud buffering cheers came from the Americans and then the Imperial Army and soon enough, the rest would follow.

On the beaches of Japan, sailors were waving their hats around shouting with joy, celebrating in every way possible for their victory. Fists were raised, laughter followed and for the first time in days, the men and women of the army showed a rare but true smile.

Even the members of the Valkyrie Squad could not contain their joy. In the last hour of this battle, none of them believed that they would actually live to see the next sunrise. But fortunately for them, one pilot in this world had the will and guts to prove them wrong.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Back in headquarters, Jinguuji and Suzumiya were crying in waterfalls like the rest of the crewmen in the base. They can hear it from every channel, on every broadcast, they can hear the sound of gratitude for the two pilots that did the impossible.

Even General Radhabinod himself was giving out a silent thank to them before he barked out his next orders. "Have all units begin recovery of all casualties. Have what's left of our reserves keep a lookout for stragglers"

"Understood, ordering all forces to commence rescue operations"

"Tell the Special Division to stand down. Tell them… we won…"

"Yes sir. This is HQ to Special Division 2. Target A has been neutralized. I repeat: Target A has been neutralized. Disengage special package immediately"

"Special Division 2, roger. Standing down… over"

As the operators quickly got back to their task, Radhabinod finally let out a sigh of relief feeling a weight being lifted off his shoulders.

**(Dream…)**

_December 16 (Sunny)_

_I went out shopping for something I could wear on our night trip, _

_but then I bumped onto Takeru chan._

_Then he started avoiding me, and I was sad._

_So I wanted to know why, and even though Takeru chan didn't want to, I made him tell me._

_It sounded like something out of a fairytale._

_But I believed all of it._

_I'd know for sure if Takerua chan was lying or kidding._

_Even if everyone else forgets their memories with Takeru chan…_

_Even if everyone forgets about Takeru chan…_

_Even if no one on Earth can recognize Takeru chan anymore…_

_I won't forget him._

_I will never ever, ever, forget Takeru chan._

_How can I!-?_

_I can't forget him!_

_And I promised Takeru chan that I would, no matter what!_

_So I won't forget._

_I don't want to forget._

_I won't let Takeru chan be all alone._

_I'll be with him forever and ever and eeeever._

_I'll be with him…_

_Oh! And right at the end… something amazing happened!_

_One of my wishes was granted!_

_Takeru chan kissed me! Twice! ^_^_

_I've never been so happy before._

_I'm absolutely not going to forget that!_

_I'm not going to forget it right after it happened._

_…_

_…_

_…_

_To me…_

_Takeru chan is someone who lives next door to me._

_He's more important to me than anyone else._

_You'll remember if you read the diaries, so good luck!_

_Keep reading until you remember!_

_It'll be fine so just calm down and remember._

_Takeru chan. Takeru chan. Takeru chan. Takeru chan. Takeru chan. Takeru chan. Takeru chan…_

"Takeru… chan (…) Takeru… chan… (…) Take… ru… ch… an"

…!

Sumika?

**(Takeru's POV) (A few minutes later) (BETA Carrier)**

"Sumika!"

Huh? Wha? What the? Where am I? I'm in… my cockpit…

But I thought… I thought I just saw Sumika just now. Ah! The battle! Geh! My body feels like it's made out of lead. I'm completely spent. Arghhh! Even my arms hurt from just moving.

…

It's so quiet outside. The only thing I can hear is my heartbeat and breathing rhythm. (Whirrr…) Good… my computers seem to be unaffected. We crashed pretty hard. I don't even know which way is up anymore. (Beep beep!) I can't even seem to get a hail from anyone. (…!) Wait… Kashiwagi! She was with me earlier! "Haruko! Haruko, where are you!-? (…) Oi! Haruko!" Damn it… she's not responding. But her TSF is still transmitting on the channels. She should be somewhere close by.

Ugh… there are corpses everywhere. I guess even BETA are still susceptible to a fall like that. But this isn't the time to bask in glory. I have to find Kashiwagi. She has to be here somewhere. We were pretty close together before the Carrier dropped off so we couldn't have been separated that far. My thrusters are still working just barely but they should be enough to get us out. But… did we do it? Did we stop this thing? Did we stop the Carrier from crossing? What about the others? My mind is full of questions and I think the only way to get the answers is to get out of this place. I just hope they're ok.

Ah! There she is! Kashiwagi's unit.

…!

It's… covered with BETA. She must've been fighting even after we fell. (Flash) No! No… it can't be!

"Kashiwagi! Are you in there? Haruko! Haruko! Answer me!" Keh! Come on damn it! We didn't come this far just to die now! "Haruko!" Her cockpit is responding to my headset. I can see her vital signs. They're way below the normal parameters. Keh…! There's no energy running through it. The system must've shutdown completely which means I won't be able to open her cockpit even by remote. (…) I have no choice. If that's how it is then I'll have to open it manually. (WHAM!) …! Kashi… she's wounded. (Beep beep!) Not good. Her vital signs aren't improving. I have to treat her wounds immediately.

From what the computer is telling me, she's suffering from severe motion sickness and a lot of external wounds. The crash must've done a number on her. But it shouldn't be too bad. It's nothing I can't handle with First-Aid.

I brought Haruko inside my cockpit and laid her body still on my lap. There's a massive gash cutting on her face. She must've slid her face against the metal plating of her cockpit. It'll leave a mark for sure. I can't apply any stims. Painkillers and bandages might help but that's all I can do. The next thing that I can do would be to use the…

…

Triazolam…

**(Tokyo General Hospital) (04:00 AM)**

Tsukuyomi Mana opened her eyes for the first time that night on the bed in the general hospital of the capital city. She scanned her surroundings only to find herself in the familiar scenery of the medical ward. This wasn't the first time she's been in such a place. As a soldier who survived countless battles she has been both the visitor and the patient more times than she could count.

Her exosuit had been removed and replaced with scrubs, her sidearm removed, and her head was wrapped in bandages. The girl lifted herself up to get a better standing of her room only to feel a jolt of pain surging from her right arm. After a brief pause she noticed that it has been cast. She shook her head in shame and sighed before thinking back on what had happened before she woke up.

After the retreat from Shikoku Island, she had strained herself far beyond the call of duty and led as many survivors back to the capital to receive medical attention. Though only a few were able to make it back, it was more than what many could ask of her. The woman had exhausted herself to such a state that even stims couldn't sustain her. By the time the fleet arrived at port she had to be carried in and received by the general populace as another wounded.

The green haired girl looked around, scanning her surroundings once more, a part of her hoping to see a nurse or a doctor but it was obvious that no one was around to keep her company. Taking this opportunity to rest, she placed her head between the pillows and thought about going back to sleep.

"I am glad to see you awake…" But a voice caught her attention, forcing what little adrenaline she had left to keep her concious. Tsukuyomi shifted her body in reflex to the new presence. At first she thought it was a doctor coming to checkup on her but her eyes widened slightly when she saw the face of her visitor.

"You are…" She quickly lowered her head in response. "Your Excellency…"

"Please… do not be so stiff, 1st Lt. Tsukuyomi. (…)" Ikaruga Takatsugu raised his hand up with one of the friendliest face a man can muster. "This is just an informal visit. I heard from the doctors that you would be waking up soon so I stayed behind to see if it was true. (…) You may raise your head. I believe you can leave loosen your discipline just this once considering your injured state. Besides… you and I have fought side by side together in Sadogashima. We can consider ourselves comrades in that manner"

"…" But Tsukuyomi remained with her poise. Stubborn and headstrong as always.

"You really are incredible, you know that?" The man continued, pulling up a chair next to the injured soldier. "I heard all about Shikoku from some of the officers that survived. It must've been difficult to leave so many of your comrades behind to save so little in return. (…) But… as a soldier I believe you already expected something like this to happen. After all… sacrifice has been the basis of our country's nature after all. We cannot allow grief to overcome us. (…) Oh… that reminds me. Your subordinates were here earlier. (…!) Yes… 2nd Lt. Kamiyo Tatsumi and Ebisu Minagi. They suffered minor injuries in their arrival and were the ones to bring you here when the fleet landed in the harbor. 2nd Lt. Tomoe Yukino arrived a few hours later. She wished to speak with you directly… but you were unable to converse with any of the squad at the moment. They care deeply for you. They even brought you flowers to wish you well"

"…ah…!" Tsukuyomi turned to the table next to her bed to find the bushel of flowers that the man mentioned lying there with a note attached to it. "Heh…" The three shouldn't have bothered to buy her fresh ones at that.

"It must be nice to have such caring subordinates. (…) They are one of the most disciplined soldiers I've ever seen on the battlefield. You trained them well"

"I am unworthy of such praise Your Excellency"

"Ahahaha… you sound just like them as well. They must've taken a shine of you. (…) I'm sure they're out there, helping those still in need just as you taught them"

Tsukuyomi nodded back but remained on her bed. "Forgive my appearance. Had I not been injured then…"

"You need not apologize" Ikaruga motioned with his hand. "Injuries are a part of war. No one can come out of battle without being scathed… physically, mentally or spiritually. (…) But let us not delay. Allow me to state the real reason why I am here. (…?) I come to you now on behalf of Her Highness, Kobuin Yuuhi. (…!) I come bringing her gratitude for saving the lives of a selected few from certain death. If it were not for your quick actions… many more would've befallen to that fate"

Tsukuyomi was taken aback by the man's actions as he lowered his head shallowly to her. As a member of the royal family, the only people they ever bow to is the Shogun and the Emperor himself. "Please… you need not lower your head to me. I am but a mere—(No…) …?"

"Like I said… this is Her Highness's will. If it were her choice she would probably come here and show her appreciation personally. But at this moment, Her Highness is currently mourning the loss of our comrades who died in battle. She will probably make a public speech later this week"

"I… I see. (…) Please send her my regards as well… though I only did what was expected of me. I am not needed for any special treatment"

"Yes… your cousin said the same thing once before. (…?) Never mind. But in any case, I am glad that you are well. With the war going on as it is, we will need soldiers and leaders like yourself more than ever"

"I thank you for the praise. (…) But the act of retreating is still… shameful"

"I understand that it is difficult for you to adjust. But even so you continue to endure. (…?) Her Highness has placed a great deal of trust in you, 1st Lt. Tsukuyomi, despite everything you've gone through for the sake of this nation. We couldn't have asked for a better soldier" It was not the first time Tsukuyomi got showered with praise but to have it done by a member of the royal family was rather embarrassing. "However…."

"…?" Ikaruga's tone darkened at the last word.

"… I am saddened to be the bearer of bad news to many warriors such as yourself. It is possible that you may be asked to take upon the battlefield once more"

But Tsukuyomi shook her head in reply. "If I am able to defend my country in my state then I will do it. Please do not hesitate to give me orders, Your Excellency. How did the battle go?"

"Despite the Imperial Army's efforts… our battle against the common enemy does not bode well"

Tsukuyomi's eyes suddenly shot open. "What has happened?"

"Though we were able to avert immediate danger to the major cities in the mainland—the U.N. Army had to sacrifice many of its soldiers in the frontlines to save us. Casualties are high… and even our people had to pay the price. (…) Our friends… our families… even our loved ones. (…) I spoke with 2nd Lt. Tomoe before she departed with the others on another assignment. She… wanted to give this to you personally but chose to leave it behind instead because of her assignment…"

A glassed mind shattered in Tsukuyomi's mental-will when saw the item that Ikaruga offered. It was a doll… a toy doll made of cheap cotton and fabric. It was a thing most people would pass as a toy that had not value but to her… it was more. She recognized it almost instantly. It was the doll that the Shogun gave to Meiya at the end of the coup d'état a few weeks ago.

"Th… this is…" For the first time, Tsukuyomi voice strained. Her free hand trembled in fear as her fingers reached for it. A part of her not willing to believe in what she was seeing.

"She said that… she found it in one of the battlefields" On a normal state, Tsukuyomi would not openly weep. She trained herself to remain composed no matter what the situation may bring. But after being weakened from her sudden awakening… she could not stop the tears that rolled down her eyes. "Apparently there was a unit that was fighting near Osaka… but the battle turned for the worse for all of them. I'm afraid there was only one survivor. (…) I am… sorry…"

"No…" Tsukuyomi held the doll tightly to her chest, her heart still unwilling to accept it. "It… cannot be… it can't be… true…" Her sobs were getting louder and more apparent. Drips of water fell from her eyes to the doll clutched in her hand.

And when the girl broke… Ikaruga's lips curled up a wicked grin unseen by all. "You look unwell, 1st Lt. Tsukuyomi. Please… drink…"


	48. A Conflicted Soul

**Chapter 48: A Conflicted Soul**

**(Marimo's POV) (December 30, 2001 Saturday) (U.N. Headquarters) (07:30 AM)**

It… it was over.

It's hard to believe that what we've all just experienced happened only a few hours ago. To be honest, I didn't believe any of us would be standing here right now.

About an hour after the battle had ended, reinforcements from our neighboring bases arrived to relieve our exhausted armies from their posts. The damage done to the country was substantial to say the least but with our efforts I'm sure that we will be able to get through it.

Kyoto is still in a state of panic. The city and its neighboring villages will require large amounts of resources and funding to get them back on their feet. After the 'All-Clear' sign was given out, General Radhabinod made it a point to construct relief camps to support all the wounded and casualties during this crisis. What is left of the Imperial Army is also helping out but due to the lack of long range communications we can only do so much.

The American Army had its own forces to worry about as well. They were grateful for taking part of the operation despite its lack of subtlety and returned to the Philippines to rest and repair their forces.

The battle that took place here was a brutal one, that, no one can deny. Though we were able to end this crisis through natural mean, tension between the U.N. Armed forces and the Imperial Army is still strained. Nobody knows the true origin of the two massive G-Bombs that exploded in Shikoku Island. Only rumors seem to speculate about the U.N. being responsible for it.

I… have heard rumors that the U.N. has been given a cache of such weapons by the American Government as a sign of good will. The first batch was used in Yokohama about two years ago when the U.N. and Imperial Army retook the mainland from the BETA.

I don't believe in the rumors myself but there was no denying that thanks to the explosion, many of our allies were able to escape at the cost of nearly 70% of the Imperial Army. Right now the steam between us has calmed down a bit but I can say that all they need right now is just one more push to start infighting between the two sides.

General Radhabinod is speaking with the members of the U.N. Council in a video conference along with his adjutants. Hopefully he will explain to us what happened and at the very least, give the official word to the press.

But… I'll just leave it to the politicians to sort it all out. After all I'm just one soldier and my thoughts alone mean little in this matter.

As for the Valkyries… I guess you could say they amaze me again. Despite overwhelming odds, they held the line against the invaders with nothing but their guts, body and will and came out victorious. I never thought these girls would actually come out in such a way. It's hard to imagine that it's only been a few weeks since they've graduated. They're no longer the cadets that used to run in my classroom thinking about their next lesson.

I can tell that Isumi is proud of all of them. I'm sure I am. Tama was exceptionally brave to risk her life for a small family of civilians. Though it was foolish to risk the squad you have to admire her courage… and I'm sure that she did it because of a certain someone who proves too stubborn to leave the weak to perish.

Speaking of which…

As for Shirogane… well… he didn't exactly return unscathed. Upon his return he came back with 2nd Lt. Kashiwagi who was wounded on the line of duty. He didn't seem well when he came back. But who am I to say what he experienced when he was swallowed inside that monster with all those BETA with him. Anyone would've surrendered to despair inside that thing but to my surprise… Takeru didn't seem the slightest bit affected. It's as if the whole incident didn't even make him flinch. Is it possible that he's seen something worse before? Well… it is a possibility seeing that his history is clouded by Yuuko's tight security. The only thing I know is his name and his age. Everything I had about him was confiscated.

Heh… well… not that it matters to me anymore. Takeru is Takeru. As long as he remains the sweet and kindhearted boy that he is now, he can be a serial killer for all I care.

**(Takeru's POV) (Mobile Command Post)**

Tick… tick… tick… tick… tick… tick…

The sound of the ticking clock is the only thing I can hear at this point. It was the only thing that kept me awake. I couldn't sleep. Heck… I'll be lucky just to close my eyes at this point. I took a dose of the sleeping pill that the captain gave me but my body seems to be rejecting it. I don't… exactly know how to feel right now. Should I be happy? Yeah… I'm glad to be alive… but… I feel like I don't even deserve it. A lot of people died today… and I'm partially responsible for it. If I had used that SD-11 unit right then and there… I probably would've saved a lot of lives.

But… if I did that then both Kashiwagi and I would've… (Flash!) Kashiwagi…

_"Sometimes we have to do something we don't like. You should know this better than anyone!"_

Kashiwagi… she was so determined to kill herself. It's as if she was deliberately trying her best to die with some measure of dignity. But that's not the Kashiwagi I know. The girl I saw there was not the member of the Valkyrie I met a few days ago. She was a totally different person, wanting to face death and scream at it.

_"You should know this better than anyone!"_

Keh…! (Flash) At that moment… Haruko… she… she really was serious about killing me for the bomb. She was ready to do anything… even going as far pointing a knife at my face. (Flash) I can still see that moment where she drew that knife onto me. I know I've experienced death many times but… this is just…

_"If you're not willing to die for something then you're not fit to carry out anything!"_

"Umm… Shirogane… san?"

"Huh? Oh… what it is Haruka?"

"I apologize for waking you up"

"No it's alright. I wasn't able to get any sleep anyway. What is it?" Besides… I'd probably just burn myself with these thoughts. Any kind of distraction would be welcomed.

"Actually… I was wondering if you were hungry" She showed me a tray with nothing but a small piece of mackerel fish and a cup of rice "I'm sorry if it's not much. Our supplies are still running short due to the heavy snow the other day. We cannot expect our deliveries until tomorrow"

"Oh… thanks" The food smells delicious…

It's only been a few days since we left Yokohama but for some reason it feels like forever since I ate anything decent. The plain soup we had the other day wasn't much but it was enough to get us through the night. If I had this yesterday… I probably would've gorged on it. But now…

"Is something wrong, Shirogane san?"

"No… it's fine. They look… great. I should probably eat even if I don't feel like it. Kyozuka san would scold me if I left food on the table like this"

"Ahuhu… yes she would"

"So… how's Haruko?"

Suzumiya paused for a moment before answering me. "2nd Lt. Kashiwagi has undergone a thorough checkup. Though she suffered a lot of external and internal wounds, the doctor confirmed that she will recover. She will have to rest for a few days though"

"I see… that's nice"

"Please do not torment yourself because of what happened. You applied the proper treatment for her. No one could've done more than what you have"

"No… it's not that. I just… feel a little… tired… that's all"

"You barely spoke to anyone when you returned. They will understand if you do not wish to be disturbed. (Thanks… Haruka…) Eh?"

"I know that it's a little glum for me to be like this. I'll make sure to talk to the captain and get myself some hypnotic therapy if she'll allow it. So please the others not to worry about me, alright?"

"Of course. I understand. But please try to get some rest as well. I should get back. I have a lot of report forms to fill out with Jinguuji san" And just like that she left.

Heh… that's sweet of her. She brought me so much food to try and cheer me up. I know I should feel happy about winning but… it just didn't feel like we won anything at all. It's as if that fight we just fought… was totally… pointless. I know that we were fighting to protect the people and our country but… it seems so… useless. It's like we were just delaying something that was going to come eventually.

Bah! I should stop this. Maybe some fresh air and some sun will help me.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Well… I don't think we have that kind of luxury anymore. I can kick the fresh air and sunlight out of the equation at this point. The soot is so thick around here that I can feel it on my face. The time is 7:49 AM. The sun should be up about now. But as we can see… the heavy storm cloud above created by the G-Bombs is coveted the skies. If it wasn't for my timer, I would've thought that it was nighttime already.

…

The camp was quiet. It's hard to believe that only a few hours ago, the rookies and cadets were out here thinking that the fighting would never reach them. But instead they got more than what they could've expected. It's true that the U.N. Cadets were trained for these kinds of situations but how can one person properly train for the BETA? Even I had little understanding of them when I first arrived here. On the first note that I had to fight them, I was actually scared down to my pants. I remember feeling the sense of dread coming over me when the first mention of an attack. How embarrassing was that?

But these cadets had it worse than I did. Yesterday they were thinking about training and classes but they were immediately thrown right into the frying pan and grilled in hard of what humanity was truly facing.

The snow around here was still thick red with blood from when we evacuated the wounded. Even the stench of medicine, burnt wounds and blood mixed with the wind was enough to make any man nauseous. That's one of the reasons why I hate hospitals when I was a kid.

On the slopes of the camp, I can see the massive BETA Carrier lying down at the base along with its trampled followers. We really lucked out on that part otherwise we would still be fighting against the smaller strains right about now. The biohazard teams already came by to do the cleanup. Destroying millions of bodies of BETA like these is an extremely difficult task so it needs an entire army to complete it. We can't exactly bury bodies of the BETA either since they don't decompose as fast. So instead we have to burn the whole place down.

TSFs will cut down the larger species of BETA and throw them into the fire piece by piece. It's a slow process and probably unhealthy too since the smoke from the fire pollutes the air to such a level that a Heavy Metal Cloud looks like a tropical sunlight.

"Eh? Shirogane?" Hmm?

"Oh! Captain!"

"No need for formalities here. We can keep regulations on a later time after what you've been through. (Thank you ma'am) I was actually going to pay you a visit after you woke up. Seeing that you're here, I guess you must be feeling better. (Y… yeah…) Are you alright? Have you had something to eat?"

"Ah yeah. Haruka san came by earlier… although I had to force myself to eat it"

"That's good. As long as you know your body's calcium and protein needs, you should be fine. But I would advise you to get some rest while you still can. I know that you must be anxious seeing how you've been using the stims but you must learn to calm yourself down before you burn yourself out"

"Heh… Marimo sensei said the same thing to me once"

"That's natural of her. (…)" We paused for a moment when we realized that there was really no point in hiding our expressions.

"Captain. (…?) If it's alright with you. I'd like to apply a hypnotic therapy on myself. If I keep this up I might bring the squad down"

"Hmmm… usually I would agree to this. We do have an expert on it in the mobile command post but I would prefer that you got over it on your own. In our situation, I think a hypnotic therapy would only worsen your condition on a later date. You shouldn't rely on it too much and allow your mind to sort itself out. If we were needed on a mission I would allow it. (…) I'm sure with a little rest and some psychiatric therapy, you should be back on your feet. Understand?"

"Yes ma'am… thank you…"

"I'll keep you on your toes if you're not up to it. You have to consider yourself fortunate to survive something like that. (…?) It must've been difficult for both of you to be in that thing. (…) I read the report on how Kashiwagi tried to attack the Carrier all by herself… and you went in to save her. (…) Shirogane…"

"Yes ma'am?"

"Tell me. Was Kashiwagi acting strangely when you last saw her? (…!)" The image of Kashiwagi's face when she attacked me came to light. Even though it was a brief moment, I knew that there was something wrong with her. "Shrogane?"

I should probably be honest. Besides, it's the captain's responsibility to keep the squad's mental health in check. "Haruko… she… was acting differently. (…) I can't really explain it properly… but I'm certain that she wasn't herself at the time. She seemed… hopeless and desperate for some reason. But even so… she kept to herself and followed the mission"

"I see. So she knew. (…?) It must've been hard for her as well. (Captain?) I guess you have the right to know seeing that you saw her condition. (…) However, I must ask that you do not share this information with anyone. Understand? (Yes ma'am) I just found out recently that her brother was also stationed in Shikoku Island. (…!) His name came up on the list of wounded"

Her brother? (Flash) Wait… she never mentioned anything about it before.

"Her brother, ma'am?"

"That's correct. Kashiwagi Taichi. He was part of the artillery group in Tokushima commanding a tank so he wasn't part of the frontlines. However he suffered multiple wounds upon the retreat order" So that's why she was acting so strangely back then.

"But wait… if he's part of the wounded then he should still be alive, shouldn't he?"

"I don't know. He wasn't brought to Kyoto like the others. His unit was sent to Nara instead so I lost track of him. (But there's still a chance…) Despite our best efforts here, a lot of soldiers died in their sleeps. (…!) I think she must've found out about it right before the battle started. But it must also be tough for her since she had to keep up her act despite the pain inside" Kashiwagi. She was smiling at us back then… even though she was holding all that bottled up emotions in her. "Anyway, I'll try to find out more, later. In the mean time Shirogane, you should talk to your teammates before you head back. It'll do them good to know that you're feeling better"

"Yes ma'am. I'll do just that.

**(Tokyo General Hospital)**

"Your Excellency?" One of the Honor Guard Soldiers stood at attention when he noted Ikaruga exiting Tsukuyomi's room with a rather disgruntled face. "Are you alright, sire? You were in there for quite awhile. I hope the interrogation didn't prove too difficult"

But the man simply waved it off. "She was easy to subdue like her relative. Her strength and will were formidable even with the drug but she surrendered to the numbness in the end. The tenacious reputation of her loyalty proves true. Her Highness seems to surround herself with powerful pieces. If we had taken her head on, she would prove to be a fierce adversary. But she did not put up a fight. In fact… it was the information that she gave me that took me much time in thinking. I apologize for making you wait"

"Nonsense sire… it is a pleasure to serve" The soldier bowed in response to him. "What have you learned from her?"

"Many things. Things that are far too dangerous to let out at the moment" Noticing the hall was becoming crowded, the man decided to make his way to his vehicle waiting at the parking lot. "How goes our preparations?"

"All is well sire. We have support of almost 4/5 of the nation. Our supporters are growing by the minute"

"Yes… but we still have a thorn at our side. I did not expect the Allied Armies to be victorious against the BETA. I had hoped that by destroying Kyoto we could at least halve their armies. It will only be a matter of time before Kurechika approaches them with an offer they can't refuse. They'll be coming for us soon so I want everything prepared. (Yes my lord) Has Lt. Col. Tekoro arrived yet?"

"Yes sir. He's gathered more supporters for us on his way. He eradicated the rebel group in Yamanashi before they even had a chance to prepare. I've assigned him to be the first line of defense of the capital city"

"Good. We will need him. His reputation with the Imperial Army soldiers does give him credit. What of our Eurasian Allies?"

"They've just arrived sir. As we speak, their TSFs are being loaded into warehouses and the 9th Atlantic Fleet has just been disavowed by the E.U. and have officially gone rogue. To avoid panic and suspicion by the people we decided to let them stay at the harbor for the meantime"

"And… did they bring it?"

A grin flashed on the soldier's lips. "Yes. They've brought the parts as we expected along with the plans. We have the entire 5th Engineer Corp working on its construction. It will be ready by tomorrow"

"Hoooo? To penetrate Yoroi Sakon's security measures. That is impressive… I might have to start giving their commander some credit too. America really needs to keep better watch of their toys. Something that large can be so easily lost in all this chaos"

"Sir… wouldn't be easier if we struck the U.N. first? They're still weakened after their battle with the BETA, they're vulnerable"

"No" The man in blue answered plain and simple. "If we attack them, then we will be viewed as the aggressors. Though they may be weakened, the Imperial Army, combined with the U.N. Forces stationed here in Japan can still be a formidable fighting force. As much as it is tempting to destroy them all when they're weakened we must keep our act as the noble force. I still have one move to employ but we will save that for a later that. Besides, it's their turn now"

"But do you believe that they will attack? If anything I believe the allied forces will simply try to wear us out with a long siege"

"You have so many worries, my old friend. There is no need for such concerns. The stage has been set. By tomorrow they will be cast as the villains and by New Year… this country… will be ours"

"As you say Your Excellency. But what shall we do with the prisoner? I doubt she will take part in our plans. Her loyalty to the Shogun is far too dangerous"

"Take her down to the labs for processing. Though I would prefer using her talents for greater means, she'll be more of a liability than an aid to us if she regains her will. Another pawn for the game is greater than nothing"

"As you command…

**(Takeru's POV) (U.N. temporary headquarters) (Kyoto)**

Ah… there it is. My Shiranui. Looks like I really messed her up again. The mechanics back at Yokohama Base will probably chew me up again for being so reckless with it. The outer layer of the unit was torn off like they were peeled forcefully by some kind of bully. The sensors on the head was missing part of its horns and even the cockpit was barely in a state of repair. I'll be lucky enough if they can find me a replacement unit instead. Maybe they'll even let me pilot a Gekishin in our training.

Oh… wait…

That reminds me.

…

There it is. The sword that Her Highness gave to me is still in one piece. I'm glad I didn't forget it. If people saw this thing they might get an odd impression about me. I'll hide it in the cabinet for now. (Ruffle) Hmm? What's this? (Ruffle) Ah! This is… Sumika's hair ribbon. I thought I lost it in the fight. Kasumi gave me this a few days back as a good luck charm from Sumika. I usually have it wrapped on my arm as keepsake. No wonder I felt like something was missing. (Ruffle) Well… everything looks to be in order except for some of the plugs being torn from their sockets. I'll leave this to the mechanics once we get back to Yokohama Base.

Clang!

Hmm? Who's that?

"Ah!" Meiya? What is she doing hiding back there?

"Hey there Meiya. (…!) What are you doing over there?"

"I… I was… I was umm… I was…" She stuttered on her words thinking of a proper excuse. "I didn't mean to umm. I was… (On patrol?) Y… yes! That's it! You guessed well. I wasn't spying on you or anything"

"I didn't say you were. (Ah!) Hehehe… don't fret about it. Sorry if I worried you. (Ah…) I'll be less strict, I promise"

"N… no. (Eh?) Why are you so restrictive of yourself? It is I who should be apologizing to you. I… it… it was not my intention of disturbing you. The… the captain said that we needed to respect your privacy until you were ready and…"

"Ah… I see. (I apologize…) It's alright. I was already feeling better after breakfast so I thought I'd come out to check my unit. Sorry if I worried you"

"I… see… well… I umm…" Hehe… she looks cute when she's all flustered like that. "Do not laugh! It was not my intentions to be mocked!"

"Ahehehe sorry. It's just that I don't get to see you all shy like that everyday"

"Uuuuu… Takeru are you implying that I do not act like a woman sometimes?"

"No not like that. It's just I tend to forget that you all have another side in life"

"Hmph! You seem out of place. Perhaps you should think about being more considerate of others. (…) Ah! No… I didn't mean it like that. I was just. I was umm…"

"No it's alright. I appreciate you looking after me. It must be hard on all of us. (No… I…) I'll be back to my usual self in a few hours so tell the others not to worry… ok?"

"Wait! Takeru… I didn't mean…"

"Please… I'd like to be alone for awhile longer"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Meiya could do nothing but watch as the boy walked farther and farther away from her. She blamed the caused on her loose lips and sighed. Ever since Takeru returned, he had been quiet… like a part of him died in that monster.

The captain specifically told them that the boy needed time to sort his feelings out. After \experiencing something like that it's usually best to get their heads straight the natural way. She tried to cheer him up but it appears her words seemed to have backfired on her.

"…" Meiya punished herself by pinching her cheeks roughly to leave a mark. It was obvious how screwed up she left that one. But it was partially Takeru's fault too but at the least he had a reason. But her self-punishment quickly stopped when she noted a presence behind her. "Who's there!-? Show yourself!"

"Uwawawa! D d d d d… don't shoot me!" The pink haired child squealed frightfully with her hands up.

"Tamase? When did you…?"

"I… I'm sorry! I didn't mean to eves drop!" Miki pleaded in a begging tone. "I was just passing by to get some bandages and I… I uh… uwaaaa!"

"Ah… forgive me. I did not mean to sound so irritated. (Ah…) How much… did you hear?"

"Umm… just about the time when Takeru san was leaving…"

"I see… I do not blame you for listening in"

"Umm… I don't think Takeru chan took it that way, Meiya san. (…) I think he's just a little traumatized. I'm sure he'll forgive you anyway"

Meiya simply gave her refreshing smile. "Yes… Takeru is that kind of person after all. (Ahehe…) But it does not change what I have said. I will have to reflect on my standings for awhile"

**(Marimo's POV) (Command Center)**

The command center was the busiest place in the whole base right now. Despite our recent victory against the BETA, General Radhabinod continued in his task of reorganizing the U.N. Army. Nearly half of our forces stationed in Japan were lost in this fight against the BETA. Back in the days our enemies would not send more than a few thousands against us. Even the battle at Sadogashima did not reach this much. But now it seems like the BETA have begun to employ these new Carrier species to make our weapons almost useless against it.

We were only fortunate that we were able to stop this wave of attack. But the cost for simply holding the line was simply too great to bear. Though we may have bought some time for this country… humanity will need to develop a new strategy concerning this new opponent. Otherwise… we won't be able to fight them the next time we face against these creatures.

"What's the status of our battle group?" I looked at the holo-map and saw the strength of our forces. Our battalions are stretched thin from Kyoto to Shimane. Right now we were still waiting for reinforcements from Yokohama and other military base within the area but with the communication as it is we can barely even organize a patrol route without slipping a few times.

"We have a few battered battalions in Okayama and Wakayama" One of the captains answered back. "Elements of the 15th TSF Armored Battalion are scattered around Osaka. They're regrouping as we speak but we won't be expecting any kind of help from that unit until they can organize themselves"

"Remnants of the fleet are still in the port of Kyoto but we have a few ships that survived the battle at Shikoku Island. They're still assisting those that were stranded there but I can request several of their cruisers to move the wounded to our base in Fukuoka. We do know that we have some of our troops scattered across this area of Hyogo, however we still can't contact them due to the interference caused by the Dellinger Effect"

"To think that it would take only one move to cripple us all. (…) It truly does render tactics, useless" I agree with the General. The G-Bomb has always been a last resort of every force in the world. But we never expected our own faction to use it unless they were pushed to a corner.

"We will have to make do with what we have" The General announced focusing his attention back on the screen. "Though we may have stopped the enemy's advance we cannot allow ourselves to lax about security. Our priority is ensuring security around the major populated centers. Any units we have that are still able to fight are to go on routine patrols. What else do we have around the base?"

"We have several divisions still in need of repair but due to the lack of manpower we can barely cover the southern areas"

"We… still have the A-01 Special Task Force 9th Squadron, sir. They're the only group that is still in full combat strength. Their numbers are quite large and they have more than adequate combat experience to make up for it"

"Hmm… that appears to be the only viable option we have. Though I would rather have them remain on base just in case we need a combat unit ready. Their strengths and talents along with their numbers may be our only defense left. (…?)"

"Excuse me, sir" Our meeting was interrupted when one of the operators called to the general. "But you have a call from the council. They're waiting for you in the com room"

"I see. So they've received word already. That's expected of them. We will continue on with the formation we have. Prioritize wounded and relief supplies. Once we regain our normal communications channel, the Imperial Army can take over from here. The Valkyrie will remain on standby at Kyoto base in case of an emergency. That will be all. Dismissed. (Yes sir!)"

And just like that the officers disburse from the table leaving Suzumiya and me to finish with the paperwork. I'm glad that the squad won't be sent off on patrol like the rest of the army. At the very least I would like to have them recover after that last battle. They've been fighting for two days straight and will probably be less effective at their current condition. We may have beaten the BETA's main force but stragglers tend to appear every now and then.

"Jinguuji san?" Hmm? "Why don't you take a break? You haven't had any time to rest since the battle ended. I can handle the rest from here"

"Are you sure? This is quite a lot of forms to sort out"

"It's fine. I'm used to something like this already. Please rest while you still can"

"Hmm… alright. I'll take you up on that offer. But don't strain yourself too, alright? (Of course)"

**(Takeru's POV)**

Hmm… maybe I was a little blunt on Meiya. I shouldn't have walked away like that. I didn't want to be unappreciative of her worries but I just couldn't face her.

Brrr… it's starting to get cold again. My suit's temperature is already put in its warmest condition but this dark and damp weather is still making it even more unbearable. I wonder how long it'll be before we can return to Yokohama Base. I'm actually starting to miss that hard bed of mine. What I wouldn't give for a warm bath right about now. Even a decent onsen would be a welcome retreat after everything we've been through. (Flash) I remember spending time in the hot spring with everyone.

Heh… but that was also the place where Sumika's feelings reached me. Heh… man… how embarrassing was that to share a bath together? From there on… we did one thing to the next. Hehehe… just thinking about it is actually making me blush. Maybe it's the pervert inside of me.

"Yo Shirogane" Hmm?

"Oh… Hayase san"

"I heard that you were better so I came to find you. You look worse for wear"

"Well… I guess you could say that I haven't completely recovered"

"Don't strain your body too much. We can't have our hero fall right after he took down that giant, now can we?" Heh… hero? That sounds like something I've heard of before. "Oi oi… is it really ok for you to be walking out here in your condition? Maybe you should head back and get some rest"

"No… that's ok. I already had my fill of sleep. Anymore and I won't be able to wake up until someone hits me"

"Then I'd be more than happy to be the one to wake you up. (Geh!) Ahehe… but honestly. It's best if you recuperated. I promise that if we get sent out I'll be the first one to let you know. (…?) Oh and before I forget. (Ruffle) Here… I got this in one of the towns back in Osaka. I thought you might like it"

"Huh? This is…?" Wait… I recognize this box pattern. "This is chocolate milk?"

"Oh you know of it?" Of course I'd know it. I've had this drink since I was in elementary school. I never thought it'd exist in this world. "I was lucky enough to score two boxes. So enjoy it while it lasts. They were quite expensive you know"

I guess that shouldn't be a surprise. All of our processed food comes in synthetic form. This is real life chocolate with sweet and sugar combined. "This is oddly nice of you, Hayase san. I didn't expect something like this before"

"Oi, what's that supposed to mean? Are you saying that I'm always mean? (Geh!) Well?"

"No… not like that. It's just that. This is actually quite sweet of you. Usually you'd try to cheer me up by giving out a few jokes or maybe patting me at the back"

"What kind of character do you think I am?" She pouted. "I can be nice too if I wanted to"

I laughed. "Well honestly… my first impression of you was tough. You look like a girl who can take on anything. But now I get to see a sweet side of you. (Hey!) Ahehe… please don't be mad. That's just how I see you. (…) But… thank you. I appreciate you trying to cheer me up. I really feel better knowing that you're here"

"Oi… is that you normally react or do you say that to every girl you meet? (Eh?) Goodness… and here I thought you'd be different from him. (Huh?) Ah… no it's nothing. You just kind of… remind me of someone… that's all" (Flash) Ugh! N… no… not again. Why am I getting visions now of all times? Has the serum effect wore off already? I… can see Hayase and Haruka. But why are they wearing school uniforms? No… (Flash) That… can't be. Why am I seeing both of them? Why do I feel like I am the cause of all this? "H… hey are you ok? You look pretty pale. Maybe you need another checkup?"

"N… no that's ok. I'm just a little dizzy that's all. But I'm glad. You really do look out for your subordinate, don't you, Hayase san?"

"Of course! Th… that's the duty of a superior officer after all. I'm here to make sure you don't drag others down!" Hehe… she actually looks cute when she blushes. My headache is letting up but I really can't allow myself to relax for a second.

"Arara… well this is an unexpected development. (…!) I never expected to see the great and powerful Mitsuki blush. You're full of surprises, aren't you, Shirogane?"

"Ah… Munakata san?"

"Mu-na-ka-ta! Just what are you implying earlier?"

"I was merely stating how cute you were when you blushed. Ahuhu… if you keep this up, I might start getting jealous, Hayase. (Hey!) But I think it would be best not to rebel against her, Shirogane. It's obvious that the only one who's going to get hurt is yourself"

"Hey! What's that supposed to mean!-?" The two of them began a one sided argument. They kind of remind me of Ayamine and Class rep but their fights were never friendly to begin with.

"I was merely praising how strong you were, Hayase san" Munakata cooed back. "But then again… if Shirogane were in his perfect form… the odds are he could beat you in hand to hand combat. (What!-?)" Hey wait… why are you directing her anger to me this time? "I heard it from Ayamine and Tamase san. They say that Shirogane is unbeatable on a one-on-one fight. They say that out of all the matches he's been, he hasn't suffered one lost. Even you admitted that the tie you had on your first duel was considered a lost on your side, didn't you? (Guuuu!) So if I were to be the judge I'd say, Shirogane has a good chance of beating you"

"Ah Munakata san… please don't fan her flames more than necessary" I pleaded back.

"I see… I guess the title of Legendary Rookie comes with gloating rights" Geh… now Hayase's staring back at me with dagger eyes. "Alright then! I accept your challenge, Shirogane! (I didn't make any…) The moment you get better, we'll settle it once and for all who's the better person. Either in or outside of our TSFs!"

"Ara… that sounds so naughty" Munakata is probably thinking something perverted right now. "How bold of you to do inside and outside. Please… don't allow me to interrupt" Yup… she's totally thinking of the same image I'm having.

"Munakata! Stop putting words in my mouth! (Ahahaha!) Guuu! I'll remember this Shirogane! I'll give you one week to prepare! Be ready for it!" And just like that, Hayase stormed out not even glancing back. This is probably just the headache messing up with me but I could've sworn that her face was red.

"Ahuhuhu… now there's a face I thought I would never see" Munakata added. "That's actually the first time I've seen Hayase get so nervous talking with someone. I guess I was right… calling you the Alpha Male of the group, Shirogane"

"Please don't call me that"

"Ahuhuhu. But in any case… I think what Hayase was telling you, was get some rest. You need it… more than any of us here. (…) Well I'd better get back. Get well soon alright? It'll make this place a lot less gloomy"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Ahh… that chocolate drink really did hit the spot. It feels like forever since I had something this sweet. I don't remember the last time I even had a decent chocolate drink. My last savory drink was the sake that Yuuko sensei gave to me.

Even if the contents are small I can at least enjoy the flavor. Back in the other world I used to have this any time I wanted. They sold in the cafeteria in packs but it wasn't that popular in high-school. Usually those in elementary would be buying this in droves. Heh… I even had it when I was in junior high. I guess it's hard to leave the kid inside of me behind.

Hayase was even cute for a moment. Even if it was unintentional, she did raise my mood a bit. Maybe I'm having a second opinion about her.

Still… why am I getting these strange images in my head? Usually I would get images of a previous time or at least in the previous world. Yuuko said that I would be getting visions whenever I experience something familiar. I understand it whenever I'm with Sumika. Sometimes the images would come to me like rolling film reel and I wouldn't feel so much pain either. More like a jolt at times like when I'm with Meiya or the others.

But today I got to see Isumi and Hayase and even Haruka in my head. I can remember their expressions quite clearly. Every one of them. They were all… smiling and laughing like they were having a good time. The captain was dressed in formalwear attire unlike her military uniform. Her eyes were staring straight at me with her lips curled up like she was enjoying every moment of my expression. She looked… really happy.

And Hayase and Haruka. I knew that the two of them were good friends even from before but I've never seen them smile like that before. (Flash) I don't know why… but when I saw them laughing at one another… I felt my heart skip a beat. Ugh… this is too confusing. Maybe there was a point in my previous life that I met them. I don't really remember. It's not like I can remember everything at this point. Even the memories back from my world are fuzzy to say the least. The only thing I do remember is that I had a relationship with each and every one of my classmates that I had in my life. I went out with Sumika, Meiya… Class rep, Tama and even Ayamine.

Heh… I miss those good old days.

…

…

Sometimes… I wonder what my future would be like if I didn't come to this world. I bet I would still be in my house eating some of Sumika's delicious cooking. Maybe watching a classic movie on TV or playing with my Game-Guy. Hehe… in school… I would meet with my friends… having Class rep yell at me again and maybe play with Tama chan a bit. I wouldn't even mind a round of Valgernon with Mikoto too.

Heh… how silly of me. Back then I wanted nothing more but to escape from that ridiculous loop. I wanted to graduate from school, get a job, settle down and maybe one day… have kids of my own running around. But now… after so long… I would give anything to have that moment back.

_"How strange, to have come so far and to want so little…"_

_-Londo Mollari from Babylon 5 in the Beginning-_

Thud!

"Kya!"

"Ah! I'm sorry… I wasn't looking" Ugh… me and my habit of walking without looking. Eh? "Touko… san?"

"Ah? Shirogane?"

"Sorry about that. I guess I need to learn to watch where I walk"

"No. It's partially my fault for carrying too many things" She seems to be carrying a large stack of boxes.

"Are those… military rations?"

"Yes they are. I'm delivering them to the other camps. We're a bit shorthanded at the moment so they're calling anyone who can provide help. They're not much but I believe the rookies could use all the aid they can get" It must be the same basic meal that Haruka gave me earlier. It wasn't filling but it was enough to make you get through the day. The base must really be understaffed if they're asking Eishis to do menial works like this.

"Here… let me help you with that"

"No it's alright. I can handle this on my own. (Ruffle) Ah!"

"H… hey watch it. Stacking them improperly will only make them fall. (Ah…) Anyway, it's not like I'm doing anything useful so I might as well help you with that"

"A… are you sure?"

"Yeah… if I stayed still any longer I'll probably get lazy" Besides… any kind of distraction would be welcome.

"Very well. But please try not to strain yourself"

I waved it off. "You don't need to coddle me. I can handle this just fine. (…) Alright. Lead the way. (Hai…)"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The camp next door was for the rookies. Every Cadet and their commanding officers were stationed there. If we were still cadets we'd probably be stationed here with Marimo chan still commanding us. Everywhere I look I see cadets and rookie volunteer soldiers huddling around over campfires. I'm not surprised. Usually after something like this, they'd probably want to get into a familiar atmosphere to forget this battle ever happened. When I first fought the BETA… I needed comfort or at least something to cheer me back up.

"Excuse me…" Touko called out to one of the sergeant staffs talking by the command vehicle.

"Ah… 2nd Lt. Kazama. Thank you for your help" The three sergeants saluted us before taking some of the boxes from our stack. "We ran out of food supplies here. We'd be starving here without you guys"

"It was nothing. We had a few leftovers. Hopefully we'll receive more from Kyoto once things settle down a bit"

"The others are a little under the weather at the moment. But I'm sure they'll pull through"

"You're a lifesaver. We'll have these distributed to the cadets. They'll need all the strength they can get when we return home. I think they deserve that much after surviving their first encounter. (Indeed…) Ah? Hey… aren't you…?" The man turned his gaze to me with a curious brow. It's like he was scanning my face for some reason.

"Uh… is there something on my face?"

"Are you by any chance… Shirogane Takeru?"

"Uh… y… yeah…"

"I see…" The three officers turned to me with a somewhat concerning smile. "So young and already so strong. (Huh?)"

"Oh? The pilot of Striker 1?" The other inquired looking at me like some kind of gem that need appraisal. "I was expecting him to be… taller"

"Well… I don't know if I'm authorized to speak for everyone here but… thank you. (…?) Keep up the good work… Mr. Legendary Rookie"

"Don't get eaten twice now"

And just like that, they left.

"What was that just now?" I asked openly to no one in particular.

Touko gave out a small chuckle in return. "Ahuhu… it seems like you're getting popular, Shirogane san" How is that popular? "Haven't you noticed the people around you, Shiroagne san?" The people around me? Wait… now that she mentioned it… I'm beginning to notice something strange. The cadets around here were staring at me. I can feel their gaze on my back but every time I turn to look at them, they immediately look away in embarrassment. Like that group there… and there… they're all… staring at me. "It seems like the cadets have taken a shining on the one who was able to take down a Carrier Class BETA all on his own"

"H… how would they know that?"

"Everyone knows the pilot of Striker 1. (Geh!) Perhaps the pilots here are starting to take a shine on you"

"Ahehe… I don't think they'll want to take after me, Touko san. Besides… I'm a terrible role model at this point"

"Nonsense. With what you've done… I think you're the prime example of a well trained Eishi. Even though it's only been a few months since you've trained with us, your skills are on par with ours"

Heh… I can't tell her that this isn't the first time I've trained with them. Back in my last loop, the captain and the other 1st Lieutenants drilled these instructions into me until I memorized all of their move patterns. That's how I was able to beat them in all the mock battles so easily. I know all of their habits like they were my own.

"But my training came from a lot of things" I countered quickly. "I don't think people should use me as a milestone"

"But even so… the tale of the Legendary Rookie is still by far the best one yet. (Geh!) At this rate you'll be even more famous that Captain Isumi. (Eh?) The captain is extremely popular back when we were cadets. She wasn't just approached by men but by women too. (Ehh! For real?) Ahuhu. I remember. Munakata san and I saw how people would approach her. Even members from different teams confessed their love" This is new to me. I always knew that the captain was highly regarded by many officers because of the success rate she gave… but I didn't expect people to actually confess to her. Well… if you put the things together. (Flash) Her charms, her helpful personality and her looks and not to mention her dedicative nature… it shouldn't be a surprise for people to fall for her so easily. "Ara… are you thinking about the captain now, Shirogane san?"

"Well… I was just thinking that it's normal to see people fall for someone like that. If she were in high-school I bet people would flock to her everyday"

"Oh… that's right, you studied in high-school, didn't you, Shirogane san? (…?) You're lucky. You actually went to school. Not many people get a chance of going"

"Eh? Didn't you go to high school, Touko san?"

"No. Unlike Misae san… I was drafted into the military when I turned 15. It was disappointing at first seeing that I wanted to join the University of Arts in Kyoto. They had a course there involving music composition"

"Oh that's right. You played the violin, didn't you?" I remember specifically on the rooftop of the old school building. "That was a really beautiful tune you played back there"

"Thank you for the praise but I'm still nowhere near the professionals who play in the concert halls"

"Heeh. But what I heard was really good. I'm sure the others would agree with me if you played in front of all of them"

"I think that would require a lot of courage for me to do so. (…?) As I am now, I've only been able to play it in front of Misae san and you. If a whole crowd gathered around me I would probably die of embarrassment. (Heeeh?) I may not look like it but I have a really bad case of stage fright. It was hard enough just trying to play in front of you, Shirogane san" Heh… well this is another new thing I've learned about Touko. She has stage fright. I never would've thought about it considering how bold she acts with Munakata. "Is… something wrong, Shirogane san?"

"Huh? Oh… no. I was just surprised that's all. I never would've thought of you being the embarrassing type. Since I usually see you with Munakata I thought you'd be more open like her"

"Ahuhu… indeed. Misae san does have her broad side. She's the type of person who is truly honest with herself. I guess that's one of the reasons why I admire her so much. She's a great friend to have. Sometimes I wished I could be more like her. Honest and unafraid of what the future brings. Huhu… I guess it's true on what they say that opposite attracts" Ahehe… it's been awhile since I had any decent conversation out here. It's hard to find a topic to talk about amidst all this fighting.

…

…

Hmm? Why is she staring at me like that?

"Shirogane san. (Yeah?) Would you mind coming with me for a bit? There's something I want to show you"

"Ah… yeah… sure"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

She took me towards the hillside overlooking the city of Kyoto. The dark clouds above made it hard to see anything at this point but I can still make up the shapes of the buildings down below. I can see U.N. and Imperial Armies working by the road making sure that everyone gets back safely.

"It's hard to imagine that these people will be returning to their normal lives soon without even realizing how close they were from death. (…?)" What is she talking about now? "Shirogane san. I don't think you understand the full consequences of your actions today. (Eh?) Do you not see it? The city down below? Had you not stop the BETA… none of us here would be alive to see this day. (…) What happened to Kashiwagi is a natural thing to occur on battlefields. This is a war after all and no one can escape from it without a scar or two to mark them"

"Touko… san…?"

"You've saved lives out here today, Shirogane san. A lot more than any of us did. So please… don't be depressed on what happened"

"Touko…"

"Please remember that there are people counting on you. If you do not pull your act together… then when you make a mistake… you will only end up blaming yourself even more. (…) I know that what I'm saying is completely absurd but I know that there are people who appreciate what you've done no matter how you think about it" I see… so that's what those sergeants back at the camp meant. "You've shown the cadets here that we do have a chance of defeating the BETA. You've shown them a victory when all they saw was defeat. (…) You've given them hope, Shirogane san. And I'm sure we can use that hope in defeating our enemies again"

…

…

…

"Touko… I… I'm…"

"Ah! I'm sorry…" She bowed lowly in apology. "That was… rude of me to lecture you on something like that. It's just that…"

"No… you're right. (Eh?) I can't be depressed forever now, can I? I think Hayase tried to say the same thing to me earlier but couldn't find the words to put it. (Oh…) But you're right. I need to keep myself focused. I can't afford to breakdown now when my team needs me the most. I'm sure that if you gave me time… I'll probably return to normal"

"Ah… right… the captain said the same thing to all of us earlier. I am sorry if I interrupted your meditation"

"No it's alright. It was my choice to help out after all. (…) We'll have time to dwell on the past but right now I'm needed here… in the present. Once we get back to Yokohama Base… I'll cry all I want"

"Ahuhu… perhaps Akane was right about you being a crybaby. (Geh!)"


	49. The First Blow

**Chapter 49: The First Blow**

**(Tokyo Royal Palace) (Shogun's Room)**

Yuuhi's blinked open to the sunlight that morning. Her visions were blurry but she remembered her surroundings well enough to know that she was in her room in the royal palace. She could see her caretaker, the Grand Chamberlain by the table, pouring herself a cup of tea which sent the aroma to her nose. It was only when she got that smell did she realize that she was thirsty.

"Oba… san…?"

The old caretaker quickly jerked her head back with widened eyes to see Her Highness awake. In a quick motion she returned to her side. "Your Highness. Please… return to your bed. You need your rest…"

"Wh… what happened?"

"Please try not to worry too much. (…?) Excuse me" The Chamberlain then gently placed her hand over the girl's forehead and judged the temperature with her mind. It was warm. "Thank goodness. It seems like your fever has gone down a bit. I was worried that it may have gotten worse. (…) I shall fetch you your tea" The cup reached the Shogun's mouth where she slowly ingested into her dry throat.

The soreness from her mind slowly began to disappear but at least now her body was not in a critical state.

After regaining some of her strength, Yuuhi rose from her bed against her caretaker's wish. She scanned her surroundings, taking the color of the room into her head. Slowly she began to remember what occurred the other night. The pain seeped into her mind like a nail being struck on the head. She remember… the explosion… the screams… the soldiers on Shikoku Island.

"I remember…"

The old caretaker looked back at the poor girl who recalled the explosion. The lives of so many people are now weighing on her shoulder. It was a burden too much to bear even for a child her age. Why the country had to place such a burden on her was beyond her understanding. It was not society that wronged her… but her faith and birthright. To be born under the star of the royal family meant that she to survive the ordeal beset upon her. No matter how much she wished for it… a life of normality would simply be beyond her reach.

"Please do not think too much, child. You would only burn yourself. Drink this and you will feel better, I guarantee it"

Yuuhi could only follow her instructions and drink. She felt so weak and so demoralized that if she stood she would probably faint from all the pressure gravity was making.

"Oba san…"

"No more talking, child. Rest now and conserve your strength" She placed a wet towel over the head of the Shogun and made it that it wouldn't fall off. "You will need it for what you are about to face…"

"… Ta…keru…"

**(Takeru's POV) (Kyoto outskirts) (December 30, 2001 Sunday) (01:25 PM)**

Hmm? That's odd. I was pretty sure I heard Meiya calling my name just a few seconds ago. The channel to her com is closed and out of range. I guess I must be hearing things again. Maybe I really do need more sleep.

"Shirogane, do you read me?" Marimo appeared on my screen. "There's some debris blocking the main road leading towards the city. Can you clear it out?"

"Roger. I'll get to it" A few hours after we got our rest, we were ordered to help with the post-war reconstruction of Kyoto by getting the relief supplies to the outskirts of the city. I think this place is called Arashiyama. I hear that the cherry blossoms here are really beautiful in the seasons. There are some abandoned cars and rubble on the road. Possibly a crash of some sort took place here and the drivers decided to continue on foot. I hope they make it back home soon. (Whirrr…) "This is Valkyrie 2B. The road to Togetsukyo Bridge is clear. Moving on…"

"This is Valhalla, copy that. All roads to the outskirts have been cleared. C Platoon is handling the central area. Your mission is complete. Return to base. Good work, Shirogane"

"Roger. Heading back to base"

We've been here for almost 14 hours now since the battle and still we can't seem to organize ourselves. They're getting everyone to work, even the cadets from the camp. The U.N. Army aren't allowed in the city itself but they can help with the area outside the city. For the last hour I've been sweeping roads, lifting debris that clogged the water and lifting torn building from town to town. It's amazing how TSFs can also be used for manual labor like this rather than military weapons.

The weather hasn't improved at all since the battle ended. The only way I can tell the time was looking at the screen on my headset. The clouds above us were so thick that it looks like the whole country was covered in it. We're partly to blame for it I guess. Humanity has grown so desperate that they were forced to use weapons that would have long term effect on lands like this. The G-Bombs, the SD-11… and even heavy metal clouds caused by anti-laser shells which pollute the air for a long period of time.

It should be considered a miracle that we've been able to survive this long at all. I just hope that humanity can endure once we drive the BETA off our world.

"This is Valhalla to Valkyrie 3B, we have you on sight. Land on the platform and disengage thrusters"

"Roger…"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Ahhh… it's nice to finally get some stretching. After being cooped up in a cockpit for so long you begin to feel your body go numb. Only your hands and feet can get a decent exercise in there. It's almost the same feeling you get when you play Valgernon for too long. Your body tends to get stiff. I remember one weekend, Mikoto and I played that thing for a whole hour to achieve the top score for the dual pilot for a single mech. We got 3rd place… but only because we ran out of time. Hehehe… what I wouldn't give to get that experience again.

Oh…? There's Marimo chan. I wonder if it's alright if I took a break now.

"Marimo sensei! (Hmm?) Ah… sorry… I didn't know there's someone else"

"It's alright, we were just finishing. What is it, Shirogane?"

"I was wondering if it's ok if I took a quick break"

"I understand that you're exhausted but you have to understand that we're also very understaffed at the moment. There's a good chance you might be needed in another area for repairs. But I guess a quick 10 minute lunch wouldn't hurt anyone. Your TSF should be ready by then. (Yes ma'am) Keep up the good work. I still have to deliver a message to the next camp for their orders" I guess even the staff officers must be having it rough too considering our communications are still in a glitch.

"Ah… don't worry about that Jinguuji san. We can do that for you. (Eh?)" The two female staff officers that she was talking to smiled in assurance her. "The camp is just right next door. Besides, it's not every day you get to spend some time alone with your sweetheart" Huh? Wait… what? Sweetheart?

"Indeed. You're the lucky one to get a real man to fall for you"

"Didn't I tell you two to stop it with those rumors!-?" Marimo lashed back at them with her face beet red. "It's bad enough as it is without you two spreading it around!"

"Ahh… isn't she cute? She's actually embarrassed about it"

"Ahaha… you don't need to hide it, Jinguuji san. Everybody knows about you and 1st Lt. Shirogane already" The other girl added with a teasing tone. "You two would look great on a picture for sure. (Oi!) Ahaha. Well we'd better take our leave. Don't swell about the small stuff and take as much time as you want. We'll make sure to cover for you if the captain asks"

"That's right. Please take as much time as you want to do… whatever it is you want, Jinguuji san~"

"Ahh… AHHHH! Just what are you implying with that last sentence!-?"

"Ahahaha. Oh… 1st Lt. Shirogane. (Huh?) Please take good care of Jinguuji san for us. She can be quite stubborn when she sets her eyes on something"

"Huh? Ah… yeah… sure" I answered unconsciously.

"Don't go answering them like that!" Eeeeep! Now she's mad at me. "And you two—ah! Damn it! They're gone!" The two officers that were with her were already long gone from this place. "Goodness. These girls are insufferable. They're acting like they're acting on a school gossip"

"Well in truth they're in that age"

"This is partly your fault too, you know!"

"Wahh! I'm sorry!" She's really angry at me.

"Haaa… forget it. It's not like I can do anything to convince them otherwise. (Eh?) The more I deny it the more they try to make it look like I'm hiding it. (Ahehe…) This is no laughing matter! (Geh!) It's all because of the events you brought upon me that made me look like this"

"But… isn't it partly your fault too? You kept avoiding me back in Yokohama Base which made it look like we were having a fight"

"Hoooo? Are you really going to start talking back at me?" Geh…! What's with this creepy atmosphere she's emanating? "Are you saying that I have a part to be blamed for this? (…ah?) Shirogane~~Do you know want to know what I do to students who starts talking back to me?"

"N… no! I'm sorry! It's completely my fault ma'am!" I bowed deeply with all my might. Even in this world I can't stand up against Marimo chan. "Please don't do anything I will regret!"

"Ahuhu… (…?) Ahuhuhu" She's… laughing? "I'm just kidding. There's no need for you to apologize so seriously. (Huh…?) Let's just agree that we're both at fault in creating that silly rumor, alright? (Ah… ok…) Well then. Shall we go? I'm sure they're serving lunch by the command post already"

"Ah… yeah sure…"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The meal they served at the mobile kitchen was staggering. It was pretty much the same thing I had for breakfast. I guess we still can't expect help from the Imperial Army at this point. They lost a lot of people in Shikoku Island and no one knows what set off that G-Bomb there.

"Shirogane? Are you alright? (Huh?) I've been calling you for awhile now and you haven't responded at all"

"Ah… sorry. I was… thinking about something"

"Are you still worried about 2nd Lt. Kashiwagi? (…) They already said that she's passed the danger line. She'll recover after a few days of rest"

"Well… that… and some other things. With nothing to do, you just want to… reflect on things. But it's not bothering as much as it did before"

"That's good. As long as you can set your priorities straight then I won't coddle you. Here…" She handed me a tray of the rations they were serving. "Eat while you still can. We're going to need the best pilot in his best shape in case we have another emergency. (…) What's wrong? Aren't you hungry?"

"Huh? Oh… no. It's just that having you give me my food reminds me of that time I had your homemade lunch. (…!) It was really tasty"

"There you go again. Saying something embarrassing out loud. (Geh!) And you wonder why people keep making strange rumors about us. (Sorry) Heh… but if you really like it then maybe I can make another one just for you. (Really?) It'll be my thanks for saving me all those times. We can have it during our New Year feast. It'll be something you can look forward to, neh?"

"Yes ma'am!"

"Ahuhuhu. And this time I'll show you the full extent of my cooking skills. I'll make sure you drool just by looking at it"

"Hooo! I definitely can't wait!"

"Ahuhu. It's a date then" Hehe… this is exactly what I expected from Marimo chan. She knows exactly how to cheer me up. She's probably just doing this to get my spirit back but I don't care. A treat from Marimo's excellent homemade cooking is worth every bite.

"Oya oya… why don't you two go somewhere quiet before you go all mushy in front of everyone. (…?) Goodness, if you wanted Jinguuji san's cooking then maybe I should just starve you myself"

"Ah! Oba san/Kyozuka san?" Marimo and I noticed the old lady from the PX. She was wearing a thick light blue winter jacket which covered her from head to stomach.

"Going all lovey like that. Are you trying to make the people around here jealous or something? Goodness…"

"What are you doing all the way out here?" I asked out loud. "I thought you were still at Yokohama Base"

"I'm the cook of course. They were asking for volunteers in the base to help out so I joined up with them. (Oh…) But here I thought to make some good food for the soldiers. But with what they're giving me, I'm surprised I can make anything tasty at all" It's true. What we have here are pretty much scrap. If we don't receive supplies soon we'll probably be digging at the bottom of the barrel for more. "I wanted to find you two to say my piece and here I found two lovebirds picking a date for the New Years. Goodness. If you were in the PX, I wouldn't be surprised if someone tossed a bowl of soup on top of you"

"Wha? No no! It's not like that! We were just… umm…"

"This isn't what it sounds like!"

"Hai hai… don't go using the same old excuse. Here…" She handed me a small box casing.

"What's this?"

"Bancha tealeaves" Was her healthy smiling answer. "I was able to get my hands on a new batch yesterday so I thought I'd share some with you, Mr. Legendary Rookie. (Oh…) So keep up the good work and try not to do anything that would make Jinguuji san cry, ok? What kind of a man would you be if you made your girlfriend sad?"

"Wait! What? No!" I barked out. "It's not like that at all! We were just talking about our… plans… for the… New Year" Wait… now that I think about it, it does sound like something a couple would say.

"And Jinguuji san. (Y… yes?) My kitchen is open for you any time. Just try not to make too much of a mess when you're making your homemade cooking. (Eh!) Ah… but this weather isn't the time for such a moment. You'd better wait for a better day when you want to go all lovey dovey on one another. (Hey! Listen!) Alright. I'd better get back to work. You lovebirds enjoy yourself now. Good luck! Hahahaha…"

"Ah! K… Kyozuka san…!" Marimo and I couldn't help but turn beet red at her comment. I guess there was really no helping it. Even if we were just being normal to one another, others can't help but think that we were a couple. I guess this is partly our fault now. "…" Uuuu… I don't like that stare of hers.

"You do know that this is also partly your fault, right? (Guuuu) H… hey come on now. Don't give me that look. You know I had no control over what she said about us, right, Marimo chan?"

"STOP CALLING ME THAT!"

**(Tokyo) (Royal Palace) (Shogun's room)**

After a brief rest, the Shogun was finally able to get back on her feet. Despite the Chamberlain's advice, Yuuhi could not help but look upon the city at peace. There was a grave state of confusion lingering in the air. It was heavy and yet the people try their best to maintain an ordinary day through it all.

It's a strange thought really. There were people and soldiers out there… walking by and patrolling the streets without a single care in the world… not even knowing that there was a princess being imprisoned in the residence of her own home right in the tallest building in the whole city. She began to wonder if she screamed right here for help, would someone come to her aid? It was a childish dream.

One of the servants came by earlier to deliver a well prepared meal for the Shogun but she would not touch it. Anything delivered here at this point are to be considered tainted at best. Only what the chamberlain offered could be trusted.

The plants by the balcony were not blooming but that was only because the sun refused to shine today. There was no sound of thunder, or lightning flashes in the distance… not a single trance of rain. Whatever was blocking the city from the skies… was something… rotten.

For awhile now, Yuuhi never felt more powerless than ever before. She was a hostage. A prisoner of her own country. She could see the world… but despite everything that she has gone through… freedom seemed like a fleeting dream. Yes… that was the only thing she could do.

Dream…

The Shogun felt a warm blanket covering her shoulder. She looked back to see her caretaker by her side with a sad smile forcing from her lips.

"You'll get a cold if you go out with such loose clothing, Your Highness. (Oba… san…) You still haven't recovered from the fever yet you still persist on staying out on such a gloomy weather"

"Oba san…" Yuuhi turned to face her, eyes pleading for answers. "I am… lost… (…?) I… I do not know what it is I must do. What should I do to resist them? Why must I stay in this room while others fight in my name? Should I not be fighting with them out on the field along with everyone else?"

"Don't speak of such things, Your Highness. If you were to disappear, what would become of this nation? This country needs you… now more than ever. I do not know what the future has in store… but the least you can do is accept it with a smile. (…) In truth… there are times when I wish such fate did not befall upon you. (…?) To see you standing here… and looking down on the world. What I despise more than that man is to see you saddened. (Oba san…) Heh… perhaps it is just the parenting in me. I have seen you grow from a child, raised you as if you were my own… so it is only natural that I want you to see the world before I pass. There is so many things here that I wished you to see… wish you to experience… wish you to learn. Had I only had the strength to see it through. Kuh… and to see you cry… will be a mark of failure in my life…"

"Please… say no more" Yuuhi raised her hand in objection. "Your thoughts alone are more than enough. Though I have been denied many things. This life of mine has been kind enough to allow me to have a wonderful caretaker to see me through. (Your Highness…) It is not the life I asked for but it is the life I must bear with. Forgive me for losing myself earlier. I have only made unnecessary worries to you. We cannot live our lives on 'what ifs' and actions of the past. We can only march on… believing that what we do will benefit the world and leave this life without regrets. (…) May I ask a favor from you, oba san?"

"Name it…"

"Will you be at my side, no matter what?"

The Grand Chamberlain could only cough a smile as tears began to roll down her eyes. She did not see Yuuhi as others did to her. In her eyes, she was not the almighty Shogun that this country worshiped, not the dedicated leader or diplomat this country desires. In her eyes… she was like the daughter she raised since birth. Like a mother who groomed and taught her child everything she knew. The only regret she had—was to see the child live this tortured life.

"For the rest of my life, Your Highness…"

Yuuhi returned to her normal self and showed a comforting smile back. "Then I have little regret in this life… oba san…"

"Such a touching moment…" But their moment to peace was rudely interrupted by an uninvited visitor. "… it almost saddens me to interrupt" The Grand Chamberlain moved back, surprised to see the man come in without even announcing himself. "Good afternoon, Your Highness…"

"You!" The caretaker barked out. "How dare you enter Her Highness's chambers without announcing yourself!-? It matters not whether you are a member of the royal family, you cannot—" But she stopped when Yuuhi raised her hand.

"What is the purpose of your visit?" She got straight to the point with no funny business aside. "If you come to ask for my support then you already know of my answer"

"Yes. You made it clear on my last visit, Your Highenss. But I am not here to discuss the terms of politics or our ideals, today. In truth… I actually came here to talk about… you… Your Highness"

"Cease with your playful words. I have no time for such tomfoolery"

Ikaruga noted her impatience and decided to come clean. "Very well. I shall keep it brief. I've heard from a… 'reliable' source that Your Highness has been conducting a private meeting with the United Nation. (…?) It has come to my attention that this meeting took place outside of the royal palace very recently and has not been recorded in any archives. Not only was this unannounced but you also risk going to another faction without a single guard to escort you. (…!) So I wish to know… why the Shogun herself… would take such a risk. What was it you discussed in that brief moment? (…) Have you traded this country without us knowing… or… was it because of something… personal?"

"…" Yuuhi's heart skipped a beat in that moment but she refused to show any signs of weakness to the man.

"You speak of nothings!" The Chamberlain spoke out in turn. "Her Highness would not do such a thing. You have no proof of such accusations"

"Indeed. This meeting took place in such great secrecy that only a selected few know of it. Even the members of the Imperial Ministry of Intelligence were unaware of such rendezvous. Such a feat would require a man with many talents to hide such important figures. I never expected him of all people. (You…!) Her Highness doesn't seem to be denying it"

The caretaker then noticed it too. Yuuhi had remained silent. She didn't acknowledge it but she didn't deny it either.

"Your Highness…"

"I thought such a meeting would change something within our political regime… but I saw nothing happened since that meeting. So… it must be something else. (…) And so the question is why? Why, your highness? Why would the mightiest figure of all Japan go through all that length to meet with one person? What does the name, Shirogane Takeru… mean to you?"

"…!" Yuuhi's feelings wavered.

**(Takeru's POV) (U.N. camp)**

Haaa… what a day. It's barely past noon and already I feel exhausted. I haven't been sent out on another mission but just doing absolutely nothing is stressful enough already. Not only that, but Marimo refuses to speak to me, again. The moment someone teases us about being a couple she immediately goes back to her shell. I know she doesn't want a rumor like that to go on but keeping silent about it will only makes it worse. It's not that I don't like her. I'm pretty sure Marimo chan would make a terrific girlfriend for someone and maybe even an awesome wife but I'm with Sumika. Right now she means more to me than anyone so I can't be in another relationship altogether.

Maybe if I showed her to everyone, it'll silence all these rumors at once. Yeah… it'll also be nice for her to get out of that gloomy room. Some air with Kasumi and visiting the tree behind the school would be nice. It'll make her feel a lot more human than just sitting there in that dark place.

Maybe when we get back to base I'll ask Yuuko sensei if she can get some time out of the base. We can also have that picnic with Mikoto and the others. It'll be like a reunion with the whole gang back in the other world.

…

Heh… the other world. Since when did my world become the 'other world'? Maybe I've been here for so long that I'm beginning to consider it home. Heh… maybe I'm just a little homesick. In any case, I just hope we get relieved soon. I don't want to be stuck around Kyoto forever.

"Ah! Takeru!"

"Hmm? Mikoto? When did you get back?"

"Just a few minutes ago. Kei san is still helping out with Akane san so I decided to take a quick break. I'm starving. Speaking of which… have you eaten yet?"

"Hmm? Oh yeah. I came back about an hour ago so I went ahead and ate"

"Heeeeh? That was fast. You had a whole area all to yourself while the rest of us were in pairs. You sure work fast" It's not that I work faster than you guys, it's just that I pilot my TSF differently. While they stick with routine procedure I just mix things up using all the limbs to create a major sweeping tool. I brush the road like I was sweeping. I had plenty of handiwork like that when I was in school when Class rep forces me to clean. "Well I guess that's to be expected from you, Takeru. With your skills, you can handle anything easily"

"Thanks but don't compliment me too much or I'll get full of myself"

"Hai hai. But a compliment or two doesn't hurt anyone now, does it?"

"Good point" I rub the back of my neck, embarrassed. "Oh by the way. I saw Kyozuka san cooking by the supply truck"

"Heh? Oba san is here?"

"Yup. She volunteered to help out the soldiers around here. She's probably still there cooking something up"

"Wahh! I wonder if I can ask her to make something for me. I'd better tell Kei san. Later Takeru!"

"Ah… later…" And like that… she was gone. She's still as active as ever that Mikoto. She's a living ball of energy. I wonder where she gets all that energy from.

"I'm pretty sure she's getting it from you"

"Hmm? Ah! Captain Isumi!"

"At ease. There's no one around. (Sorry ma'am) It's fine. But if you're going to hide your thoughts, you might as well not say them out loud"

I was saying it out loud? Man… I really need to watch what I think and say. "Ah… sorry about that"

"No need to apologize. I don't really mind idle chatter. (Ahehe) But if it was top secret information then maybe I would turn you in for interrogation" Guuu… that sounds like a very viable threat coming from her. "But I can see that you're doing a lot better now. Your face is getting its color back"

"Well… like you said: I just needed some time to get myself straight. I can't be depressed forever, now, can I? Besides, if I stayed like that, Yuuko sensei would probably just slap me again"

"Yuuko? You mean… Vice Command Kouzuki? (Yeah) Oh that's right. She's your guardian and personal commanding officer. I keep forgetting that you work directly under her supervision. (Huh?) I never imagined her to physically harm someone"

"Well… it happened a long time ago. I was pretty much the one at fault at the time so I can't blame her for it"

"I see. I guess even Professor Kouzuki has a limit to her tolerance. You must've done something really bad to get her to slap you"

"Ahehe…" You'd be surprise, Isumi san. "Oh by the way, have you finished with you assignment? The cafeteria is open"

"I'd love to but I still have to make a report to the command post. I'll wait until they refit my TSF before departing for HQ. Until then, I'm stuck here with you" Hey… you make that sound like a bad thing. "Ahuhu… it's just a joke. Lighten up. Oh… and just for the record, I was able to get permission for Kashiwagi to be transferred to the Kyoto. (Eh?) She's being cared for in the First Red Cross Hospital with some of the best medical attention they can offer. Apparently the Imperial Army is now accepting our wounded in as well. This can relieve us of many injured"

"Eh? But I thought they were prioritizing their own first"

"They were, but apparently, the General and the Prime Minister were able to work something out"

"Eh? The Prime Minister? You mean the Prime Minister of Japan?" Class rep's old man? I haven't heard anything about him since Sadogashima but then again, I haven't much time to watch TV in the PX.

"That's right. Hopefully with her in intensive care, she might get back on her feet in a few days at best" That's good. The medical equipments we have here are only for temporary measures and minor injuries. We can treat serious injuries too but not as effective as those in the hospitals. "For the mean time I have some contacts in the city that might be able to keep her comfortable"

"Thanks captain"

"It's my responsibility to get my team back to full fighting strength whenever possible. Ahehe… hey, if you're still feeling lax, you can have this"

"Ah… thank—geh!" Oh no… it's that horrible drink again. Just what is this stuff anyway? It's definitely not an energy drink and it's definitely not some kind of fruit I know of. They say that it's healthy—like medicine but considering the taste I'd prefer one of oba san's cooking. I had to force down the first one she gave me and threw the contents of another in a plant somewhere in the staff office.

"Don't worry. I have plenty more back in my office in Yokohama Base. There are surprisingly a lot of them to spare in the PX. I always worry that they might not have enough for everyone" I think the only reason why there are a lot is because you're only one of the few people who actually buy them. "Hmm? What's wrong, Shirogane?"

"Uh… no it's nothing. Th… thank you… (Slirrrrp…)" Ugh… it's still as bad as I remember it. The captain… and everyone here really do have strange taste.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

I spent some time with the captain taking a walk around the hill overlooking the old road. I can see rows of trucks and civilian cars moving up towards the city. On the sidewalk you can see rows of Cherry Trees all withered for the season. Kyoto is famous for these Sakura trees. I just hope we'll have time to see them bloom next year. Oh… that also reminds me. It's almost time for New Year. I wonder if we can visit one of the shrines and offer prayer or something.

I'm not a very pious person but I'd like to keep one memory of myself alive before the end of this year. It'd be a celebration for surviving this long without screwing up things too badly.

"Wahh… this is a nice view" The Captain said out loud. "If the Sakura trees were blooming this would've made a perfect place for a postcard picture. I wish I had brought my camera"

"I didn't know you take pictures, Isumi san"

"Normally I don't. I'm actually doing them as a favor to an old friend of mine. (A favor?) Yeah. He's a wiz behind the camera and can spot the perfect view before he even sees it. He doesn't get a lot of opportunities to get out of the city so he gave me his camera to take good pictures for him. He usually likes sceneries, animals or natural objects so I send him a few every year. (Every year?) Yeah… but because of my mission, I'm not really allowed to bring a camera with me so getting him a good view can be quite hard. (Oh…)" She turned back to look at the dead trees with a longing face.

"He must've been a great photographer"

"The best I know. They called him a prodigy in that art. It was his dream to finally become a renowned photographer and he studied hard for it. He was even offered a full scholarship by a famous photographer which would make him famous"

"Wow… you don't get that kind of opportunity every day. Did he take it? (…) Captain?"

"No… he didn't"

"Eh? Why not? Wasn't it his dream to become a famous photographer?"

"It was. But… he couldn't take the offer" Why wouldn't he? If there was a rare opportunity to get me closer to my dreams, I would take it. "You could say that there was… something that stopped him from taking it. (…?) Sometimes… I wonder if he still regrets it"

"What stopped him?"

The captain just gave me a laugh in reply. "There are times when he had to make a decision in life. He pondered which path would lead him to happiness. (…?) Shirogane. What would you choose? (Eh?) Me or your dream? (Ha?) Ah… wait… that didn't come out right. I meant to say which do you think would lead to happiness? Love… or your dreams?"

"Huh? What kind of a question is—(Just answer!) Ah! Ok! Um… ah well…" Why is she getting all snippy all of a sudden? Ummm… let's see… my dream… or love? What the hell does that even mean? Dream, love, dream, love, dream, love. "Well!-?"

"Ahhh! I'm sorry! I don't know! (…?) I'm sorry. I just don't understand what you're trying to say, Isumi san. I can't decide which is which. (…) I mean… wouldn't that really depend on the person itself? I mean… it all depends on the circumstances on what they'll prioritize first. If I prioritize my dreams then that's the route I'll follow, but if you're talking about love as in love with another person… then it's the same thing as the dream of that person. Everything will depend on the person. You can't judge a human action based on logic. Sometimes their emotions will conflict with one another but I guess that's one of the few ways we can make our decisions"

…

"I see…"

"I'm sorry if I wasn't able to give you a clear answer"

"No… that's alright. I pushed this question to you without thinking. But… I guess he would say the same thing too. (…) It all depends on the player, wouldn't it? (Player?) Never mind. But you're right. You can't base everyone's answer on a single piece of paper. In the end there will be others who choose the opposite. Some will follow their dreams and some will follow love. Heh… I'm such a fool. (Captain?) Sorry about that, Shirogane. (…) Ahuhu… I guess you remind me a little about that idiot. (…?) I bet if you two had met, you'd definitely be great friends. (Eh?) You're so identical that I feel like hitting you a few times. (EHHH!-?) That's a joke"

"Geez… please don't scare me like that"

"Ahuhu…" She turned back again to the Sakura Trees with a small smile up her lip. "… he would've loved to see this place… in full bloom" (Flash) Huh? What was—(Flash!) Argh! No… not again. "Shirogane? What's wrong?"

"Masaki… (…?)" That name. Why do I feel like I know it somehow? "Maejima… Masaki… (…!)"

"Eh? How did you…?"

Whirrrrr!

…!

That noise. The emergency alarm?

Beep beep!

"Valkyrie Mum to Valkyrie 1A!" Suzumiya's face appeared on my screen.

The captain changed her tone almost instantly before replying. "What is it Suzumiya?"

"Emergency summons to all units. All squad leaders are to report to HQ immediately! Priority 1 emergency"

"Understood. I'm heading back now. (Beep) Hayase, Munakata! (Yes ma'am!)" The other two platoon leaders appeared next. "Gather the team. Have the squad refit for combat and remain on standby at the command post by the old highway ruins. (Roger!) Shirogane, go!"

"Yes ma'am!"

**(Tokyo) (Royal Palace) (Shogun's room)**

Yuuhi tried her best to get her stilled face back but in that short fraction of a second Ikaruga saw it all. Her eyes widened slightly and the air in her lunges paused. A normal man would not notice it but he did. It was enough to let him know that the name meant something.

A sly grin slowly began to creep up Ikaruga's lips as he circled around the Shogun like a predator shadowing its prey. His eyes were analyzing everything about her. Her reaction, her expression, even the slightest hint of a heartbeat can tell a story.

"You're wavering, Your Highness. (…)" The man began his interrogation as if he was playing with his food. "Why does this name bother you so? Why does your heart race when you hear it? Why do your eyes flicker as if you dream at the mere mention of it? What thoughts race through your mind when you think of him?"

But Yuuhi would not budge. Her face remained stern and yet she would not answer. Her words forever locked in her throat.

"Enough of this!" The Chamberlain warned. "Her Highness knows not of such a person. I have been with her at all times. She would not affiliate herself with the U.N. to jeopardize her people"

"True… I myself found it hard to believe that Her Highness would go somewhere without anyone knowing. But even so… the evidence I've gathered has been very… convincing"

"Why do you ask something when you already know the answer?" Yuuhi demanded, his voice still as commanding as ever. "I'm not inclined to play your games so do not mock me"

But her words only made the man's grin even wider if that was even physically possible. "I would simply like to know the affairs of our sovereign nation, nothing more. Should the country know that our Shogun has been conspiring with foreign dignitaries… it would break what is left of our people. As a member of the Royal Family and as a Japanese… it is only my right to know the truth. If you say that you are not daunting with the other then why go through all that trouble? Why risk so much to gain nothing in return? Or… is it because… affections?"

"…!"

**(Takeru's POV) (Valkyrie Squad standby area near the old Meishin Expressway ruins)**

The whole squad had already gathered by the time I arrived at the rendezvous point. The mechanics were busy rearming our TSFs with fresh loads of ammunitions. Everyone seems uneasy about this. We've just been through the fight of our lives and only had a few hours of rest in between. Maybe it's just a drill. No… Suzumiya wouldn't put such an act just because of a simple drill. But if so… then what could it be? Why are we mobilizing everyone?"

"…" Tama, Mikoto and Ayamine are huddled in one corner by the fireplace trying to warm up from this cold. Meiya and Class rep seems to be looking over their TSFs and the rest of the squad are gathered together like a camping trip.

"Hayase san. I'm back" I called out to my platoon leader.

"Oh… welcome back… Shirogane. What took you so long?"

"I had my TSF refitted back in headquarters so they wouldn't have to do it here. But anyway, do you know what this emergency summon is all about?"

"I was just asking Munakata the same thing. No one seems to know what it's all about. We were just ordered to be on standby until something happens. (…)"

"Could it be another BETA attack?" I asked fearing the worst. It's true that we were able to defeat the BETA here but we've often see small brigades of them poking out after each major battle. It's possible that some may have scattered away from the main group when the Carrier was defeated.

"That's probably the most likely theory" Touko agreed to my statement. "Another battle group could've broken through during the chaos of the battle. They may have slipped through our defenses and are attacking deeper in the mainland"

"But the patrols haven't reported any sightings of them" Munakata added.

"True. But remember that we were extremely low on manpower at the time. We couldn't watch every area all at the same time. Though it is highly unlikely for a group of BETA to have gone unnoticed, it is not impossible"

"Our radars haven't been working properly either since the bombing in Shikoku" Hayase san finished only to earn more sighs from the rest of the group. "The only thing we can do now is wait for the captain to return. She'll clear things up for us"

…

Hmm? Oh… speak of the devil. It's the captain. She came by car with Haruka and Marimo chan.

"Squad! Form up!" Hayase ordered out which we quickly complied. We all filed in line like regular soldiers. "Salute!"

"At ease" Isumi waved it off. "I'm sure you're all wondering what the emergency summon was about. (…) Since we don't have a lot of time I'll make this brief. Earlier today prior to our battle against the BETA force, an unknown military faction of the Japanese Army have declared a coup. (…!)" A coup? Another one? "Apparently this group took advantage of the chaos caused by the BETA invasion and successfully captured the capital. At the moment we do not know who they are or what their intentions may be but it is known that this takeover was participated with members of the Imperial Army and foreign military soldiers" Foreign military? The Americans? No… we settled our deal with them during the Sadogashima campaign. "The United Nations Security Council has agreed to intervene by the request of Prime Minister Sakaki Kurechika. (…!)" We're going to intervene? So soon? Could it be…Sagiri? I haven't heard a peep about the rebel leader since the coup ended a few weeks ago. It's hard to believe that another one is taking place so fast.

"Cpt. Isumi…" Marimo called out to Isumi. "I've established direct wire-link to HQ. They'll be relaying orders to you soon"

"Alright. Suzumiya, continue briefing them on the situation"

"Understood ma'am" The captain walked off with Marimo leaving Haruka to explain the rest of the situation. "Then I shall resume. As the captain explained before, an unknown faction of the Imperial Army have taken hold of the capital of Tokyo"

"Are these the same group as the last one we fought the other week?" Hayase asked. It seems like everyone was wondering that as well.

Suzumiya shook her head in reply. "We do not know. Much of the capital garrison was changed since the 12/5 incident. However we do believe that many of the original members of the garrison remained in their station. As far as we know, the invading force took the capital with almost no resistance. The Imperial Army that caught wind of this rebellion launched an operation to take back the capital, but they were all defeated. No negotiation or terms has been made so far. The most recent information we've been given is that the cabinet members of the government have all been killed. We also know that ambassadors from the U.N. Consulate have been taken hostage by the rebel army, though of course, this is still unconfirmed" The rebel army went as far as killing government and U.N. officials? Just what are they up to?

"What about the Shogun?" I opened up unconsciously to everyone's surprise. "Is she alright?"

"We do not know. There has been no information regarding the current situation of the royal family. (…) But we do know that members of the Honor Guards are standing by the royal palace in full force so we can only assume that Her Highness is safe within the confines of the compound. (…)" Damn it. My body is suddenly feeling restless from all of this. I should be calm. "Roughly 2 hours ago, it's been announced that joint operation will now be carried out between the U.N. Armed Force and the Imperial Army in retaking the capital. (…!)" Wait we're going to charge straight into the capital, guns blazing? We didn't even do that during the coup. We fought against the rebels but never in a place so populated as Tokyo. If we attack… civilian casualties will be astronomical.

"Are we going to be deployed soon?" Hayase inquired.

"Yes. Thanks to the proximity of Yokohama Base, the 11th Army will be deployed in full force around the city outskirts. The Navy and the Imperial Army will also be joining us"

"Alright, that's good enough, Suzumiya" the captain stopped her. "I've just been given orders by high command. All units that are capable of fighting are to join with the remainder of the 11th army gathering around Tokyo. We will be briefed from there with General Radhabinod. I know that everyone of you are having conflicting feelings about this but I ask that you keep it to yourself until we get better understanding of the situation"

"A… umm…" Tama spoke up. "Are we really going to fight with the rebels?"

"Our negotiators are still trying to open communications with the rebel army. Attacking the city itself is the last solution. If all goes well… we might not have to shoot at each other. (…) But seeing the situation as it is… I don't think the U.N. will have much of a choice. This mission is of the utmost. I'll explain the details along the way, get to your units and—"

"Captain Isumi Michiru…" Hmm? Who's that? I've never seen him around here before but he's wearing a U.N. uniform. His patch indicates that he's a captain. Behind him were three MP officers standing at attention.

"Yes?" The captain replied before saluting to the officer. "What is it, sir?"

The man showed her a piece of paper with the approval seal stamped on the bottom. "I have orders from high command to hold and relocate 1st Lt. Shirogane Takeru and 1st Lt. Jinguuji Marimo. (…!)" What? Me and Marimo chan? What did we do?

"May I ask what the charges are?" The captain inquired.

"This isn't an arrest, captain. We simply need their presence for the moment. Though I cannot say where or why they're going. (…?) These are general orders, captain. I'm simply following them"

"Oi, Shirogane…" Hayase called out to me. "… what's this about?"

"I'd like to know that myself" I haven't done anything to get myself arrested now, have I? I sure hope not. All I've been doing for the last few hours was helping out the relief aid in Kyoto.

"I understand. Shirogane, Marimo…" Captain Isumi called out to us which we quickly stepped up front. "… go with them"

"Yes ma'am" We complied nonetheless.

The guy wasn't physically built so I guess he must just be a staff officer—a desk job kind of guy. We followed the officer away from the rest of the group with the MPs guarding our backs. Even if they're just walking with us I feel like they have their guns pointing at me. They say that it wasn't an arrest but I'm still uneasy about this. I hope nothing bad happens…

**(Tokyo) (Royal Palace) (Shogun's room)**

"Affection… such a subtle little word yet its meaning hold so much more" Ikaruga was enjoying every minute of this moment. The reaction that he saw brought him such untold joy that he wished he could experience it again. He can see Yuuhi's mouth forming a frown, her eyes wavering at every word. She felt violated…

Every word that came out of his mouth felt like it was taken from her throat and formed into a perversion kind of language.

"…" But still the Shogun continued to struggle, continued to put on a brave face against a man who can kill her with but a thought.

"Despite everything my father claimed you to be, there is certainly one thing that hasn't changed. Japan thinks of the royal family as a height above them, thinking that we were… demigods… prime examples of a Japanese by honoring our old traditions in every way. (…) But they are wrong. Despite what we've been told, what our children have been taught, there is still one viable error they cannot erase. In the end… Your Highness… you're still a girl. (…!) A human—no different to the animals you see prowling on the streets every day. We feel, we think just like everyone else. (…) But such feelings are denied to us"

"…"

Ikaruga's face drew closer as if he was trying to corner the girl on the balcony. "Tell me. What did it feel like to be beside him? What manner of deed did he do to earn your affection? What kind of man was he to make you show… such expressions? How did you feel when the peasant came to you face?"

Yuuhi didn't want to imagine it but she could not help herself from thinking of the boy. Every tinge of her body was wavering. Her feelings, followed by the fear of this man was becoming close to breaking her face apart. She bit her lip sharply trying to suppress her growl but she was failing.

"Ahahaha!" The man in blue burst a laugh. "This is magnificent. Simply magnificent. It sounds like something out of a fairy tale. A princess falling for a dog unmatched of her status. Of all the men in the world…you chose a brat whose standing is of no value to you or your country. It's like comparing a bird to a mere rat that breeds in droves in the sewers! I cannot even begin to understand you. AHAHAHA!"

In that split of a second, a switch was flipped from Yuuhi's mind. A dam burst from her deep subconscious pouring all the rage that she had been holding back. Like a tsunami it swept over her body drowning all the logic she had built to keep herself from acting. All sense of reason faded from it and acting primarily on those lesser instincts, her hand moved up against the man's face, causing a sound that silenced everyone else's thoughts in the room.

Slap!

Ikaruga didn't even see the blow coming when he felt the pain seeping across his cheek. It was so fast that he couldn't even find time to dodge. It was the same slap that Yuuhi delivered to Takeru during the coup but this time… she meant every sense of the action.

"That's enough!" The guards felt a chill run down their spine at the yell of her voice. Even Ikaruga who seemed so composed earlier could not help but be still, a horrified look replacing his face.

"Y… your highness…" The Grand Chamberlain who has been with her all her life never once saw so much anger and hatred burning from the girl. It radiated so much that it may have killed a small animal.

"I said… that is enough" Yuuhi continued not taking her eyes off her mark. "I will not allow you to insult him anymore…" The killing intent she was resonating could be felt around the entire room, choking the very air that they breathed.

"…" Ikaruga darted his eyes back to the girl but now his confidence was shattered and everything that remained was the fear of death lunging close at hand. It was even more horrifying than a dagger being pointed at his throat.

"Who are you to place judgment on him? Who are you to say what he is or where he belongs? You believe yourself higher than him yet you cannot even begin to compare to his height! (…) He is someone who lives his life on his own terms, someone who cherishes everything dearly, someone who continues to live despite all the hardship thrown at him!"

"… tch!"

"Even though the world has taken so much he continues to endure. Always trying his best to smile, comforting others around him. I saw in his eyes a soul that has been torn so many times but despite everything he has gone through he moves forward, regretting his actions but continue to play his part. (…) He may not be born of noble standings nor anyone worth noticing but I will not stand idle and watch as another man speak ill of his name!

"…"

"He has taught me things far more than all my teachers combined. Though I agree… he is naïve and foolhardy… but regardless of what others may think of him… he remains true to his words. He believes of a world with his own ideals, a world not for himself but for everyone! That is why a selfish man like you… will never be able to understand him!"

Ikaruga finally regained some composure from her barrage of words and smiled. "Is that trust you are referring… or is it love?" He expected the girl to pause in her words. After all, love is something that she isn't granted. But his words only seemed to fuel the fire burning within the Shogun's eyes. It burned brightly that it glued the man's feet to the floor.

Yuuhi took a deep breath, preparing for the consequences on what she had to say. But there was no used denying it now. For the second time that year… she opened her heart and let her feelings pour out into the open. "Were it not for these chains I am bounded with… were it my choice… were it ought in my power to do so… I would gladly cast away this crown and my status if it means spending one lifetime with him!"

"Your Highness!…" The Grand Chamberlain covered her mouth in shock coming from the Shogun's words.

"How you define my words is your own doing. Spit on my lineage, my name, my standing in this country if you must… but do not dare mock his name in front of me ever again. (…) If so… it will be my sword that will take your life"

"…" Ikaruga could not counter. None of his men could. It was not until they realized that who was standing before them wasn't just the true Shogun of Japan but a woman who was now honest with her heart. They simply could not compare.

_"Hell hath no fury like a woman's scorn"_

_-The Mourning Bride by William Congreve-_

"Be gone from my sight…"

And with that final gesture, Ikaruga took his leave along with his men, the icy fingers of fear gripping their hearts.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

When the door finally closed behind him, Ikaruga let out the air that he had been holding. He was humiliated, taken down a notch by a woman who he underestimated and paid for it with a mark that won't be leaving his face for a long time.

He gritted his teeth. Anger building inside of him like boiling cauldron just waiting to spill.

"My lord?" His bodyguard garbed in red noticed him immediately and rushed to his side. "Is something wrong sire?"

"Be quiet Makabe"

"Sir? What's wrong? Do you require medical attention or—"

"SHUT UP! (…!)" Ikaruga roared with his face twisted in humiliation and anger. He silenced the man instantly. "That wench… she… (…?)" He tightened the grip on his face trying his best to hide the shame. "Keh! I underestimated her. (…) She… geh! (…?)" It took the man awhile before he was able to recompose himself from the anger that burned in him. "Makabe…"

"Yes, your Excellency…?"

"Send for the Ministry of Intelligence. I have a task for them"


	50. Negligence and Disorder

**Chapter 50: Negligence and Disorder**

**(Takeru's POV) (U.N. camp) (December 30, 2001 Sunday) (02:15 PM)**

We followed the captain for awhile to the main camp at our temporary headquarters of the U.N. Army. I know that it's not what it seems but I can't help but feel like a prisoner for some reason. Having MPs guarding my back reminded me of the first time I went to Yokohama Base to start this loop.

Marimo chan seems to be taking this calmly. Maybe she had her own experience being taken in for questioning.

…

…

…

Oh! He stopped. Are we supposed to go in that mobile command post? It's the same model as the one back in my camp so why bring us all the way out here?

"Please step inside" I knew it. We followed his instructions and entered the mobile command post. There was no one inside. The only things there were the computers, tables, chairs and spare bunk beds.

I turned to look at Marimo who had the same expression as me. She looked back and quickly asked. "Excuse me… but may we know what this is all about?"

The captain didn't even flinch to the question. "I was only ordered to escort you to this area. I do not know of anything else"

"Can you at least tell us where we're going?"

"I do not have time to entertain all of your questions. All will be explained once you reach there. I have to leave you now. Good day…" He walked off to the MPs, closing the mechanical doors behind him.

"Ah! Hey wait a minute! (Beep!)" What the? The door won't respond. Did he lock it from the outside? "Hey!"

"Stop it, Shirogane. You're just wasting your breath on it. (But still…!) We don't know why we're here. For all we know this could be a simple misunderstanding. (…) Don't worry. I don't think this is an arrest of any kind"

"What makes you so sure?"

"They didn't take our side arms" Oh that's right, we still have our pistols with us. If they were going to apprehend us they'd at least take that with them. "And if they were going to interrogate us, they'd put us in different rooms, not together like this, so we can easily rule that out"

"But if so, why all the secrecy? It's… uncomfortable"

Marimo chan nodded. "I agree. This doesn't sound like something the military would do. But considering the circumstances with Japan as it is… standard protocol might not be—ah!"

"What's wrong!-?"

"No… nothing… it's just a thought. But… Shirogane. (Y… yeah?)" What's wrong with her? Her face is all serious all of a sudden. "Did Yuuko tell you anything about this? (Eh? Yuuko sensei?) Haa… I guess judging by your expression you know just as much as I do. But looking at the situation we're in, I can't help but wonder if Professor Kouzuki had something to do with this" Now that she mentioned it, this does seem to fit the bill of Yuuko sensei's work. She keeps people out of the loop and at the last possible second, she drops everything down on them. Seeing how things are happening around us and the incident in Tokyo… I can understand why Marimo would think that.

"Do you think Yuuko sensei would have something to do with this?"

"I'm not 100% sure but looking at it from this angle, that seems the most likely possibility. (…) Well it's not like we can do anything about it now. (Whirrrr…) It looks like the command post is moving. You may as well get comfortable while you still can. This may take awhile"

**(Tokyo) (Honor Guard Headquarters) (Ikaruga's temporary office) (03:14 PM)**

Ikaruga sat in his quarters in complete silence. His mind pondering on the mark left to him by the Shogun, earlier. He thought he had her cornered but instead she retaliated in a way he didn't see possible. The very thought of that slap burned into his mind followed by that confession irritated him to no end. He thought that by bringing that name up it would only make her reveal a weakness, but instead, it made her stronger.

She described the boy like he was her saint, an angel in her eyes.

Ikaruga had known the Shogun for years longer than the emperor himself but not once had she reacted in such a way.

_"Were it not for these chains I am bounded with… were it my choice… were it ought in my power to do so… I would gladly cast away this crown and my status if it means spending one lifetime with him!"_

Love…

Such a simple word yet it is not the word itself that makes the meaning but what the word implies that shows its true colors.

The man wondered if that was what Yuuhi felt when she delivered that blow. Such a childish thing… yet she had the luxury to experience it.

"Your Excellency" His train of thoughts broke when a knock came from the door.

"Enter…" His bodyguard entered with a folder in hand. "What word do you have for me, Makabe?"

"Sire. We've just confirmed that the U.N. has begun marshaling their forces around Tokyo. (…) It's just as you said, the Prime Minister requested their aid almost immediately when he went into hiding"

"Was there any doubt? A man like Sakaki is nothing more but a politician. When he sees the last bit of power he has slipping from his grip he would go to desperate measures to keep it. The fool is like a cornered animal. He must've given the U.N. a condition that they cannot refuse. What is the outline of their forces?"

"They've stationed forces in Saitama and Yamanashi. The main bulk of the U.N. Armed Force is still rallying in Yokohama base. We also have word that they have a fleet stationed just outside of Tokyo Bay. Judging by this formation they may be attempting to overwhelm the city by attacking us on different sides"

"This is common tactic. Tokyo City is a fortress after all. They must be trying to stretch our forces to keep us from mounting an effective defense. So long as we hold the city, the people will rally to our side. I have no doubt that they will try to kidnap Her Highness to decease our morale"

"Should I move her to an underground facility? I can make the arrangements" Makabe advised.

"No. We cannot force her to comply with anything at this point. Besides, the palace the most secured facility in the whole city. It can withstand any kind of direct attack. I do not think the allied armies will be so careless to shoot that place. If the Shogun dies, this country will be of little use to anyone"

"So what do you suggest we do, sire?"

"Have Lt. Colonel Tekoro handle the frontlines. An open field is more suited for them who have been battling the BETA on a daily basis. Unlike the Eurasian Ground Forces that specialize in urban combat. They can hold the inner part of the city with whatever tactic they find suitable. Their fleet is still stationed in the ports of Chiba, correct? (Yes sir…) The U.N. has far more ships than we do and have better class war vessels than us. A direct attack is suicide on its own but as long as our perimeter defenses on Odaiba Island hold then we can hold them"

"Yes sir. I've assigned another ground unit to tighten the perimeter around the island. Shall I issue an evacuation order, my lord?"

"No… leave the people be"

"B… but my lord! This city could turn into a battlefield at any given moment. If we don't evacuate them, civilian casualties may skyrocket! At the very least we should let the children…"

"They will serve to buy us more time in this battle! (…!) We've already sacrificed much for the betterment of this country. The only thing we need is time… and if a single child can buy us even one second more, then at the very least their lives will have some measure of meaning. (…) You understand that neither you nor I can revert what we've done in Shikoku Island. We've come too far now, too far to turn back. If we fail… well… justice will serve its purpose"

"My lord…"

"Removing the grip of our enemies on this country is the first step of ruling this world. Even for a brief moment… we can finally focus on what is truly at stake here"

Makabe gave out another sigh and quickly shift the topic. "As you wish sire. I will relay orders to the rest of the men. (…) On one final note, I did a thorough check on the soldier you wished the Ministry of Intelligence to investigate. Apparently the boy was already under surveillance long before the order was issued after the Sadogashima Campaign. (…?) One particular agent had great interest in him and began a journal which dictates his daily activities" He took out a small pocketsize journal from his suit and handed it over to his lordship. "I skimmed through the pages of the journal and nothing seems to stick out other than the boy's training regime. He keeps saying that his abilities are beyond that of an ordinary human"

Ikaruga took the journal and skipped through the pages. "Do you happen to know the name of the agent that was investigating him?"

"Yes sir… apparently it was the head of the department of foreign affairs. Section Chief Yoroi Sakon himself…"

**(Takeru's POV) (Mobile Command Post) (Somewhere along the road)**

It's been over an hour now since this car began driving. There were no windows in this mobile command post so we couldn't tell where we were going. I'm still getting that uneasy feeling around my chest and I'm pretty sure Marimo chan's feeling a bit restless too. It's like we're being moved inside a cage transferring from one prison to another.

"Shirogane… (Eh?) Here… coffee. (Ah… thank you) It's a good thing they left the coffeemaker here otherwise the tension would be unbearable"

"Aren't you worried at all Marimo sensei?"

"I'd be lying if I said I wasn't. But worrying over the little details is just going to make things worse for everyone around you, that's why I try to remain positive in these kinds of situations. (…?) Besides, weren't you incarcerated in a cell before?" That's right… back when I faced up against those two Eishis when I was a cadet. But I already predicted that event so it wasn't a surprise for me to be imprisoned. "I thought you would've gotten used to it by now"

"Well… that situation was different" I reasoned. "Back then I'd at least know when I would be leaving the cell and where I was… in this situation… you don't even know why you're in here or when you'll be released"

"Hmm… that is true. But like I said: Worrying about the little details will get you nowhere. If you allow yourself to be consumed by all the theories that you're building in your head you'll only blow yourself apart"

"It sounds like you're speaking from experience"

"Ahuhu of course. Everyone has their moment in life. But it's mostly because you remind me of someone I knew for awhile. (Oh…?) Back when I was a cadet I always got into a fight with my squad leader about the smallest thing. You could say that it was a disagreement between genders. (Huh?) He was thoughtless, reckless and stubborn like you. (Geh!) Always charging head first, like a stubborn mule. But he and I were quite alike"

"Heeh? So you were a cadet like us too, Marimo sensei?"

"Of course. But unlike you, I was drafted at a much older age so the people there were a lot harder to deal with than children" Ho? I guess this shouldn't come as a surprise. Seeing how she handled a Gekishin so well during the coup d'état she must've had training in that arts.

"Wait… if you were an Eishi like us, why did you become an instructor for the training school?"

"Ah… well…" Her eyes softened like she was recalling a feint memory in her head. "After my first mission… I don't think I was ever suited for the battlefield. (…?) Let's just say that I'm not cut out to be a soldier at the frontlines. My team and I separated for a long time now so let's just leave it at that. And besides… when I was your age I actually dreamed of becoming a teacher one day. So you could say that it all worked out well… in the end"

"Uh… yeah… that's true" That's because you're the only teacher I've ever had since high-school. I guess being a teacher must've been her destiny in any universe.

Bang!

Huh? Did the truck just lifted a few centimeters up?

"It looks like we've stopped" Marimo added noticing the sound of the vehicle's engine dropping. The vehicle came to a complete halt. That could only mean that we're here. But where is here… exactly? I can see the driver's silhouette in the front car doing something but I can't see anything else outside of this room. "Wait here. I'll go and see what's going on"

"Yeah… sure…" I followed Marimo's instructions and waited as she slowly moved to the door connecting to the driver's seat.

"Excuse me. Are we here yet? (…)" There was no reply. "Excuse me… driver, are you there? (…)" I don't like this. We should've heard something by now. Are they purposely keeping us out of the loop or something? "It's no good. There doesn't seem to be anyone in the driver's seat"

"Then… where are we? (Whirrrr…) Hmm? What's that sound?" I hear something loud… like a rocket… coming from the outside. It seems… distant yet at the same time close by. But I can't be too sure since this room has a high density sound barrier to cover it. But it's odd… I feel like I've heard this sound before?

Marimo seems to hear it too. "This noise… I recognize it. It's… an engine! (Rumble!) Kya!"

"Marimo chan!" I caught her right as she fell in my direction. But this is strange. The whole command post is shaking. "An earthquake?"

"N… no. This is… (…?) This feeling is… we're… we're flying…" Flying? Can the mobile command post fly at all? But she's right. This is the same G-Force pressure I felt when a plane lifts off. That explains why most of the chairs and tables are being pushed in the same direction. I lost footing there for a moment. "Geh… are you alright, Shirogane?"

"Yeah… my suit took most of the impact. What about you? Can you stand?"

"I'm… a little dizzy… but I'll manage. What is going on out there?" Her answer came when the door of the command post opened up. Has someone unlocked it? I can hear footsteps… a lot of footsteps.

"Freeze! (…!)" A squad of armed soldiers appeared from the doorway and aimed their rifles at us. "Don't move!" Neither Marimo nor myself could even reach our sidearm before they got to us. They had high beamed flashlights pointed at us as well, blinding us from their faces.

"W… who are you!-?" Marimo demanded, but they didn't listen.

"Standup" The leader of the group ordered which we quickly obeyed. "Put away your sidearm and put your hands behind your head! Now!"

…

"Do as they say… Shirogane" Marimo whispered to me as we slowly stood back up. I don't know what's going on but it's clear that they had us at a disadvantage. I'm pretty sure these people have every intention to kill us if we don't comply. Slowly, we put down our pistols to the floor and had our hands placed on our heads.

"Now step away from that area" The man who seemed like the team leader added which we also followed. "That's good enough. Now stay right there and don't move" Another group of armed men entered the command post and began checking the other areas of this place.

"Room clear…"

"This side is clear…"

"No one here either"

Were they expecting someone else to be on board this thing? They seem like professionals doing a security sweep of the whole place.

"All rooms clear, sir" One of the soldiers stated to his commander.

"Understood" He nodded before calling someone from behind. "Major… the room's clear"

"Thank you lieutenant" A woman walked in. She walked in front of the soldiers revealing her figure. She seemed to be in her mid 20s, skinny, pale, tall with light blue long hair and wearing thin lens glasses. She also appears to be an Eishi judging by that exosuit she's wearing. The markings on her shoulder guard also states that she's from the Imperial Army. Just what is going on? "Are you… 1st Lt. Shirogane Takeru and 1st Lt. Jinguuji Marimo? (…!) Well?"

"H… how do you know us?" I asked unconsciously. "What do you want? (Don't move!) Keh!"

"I suggest that you stand still for a little while longer. Otherwise my men will have to shoot you" She warned me before turning to her men. "Search them. (Yes ma'am)..." We were quickly patted down for belongings in our pockets. Obviously the only thing I had were the box of bancha tealeaves that Kyouzuka gave to me and my military ID. This is really starting to remind me of the first time I came to meet with Yuuko sensei. Now I'm beginning to recall how incredible my ID card was.

Once we were patted down twice for inspection, the soldier confirmed it. "They're clean ma'am…"

"Good…" The Major then turned her head back to the person who was waiting outside. "You can come in now Sergeant Isumi"

Isumi?

"Yes, thank you, captain" Eh? Who is… this? (Flash) A woman roughly the same age at the Major entered the room next. She was tall, colorful skin with excellent figure and long green hair that goes just above her waist. But unlike the captain, she wore a business uniform instead.

Wait… where have I seen this woman before? (Flash) I feel like, I should know her. Like… a part of me is remembering something… from a long time ago. I'm getting these images in my head but I don't recognize any of it.

"Please confirm who they are, please" The Major added pointing at us.

"Of course…" The green haired sergeant then slowly approached us with nothing but a notepad by her side. "Excuse me…" She looked at both of our faces and compared it to the notes she brought in with her. Just what is she looking for? "Facial recognition confirmed. There's no need for alarm. These are the two we are looking for. (Are you sure?) I have no doubt" The Major seems uncertain to let us go just yet. "... or would you like me to get the chief to confirm them?"

"No… that won't be necessary. I'll take your word for it. Lower your weapons" She ordered her men in quickly with a gesture of her hand. "Escort them to the 1st Cargo hold. I'll be there shortly. (Yes ma'am) And destroy all trace of this mobile command post and dump it off the plane. We can't risk getting tracked"

"Yes ma'am" The guards then came around us in formation. "You two, move" There was no other choice but to comply.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

We were quickly brought to the third room following the doorways. There was no doubt about it now. We were definitely on board a plane. The structure of this place reminds me a lot of an airplane. But it was a lot bigger, roomier than I imagined. It was even better guarded than Yokohama Base. Out of all the three rooms, I counted at least two dozen armed guards in every corner and enough cameras to make an action movie. This is like trying to break into Yuuko's lab without proper authorization.

"Sit down" The soldier continued to berate orders. He didn't even need to ask when he pushed us down. "Secure them. We don't want to take any chances"

"Yes sir…" Handcuffs? Not just the hands but the feet too. They're using steel chain bonds, not the usual plastic material. Now I'm really getting the sense of dejavu. If they took a cavity and blood test then the memory would be complete. "Both subjects are secured, sir"

"Alright, let's go…"

"Oi! Wait a minute!" I wanted to say something but the guards left before I could even make a statement. "Keh… why is this happening? Marimo sensei, do you have any idea what's going on?"

"I'm not certain. But this seems to be the standard procedure for bringing outsiders to inner sanctum like these. It's best not to resist but just in case… let me do the talking" Kuuu… I really don't have a choice in this matter. I'm not good at playing a game of questions and answers.

"I'm afraid I can't have you do that. (…!) You see in this case… I require both of you to speak up freely"

"Who's there?" I blurted out. (Clang!) Ahh! The light! They opened all at once. It's so bright that it's hurting my eyes.

"Ahaha… I apologize for that, son in law. Perhaps I should've waited a bit for you to adjust"

…!

"Ah! You! Yoroi!" I recognize the man instantly. "What are you doing here?"

"Ahaha… I'm just chaperoning for someone. Please don't take it the way it is. There is a perfectly logical explanation on why you are brought here" There was no way I'd forget that speech demeanor. That's definitely Yoroi Sakon. But there was something wrong. He wasn't wearing his usual brown jacket anymore. He had a cast around his left arm and a walking cane-stick at the other and a few cuts and bruises on his face. It's as if he's been through a fight of some sort.

"What happened to you?"

He threw a small laugh. "Ah… it was a terrible incident. I had to fight against assassins that came to kill me in America. (Eh?) They were quite good and professional. They blew up half a city block to make sure I would die and chased me all the way from the restaurant to the airport. They were quite rude to interrupt a meal like that. Ah… but you need not worry. As you can see I emerged from that firefight quite unscathed" Like hell you did! You have more bruises than any of us here.

"Where are we?" Marimo asked out loud. "Why did you bring us here?"

Yoroi Sakoi simply tilted his head in return. "Your first question is simple. (…) You're onboard a plane. (Huh?) As for where you are exactly… I would say somewhere above the skies of Japan, roughly 20,000 feet from the ground. The temperature up here is below 6 degrees and…"

"Cut it out with the nonchalant!" I roared.

"Then what are you trying to ask? Please be clearer with your questions, Shirogane kun" You're the one being unclear about this! And I wasn't the one, asking it was Marimo!

"Excuse me… Section Chief" Marimo interrupted us. "But you do realize that you illegally detaining 2 U.N. Commissioned Officers. The Ministry of Intelligence has no authority over this"

"Ah… right. I knew I was forgetting something" Don't forget something like that! "I apologize for the rough treatment but the security procedure was necessary. With the people we have on board, we cannot be too careful"

"But that still doesn't give you right to detain us" Marimo added. "If the U.N. catches wind of this they'll…"

"Ohhh… scary. I can see now why Professor Kouzuki tends to avoid you. (…?) But you may put your minds at ease. I won't hurt you. Even if I wanted to, I doubt I would be a match for the Witch's Guard Dog at my current condition. I assure you: None of you are here because of any harmful or spiteful intentions. As a matter of fact, I was hoping that you would help us instead" Eh?

"Does this have anything to do with the coup happening in the capital?" I barked out.

"Ah… finally you start to ask the right questions. This shows that you are maturing, Shirogane kun" Huh? What is he going on about?

"Chief. Please don't confuse them anymore than necessary" It's the two officers we met earlier. "It took quite a lot of effort to bring them here without raising suspicion"

"Ahaha… forgive me. It's just been so long since I had a fun conversation like this. It's quite refreshing to see someone react to my jokes" Guuu… he's making fun of me, I know it. "How goes with the procedure?"

"We should be arriving at the Sakado in a few short hours" The Major answered. "Our makeshift airfield should be large enough to accommodate this plane and its cargo. My company has already secured the area. There are no complications in sight"

"Very good. We will have little trouble on the way" Yoroi nodded with his trademark smirk. "Ah… but where are my manners? Allow me to introduce to you, my associates. On my left is the beautiful and charming Yayoi Isumi who works in the same department as I am. And on my left here is… Major Komaki Sayoko. Commander of the 2nd TSF Armored Division of the 1st Regiment. I hope you will all get along fine"

…

Ok… that guy is starting to irritate me. If this were a regular meeting I'd gladly shake their hands but right now I'm kind of tied up. I feel like I'm supposed to be in an interrogation but Yoroi is just making everything so casual. A turn for the bizarre is probably the best term I can find for this situation.

"It's a pleasure to meet you at last, Shirogane san" Yayoi greeted me politely which made me blush. She's kind of pretty in her own way too…

"Ah… pleasure to meet you too…" Wait… what am I saying!-?

"I heard so much about you from my sister. I do hope you continue to care for her as you have" Eh? Sister? (Flash) Wait… she couldn't possibly be…

"Are you… talking about the captain?"

"Correct. She is the officer that you serve. But I also hear tales of you from Akira" Akira? (Flash) Wait… that girl I met during the battle of Sadogashima. "Both of them spoke highly of you but I never imagined I would actually get to meet you in person"

…

"Impressive… even as a captive you continue to charm women at every corner. I underestimated you, Shirogane kun" Hey! I get the impression that he meant something with that last sentence. "But jokes aside. Major… please release their cuffs"

Major Komaki's eyes widened. "But Section Chief. Are you sure that's wise? We're still…"

"It is fine" He added. "Don't you think it's inappropriate to treat those we are asking for help as prisoners?"

The officer darted her eyes for a moment before nodding. "Very well…" She took her keys from her pocket and removed our cuffs. My wrists and ankle feel strangely cold from that.

"Now that we have the pleasantries out of the way, let us get to business. I'm sure you're both dying to know why you were brought here. (…) Yayoi… please take Jinguuji san to the com room and have them explain it from there"

"Of course… 1st Lt. Jinguuji. Please follow me…" Marimo darted her eyes untrusting to both of them but followed nonetheless. I guess she still doesn't trust them. I probably would've had the same expression if I didn't know Yoroi personally.

Once they were out of the room, Sakon returned his attention to me. "You look like you have questions, Shirogane kun"

"Normally I would, but it's clear to me that you just wanted her out of the room. (Hooo?) Yuuko sensei did something similar to that awhile back"

"You're getting sharper. Very good. But that is not why I brought you here. I took the liberty of bringing you to this place because I have need of your… special skills. (…?) To be more precise, I… we… require your talents in piloting a TSF" The Major beside him made a gruff noise. "As I have no doubt that you've heard that another coup has occurred in the capital"

"Yeah… it was explained to us. They say that a faction of the Imperial Army is part of it along with a foreign military group"

"That's only half of the truth. (Eh?) I'm sure the government is hiding this information to avoid confusion and panic but to be more precise, the coup was instigated by the Imperial Household Honor Guards"

"The Honor Guards? No way! Why would they…?"

"The reason behind that is unclear…" Yoroi stopped me from asking more questions. "But it is without a doubt certain to us that they are the ones responsible for this coup. We discovered that more than 1/3 of Japan has already sided with the rebels. A group that resisted their rule attempted to recapture the capital but were all decimated before they could even reach the city"

"Wait… is this group… the same people aligned with Sagiri?"

"That was my first suspicion" He admitted. "When they made their demands, I was opted to point my finger at him as well. (Demands?) Yes… though they are keeping much of the information hidden from the public, the rebel army had made a demand for all foreign influence to leave Japan immediately" That's the same demand that Sagiri gave out during his speech. "But those suspicions were cleared when my contact told me that Sagiri in still in his holding cell. (…?) So it's possible that there is another who is trying to uphold his ideals. A copycat if you will…"

"A copycat?" So there are other people like Naoya?

"Correct, which is why we're going to need your skills, Shirogane kun. (Me?) Yes… I have seen your abilities first hand. Though others may have doubt I know that you have a habit of making the impossible, possible"

"But wait. Isn't there still negotiations happening?"

"The attempts of communication with the rebels broke down 10 minutes ago" Komaki answered back for the first time since this conversation started. "The negotiations were doomed to fail from the beginning. They were placed there to buy us some time to move our troops to position. They were never planned on succeeding" A talk that had no plan to go anywhere. That's not something you'd hear every day.

"Martial law was declared yesterday by the remaining members of the government, including Prime Minister Kurechika" Yoroi continued. "As of right now, the country is split between the ruling class and the sovereignty. Only a stray few are left undecided. This incident can only end with the complete annihilation of one side or the other"

"Then… what do you need me for?" I asked. "I'm not a member of the Imperial Army"

"That… is a rather difficult thing to explain and not a lot of time to explain it in detail. (…?) Time is not our friend either because I have a feeling that members of my organization may have also joined side with the rebel army. (…!) It's only natural seeing that are the Royal Ministry of Intelligence after all"

"Then… why are you on our side?"

"Your side? Whoever said I was ever on your side? (Huh?) I never take sides, Shirogane kun. You should know that by now. It just so happens that I can benefit from this by fighting on this side. We cannot do this unless we know that we gain something in return. Don't you agree? (…) Anything else you would like to inquire?"

"I get the situation… but there's still one thing I don't understand. (…?) Aren't the Household Honor Guards supposed to obey the Royal Family? Why isn't Yu—the Shogun, doing anything about it?"

Yoroi's smile grew even wider. "At last… you're starting to ask the right questions, Shirogane kun. (…) But are you really worried about them… or are you more concerned of something else entirely? (…) Heh… but to answer your question, I believe you're mistaken about one thing. (Eh?) The Imperial Household Honor Guards do not take orders from the royal family. Though on some occasions where a company is assigned under the command of a family member, they are still a different force entirely. Out of everything their primary mission is to ensure the safety of the royal family. It is… difficult to understand but that is how they are described. Should the royal family have a tendency to risk their lives due to their honor… the Honor Guards will ensure that their lives are not wasted on the battlefield"

"So… in the end they don't obey orders from the Shogun? (Correct…) Kuh..." Then what about Tsukuyomi? Why did she obey the Shogun during the coup?

"Shirogane…" Hmm?

"Ah Marimo sensei. What happened?"

"I just confirmed things with high command. We're ordered to cooperate with Yoroi Sakon for the duration of the operation. (Eh!-?) I know that this is highly unusual but I guess we have to bear with it. It was part of the agreement for the U.N. intervention of the Japanese political changes. Negotiations were carried out between both sides and the only request the Japanese Government was to have both you and me cooperate with them" That is extremely unusual. For the government to make such a request is unheard of… but I guess the U.N. Consulate couldn't resist such a bargain either. 2 soldiers for the price of increasing their influence must be a special discount deal.

"In other words, you two were sold out to us until this situation is resolved" Yoroi finished. "So… do we have your cooperation in this?"

I darted my eyes to Marimo. I should probably leave the talking with her.

"I suppose so…" Was her answer. "It's not like we're being given much of a choice. I've been told that I will be acting as Shirogane's operator in whatever task he will be assigned in. (Correct…) But one thing still bothers me. Why only two of us? You could've asked for a whole squad yet you specifically just asked for two"

"The details of the mission hold many secrets of the Tokyo Defense. The less people who know about it, the better. The mission I will be assigning also has certain risks involved that I cannot share at this moment"

"And what would that mission be?"

"There will be time for that. For now, I have briefed both of you of the situation. We will be arriving at a temporary military base in Sakado City, Saitama. From there we will meet up with the rest of the 1st Regimental Army where we will conduct a series of attacks. In the mean time, please stay in the quarters we've provided on this plane. I have no doubt that all of you are still restless from what occurred earlier. Once we've arrived, I will explain the details of your task. That will be all. Thank you for listening" And just like that, the man left. It must be hard for Yuuko sensei to deal with him. I can understand why people would actually try to kill him.

**(Tokyo) (Royal Palace) (Shogun's Room)**

Silence…

The only thing that Her Royal Highness could hear was the blissful sound of the wind passing through the flowers of her fauna collection. The snow continued to fall overhead, covering the country in a near endless white-blanket. It was…a marvelous-scenery, one that she'd hope that she would see again by tomorrow's sunrise.

But despite the harsh weather and the cold still night, her thoughts drifted to the words she spoke out of conscious. This was the second time she lashed out to someone out of anger and the second time she delivered a slap. The hint of that anger still lingered under her chest, crying out to be unleashed again. She knew that it was wrong to show such childish emotions but deep down inside a crackling feeling of joy remained.

It was immature, childish, and selfish even. But even so, there was no way to deny the smaller bit of sweet happiness that she felt from it. She thought that she had locked up all her anger in her head and threw away the keys. She believed that she could take any form of insult and still stand strong. But when Ikaruga mentioned that boy and smeared his name, something just… clicked. She barely even had any control over what she said and done… and by the time she even realized it, the man was already gone. It was like a separate persona of hers took over and let out her deepest thoughts in one swift movement.

_"How you define my words is your own doing. Spit on my lineage, my name, my standing in this country if you must… but do not dare mock his name in front of me ever again. If so… it will be my sword that will take your life"_

Those words returned to her like a surreal dream. She played the role of a Shogun perfectly until the last moment. From that point on, everything around her shattered like she was waking up from a world made of glass. All the reflections showing of a woman she didn't recognize was gone… completely. All she could see now was her own eyes looking back at her with clear crystal star glittering in them.

But her dream ended abruptly when she felt a pair of hands covering her coat with a fresh warm towel. She turned back to see the face of the Chamberlain with the same smile she always had for her.

"Some warm tea, Your Highness? (…) Against the cold and the stress… you will need all the help you can get"

Yuuhi reluctantly accepted the teacup, the warm smell reaching her nose ticking her senses. "Oba san… I… I'm sorry I did not say anything about this"

"You need not apologize" She stated sharing a sip from another teacup. "Though to admit… I was a little surprised at first"

"I did not want to trouble you with my errors. It is my selfish of me to have done such a thing without your knowledge"

"Keeping secrets is just another part of being human, Your Highness. (…) We cannot expect to reveal everything about themselves to the people around us. But I must admit, I never expected something like… this" Yuuhi felt a tinge of guilt and shame. A part of her wishing she could just turn into a flower and hide herself among the faunas. "I don't suppose you're willing to share who this particular person, will you? Perhaps it is just the grandmother in me but I am curious to know what kind of person he is to make you spout such things"

"I… I'm afraid not. Even I am puzzled to what I said earlier…"

The Chamberlain nodded, understanding what the girl was going through. "Only the heart can speak the truth. (…?) That was something my late husband once said to me when he first confessed his love many years ago. The mind can twist tales, the eyes and ears can only see and hear lies, and the mouth can follow a script. But the heart cannot lie no matter how much it tries to hide it. Our senses are limited to what we see, hear, think, taste and feel… but deep down in our stomach, the truth lingers below. (Oba san…) I know that it may sound illogical. Sometimes I can barely understand half of what he says. But even so… I always believe in his words. Foolish they may be… but it has always brought me some measure of hope in these dark times. (…?) What do you think your heart is saying, Your Highness? What does it say when you picture that boy in your mind?"

Yuuhi looked down to her breast and held her hand onto it. An image of Takeru popped up unconsciously to her head like reflex. It was then she felt it. Her heart began to beat faster and faster. Her body feels hot and all doubt that she had with her, melted away like the snow at the first light of summer.

"It says… everything I wanted to say to him…" A smile came upon her face.

**(Ikaruga's office) (Honor Guard Headquarters) (07:10 PM)**

"Bring it on! I'll take you all on!" The voice of Shirogane boomed over the television that evening. His face has been playing on that giant screen along with his simulator and mock battle training that had been secretly recorded by Yoroi Sakon prior to his personal investigation of the boy on camera.

Ikaruga watched with some measure of interest flickering in his mind. Every video that came with the journal had the same boy playing over and over again like he was the star of a movie series that never seemed to catch the attention of any audience. But despite the lack of a story, Ikaruga found it to be quite… intriguing.

The boy was undoubtedly headstrong but also very skilled. If the records on the files were as half as accurate as they are then it was possible that the soldier he met was more dangerous than he had anticipated.

"My lord?" His bodyguard garbed in red entered.

"Ah Makabe… good. You're here"

"Is there a reason why you called for me, sire? It's almost time to make your announcement"

"I wanted your opinion on something. (…?) I've been viewing the records of Shirogane Takeru all afternoon and I find it… quite… interesting. (Interesting… sire?) Yes… apparently there are two sets of public information about him. (…!) One side here says he lived abroad all his life and only recently came back to join the U.N. The other one here states that he… is dead"

"Then it's clearly obvious that the latter information is false since the boy you spoke of is clearly still alive"

"True… I thought of the same thing until I read the journal. (…?) That Yoroi is clearly top notched. He doesn't miss a single detail of a person. It's the very thing that makes him so frightening. He treated the boy as if he was an object to be studied rather than a person to be followed. In his journal, Yoroi continues to mention one thing… (…?) He states at the end of each report… 'A Dead Man Walks Among Us'. (…!) What do you make of it, Makabe?"

"The philosophical implications are near limitless, my lord"

"Philosophical? Yes… that does sound like something the man would play in his journal. You can never understand what he's thinking. It'll take a miracle just trying to follow the man in his own sense of mind. But even so… I find the boy… even more interesting than before. (…?) What kind of boy would possess such talents and yet be so unknown to this world? (Sir?) Never mind. It doesn't really matter at this point. The boy may be a robot for all I care. But Yoroi's report does make a compelling argument"

"Does this boy require any special treatment, my lord?" Makabe questioned. "No matter how powerful he may be, he is still just one soldier. There will always be limits to what a single person can do"

"Are you including me in that factor, Makabe?"

"Of course sir" The guard answered without hesitation. "No matter what we do, humans are simply humans. There are a few that far exceeds the normal conditions but in the end… they will always have a limit. No matter how much you try to modify their bodies with technology or psychology… they can never exceed what they were capable from the start. It is the limit of humanity. That is why we have each other. (…?) Where many are flawed, there are those with strengths. If humanity can stand shoulder to shoulder for just a few minutes… they can achieve that which is beyond a person's reach. That is the principle we believed in… that is why we are fighting, are we not?"

"Heh… you're getting better with your words, Makabe"

"I learned from the best, sir"

"Hahaha! You flatter me so. But you shouldn't underestimate the will of a single person. Though I agree… we are stronger when united… it is our very differences that interfere with our unity. I will continue to study this boy at a later time. For now… we have more important things to do…"

**(Takeru's POV) (Somewhere in the skies)**

It's been over an hour since we've been abducted here onboard the plane of the Imperial Army. I'll admit I am a bit uneasy about all of this. The war, the coup, even the Shogun. I'm so confused that I don't even know where this world is turning anymore. I need to do a recap. The only things I changed in this loop was the coup which altered in the survival of the political group of Sakaki's old man and Sagiri Naoya. During the XM3 trials I saved Marimo chan. But I can't seem to figure out how the small changes affected the future so much. Back in Sadogashima, I didn't know about the BETA Carrier nor did I know anything about the ALTERNATIVE II facility hidden under there.

The flawless victory from the Hive must've had something to do with the BETA attack but what could've triggered a second coup? I'm piecing the things that I've changed but there's just so many that it's hard to keep track on all of them.

Haa… my brain is already packed with so much information. If I put in anymore it'll probably explode. Maybe it'll be best that I just rest until I get the full story from Yoroi.

The room they provided us was pretty spacious considering that we're onboard an airplane. Two beds, a table with two reading lamps and chairs—it reminds me a lot of the barracks back at Yokohama Base. But unlike that place I can't be entirely certain if we're being monitored here. They could have a camera hidden somewhere among the shelves or a listening bug under our beds. Geh! Damn it! I'm exerting myself again. This is probably what I get from watching too many movies back in my younger days.

Marimo is already fast asleep. She seems to be experienced about unusual military activities considering that she's been with Yuuko sensei half her life. I really want to talk but I don't want to disturb her either. I'll just follow her example and…

Knock knock…

Huh?

"Excuse me. Jinguuji san, Shirogane san. May I come in?" That voice… Yayoi?

"Wait one moment please" Wah! Marimo sensei? Was she awake this whole time? She got up from her bed and opened the bulkhead door not even showing a hint of her exhaustion. "Is there something you need?"

"I apologize for disturbing. I know that this might be a bit sudden, but I was wondering if you'd like some dinner. I was able to whip up something for you in the kitchen. It just occurred to me that we took you from your base without even realizing the time. I'm certain that you must be famished"

Food? Now that I think about it… I don't recall having dinner at all. I remember having lunch back in Kyoto base but it was nothing more but soup, rice and fish. You can probably call that a meager ration as it is.

"Of course. Please, come in" Marimo allowed the woman in who produced two trays for us from a food cart. If you looked at her from my point of view, she looked a lot like a flight attendant serving the passengers their in-flight meals.

"It's not much but please try to make it last"

"Oh… thank you…" I gave a small bow in appreciation to her. Yayoi looked more like a businesswoman rather than a soldier. Her stance resembles a lot like 1st Lt. Piatiff, Yuuko's secretary.

"The Chief also wanted me to give this to you" Hmm? Are those… military uniforms? "We do not wish to cause unnecessary misunderstandings. Though this is a joint operation with the Imperial Army and the U.N. Armed Force, it is better to have you act as part of our force rather than the U.N. Once we arrive at Sakado and cleared you back of your usual profiling you can return to your regular uniforms"

So I guess they don't want to cause any kind of commotion while we're there. But she does have a point. I mean earlier when we first came in they had guns trained on us. I don't want that kind of experience again and my U.N. Eishi suit sticks out like a sore thumb.

"Thank you for your hospitality" Marimo thanked her with a silent nod before letting Yayoi back out. I guess she wants to be left alone until we get a better understanding of things. "You'd better eat up, Shirogane. This might be the only thing we get until the operation starts"

"Ah… y… yeah"

"Don't be nervous. I don't think they'll try to poison us after everything that has happened. (Geh!) At situations like these you need to learn how to keep yourself calm. Being all erratic and you make it easy for others to read you. Even now I can read your face clearly"

"Eh? Am I that easy to read?"

"Sometimes I hardly understand what's going through your head. But when you're so uneasy, I can tell what you're thinking just by asking you a simple question. (Geh…) It's nothing to be ashamed of. Even I have a hard time controlling how I feel about the situation as it is"

"You look pretty calm to me"

"That's only how I appear. In truth I'm actually quite uncomfortable. When dealing with outsiders, it's best to keep your relations to be strictly professional. (…?) But considering how Yoroi spoke to you, I can only assume that this isn't the first time you've had a proper conversation before"

"Ah… well… it's a long story"

She shrugged her shoulders in reply. "Well… considering that you work under the Vice Commander, it shouldn't surprise me that you meet with such a man on a regular basis. But always remember to keep your relationship professional. Just keep acting as you have when you're in the base but keep watch on what you say. As long as you follow these rules, you'll be just fine. (Yes ma'am). Don't worry about your friends too much either. I'm sure they can handle well even without you. Besides, 1st Lt. Hayase probably won't forgive you if you allowed yourself to be distracted"

"Ahehe… yeah… you're right. That does sound like something she would say"

I have to remain calm. First priority is surviving this. I can't afford to die now. If I do then… Sumika would be all alone again. I can't allow that. No matter what happens now… I will see it to the very end!


	51. From One Side to Another

**Chapter 51: From One Side to Another**

**(Takeru's POV) (Skies above Sakado) (December 30, 2001 Sunday) (10:02 PM)**

Shake shake…

Hmmm…

Shake shake…

Ugh… not now. It's not even time for roll call.

"Shirogane…" Shake shake…

It's too early… I barely even had a wink of sleep. Come on Sumika, give me a break here. Just give me 5 more minutes. Just 5 more minutes and I promise I'll be awake by then.

"Shirogane, it's time to wake up…" Hmm? "Shirogane, come on"

"Eh? Ma… Marimo… chan?"

"Wake up. We're here… (Huh? Here?) Get up" Ugh… where… am I? Oh that's right. We were taken/abducted by the Imperial Army earlier. We're onboard one of their planes that was heading for the Saitama Prefecture. I must've fallen asleep after we had our meals. Ugh… judging from my timer… I barely had 2 hours of sleep.

"All personnel prepare for landing" I heard a voice come from the intercom. There are no windows in our room so I can't tell where we are exactly.

"Looks like we've arrived" Marimo chan added before tossing me something soft. "Here, take off your suit and put these on. (Eh?) Did you forget? We're supposed to disguise ourselves as imperial Army Officers. (Oh…) It's a temporary thing"

"Oh that's right. It must've slipped my mind. (…) Hmm? What's wrong, Marimo sensei?"

"C… could you look away for a minute? (Huh?) I need to change and…" Geh!

"Ah! R… right. Sure thing! Sorry about that" I turned my face towards the wall. "I wished they would've given us separate rooms instead of a single bunk"

"It can't be helped. Even if they are asking us for help, they don't have enough manpower to keep watch over both of us at the same time. (Ruffle) I think they're having just as much trouble as we are after the Shikoku incident. (…) I know it's troubling for many of us but all we can do now is cut our losses and move on. (…) Alright… you can turn around now. (…?) This uniform isn't that much different from the ones they give us back at the base. I suppose one size fits all" Wow… she's… so… different. I'm used to see her with U.N. uniform but to see her in something else just changes my perspective. The Imperial Army uniform has a dark green shade instead of the usual black and blue, the shoulders aren't jagged and the skirt goes just above her knees. "D… don't stare at it too much"

"Ah… s… sorry. It's just that… you look natural with it"

"Well this isn't exactly the first time I had to wear this kind of uniform. I was part of the Imperial Army before I became an instructor" Oh that's right. She told me that before.

"Landing gears primed. Approaching airstrip. All hands prepare for landing…" The intercom said again with a computerized sound at the background.

"You'd better get changed too before we land"

"Ah right… one moment please" I'm beginning remember how troublesome it is to take off an exosuit like this. Marimo turned her head towards her side of the wall so I had some privacy. Hmm… this uniform feels kind of loose. Maybe they gave me a bigger size. The sleeves were pretty long and there were too many buttons for me to know which one goes where. It's the same dark green shade as Marimo chan and it had some decorative pins on the neck. Hmm… 2nd Lieutenant. They had that part wrong. Oh well… I guess beggars can't be choosers here. "Ok, I'm done. I think…"

"Hooo? Impressive. A military uniform does suit you after all. (Really?) If you told me that you were a part of the Imperial Army, I'd definitely believe you"

"You think so? I'm so used to the uniform they give us. I don't think the buttons are matched though. It feels kind of stiff on the torso but loose on the sleeves"

"That's understandable. The uniform is for official meetings and ceremonies. It's not meant to be worn in actual combat. You should tuck your shirt and button it all the way to the top. Here, let me help you with that. (Geh! M… Ma…) Ease up. I'll just be quick" T… that's easier said than done. Your chest is touching me and your face is kind of near mind and… have I always been taller than her? Uwa… now I'm beginning to see why people always perceive us as a couple. We do these things so naturally not even taking into account of people who could be watching.

…

"Is something wrong, Marimo sensei?"

"Ah… no. I just realized that you've gotten bigger since the first time we met. If you get any taller than this I might have to look up just to see your face" Ahehe… maybe my body's going through a growth spurt. I always thought I was looking up to the gang but instead she was the one looking up to me.

Rumbling…

"Hmm? What's that sound?"

"We're landing. Get to your position"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Wah… now that I'm no longer in my exosuit, I can feel the wind blowing my whole body. It's so cold; my body is already shivering just coming out of the plane. Gah… it seems like we're really in Sakado. I don't think I've ever visited this place. The airport seems to have been part of the city once but now it's being used by the military for this mission.

I can see soldiers and TSFs all over the runway working to their full capacity. I can even see jeeps and other smaller vehicles moving in and out like clockwork. I guess it shouldn't be a surprise. These are veteran elites of the Imperial Army, not cadets.

Yoroi, Yayoi and Major Komaki escorted us out of the plane when we were stopped by one of the workers.

"Welcome back Major" He saluted to the woman in uniform. "Everything is proceeding on schedule. We'll have one of the jeeps drive you to Headquarters immediately"

"Good. Be quick about your setup. I need this plane fueled and in the air as quickly as possible"

"Yes ma'am"

"Ohh? This is quite impressive" Yoroi stated out of the blues. "I didn't expect so many to volunteer to join this task force. I am actually whelmed"

"These are only the advance guards" The Major explained to him. "The rest of the company are still refitting at Gunma and will be joining us before the operation begins. Our main force is gathering at Yamanashi and will be part of the main assault on the city itself"

"Ah… I apologize. I did not mean to say that I was expecting little of your army. I was merely stating that there are more than I expected to join"

"These men are dedicated to their duties" The Major insisted. "They will follow it regardless of what others may think. Their loyalty to their country is unquestionable"

"Their loyalty to their country… or their loyalty to your reputation as 'his' aide? (…) Hmm?" His aide? Who's he? Why am I getting a strange vibe from these two? They don't seem to be giving out that neutral atmosphere earlier.

"Now now, Chief, please don't go through your wordplay again" Yayoi san calmed them. "Why don't we take this inside where it's warmer?"

The man quickly backed down but I can still see a smirk up his lips. "Indeed. Time is not our ally today. We should proceed without delay"

"Yoroi…" Huh? Who's that? He came out from the plane side entrance. Ah! Wait… I know that man!

"Ah… Sakaki san. Are you sure it's safe for you to be out here in the open?"

There's no doubt about it. I recognized that man just like I did back during my day of promotion! That's Class rep's old man! The Prime Minister of Japan! Sakaki Kurechika! Was he on the plane with us? Yoroi did say that they were traveling with a VIP but I never thought it'd be him of all people. That would explain why there were so many guards and why all the necessary security.

"…" He's talking with Mikoto's old man. I can't get a fix on what they're saying but Yoroi seems to be nodding to everything the Prime Minister says.

After a brief conversation the blue haired spy returned to us with a solemn expression. "Yayoi san, please escort our guests to the meeting room. I will be there shortly"

"Yes sir…" The two of them trailed off leaving through another vehicle while another jeep came to pick us up.

"Isumi san…" The Major came next having a similar expression. "I'm needed at the command post to relay orders for the other divisions. I will join with the rest of you later. (Ah… right… I understand…) Excuse me…"

…

Ok… that was a strange… even for someone like me. Yoroi seemed to be acting weird with the Prime Minister and the Major just bolted off and now we're left alone with Yayoi. Something doesn't feel… right. I thought there was some sense of unity here but all I'm getting is just… emptiness.

"…" Yayoi doesn't look happy at all either. "Ah! Umm… please follow me. I'll drive you to the meeting place" She forced out a smile for us before escorting us to one of the jeeps.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Our drive around the base was uneventful at best. The snow was beginning to pick up again coming through with a hail. I'm sure that Yokohama Base is getting the same weather as we are since it's on the lowlands. I'm getting that uneasy feeling at the back of my neck again. I'm not the type of person who would wait for things to fall on his lap. Why bring us all the way here if they're just going to make us wait?

I can see groups of TSFs flying above head and a few more traveling on foot. I know that we're still far from the battlefield but it feels like we're huddling around the trenches already. This is almost the same feeling I got when I was tasked on that mission in Hakone.

These people say that they need my help but I don't know what is it I'm supposed to do. All I can do is pilot a TSF better than most. Other than that I'm pretty much useless. Politics and talking aren't exactly my strong points. This isn't like high school where I can motivate one person to do something crazy. I mostly leave that kind of thing with Yuuko sensei.

"We're here…" Our final destination was a large hanger at the end of the end of the runway. It was big enough to house a plane but instead of planes, all I could see were tanks and trucks being fixed on the job. Yayoi escorted us out and we followed her through the large room with little difficulties.

The soldiers that we pass by saluted us in turn and went back to their business. No one even suspects us or gave us a second glance. Either they were too busy to notice us or these disguises are really well made.

After a brief walk we finally arrived at a small briefing room. It's like a duplicate of the classroom back at Yokohama Base but without the many chairs and tables. The blackboard was still there along with the podium and the projector.

"Please wait here. The Chief and the Major will be with you shortly" We nodded back to her in reply.

**(An hour later) **

How long do these guys intend to keep us waiting like this? I'm never good at waiting. All this silence is just irritating me to no end. If this keeps up I'll probably just blow my head up to let out all this frustration. I haven't been kept this long since the beginning of the 12/5 incident. We were ordered to remain on standby in a room similar to this and from that point on everyone had mixed feelings about the coup.

I wonder how the others are doing right now? We haven't been able to contact them since we were abducted by the Imperial Army. I'm sure they're having conflicting personas right about now. I wish I could to talk with them. A simple phone call extension should be fine. I might even be able to call them using the radio frequency used specifically for Valkyrie members. If they're still wearing their exosuit and connected to a wireless link network then it should be no problem.

The only thing that's keeping me calm right now is having Marimo by my side. We had a few occasional chats but nothing worth mentioning. I'm sure if she wasn't here I'd probably be running around like a headless chicken like I did before in my last loop. Ah… I was really pathetic.

"Excuse me…" Marimo opened up after a long period of waiting. "But how long do you intend to keep us waiting? It's been over an hour"

"I apologize for the delay" Yayoi bowed her head to us in apology. "It's not like the Chief to keep people waiting. The Prime Minister is extremely sensitive about the information that's being shared between us and the U.N. so they may take awhile longer"

"That's another thing that bothers me" I opened up. "Why is the Prime Minister here? I thought he was kept at an undisclosed location"

"The Prime Minister has made some dealings with the U.N. Council. He is personally overseeing this operation to ensure its success. Though I admit… having him off the plane does bother me a little. Yoroi also oversees his protection so he may be updating the security details for a later time"

"A dealing? With the U.N? What kind?"

"You shouldn't look up on things that don't concern you, Shirogane kun. (…!) Such information can be hazardous to your health. (Yoroi!) Haaa… making an injured man walk all the way here is quite troubling. Sakaki san really has no remorse even for the faithful. (…) But I guess faith and trust is something he has little of right now"

"Chief… can we please begin? We don't exactly have the luxury of time at the moment" The Major who stood behind him urged the man forward.

"Ahaha… of course. Now then. Yayoi chan, if you please" Yoroi began with a gesture of his hand, closing the lights while Yayoi moved to man the projector. "As I have explained before, this will be a joint operation run by both the U.N. 11th Army and the 1st Imperial Army Regiment. No official time has been given but we all know that the mission will take place at dawn of December 31, 2001. It has already been officially announced the objectives of this operation is to quell the rebel forces and retake the capital city of Tokyo. We expect heavy rain by that time but we will carry out the operation regardless of atmospheric conditions"

No regards for weather. That's no surprise. They're racing against the clock after all. The longer the rebels hold the city, the more influence the Honor Guards will have on the people.

"Before I give you your mission, Major Komaki will outline the operation as a whole" As the screen changed into the demography of the Tokyo Metropolis, the Major quickly took the man's place on the stage.

"Though our objectives have been given to the rest of the coalition forces, the true objective of this operation is to secure Her Highness, Kobuin Yuuhi who is being held in the royal palace at the very heart of the city. (…!) The secondary objectives will be to capture the facilities along the path and keep the enemy out of balance to gather as much information about them as possible. Our force consists of mostly regimental troops from the Sadogashima Campaign and Kyushu Island. We also conscripted several divisions of cadets to fill in the ranks of our rearguard in case of an emergency" So they're really going to be using cadets… again? "And now the plan is as follows…"

The screen changed again, this time showing the layout of attacks.

"Per an accepted strategy agreed by both the U.N. Armed Force and the Imperial Army Headquarters, the first phase of the attack will consist of a diversionary force. (…) Our forces outnumber the enemy by a margin of 3 to 1 so we have the advantage. However… our enemy know of this too that is why they are focusing their fighting strength around the central Tokyo. But what they lack in numbers they make up with their equipment and skill. It is known that the 1st, 2nd, 19th, 24th and the 16th Imperial Honor Guard Regiments are present there. They are selected as the most veteran force in the entire cohort of the Household Honor Guards"

Veterans. So in other words… people who have killed before. This seems so surreal.

"Members of the Capital Guards and Mainland defense force have also defected to the rebel army and will probably be fighting on their side" It's going to be difficult for a lot of these people since they'll be pointing their weapons at their former comrades. "We also learned that a rogue foreign army, the 9th Eurasian Atlantic Fleet is also participating in this battle in favor of our opposition"

Looking at the map now… I get the impression that this fight might just be a standoff. Despite our overwhelming numbers, our opponents will be the elites of the elites, people who fought the BETA while many of us were still in training school. Not to mention the Eurasian force that we have no information about. I guess they're not stupid enough to hold the entire city, just the center of it. Still… they'll probably have the home field advantage at this point.

"This is the outline of the central Tokyo City Defenses" The screen changed again, this time showing large red dots around each ward of the city. "As you probably know, Tokyo itself is a fortress city protected by a large layer of defenses in case of a BETA attack. The large dots you see on the map represent the firebase built by the Imperial Army in the year 1999 as a safety measure for all wards. (…) Each base has a pair of high velocity 240mm howitzers that are extremely accurate and has a high rate-of-fire. Each shot has the ability of piercing a TSF's armor and hitting whatever was behind it before exploding. The base also has 4 twin 90mm guns to engage close to medium ranged targets, 2 units of 36mm guns to counteract against missiles and 6 launcher tubes that can fire large payloads of missiles"

All that for a single base? You can practically call that a fortress! Why the heck do they need so many weapons inside the city in the first place?

"As I said before in the first phase of the operation, the U.N. and Imperial Army will engage from the west, northwest and southwest, diverting the enemy's attention to that side. The battle will most likely be waged at Nishitokyo, Musashino, Mitaka and Chofu. Artillery support will be limited to these areas only as we cannot risk damaging the city as it is" A head-on assault!-? Are they for real? "At the same time the naval force will begin their attack on Tokyo Bay, taking the Island of Odaiba as their forward outpost and engaging the Eurasian Fleet that have entrenched themselves in Chiba Harbor"

So we really are going to try to overwhelm them with numbers. This is insane. If they go through this we'll be picked off like shooting gallery.

"Once the diversionary force pulls a specific amount of enemies from the capital, the operation will move on to Phase 2. A separate force that I will be commanding personally will travel through the Arakawa River coastline, avoiding most of their defenses and disrupt the enemy's communication network. Should our surprise attack be successful, we should be able to take Adachi and Katsushika ward with little resistance" I see… while our enemies are busy dealing with attack coming from both sea and land, they'll sneak in from behind. A common tactic I guess. It's been done before.

But even with all this planning the death toll will still be high. If the firebases are as strong as they say they are… it'll be tough just trying to get through them.

"Following our objectives, we will then proceed to secure Tokyo Harbor by taking Edogawa and Koto, paving the way for the U.N. amphibious force to land unhindered. The waterfront and docking port in Aomi are vital for the continued operations. Once we've linked up with the U.N. Force we will immediately begin a two-pronged attack at the heart of the city center. Chuo, Taito, Bunkyo, Shinjuku and Minato, as well as the Imperial Army Command Post in Shinagawa ward must be within our hands. As long as we have those in our grasps, the enemy lines will crumble and we will have the royal palace completely surrounded"

Taking the whole city—it sounds so simple when you put it on paper. Everything that I've heard so far is all based on if things go exactly as they planned. But nothing ever goes as planned. I've learned that the hard way.

"So basically…" Marimo opened up. "… this whole operation relies solely on the infiltration unit"

"Correct…" Yoroi answered. "It's a gamble that we have to take"

"However, the problem still remains on the firebases that have been built in each ward" The Major continued. "Even if we are still able to get pass them, should they spot us, our advance can easily be turned into a bloodbath. The Arakawa River is still being heavily monitored by long-range and deep-sensor radars that can detect even stealth units"

"This is where you come in, Shirogane kun" Huh? Me? What does he mean by that? "To ensure that our operation runs smoothly, we require you to infiltrate enemy lines and destroy their pulse radar that has the ability to track hidden units. (Pulse radar?) Unlike the scope that you're used to in the TSF. The Pulse radar bounces signal off any electronic equipment that is above the regular basis. These things were implemented in response to the American stealth technology used on their F-22 Raptors. I'll spare you the technical details and move right on to your mission. Major, if you'll allow me…"

"Of course…" The Major backed away, leaving the stage for Yoroi to take over.

"As I said earlier, you, Shirogane, will be charged with the destruction of the radar dishes around Tokyo Metropolis. Without them, the firebases you saw earlier will be blind to anything they cannot see in plain sight. (…) You will then be tasked of destroying two of these bases afterwards. (Eh!) Don't look so surprised. I wouldn't have asked the Legendary Rookie to come here just as a decoration"

"But isn't attacking the city alone is plain suicide!-?" Marimo shouted off. "Surely the rebels will suspect something is wrong once they notice their sights going dark"

"True. I expect them to have a quick response team the moment the attack begins. But I'm sure it's nothing that Shirogane cannot handle. I'm sure you know this too, Jinguuji san. (…) He has the strange habit of making the impossible—possible" Wait… did he just praise me? "Yayoi, please explain the rest"

"Yes Chief" Yayoi came up next, leaving the projector on remote. "The infiltration unit will enter on surface below radar range. 1st Lt. Shirogane will be piloting a modified version of the Type-97 Fubuki equipped with Type 5 jump units to increase mobility. Since this will be an urban combat situation, the terrain will be difficult to maneuver with heavy equipment. That's why you will be going in unarmed" Unarmed? "Once you've reached the inside of the city through the Adachi ward, we will launch a supply crate containing a 1200mm Trans-Horizon Cannon which you will then use to destroy your assigned targets"

The Trans-Horizon Cannon? (Flash) Isn't that the same weapon that Tama used to shoot down the HSST destroyer in atmosphere? How in the world did they get their hands on that?

"But wait…" I raised my hand up in question. "Even if I do get pass their defenses. Wouldn't they just turn their guns around and shoot back at me?"

"Hooo? Very observant" Yoroi cooed to me. "Yayoi san, please explain"

"Yes sir. Though you are correct, 1st Lieutenant. The firebase does have one other specific weakness. (…?) With the exception of the 90mm and 36mm guns, the 200mm howitzer and missile launchers only have a firing range of 120 degrees of where they're directed at. This procedure was implemented so that no weapon would be used against the defenders in the case these bases were to be captured by our enemies" I see… so I won't have to worry about big giant guns being pointed at me while I'm working. The only things I need to watch out for are the response team attacking me. I see… so I just need to work fast and get out and I'll have done my part. The Imperial Army really put in a lot of thought into this. "All you need to do is destroy those cannons and the infiltration units can do the rest. Your call sign will be Zeus. The diversionary force will be called Hammer, the infiltration force under Major Komaki is Orochi and the U.N. amphibious troops will be Shark. This concludes the briefing for your mission"

The projector turned off and the lights came on.

This is huge. I'm beginning to see the bigger picture of things but this whole civil war is just insane.

"Do you have any questions, Shirogane?" Yoroi took the stage and questioned me.

"Just one… (…?) Why me? I mean… I can understand why you want me to pilot a TSF but I'm sure you guys have awesome pilots of your own, don't you?"

"True… but considering the odds of survival to get even one soldier through is extremely low. We may have to sacrifice a few dozen just to do that. (…!) But with you… I'm sure the odds will weigh greatly in our favor, no?" Does this guy really have that much faith in me? Or is he just that desperate to believe in miracles now? "Now then… if we are done with the formal planning we should get you organized for the coming mission. Yayoi san. Please brief 1st Lt. Jinguuji of our operating procedures here. (Yes sir…) Major Komaki, please explain Shirogane kun about his equipment for the mission and then direct him to his quarters later"

"As you wish. Please follow me, 1st Lieutenant"

"Ah… uh… ok…"

**(Imperial TSF Hanger)**

Hmm… their hanger design isn't that different from our own. Each hanger had 4 TSFs facing one another so each of them can contain a total of eight. I can see a large number of Gekishins and Shiranuis berthing there and Eishis and mechanics running around. The atmosphere here also reminds me of Yokohama Base except the head mechanic isn't chewing me up because I wreck another piece of equipment.

…

Haaa… I'm thinking about Yokohama Base way too much now. It feels like I'm getting a case of homesickness. It's strange to even consider a military base a place to live but it's the closest thing I have to a home around this universe.

"1st Lieutenant, are you listening?"

"Huh? Ah! Sorry Komaki san—I mean, Major…"

"Please pay attention. The information we are about to discuss is only to be kept between, you, me, Section Chief Yoroi, Sergeant Yayoi and your aide, 1st Lt. Jinguuji. No one else must know of it. (Y… yes ma'am) If you understand then please follow me"

We made our way to an abandoned part of the hanger areas. Unlike the others, the berthing pits were completely empty but there was still something there just for me.

Standing there at the very center of the room being directed with large stage lights was a Type-97 Fubuki in Imperial Army gray colors. I saw a few of them earlier by the runway but this one looks… different. It looks… more intimidating. The headpiece had a shade of red on its sensory module and the shoulder pads look tougher. It's like a bigger version of the training model. From the looks of it, this will be the thing I'm going to be piloting.

"I'm sure you're already familiar with the Type-97 training unit, Fubuki, 1st Lieutenant"

"Yeah…" I answered. "We had them for training back when I was a cadet. But I never imagined that they would actually be used for the frontlines"

"Regardless of what they taught you, the Type-97 is still a 3rd Generation TSF which gave birth to the Type-94 Shiranui and the basic groundwork for the Type-00 Takemikazuchi. On some occasions, commissioned soldiers would often use them even after they finished training due to the factories that are unable to keep up with production. Sometimes, squads are forced to remain with their training units for months before they receive proper equipments"

Hoo… now I'm starting to understand how special we are. Even after we were commissioned it only took a week for our Shiranuis to come. Yuuko must've ordered them especially to put us into full combat strength.

"But having a training unit isn't entirely a bad thing" Komaki continued. "On rare occasions, units like these are still capable of acting as support for combat based types like the Type-94. Before the mobile Shiranuis were put into play, Type-97s were its predecessors. It was only a few years since they became training units for cadets" Hmm… I think Marimo chan said something about that too.

…

Hmm? The door to the hanger is opening. The mechanics are bringing in another TSF? A Shiranui… hey… wait a minute… isn't that…?

"I see you recognized your old machine"

"Ah! That's my Shiranui! I thought I left it back in Kyoto"

"We brought it along with us on our plane ride" The Major explained. I recognized my old machine just by looking at the dried up blood splatter and damage to the head and left shoulder. "Section Chief Yoroi instructed us to implement your TSF's data into the machine so that you won't have to reconfigure everything"

"That guy really thought of everything"

"As per the TSF you will be piloting, it's the same function of a Fubuki. The Type-5 jump unit is an old model developed by the Fugaku Heavy Industries. It has twice the amount of output as the Type-7 and consumes a lot less energy therefore it can be used on a longer basis"

"Eh? If it's that good then why is it an old model? If it's better than what we have now, can't you standardize it?"

"It was thought of until they discovered a huge flaw in the jump unit. (…?) Once the jump unit reaches above max speed, the cooling vent can't sustain the jump for long and the heat fries all important circuitries after landing. In other word, the machine can only give you at least 6 jumps before it becomes useless. (Whoa…) The speed that you need to achieve will be necessary to avoid all the defenses. But even so we…"

"Hmm?" For a moment she paused in her words. "Is something wrong, Major?"

"No… it's nothing. Why?"

"Well… you look like you really wanted to say something. (…) Is there something bothering you?"

She gave out a sigh in return. "Off the record: I don't exactly know why Section Chief Yoroi tasked you with such an important mission. He hasn't told me anything about you except that you are a formidable TSF pilot. Personally… it has me worried since the odds of success for such a mission is extremely low but I won't disobey a direct order. If he says you can do it, I'll try my best to believe him"

"But you have a hard time trusting his judgments"

"He's a diplomat, not a soldier. But my opinion will remain my own. I can only follow his orders from this point on. (…) Let's not discuss about that now. Now… continuing on your equipment. Other than the jump unit, this Fubuki also possesses an excellent armor rating. We've added supplementary armor on its arms, legs and cockpit block without hampering its speed or movement. This unit will be able to take in more damage and will suffer less recoil from impact. The armor can only sustain a limited strain so don't be surprised if a piece or two falls off after you get hit. All of this was put together to ensure your survival should you get hit by a direct blow from the 200mm cannon. (…) How you perform is completely up to you. Any questions?"

"No ma'am…"

"Then let me show you to your quarters"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The room was near identical to our barracks. A single bed, a table with a single reading lamp, bookshelf with things we won't ever need to read and a closet. The only thing missing was the bathroom.

"The operation will commence at 0500 hours at dawn tomorrow. If there's something you don't understand, you can look up your mission in the exosuit provided in the closet. I would recommend that you change into your outfit immediately and get some rest. You can walk freely around the hanger areas but you may not leave its perimeter. Report to the hanger bay 4 when you're ready. That will be all" And without even waiting for a reply she was gone. I guess she must be pretty busy.

How do you expect someone to sleep after such a rowdy briefing? I'm so pumped up I feel like I might burn out before I even get to the battlefield.

I should do what the Major recommended and change into my Eishi suit. (Ruffle) Hmm… one size does fit all. But what should I do now? I can't go to sleep… not in this condition. With all the pressure everyone has on me, I really need to blow off some steam. Maybe a little walk around the base will help. She did say I can walk around until I'm ready.

**(TSF Hanger)**

Waaa… the air here is completely different. I need to adjust the temperature on my suit. I guess winter is finally hitting Japan. They say that heavy rain is to be expected by morning but if it does rain, does that mean it's going to hail? Won't that make the invasion even more difficult? Ahhh… what do I know? It's not like I can predict anything like I did before. My vision of the future ended with Sadogashima.

I'm not really sure how much more I can take. Shikoku Island… Kyoto… Osaka. We nearly lost everything because of that last invasion.

I don't know how much more of this I can take.

Hmm? Hey… isn't that… Yoroi's secretary?

"Hm? Ara? 1st Lt. Shirogane?"

"Ah… s… sorry. I didn't mean to disturb you. I'll be going now"

"No wait… (…?) Would you… join me for a little while? I could use the company"

"Ah… uh… ok" I shyly made my way to her. She looked as if she hasn't' slept for days. The wrinkles underneath her eyes were a clear sign of her fatigue. "Have you been… sleeping well, Ms. Isumi?"

"Please, just call me Yayoi. You make me sound like my mother. (Oh… ok…) Would you like some coffee? Freshly brewed" I accepted the extra cup she offered. I really needed something in me. I don't remember having anything since we've arrived. "Oh… if you're wondering about Jinguuji san, please don't worry. I escorted her to her room awhile ago. She's probably resting right about now. (…) I'm sure the Major recommended that you do the same… but I guess with what's going on, I doubt you'll be able to get any wink of sleep at all"

"That's true. I'm… actually a little confused right now. I don't know whether I should be angry, puzzled or do something completely crazy. (…) Don't get me wrong. I'll do what Yoroi san asked me to do. I just… don't really get the big picture of things"

"Ever heard of the phrase 'Ignorance is bliss' Shirogane? (…?) Sometimes not knowing the truth can be much better than knowing it. I tend to have a lot of sleepless nights whenever I know something I shouldn't have. But then I remember that there's really nothing much you can do about it. (…?) I'm an investigative agent. I tend to expect the worse so dreaming about it is just a waste of good sleep. Don't let things you can't control bother you"

"That sounds like it came from experience"

"Ahuhu… the Chief was right… you really are sharp" Ahehe… ah crap… why am I blushing? Why am I getting this fuzzy feeling in me? "But I heard so much about you before today, Shirogane san. (Eh?) Two of my sisters have already spoken very highly of you. I'm actually quite impressed. Michiru chan said that you're a highly accomplished Eishi and Akira called you a reckless hero. (Hero?) This is actually the first time I've seen any of them praising one person so much. I think you may have made a terrific first impression them. (Geh…) Ahuhuhu. Anyway… thank you"

"Huh? For what?"

"For saving both my sisters. Though Michiru tends to be somewhat disapproval about your actions… she cannot deny the results that came from it. Were it not for you… neither of them would be living today. (…) Akira said that she wanted to have a match with you one day if that would be possible"

"Ahehehe… seems like she's the fiery type"

"Well I guess you can put her in that category. (Ahehehe…) But despite her stern-hot-tempered behavior, Akira can be quite fragile unlike Michiru who can be stronger than most of us"

"Yeah… the captain can make that kind of impression. (…?) I used to think of her like a woman who's made completely out of iron. When I first met her she seems like someone who can do absolutely no wrong. (…) But after awhile, I realized that she wasn't that different from anyone out here. She has her own goals, her own dreams and her own life. She even has someone to love to keep her going. (…!) And I think that's probably why I admire her so much. She's someone who has a clear goal in her life. Unlike me who can't see where my path is leading. Compared to her… I'm quite pathetic…"

"I see… so that's how you see her. (…?) She must trust you a great deal to reveal such things. If she was here, I'm sure she would deny those claims on the spot. (Ahehehe) Ahuhuhu. Well then. I should be going now. I'm glad to have met you, 1st Lt. Shirogane"

Hehehe… what a sweet girl. She really does have that big sister atmosphere around her. I'm sure she'd make an excellent wife. Geh! Wait… what the hell am I thinking? Geez… my hormones must be acting up again.

I'd better go before I do something I might regret.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Who would've thought that walking around the hanger could be so relaxing? Even though this place was as loud as ever with its machineries, I can actually just stroll around without a care in the world. Heh… it's already midnight. 5 more hours until the operation starts. In just five hours… Tokyo will be engulfed in flames just as it did during the 12/5 incident. Just thinking about it gives me the chills.

"Oi! You three, help me out here will you?"

Hmm? Those white overcoats… cadets? They sure look like it. They have the same training gear as me when I was a cadet. I wonder if those guys will be fighting too.

"Hey, weren't there supposed to be twelve of these boxes?" I heard another kid ask out loud. "I only count ten"

"Check over there. Those guys were in a rush to make the next shipment they didn't have enough time to organize all this stuff. They must've dropped their equipment all over the place"

"Heeeh~~ An't that a bit lazy of them?"

"Stop complaining and start looking. And while you're at it, you can organize these things too. (Heeeh!) No whining! Get to it. We'll be able to find those boxes you want afterwards. (Yes sir…) And you two. Help load the fuel tanks into the truck. We need everything ready by the hour"

"Haaaa… how do you expect me to find anything in all this mess?" The boy muttered to himself. I had to agree though. The lower floor of the hanger was indeed a mess. It seems like the people who were using this place were in a hurry and left things as they were. "It'll be a miracle to find anything useful from this pile. Ah! Here's one. Lucky!" The box he was looking for was nearly twice his size. Is he seriously going to carry that all by himself? "Oooof! Right… this is going to be a lot harder than I thought"

"Oi Tatsunami! Hurry it up or we'll leave on without you!"

"Ahhhh! Asagi! Wait for me!" I let out a small laugh at him. Running around like that—kind of reminds me a little of myself when I was just a cadet in my first loop. Panicking, the boy grabbed a crowbar from the toolkit he brought with him and pried the thing open. "Yosh! I'll just take the contents piece by piece and I'll come back for the rest. Hehehe" Hahaha… I probably would've done the same thing if I was in his position. (Flash) Huh? (Flash!) Wait… what the? What am I seeing this time? (Flash!) That kid… no…!

"Look out!"

…

…

CRASH!

Haaa… haaaa… haaaaa…

Th… that was too close? What was that just now? My body… suddenly reacted on its own after seeing that vision. For a moment there I actually saw one of the strings carrying the 36mm gun snap and it was like… I saw it moments before it happened. My legs flexed up and the next thing I knew I was running as fast as I could.

"Tatsunami!" The boy's squad mates rushed over after the crash. It was extremely close. A second later and this kid would've ended up like that box. "Are you alright? Are you hurt?"

"Oww…" The kid was pretty shocked. "What just happened?"

"You nearly got trampled!" The girl barked back at him. "Oi! You guys up there! Watch what you're doing! (S… sorry!) Tch… amateurs. Tatsunami… can you stand? (Y… yeah…) Thank goodness" I put the kid down and allowed him to catch his breath before the girl lowered her head to me in gratitude. It seems like the strings supporting the heavy equipments are on the verge of breaking. This is an old military base after all so it's only natural that things like these occur. "Thank you for saving him. I don't want to imagine what would've happened if you didn't get him out of the way"

"It's no problem. It happened pretty fast. Besides his suit would've protected him from the impact. If the gun did fall on him, he would still be fine"

"Well at the least you saved one of my teammates from a trip to the hospital. (Ahehehe…) Don't take what you did lightly. Ora, Hibiki. Can you at least show some gratitude here? (Hai hai…) Say thank you properly!"

"Ah… there's really no need. Anyone would've done it" (Flash!) Ugh! Wh… what the? My head. Why am I suddenly feeling so… nauseous? The world feels like its spinning.

"Asagi san… you're being mean. I just survived a death defying moment"

"Don't be so overdramatic. Now introduce yourself" (Tug!) Crap. My visions are getting blurry. Is the effect of the serum wearing off already? I must've overexerted myself when I ran off to save that kid.

"Hai hai…" The boy turned his face to meet mine. (Flash) I know him… "Thank you… I'm—"

But my throat spoke out before he could. "Tatsunami… (Eh?) Hibiki. Your name is Tatsunami… Hibiki"


	52. Our Endlessly Crossing Paths

**Chapter 52: Our Endlessly Crossing Paths**

**(Takeru's POV) (Sakado City Military Base) (TSF Hanger)**

"Tatsunami… (Eh?) Hibiki. Your name is Tatsunami… Hibiki" Those were the words that left my lips when I looked at the kid in front of me. He had a wild bed-head with the same colored hair as mine and eyes that were similar to my own. I felt a sudden chill run down my spine as he stood in front of me. It was the same exact feeling I had when I met that VIP in Kyoto the other day.

"Eh? Do I know you?" I'm wondering that question too. For some reason, I know him… or at least in this case, his name. My brain is flooding with images of people I've never seen before. It's pouring out so fast that it's making my head spin. "H… hey. You didn't hurt yourself, did you?"

"N… no…" I forced the words out as I held my head together. "I'm just a little woozy. I think I sprained myself a little" Not good. I need to take another dose of that serum quickly or I'll fall before I even get to the fight. "Give me a few minutes of rest"

"Hmm?"

"Gah!" That girl suddenly came up close to me. "Is… is there something on my face?"

"I've never seen you in the training school before. What training squad are you in?"

Huh? Oh that's right. I'm in that Eishi suit so they don't recognize me. "Oh… no I'm not a cadet. I'm a… commissioned officer. (…!) Eh?"

"M… our humblest apologies! Sir!" The cadets quickly changed their attitude towards me and saluted in formation. "We didn't know. I didn't even see your rank patch. I apologize for our rudeness"

"Ah… n… no it's ok. I was just taking a quick stroll around the base to pass the time"

"Ha? You're a commissioned officer?" Hibiki asked with a puzzled expression like he had trouble believing my word. "B… but you're so… young. You're not that older than m—(YOINK!) Gwah!"

"Idiot! Watch your manners!" Th… that looked kind of painful. She's pulling the guy's cheeks so far apart that even his suit is ripping. "When you address a superior officer—you address the person by rank or sir or ma'am! You got that Tatsu-baka!"

"Yeash! Yeash! I'm shorry! Yeash shir!"

"Haaa… I apologize for my squad mate. What he lacks in manners he makes up for his talents in piloting a TSF. Though I was quite surprised. I thought all commissioned officers were sent to the frontlines already"

"Ah… yeah. Well I'm just taking a little stroll to pass the time. I should probably go before my squad leader finds out"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

I had to get out of there. The longer I stayed, my headache worsened. (Flash) But that kid. Something about him seemed so familiar. I felt like I should know him. Maybe there was a time I met him in my previous loops but I can't seem to recall it. The best thing I can get is my gut feeling pumping at the bottom of my stomach and a slideshow of memories flashing before my eyes. Maybe we had relationship or maybe we met out a blind encounter. In any case… all I have are theories and this headache is getting worse.

If only I had that serum with me. (…) Oh wait… they brought my TSF along earlier. Maybe it's still there in the private hanger.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Ruffling noises…

Aha! There it is. I knew I left it in the first-aid kit. I'm glad they didn't replace it. For a moment there I was afraid they might've restocked the whole cockpit when I wasn't looking. If I fall over during battle, it might be the end of me. (Click…) Eh? Ah crap! You're kidding me! There's only one dosage left? (Flash) Keh… that's right. Back during the fight with the BETA Carrier—Kashiwagi and I got into a heated fight that nearly killed us both. The container crashed while I was still using the syringe and now there's only one left. If I used this now… there's no telling what might happen in the future. The whole operation is riding on me and I need to be in my top shape before the operation starts.

…

No… I can't afford to use it now. I can handle this much pain. I'll just use the regular painkillers that I have in my suit. It should be enough to sustain me. The Captain said that I can't rely on drugs to keep me afloat otherwise I might get intoxicated and have the complete opposite effect of what I desired. I can't take that risk.

Haaaa… maybe it'll be best just to head back and get some sleep. I only have a few hours left before the operation begins.

Ruffle…

Hmm? (Ruffling noise) Eh? Wait a minute. (Ruffling noise) Where's the sword? I put in the compartment behind my seat. It should still be here! Don't tell me someone found it and took it for themselves! That's a priceless artifact!

"Are you looking for this, Shirogane kun?"

"Huh? Ah! Y… Yoroi!" He's standing right outside my cockpit. And… he's carrying the sword. He had wrapped around his coat making sure no one else sees it.

"You should be more careful where you put your things. If someone else were to find this… it may stir unwanted attention. (S… sorry…) Now please… take it" He quickly handed it to me like it was an object he wanted to be rid of. "Haaa… what a relief. Carrying such a thing without permission can be considered a crime already. You would be wise to put that where it will be kept safe. (Yeah…) I believe Major Komaki has briefed you on your equipment details already. Yes?"

"Yeah… she explained that I'll be using that Fubuki over there as my primary unit. She also told me of the many experimental types of equipment I'll be using. Though I'm not really sure how good I'll be with it. It's been awhile since I've piloted one of these"

"True… but you've achieved great things with a mere training unit. Professor Kouzuki appears to have complete trust over your skills. That's why I asked to borrow you from her"

"Eh? You talked with Yuuko sensei?"

"Of course. Why do you think I brought you here with all this confidence? If she found out that I took you without her knowing she would undoubtedly kill me in more ways than one. Ah… but I guess I am an expendable pawn to her. How sad…"

"Please don't talk like you're going to die. It's uncomfortable"

He simply laughed it off like he does with all his conversations. "Ahaha… as you wish. But if you're taking a stroll on your own, perhaps you would like to accompany me. (Huh? Ah… sure…) Good. It's such a beautiful night despite the cloudy weather. Hopefully our fortunes will change in time"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

We walked up to the far side of the hanger where most of the berthing grounds were empty. Most of the cadets are already huddling in the other areas so we pretty much had this place all to ourselves.

Brr… even if we are inside, the chill in the building can still leave you shivering. Yoroi doesn't seem to mind it. Despite his injuries, he doesn't seem to be affected by anything. Even back in Hakone he was wearing the same attire yet the snow didn't seem to hinder him at all.

"What's the matter, Shirogane kun? Are you curious on where I was able to procure such fine fashion sense?"

"Ah… no… I was just wondering. Aren't you cold in that outfit? (Hmm?) It's below 12 degrees out here. You should be freezing by now. Even with my exosuit I feel pretty cold"

"Ahaha… this little humidity? This is nothing. Compared to what I had to bear in Alaska the people would call this springtime"

"Eh? You went to Alaska?"

"Of course. I am a traveler after all. Oh and speaking of which… here" He pulled out his trademark sandwich right from under his coat. How in the world did he hide that? "No man can fight or think on an empty stomach. That has been the saying passed down through generations and I choose to agree. (Huh?) You're looking a little skinnier than we last met. Are you not eating well? (Ha?) Ah… I see. You must be doing it with my daughter so many times that it drained you of your vitality. I must say I'm impressed"

"Please don't joke about Mikoto like that. That's not something a father should say about their daughters"

"Ahaha… true. Having grandchildren at her age would kill me. (Yoroi san…) Hmm? Hoo? It seems like even my casual jokes can't seem to lift your spirits" You call those jokes? That sounds like something father-in-laws would say to their son-in-laws. "Are you feeling gloomy about something?"

"I… I just got a lot of things on my plate right now"

"Are you worried about the fight? (…) This is odd. I expected more from a man of your caliber, Shirogane kun. I thought that after fighting through thick and thin you'd be used to the sight of combat"

"Fighting BETA is a different thing. It's because I understand completely why I'm fighting them. But when you're fighting a human… it feels different. It's like… you know what your actions will cost. (…) Do you know how it feels to actually take a life, Yoroi san?"

"Regretfully, I do. It does not come easy… but if the decision comes to it, I will pull the trigger if it means saving myself" So self-preservation comes before everything. That sounds like a common reason to fight. "I'm afraid I'm not the person to come for when seeking enlightenment, Shirogane kun. But if there is one advice I could give… it would be this: Never Hesitate. A single moment is all that is needed to make a decision. It can mean between life and death"

"Have you ever thought of another way? (Hmm?) Don't you think… that there's a way to resolve things other than killing?"

"What are you spouting about? Weren't you the one who said that you can achieve the impossible? (…) Or was that bold speech of yours in the coup d'état just an act? (…) Naivety… is it a hindrance… or a weapon? (Huh?) Nothing. Just musing a bit. As a diplomat myself I have to say that there always is a way to defuse the need for fighting. But often there is no other choice but to resort to violence. It is humanity's nature after all"

"Do you really believe that?"

He turned away for a moment before answering. "Sadly… yes. It the most basic form of communication. It inserts force and dominance in events and differentiates the strong over the weak. This world has been formed using violence, society and culture have been built by it and humanity thrived because of it. (…) Competition, arms-race, discrimination, racism—everything that humanity accomplished can be traced down through this single route and it will continue to do so for generations to come. We are… a self-destructive race after all"

"It sounds like you're convinced of such a thing"

"It's called experience. Something I believe you have ample in supply but chose to ignore it. (…) But enough about this. Such conversations bore me. In the end… it's all just a matter of opinion. If there is a way to resolve things without conflict… then humanity has long ignored it. Let us get to the main point, shall we?" Eh? Was all of this just a build-up? "There has been a development in the negotiations between the Imperial Army and the rebel forces in Tokyo. (Eh?) I just received words from our negotiation parties. A general order has been released to the Imperial Army and it's causing confusion amongst the high command"

"An order?"

"To be more precise, we received two sets of orders. (Eh?) The first order came from the Household Honor Guards main headquarters. They've just declared Sakaki Kurechika an enemy of the state, charged with crimes of treason and plotting against the royal family of Japan. (…!)" Treason? Is he for real? "Ah… but that's only half of it. The second order that was made was given out by the Prime Minister himself. (Eh?) He declared the Household Honor Guard to be renegades and ordered their immediate arrest and disarmament. In other words… these two orders were given out to decide the loyalty of the soldiers. You can see why high command is so confuse"

"There are some who are still loyal to the royal family and some who are loyal to the Prime Minister. They're trying to start infighting between us"

Yoroi nodded with an impressed expression. "It seems like some of Professor Kouzuki's knowledge are beginning to rub off on you. But you can imagine how the officers are reacting to this right now. But regardless… it will not hamper the operation. As long as we have you, then the only thing I need to fear is Kouzuki's wrath at this point. Our enemy is still a few steps ahead of us. It'll take awhile before we can catch up to him"

"Is this why the Prime Minister decided to put you in charge of this task force?"

"Very good. You really are learning, Shirogane kun" He gave me a returning clap. "Indeed. He put me in charge. Though I'm not qualified to be a field officer I'm still capable"

"No kidding. The strategy you made in taking the city is pretty clever"

"What? Oh… you mean the operation? I wasn't the one who made it. Such a plan needs time and preparation to understand completely. I stole this idea from the Americans. (Eh!) Only Americans would make such a reckless plan. You could it say that it's one of their more admirable trait"

"Why would they have a plan to invade Tokyo?"

"Don't look so surprise. Such a thing was prepared before hand in case of a war between the U.S. and Japan. Though their plan involved more of destroying key facilities rather than capturing… I simply added some tweaks in it to make it look original. (…) Don't be so glum. If it helps, the Imperial Army also has a plan on invading the U.S. should a war break out. They simply wish to be prepared for another war that may happen" I see… that does make sense. I guess both Japan and American are preparing what to do on after the BETA have been rid from the world. That's why they developed the F-22 Raptors and the Type-00 Takemikazuchi. These weapons were meant to fight against man… not monsters. "But that's not the question you wanted to ask, isn't it? (…) You're worried about Her Highness too"

"Of course I am. But even so… I can't understand what's truly going on"

"I see…" Yoroi motioned. "Then allow me to pose a question. If you were forced to pick a side between Japan and the U.N. which would you choose? Would you remain loyal to your country… or will you remain where you are and be called a traitor?"

"How can you ask that? Of course I'd—(Flash) Kuh!" No wait. If I joined Japan… then Sumika will be…

"I see you're conflictive with your inner ego. People say that big events come from small beginnings and I believe that metaphor applies to you. Your actions and decisions alone… may shape the world yet. (…?) But to get there… I'm sure you will need the right kind of push. (Huh?) Hmmm…"

"Excuse me…" A soldier suddenly interrupted our conversation. "Chief. You're needed at the Command Center. The operation will be starting in a few hours"

"Ah yes… of course" The man replied giving out that cool chill. "Well then… until we meet again… Shirogane kun" And just like that Yoroi walked away with the escort leaving me behind like he always does. I'm starting to get used to the way people leave me after saying what they had to say.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

After our conversation, I decided to checkup my new and improved Fubuki that I'll be using on the battlefield. I stashed my sword in the same compartment and the medical serum in the first-aid kit. No one should be able to find them unless they entered the cockpit.

Hmm… it's been awhile now since I last rode a Fubuki. It feels nostalgic to be riding a training unit again. I guess I've gotten used to the size of the Shiranui. It's so small in here that I kind of feel… cramped. Hopefully I won't break this unit like I did with the last two. Otherwise no one will be able to break my record of having the most wrecked TSF and live to tell the tale.

Beep…

Everything seems to be in working order. They pretty much transferred everything from my Shiranui to here. The controls are pretty much the same as my old Fubuki so I won't have to reconfigure anything. Yoroi must've really thought this through when he brought me here.

Whatever comes next will all be decided from my performance.

…

Haahhh… I'm beat… I don't think I've ever been this tired since the last coup. If Marimo chan saw me now she'd probably give me the same long lecture of a soldier needing his beauty sleep. I think I had her giving me sermons ever since I came to high-school. I guess it's universal. No matter what world I'm in, she'll always be here to scold me whenever I do something wrong.

"…you've got to be kidding me!"

Hmm?

"What kind of order is that? Are they really expecting us to trust a U.N. soldier after what they did to us?"

There seems to be an argument happening in the hanger next door. This place is pretty much deserted so I can practically hear their echoes. It looks like a group of soldiers are arguing about something with the U.N.

"Keep your voice down. Do you wish the whole base to hear you?" Hmm? That voice? Is that the Major?

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

I was right… it is the Major. She seems to be having some sort of debate with a group of Eishis in full gear. I wonder what they're bickering about.

"But Major. You believe the rumors, don't you?" One of the big guys asked the girl in front of him.

"I don't believe in rumors, I believe in facts" She answered back with a confident voice. "There's an investigation being carried out by both the U.N. and the Imperial Ministry of Information. I suggest you ignore all unbacked rumors until the situation has been clarified"

"But all the evidence we have points at them! Even my brother who works with the U.N. thinks the same as us! Even if it isn't true, do you really think we can trust them with such a rumor spreading around? If someone finds out that we have U.N. soldiers inside… it might prove disastrous"

The Major kept calm with the question they kept putting on. She kind of reminds me of Cpt. Isumi when she's giving a briefing. Even her posture was the same. "That decision was made by Section Chief Yoroi in return for U.N. intervention. We have no say in it"

"And that's another thing. Why did Headquarters put a member of the Ministry of Intelligence to be in charge of this operation?"

"I didn't even hear about the U.N. intervention until this morning. They rarely tell us anything nowadays"

"What is the Prime Minister thinking?"

"I understand your distress… and I share your views. High Command's orders have been… questionable as of late. But regardless… as soldiers—we have to follow them until someone tells us otherwise. We all swore an oath to uphold our duties. May I also remind you that it's that kind of talk that kindled the flames of the 12/5 incident a few weeks ago. (…) Because of that act, suspicions of our motives have not been lifted"

"If our former commander was here… he would be doing the same thing as those people in the capital"

"Enough…" Komaki replied in an ordering tone. "We already promised not to speak of him anymore. The Commander did what he thought was necessary and he paid the price for it. He wants us to redeem ourselves in the eyes of the people"

"Major…" The men suddenly calmed down after the mention of their former commander.

"It's true that everything is in chaos right now. But panicking about it won't help anyone. As team leaders, we must uphold our duties regardless of the cost. This is the responsibility 'he' left us. We have to ensure that it goes as planned. (…) If you do not have faith with them then at least have faith in yourselves and the men that fight beside you. This is all that I ask"

"Yes… Major… I… we… apologize for being so harsh…"

"We're just a little restless"

"We are all, Lieutenant" The Major nodded back with a caring look. "The situation is spiraling out of control. Negotiations have already failed and there's no doubt that we'll be sent into the fray soon. You should all return to your units. The operation will be starting any moment now and I need everyone at their best. Understand? (Yes ma'am!) Dismissed"

…

I never knew that Komaki could make such an expression before. Despite the cold demeanor she gave me, she kinda warms up on you after awhile. She kind of reminds me of Cpt. Isumi. A born leader to the very end. Hehe…

I guess I can understand them. After the Shikoku Island incident, I'm having some difficulties trusting the U.N. too. Still… this isn't the time to be fighting each other and this coup is simply a waste of time and resources that we could be using to fight the BETA. This is the exact reason why I disagreed with the coup in the first place. Why fight each other when humanity is on the line?

Haaaa… just thinking about it makes my head hurts.

"1st Lt. Shirogane…?" Hmm? Oh… it's that guy who took Yoroi san a few minutes ago.

"Y… yeah?"

"Please come with me. Prime Minister Sakaki Kurechika requests your presence. (Eh! The… Prime Ministers?) Yes…" Chizuru's old man? But what does he want with me? (Flash) I've only met him in person once back during my commissioning ceremony. I also talked with him with Class rep and I don't I made a good first impression that time. In fact…I think I almost pulled my sidearm on him. "Is there a problem?"

"Ah… n… no. It's just that… I've been told not to go out of the base"

"This is an exception. You will be watched. Now come. We have little time"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

I followed the MP closely back to the plane that brought us here. There are armed-guards posted around it and even Gekishins keeping watch. It's almost like they're expecting some kind of attack at some point. The plane was in the process of refueling and repairs so it might actually take awhile for them to get off ground again.

We walked pass the room the room that Marimo and I were assigned a few hours ago and the cargo hold where we were brought up. I guess the Prime Minister must be scared of his own life with the things as they are.

"We're here…" After a short walk we finally came to a reinforced door with two guards standing at attention. The man who escorted me pressed a button on the intercom before speaking up. "Prime Minister, I've brought Shirogane Takeru as you ordered"

"I see… let him through"

"Yes sir…" He returned his face to me. "Proceed. 1st Lieutenant…"

The door whistled with a mechanical noise and I can hear a number of locks clicking before it opened. You'd think that I'd be surprised with a door like that but what shocked me the most was probably what was through that door.

…!

Once I stepped inside… I felt like I was brought into another world entirely. The room that the Prime Minister was staying was a suite. The room reminded me of a 5 star hotel in Tokyo. That's pretty much the best way to describe it. The interior of this room was painted from top to bottom with all sorts of expensive decorations, a full-sized bar counter, carpet floors, curtains and even a built in heater. I can barely feel the chill in my suit. Man… this is probably what they say about living in luxury.

I've gotten used to the barracks and our usual cafeteria that this place seems so alien to me. It makes you look like a spoiled kid not knowing the hardship of the common man.

"Sit down, boy" Geh! Crap… that scared me. It's the Prime Minister! There's no doubt about it. I recognized his face from when we first met.

"S… sir! 1st Lt. Shirogane Takeru, reporting" I saluted out of reflex which he simply waved it off with a flick of his cigar.

"You can skip the formalities, boy. I didn't bring you all the way here for a formal meeting" Kurechika was wearing his winter coat that covered his whole body and long pants with fancy shoes. He really looks the part of a political head. He seemed like a man who carried the weight of the country on the back of his shoulders. He slowly walked up to his bar counter where I saw a dozen of empty open bottles with different labels of nearly every language remaining in this world. Just by looking, I can tell that this man was trying to drown his worries or sorrows in alcohol. After ruffling through the mini-bar-fridge he picked out an expensive foreign looking beverage and smirked at its label. He poured the contents in two glasses, giggling the ice as if he was trying to read the future in them like china teacups. "I brought you here because I wanted to see you in person. (…?) Heh… who would've thought that the man Yoroi requested would be the same person I met during my visit to Yokohama Base"

"Eh? Wha?" I stuttered on the plushy seats.

"I hardly forget a face, boy. Especially one who is in the same unit as my daughter…"

"Ah? You mean Class r—er I mean… Chizuru?" Wow… that's probably the first time I've said her name since I came to this loop. It sounds weird when I say it.

"Yes. How is she, by the way? (Eh?) What's the matter? You looked so surprised"

"No… it's just that. I thought that you didn't want to talk about her of all people. (Oh? And why's that?) Well… considering Class re—I mean your daughter. She rarely speaks of you or her family"

"Heh… that's no surprise. The last thing she wants is to think of home. It keeps her from her true goal. I doubt she even remembers me anymore. (…) You… Shirogane. (Yes sir?) Describe her for me. (Eh?) My daughter. Describe her for me. How do you see her through your eyes? (Wha?) Indulge an old man for a moment. I simply wish to know how other people see her" What's with this guy? Did he call me all the way here just to talk about Class rep?

"Ah… well… I guess… (Flash)… if I use one word then… I would say… she's stubborn. (Hoo?) Sometimes I think she tries to bear the weight of the whole squad. Even though she's not the team leader anymore she still has the pride of a leader in her. She always rushes into things and follows the rule to the letter. But even so… I guess you could say that it's one of her charming traits. She tries to set an example for everyone and because of her pride… she pushes herself beyond her limit. She sometimes forget that she's not the only one fighting"

"Hahahaha… that does sound like her. That girl. She probably inherited her stubbornness from me and her ideals from her mother. You might call her… a strange mixture. Heh. I can only imagine the troubles she must've given you. (Eh?) Despite her pride in everything perfect… I'm sure that she must've given you some measure of conflicts for your own" Now that he said it… Class rep did give me some trouble in my previous loops. Back when I was still a cadet I was forced to make her cooperate with her long time rival, Ayamine. It was hell just trying to get them to focus on one goal. I think I suffered from fatigue due to lack of sleep for at least a week because of them.

"Well… she had her issues…"

"Heh… I guess she didn't inherit my genes but my enemies as well. (Eh?) Ayamine Kei… I believe she's also part of your training unit. I knew her father, General Shuukaku back when I was but a senator" Ayamine's… dad? I've only heard rumors about the man but nothing solid. "He and I were like viper and mongoose. We were always at each other's throats and no matter how hard we tried, we could never come to an agreement with one another. Those were the good old days. If only he could see me now. (…?) Heh. But I thank you, Shirogane. (Eh?) For being honest. Though it doesn't put my mind at ease that she's still with the United Nation's Armed Force, it does settle some burdens in my mind. If her mother were here she would've had a heart attack a long time ago"

"Class—Chizuru said the same thing once. (…?) She said that if her mother were here… she was sure that she'd disapprove of her joining up with the military. She said that she was strongly against it"

"Hehe… it seems my daughter trusts you more than she trusts me. (Eh?) I'm surprised. She never spoke about her mother since she passed away. (…) Whenever I brought it up she would always try to change the subject"

"Ummm… sir?"

"What is it, boy?"

"Did you bring me all the way here just to talk about her?"

The old man paused as his eyes shifted back to me. He giggled the whisky glass he had on his hand, reviewing its contents before drinking it all down and then pouring himself another shot. "What about it?"

"Well… I've been with Section Chief Yoroi for awhile and I know that most of his conversations are merely buildups to something more important. I learned from someone that you build up random conversations to move the negotiations along. It's a basic strategy he uses to derail people's thoughts"

…

…

A smirk appeared on his lips. "Yoroi was right… you are sharp. Then allow me to get to the point. Do you know of the political situation happening in our country right now? (Eh?) To request U.N. intervention twice. It's shameful to even think of it. Despite our best efforts we continue to rely on foreign power to keep us afloat. And to have a coup after a BETA invasion—it almost looks as if we have no care whatsoever with the war of humanity's future. I'm not saying that I trust that Yoroi man completely… I just know that he and I share the same enemy and I know that he can get results even in the harshest situations. (…) But getting his help isn't as easy as it sounds. To be honest… I was actually surprised on how cheap the price of his service"

"Price?"

He took a gulp of drink before answering. "The only thing I needed to do was to get you to his side for a few hours. (Me?) Yes. That was all he requested. I'll be honest… I don't know why he wanted you of all the pilots in the world or what your relationship with Professor Kouzuki may be… but if he believes that you can bring us victory then I believe him. (…) Heh… I don't know whether you want to call it trust or simple desperation… but then again… I think he might be desperate too"

"Sir?"

"Believe it or not… but truthfully I love Japan. (…?) I was born and raised in the capital like many others. Even before the BETA came to Earth I knew of its streets, and all the landmarks like they in the back of my hand. We were… a proud people. We were young, strong-willed and followed a code we set for ourselves. We thought ourselves masters of the land… until the war came. In our upbringing we were taught of a law that exists within us. We were taught to obey… taught to listen and learn from the elders so that the future may be brighter for the next generation. (…) But what they failed to teach us… were their mistakes"

"Mistakes… sir?"

"I heard from Yoroi that you lived abroad all your life. That's why you have little knowledge of our country. (…!) Tell me Shirogane. From outsider's point of view—how do you see Japan? (Huh?) What do you think of it? Honestly…" What is he playing at? What is his reason for bringing me here?

"Well. To be honest… I'm not really sure myself. (Hmm?) This country… is… very different from where I came from. Sometimes… I don't really understand the meaning of honor. People say that our country was created by it. But after what happened… I can't say for certain that I agree with it"

"Hmm… true. Our country was built from the honor of our people. Even till today, our countrymen abides to that law"

"During the 12/5 incident… I heard Sagiri saying something about liberation from foreign power. I mean… I understand his pride for a truly free Japan. I truly do. There are a lot of people who agreed with him but he just can't accept reality as it is. Japan can't stand on its own with the strength it possessed. If we tried, everything would just collapse. His heart was in the right place but his methods deterred. In his quest for freeing the land he lost himself in past hatred and anger. Even now… there are still those who share his ideals. He truly believed justice was on his side in the conflict"

"…"

"But in all honesty… this country… is in really bad shape. (…) Well… that's how I view it at least"

I couldn't read Kurechika's expression when he took small sips from his glass. He seems to be thinking deeply about my words. Maybe I offended him in a way.

"Heh… you have no idea how close you are from the truth, Shirogane" He gently filled my glass to the brim with the whisky bottle. Does he expect me to drink that? I can smell its flavor all the way here. "Japan is in a terrible shape. In fact… you could say that it is close to its death. After this coup… I doubt Japan will continue to exist anymore. (Huh?) Look at us. Our own people fighting each other because of our petty-greedy ideals, our cities in ruins and our future generation are being taught to kill before they can even lift a pen. (…) I won't lie to you 1st Lieutenant. I love my country greatly. But despite my best efforts, it refuses to change. The people who live in it are stubborn, unwilling to change their tradition no matter what. (…) I'm sure… that they are tired of it as well. Tired of war, tired of all the infighting between ourselves. But they cannot help it. It is in our nature after all. (…) They simply need… a reason to change, a reason to think or reconsider. But I doubt we will ever find such a reason"

"…"

"The U.N. won't be releasing this information any time soon… but once this coup is over, a lot of things will change. I'm sure you were already told of the primary objective of this mission"

"To retake the city and rescue the Shogun…" It was explained in the briefing with Yoroi and Komaki.

"Rescue huh?" He chunked down the contents of his glass with a single gulp. "I suppose that's what everyone would say. But the truth is a lot harsher than fiction. Though it's true that the U.N. desires peace and stability in this country, what they want more is power. (…!) It's a harsh truth but as the country's representative, I have given in on the terms of the U.N. council. Since the military force of our country can no longer be trusted… we've decided to place Her Highness, Kobuin Yuuhi in their custody. (In their custody?) Yes. In other words… the U.N. will be holding the last living relative of the Emperor as a hostage asserting their dominance over Japan and its people"

…!

Is that true? Is the U.N. really going to be holding Yuuhi to get the people of Japan to follow them? It seems like a logical act… but there's just no way Her Highness would agree to something like that. Yuuhi knows the pride of her people and she can't go against it.

"It's ironic, isn't it?" Kurechika added before returning to his bar-counter. "If we are to save this dying country, we have to sell it to another opponent. (…) Now then. I think I've taken enough of your time. It was a pleasure talking to you, Shirogane…" He pressed the button on the intercom, calling the guards from the front door. "We're done here. Please escort 1st Lt. Shirogane back to the hangers. (Of course sir…) I hope we meet again… boy"

"Ah… y… yes sir…" I was about to turn and walk away until he stopped me.

"Oh… one more thing, 1st Lieutenant. (Huh?) I know that this isn't something a person like me should ask. But I wish to request a favor. I know that you have your duties and that you have your own mission to worry about but I ask that you take care of my daughter. (Eh?) It is obvious to me that she placed a great deal of trust in you. In truth, I think you know more about her than I do in all my years raising her as my own. (Prime Minister…) Please… I asked that you indulge in this old man's request. I know that my daughter and I do not see eye to eye… but as a father… it would settle much of my stress"

This man… he really…

He really does love Class rep. To ask a complete stranger for something so…personal is just crazy. It must be a great burden for him to know that his daughter is out fighting a war.

_"No parent wants to see their child go off to war…"_

The old lady in Mt. Tengen came into mind. It seems like her words ring some truth after all.

"I understand…" I said finally after a brief pause. "I make no promises… but if there's a way for me to help her… I'll do it"

"…" The old man placed his glass down and returned a rare but honest smile to me. "Thank you…"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Haaaaa… that was unexpected. I can't believe I actually got to meet the Prime Minister in person… again. Most of the things he said to me had their weight worth in gold. Who knows which of those is true and which are lies? (Flash) But I know for sure that he really meant it when he asked me to look after Class rep. Heh… no matter what… a parent will always care about their children. I'm not cut out for politics. From what I can understand I think I'm more suited to be a guidance counselor at this point.

I made my way back to the hangers where there are only a few hours left until the operation begins. It looks like I won't be getting much sleep after all. The best I can hope for is to wait in that Fubuki until then.

"Oi oi… Tatsunami. What the hell happened to you? Your cheeks are all red" Hmm? Oh… it's those cadets from before. I see two of them sitting by the porch just right outside the doorway.

"It's Asagi…" the boy named Hibiki answered. "She pulled my cheeks so hard I thought my skin was going to peel off. She didn't have to go that far just because of a little mishap"

"Heeeh? I wouldn't say addressing a superior officer so informally would count as something little. (G…geh! You know already?) The whole platoon heard about it just a few minutes ago. The story about the young helpless prince being that was about to be crushed by a giant gun and then was saved by a knight in shining armor. A true beginning of a shounen show for sure"

"Oh shut up! It's your fault for not being of any use at all!"

"Hey now. How is it my fault? We're not even in the same unit. Ah… I understand. You actually wanted me to save you, Tatsunami because in truth you're—(WHAM!) Goooh!" Ow… that looks painful.

"Oh… sorry about Matsu. It seems like I don't know my own strength. Ahahaha" That was unintentional? I doubt it. "Ara? You're…" He spotted me.

"Uh… hi…" Huh? That's odd. I'm not getting dizzy anymore. I thought for a second there that I'd feel it again but it's completely gone.

"Ah… sorry. I guess my manners are a little rusty" Hibiki returned me a salute which I simply waved it off. "Cadet 1st Class, Tatsunami Hibiki. And… you are… 1st Lt. Shirogane… right? (Yeah…) I didn't get to thank you for saving me"

"Ah… that was nothing. I'm sure you were still pretty out of it after something like that. (Ahehe) If you guys are 1st Class… then that means you've completed your Comprehensive Combat Skill Evaluation"

"That's right. This was supposedly our last year as cadets but our commissioning was canceled due to the current situations. (I see…) But it's not all bad. I'm in no hurry to get to the frontlines yet. I bet you got to see a lot of action, right?"

"Aheh… well a few I guess"

"When were you commissioned? I thought all cadets graduate on the same age variant but you don't that much older than me"

"Ah… actually… I just got commissioned this month myself" I tried to laugh it off.

Hibiki's eyes widened. "This month? Really? I knew it! There's really no age gap after all. Ahehehe. Asagi was growling at me for no reason at all. Have you gone to any missions yet? Were you part of any special group?"

"Well… I was part of the operation in Sadogashima and… (Ruffle) Eh?"

"S… Sadogashima!-? No way! For real! Please tell me sempai! (Sempai?) If you were part of the Sadogashima operation then you must've fought the BETA, right? (Y… yeah) Please tell me all about it! I beg of you!" Wh… what's with this guy? First he was all professional, now he's all clingy.

"Ah… h… hey wait a minute"

"Oh… sorry about that sir. I just got so excited to meet someone with actual combat experience that I forget myself" He released my arm afterwards. "We don't get a lot of real pilots back in our training school other than the instructors so we usually hear some of their stories. But if you were part of the operation then you must've fought against the BETA too, right? (Yeah) I heard on the news that the battle was a complete victory for us. But I want to hear it from someone who actually fought there. Which unit were you assigned to, Was there really a new BETA Class? What did it look like? Is it true that they used a new weapon to destroy the Hive?"

"Whoa! Easy! One question at a time!"

"Ah… sorry. I lost myself again. But my instructor keeps telling me to keep learning whatever I can and if you can't learn it from the field then hearing it from an experienced pilot like you is the next best thing" Heh… Marimo chan said something similar too. Sometimes during out independent training we often have to go out to other departments to learn trick of the trade. I learned sniping from Tama, CQC with Ayamine, First-Aid with Mikoto, melee combat with Meiya and strategy training with Class rep. Even the Valkyries taught me more things than I could learn in ten loops. "Sempai? Is something wrong?"

"No… it just sounds like you have a great instructor"

"Heh… he's one of the best. A little prideful if you asked me and I lost count on how many times he scolded me for being reckless but in the end he's always right. I think that's where everyone learned to pull my cheeks whenever I do something stupid" That sounds just like me. Heh… this kid could just be a miniature version of myself. "So any advice you can give me will be grateful"

"Alright, calm down. I'll help you" Ah… this is embarrassing. Being called sempai. I rarely hang out with juniors or freshman back in my school days so I've never been called that. "But first… shouldn't you help your friend there?" I pointed out the twitching figure lying on the floor.

"Don't worry about him. He gets that kind of treatment all the time even from his squad mates. Just ignore him. Please contin—(Matsukaze Kick!) (WHAM!) Goooh!"

"You bastard! That blow you gave out nearly sent me to the River Styx. If I'm going down I'll be sure to take you down with me!" Ow… that looked painful. I thought I saw one of Hibiki's teeth flew out of his mouth for a second. "Geez. Don't go venting your anger with physical violence. That's one of the reasons why you're always kept back. (Y… you son of a…) Now now… just sit back and lie there. You don't want that old wound opening again. (Matsuka…ze… you…) Ah… so you must be the famed prince that saved our little old Tatsunami from his date with death" The second guy who just kicked Hibiki turned his attention to me with a playful salute. "A pleasure to meet you, sir. I am Matsukaze Ryouichi, Cadet 1st Class and Squad Leader of Training unit 455"

"Oh… uh… likewise… I guess"

"And please ignore my friend on the floor there. You're not the first pilot he'd ogle over. That guy is a real sucker for any commissioned Eishi he'd see. (Shut up!) Oh that was a quick recovery. Looks like all that harsh training with the instructor finally paid off neh, Tatsunami? (Y… you…!) Well I'll catch ya later. Don't go doing anything that will change your life now~~"

"Ah! Wait! Matsukaze! Come back here!" And just like the wind… he was gone. These kids. They're acting like regular high school students. Well… if those students have a tendency to hit each other with killer blows. "Damn it… he got me good this time… I'll get him back for this, I swear"

"Ahehe… you two must be good friends" I said out to the boy who just got back on his feet. "Your squad must be pretty tight"

"Eh? Ah… no we're not on the same squad. Matsukaze is the squad leader for another training unit. We just hang out, that's all. Sometimes he hangs around my squad more often than his own. I knew him since we joined up as cadets three years ago" Three years… that's enough time for someone to finish basic training and go on to becoming commissioned officers. "So anyway, back to what we were talking about…"

**(Tokyo) (Imperial Army Headquarters)**

Ikaruga could only let out a troublesome sigh as he watched the screen in front of him along with his head advisors. On the table he could see a virtual map of the whole city being projected with red and blue dots marking position of his allies and enemies.

"It seems our ruse has worked, Your Excellency" Makabe began. "Our enemies are amassing on the outskirts of the city metropolis and are preparing for an attack. We've succeeded in luring almost 80% of the U.N. Army around Japan leaving only a sparse number of defenders in various regions"

"But it seems like our enemies outnumber us a poultry 4 to 1" Another advisor added with a hint of concern in his voice. "Even with the aid of the Eurasian Army, we cannot hope to match their numbers. I expected more of the Imperial Army to defect to our cause but it seems like they're already lined with Kurechika's pockets. Traitorous bunch, the lot of them"

"There seems to be a lot more than I expected. I hear that both armies are pulling cadets from the training school to fill in the ranks. At this rate, even with our mighty, firebases they'll still breach our perimeters and overwhelm us"

"Maybe we need to rethink our strategy?"

"Enough…" Ikaruga silenced them with a gesture of his hand. "We knew what we were getting into when we chose this path. Our enemy is a very influential group after all, unlike us who only rely on the loyalty of people. And we all know that loyalty can only go so far. (…)" Makabe shifted his gaze at his master as he continued. "We only need to hold Tokyo for a few days while hidden allies attack key locations across the country. As long as we control the capital and have the Shogun in our custody, our victory is assured. Those fools truly believe that they have us cornered but they themselves are being pinned to the wall. Lt. Colonel Tekoro should be handling the front. Our Eurasian allies can hold the inside along with the troops of the Imperial Army that have defected to us. Even if they should breach our defenses… we will have one last wild card to play. (Yes sir!) Makabe… (Yes my lord…) Are the preparations ready for my broadcast?"

"Yes Your Excellency. Everything is ready"

"Good. Then I shall leave you in charge with the defense of our capital. Make no mistake. This fight will not be easily won. But remember our mission. Our objective here is the annihilation of greed and ignorance in our realm. This battle here will be the ultimate test with the control of Japan as its reward. If we can defeat our enemies here and now, the world will be one step closer towards unification. And if anyone dares get in our way then we will smash them just as we do everything else. We have nothing to fear. Our song by New Year's day… shall be one of victory!"

"Yes Your Excellency!"

Makabe and Ikaruga walked out, leaving the rest of his entourage to discuss the defensive battle plans amongst themselves.

"Are you sure it's wise to make this announcement, my lord?" Makabe asked feeling worried for his master. "It is really unnecessary for you to do something so trivial"

"Not at all. I want to give the U.N. the face of their enemy. If they are going to direct their wrath, then it should be upon me. (…) In any case, what of the royal family?"

"Yes sir. As you predicted, it seems like the remaining members of the Imperial Royal Family and the Emperor himself have held assembled at Saitama. They're using the old summer residence there as the gathering point along with the rest of the Imperial Army's High Command. This information has been difficult to come by"

"So both my family and the Imperial Army commanders in one location? Excellent. This is turning out to be quite the catch. What of the engineer corp? What news from them?"

"The weapon is at its final stages of development. It should be ready by tomorrow however… the possibility of an attack to happen during its construction is high. Do you think it's wise to have it built here of all places?"

"If you were going to build a weapon of mass destruction, don't you want to keep an eye on it yourself? (…) You're tense, Makabe. Though we're outnumbered we still have a force that can play for us. How many undecided members have we converted?"

"More than half of what we've captured has been converted. However there is a slight flaw in the design of our psychic domination. (…?) The subjects who pass require a dosage of hypnotic therapy or they will breakdown after a few hours"

"A few hours… that's more than what I can ask for" Ikaruga grinned evilly with a thought in mind. "What about the turncoats? Have they been caught yet?"

"We raided the last stronghold they were using and arrested most of their associates. However… three Eishis have not yet been accounted for. (…?) Apparently these three are skilled pilots who were serving under 1st Lt. Tsukuyomi Mana of the 19th Independent unit. We've lost trace of them during our raid and are probably still at large. Their TSFs are apparently missing from the armory as well. Also… the people seem to be getting restless about the number of foreign troops on the mainland"

"Then all the more reason why my public speech should be done. Come Makabe… destiny awaits us. For better or for worse… time will tell"

**(Takeru's POV) (Imperial Army hanger)**

"Hooooo! That's awesome!" That's probably the fifth time Hibiki shouted out at me. Ever since I decided to share some of my combat experience with him, he's been barking questions non-stop like a machine popping up a more difficult puzzle after each solved question. "I never knew a TSF could do a barrel roll in mid-air. That's pretty cool. But won't your controls lag during a brace for impact counter?"

"Not with the XM3. It completely negates the programming and allows you to move your arms even when you're down. Sometimes, it's better to still be able to fight while you're still down than to get up"

"Heeeh. It must be nice. We've only had training with the new OS a few days ago. It makes the controls very sensitive and Asagi falls every time she gets up. They haven't installed it in our TSFs just yet because they're afraid we might not be able to get used to it. But your theory of combat is really awesome, sempai. You guys are lucky to have those in Sadogashima. It would've been awesome to see the first true victory of mankind against the BETA firsthand"

This kid is really enthusiastic about fights. He almost reminds me of myself when I was a cadet. But of course I was never this perky before a large operation. Maybe the thought of not seeing battle is playing a roll on him. After all, they are cadets.

We've been talking for over an hour now and still he continues to barrage me with questions. We started off from commissioned officers to the new OS devices they've recently implemented. After that we shot from there to TSFs. Heh… back in the earlier days when I was enthusiastic about Valgernon I thought of these giant weapons to be replicas of Kaizer, my favorite robot. Just looking at one of these made me awestruck for awhile but after some years… that passion seemed to have died out. Now I can't seem to get that gitty childish feeling back. Because it seems like I began to see them as weapons too.

Still… I have a strange sense of dejavu here. There wasn't a doubt in my mind that this wasn't the first time we've met before. Hibiki and I… must've met sometime during my previous loops. I can't seem to recall it though. The best I can get was blurry images of his face. Most of my memories are like that—a large blurry haze like looking at a picture through a thick fog. Even if I do get the image clear enough I don't usually have more than a few seconds to actually view them.

"Fighting BETA isn't as easy as it sounds, kid" I said to him. "It's not as easy as pulling the trigger. One little miscalculation and you could put the whole team at risk. If you make one bad call, that life will be on your hands forever"

"Don't worry about that sempai. I'm not afraid of something like that. Besides… it's a lot better easier than fighting this battle. (Eh?) Pointing a gun at a monster like the BETA is a lot easier than pointing at another human. Yet even so… we're going to be doing the complete opposite of what we were meant to do. (…?) Because in a few minutes… we might actually be pointing our weapons at each other. (Tatsunami?) Ah… sorry. I guess I shouldn't delve on something like that. It wasn't professional"

"No… it's fine. It's best to be honest about it now. You don't have to worry about anyone yelling at you"

"No… it's not that. It's… just that they keep telling me to never poke my nose into politics. They say that I don't have the brains for it. Besides… I find those long speeches on TV to be insufferably boring. (Ahehehe) Hehehe… to be honest… I joined the Imperial Army to fight the BETA, not the other way around and I think my friends would agree with me" Heh… what do you know? I had the same thought as him. I can almost relate him as a doppelganger of mine. "Isn't this the reason why we were drafted in the first place? To defeat humanity's greatest enemy? What do you think sempai?"

"Well…" To be honest I agree with him wholeheartedly. I joined the military to defeat the BETA. Though at first it was just to get some refuge in this world but after coming back on my first loop… my goals began to change into one of the people. Even till today politics elude me. I leave most of that to Yuuko sensei since she's better in it than I'll ever be. The world of today is weird. Japan relies heavily on foreign power to provide for its people and it is still does. Many Japanese loyalists detest this and want nothing more but for this country to be self reliant.

But they fail to understand that without foreign assistance a lot of people will starve. They don't understand how the conditions are for the people outside. (Flash) The old lady and her family that I met in Susono City are a prime example.

"1st Lt. Shirogane…"

…!

"Major Komaki!" Hibiki and I saluted her in response.

"I've been looking for you. You were not in your room despite the fact that I recommended that you rest"

"S… sorry ma'am. I was… just taking a stroll and I…"

"I don't need excuses. Your mission will be starting any minute now. Follow me and I'll update you along the way. (Yes ma'am) And you… Cadet. (Y… yes ma'am?) Report to your unit. I don't need you lot running around everywhere, understand?"

"Yes ma'am!" He quickly dashed off but not before turning back to me one more time. "I'll catch you later, sempai. If we both meet again, tell me more stories about how you fought against the BETA, alright?" And just like that the boy was gone. Heh… he's a good kid. I wonder if he was ever in my world.

"Follow me, 1st Lieutenant" The Major ordered which I obeyed. We entered the hanger where my Fubuki was stationed and was now being refitted for combat. "I thought I told you to keep your mingling to a minimum"

"Sorry ma'am. I just…"

"Never mind. What's done is done. I'm sure you've already reviewed your machine"

"Yeah. The specs are pretty much the same with the XM3. I don't have to input any form of combat data since it'll be converted from my Shiranui"

"Good. I'm heading to my team as well. Don't wander off too far. We can't afford any—(Major!) Hmm?" An Eishi ran up to us in a hurry. "What is it? This area is supposedly off limits to personal staff only"

"S… sorry ma'am! But you have to see this. A member of the royal family is about to make a public announcement! (What!-?)" A member of the royal family? Is it… Yuuhi? No… that can't be. "The announcement is being broadcast through every source of electronic media. Please hurry!"

"Keh… alright"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

I followed the two of them to the command room next door where the rest of the commissioned officers were gathered. Even Marimo san was there and Yayoi and Yoroi.

…

Everyone seemed to be glued to the giant screen in front of them. I guess it's not every day the royal family would make a public show.

"Greetings… to all the people of my beloved Japan, (…!) I apologize for disturbing you on this cold and beautiful night but I only need a moment of your time to explain the current situation that has wrought upon our country. As you may already know… my name is Ikaruga Takatsugu, head of the house of Ikaruga, one of the five families ruling over this great nation and 1st cousin to her Royal Highness" Wait a minute. I know this guy! (Flash) That's right. I met him in Kyoto when we first arrived there. What is he doing on television? I thought royal family members other than the Shogun weren't permitted to be on air.

"As you are well aware, it is highly unusual for a member of the royal family to give a blatant announcement in person, but I do not wish to distribute doubt amongst the people so you know these words come from me directly, and I will bear the responsibility for all of it. (…) As you are all aware, our beloved nation is the frontlines in a war against an enemy of all mankind. Our brave soldiers risk their lives both day and night to protect our people and our nation and all of humanity. It is the duty that we were entrusted, and there is no greater honor or dignity in this world than to fulfill such a role"

Wait… isn't this the same thing Sagiri said during his speech? It's almost identical but the words are simply switched.

"Many of our brave countrymen fought valiantly and many more made the ultimate sacrifice that we can never ever repay. There is no hiding the fact that to protect our nation, we the leaders of these brave men had to make difficult choices: To sacrifice a few to save many. We forsake our feelings, our friends and our families for the betterment of others but never before have we been asked to forsake our own humanity. (…!) As you may have heard a few days ago, our nation has delivered the first and fatal strike against the enemies of man and reclaimed our nation as a whole. Those who died in Sadogashima had brought hope this world had lost and sow the seeds of humanity's victory over these monsters. The joy and sorrow you felt from that battle are mine as well"

…

"But our enemies did not take us lightly. With their desperation, they launched an invasion larger than any of us could hope to imagine. Our brave soldiers fought and they perished, believing that their deaths could save a few others in the future. We believed in humanity itself as a whole and that no one should be judged just by their differences. We share the same planet, the same air, the same blue sky. Yet that was not enough. We entrusted the lives of our countrymen with those we sought to protect. We believed ourselves comrades in arms, fighting side by side hoping to bring the dream of our beloved country into reality. The dream where our beautiful Earth is rid of all BETA! But today that dream is shattered. Taken back a few by men with arrogance"

Huh? What is he talking about?

"Some of you may have heard the rumors of Shikoku Island last night. Some of you may have seen a great flash over the horizon. But I tell you now those rumors are true. In a desperate hope to save themselves, the U.N. deliberately used a weapon of mass destruction to destroy the BETA. (…!) The once proud isle that we once knew as Shikoku was leveled down and many of our brothers and sisters who fought bravely perished in the blast. Calling such a thing a noble sacrifice is nothing more than an insult to the families of those who have perished. Indeed our country is saved, our enemies gone and our borders safe once more. But it is not we who are rewarded for courage. No… instead those who are receipted are the gluttons who profit from killing our people! (…) I hear cheers for the U.N. I hear voices of praises yet no word has been given for our dead. For too long now we have relied on their aid and we've welcomed it with open arms. We thought our country slowly healing from the wounds of war… but instead these people slowly bleed us until we are stricken with an even deadlier decease"

"…" I can see the people around me slowly wavering to his words. Even I felt affected by this. Is he trying to make the U.N. the bad guy here? Still… the G-Bomb explosion that happened on Shikoku Island is still under investigation.

"But no more… NO-MORE! If the price we pay for Japan's future is the soul and blood of our people then it is price that we shouldn't pay at all! Even now Her Highness mourns the death of our soldiers, the lives of innocents who perished for the profit of pigs! (…) Even as we speak, the traitors brand us as rebels, turncoats… they consider us the villains in this war yet they themselves are the true demons. Right now our enemies huddle, preparing to deliver the blow that will shatter this country to the dark ages. I know that this will be difficult for many… but as a Japanese and Her Highness's liaison to all of you, I asked that you bear with it just a little while longer"

…

…

"Hear me, all foreign power and dignitaries that are currently present in Japan. This is your only warning. You are no longer welcome here. The genocide you've committed against the people of this nation is the final straw. Withdraw your forces from our lands or be destroyed. We do not need your kind of aid any longer… I deliver the words of Her Highness to all of you. Heed it well…"

The feed was then cut leaving us all in stunned silence. I looked around me and noted all the faces of the people watching. The words of the Shogun weigh heavily on their heads. But I can't imagine her saying all of this. Yuuhi wouldn't do something like this… would she?

Tap…

Hmm? Yoroi?

"I think it would be best that you get to your unit, Shirogane kun. (Eh?) Things are about to get hectic around here…"


	53. Battle for Japan Part 1

**Chapter 53: Battle For Japan (Part 1) (City of Giants)**

**(Takeru's POV) (December 31, 2001 Monday) (05:10 AM) (U.N. Command Post north of Tokyo)**

Everything was in chaos. I can hear people arguing all around me like a never-ending buzz. After the feed from the royal family came into light the soldiers have begun to question themselves about their own loyalty and their opinions about this whole operation. There have been large in-fights amongst the Eishis and security personnel have been busy for hours. There have also been some delays on the operation. We were supposed to begin ten minutes ago but so far… nothing. It's as if the whole country has been turned inside out.

I followed Yoroi's advice and went straight to my Fubuki and kept myself on standby. But I'm really not much of a patient person. The anxiety building over this silence is really unnerving at best.

"Shirogane, can you read me?"

"Hmm? Marimo sensei?" She's contacting me through radio?

"Good. Switch to this channel for a better reception. (Roger) (Beep) That's better. I was worried you might've gotten caught in all that confusion"

"I'm fine. How's everything at the command post?"

"It's… hectic. The Chief was worried about the developing situation so he transferred us to the plane where the Prime Minister is residing. It shouldn't be any different from the command post. I should still be able to relay information to you from here. Once the operation starts we'll be flying overhead to get an aerial view of the city but just out of the battle zone. There have been some delays on the operation but we've been able to sort things out. The first phase of the mission will be carried out soon. I'll be relaying your orders from here on end. (Yes ma'am) Um… (Hmm?) How are you feeling? (Eh?) I understand if you're taking stimulants to keep yourself awake but be careful on your dosage. Too much of them and you might get the opposite effect of what you want"

"I understand. But I'm more worried about you, Marimo sensei. (…?) It's probably not easy for you to play this part after hearing what the royal family thinks"

"Heh… you're right. It's not. There have been some squabbles amongst the soldiers around the base. Major Komaki is trying to bring them under control but right now she's being transferred to the front. But we both understand our duties nonetheless. We will follow what we believe in until the end. The royal family may be a part of this but we follow our orders only. That's part of being a soldier after all. But let's not talk about that. I'm sure that you must be worried about everyone else in this matter" Heh… am I really that transparent or is it because she knows me too well? "To be honest I was actually able to get a hold of Captain Isumi and the others earlier. (Heeeh!) Don't worry. I didn't tell them what we were doing. They simply wanted to know if you were into any trouble. 1st Lt. Hayase was actually looking forward for a rematch until this incident occurred"

"Heh… that does sound like her. Oh wait… are… are they going to be participating in the attack as well?"

"Yes. I just confirmed it with my contacts in the U.N. The A-01 Special Task Force will be participating in retaking Tokyo. They'll be going in with Shark Company" The assault force from the sea? I guess that's to be expected. Only high risk missions for the Special Task Force. "Don't worry about them. The squad already proved they can handle themselves in Kyoto. You should keep your head here with your own safety. They wouldn't want you to bar your strength just because you can't keep an eye on that"

"Ahehe… yeah I guess you're right. But it can't hurt to worry a little"

"You're either here 100% or not at all, Shirogane. Focus on getting yourself out alive then you can help others. Focus on your mission. And once this is over… I'll make that lunch that I promised"

"Heh… I'll hold you on to that promise, Marimo sensei"

Beep beep!

There it is. The signal that begins the operation.

"This is HQ to all units. Operation is now in effect. We are now moving to DEFCON 1! All available combat teams, assemble to your designated positions and await further orders!"

And just as that order came in, the main hanger doors opened up in front of me. I guess that's my cue. (…!) Ugh… I guess the weather forecast they had earlier wasn't wrong either. It's really hailing out here. It's actually even worse than Kyoto. But I guess this kind of weather works both ways. It'll be a lot harder for the enemy to track me once I breach through their perimeters.

I just hope the others will be having a better situation than I am.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

**(U.N. Forward headquarters near Tokyo)**

"So… it finally comes to this" Radhabinod mumbled to himself as he saw the operation went underway on his table. As a military officer he always expected the worse kinds of situations but this was one of the few he actually wished he could avoid. He knew that the tensions between Japan and the foreign powers are fragile at best but he never expected to resolve it with violence.

"General…" One of his advisors motioned the weary soldier to the map. "All of our forces are in position. Hammer and Shark are waiting for the execution"

Radhabinod looked around and saw the faces of the officers in the room. There was a heavy sense of doubt lingering among them. They were wavering in this fight but they were still prepared to see it to the end. There was not a doubt in his mind that this will probably be the toughest battle they have to face yet.

With a heavy heart, the man spoke. "Commence with the operation…" And with those words alone, the whole room buzzed with chatter. "Let us pray that this battle will not last too long…"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Down by the ocean, Captain Kozawa who led the operation in Sadogashima let out a grumbling noise. He and a few of his entourage had to admit… that this battle had neither honor nor victory in it. There was just a sense of meaningless slaughter.

"I never imagined the day that I would actually fire my own weapons at my own homeland. (…) Tell the fleet to ready all weapons and fire for maximum effect. Activate CIWS and load main guns with explosive shells. Target… Odaiba Island and Tokyo port! And… fire…"

"All guns, fire!"

With every shot that fired, the admiral felt a sting creeping up his heart. To see the former residents of their own country fire upon their own home was simply… heartbreaking. In just a matter of seconds both targets that he designated were set ablaze. Homes and old offices were torn down.

"To think that it would take only a few minutes to level down something our countrymen took years to accomplish. Heh… I guess this must be… our destiny"

"All shots met their target. Odaiba Island and Tokyo Port are in flames! Enemy forces are retaliating with the firebase in Shinagawa"

"We have incoming missiles. Four salvos! CIWS and anti-missile chaff flares are holding steady!"

Kozawa nodded. "Good. Once the second wave of salvos has been delivered we will engage the Eurasian rogue fleet docked at Chiba. Prepare the TSF motherships for landing and watch their backs. (Yes sir!) Have our aegis cruisers suppress the enemy counterattack while our ground forces establish their forward post in Odaiba Island"

"Yes sir!"

**(Honor Guard Headquarters)**

The royal guards of the capital scrambled into full mobilization when the first shells landed on Tokyo Port. Tanks, soldiers and TSFs were going off like it was the end of the world.

"Alert! All units: Emergency scramble! Enemy forces have begun attack. Vanguard 9 and 10, deploy in arrowhead formation. Artillery division standby and await for targeting data"

"What are our losses?" Lt. Col. Tekoro questioned as he looked upon the screen with his advisors.

"Our defensive units at the harbor were scattered during the first salvos. Communications with Odaiba defense line is cut off. We're counting at least two companies of TSFs and mobile armor marching on from _. They're advancing eastward towards the capital. They appear to be a combined force of both the U.N. and the turncoat Imperial Army. The enemy fleet is also coming in from the south. Our countermeasure fleet is holding but insufficient. They'll lose their position in a matter of hours"

"So it's true" Tekoro muttered. "They're really trying to overwhelm us with numbers. What's the status of our defense bases?"

"All sectors are holding. The Imperial Army is engaging the advancing army coming from the west. Nerima, Suginami and Setagaya are facing stiff resistance"

"We're also getting some minor attacks on Ota Ward. Should I send reinforcements?"

"No… (…?) This is a ruse. No matter how many they send, our defense line is strong enough to withstand anything. The Imperial Army will be sufficient. Deploy our reserves to Kita and Adachi wards and have them scout the area for any oddities. I have a feeling that our enemy is preparing some kind of ploy. (Yes sir) Inform his Excellency of the situation and have the 5th Division ready for combat in case the enemy reaches us here. (Understood) We just need to hold this city for a few hours. As long as we hold this City by New Years day, victory will be ours"

**(Takeru's POV) (Imperial Army Outpost) (Saitama)**

Geh… this is ridiculous. Asking me to wait like this in my TSF, while the rest of the army fights on the frontlines. I never imagined that they would actually ask us to attack Tokyo of all place. But why would the royal family start a coup now of all times? We just won a battle against the BETA. We should be using our remaining strength to fight off the aliens, not each other. They say that Yuuhi herself is issuing this command and each and every one of the Honor Guards soldier are fighting in her name. I can hardly believe Yuuhi would give such a command on this crucial moment. I know she wouldn't resort to violence… not unless she has no other options.

There's no point thinking about it now. I'll have to ask her myself when I get the chance. Right now… I have to focus on the mission. The weather forecast was accurate. The heavy rain was now mixed with the snow creating a blizzard. This will lower my heat signature while out on the attack and keep nosy eyes away.

"This is Valhalla to Zeus. (…!)" It's begun Marimo's face appeared on my screen. "Operation is now switching to Phase 2. Your attack will commence in 10 minutes. Commence final checkup on the systems. We will only have one shot at this"

"Zeus, roger that. All systems check" The cockpit of a Fubuki was about the same as the Shiranui but the maneuverability is more extreme due to the light-weighted engines. I can practically travel faster than any kind of TSF.

Mairmo nodded before continuing. "All systems are green. I will now review the objectives of your mission. (Beep) Remember: The objective of your mission is to infiltrate and destroy the Firebase located north of the Adachi and Katsushika Ward. You will be flying below radar so remain below 200 feet to keep the enemy's tracker to lock onto you. (Roger…) Once you've reached the halfway milestone, we will launch a supply crate into the city equipped with the 1200mm Trans-Horizon Cannon in your projected area. You will then use the weapon provided to disable two radar dishes providing targeting data for those fire bases and proceed to destroy the main weapons of the bases themselves"

In other words… the whole mission is riding on my performance.

"Once that is fulfilled, the strike force, Orochi, led by Major Komaki Sayoko will assault the city from the Arakawa River capturing both wards with little resistance. Once that's been done, advancing troops will establish a foothold in Toneri Park where we can use to gather casualties and forward intelligence on the enemy" So we really are going through with this.

Everyone can tell that this battle will be nothing short of a long siege. Tokyo was a big city… a really big city. With the amount of resources the Imperial Army and Honor Guards have been piling to its defense, they won't give this place without a brute fight. Our army will be fighting from ward to ward, building to building, street to street. Even an amateur soldier like me can tell that the defenders will always have the home-field advantage. Even if we did have superior numbers they know these streets like that back of their hands.

We'll have to take things slowly.

"The next phase of the operation will be capturing the dry docks. Once the assault team is in, Orochi will begin to systematically destroy enemy strong points within the city and assist with the capture of Edogawa and Koto wards. This will pave the way for Shark Company to land and from there on we will launch a pincer attack on the city itself. The primary objective is secure the Imperial Army Headquarters in Taito, the U.N. consulate in Bunkyo, the water pump station in Minato, the Honor Guard Command Center in Chuo and the commercial district in Shinjuku. Once we've secured these areas a special task force will infiltrate and secure Her Highness, the Shogun, Kobuin Yuuhi from the Imperial Royal Palace located in the Chiyoda ward"

Secure…

_"In other words… the U.N. will be holding the last living relative of the Emperor as a hostage asserting their dominance over Japan and its people"_

What the Prime Minister said there bothers me. If what he says is true then Japan will be under the U.N's rule permanently. All this… just for one person? It sounds almost too good to be true.

"However…" Marimo chan continued. "All of this is only factored if everything goes according to plan. We don't know what you'll be encountering in there. The Imperial Army and the Imperial Honor Guards are to be expected but you can't underestimate the abilities of the Eurasian Army assisting them. Remember Shirogane… prioritize your survival above all else. I'll be here to provide you tactical and logistical support and inform you of the situation that's developing. Section Chief Yoroi and Sergeant Isumi Yayoi will also be providing information of our enemy"

"Understood. I'll do my best"

"Just… be careful… alright?"

"Heh… I will"

Beep beep!

Right… time to get this show on the road. I have a clear road ahead of me now. The snow won't be a problem. (Ruffle) The last vial of that serum Yuuko sensei gave me. I'll have to make it count. I don't know how long the effects last but as long as I don't collapse while in battle should be just fine. (Pssst…) Ahh… well… here goes nothing.

"This is Orochi Leader to infiltration team" Eh? It's… the Major. "Hold your launch. There's new development in your attack route. Scouts have reported an increase of patrol in your entryway. Hold position until they pass. It will be difficult to enter with that much added security"

"Valhalla to Orochi Leader, roger that. We'll hold on for now"

"Belay that. (…!) The operation will proceed as scheduled. The longer we delay, the more time our enemy will have in tightening their defenses" Yoroi…

"But Chief… my scouts have reported at least three battalions up there. If Zeus gets spotted he'll be surrounded!"

"I'm certain it's nothing our esteemed Legendary Rookie can't handle. Neh… Shirogane kun?" Is he really asking for my opinion in this matter? Does he really have that much faith in my abilities or is he just so cornered that he'll be risking anything? Well… I guess asking a favor from Yuuko sensei must've made him really desperate.

With a sigh, the Major submitted. "Understood. But I'll have my forces ready just in case"

"Thank you for understanding. (…) Well then… Shirogane. You may begin"

"Understood. Proceeding with plan"

I revved up my engine and made one last check on my jump unit. It only has six charges before it becomes useless but basic speed boost shouldn't be a problem at all. As long as I don't exceed the supersonic limit I should be able to keep it working.

"This is HQ to all units. Operation is switching to Phase 2. All personnel clear the launch platform"

"Valhalla to Zeus. Remember… you must remain below 200 feet at all times to prevent the enemy to track you on radar. Use the urban terrain to your advantage. Don't rely too much on the computer trajectory plan either. Everything will come down to your skills in the end"

"Zeus to Valhalla, roger that. Bracing for catapult launch. Confirming all systems ready"

"Your course is clear. Shirogane… take off!"

"Taking off!"

**(Marimo's POV)**

"Zeus has taken off. Approximate time of arrival is four minutes" Yayoi reported to me. To my surprise, Shirogane was going a lot faster than I anticipated. At this rate… he'll reach the city in no time.

"Launch crew, ready the Trans-Horizon Cannon on the catapult" I'm sure Shirogane will be fine. If he can survive a horde of BETA while inside the mouth of a BETA Carrier, then getting through those defenses should be child's play.

Still… I can't get rid of the uneasiness I have for this mission.

**(Takeru's POV)**

Wooooooohh! Now this is what I call speed! I'm traveling over 500mph! It's not supersonic but that's what makes it so cool! This is the kind of speed I can actually get used to! It's just like riding Yuuko sensei's sports car back in my world… just… faster!

But I have keep focus. Traversing through these buildings is just like the simulator. Back when I was a cadet we've been training in urban combat for months but after we joined up with the Valkyries we were more engrossed on fighting with the BETA on open ground and in Hives. It shouldn't be that hard to switch back to my original training methods.

My screens are blurry but I can still make out the shapes of buildings and structures. Right then… let's see what this thing can do.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Back on the forward lines of the Imperial Army, a patrol unit was passing by when one of them noticed a blip appearing on his screen.

"This is 501E. I'm detecting a feint signal on my radar. I can't seem to pinpoint its location but it appears to be coming just outside our defense line. Does anyone have a visual?"

"This is 504E. Negative. It could just be another electronic flux. Thermal scans are impossible with this blizzard and not to mention the heat signatures coming off the buildings"

"Do we have any visual from the air? Tell the firebases to deploy UAVs and switch to auto-lock. The Lt. Col Suspects that the enemy might make a surprise attack. Keep your eyes peeled for anything. (Yes ma'am) 05, 06, take point"

"This is 502E. I see something! There's a fast moving object moving along the buildings. Ah! It's… a TSF! (What!-?) It's traversing through buildings keeping itself below radar. It's moving fast. I can't identify the type but there's no mistaking it!"

"Combat alert! All units move in and intercept! Warn the firebases in the area as well. How many do you see?"

"I… I'm only seeing one. It must be a single attack strike"

"They send one unit on a suicide mission? Heh… I guess the Lt. Col was right after all"

"This one should be—(Whiirrrr!)… easy?"

"RAHHHH! Get out of my way!" Shirogane barged in unarmed without a single thought of hesitation. He flew past the guards before any of them could even lift their weapons up to bear.

"Damn! He got passed us! This is 501E. A single enemy TSF has broken through. It appears to be a fast mobile unit but it doesn't appear to be armed. Be careful, it maybe a suicide unit equipped with an SD"

"This is 665A, roger. We got him!"

Another cohort of TSFs reemerged from the city and spotted the boy. "We found him. Take him down!" Their Gekishins unleashed a volley of bullets but to their surprise, Shirogane dodged them all like he was just riding against the waves. "What the!-? That's… not possible!"

"I don't have time for any of you! Get out!" Takeru forced his way through their lines ramming the two adjacent Gekishins to the ground. "This is Zeus! I'm near the half way margin. Ready the container!"

"This is 664. Enemy is trying to get through our defense line! Firebase, don't allow it to get any further!"

"Negative. We can't target him from here. He's moving below our weapons' range. Response team, deploy! Find the intruder and destroy him"

**(Takeru's POV)**

That's the firebase? It's huge! Who would've imagined they would make something like that inside a city? They're even camouflaged within the building to avoid getting spotted from the ground. A single one of these can stop an entire BETA herd on its own. Those giant guns must be my target.

Beep beep!

Keh! I'm too close. They're getting a fix on my position. I can't go any higher than some of these tall buildings. I have to rely on the main roads to get to where I need to be. As long as I keep it down here they won't be able to use their missiles or their guns against me.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

At Arakawa River, Komaki let out an irritated groan when she noted the enemy's movements. She knew that their patrols were too thick and that their infiltrator would be spotted almost immediately. But as expected, the Chief gave the go signal anyway. She wondered if the man put too much faith on one Eishi.

"Tch… I knew it. They're on to him"

"Major…" One of her subordinates contacted her. "What do we do?"

"We proceed as planned. We'll travel through the coastline of the river and make our way towards the metropolis. The speedboats will have to make it through to establish a foothold on the ward. Keep out of the enemy's radar range. If the pilot fails… then we'll have no other choice but to force our way in. (Roger!)"

"This is Valhalla to all units. Zeus has reached the half way margin! (…!) Launch container!"

**(Takeru's POV)**

"Shirogane. Your weapon has been launched from the base. Here's its projected course. The storm should mask its drop point but the container has a built in tracking system. Get to it before the enemy realizes our plans"

"Roger that. I see it!" The container carrying the gun flew overhead before it dropped onto the ground. So far I've been able to avoid the patrols even though they've already spotted me. I have no doubt that these people are skilled fighters of the elite divisions like Sagiri but it seems like they're not used to chasing a single pilot through the streets of the city. They're more used to fighting from building to building, not playing a game of hide and seek. If I keep this up I can lose them in the next intersection. Right then… time to use that trick…

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Just as the boy's pursuers were gaining on him, a gust of smoke suddenly appeared fogging their views. "Wh… what the? Where did this fog come from?"

"Tch! He must've used his boosters to create a smokescreen. This is 3201B. The target has eluded us. Create a perimeter around the area and spread through 8 blocks in all directions. We'll corner him here before he has a chance to escape. B Platoon, D Platoon, cover the south entrance. Keep your IFFs on to differentiate signal and keep us from shooting at one another. (Roger!) C Platoon, split up and search the area. Be careful… this doesn't look like any ordinary pilot. The frame he's using appears to be a Fubuki 3rd Generation Class unit equipped with special armaments. Don't underestimate it"

"Captain. There's something else. (Hmm?) During our chase, our scouts reported that the enemy base launched an unknown object into the city. It wasn't an artillery shell or missile"

"It could just be debris. Find the intruder first then we can search for the object. 664, your troop is to continue keeping watch over the area. This might just be a decoy for all we know. (Yes sir)"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Phew… I lost them. I can't believe that actually worked. Mikoto's technique of distracting predators was simply top notched. It's going to be hard to laugh at him once I get back to my world. No time to lose. I have to find that container. It's only a few blocks away. As long as I keep myself between these buildings I can avoid them.

Whirrrrr!

Whoa! That was close. They're not just using TSFs but small mobile vehicles as well. This might be tougher than I thought. Sneaking through this city is like trying to play hide and seek with only a few actual hiding spots.

I was supposed to get through here without being spotted. But thanks to that patrol they responded before I could get myself together.

…

…

**(Tokyo Bay) (U.N. TSF Carrier 'Shoko') (05:50 AM)**

"…" Meiya let out a sigh that morning as she turned her head towards the darkened city of Tokyo by the horizon. Even though the sun was already rising in the distance, no could see it. The only way she could tell what the time was is by looking at her headset. The smoke and soot made by the never-ending fires that burned around Japan had blotted the sun from the land that was named after it. Even though it's only been a few days… some people were having a difficult time remembering what the sun looked like.

But right now that wasn't the main thing that bothered Meiya. No… other than the dark sky, the impending battle coming… what preoccupied her mind was the face of her sister who she knew was staying somewhere in that city. She heard the declaration made by the member of the royal family a few hours ago. A lot of people were really beginning to wonder if what that man said was true. It got soldiers and Eishis alike thinking and questioning their own loyalty to their country. Some were beginning to be conflicted with the whole incident, herself included. But even so… she still had responsibilities to take care of.

The situation was spiraling out of control. Japan was losing its grip on the world and even after their victory against the BETA, humanity continued to gripe over petty ideals.

But what Ikaruga said on television got her to thinking. Was she really on the right side of this war? What if what that man said is true? What if the U.N. was responsible for Shikoku? If that's true then she would be fighting against her own people, her own family. Would she truly have the courage to raise her sword against the royal family she swore her life to? If the U.N. really was responsible for those deaths then it seems only logical that the royal family retaliates. There was much going through her head right now even more so than before the speech.

"Sister… is this… is this truly what you desire?" But her train of thoughts quickly came to a halt when she sensed a presence behind her. "Who goes there? (Bwah!) Ah… Tamase? What are doing sneaking around like that?" The pigtailed girl had her hands up in the air as if she was being pointed with a gun.

"Ah… I umm… I was just wondering if you wanted something to eat" She showed her hand which had carried a box of juice and some cheese and crackers. "Kyozuka san gave them to be right before we deployed from the Yokohama base. It's not synthetic so it has a great aftertaste. Mikoto chan said it was the best thing he had all week"

Meiya let out another sigh. It was plain to see that her friend was just trying to cheer her up by the looks of her sullen mood. "I see. I appreciate the offer but I already have the needed nutrients for my body to last the day. Right now… I would prefer to be alone"

"You can't have that" Tama insisted. "When someone is struggling inside, it's better to have someone to listen to instead of just keeping it inside of you at all times. It's not easy letting things out and sometimes we want to keep it with us… but honestly… there's just so much one person can take before you fall, Meiya san"

"Tamase…" Meiya had a somewhat surprised look on her face when she saw the child's determination in her eyes. "I apologize. I shouldn't have been so rejecting. But it is a… personal matter at this moment. But I do appreciate your thoughts. I really do"

"I might not be as good as Takeru san… but I do try my best. Usually when I have something bothering me I go to him for advice. He's really smart. Even though he doesn't always have an answer he knows what to say to all of us"

"Ahuhu… true. Takeru does have that trait. I supposed that's one of the reasons why Sakaki seeks his council before doing anything rash. He usually does know what to say… even if he is quite naïve"

"Ahehehe. Takeru san can say the funniest things. He never fails to make me laugh or get my confidence back up. And whenever I'm with him… I get the feeling that everything will be ok. (…) He kind of reminds me of papa. (…?) Ah! No I don't mean he's old. But he's kind of like a wiseman with a great sense of humor. He's our age and fun to be with but also a good person to ask advice from"

"If he heard you say that he would be shock to be compared to an elderly man. (Ahehehe) But I understand what you are trying to say. He is… mature in his own way but for some reason—he is unable to rid himself of his inner child" It was true. The boy was an experienced soldier who had the skills of an ACE pilot but there were times that he can be really childish. The boy was a kid and acted like one but when the time comes for him to make a choice, he often delivers with excellent results.

"Ahehehe… I should remember to say that the next time I meet him. Anyway, if you need to talk to someone, I'm always open, Meiya san"

"Thank you, Tamase… but there are still some things that I need to worry about"

"Worrying won't really get you anywhere" Miki added with a widened smile. "Takeru san once told me that worrying about something that's not within your control is useless. (…?) I stopped worrying about I things I have no control over and just go along with it whenever possible. And besides… if I did worry about it again… Takeru san will probably just scold me again. Uuuu…"

"Ahuhu… thank you, Tamase. I appreciate your comfort"

"Ahehehe… any time, Meiya san. We're a team so we have to look after one another, neh?"

**(Tokyo) (Royal Palace bunker)**

Ikaruga… the mastermind behind the coup sighed with a bored expression as he watched the battle occurring on the map screen with Makabe, his most trusted guard stood vigil as ever by his side. The plan was going smoothly as they expected. The combined force of the U.N. and the loyalist Imperial Army were attacking in almost all directions, spreading their defense force rather thin. But despite their lack of numbers their entrenched positions made it easy for a handful of soldiers to defend a district against a large army.

"It seems like the information that the Ministry of Intelligence has been able to acquire was accurate after all" Makabe stated seeing how easily they were holding the defense lines. "The Imperial Army is holding its ground just right across the entrenched lines. As we expected, they don't seem to be inclined in using their heavy weaponries against the city itself. I supposed they would want to capture the facilities on the surface to be put on a latter use"

"Even if they did use them, it won't really matter" Ikaruga added. "The city layer can still withstand a bombardment for weeks. The underground factories will be unharmed. (…) So… my opponent is truly is the infamous General Paul Radhabinod. I've never met the man in person but I hear that he's a dedicated soldier with a list of achievements dating back since the first contact with the BETA 30 years ago. It's a shame that I have to face such a capable commander. He would've made an excellent piece"

"Yes my lord. But you must admit that the information gathering was top-notched. We have the details of the enemy numbers, resources and attack plans. Holding the city until New Year should be easy"

"Don't be so sure" The madman insisted. "The tides of battle can be changed in an instant. I'm sure the infamous General has a few trick up his sleeves. Not to mention that his naval attack force hasn't even begun moving. No… that man is waiting for something. He's trying so hard to hide something that he's throwing everything he has at us. This may prove interesting yet"

"Should we intervene?"

"No. Let Tekoro do his part. As long he holds the main army at bay we can use the Eurasian force to do the other menial tasks. But… just in case… have the mindless drones ready"

"But sir… do you think that's wise? The experimental forces are said to be extremely unstable. The program of their development was supposedly used for Hive infiltration units. We have no idea what it would do to soldiers fighting soldiers"

"It matters little to me. As long as they can do their duties they'll be fine. A force that has no fear, no remorse nor any hesitation. Only pure rage drives them. Hypnotic therapy really is a marvel, isn't it?" But the man's grin came to an end when he noticed their formation broken. "Hmm? What's going on over in the north? Why are our forces stretched thin there?"

A call answered his question. "Sir. It appears that the enemy has launched a single unit to infiltrate our ranks. (…?) We don't know of its objective but it has managed to avoid our defense perimeters"

"A single unit broke through?" Makabe had a rather surprised expression on his face. "What were our perimeter-guards doing?"

"S… sorry sir. It maneuvered through the buildings at such speed that no one could get a lock on it. A response team has already been deployed. We will have the situation under control soon"

"Very well. I expect results soon" Ikaruga added before turning the monitor off. "This is unexpected. I never imagined they would send a single unit to breach our defenses"

"Our radar should've picked it up the moment it entered the city" Makabe analyzed. "But if it was able to enter without being detected means that it must be traveling below radar, navigating through the city streets at high speed"

"So even our famed firebases have a blind spot. (Yes sir…) How distasteful. Even so… that pilot must be extremely talented to traverse through the city at such speed. It seems like we will be swimming in the blood of our people after today"

**(Takeru's POV) (Adachi Ward)**

Tch…! Damn it all. I couldn't get there in time. The container is completely surrounded by the enemy. If I move to get it then they'll spot me for sure. There's no chance they'll be leaving it and if they discover what's inside they'll try to destroy it.

"This is Zeus. Enemy forces have spotted the container with the weapon. There's no way for me to get it without being spotted"

"Valhalla here. I see it. Be careful. The enemy appears to be trying to create a perimeter around you. They're trying to box you in one location. However it looks like they don't have the manpower to fill in all of the gaps. But if you delay any longer they'll surround you completely. Retrieve the weapon at all cost"

Keh that's easier said than done. The only things I have are my two combat-knives and they have guns. Judging from this point, it can hardly be called a fair fight. But even so… Marimo's right. I can't delay. A lot of lives are depending on me. If I hesitate now then it's over.

Hmm… it looks like they're trying to open the container. Good. That way I can just grab the weapon and bolt off before any of them have a chance to respond. I might only get one shot at this. I have to make it count.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"This is 664, we've secured the unknown package. It appears to be a weapon of some sort" The officer opened the weapon container stated on her radio as she analyzed the weapon in the box. "I've never seen it before but it looks like it has enough power to crack a TSF in two"

"Roger that 664. Standby at that location while we continue our sweep. The intruder might try to retrieve it"

"664, copy that. We'll stand guard until sweep is complete. All units keep on alert"

"Heh. Why do we need to worry?" One of the officers gave out an arrogant response. "There are 6 of us against one pilot. It hardly seems like a fair fight. That guy knows that if he shows up, he's as good as dead"

"Be careful what you say Hideyoshi. Remember what happened in Susono. (…) Remember how a single Fubuki took down a whole company on its own"

"Don't tell me you still believe in those rumors. It hardly seems possible. One pilot against all of us is like signing a death—(Beep beep!) Eh?" But the man stopped when he noticed his radar tracking going off.

"Enemy!" Another pilot yelled out before clocking his weapon. "He's coming from the main road!"

"Damn it! Where the hell did he come from? All units open fire! Take him down!" The 6 Gekishins quickly unleashed a hail of bullets at the intruder but to their amazement, the boy dodged them like they were stone throws away.

"Wh… what the hell? I can't get a lock on him! (WHAM!) Grahhh!" The man fell down head first with his whole frame locking its movement. "D… damn it! My frame's locked up!"

"03, 06, cover 05. 04, 02, with me! (Roger!) Spread out and surround him!" But Shirogane was too fast. He leaped in right below them and with his superior CQC training he disarmed all five pilots before any of them had a chance to blink. The squad leader was horrified to see her whole unit taken down in just a few seconds but she remained calm and quickly drew out her blade to counter. "Damn you! DIE!"

"Tch!" But her sword barely even touched the boy. He was faster than her computer could locate and every punch and kick he delivered was marked on the spot. "Take this!" Shirogane delivered an uppercut causing the woman to stun for a moment giving him time to grab the trans-horizon cannon from the container.

"Not so fast!" The rebel squad leader recovered from the sucker punch and charged in with sword in hand but she only got herself beat when the boy knocked her down with the butt of his weapon. "Keh…! Th… this can't be…!" Her Gekishin fell back first right onto a nearby restaurant, crushing it under its weight. She closed her eyes and braced herself for the killing blow to be delivered but it never came. When she recovered, the boy was gone. "Wha? What was with that pilot?" She was confused. The boy had them in his mercy. All it would take was for him to give one good stab in the exposed cockpit block but he simply left like he wasn't even concerned about them.

"664! What's going on over there? 664, respond!"

The girl quickly recovered herself and answered. "Th… this is 664. Target has escaped—heading eastward. Be alert: This is no ordinary pilot. It… it wiped out my entire squad! The intruder has made off with the unknown weapon in the container"

"Roger that. All units, divert eastward. If you spot the intruder radio in immediately. Don't underestimate him! (Roger!)"

**(Takeru's POV)**

Phew… that was easier than I thought it would be. They weren't expecting head on attack like that so I took them by complete surprise. I was right… these guys are complete amateurs. Even though they're the capital elites, they've gotten rusty fighting in tight quarters like in the city. Their numbers also make it difficult to search. The main road only has enough space accommodate 3 TSFs standing side by side so it won't be easy for them to maneuver.

But I'm also at a disadvantage. The Trans-Horizon Cannon that I got was a lot heavier than I imagined. It's no wonder why it can only be fired in a static position. One shot and you're bound to fall over by the recoil. The gun is just as I remembered it when I first saw it in action years ago during the HSST Destroyer incident. It was about ¾ the size of a TSF with its barrel sticking up just below the shoulder. It was 5 times heavier than a regular 36mm gun and the rounds there were used on it were the size of train cars. A single one of these things can cut through even the steel armor of a Destroyer Class BETA and killing another one behind it. The thing was made to act like a bolt-action sniper rifle so I need to change the bullet every time I take a shot.

But this isn't the time for nostalgia. I have to end this battle quickly before it spreads further. "This is Zeus. Weapon retrieved. Moving on to objectives"

"Valhalla, roger that. I'm updating your computer with the locations of the firebases and the radar sites. Remember, the 1200mm Trans-Horizon Cannon is capable of super-armored-piercing rounds. It's the only weapon capable of penetrating the firebase's 200mm howitzers. The cannons have a limited firing angle so you don't have to worry about retaliation. However… the moment you fire, the bullet will leave a trail of pressurized elements that the enemy will be able to trace on plain sight—not to mention the loud noise it makes too. So once you've fired be sure to relocate immediately"

"Roger that! Leave it to me!"

**(Marimo's POV)**

This isn't good. The response teams are getting thicker by the minute. I'm getting a lot of radio traffic just trying to contact Shirogane from here. That can only mean that the rebels are pulling everything they have to find him. Fortunately, Shirogane has some experience fighting against Imperial soldiers. He knows their tactics and maneuvers and so did I. But that wasn't a guarantee. The soldiers that he's facing are also professionals. The best of the best the Imperial Army has to offer. Gekishins, Fubukis and Type-94 Shiranuis will be his opponents so it shouldn't be any problem for him. But if the enemy deploys a Takemikazuchi then that will be a different story.

"Shirogane, your first radar target in 5 kilometers ahead of you. The Trans-Horizon cannon should have more than enough destructive power to disable the facility itself. But you need to be in a static position before you fire otherwise you'll risk falling from the recoil"

"Copy that"

So far Shirogane has been 1 or 2 steps ahead of the enemy. With the new OS still not employed by the regular army, he has a head advantage over their maneuverability. His natural talents in piloting a TSF also provides him with some breathing but that can only get him so far. The rest will be up to how he handles the mission.

"I'm glad Shirogane's skill hasn't dropped since Sadogashima" I heard Chief Yoroi inquired behind me. "This is good. I was worried that he may have gone rusty. I'm glad to know that I was wrong" Rusty? Shirogane? Heh… I doubt that'll happen. The boy has been an excellent specimen of a soldier ever since he was a cadet. Everything he did he did it beyond the average scoreboard. What people were best at he could do better but only if he puts his mind into it. "Yayoi san. Please inform the Major to begin moving at once"

"Yes Chief"

"This is Zeus" I heard Shirogane spoke back on the coms. "I see my first target and I've lost my pursuers. Targeting now"

"Understood. Remember: You only have six rounds in the Trans-Horizon Cannon. Don't waste them. The mission is proceeding as planned. Orochi Company will be marching onto the city soon"

**(Takeru's POV)**

Right… this is probably a good position as any. Now I understand how nervous Tama felt when she used this gun in the first try. One miss-shot can actually make a difference between life and death. But at this range, I won't be able to miss.

"The targeting reticule is off by a few centimeters and the wind pattern is good. No unforeseen difficulties" Heh… I can't believe I actually said that out loud. Maybe it's because I spent so much time with Tama when I dated her in one of my loops. I learned all sorts of tips and tricks when I was with her. She taught me everything I needed to know about sniping. Wind patterns, elevation and all that. I have all these knowledge of firearms but some of them are a bit blurry to remember.

"Be careful Shirogane" Marimo warned me. "Once you fire, you have to get out that area immediately"

"Roger that" Alright… remember Takeru. Control your breathing, keep your hands still and focus only on the target. (…) Phew…

Bang!

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

And with a squeeze of a trigger the large bullet train spouted from the gun barrel faster than anyone could think. Within milliseconds the target lower anchor of the radar dish had a giant hole on it. And with nothing to support the heavy dish the whole thing came crashing down, blowing up in a fiery inferno.

"What the?" The commanding officer gasped in shocked having a difficulty believing of what she just saw. "What just happened!-? 232, respond!"

"This is 232A. I… I don't know. The radar just collapsed. I think it may be sabotaged!"

"This is 604C. I spotted the intruder. He used the unknown weapon on the facility. He must've destroyed the support structure to bring the whole place down!"

"All units converge on the target's location. Take him down now! If he's targeting our radars then he must be trying to blind us! Alert the firebase. Tell them to keep a watch for anything suspicious! (Roger!)"

"This is 604! (What is it?) H… he's gone! The target disappeared! (What!-?) He was here just a second ago"

"Damn it! All units, spread out and find him! Recon team, take to the skies. 232, 408, your units are to remain guard on the last radar in the area. He's bound to target that structure!" But her orders came too late when the second radar exploded in the distance. "What the?"

"Ma'am! The facility in Katsushika has been leveled!"

"What!-? That's impossible! How can he go from one district to another in just a few seconds?"

"What do we do? Captain! We're walking blind out here!"

"Get yourselves together and get back in formation! We need to find that intruder! He couldn't have gone far! Alert the other units as well. If they spot him they have to—(Beep beep!) What now!-?"

"Captain! Emergency alert from the Adachi Firebase! (…!) They've spotted another force. It… it's a full scale attack! They're counting at least 40… no… 60 TSFs. Maybe even more! We're also getting report of infantry and light armored vehicles coming from the Arakawa and Sumida Rivers. We're being outflanked!"

"Don't panic! The firebases are tough enough to hold them off even without the radar tracker! As long as we have those we can fend them until reinforcements get here. (E… emergency!) Damn it! What is it? Are there more of them!-?"

"We just got report on the firebase in Katsushika! Their 200mm guns were just knocked out by the intruder! They're completely off line!"

The whole army was in panic mode. To have just one soldier cut through their defenses and hit their most sensitive areas was a disgrace. Their commander couldn't live with such an embarrassment. "Assemble all remaining forces at Adachi! We have to defend that base at all cost! Move out now before the intruder has a chance to fire! (R… roger that!)"

**(Takeru's POV)**

This is turning out to be a lot easier than I expected. I was able to take out three targets in a span of only a few minutes. The only delay is finding a suitable position to shoot the Trans-Horizon Cannon. Without their giant surveillance uplink these guys will be walking blind. Their guns will be inaccurate against moving targets.

Now all I need to do is take care of that last pair of guns and I can call this a day. The Imperial Army can handle the rest.

…

Hmm? What the? The storm… it's… lifting up? Not good. At this rate they'll—(Beep beep!) Huh?

"Target found! Engaging!" Crap! That was careless of me! I shouldn't have dallied. (Beep beep!) Huh? More of them? "We have him boxed in a corner! Take him down! Don't let him escape!"

Geh! There's too many of them. I'm gonna have to make a jump for it! (Beep beep!) Damn! Missiles? Of all the time! Keh! No choice I have to use the gun!

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

And with quick thinking, Shirogane fired a round of his weapon in midair causing his TSF to swing out of harm's way like an annoying fly.

"This is 550. We have the intruder. He's apparently heading straight towards the firebase!"

"Roger that. Keep him occupied while we deal with the new enemy force. We can't afford to let this base fall into enemy hands. Firebase, this is 003A. Load up main weapons! Even without targeting reticules we can scare them off! Ready all guns and prepare to fire on my signal! (Roger!)"

**(Takeru's POV)**

Damn it! These guys are persistent! I have two shots left. I can't waste anymore. They're firing wildly, trying to pin me down so I can't move. At this rate I won't be able to reach Adachi.

"Shirogane!" Eh? Marimo? "What's the delay? Major Komaki is already on the move. We need that last firebase taken out before the assault force reaches their range of fire!"

"I'm working on it!" There's no choice. If Komaki's men get within range of those cannons they'll be massacred. Even without their radar it's still a dangerous weapon. The firebase will prove too much for a small force.

…

…

…

Alright then…

Let's do this… Shirogane!

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Gathering his courage up, Shirogane holstered his gun and drew out his knives for combat. There wasn't really much thinking needed for a fight like this. With his overwhelming skill and talent he outmaneuvered the rebel forces with relative ease. Before any of them could even get a lock on his frame he would cut through their limbs like they were made out of butter. The Gekishins with their thick hide made easy target for the boy and the Shiranuis with their superior combat performance made little difference.

What they threw at Shirogane he simply dodged it and countered with a close range stab right on the leg.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Yoroi, who was watching the boy's performance from afar, was impressed. Not because the boy had the guts to actually challenge against the enemy but the fact that he didn't kill any of them. The boy made it look so easy to disable his opponent just by cutting the limbs. He made little effort in getting to his target and even less effort just cutting the enemy to pieces.

Back during the first coup, the man had been impressed by his talents alone. Talented pilots appear from time to time and they always get astounding results by the end of the mission. But Shirogane was different. The boy was unlike anything he has ever met. He was naïve and often showed a sense of incompetency in public but when the fight comes he would tear down anything that got in his way.

His fight with Sagiri alone showed his determination to achieve victory. He showed how far he was willing to go and what he was ready to give to achieve it. The thought of facing the boy alone made Yoroi break a sweat. With a TSF in his possession the kid can already be considered invincible. No matter how large an army was… against him… it was probably just a delay of their defeat.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

After a few seconds, Shirogane found himself surrounded by his fallen enemies. They put up a fight but it was nothing he couldn't handle. It almost scared him how easy it became to take down the elite pilots of the Imperial Army. He knew that they were rusty but he never imagined that they would be this easy to defeat.

With great haste, the boy armed his rifle and readied its tripod to get better aim. Everything looks perfect.

But right before he could pull the trigger a hail of gunfire pinned him down. "Damn it! Where did that come from? (Beep beep!) A whole squad of Shiranuis? You've got to be kidding me! Now of all times!"

Eight TSFs quickly surrounded the boy blocking all of his escape routes within seconds. "We have you now! This is 003A to all units. Converge and attack. Don't give him any room to breathe! (Roger!) Don't underestimate him either. He took out twelve of our TSFs already!"

**(Takeru's POV)**

Grrrr! Damn it. I don't have time for this. Get off! (WHAM!) Tch! They're skilled fighters. Not like those I fought with earlier. These must be the mainland capital defense force, the same unit that followed Sagiri in the last coup.

Clang!

Damn! It looks like they know my weakness as well. I can only attack them when I'm in close range. They're keeping their distance yet they continue to attack me.

WHAM!

Geh! Damn it! More of them? (Ratatatatat!) Geh! Damn, I'm being pushed back. At this rate I'll run out of room to run! (Boom!) Crap! No! They're really going to get me! (Ratatatatatat!) Arghh!

Bang!

Eh? What the? Those are… Takemikazuchis? Did they just… help me?

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

In that time of need three heavily armed Takemikazuchis appeared from the blues catching the rebel force off guard.

"What the? What's going on?" The enemy captain ducked when she noticed one of her men get blown to bits.

"Captain! It's another enemy force! It's… the Imperial Honor Guards!"

"What? But why are they shooting at us!-? (GRAHHH!) Keh! Hold your grounds and take them in pairs!"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

What the heck is going on? Those three… just saved me.

"What are waiting for Shirogane!-?" Huh? That voice… is it… Tomoe? "Hurry up and finish your mission! We can't hold them forever!"

"Ah… r… roger that!" I quickly readied my gun and aimed it at the cannons. I didn't even bother to look at the conditions before I shot. Within seconds, the last of my objective went off with a bang. Phew… that was too close. "This is Zeus! The last of the enemy defenses are down"

"Valhalla here, roger that. We confirmed the last of the enemy anti-TSF weaponries have been destroyed. All units are to engage immediately"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"C… captain!" The guards began to panic at the sight of their last defensive position taken out. "What do we do?"

The captain that they were referring to gritted her teeth in anger. All of their positions were being overrun by the enemy. Their defenses were taken down by a single enemy soldier. She can never bear this disgrace.

"Captain! The last of the firebase is gone! What are our orders?"

With a heavy heart she made the tough decision. "Retreat. (…!) All units fall back. A battle here will just be a waste of time. Withdraw to our defensive positions in Arakawa. Maintain combat status and gradually withdraw our battle lines. (…) We have to face the facts here… we lost this round. (Y… yes ma'am!) But at the very least… I'll take that bastard down with me!"

**(Takeru's POV)**

That's it. The enemy forces are falling back. We've won this battle. (…) But that was too close for comfort. If it weren't for those three… I would've been shot for sure. But why are they fighting on our side?

"Valhalla to Zeus. Do you copy?"

"Huh? Ah… yes ma'am"

"Enemy forces appear to be withdrawing from Adachi and Katsushika. They appear to be rallying over at Sumida and Arakawa wards to prevent us from advancing any further. Hold position for now and await further orders from Major Komaki"

"Zeus, roger" Well… so far so good. We've managed to get in without a single casualty. I have to say I'm quite surprised how I was able to do all of this on my own. I'm starting to feel some measure of fatigue creep up to me. Is this how Tama felt when she shot down that Cruiser from orbit? Heh… I might not be cut out to be a sniper like her. (Beep beep beep!) Huh?

"In the name of His Excellency! DIE! (WHAM!)" Whoa! What the hell? Where did she come from? "Teeeeeehh!" Damn! I can't dodge that hit! "I got you now! (Wham!) What the?" Grahh! That was close. My armor actually took the blunt of that attack. "I see… so that's no ordinary Fubuki after all. But even so… I cannot allow you to live! You and I will perish here and now!"

Whoa! This girl is serious! She's a skilled fighter and she's really aiming to kill me. But I a surprise like that won't work! (Clang!) Right… block, kick and uppercut! "Take this!"

WHAM!

"Gaahhhh!" Yes! It worked. "You're good. But a basic move like that won't work on me! I'll take you down even if I have to die doing so! (Clang!)" Gah! She cut my Trans-Horizon Cannon in two! "This next blow is your last!"

"No! That won't happen!" I quickly parried her sword using one of my knives and stab her shoulder with the other one.

"Geh! Not yet!" Damn it! Now she pulled out her gun? Doesn't she know how to quit? "Take this!"

WHAM!

If that's how you want it, fine! (WHAM!) I tackled her hand off and grabbed her gun and aimed it against her. Even if it isn't registered to my system, I still know how to pull a trigger.

…!

Wait… what am I…? What am I doing?

"What's the matter? Aren't you going to kill me?" That girl… she's… she's talking to me on an open channel just like the others. "If you don't hurry and claim my life now I will be the one who will take yours" Take… her life? I can do that. It sounds so simple to just… pull the trigger and let the gun do the rest. But… if I take her life then… no. If I do that then I'm no different from… but… "NAÏVE!" Geh! Damn it! She had another gun? Crap! I can't dodge it from this angle!

Bang!

"Gahhhhh!" Huh? What just… happened?

"This is Major Komaki Sayoko of the Imperial Army 1st Division 2nd TSF Armored Regiment. All units, move in and secure a perimeter around Adachi and Katsushika. Do not engage the enemy in the adjacent wards. Entrench yourselves around the area and set up a forward defense line. Once we've established a supply route to the city we can begin our advance towards the docks. (Roger!) Infantry unit 5 and 7 are to secure the firebases in case the enemy tries to retake those strong points. Light Armored divisions are to set up a guard post at Katsushika and prepare to advance southwards. Be ready to encounter anything. (Understood!) As for the cadets. Have them watch our rear at all times. We can't afford to bring them into a firefight. (Yes ma'am)" The Major… she… saved me. "Orochi Leader to Zeus. Fall back and regroup with the supply unit. Report back once you've refitted for combat"

"Y… yes ma'am!" A platoon of TSFs with friendly IFFs passed through my screen. Before I even realized it… the whole ward came under our control.

Still. Why did I hesitate just now? Why did I hesitate to pull the trigger?


	54. Battle for Japan Part 2

**Chapter 54: Battle for Japan (Part 2) (The Unshed Tears)**

**(Takeru's POV) (Adachi Ward, Tokyo) (Imperial Army forward base) (07:04 AM)**

It's been over two hours now since the battle began here in Tokyo. Both sides continue to trade bullets at one another hoping to hit something or someone on the other end. Casualties have been escalating into double digits in a matter of seconds and it's to be expected that it will continue to rise until one side gives in.

That woman I fought with earlier was proof of their determination. What they were willing to give to achieve victory here.

That soldier that I fought with… was brave. I can tell by the sound of her voice and her actions that she was ready to die for her country. Even though I had a gun pointed at her she didn't hesitate to attack me again and again. Her determination of course wasn't something that surprised me. In all my years here in this world's Japan, I've seen plenty of people like her. Meiya can be a prime example for that.

Still… what bothered me the most was the fact that my body froze. (Flash) When I had that gun trained on that woman's frame… something in me made me stop. It was like… my whole body just stopped on its own. I'm sure it wasn't the headaches… but something deeper. Like my subconscious telling me to not kill her. But in the end that woman ended up dying by another person's hand.

"Oi, you there!" Huh? "How long do you intend to stay there? The green light was given 2 minutes ago!"

"Ah y… yes sir! Sorry about that"

"We don't need someone to daydream"

Man… I really need to keep my head in the game. At this rate I'll get myself killed before I can even act. And I'm sure Hayase will never forgive me if I let an enemy get me with such a cheap shot. I just refitted my TSF with standard Storm Vanguard Equipments. I've gotten used to handling these things that it became a habit. Two swords, a gun and one shield.

"This is Orochi Leader to all units" The Major reappeared again on my screen. "Our forward line is now established at Toneri Park. So far the enemy hasn't made any move against us. This can only mean that our diversionary is working better than we previously anticipated. We will now begin our advance to the docks securing Edogawa and Koto to allow the U.N. naval force to land. Since our numbers are too thin for a full on assault we will divide our forces in three groups. Head 2 to head 4 will accompany me. Head 5-7 will be led by Senba. (Roger!) Head 8 will remain here with the rookies and cover our backs"

Heh… heads. Yamato no Orochi had eight heads so I can only guess that they're basing their units to that mythical creature.

Well… I guess I should follow them.

"Zeus, you are to remain here with the rest. (Eh?) You've accomplished your mission already. We'll handle the rest here"

"Huh? But why? I can be much more use up in the front"

"I agree. Your skills are extraordinary. But I prefer if you had our backs instead. (…?) This is the responsibility of the Imperial Army. Nothing more. Stay with the supply unit until further orders"

And without even waiting for a reply, she left. I don't understand. Even she could tell that I was good out on the battlefield. To put me on the rear lines is just… useless. It's not like the enemy will try to attack us now that we have a foothold in their defenses. They don't have the numbers to launch a counterattack and defend at the same time so we pretty much have them on the run.

But… I guess I can't disobey her orders either. I guess all I can do now is wait the same way I did back in Hakone. I wonder how the others are doing. I know that my mission is kept a secret from them but I can't help myself from worrying. As far as Marimo told me they're participating in this battle along with Shark Company coming in from the shorelines. So right now they're not fighting. But that can change quickly if we don't capture the two main ports.

"This is supply unit. The Imperial Honor Guards are requesting resupply as well. Please advise" Huh?

"You mean those three? Hmm… we barely have enough for ourselves. Just resupply their oxygen and energy. And keep an eye on them as well"

Oh that's right. Kamiyo, Tomoe and Ebisu are here too. They saved me earlier. Right when things settled down, the Major nearly ordered her men to attack them but I interrupted just in time to vouch for those three. It took a lot of convincing and some effort from Yoroi to get her men to lower their weapons. I understand why some of the men here feel a bit uneasy. The Household Honor Guards are our enemies in this battle after all.

I want to talk to them and get more information out of this battle but that doesn't seem to be happening any time soon. Hmm… it's already 7 o'clock yet it looks as if it was still night time. You can't really tell if the sun is even shining through all this smoke.

Humanity really is on the verge of its own destruction. We fight the BETA to preserve our future but in the process we sacrifice the present as well. Such irony it is to save the human race.

"Shirogane. Are you alright?" Marimo sensei? "My scans are detecting a decrease in your heartbeat. Are you feeling sick?"

"No I'm just a little tired. After everything that's happened here, I'm having a little trouble calming down"

"Don't work your adrenaline too much. You performed splendidly in your mission and achieved it to the letter. As of right now you're clear to come on home but for precaution it would be best if you stayed for awhile until the situation there has been settled. Try to get some rest while you can"

"Understood. I'll do just that. Thanks Marimo sensei" She's right. I haven't slept since we arrived in Saitama. I've been relying on coffee, herbal tea and stims to keep myself afloat. I guess my metabolism isn't in its peak just yet. "Sensei… can you tell me the situation on the operation. (…?) Please. I want to know what's going on. Something to keep my mind preoccupied"

She paused for a moment before giving me an answer. "I understand. I'll bring you up to speed since the last hour. As of right now, Hammer Company is occupying most of the rebel force west of the capital city. The fighting at the moment is best described as a standstill. Most of our forces were deployed in Nishitokyo, Musashino and Mitaka. However an hour since the battle began we've taken severe casualties by the firebases in the adjacent wards and so Hammer has withdrawn its force Koganei, Kaidara and Fuchu and are holding steady with the rebel army. The U.N. fleet has already advanced up to Tokyo Bay and the marines have taken Odaiba Island setting up a forward post for the attack. As of right now the main fleet is currently engaging with the Eurasian Fleet stationed at Chiba Port. Casualty numbers are unknown at the moment"

I see… so this really is a siege. We're being pushed back but yet the same time we're also pushing forward. The enemy can't divert their resources to secure the rear because if they do they'll lose the front. They can only rely on the troops they have here to hold out. But still… I'm surprised we haven't encountered any members of the Honor Guards yet. So far the only opponents we've been facing are Imperial Army loyalists. There's also the Eurasian Army that haven't been accounted for yet. They're probably hiding inside the city and keeping out of sight.

Bah… who am I kidding? I'm no strategist. I'll let other people do the thinking here. I've never been good in using my brains in the first place.

What I need right now is information. There are just too many gaps in the story. I can never truly believe Yuuhi would support such an action. She would never create a rift between the royal family and the government. That's the last thing she'd ever want.

Hmm? What's that?

There's some kind of light… blinking from one of the Takemikazuchis. Is that… Tomoe? What is she doing outside of her cockpit flashing her flashlight at me? She seems to be directing it towards me. (…!) Wait… could it be… Morse Code? Crap… I never had that kind of training before. It wasn't part of our cadet training at all. I'm sure Mikoto or Class rep would know it but I never expected to see that kind of thing before. What is she trying to tell me?

…

Oh? She jumped off her unit to the roof of the building. Does she want to meet me there? (…) It's worth a shot. There's no doubt that she was trying to direct that light to me. Is it really ok for an Eishi to be on the ground while in the middle of a combat zone?

…

It must be important if she wants to meet with me in person. The Three Idiots in this world wouldn't do something so risky without a good reason.

"Marimo sensei. I'm going out for a bit. (Eh?) I'll just be a minute. Please notify me if something happens. (Uh… understood)"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Hmm… it's not as cold as it used to be. The blizzard that rained down earlier seems to have subsided for now. We have a clear weather but not a clear sky. It seems like the Imperial Army have made the entire park their CP to coordinate with the rest of the advancing force. The guards and soldiers seem too busy to even notice me which made it easier for me to slip away.

The building that I saw Tomoe went in from above is this one. It appears to be an old office building. Much of the structure was left intact. There's even electricity running through it. I guess that's something you'd expect from the capital city of Japan. They need a constant flow of electricity to keep their factories running.

It looks like this place hasn't been used for awhile. Only the first and second floors have any signs of use. The floors above were completely void of activity. (Clang!) Yeow! I stepped on broken glass.

…

…

Hmm?

"Tomoe? Are you in here? (…)" No response. Maybe she's waiting on the rooftop.

Click…

"Freeze…"

…!

I recognize that clicking noise anywhere. That's the sound of a gun being cocked.

"Tomoe?" I turned around to the sound of the voice but I couldn't see anything. "Is that you?"

"Not quite…" Eh? Ah!

"Kamiyo!" Yup… I'd recognize that small well shaped hairdo any day. Kamiyo Tatsumi, one of the Three Idiots back in my world and an Imperial Household Officer in this world. She had her sidearm pointed at me with a distrusting face. I guess it's only natural for that kind of thing to happen to this kind of meeting.

"So it really is you" After we confirmed each other's faces she lowered her gun with a gentle sigh. "Keep your voice down. We don't want people to hear us. (Oh… right…) It doesn't seem like you were followed… good. Yukino… we're clear" She gestured to the shadows where Tomoe quickly appeared like a stealthy ninja. The two of them seems worse for wear. They look like soldiers that were returning from the battlefield. Heck… their overcoats alone looked as if they've been wrecked with continuous use.

"I knew it would be you, Shirogane Takeru" She said to me with the same expression she gave me in this world. "Though I'm quite surprised to find you in Imperial Army uniform. Have your loyalties changed in such a short time already?"

"Huh? Oh this?" Right… I forgot about my uniform.

…

…

…

After awhile I explained the situation to those two regarding my sudden and temporary transfer in the Imperial Army. Though it sounded weird at first… it sort of made sense with the battle that's been raging around Tokyo.

"I see… so the U.N. really has intervened… again" The two of them quickly drowned to a sulking mood after hearing my story. "And to think that it happened within a few days"

"You guys haven't heard anything about that?" I asked them.

"We've been in hiding since we returned to the capital" Kamiyo explained. "When we got word that the Imperial Honor Guards were staging a coup, a group of us didn't wish to participate in it" I see… so not all of the Imperial Guards are on this coup. "We've been cut off from the outside world ever since. Our group held out using the abundant old subway systems as our strong points. However… our activities were discovered and both sides have begun fighting amongst one another. In the end their numbers made a difference in the whole battle. (…) The best we could do was steal back the three Takemikazuchis that were kept under lock and key. Those who refused and resisted were executed on the spot and those who surrendered… were taken in for processing. (Processing?) That was what the enemy said when they apprehended the members. We can only imagine that they will undergo hypnotic therapy so they will be of no threat to their operations"

"I see. But wait… if you three are here then is Tsukuyomi with you? (…) Well!-?"

"1st Lt. Tsukuyomi was placed in the military hospital upon our arrival" Tomoe explained with a heavy heart. "We attempted to rescue her but we were unable to fight off the rebel forces. It may be possible that she has been taken in as a prisoner of war. (…) We do not know of her current whereabouts" Damn… so in the end we still got nothing. I was hoping to get some measure of information out of them but this is just another dead end. "We cannot openly oppose the head of the Ikaruga household since it contradicts our oath but we've been monitoring their transmissions to keep one step ahead of the enemy patrols. Its how we've been able to stay hidden for so long and why we were able to get to you"

"When we heard about a single pilot trampling over the enemy lines we immediately thought of you" Kamiyo added. I don't know whether she was praising me or just making a statement.

"There aren't a lot of pilots who are as reckless as you" Tomoe finished with a small smile up her lips. "In any case… we've been in the dark since the Imperial Army locked down the city. All form of communications were being jammed or monitored and the last transmission we received was the announcement made by Lord Ikaruga"

"Oh yeah… that guy. What can you tell me about him? (Eh?)" The two of them quickly darted their heads to me with a bizarre expression. "What's the matter?"

Tomoe softened her eyes a bit as if nodding in understanding. "I keep forgetting that you're knowledge of this country is limited since you just returned from overseas. But even so, you must know who he is"

"All that I know that he's the head of one of five great houses of the Japan. (…) Is it… really that strange?"

"Very. (…)" Ah crud. It seems like my knowledge of this world really is extremely limited. I barely even understand how the government of this country even works. "But if you must know. Ikaruga Takatsugu is the head of the Ikaruga household. In truth he is the son of the emperor's brother who took on a different name. As it is obvious to you now, he is the direct cousin of Her Highness, the Shogun. The man has been reputed to be one of the most talented military commanders ever to grace the battlefield and a gifted Eishi to boot. He has been in more campaigns than most veteran Eishis of today. He holds an astounding record of never being beaten in a fight"

Wow… that's quite a resume to handover. It almost feels like I'm fighting against a true patriot of the nation.

"But I guess that's not important right now" Kamiyo stopped us. "What's important is what we are going to do now. We didn't plan for this kind of operation. The prime idea was to escape and gather intelligence on the enemy. But we can't do anything now that the Imperial Army is watching over us"

That's true. I'm sure that the Major is keeping watch over these three as a precaution. She doesn't want our enemy snooping around where they're not needed.

"You're right" Tomoe agreed. "We didn't plan for this. But there's no turning back now. Our first priority is to ensure that our duties remain the same" She then turned her head to me. "I don't suppose you're inclined to share the details of your attack plan with us, 1st Lt. Shirogane? (…) I guess it's too good to be true. We will have to wait until we rescued 1st Lt. Tsukuyomi. We can decide what to do after that. Ebisu can't act outside for too long or they'll notice us gone from our Takemikazuchis"

"Wait!" I called out one last time. "One last question. (Be quick…) Did Yuu—the Shogun. Did she really support this?"

…

…

"We don't know…" Came Tomoe's unsure response. "We tried to seek her counsel but we were barred from that honor. If it turns out that Her Highness does support this rebellion movement… then I have no doubt that the Imperial Army and the Japanese soldiers within the U.N. will rally under her banner. It will become a complete reversal for this battle. (…) I've said too much already. But just in case… please take this" She sent me a mail through my headset. "That frequency is a private channel used by Lt. Tsukuyomi and us alone. We can discuss more if you keep that channel open. In the mean time… we bid you farewell, 1st Lt. Shirogane" They quickly walked up the stairway returning to their TSFs before the mechanics noticed they were gone. I followed their example and made my way back as well. I can't afford to be away for too long.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Tokyo was burning. I can see it with my own eyes. I can see gunfire and cannons in the distance, the fire raging in the streets and even the road cracking from the amount of damage being done. The scene was so familiar that it reminded me a lot of Susono City where I made my stand with the Shogun.

…

Yuuhi… is this really what you wanted? I can't imagine you… supporting all this slaughter. No… she wouldn't do this. The Yuuhi I know is strong. No matter what… she'll never resort to using violence. I'm sure that this is all just some kind of misunderstanding. I know her better than anyone. Even though we only had a short time together, I feel like I've come to know her as a whole. I've seen her cry, seen her wish and hope and bled just like any person. She… and I were… (Flash) Ah crap. Not again. Now I'm remembering her face when she spoke to me in Yokohama Base.

Uwa… in the end she's just another girl. A cute one at that. Ahhh… no… I'm doing it again.

"Eh? Shirogane… sempai?"

…?

"Tatsunami?"

"Haaa! It is you! What are the odds of you and I meeting in a battlefield?"

Fwup…

"Gwah! H… hey! Stop hugging me! (Ah sorry…) Anyway, what are you doing all the way out here? I thought the cadets were supposed to be guarding the rear of the formation around the firebase"

"The rest of the cadets are standing by there. My team was ordered in to help with some of the manual labor. They want us to set up watch-posts around the ward to keep the enemy infantry from surprising us" I see… so they're going to be planting motion sensors around the perimeter to fill in the gaps where the eyes can't see. "But anyway sempai. Is it true that you were the pilot who nailed all these firebases? (Huh? Ah… yeah) That's totally awesome! I saw your moves on the vids. It was a little blurry but your movements were unbelievable! You were like a ninja dodging all their attacks. You were so fast that my accumulated data couldn't correct in time before you jump off to the next one! You were going zigzag and then a complete barrel roll. You were awesome! Totally awesome!"

"Ahehe… I'm not that g—"

"And the way you used your knife to attack the enemy head on! That was so cool like something out of a movie! It was absofreakinlutely awesome!" Will you let me finish before you continue? And that's four times now he used the word 'awesome'. "You weren't kidding about that new OS device of yours. You really can pull off something like that! Hey… do you think I can do move like that too if I had the OS? (Well…) Wahh! I really want to do something like one day. It's totally something to look forward to. It'll be awesome!" And that's five.

"Tatsunami! (Geh!)" The woman who I remembered to be Tatsunami's squad leader yelled out from behind. "What the hell are you doing lollygagging around? We're in the middle of a battlefield! Take your job more seriously!"

"B… but Asagi. I was just mingling with Shirogane sempai. The building I need to be is just over by that block.

"Don't you go talking back to me~~ you little midget boy! (Bwehhh~!)" The woman began pulling his cheeks across the face again. That looks really painful. "We're in the middle of a fighting. If you get shot dillydallying I won't be responsible, ok!-? Follow orders and you'll live longer! Do. I. Make. My. Self. Clear!-?"

"Bwehh~ Yesh~ I undershshtand ma'aaam!"

The woman then let go and turned a polite salute to me. "I apologize once again for my teammate. He can be very unprofessional at times like this, sir. It won't happen again"

"Oh no… that's ok. We were just—"

"Why the hell do you get all polite to sempai and not to m—(Yoink!)—weeeehh~!"

"You're supposed to address a superior officer with a sir, rank or ma'am! How dare you act so informal with someone with a higher stature than you, you moron! (I'm shaawry!) An apology won't cut it you idiot! Now hurry up and get those motion sensors in place! (Beep beep) Ah… yes instructor" That was a quick change of mood. "Yes sir, I'm with Tatsunami right now. (…) Yes sir… I'll be right there" Looks like she's talking with her advisor on her headset.

"Ow… my cheeks" The boy gradually fell off her iron grip and began rubbing his cheeks which were now swollen red. "I thought she was really going to rip them off"

"Is she always like that?" I asked with some slight hesitation.

"She's been like that since she became squad leader. But for some reason she only does that to me. But I guess I got off easy this time. (This time?) Yeah… there was one time during our Comprehensive Combat Skill Evaluation, she pulled my cheeks so hard that they went numb for over a week. Asagi might look like that but honestly that girl can be a big brute and a manly thug like a real live go—(Yoink!)—dzzzzillaaaa!"

"Big brute and a manly thug, huh? Are you trying to pick a fight with me!-? (Bweehh!) Haaa… but I'll let you off easy today. I was hoping to accompany you to your block but it seems I'm needed back to the Command Post to report to the instructor. I don't like leaving you alone because you get distracted too easily. (Hey!) I'll ask one of the other members to go with you in case something happens"

"I don't need a babysitter! I can do this by myself!"

"Shut up! (Geh!) This is serious, Hibiki. I know that you can handle yourself in a fight but the fact still remains that we're cadets. I cannot afford to lose even one of us on this assignment. (…) It seems you're finally catching on. Cadets like us have no combat experience whatsoever and our training alone was rushed due to the needed soldiers at the front. This won't be like the exercise. (…I… I know that) Then shut up and listen for once"

"I can look after him for you" I proposed out loud which caught them by surprise. "From the looks of things, you're not going to let him go without someone to keep an eye on him. I don't have anything to do right now so I may as well help out"

"Ah… no… I didn't mean to imply…"

"It's alright. I'm not exactly busy myself. We'll just set up the sensors and head back here"

The woman named Asagi thought for a moment before giving a relieved sigh. "Very well. I appreciate your great, 1st Lt. Shirogane. Listen Hibiki. I'll be waiting at the Command Post. Radio me the moment you finished setting up those sensors and meet me back at this spot. Don't take any unnecessary risks, understand?"

"Yes ma'am!"

And with a final salute to me, she left. That woman really is squad leader material. She handled the kid like a pro. I guess some people had that special trait in them.

**(Royal Palace Bunker)**

"This is… unexpected" Ikaruga let out a grunting noise with a sour expression as he watched the battle rage over the map. He was annoyed with the sudden disturbance and even more so with the officer in charge still standing still on the monitor in front of him. "We're barely through the halfway margin of this battle and already we've lost two sectors to the enemy. How do you explain this?"

"I… I apologize for our failure my lord!" The man on the screen bowed in apology—with cold sweat running down his brow. "We were taken by surprise by an enemy saboteur. He singlehandedly wiped out our response teams and disabled our early warning systems for a larger advance force to break through. He also destroyed our firebases making the enemy pass through with little resistance"

"So explain to me why a single pilot was able to slip through our defenses unhindered"

"Uh… well… this particular unit was armed with special equipment that we've never seen before. It was faster and more agile than what we expected, my lord. We were unable to apprehend or do any significant damage to it. Captain Chisuka attempted to destroy it but she was lost before she could complete her mission"

Ikaruga's face grew even darker in that moment. "So what you're saying is that a single unit was able to slip pass the elite members of the Imperial Army mainland capital defenders, destroy our so called invincible defenses and crush 20 of you within a span of 5 minutes. Am I right? (…uh…) Do you know the term incompetence, Lieutenant? It's for people who can't get results"

"I… I apologize for our failure. I have no excuses"

"Forget it. What of this new enemy force? What are they doing now?"

"Uh… yes sir. The new enemy force have entrenched themselves heavily in Adachi and Katsushika. They've separated into two groups with one defending the wards and the larger group marching southward towards Edogawa"

"Edogawa?" Makabe who stood beside his lordship widened his eyes in surprise.

"Do you have anything to add to this, Makabe?"

"It's only a hunch sir but I believe the sole reason why they're not advancing deeper into the city is because they want to pin our forces in a pincer attack. (…) If I'm right, this new enemy force will attempt to take the ports at Edogawa and Koto to allow the U.N. force to land. With that amount of firepower and troops they will undoubtedly overwhelm us"

"I see…" Ikaruga stroke his chin in motion. "Has Lt. Col. Tekoro come up with any kind of response to this attack?"

"Y… yes sir!" The officer on screen confirmed this. "He's stationing reinforcements on Sumida to cut off the enemy attack but he also doesn't want his men to be caught in the enemy artillery strike"

"So again we're back to a waiting game" Ikaruga finished with a sigh. "I see. So that's how he intends to remedy this situation. Thank you Lieutenant… you've been most informative. (Yes… my lord)" With a press of a button the screen went dark leaving the mastermind to think of a reversal. "I didn't realize there were still such skillful Eishis in the Imperial Army. It's almost a shame to douse the life of someone so talented. Almost…"

"It will make little difference in the end" Makabe asserted forcefully. "In the long run, a single Eishi cannot stand against the will of the people"

"True… but if that pilot continues to be a hindrance… we may be facing a dilemma of our own. We already lost two sectors because of him. I was hoping to keep our enemies at the gate until morning"

"Should I go and eliminate him?"

Ikaruga waved his bodyguard off. "No. We cannot be too hasty in this matter. As much as I hate to see wild pieces on the table, the defenders will suffice. I will need the Household Honor Guards for our end game plan. Besides… we still have a few cards to play. We'll lower each one of them… slowly… and surely…"

**(Takeru's POV) (Adachi Ward, Tokyo) (Ruined building)**

Click…

There… that should do it. That's the last of the proximity sensors. I never imagined my technical and mechanical training would actually be put to use here. I always thought I would only need to use them to repair my TSF not setting up things like this.

The proximity sensors aren't as sophisticated as I thought they'd be. They simply bounce signal off the unit to detect objects that it's trying to search. Unfortunately these things can only detect TSF unique signals so it'll fill in the gaps where the eyes can't see. Placing them outside ruined buildings like this one will probably be for the best.

A total of five of them have been placed overall covering a good 3 kilometers each, a good distance away from the Command Post.

"But seriously though… I wish she'd treat me more like an adult" I've been with Hibiki every step of the way. He's been complaining nonstop about his squad leader, Asagi and how they're seen like brother and sister. I almost had that impression too when we first met. "She always does that whenever I do something wrong. And whenever I do something right, she still does the same thing. There's just no way to get past that brutish manner of hers. Sometimes I think she was raised by thugs when she was born"

"Hehehe. Well that is her job. She is the squad leader after all. (Hmph!) Besides… Your squad leader kind of reminds me of a friend I have. (Eh? Really?) Yeah. Even though she follows everything by the book, she can be a real pain in the butt. But I was able to get through that hurdle with her"

"Heeeh… lucky for you, sempai. I'm stuck with that girl for another half a year before we graduate"

"She's just looking out for you. Now would you stop complaining and help me with this? This is your job to begin with. (Yes sir~) The sensors have their own batteries but you have to camouflage the unit to keep the enemy from noticing them"

"Yeah… we had this in basic training. During the Comprehensive Combat Skill Evaluation, one of us had to disable an automatic gun-turret with the same sensor that fires on anything that comes within 20 feet of it. But that was older model so we handled it pretty well" Hoo? That sounds almost similar to our evaluation. But of course it took me a couple of loops to get it right. On those loops… I remember specifically catching a high fever due to the sudden rain and my squad had to carry me over to the rendezvous point. Man that was a nightmare. "Sempai?"

"Ah… sorry. You were saying something?"

"No… you just had this creepy grin on your face just now. Are you alright in the head?"

"H… hey that's rude! Do you always have to be so blunt?"

"Ahehe my bad. People say that I have a tendency to say things that are on my mind. It's been a bad habit of mine since I was a kid ahehehe. (That's not something to be proud of!) But I was right about you, Shirogane sempai. (Eh?) You really are different from the other officers and I don't mean your skills alone. The officers I meet back in my training base are usually so stiff. They never really have time to talk with cadets like us"

"Isn't it because I just graduated a few weeks ago?"

"Not at all. I get this feeling around you. You kinda remind me of someone I used to know. (…?) Ah… sorry. I guess I'm doing my bad habit again. But I'm glad that I actually got to meet a genuine pilot in person and an extraordinary one too! This is totally awesome!" There he goes again with his 'awesome' spree. Heh… this kid is so innocent yet very determined. I'm almost just as glad to have met him myself.

…

Hmm? What's that?

"Hey… did you hear that?" Hibiki nodded in response. There was some kind of noise and voices along with it.

"It's coming from outside" We quickly took a peek from the window having a vantage sight of the streets. There were soldiers down below, about a dozen or so, followed by a jeep and a truck. They appear to belong to the Imperial Army but they're definitely not part of our group. "Are they scouts?"

"No…" I disagreed. This group wasn't a scouting party. "Look… they're carrying wounded in that truck. They must've been left behind when the rest of the army withdrew from the area"

"What should we do?"

"Nothing. Remember your mission: We're here to put these sensors up, not engage the enemy. We'll let them pass and then make our way back to the CP. (Roger) Do you have your sidearm with you?"

"Uh… y… yeah" The kid seems pretty green.

"Haven't you used that thing before?"

"Of… of course! I can handle it"

I looked down from the window and saw the soldiers passing through. They seem to have stopped because the jeep broke down. Hmmm… now there are at least 2 dozens of them. They're all armed. If we go out the same way we came in they'll spot us for sure.

"We'll go out through the fire escape and avoid them through the alley" I suggested. "We'll have less chances of meeting them through there. (Y… yeah) Hey… just keep calm and we'll get back just fine"

Honestly… I didn't feel like fighting them either. It's better if we didn't cross paths at all.

…

The fire escape seems to be intact. It lowers us to the back alley on the opposite side of the road. We can easily slip pass them if we can stay quiet.

"Follow me. We'll head down this way and meet with your Squad Leader. (Yeah…)" Hmm… everything looks clear. The place looks clear enough. I lowered myself first and made sure the area was secure. We wouldn't want to get caught up in a firefight especially in this place. "Alright… it's clear, Tatsunami. You can come down"

"Right. Wait for me. I'll be right—(Creeek!) Ah! Ahhhhh!" Damn it! Why now of all times? The ladder he was on suddenly broke off its hinges and fell. That's definitely going to attract attention. You may as well put neon lights on us and say 'hey we're the enemy!'

"Tatsunami? Are you alright?"

"Yeah… the suit broke my fall. I guess I'm a lot heavier than I look ahehehe"

"No time for laughing. We need to get out of here before they find us. Can you walk?"

"Yeah. I'm fine. Just give me a minute"

Tip… tap…

…!

Crap! Footsteps? Someone's coming!

"Hide!" I whispered to Hibiki and quickly hid behind one of the trash dumpsters. Damn it… just when I thought we were going to get out of here unscathed.

…

That's definitely a soldier. He's carrying a gun and his stance tells me that he's been trained. He hasn't spotted us yet so we might have a chance to get out of this.

…!

Damn it. Hibiki is right next to him. Why did he have to hide under a pile of trash of all places? I just hope the guy doesn't see him. (…) Come on… there's nothing here. Just go already. (Crack!) Geh! Damn it Hibiki. Stop moving!

"Hmm?"

Crap… there's no choice. I'll have to shoot him from here. (Click) He can't see me from here and from this distance, I won't miss for sure.

"Oi… did you find anything?"

…!

Another one?

"I thought I heard something here" The man opened his flashlight and shined it in my direction. He won't be able to see me in this condition. "I'll look deeper just in case"

"It's probably just a cat or something. Come on. The Lieutenant wants us back before the jeep is fixed. We can't stay here for too long unless one of the enemy's TSF shows up. They won't wait for us if we're not there"

"We should at least make a thorough sweep of the place"

"Do you want to get left behind? (…) Just forget it and come back"

The persistent soldier scanned with his flashlight a few more times before finally clicking his tongue to finish the sweep. "Geez… whatever…" Good they're going away. "Huh?"

"Hachoo!"

"Who's there!-?"

Screw it all!

"Tatsunami, stay down!" I barked out and rushed towards the guy before he had time to react. First I redirected his weapon with a light push and disorient him with a jab to the jaw. At this close range your fists are more powerful than a gun. After he's stunned I force him to drop his weapon by twisting his arm and then pinning him down to the floor.

"Gah!" Keh…! This guy is tough. As expected from the Imperial Army Elites.

"Kobayakawa!" Tch! The other guy too? "Let him go you—(WHAM!) Grahh!" I easily took his weapon and slammed the butt of the gun right on his face knocking him out instantly.

"M… Masaru!" I redirected my aim back at the first soldier and silenced him. "Y… you bastard… and you dare call yourselves soldiers of the empire? (…) Well? What are you waiting for?"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Shirogane felt his body tensed as the man's angry eyes met with his. His muscles tightened, his hands shook and his throat became parched. It was as if someone or something was telling him that what he was doing was wrong. It was never this difficult to pull a gun during the 12/5 incident a few weeks back. But now… after seeing the man face to face, something changed. Something was begging him, indulging him not to pull that trigger.

Tatsunami stood by, unable to act on all of this.

The soldier who was under the boy's mercy did little to avoid death. He had already said his prayers to the afterlife and would have little regrets if he died here and now.

Shirogane thought for a moment, a sweat escaping his face. But soon enough… he remembered the face of the Shogun and the promise that he made with her.

With a quick release of his breath, the boy spoke. "Go…" The soldier stared back with a puzzled expression. "We don't want trouble with you. Just pretend that you never saw us and go. Take your friend with you. Tatsunami…" He gestured to the cadet to follow him.

With slow steps back, the two made their escape through the darkness, leaving a puzzled man behind to tend to his companion.

**(Takeru's POV) (Ruined building near Toneri Park) (A few minutes later)**

Haaa… haaa… haaaa… we made it. After a few minutes of running from that alley, Hibiki and I came to a stop to the building that we met earlier. That guy wouldn't follow us. He had no reason to. Even if he did call for help they wouldn't try to storm the forward base of the Imperial Army with TSFs guarding the place.

When I realized that we were finally safe, my muscles loosened a bit. But that was too close. Far too close for comfort.

"A… are they chasing us?" Hibiki asked looking a little weary. We took cover behind the windows and took a peek at the edge.

"No… it doesn't seem like they're giving chase" We both let out the air that we've been holding, feeling a sense of security behind these walls. "Are you ok, Tatsunami?"

"Y… yeah. I'm just a little tired from that running. I never imagined I'd actually have a gun pointed at my face. That was… scarier than I thought it'd be"

"Heh… stick around the army long enough and you'll see more of it"

"Yeah… and… (…) Thank you… (…?) If it wasn't for you… things might've gone differently" His hands were quivering from that sudden skirmish, his fingers still holding tightly on his sidearm. "Heh… I never thought I'd ever have to use this before. I thought they gave us these to teach us how to be responsible for handling weapons. This is probably the first time I ever had to load it with live ammunitions"

"You never fired a gun before?"

"Only during target practice and only on sandbags and papers. I never pointed this at anyone… ever. I wish I didn't have to"

"Heh… you're a good kid, Tatsunami. (…?) You'd make a horrible soldier but a good person"

"Heh… my instructor said the same thing once before. Haaa… my legs. I never ran this hard since Asagi chased me around the camp"

"Come on. I'm sure your squad leader is probably waiting for us back at the Command Post. We don't want to give those guys a reason to chase us now, do you?"

"No…" We slowly made our way back to the meeting point keeping within the shadows. "Hey… sempai. (Hmm?) Why didn't you shoot that man earlier? You had a clear shot of him and it would've been a lot faster and safer for both of us. But instead… you let both of them go. (…)" I wasn't sure myself of that reason. I can't exactly explain it in words but I just had this feeling that it wasn't the right thing to do.

"I'm not really sure" I answered him. "I just thought it'd be better if we both walk away"

"Have you done it? (Hmm?) Have you… ever killed a person before?"

…!

_"At the very least, I want… you, the man I loved… to be the one… who sends me to my grave…"_

Tug!

Ugh! Damn it… not now!

"S… sempai? What's wrong? Are you hurt?"

"N… no. It's just… some bad memories" It was the truth and Hibiki seems to accept it.

"I'm sorry. I guess I shouldn't be nosy. I guess every commissioned soldier has to do it one way or another. (…) But to be honest I'm glad you didn't. (…?) I'd prefer if we could've avoided the whole thing without any fighting. (Heh…) But you were pretty awesome too, sempai. You knocked two older soldiers so fast I could barely even had the chance to see what was going on. You looked pretty cool back there too. (…) I find it hard that you've been commissioned just a few weeks ago. People who can do things like that are usually top elites. Hey maybe one of these days when you visit Hokkaido you can show me a few things too"

"Heh… you actually believe we'll get to meet again after this?"

"Of course" That was a pretty fast reply. "As long as we have a future to look forward to, then anything is possible"

"Hehehe… you're really enthusiastic, you know that?"

"That's one of my finer points, sempai" I couldn't help but laugh. This kid almost reminds me of my old self. Perky, witty and not to mention, a good sense of humor to spread around but I usually leave all of that with Mikoto. "Oh… and Shirogane san…"

"Yeah? What is it?"

"Can you… not tell Asagi san what happened earlier? (Huh?) If she hears that I got into contact with those soldiers, she'll throw a fit for sure. Not to mention that I failed to report to her too. I just don't want her to worry about me. (…) Please?" Haaa… this guy. He's worried about his team mate and his squad leader is worried about him. It's a never-ending push and pull dilemma, that's for sure.

"I don't think it's wise to keep secrets from your team mates. (…)" The boy looked down feeling dejected. "But alright. I'll keep this one out"

"Really!-? (Yeah…) Waaa! Sempai, you're the best! Thank you!"

Fwup!

"Bwah! Alright! Don't hug me like that. It's creepy! Hey! Are you listening?"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

**(Edogawa) (Orochi Company Forward Lines)**

"Tch!" Major Komaki clicked her tongue as she watched her men press on against the enemy defenses. The battle was going smoothly earlier with her soldiers taking advantage of the confusion brought by Shirogane's interference and the artillery from the U.N. Navy. But after awhile, they were able to get themselves together and form a firing line that prevented them from moving and further. "To think they'd be able to reorganize this quickly…"

"Major. The rebels seemed to have formed artillery batteries at the Shuto Expressway. We can't advance at the rate of fire they're going"

"It seems like a direct assault will be suicide. Have the 6th Squadron counter with missile launchers. That should give us a few seconds to press on their formation. 3rd and 4th Squad will attack on both sides and disorient the enemy. 1st Squad will cover you"

"Roger"

"Alert! Enemy have deployed unmanned aerial drones to notify our positions! Our flank is compromised!"

"Tch. I should've expected this from those in charge of defending the capital"

"What do we do, Major? At this rate… it'll take us forever to breach their lines"

"Get yourselves together! You've had training in urban combat, haven't you? We can't afford to lose ground. Sniper unit… do you have a target?"

"Negative. There's too much smoke to see our marks. We'll need targeting assistance if we want to hit anything from this distance"

"Understood" Komaki nodded to herself before calling out her team. "Orochi Leader to Head 4. Sniper team requires targeting assistance. Use your laser guidance to pick a lock on target. (Roger that!) Focus your attacks on their central line. Once we break through that… Head 2 and 3 will charge in and hit the enemy from their core. We'll crush the enemy formation and march on! (Copy that!) Orochi Leader to Infantry unit 5. What's your status? (Bzzzt…) Infantry unit 5, respond"

"This is Kenji. I've taken command of unit 5. Sergeant Watari was killed in a trapped building. We're making headway towards the Kasai Junction and we're closing in on Edogawa stadium. So far we've encountered minimal resistance. However… there appears to be more civilians in the area than expected. (Civilians?) Yes ma'am. We're ranging at least 100 or more heading towards the shelters but many of them appear to be trapped within the city itself"

"Didn't they order an evacuation?" Komaki muttered to herself feeling the pressure of collateral damage. "It can't be helped. Keep heading towards the stadium and hold position there but watch your fire. Avoid shooting at the people if possible"

"Roger that. Moving out now"

With a heavy heart, the Major looked up from her cover and noted the position of her enemies. No one could imagine the heavy guilt that was lingering down her chest. This was not the first time she had to point her weapon at a former comrade. Back during the first coup she pointed her gun against the enemies of the royal family. And now she was doing it again but this time she was doing it for the opposing side.

Many of these men that she was fighting against were probably old comrades of hers. Those who she fought beside during the many campaigns in the great war against the BETA, those who followed Captain Sagiri, those who had the same ideals as her. Who would've imagined that she would have to point her weapon at them? Such a fate was almost so frightening that it made her laugh inside.

But of course she was not the only one who bore such distaste for this battle. The Japanese soldiers who are fighting this battle are feeling the same weight coming down on their shoulders.

"Is this… fate?"

"Major! We're receiving word from the U.N. Armed Forces"

"The U.N? What do they want now?"

"The mission progression is not going smoothly. They're going to assault Koto with a special task force to speed up the operation"

"What? But we're not even halfway through the deadline yet! If they go now, they'll be slaughtered"

"They say that their diversionary forces are taking heavy losses. The firebases in the area are proving more fearsome than expected. Their numbers have been reduced to nearly 1/3 of its original strength"

"Damn… this is not boding well. (Ma'am?) The operation hasn't changed. We need to link up with the U.N. Army at Koto. We'll break through Edogawa and launch a simultaneous attack on the defenders in Koto. This should keep the enemy off balance just a little while longer. (R… roger!)"

**(TSF Carrier 'Shoko') (Tokyo Bay)**

Isumi Michiru looked up to her soldiers as they prepare to sortie from the carrier. It was a risky mission but they knew that they couldn't drag this battle on forever. It would be in their best interest if this fight could actually end tonight but against such fearsome opponents, that seems to be the most unlikely thing to happen.

"Alright everyone, listen up!" She called out to the squad which quickly returned to attention. "I know that some of you have mixed feelings about this battle but remember the oath you took when you signed up for the U.N. We're here to ensure that this battle comes to a swift end! (Roger!) Our mission is to destroy the enemy forward lines in Koto district and secure the port area for the rest of the U.N. Army to land. The Navy will fire a barrage of smokescreen to cover our entrance so we need to be quick and deadly at the same time. B and C Platoon will be one man weaker with Shirogane and Kashiwagi out of commission"

"What are you saying, Captain?" Hayase teased. "That just means we'll have to be 2 times more accurate. Besides… this'll be a good opportunity to catch up on his record"

"Heh… maybe so. But don't get careless. This will be the battle plan. We'll move in Arrowhead 2 Formation. B Platoon will take point. Utilize your shields against enemy fire and make a breach. A Platoon will follow afterwards using missile salvos to hit the enemy. That should give us a few seconds to breathe and fortify ourselves around these areas. C Platoon will set up at the Port Area the moment they touched down and provide covering support for the rest of us. We may be facing members of the Imperial Household Honor Guards here so expect a rough fight. Remember, our mission is to take and hold the port. Don't try to be a hero and go on your own"

"Understood!"

"This is Valkyrie Mum to all units…" A voice echoed on a free channel. "We'll begin firing on Tokyo Port in 30 seconds. Prepare for takeoff!"

"This is A-09, roger! Alright then… Valkyries… let's go!"

But as they lifted off to their destined battlefield, Meiya's mind remained clouded with one boy's face.

"Takeru… please be alright"

**(Takeru's POV) (Adachi Ward) (10:20 AM)**

"Haachoo!" Ah crud… don't tell me I'm coming down with a cold. This weather must really be cold if it's affecting me in my exosuit.

"Wha… that was a big one. Don't tell me you're catching a cold, sempai" Hibiki remained with me during our stay near the CP. Obviously I didn't tell his squad leader about the incident but he still got his cheeks pulled in the end. Oddly enough I'm actually starting to get used to seeing her do that to him.

"I haven't been exposed to this kind of weather in a long while" I explained rubbing the snot off my nose. "I've lived in the mid level all my life"

"Hooo… I see. In Hokkaido it's actually a lot colder. The Lake near our base… Akan I think. It usually freezes up around this time. (Lake?) Yeah… it's a big place. Since most of the northern part of Kyoto is untouched by the war that place is almost like paradise. During the summer we would go fishing or swim in the lake during our free time and during the winter when it freezes up, we'd go skating around it"

"Heeeh… that sounds like fun"

"It is… but our instructor doesn't like us doing it too often. So during the winter we'd stay inside and sleep in our kotatsus. Haaaaa… those were good times"

"Aren't you a little too laid-back to be yawning?" Oh… it's Asagi. She's holding onto a couple of trays from the ration camp.

"Ah! Asagi san. Are those for me? (Whack!) Yeow!" Hoo? Karate chop?

"Don't go assuming everything I do is for you, idiot. (Ow ow… oww…) Here…" She handed him a tray in the end. "Goodness. We're in the middle of a battle yet you look as if we're just out here on a picnic. What would you do if we were attacked right here and now?"

"I wouldn't worry" The boy answered sound sure of himself. "We have Shirogane san to handle the big stuff when it hits. You saw how he fought yourself, didn't you? (Whack!) Yeow! Stop hitting me!"

"That's 1st Lt. Shirogane to you, idiot. And don't go on relying on others too often. We're here to gain some combat experience not longue around. (Hai…) Now go and distribute these to the others. You can bother your new hero afterwards"

"Fine~. I'll see you later then, Shirogane sempai" And like the ball of energy he was the kid was off. I waved back at him unconsciously. Heh… he's really just a kid after all.

Once he was gone, the woman turned her attention back to me with a sad smile up her lips. "I'm sorry about that guy. He's a genius when he's behind a TSF but as a soldier he's terrible. I'll give him a lecture after this"

"Ah… no it's fine. This isn't the first time I had someone stick with me. I actually taught a few cadets back where I came from"

"I see… then you must be used to instructing youngsters like him. (…) He gives our instructor a major headache at times but not on purpose"

"Hehehe… yeah he told me that"

"A lot of people in our training base call him a smart-ass with good reason. The kid can be good behind a TSF but when it comes to life lessons he can be as dumb as a pig. (Ahehehe) But it seems like he's taken fancy of you, 1st Lieutenant. I'm grateful he has something to take his mind off things here. (Eh?) He might not show it but under that smile, the kid's probably sulking inside" Sulking? Him? "Most of his friends are in the Imperial Army. As you can guess more than half of them have sided with the rebels so you can understand his predicament. At the very least I can keep his mind occupied with other things instead of sulking"

"Is that why you're so hard on him all the time?"

The girl gave me a small chuckle. "Heh… that might be it. But it's not that different from how I treat him regularly. I can only hope that we won't get sent to the fighting. It's the last thing he would want" Heh… I was right. These two are a pair. They're thinking of the other person's best interest. They're more suited for a team than I thought. "Ah… sorry. I shouldn't bother you with my problems. You must have enough things to think about seeing that you're a commissioned officer"

"No… it's alright, I don't mind"

"I see. Then I'll leave him in your care for now. But if he becomes a bother then tell me right away. I'll put him back in his place" Ahehe… what a strange pair. But even so… I think they're suited for one another. "Oh… and before I forget… here" She handed me a small box of rations in return. "I was able to get a little extra from the CP. It's not much but it's better than what we have in our emergency ration pack. It's hard to believe we're so close to the frontlines yet no one's shooting at us"

She has a point there. We're barely a few kilometers from the enemy lines yet the only thing we've been seeing are retreating troops. I expected to see the Imperial Honor Guard here but so far they've been out of the loop. Are they all holding back for something?

Boom!

…!

An explosion? No… a misfire! But where? (…) The sky?

**(Imperial Honor Guard HQ)**

"What was that?" Lt. Col. Tekoro demanded after feeling the vibration of explosions occurring around the building. "What happened?"

"Explosion chains are occurring around the city in Shinigawa, Meguro and Shibuya! It's… an aerial strike force! (What!-?) We're getting visual confirmation. It's a U.N. HSST aerial destroyer! (…!) It's flying just above the city!"

"What? That's not possible! How could something that large slip through our defense network!"

"It were flying above atmosphere sir and descended pass our firebase in Ota. The bombardment wiped out nearly half of our defenses in Meguro. 15 targets were dummies in both Shibuya and Shinagawa"

The commander gritted his teeth in spite. The High Speed Surface Transport Destroyer was the pinnacle of human technology. Its armaments were unmatched to any kind of modern weaponry and some were used to deliver payloads of explosives to a single target.

"To think they'd use something like that against us. (Emergency alert!) What is it?"

"Visual confirmation from the Imperial Army. The HSST just offloaded… TSFs! (What!-?) There are at least… 6… no… 10 of them!"

"We've been outgunned!" Tekoro submitted his defeat. "Hiding information even from his own men. While our army dealt with the forces on the sea and ground we've completely neglected targets from above because of our massive firepower with the firebases. (…) So you had more than one way to enter our city. Your strategy is without flaw, Radhabinod"

"Orders commander?"

With a deep sigh, Tekoro relayed his words. "Tell all forces in the three wards to withdraw to Minato and Shinjuku and set up a defense perimeter. At the rate this is going… we'll only be able to handle them for a few more minutes"

"Y… yes sir…"

**(Royal Palace Bunker)**

But amongst the panicking soldiers in the area, one man simply found the even to be a good sense of humor. "Hooo? I'm impressed. They actually used a Space Shuttle as a striking force. They never cease to amaze me"

His bodyguard Makabe had a different opinion. "But the bombardment took out 8% of our fighting strength. With this, our forward troops will be cut off completely. Do you think they're targeting our ammunition depot in Shibuya?"

"Who knows? But I must say that this is quite entertaining. Our forces are being out maneuvered in nearly every front. If we leave things as it be we'll lose half the city in an hour"

"Shall I take a contingency of our men and retake the captured sectors?"

"No… that won't be necessary. We still have our—(Beep beep!) Hmm?"

A man in Honor Guard attire then appeared on screen with a distasteful grunt. "Y… Your Excellency. Forgive the interruption but we have a situation!"

"What is it, captain?"

"Th… the Eurasian Army! They've… betrayed us! (…!)They've abandoned their post and are shooting at our own forces in Itabashi and Kita! We even have sightings of their forces moving through Toshima and downward to Shinjuku!"

"No…" Makabe bit his lip to keep himself from cursing out loud in the presence of his master. "That traitor. Is he trying to take advantage of the chaos?"

"This is… most unexpected" Ikaruga admitted. "Now we have 3 problems to settle with. I never expected much loyalty from the Eurasian Commander but his timing couldn't be any better. Heh… I actually have a better opinion of him now. (Sir?) I changed my mind. Makabe, ready my Takemikazuchi. I'll be sorting out with my guards"

"Your Excellency! Surely you don't need to go personally. I can handle the rest"

"Yes… but I want to experience the rush out there. I don't want to be coop in a room all day long. A little exercise can go a long way. (…) We'll crush the U.N. forces and the Imperial Army that have infiltrated the city and be home before New Year"

"And what of the Eurasian Army?"

Ikaruga's grin then inhumanely became wider. "Let our little monsters deal with them…"


	55. Battle for Japan Part 3

**Chapter 55: Battle of Japan (Part 3) (The Capital in Flames)**

**(Takeru's POV) (December 31, 2001 Monday) (11:02 AM)**

This is crazy. Just what the hell is going on over there? I can see explosions and gunfire happening all over the city now. At first it was kept within the confines of the wards but now they're everywhere. The whole city is being torn apart… literally and if this keeps up… I don't think there will be anything worth salvaging. I have yet to receive new orders from HQ or the Major and no one is telling us what was happening on the other side of the city. Just what is going on?

Grrrr… my sensors are full of static. I can't tell what's in front of me unless I actually see it and that's harder to do with the snow storm starting to pick up again.

It's almost lunch time yet the weather hasn't improved. It feels as if all of Japan itself has been covered with a blanket of clouds. It feels like nighttime.

…

Staying still like this in my TSF is stupid. "This is Zeus to Valhalla. Please respond"

"This is Valhalla. What's the matter?"

"Can you tell me what's happening out there? All I'm doing is standing still. Shouldn't we be helping out with the operation in any way?"

"There's been no new orders from the Major. Details of the operation are sketchy at best but what we know is that Hammer Company is taking severe casualties at the frontlines. The firebases are proving to be more powerful than they anticipated so they're taking desperate measures to take the city center. As of 10 minutes ago, a group from Shark Company had been sent to clear the path in Koto in order to secure the port. Other than that, I've no idea what's happening in the frontlines. Major Komaki is still pressing towards Edogawa with her men to secure the dry-docks but counting the enemy intensified resistance… it will take some time"

Damn it… the whole invasion is stopped dead on their tracks. They really have us in a wide array of kill zones. If we make even one wrong move, it'll be the end for all of us. I wonder if both sides are just trying to play it safe, trying to wear each other out until one side surrenders.

Shark Company is probably trying to pressure the enemy force into submission to. Captain… everyone… please be safe. I want to see all of you when I get back.

Beep beep!

Hmm? An emergency channel?

"This is Head 8 Leader to all units. Proximity sensors have detected large seismic activity coming in from the west and south west. It may be an enemy attack. Form up a defensive line on these positions surrounding the Command Post! We cannot allow the enemy to take our foothold here in the city otherwise our main force will be cut off from supplies" An attack? Here? "Light armored division and infantry unit will spread out and cover the alleyways. The rest on TSFs are to cover the main roads. You have permission to fire on any oncoming hostiles. (Roger!)" Why would they be attacking now? They had plenty of opportunities to attack before so why now of all times? They should be more worried about the frontlines rather than attacking the rear.

**(Royal Palace) (Shogun's Room)**

The room of the Shogun was quiet. The lights were turned off and the windows closed with screen curtains. And at the center of the room, Yuuhi sat in silence, her posture in a meditative state to ease all tension from the battle raging outside. But it was useless. The screams, the gunfire and the explosions that echoed outside could not be drowned out no matter how hard to she tried to block it. Her resolved weakened with every death.

Never before had the Shogun felt so powerless. The thought of being imprisoned in this comforting room reminded her much of Susono City and the old lady she met there. The situation was almost similar… but at a much larger scale. If only she had the power. If only she had the strength she had when she commanded armies.

But she had none of it. The position she had now was nothing more but a scam, a ruse to make people hope and believe that she was in control. But she was not. She was far from it more that she would ever realize.

If she still retained some measure of freedom she would've probably taken the same escape route that she took in the last coup. But Ikaruga made sure that she wouldn't try anything funny. With guards posted just outside her room and with routine checkup every hour, it was impossible for her to escape. Not to mention that the Household Honor Guards know every nook and cranny of the palace like the back of their hands.

So much death and destruction—it's all just too much for one child to bear. She didn't want this. She never wanted any of this. She didn't want the burden of a country on her shoulders but yet it was demanded of her. Why must she go through this pain? What did she do to deserve such a fate?

The girl's eyes darted over to the knife by the corner of the room. How easily it would be to feel numb. How easily it was within her reach to end all the pain, end her suffering. With just one move it would be so simple to just… end everything.

_"Don't be such a coward and hide under such excuses!"_

But her thoughts of death were quickly erased by a voice that rang in her head. It shocked her out of her depressive state and brought her back to her sanity.

_"And even till now… you're doing… a terrific job. (Eh?) You… really are the Shogun, your highness. You care so much for the people that you even cried for a single life. Even now I think you're even more incredible than before"_

_"You're not sad for her, you don't even shed a tear for her and you know why? It's because you envy her"_

The words rang closely to her heart giving her the much needed strength that she lacked.

"Shirogane… sister… please… help me…"

**(Koto Ward)**

"Teeeeeeehhh!" Meiya let out a battle cry as tore through the armor of another Imperial Army TSF with her blade, cutting it in half before exploding in a fiery inferno. That has been her 6th kill since the battle began and already she could feel the sense of anxiety creeping over her. It was so much different from killing BETA and less pleasing too. "This is Valkyrie 3B. Bandit eliminated. Railway secured"

But there was no helping it. With the fight raging on, there was no other way to go around but to kill to survive. It only took the Valkyries 5 minutes to enter the base and another 5 minutes to wipe the defenders clean from the area. The rough scheduled training they had with one another had made them veterans.

Taking the life of another seemed to get easier and easier with every kill.

"This is Valkyrie 1B. The area around the railway stations has been secured" Hayase reported on their channel scanning the area just to be sure of her words. "We're encountering no more resistance other than light armor"

"Valkyrie 1A here, roger that. We've secured our area as well. C Platoon is mopping up the retreating forces and the Orbital Assault Team has Shinagawa secured. The artillery batteries in the immediate vicinity have been eliminated but that doesn't mean we should drop our guard down. We're dealing with the best of the Imperial Army. A and B Platoons will hold their positions while C Platoon watches over the port. (Roger!) This is Valkyrie 1A to Valkyrie Mum. Koto is ours and the port is secured. Tell the Motherships to begin docking"

"Valkyrie Mum, understood. The fleet is now mobilizing. TSF and mechanized infantry and light armor will unload first. Command Post will remain on Odaiba Island. No change in the operation. Good work"

No one spoke much about the fight. There was really no need for words to show their distaste in this battle. It was all too plain to see that no one wanted to take part in this.

But they were soldiers… and like all good soldiers they must obey the orders given. It is their solemn duty after all.

Before long, a large number of ships began docking into port and with no resistance left, the U.N. Army swarmed into the city in droves. But it matter anymore who won this battle. No matter which side wins… it was already certain that Japan itself would lose.

Meiya tightened the grip around her controller, unable to decide which side she should be fighting. Her mind was in total conflict with her heart with so many twists and turns than a rollercoaster. She was confused and now… she was fighting against the very people she sought to protect.

A part of her had hoped that it would not come to this. She thought that the last coup would settle the matters within the nation for good… but it seems that the previous battle had sparked rebellion anew.

"2nd Lt. Mitsurugi, respond!"

The woman brought herself out of her train of thoughts when she heard her commanding officer shout out through the coms. "Ah… um… forgive me. What is it 1st Lieutenant?"

"This isn't the time to daydream. We're in the middle of the battlefield. If you get sloppy, it could cost us our lives"

"I… I apologize for my behavior. It won't happen again"

"If you're feeling tired, then apply stims if necessary. We're regrouping with the rearguards and resupplying later at the new Command Post. Once we're set, we'll join up with the rest of Shark Company and begin our advance Chuo. Got that?"

"Yes ma'am"

"Good. Resupply in this order. Ayamine, Mitsurugi and then I'll go last. Don't get cocky now. We're dealing with professionals who wouldn't hesitate to kill you. (Roger) Geez… and of all the time for Shirogane to be called off. I bet that lazy bum is probably resting somewhere comfortable right now"

"This is Valkyrie Mum to all units" Suzumiya's face appeared on their screens. "The operation will now proceed to the final step. Shark and Orochi Company will proceed onward to retake the wards surrounding Chiyoda. Once we've secured all sectors, the A-01 Special Task Force will be required move to Edo Castle and assist infantry unit in seizing the royal palace and take custody of Her Highness, Kobuin Yuuhi. The assault on the wards will be handled by all adjacent companies in the vicinity. The 4th U.N. Orbital Diver Corp will be taking Minato while Shark Company handles the enemy forces stationed in Chuo. As for our support groups…"

But Meiya barely had enough conscious to listen to the whole briefing. While her body was truly in the fight her mind constantly wandered elsewhere.

**(Toshima Ward)**

"Damn it. These bastards!" an Imperial Army officer cursed as he and his comrades held their ground in Toshima. It was a useless and effortless fight against the Eurasian Army. Despite all their training they could not take an enemy showing such superiority. "Stick together! Don't go too far off or you'll be isolated! (Gaaaah!) Damn it! This is Supply Depot guard unit 2. We're under attack by Eurasian forces. Please send backup. We can't hold out for long!"

"Enemy reinforcements! (…!) I see twelve of them! I… I don't recognize the model. (…!) Ah! They're fast!"

"Those are MiG-23. This is a tough fight already with the F-5A hitting us. But they're no different from these rabbles. Just take them down like any other TSF. (Roger!) This is defense unit 2 to Supply Base. Requesting backup at our position. At this rate we'll—(Guwaa!) Jubei! You son of a…! (WHAM!)" The man countered back slicing with his blade on an oncoming enemy.

"This is Command Post to Defense unit. The base is currently under attack. (Bzzzt…) No reinforcements can be allocated to your position at this time"

"Grrr… don't screw with me! Are you saying that we have to defend this position on our own!-? We don't have enough ammo, let alone, bodies, to throw at them! (What do we do now?) Engage them in close combat. The European models may be fast but if we get close to them their long range capabilities are useless! Scatter! We'll regroup at the supply base and reinforce with the defenders from there. Don't get bogged down. One mistake and you're finished! Go! (Roger!)"

The defending force scattered away from the battle, allowing the Eurasian Army to take their defensive positions.

"This is Defensive unit 2. We're retreating to the supply base. All forces: Break through the enemy blockade and make sure you watch each other's backs. Don't give them any room to take advantage of!" But just as the officer was giving out orders to his men, another Eurasian fighter appeared from the corner of the streets. "Heh… this one is mine! (Clang!) What the!-?" But he was surprised to see his opponent drawing a uniquely shaped blade on his side. "Th… these are French… Rafale? But that's impossible! There was no information about these units in the data! (Clang!) Even so… you can't possibly match me in swordplay!"

But the man was quickly doused off when another three fighters appeared on his flanks. With a quick strike, his unit exploded before he had a chance to scream.

"Commander!" The last remaining fighter tried her best to get her enemy off her tail. "Uuu… uwwaaaaaa!"

"This is Rogue Leader to all units" The Eurasian officer called out to his men. "Report your status"

"Rogue 3, all green"

"Rogue 2, ok"

"Rogue 4, no damage. Ready for the next move"

"Rogue 5, last enemy target eliminated. Nothing else to report"

"Good. At this rate we'll secure Toshima in minutes. Tell the other units to create a firing line here. Remember. It's the underground factories that we're after. Securing the next district is our top priority. With things as they are, the Imperial Army has enough to deal with against the U.N. Armed Force. (Major!) Hmm? What is it?"

"Enemy counterattack. I'm reading five of them coming up from the east"

"Hooo? So they were able to organize a response force. But it still won't help them. Surround the enemy and converge on them. Rogue 2 and 3, with me. Rogue 4 and 5 will encircle around with Raider Team. (Copy that!)"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

On the other battle lines, Ikaruga soon came onto the battlefield only to find the place littered with the bodies of his fallen subordinates.

"This was the defense force that guarded this area" Makabe stated, noticing the insignia on the shoulders of the destroyed Shiranuis laying around. "They performed their duties to their deaths. They are to be commended. But I never expected the Eurasian forces to breach our defenses so quickly"

"It shouldn't be a surprise" The ringleader replied boringly. "They were already within our strong points, not to mention that they have complete access to our defense network. Their commanding officer must be quite sure of himself. While we're busy fighting one another he'll take the prize for himself"

"It doesn't appear that the U.N. forces know of our plans. We should deal with these rabbles and head south to repel the invaders before they get any closer to the underground factories"

"Don't be hasty Makabe. Try to enjoy battle while it still lasts. Peace will be hell. (My lord?) Ahuhuhu… it was just a joke. Now then… let's see how many we're dealing with" The madman turned to his monitors and saw a number of figures approaching from the distance. "Ohh? French elite Rafale? Where did they hide those~~? (…!) Heh… how clever. They hid such strong things without even letting us know. I'm impressed"

"Your Excellency. Please fall back. We can handle this"

"Makabe~. It seems like those women in Europe has made you too chivalrous" And without even waiting for his bodyguard, the madman charged in head first, drawing his blade against the two Rafales.

"Your Excellency!"

The Eurasian troops noticed the blue mech coming at them and quickly began retaliating. "Hey… aren't those, Type-00 units?"

"Don't falter! It's only one uni—(Slash!) He… got us? Already?" Their bodies were consumed by the explosion that caught up in their mechs.

"They are indeed fast and strong" Ikaruga complimented. "But that's all they are…"

"Your Excellency. Please don't do that! If you die here then the entire battle will be—"

"Come now Makabe… you're starting to act like an annoying caretaker. I can have a little bit of fun before I tame Japan now, can't I?"

In the end, Makabe sighed in defeat. "Very well… we shall act as support then"

"I am grateful for your understanding. (…) Well now… let's see who else we can play with"

**(Takeru's POV) (Adachi Ward)**

This is strange. We've been standing guard for over 15 minutes and still nothing. Was that alert just a false alarm?

…

It's hard to imagine how many times I've done this. It reminds me how green I used to be during the coup all those loops ago. My fingers were itchy to pull the trigger and every part of my body was stiff to the bones. Man… looking back on it now… I must've looked quite pathetic. I wonder how the cadets are fairing. If what Hibiki told me is true then this must be a first sortie for all of them. It must be frightening.

"This is Head 8 Leader to all units" The commanding officer's voice echoed on my radio. "Remain on high alert. I'm sending a recon team to check out the surrounding perimeter. Keep your IFF open and watch your fire"

"Roger that"

Something… is off. I can feel it at the pit of my stomach. If the enemy wanted to attack they would've done it a long time ago yet they're holding back. Could it just be… a false alarm?

"This is recon team. No enemies in sight. Seismic sensors and motion detectors are silent except for our engines. We'll proceed deeper and check out the area"

The two Gekishins went in deeper, looking from building to building scanning the area with utmost precision. The way for enemy TSFs to enter here are through the main roads. With all these buildings and debris in the way it'll be impossible for them to get through. Besides, if they try to go through tight roads, they'll be bottled in. They can't make a jump attack or fly above either otherwise because they can easily get shot down. Even if they do break through our lines we have a whole army of tanks and other vehicles to push them back.

The blizzard seems to be dying down, that's one piece of good news at least.

"Sector 3, all clear. No sign of enemies" I overheard the recon team speak. "Moving in to the next sector"

I guess it must be a false alarm. Looks like I was worried for nothing. The fighting wouldn't come back all the way here. It wouldn't make much sense at all if they came all the way here to—(Emergency!) Huh?"

"What is it?" Head 8 Leader responded to the sudden call.

"Enemy detected at sector 4 and 3! And there are more of them! But it's not the Imperial Army. We think it's… the Eurasians!"

"The Eurasians? (Gahh!) Genji! Damn…! All units prepare to engage! We have enemy force incoming! ETA to range of fire, 50 seconds! You may fire at will! (Roger!)" No way! A real attack!-? And they're not Imperial Army soldiers but foreign soldiers? (Flash) I've seen how foreign troops fight only twice as far as I can remember. The American forces are truly one to be feared, not to mention they have vastly superior TSFs. Could they be as tough as Major Walken… with his F-22 Raptors and those Strike Eagles?

If so… then this might be too much even for us.

Beep beep beep!

A lock? Already? Crap!

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Shirogane dodged the gunfire just in time as the bullets whistled past his head. And right before he knew it, the entire ward became a battlefield once more. Soldiers once against pointed their weapons at one another and began shooting without the slightest bit of hesitation.

Explosions, death, destruction and chaos, it was a wondrous sight to behold. Seeing it on television was fine and well but to see it first hand was something that could not be mimicked easily. To see life taken away in front of you, to feel a weapon in your hand and deciding the fate of your target was a feeling that you can only experience on the battlefield. It made men feel stronger, faster and proving their existence and ideals to the defeated.

No… you cannot get such feelings from games and movies. The only way to get such a rush was to risk your life on the battlefield.

"Don't let them through! Hold the line!"

"Those are F-5 Freedom Fighters and F-5E Tornados! They're fast but in this environment, their speed can be limited. Bottle them into the main roads and corners. Head 8 will handle the front. Cadets, you lot will handle the support. If any of them tries to pull a fast one on us, you are to engage them at will! (Understood!)"

Damn it… I was hoping to avoid combat but it looks like that's not going to happen.

**(U.N. Forward Base) (Chuo Ward) (01:00 PM)**

"Alright everyone, listen up!" Isumi called out to the Valkyries as they were forming up along the main road for the next push into the city. It only took a few minutes for an army to settle into the city and yet it takes hours just to move them from point to point especially in such a vast urban terrain like Tokyo.

The Imperial Army that defended the place had made it almost impossible to cross the city. They made the U.N. Armed Force fight for every strong point, every corner and every landmark they could get their hands on. It took a lot of blood just to get the ward but getting to the other side raised with even more problems.

With every victory there was a defeat to behold. The defenders would blow up bridges, key buildings and rig every road with mines and other dastardly traps. TSFs had no trouble crossing bridges or taking out roadblocks but the elements that followed them: Soldiers and smaller vehicles had difficulty just trying to keep up.

"We have new orders from High Command. The Imperial Household Honor Guards are counterattacking through Shinjuku. We are to assist in repelling this attack on Minato"

"That doesn't seem too difficult" Munakata commented with a slight smirk on her lips.

"There's more" The captain added. "It's been confirmed by the Orbital Diver's Corp that the ring leader of this coup, Ikaruga Takatsugu, is leading the attack personally. (…!) This attack gives us an unprecedented opportunity. If we succeed in capturing the enemy supreme commander, we may have a chance to bring this conflict to a quick end"

"The enemy commander?" Hayase questioned. "He came to the frontlines himself? He must be getting cocky"

"Or desperate…" Isumi interrupted. "But regardless of his reasons, this is a chance that we cannot ignore. We will join up with the Orbital Dive Corp holding out in Minato along with Shark Company's reserves to reinforce our position in the ward. From there we will proceed to neutralize and capture Ikaruga Takatsugu. Move in line formation and head off the main road but keep your heads down. The enemy firebases may have been disabled by the bombings but we don't know if they set up new ones. Stick in pairs. Hayase, you take point. (Roger!) A Platoon will act as support while C Platoon will act as spotters. With the enemy ECM, we'll have to rely on our sights rather than our radars. Move out!"

**(Takeru's POV)**

This whole place had become a battlefield before I even fired my first shot. I thought I was the only one who was skilled in urban combat but it seems like the Eurasian are far more capable than I thought. I've only seen the sketches of these models on paper and their effectiveness in simulator combat. But they didn't say how deadly they were out on the battlefield.

F-5 Freedom Fighters. I've seen them in class. They're highly mobile lightweight TSFs that are small enough and fast enough to traverse the narrow streets of the city. Though not as tough, the firepower they pack makes up for the lack of armor.

The F-5E Tornados are another thing. A 1st Generation TSF with improved targeting systems. They're tough as nails and pack more than enough firepower to level a horde of BETA on their own. I think the E.U. uses them as fast moving artilleries to defend a location with a large assortment of weapons. They also have built-in claws that allow them to defend themselves in close-combat. They're perfect anti-BETA weapons.

But of course the fastest and strongest of them all… were the Rafale. I heard that these units were the forefront of the French Army. They didn't make quite an impression on their first deployment because of some mechanical mishaps but after some improvements it later became one of the most famed TSFs ever to serve on the Euro Front. I hear that they're actually on par with the Type-94s.

In either case… this isn't going to be easy.

I already emptied a whole clip on them but haven't hit a single target. It's obvious that they're just playing with us. They're trying to bait us out like they did the first two. Our defense line is strong but so was theirs. It was a draw no matter how you looked at it so what are they trying to do?

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"This is Red Cricket to HQ" A Eurasian officer called out on his radio. "Enemy battle lines have been marked. We count at least 12 and 6 more in reserves and 1 unknown model. Threat, standard. Requesting backup"

"Roger that Red Cricket. Hyperion Squad is on scene. Commence Phalanx formation"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"This is Head 8 Leader to all units. Cease fire" Huh? Cease fire? "The enemy forces are withdrawing. Form up and recover in the wounded and casualties. But keep your eyes peeled. They might have more than that up their sleeves"

This is strange. The fight was barely over 10 minutes and were barely had any casualties on either side. Are they falling back because they didn't want to risk endangering the group or maybe it's because they understand that there was no way they were going to get through with numbers alone.

Their signals just disappeared from my radar. Unless they have a unit equipped with stealth technology like the Raptors they won't try anything funny.

But at least with this, the cadets won't have to worry about dying now. It's not much but first contact battle always leaves a bitter taste in your mouth. I'm pretty sure that they're exhausted just by standing there with their guns up. On my first sortie, I was almost the same. Heh… it's a miracle why I'm still alive n—(Beep beep!) Huh?

"This is Tamaki. Large heat source detected! Five kilometers and closing!"

"What? Another attack? The same ones?"

"No… I'm reading just three but they're extremely large. I can't seem to match their energy signatures with all the interference. One is coming on the northwest, west and a south west"

Just three?

"Split up! We'll cover the main roads leading from the northern and western pass. The rest of you will cover the south road. (Roger!) We'll ambush all three of them at the same time. Have the cadets return to—(Whirr!) What the?"

My radar is going haywire. Could it be… enemy ECM?

"Enemy electronic countermeasures have been activated. That must mean they're close. All units switch on your ECCM and link up on our emergency channel. Those who need to resupply are to do so now"

…

…

…

…?

That sound… are those…? Footsteps? I can hear it. They're huge… but slow. My seismic sensors can't seem to pinpoint where it's coming from either.

…

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The ground beneath the young hero shook as each step drew closer to him. The snow around the city shifted and even the soldiers flinched at the tremor.

"Where is it coming from?"

"Does anyone see anything?"

"Negative. My radar isn't picking anything"

**(Takeru's POV)**

This is strange. The sound is so close yet why can't I see anything? The footsteps are getting louder with each thump but my camera and thermal sensors can't even pick a trace. TSFs can't move anywhere but on the road… no… not unless.

WHAM!

Crap! I knew it!

"Look out! Incoming!"

Gahhhh! Missiles? At this close range?

"Th… those are Type-81!"

"The Wadatsumi? That's impossible! How can they—(WHAM!) Gahhh!"

Those units—I recognize them from the Sadogashima campaign. Type-81 Wadatsumi, an amphibious type TSF capable of traveling on both deep sea and land. I've never fought one of those before but I heard that they pack a large assortment of weapons.

They're clever. Thanks to both its size and its weight the TSF tore itself through the buildings avoiding all of our defenses. We thought that the enemy would try to get in the usual way but they brought out the big guns and path a path of their own.

"All units, open fire! Take them down! (Roger!)"

Keh! I have no choice! I can't miss at this range. (Ratatatat!) What the!-? No way! My bullets just deflect from its armor! (Whirrr!) Whoa! This is insane! Just how many guns does that thing have!-? It's shooting on all sides. There's no opening at all!

"This is Head 8 Leader to all units. The Wadatsumi are extremely tough mobile units with thick armor! Not even a 120mm will scratch that thing up front. But if we can destroy the cockpit block on its back, it'll be useless. Go! (Roger!)" I see… hitting it from behind. Even if they can't take out the machine, by taking out the pilot, it'll be pretty much the same thing.

…

No matter how many times I see this scene, it still amazes me. Back in my school days I always thought that robots and fighting like this can only be seen in games and anime… but here they are, dancing before my very eyes. It still feels surreal even if I am also fighting in it.

Crash!

What the hell!-? Crap! I shouldn't have lost focus! It's a Type-81! It tore through the building I was covering in! It's huge! Gah!

Whirr!

Damn it! I can't allow it to use its guns. Even with my armor I won't be able to take that amount damage at this close range. Fine then! If guns won't work then let's try this! (WHAM!) I slammed my shield on its body and drew out my sword. The joints are always the weakest part of any TSF. If I cut those then you're done for!

"Haaaaaaarghhhh!"

This is fine. I'm used to fighting opponents that are bigger than me. The size alone reminds me of a Fort Class BETA. Keep hitting hard enough and it'll eventually fall.

Wham!

And take this!

Crack!

Haaa… haaaa… that was tough… but in the end I was able to take him down. I should've realized that these guys are nothing like the BETA. They follow tactics, strategy and training. When I closed my distance between him and my sword, the man's guns were useless. And thanks to his slow mobility I didn't even have to recalibrate my targeting reticule at all.

But the other two won't be so easy. They're heavily entrenched on the other side and the even have support behind them. Getting behind them or getting close to them isn't going to be easy. The Imperial Army is already taking massive casualties just trying to avoid it.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"This is Red Cricket to Hyperion Squad. Continue your advance to the enemy forward encampment. We'll be right behind you to deal with the stragglers"

"Roger that. But I just lost contact with 03. We may have a breach in our formation"

"Understood. I'll send some men to fill the gap. Continue your push"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Damn. They're pushing through our defenses. At this rate… they'll reach the Command Post in just minutes if we don't stop them.

The cadets won't stand much of a chance either. The difference between their combat strength is too much. But how do I stop that kind of behemoth without getting close to it? Everything I throw at it simply bounces off its tough armor. I can't believe that even depleted uranium rounds aren't effective. I guess it makes up defense and firepower by sacrificing mobility.

…

There's no other choice, I'll have to risk getting blast by getting the first shot. Stopping those big mechs is my top priority.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"This is ridiculous!" Hibiki cursed out loud as he emptied another clip on the large TSF. "Nothing's working against it! Where's the regular army?"

"Don't fret! This is exactly what we've been training for!" Asagi barked out assuring her men to remain calm "Stay in formation and keep your heads down. We've been ordered to protect the Command Post for as long as possible. Stay close to one another and don't break off. If you leave your cover you'll be as good as sitting ducks!"

The firefight was pretty much one-sided at this point. Even with all their firepower combined, the Fubukis were obviously no match for the enemy. Their bullets and bombs simply bounced off the Wadatsumi laying waste to everything around it.

"Three more coming in from the south!" Another cadet panicked as he noticed a large number of enemies appearing on his radar. "They're trying to surround us!"

"What!-? What happened to the armored division?"

"I don't know. I can't seem to reach them. They must've been wiped out. (…!) We'll be flanked at this rate!"

"Damn…" Asagi cursed under her breath. "Alright everyone, reform our lines! Burn the bridges and press our backs against the wall! Tear down the buildings leading to the road! Hibiki, reinforce our southern perimeter! (Roger!) This is Defense unit to Head 8 Leader. We are under heavy attack and are requesting reinforcements. A separate enemy force is trying to isolate the base! (…) Come in, Head Leader! Head Leader 8, please respond! (…) Damn it! Enemy interference at a time like this?"

"Keh! This guy…! I can't hit him!" Hibiki grunted out loud. "Get down Hideyoshi! He's coming at us with a sword! (Ahhh… AHHH!) Hideyoshi! No!" But the boy was too late. His partner's frame was cut in half with a scythe-like blade before exploding in a fiery inferno. "You bastard! Well two can play that game!" He drew out his sword to counter his opponent's swing but the distance between their strengths was just too much for him to handle. "Tch…! Don't underestimate me! I didn't get to be in the top of my TSF training class for nothing! Dooorrrrya! (WHAM!) Take this!" He swung his blade in arch only to have it parried by the enemy's sword. "N… no way!"

"Tatsunami! Get back!" A Gekishin suddenly appeared and open fired on the Rafale filling it with holes. "Good work holding that guy off. It's not every day I get to see you put so much effort in your work"

"That voice… instructor?"

"Get back with your squad. More of them will be coming soon. Asagi, get your squad in diamond formation. Prioritize your survival for now! Reinforcements are on its way. Just hold out a little bit longer. (Y… yes sir!) Ignore the Wadatsumi and let the regular army handle those. Focus all your attention on the separate enemy force! Do not let them reach the Command Post! (Roger!) These Rafales are fast so expect a hard fight. Engage at will!"

**(Shinagawa Ward) (4th U.N. Orbital Divers Corp Battle lines) (04:00 PM)**

In the other front, the U.N. Orbital Divers Corp was having difficulty facing the Imperial Honor Guards in a head on fight. "This is Angel 2! Two enemy units just passed us! They're headed straight for you!"

"Damn it! Just how tough are these things? There are only five of them! How come we can't we take them down!-?"

"Th… they're too fast! Are these really Type-00s? Their fighting capabilities are on an entirely different level!" He then noticed a certain blue Takemikazuchi rushing at him at full speed. "You son of a… take this!" But to his surprise, the enemy simply dodged it going through a building. "What the hell!-? Angel 4 to Angel 2! One of them is coming up on your right. Be careful!"

"Angel 2, I got him! (…!) What the!-? He… disappeared! (Clang!) How did he get there!-? AHHH!"

"Angel 2! Damn! Just how good are these monsters!-?"

"This is Archangel to all units. Trap is set. I repeat: Trap is set. Retreat to port, box formation, now. (Roger!) Angel 3 and 5 will cover our backs. Deploy chaff smoke to cover our retreat"

"So we're the bait eh…? Better now than ever. Angel 5, come on!"

The remaining members of the Orbital Divers quickly withdrew from their points, giving out position to the enemy.

As the battle settled, Ikaruga let out a satisfied sigh to seal his victory. It has been awhile since he had a taste of real combat against an opponent that could actually think for themselves. After fighting the BETA for so long, it was a nice change of pace.

"Your Excellency. The enemy is in full retreat" The man's personal guard stated as he arrived by his master's side. "We will retake Meguro and Shinagawa in a matter of minutes. Please withdraw for now"

"Come now Makabe… you're starting to spoil my fun. I can at least enjoy this much, can't I?

"But my lord, our plans will be reaching its final stages soon. We need you there to perform the last rites! (…)" The madman made a rare pause in his words wishing to enjoy the battle just a little bit longer.

"It seems like our engineers worked tirelessly to make that thing work. I'm amazed by their progress. Still… it should take a little longer to achieve total victory"

"My lord, please! Don't let everyone's sacrifice be in vain"

"Very well… I understand" He answered finally. "But I would like to enjoy one last battle before this day ends. The world will be quite different after the end of the year. What's happening on the other fronts?"

"Our troops were disoriented by the HSST attack and the Eurasian Army but so far we've been able to maintain our defensive line. The royal palace and the supply base in Shinjuku are still in our hands. The U.N. Army have taken Chuo and are proceeding to capture Taito and Minato. We believe that they may be trying to surround the palace itself to cut the frontlines from reinforcements. Our forces in Edogawa are holding but it won't be long before they're overrun by the enemy"

"How clever of them. To launch such an attack only to act as a cover. That Radhabinod is certainly living up to his reputation. Taking the whole city with the least amount of losses, a man who looks after his men whenever possible, I have a better opinion of him now. (…?) We will deal with the U.N. Army coming from ashore. Once we've driven them off the palace, we will withdraw and let our monsters handle the turncoats. (Yes my lord!) It's quite unfortunate. I was hoping to spar with a good opponent before I finish everything up"

**(U.N. Forward HQ)**

Everyone in Headquarters has never seen Radhabinod as he was now. Ever since the operation began the man had not left his spot, in front of the mission map. He commanded his army like a well oiled machine and all in the comfort of the command base. It almost looked like a game as he moved the pieces on the board with a simple gesture of his hand and a few words from his mouth.

"Commander, enemy force has taken the bait. They're now proceeding to ambush point"

Radhabinod gave out a silent nod to his men. "Good. Is the A-01 Special Task Force, in place?"

"Yes sir. They've confirmed ready along with some of Shark Company. They're waiting for the signal"

"Sir, I've just received an emergency message from our base in Iwate. (…?) Street riots have broken out Morioka. We're also getting reports of insurgents in Shinjo, Sakata and Nagai in Yamagawa!"

"Rioting?"

"Yes sir. Reports state that our headquarters in Kyoto is in lockdown and there are six other areas that we're still trying to confirm. Riots are breaking out simultaneously everywhere"

"This must be the result of the speech Ikaruga gave" One of the General's adjutants assumed. "How about our base in Nagano?"

"A mob has gathered outside of the gates with small firearms but nothing more. The commander there is trying to keep them out but so far there have been no casualties. We're also getting similar reports in Gunma and Aichi and even some mutiny in Toyama"

"General if all our bases are cornered then there's no way we can receive more reinforcements from the other regions"

"I agree" The old war hero nodded with a hint of concern on his face. "Without support we can only rely on the troops we have with us. I pray that our forces will be successful in apprehending the enemy's supreme commander. With him gone, the morale of the enemy will sour and we can bring this conflict to a swift end. (Yes sir…) Tell the other bases to hold their ground. If the populace tries to break in they are to use non-lethal attacks only. (Yes commander) How goes the progress within the city?"

"Our combined forces have taken Adachi, Katsushika and Koto Wards. Shark Company is already progressing in taking the royal palace. We've secured the U.N. embassy in Chuo and have released the political hostages there. They're being transported to Koto and shipped off to Yokohama Base. The Imperial Army is currently engaging with the Eurasian and rebel forces in Edogawa but communication has been sketchy at best. We do have confirmation that the enemy artillery units have been silenced in Sumida"

The man let out another sigh. The siege was going incredibly slow and that's only because the enemy was putting up a stiff resistance. With a heavy heart the man gave out another order that he would have to carry with him for the rest of his life. "Order the fleet to commence bombardment on Tokyo City. (…!) Target the enemy firebases in Suginami, Nerima and Setagaya!"

"General! We've agreed with the Imperial Army that we won't use artilleries within the city itself. If we fire, it'll break our treaty with them"

"Not to mention that the area is still heavily populated with civilians. Collateral damage will be astronomical"

"I understand your concern" Radhabinod admitted that he didn't like it either. But with the situation as it is he had little options to play. "But I cannot stand idly by while our own soldiers perish because we refuse to lend support. I will bear responsibility for the damage. Tell the ships to load main guns and fire when they are ready"

"Y… yes sir…"

**(U.N. Flagship Saijou)**

On the shoreline near the port of Tokyo, Admiral Kozawa looked over to the city as it was slowly engulfed in the flames of war. The battle with the rebel army was proving tiresome for an old warrior like him but even so he could not abandon his duty. It was painful enough just to fire at the port but to see the capital go up in ruins again was too heartbreaking for him.

The battle at sea was trifling at best. Seeing that both sides didn't have the guts to make the first move they resorted to dueling with cannons and missiles to which they of course had the advantage. The U.N. Ships were integrated with American, Asian and European factors alike which gave them better equipments than their opponents.

The Eurasian fleet on the other hand was made of outcast armies and nations that have already fallen. Though they are supported and funded by various member nations, it's only because to keep their appearance. In truth most of their armaments can be considered used or secondhand. But their reputation of combating against BETA has been reported fruitful many times. The only way this army can actually get on real weapons was to salvage from battlefields and scavenge ruins for any parts that can be useful to them.

"Admiral. Captain Sawasaki has reported that they've sunk 4 enemy cruisers. The 2nd Squadron of our fleet is now moving to engage the Eurasian Headquarters in Chiba. However, the enemy seems to have set up a blockade around the port. Our ground assault forces will have to move from the southern tip of the city to clear the way"

"It seems they're delaying us" The admiral noted. "But as long as we hold Tokyo Bay then we have little to worry about. Have the ground forces remove the blockade from the port and allow our ships to enter Chiba. They will have to surrender eventually. (Yes sir) I'll be glad to end this battle as quickly as possible"

"Admiral. We're receiving new orders from headquarters. (…?) Ah! N… no way… this is…! (What is it?) We are ordered to fire upon the enemy firebases within the city!"

"What!-? Can you confirm that!-?"

"I just did sir. It came directly from the General himself"

The admiral balled his fists to vent out the anger he was keeping inside of him. "So… we're already this far into a corner?"

The ships under the admiral's command had more than enough firepower to level down Tokyo back to the stone-age. The four turrets of their 3 barreled guns can level a whole block in just seconds. But obvious these weapons were made in mass to destroy BETA. The shells they fired can pierce even the toughest Destroyer armor and kill half a dozen Grapplers if they were clunked together. Just imagining what it could do to humans alone was grotesque enough for anyone who had a strong stomach.

"What do we do sir?"

"I guess we all must have mixed feelings about this…" The admiral lost himself in thought wishing that this was some kind of nightmare.

"Admiral, orders sir!"

"Prepare main batteries! (…!)" The man said finally in outburst.

"Admiral!-?"

"I said prepare main batteries! Load High-Explosive rounds and ready ground bombs on the launchers"

"Y… yes sir. All crew, prepare main batteries. Load HE-rounds on Cannon 1 to 9. Prep all launcher tubes with cluster mines"

"Our target will be Nerima, Suginami and Setagaya"

"Targeting reticule set. All ships are loaded and ready on your orders"

All ears and eyes turned to the Admiral who stared at the once proud city with a pang of guilt in his heart. "I never imagined that I would have to fire at my own capital… a second time. (…) Fire!"

"All guns, fire!"

**(Edogawa Ward)**

"Haaaa…" Sayoko let out a long sigh when the all clear sign was given. The troops stationed in Edogawa were far more tenacious than she had expected but regardless she was able to take their stronghold before the deadline. Much of the operation had already gone without her with the U.N. landing far ahead of schedule. They've already lost much in this war and she knew for a fact that more sacrifice will be needed before this day was done.

The troops that defended this area gave it their all with no hint of surrender in their eyes. They knew they were cut off from reinforcements yet they fought on believing that they were fighting for their nation. It seemed like a trivial thing at this point.

Sayoko even recognized some of them. She fought with them, side by side like true comrades. How ironic it is to have fate turn their weapons against one another.

"Major…" Her train of thoughts came to an end as she noticed a familiar face on her screen. "We've taken Edogawa… though with some losses. I've assembled the other Head Leaders into combat groups and set up a casualty collection spot by the stadium"

"Good work Lieutenant. Can we link up with the U.N. Army from here?"

"Yes ma'am. I've sent runners to call up for aid but it seems like most of their forces are already hard pressed in Chuo"

"This is too reckless. Going in without us. Assemble whatever we have left. We'll join up with the U.N. Army and support the main assault after we've resupplied. (Yes ma'am) Any word from the rear?"

"No ma'am. They've failed to check in an hour ago. It might just be enemy interference. We still have our reserves"

"Call for them. We'll need all the support we can get from—(…!) What was that?" Their conversation was suddenly interrupted when a large explosion occurred in the distance. It didn't take long for another face to appear on the Major's screen. "Report, soldier!"

"It's an enemy counterattack ma'am! The Imperial Honor Guards are attacking in full force from the northwest! Head 4 Leader and his squad were completely annihilated on the first wave!"

"Are they trying to keep us from linking with the U.N?" Sayoko deduced. "Assemble all combat groups and form a defensive line around the northern part of the stadium. We'll lead the enemy away from the wounded and focus our fighting there. Head 5 Squad will remain behind to protect the casualties here. (Roger!) We'll lure them into the open ground where we'll have the advantage! Go! (Understood!) Head 2, try to call for reinforcements from the rear. We cannot underestimate the Honor Guards. (Yes ma'am)"

**(Adachi Ward)**

The battle with the cadets was pretty much one-sided at this point. Even if they were entrenched in one spot they were obviously no matched for the Eurasian veterans. The best they could do was keep the enemy at bay while they waited for reinforcements to reach them. But unfortunately… that doesn't seem to be the case.

"This is 02!" Hibiki called out emptying another in the air. "I'm on my last clip. 50 rounds remaining! We can't hold out for much longer!"

"This is 04, I'm out!"

"Hold on for as long as you can! Reinforcements will be here soon" Their instructor ordered out as he monitored the area around the base. "Here, take my last clip. Make them count! (Yes sir—ARGHHH!)" But the Fubuki blew up to bits before he could even hand him the magazine.

"Ryu!"

"Damn! Stay focused, Tatsunami! Do you want to get yourself killed!-? Remember your training. Don't give these bastards an op—" But the old soldier soon met the same fate when a blade struck from behind and cleaved straight through his cockpit. Hibiki saw the whole thing unfold and he swore he could see a small stain of blood at the tip of the sword.

"In… structor?" The Gekishin then burst in a fiery inferno with the Rafale taking its place. "Ahhh… AHHH!"

The Rafale turned its sight on the boy and readied its blade for the coup de grace. There was no chance for Hibiki to counter. His blade was broken and his guns were already emptied in that last burst. Even if he drew out his knife the power output would be far too different.

"Tatsunami! Get down!" Asagi's voice boomed over his radio and just like reflex the boy ducked and a hail of bullets met their mark, putting the Rafale down for good. "Gotcha you bastard. Tatsunami… are you alright?"

"Asagi? Th… thanks…"

"Heh… that's probably the first time I've heard you say that. I should start saving your life more often. Here… take my last clip. Make them count. (Y… yeah…) It looks like we're only ones left. There's no point in holding this position since the enemy breached the regular army. Command Post is already evacuating but I lost contact with Head 8 Leader about ten minutes ago. I think it's safe to say that we're on our own at this point"

"No way… then what do we do?"

"Surrender seems like a viable option at this point" She joked.

"This isn't the time to be joking! We need to fall back. Maybe head out of the city"

"That won't work" His squad leader cut him. "If we move out of this area we'll be targets for those two Type-81s. They have more than enough firepower to wipe the whole block. Staying near tall buildings seems to be the only logical choice. But if we stay, we're sitting ducks for those Rafales and F-5s. The enemy formation is impeccable and going by foot will be suicide enough. (…?) There's only one way for one of us to make it out of here. (Eh?) Tatsunami… you have to get back to Saitama and warn the rest of the cadets. I'll draw their fire here while you make your escape"

"What!-? Asagi! No! We can go together!"

"Don't argue with me! There's no other way. If both of us walk out of here then we'll both be killed. (…)Besides it's obvious that you're the better pilot here. With your crazy maneuvers, you might just be able to get out here alive. You did score higher than the rest of us in the aptitude test. Now go… while I can still hold these guys—(NO!)" The boy persisted. "Tatsunami! For once in your damn life, do as you're told!"

"You can't Asagi! You can't ask me to run away now! I can't bear to be the last one standing after all this. Please… don't order me to go. (Tatsunami…) I don't want to lose anyone anymore. Especially you. (…!) So… sorry… but I can't follow that order"

"You asshole… are you disobeying me even now? And you call yourself a soldier!-?"

"If it means that I have to leave my friends then I quit! (…!) I didn't join the army to let people die on my watch! I'm not leaving you. Sorry… but you're stuck with me whether you like it or not!"

"Tch… you really are persistent. More so than usual"

"Hey… you've been stuck with me since we first volunteered in the army. I thought you'd be used to it by now. The first thing the Instructor ever taught us… is that a team sticks together…"

"He also taught us that a good soldier should obey orders and listen to his superiors" Asagi countered only to see the futility of fighting the boy now. "Haaa… looks like nothing I say will make you change your mind. This day is full of surprises. This is probably the first time I've ever lost an argument to you, that's how I know how serious you are"

"Thanks" The boy let out a bitter-sweet victory smile. Even in the face of certain death, and after losing their friends in this pointless war, they could still look upon one another with an honest smile. "Yosh! If we're going down we may as go down fighting!"

"Heh… you're the last person I wanted to spend my last minutes with!"

"Well you're stuck with me. Get over it!"

"Alright. We'll lure as many of the fast movers to our position. We'll use the tight spaces to our advantage. Even at this close range their speed will be useless! (Roger!)" The two of them braced themselves for the battle that was to come. Even should the rapture should come now they wouldn't be fazed.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"This is Cricket 3 to all Flight units. Enemy defense line is down and only two of them remaining. Once we've secured this area we are to hold position until Hyperion Squad gets to the enemy CP. No prisoners, no survivors. Gather what you can and we'll head to the underground factory next"

"Cricket 5, understood"

"Cricket 6, roger"

"Alright. Now let's be done with these pests and—(Cricket 3!) Hmm?"

"Cricket 3! This is Red Cricket! Fall back to the rear lines immediately! We just lost Hyperion Squad!"

"This is Cricket 3. What's going on?"

"Get your battalion back here now! We're being outgunned by an unknown enemy unit. It's fast!" You can practically hear gunshots and explosions on the other side of the line. "Our forces are being decimated by this guy!"

"Cricket 3, understood. All units fall back. We'll deal with them later. (Roger that) Arrowhead formation, stay below the radar range. Red Cricket, we are on our way"

"Good. But you'd better hurry… he's… he's unstoppable!"


	56. Battle for Japan Part 4

**Chapter 56: The Battle for Japan (Part 4) (Those with and without Will)**

**(Takeru's POV) (Adachi Ward)**

"Doooorrryaaaa!" There… that's another two in the bag. I can't believe how many I've taken down. It feels almost like a video game where the hero has the ability to take down multiple opponents at once. But hitting without blowing the cockpit up is a lot tougher than it looks. I am to aim right below the joints and make sure that I don't damage any major circuitries. But even with all that I've taken down… I wasn't fast enough to save the Imperial Army. They took the Wadatsumi head on hoping to take it out from the rear but they were caught in a pincer maneuver by the enemy tanks in hiding by the alleys. A rocket shell won't do much damage but pile a little bit up on a target and it'll eventually give.

Hmm? It looks like they're bringing more. It feels like I'm taking on the whole army myself. I just hope Hibiki is alright. Cadets like him should've evacuated from the fight if it got too hot. It seems like they've learned their lesson and are finally taking me seriously. I've only been able to last this long because of my combat experience.

It's true that I might've only joined for a few months but with what I've been through in my last loop… these guys are tiny!

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Ahhhh!" Another F-5 fell on its body first crashing onto a nearby building creating another mark on the city. Shirogane had once again proven his superiority against numbers taking down almost 3 dozens of his opponents without inflicting any casualty. It was a remarkable scoreboard but unfortunately not everyone agreed.

"Geh! What the hell is with that freak! Why can't we take down one stinking TSF!-? This is Red Cricket to all units. Surround him! Attack that monster altogether! It's just one machine!"

The remaining forces followed but Takeru anticipated their attack way ahead of time. Drawing both his blades he spun in a torrent wave parrying all their stabs and strikes like they were child's play. In CQC, speed played a major role that concludes in either victory or defeat.

The boy was faster and after battling opponents ten times his size, regular soldiers had no effect no matter how many they dished out at him.

"Take this!" The Eurasian forces fell one after another like a domino sequence. All their weapons rendered totally useless against a superior foe.

"Th… that can't be…!" Red Cricket gazed around and saw what became of his combat group. The boy's accomplishments and strength can be seen plainly through the naked eye. "You bastard! If you want something done then you'll just do it yourself! Arghhhhh!"

His strike was parried and before he could even protect himself, the boy slashed through his armor like butter.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

And that's the last of them. The calm silence that came after my last opponent was strangely eerie. It almost reminds me of Sadogashima after we destroyed the Hive completely. But of course there were cheering happening in my coms. Now… it's just dead silence.

Man, I'm even starting to miss Mikoto's 'derailing' behavior. I hope those girls are alright. Don't die you guys. I've come too far to let you guys bite the dust early. Just get through this and we can all go home.

My radar is clear now… I should probably report back and see who's left.

…

The park is a total mess. But it seems like there are still some Imperial soldiers who survived the skirmish.

Beep beep beep!

What the!-? A lock on? Crap! (Bang!) Shit! The shot hit me! My armor deflected the shot but where did it come from?

"You IDIOT! Watch your fire! Do you want to get yourself killed!-?" Eh? That voice. Could it be? "1st Lt. Shirogane, are you alright?"

"Cadet Asagi? Was that you?"

"You moron! You nearly shot one of ours! Is your stinking IFF turned off or something!-?"

"S… sempai!-?" Hibiki!-? He's alive! "Aha… ha… ha… sorry about that. Did I hit you?" Judging by his choice of words, I guess he's the one who shot me.

"YOU ASS HOLE! The moment I get out of this cockpit I'm going to rip your eyes out!"

"It's alright" I replied to them. "It didn't damage me. I'm glad to see you two alive. Where are the others?"

"Instructor… I mean Sergeant Yoshi, our commanding officer was killed in action. We appear to be all that's left of the defense force"

"You two are all that's left?" They must've gone through some tough fighting to lose so much. I probably wouldn't be able to handle that kind of loss on my own. "I'm sorry about your friends"

"It's alright sir. We'll honor them our own way. But what of the enemy? They suddenly retreated"

"The Eurasian strike force has been beaten back" I answered. "I was able to drive the main bulk of their numbers away but I wasn't fast enough to save the Imperial Army. Most of their TSFs were destroyed but I think they have a few vehicles hiding around here"

"I see. That explains why we couldn't reach them at all. We were able to defend the Command Post but it wasn't unharmed" I see… I guess I wasn't able to stop all of them. "What should we do now? (Eh?) As of this moment, our chain of command is in turmoil. We can't contact the Major and headquarters are still in disarray for some reason. Our whole command structure can't sustain this and with Head 8 Leader gone… you're currently the highest ranking officer here" Me? The highest ranking officer? This has got to be a joke. I've tried this kind of command back in Kyoto dipping my toe in the water but all I did was let Haruka do all the work.

"Alright…" I took a deep breath before answering. "We don't know when the enemy will return so it's better to keep ourselves low for now. Get everyone out of here immediately and head back to the outskirts of the city. (Eh!-?)"

"But sempai!" Hibiki yelled out. "We can still fight! Just give us a minute to resupply and we'll—"

"I appreciate the thought Tatsunami but that's not going to work. After what we've suffered, going in deeper will only make things more dangerous. Beside if we lose this area we'll lose our only escape route. (Sempai) I'm not cut out to be a leader so we'll just let things settle until then" It's not like the few of us here can make any difference. (Beep beep!) Hmm?

"Look out! More enemies!"

No… those are. "Hold your fire. (…?) Kamiyo, Tomoe, Ebisu, is it you three?"

"Yes…" Good… that's Kamiyo alright. So those three made it too.

"It's alright Tatsunami. They're with me. (…?) Hey Tomoe. I've been meaning to ask. Is there any way we can enter the royal palace at all? (Hmm?) If the rebel army loses the Shogun they won't have a reason to fight anymore, right?"

"In theory, yes" In theory? Is that the best answer she can think of? "But the royal family is still in charge of this. Lord Ikaruga who heads the rebels and the Household Honor Guards are still the prime ringleaders. Though without Her Highness, their credibility will lessen rather quickly. But still… we do not know if Her Highness also supports this act" Oh that's right. We still haven't heard from Yuuhi directly so they can't be certain if they're actually fighting for the side their supposed to. But I'm sure that there's no way she would come to this conclusion. Even if things went to hell she would still try to find a peaceful solution. Besides… even I know that Japan can't exist without the help of foreign powers.

The world needs Japan to continue being the forefront of the war against the BETA and Japan needs the rest of the world to survive. I don't why but I have a feeling that if I meet with Yuuhi I'll be able to make sense of everything.

"Is there a way to get in? Like a secret passage?" I asked them. "Giant castles like that should have a few"

"There are a few…" Tomoe answered me. "But the Honor Guards have already sealed most of them during the coup, all except one" So there really is a way to get to Yuuhi. "During the early years of Tokyo's post war reconstruction, they modernized the castle grounds with sewage pipes. The pipes of course lead directly to the water treatment plants in Edogawa and then into Tokyo Bay. We should be able to go through it on foot but it's not a guarantee. The probability of the Honor Guards knowing this as well is high and they have it guarded or set up traps in that area"

It's a long shot and risky but it's worth it. Rescuing her should be my top priority. "Alright. Can you take me there?"

"What do you intend to do once we get there?"

"The goal of this mission isn't the destruction of the enemy or destroying Tokyo. If we rescue the Shogun from the royal palace, we might be able to end this war before it escalates. (…) I know this sounds crazy but do you really think that 'she' would agree to something like this?"

…

…

Tomoe seems to be in deep thought. That's no surprise. I'm just a soldier of the U.N. after all. Even if we are closer than most they still need to be cautious. "Please wait a moment. I will have to discuss this with my team"

She switched off to an encrypted channel. Typical.

It's not like these girls have anything left to lose. But whatever…

"Asagi, Tatsunami, are you two still there? (Yes sir…) You two head back. Hold position and regroup with the other cadets but be alert. There's no telling what will happen from here on. (Roger!) This is Valhalla to Zeus. Marimo sensei, do you copy?"

"This is Valhalla, I read you. I overheard your communications with the Honor Guards. To be honest with you, our presence is no longer needed in this battle. (Eh?) We were only brought here to destroy those two firebases. Everything else is simply voluntary work. Still… it does sound like an opportunity we can't ignore. Rescuing the Shogun and ending this conflict. Section Chief Yoroi seems to agree. I'll provide whatever assistance I can"

"Thanks. What news do we have from the other fronts? Have there been any words?"

"Communication with the U.N. seems to be sketchy at the moment due to enemy ECMs but from what I've been able to get, it doesn't seem well. The Imperial Army and the Honor Guards are putting up stiff resistance around the royal palace. You should expect fighting to increase the deeper you go into the city. (…) I know what you're thinking. I'm worried about them too. But they're soldiers now. You don't need to babysit them every time"

"Yeah… I know. I'll… try to keep myself calm"

"1st Lt. Shirogane…" Tomoe responded back to me. "We've come to an agreement. We will show you the way. But only you. The others may not come"

"I understand. Thanks Tomoe. (…) Asagi, Tatsunami. You two have your orders. I don't expect the fight to get anywhere near here after this battle but lay low anyway. Try to reestablish contact with Headquarters. (Roger…)"

"Sempai… good luck…"

"Heh… I'll take what luck I can get"

I watched as the two hovered away through the streets with trucks and armored vehicles following not far behind. You two better survive this. If I can survive my first encounter with a few scratches then so can you guys.

Once they were out of sight, I returned my attention to Tomoe who seemed ready to explain the situation. "I'll be brief. The path we're looking for is near Tokyo Heliport in Koto. It's was supposedly used for emergencies in case when needed for escape from invading armies. However, it's been unused since new routes were made. Only the old members of the Honor Guards still remember it so it's possible that it may be unguarded" A route that connects from one district to another. It must be one heck of a walk just to get that far.

"The path is small enough for people to go through…" Kamiyo continued for her. "… so TSFs won't be able to accompany us. If we're lucky, the route will lead us directly under the palace" Hmm it seems likely that the Honor Guards will know of this route too. But we can't exactly storm into the castle with only the four of us and a Fubuki isn't exactly the best weapon to have on the field.

"Alright. We'll make our way to the entrance. You three will have to take the lead on this"

"Shirogane san…" Huh? It's the captain's sister. "I'm providing you with a map charter of the city and plotted a course to the location that the Honor Guard has mentioned. As of right now, the whole city is under siege. The red areas you see on the map indicate the presence of fighting. Adachi, Katsushika and Koto are under our control but Sumida remains in enemy hands. You will have to take a detour around Edogawa to Koto. Fighting in Edogawa has increased since Major Komaki secured it. The Honor Guards are retaliating in full force so be extremely careful when traversing through the battlefield"

"Roger that. I'll go in as quickly as possible" I switched my coms off and turned to the Three Idiots. "Alright… lead the way"

"Understood. This is Shinigami 2 to all units" Kamiyo called out to the group. "We'll move in Line 2 Formation to keep within the tight streets. The main road is big enough only for two so we will have to stay in pairs. Shinigami 3 will follow my lead behind me. (Roger)" Tomoe nodded with her guns up. "Shirogane will be at my side since he's a Storm Vanguard. Shinigami 4 will support him from behind. (Understood)" Ebisu nodded in return. "We'll follow the route provided by the Imperial Intelligence officer. Move out!"

**(Koto)**

On the other fronts of the war, the U.N. Army was suffering a terrible setback by the hands of the mastermind. Even with few in numbers, Ikaruga made short work of their defenses, destroying them by the dozens with nearly little assistance. He cleaved his way through their numbers like a hot knife through butter and routed the remaining forces back to the ocean.

The man was hoping for a good fight but all he was receiving were cowards and prideful idiots hoping to claim glory and fame by taking down the mighty commander.

"Something isn't right" He motioned to the strangeness in the enemy's formation. "There aren't enough of them here to be called a rearguard"

"I agree…" Makabe followed, also seeing the strange behavior of the enemy. "They're too passive. And we've encountered nothing but lightly armored vehicles. It's not like them to leave their bases unguarded. Perhaps they're too engrossed with the battle around the city to notice a small detachment like us"

"Really now… I'm rather disappointed" Ikaruga made an unsatisfied face. "What about the other fronts, Makabe?"

"Sir. Our allies are concentrating on striking them in each ward. Though we've lost more than half of the Imperial Army already, we were able to push the main enemy force out of the city. The only forces they have left are in Edogawa, Koto and Chuo"

"Hooo? I'm impressed. Tekoro was able to rally his troops after all. His reputation truly doesn't do him justice. But… I guess I can say the same for the enemy commanding officer. Radhabinod has truly surprised us today. That man uses conventional forces to even the odds and minimizes his own casualties. What of the traitors of the Imperial Army?"

"It went just as you expected sire. The remnants of the turncoats had engaged with the Eurasian Army. They've suffered heavy losses and the last of them are now holding Edogawa fighting off with our beasts. Though I'm afraid they were able to beat back the Eurasian forces, my lord"

"I see… so that's how it stands. I didn't expect the Imperial Army to be a threat but even so our forces have motive"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

In Edogawa, Komaki was gritting her teeth as she fired a barrage of bullets against the oncoming enemy. The Honor Guards they were facing were Type-82 Zuikakus, near obsolete TSFs that were still in use due to the lack of equipment needed to keep up with the tolls. In terms of performance and firepower, the newer Shiranuis had the advantage but obviously these machines were not given to the Honor Guards just because they looked better.

"Major! There's one coming on your left!"

Sayoko changed her target and with a gentle squeeze she filled her enemy with holes. Not enough to destroy it but enough to drive the pilot away. "Thanks. I owe you—(Watch out!) Ha?" But to her horrors, the enemy TSF continued to charge in despite having its cockpit breached.

Thankfully another one of the Major's guards intercepted it in time, stabbing a knife on its back. "Heh… in a game of speed, the newer models will have to advantage. The specs of the machine doesn't make you invincible. (Clang!) Eh? What the?" The man then noted that the machine he stabbed was still functioning. "Oi oi… aren't you a persistent one?"

"Genji! Get away from him! (…?) It's gonna blow!" But it was too late. Before the man could pull out the Zuikaku burst in flames taking his attacker along with him. "Genji!"

"That… can't be…" Sayoko gapped in disbelief. "Was that… a bomb?"

"Major. We're getting repeated reports of enemy TSFs exploding upon destruction. Two of them just wiped out Head 5 and his squad!"

"Suicide!-? Are they that desperate!-?" She quickly radioed her men to give her new insight on their enemies. "This is Orochi Leader to all units. Be on alert. Our enemies appear to be carrying Solid Fuel Rocket bombs which can level an entire block upon activation. Engage the enemy units from a distance with ranged weapons and avoid getting near them whenever possible!"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Ikaruga adjusted his sights on his camera looking across the city with a smirk creeping on his face. He watched as the soldiers fired desperately as they withdrew further back to the wall, with each large fireball indicating that one of his monsters has done its job by giving his life to his cause. In but moments, Edogawa was put to the torch by the very people that were meant to protect it.

The Japanese Army was supposedly experts in melee combat, second to none when it came to halberds or swords. But when they're stripped of fighting in close quarters, they were nothing more but children making a futile attempt to run from a plague.

"How many of our beast comrades did we have, Makabe?" The madman asked to his bodyguard.

"At least forty" He answered. "We had more than a hundred prisoners but many of them didn't survive the process of hypnotic therapy. I can only hope that their sacrifice will bring about a better and brighter future for us all"

"Save the petty speeches and prayers when the time comes, old friend. The battle is still far from over but I assure you that this war will benefit our side the most"

"Yes… my lord. I understand"

"Gather the rest of the unit. We will make our push towards… hmph!" Ikaruga raised his sword up to his cockpit deflecting a bullet that was shot from afar. "Sniper?"

"He… deflected it?" Miki gasped on how her target easily shielded himself from her long range fire.

"Your Excellency!" Makabe rushed in front of his master and retaliated with a barrage from his gun making the gun take cover behind the ruins. "Protect his lordship! It's an ambush!"

It didn't take them long to realize that they were caught in a trap when they saw sparks of IFF appearing on their radar like chickenpox. In a few seconds, Ikaruga and his men were showered with bullets from all side, tearing the empty streets below them.

"This is Valkyrie 1A to all units" Isumi called out to the girls. "Move out and engage the enemy! We have them outnumbered! B Platoon will engage the enemy head on with the rest of Shark Company. A Platoon will provide firing support. C Platoon will watch the skies. Remember… our target is in a dark-blue coated Takemikazuchi. Command wants him captured alive but if he resists then you are free to eliminate him! Understand? (Roger!) Go!"

The Valkyries rushed from their hiding places charging at the opposing force armed down to the teeth. "This is Valkyrie 1B. The Takemikazuchi is on a whole different level of performance so watch yourself. Ayamine will come will me. Mitsurugi, you deal with the red one. (Understood!) Alright… let's see what these big dogs can really do!"

A series of explosions on port followed after the trap was sprung. Ikaruga looked back to the docks only to see that the whole place torn asunder. "Impressive… they cut off our escape route to trap us all the way here. It seems like I was wrong. They aren't taking me lightly at all. This is much better than the alternative. Very well then. Makabe… order a box formation. Engage the enemy… at will. (Yes my lord) It seems like the old world still has a few tricks up its sleeves"

**(Takeru's POV) (Katsushika Ward)**

This is a really long detour. I can't believe we have to go all the way across the city to get to Edogawa. Most of the main road has been destroyed by earlier fighting and toppled buildings have made it impossible to traverse without jumping over them. If we had a choice we'd probably just fly over the city but the risk of getting shot down by enemy fire was extremely high. It's almost like we're trying to avoid the Laser Class BETA.

I can't believe how long this battle has been going on. It's already noon… almost a whole day since the conflict began on this city. I can only imagine what the casualty roster would look like.

Most of Katsushika Ward has been abandoned but we get the occasional firefights from time to time. Even in all this chaos, soldiers continue to fight one another. You'd think with the whole world at stake they'd put their difference aside just for one moment and fight for humanity's sake. But I guess the world isn't as bright as I thought it was. It's human nature to fight one another. Even I'm almost convinced that it won't change even after the BETA are gone.

"All units, hold" Hmm? Kamiyo is signaling us to hold position. I'd better stop my engines. Moving in pairs of two is quite difficult seeing that we need the roads clear to make sure we get through unscathed.

We're passing by an intersection so there must be something on the corner. "What do you see?" I asked.

"Enemy patrol. They appear to be repairing the TSF. We'll have to double back if we're going to get pass them. Edogawa is just beyond the underpass"

Tch…! More detours to take. But I'm not complaining too much. I'd like to avoid fighting whenever possible. But it seems like taking forever just to cross the city. Crossing Katsushika was tough enough but getting through Edogawa seems like the bigger challenge. Even from here we could tell that there was some tough fighting happening in that area. Large explosions and gunshots can be seen coming out of that place. Not to mention that wherever we passed there would be a few corpses of both people and TSFs strewn around.

Just what is this world coming to?

"Right side, clear"

"Left side, clear"

We traversed the ruins of the city, keeping as low as possible avoiding fire from stray bullets passing through the area. The chances of people being killed with a stray shot are higher than one would believe. They're even more dangerous than the shots that are trained at you.

_"It's not the one with your name on it; it's the one addressed 'to whom it may concern' you've got to think about."_

_-Murphy's Law-_

The scenery was the same no matter what path we took. Most of the landmarks on my map didn't even exist anymore. Some were torn down, some were on fire. I don't think anyone would be able to recognize this place either.

"Wait…" Tomoe signaled us to stop which we quickly followed.

"What is it, Tomoe? Do you see something?"

"No… but my seismic sensors are picking up rhythmic vibrations four blocks from our current position. Can you see anything?"

Kamiyo turned her camera on the block for a minute while I took cover behind the building. "There's nothing there. It might just be a flux from the battle. Vibration meters can go haywire in battlefields like this" She's right. We used seismic sensors when we fought against the BETA to anticipate an underground attack. But of course they become unreliable when the fighting gets thick. "According to the data we've received, most of the fighting seems to be focused around Edogawa Stadium. If we follow the route provided we should arrive at Koto undetected. We'll continue pressing onward. (Roger!)"

Wow… the whole city really is on fire. Everywhere I look feels like a part of history was slowly being disintegrated into ashes.

"…"

Hmm? "Hey Ebisu, what's wrong?" My partner was trailing behind. "Are you damaged?"

"No… it's nothing…"

She quickly followed up but kept turning her head back from time to time.

…

…

…

**(Koto)**

"Teeeeeeehhhh!" Hayase let out a battle cry as she charged in head first against the Honor Guards. Her blade clashed with the red mech putting both of them in a deadlock position. "Heh… these guys are no joke after all. I guess I should've expected it from the name"

"It will take you far more than numbers to take me down knave!" Makabe pushed his attacker back and swung his blade sideways giving him some room to attack. "All units, protect His Excellency! Form a defensive formation around his unit!"

"Belay that!" Ikaruga countered with a bark. "Engage at will! I will not hide in cowardice in the face of an enemy! Attack!"

"My lord!" But before Makabe could stop his master, Hayase returned forcing him to parry her blows. "Damn it! You shall not get pass me!"

"Tch… aren't you a tough one…" Hayase quirked a brow before she turned to her comrades. "Ayamine, Mitsurugi, go and take that blue one. I'll deal with this one. (Roger!) Yosh… now show me what you got pretty boy…"

Ikaruga stormed through the ranks of Shark Company like a scythe on wheat on a spring harvest day. His sword cleaved through their numbers with relative ease breaking their fragile machines like they were made out of flesh rather than steel.

The F-15 Eagles and Gekishins put up a valiant effort to stop his stampede but despite their overwhelming firepower they could not match to the Takemikazuchi's superior combat abilities in close range. In urban terrains, long ranged weapon had limited space but with a sword, Ikaruga could cut through buildings and TSFs alike without fail.

"Damn… how can one machine…? Is this really the strength of a Type-00?"

"He's… too powerful!"

"Die you worm!" Ikaruga forced his way in, cutting down another U.N. pilot slicing his Gekishin in even halves. "Heh… these monstrosities are too fragile. What's wrong? Why cower now!-? You've sprung your trap so strike me! Or did you come without even gauging the strength of your prey? Come out! Is there anyone out here that can provide me with a decent challenge!-?"

And his answer came in the form of a blade striking from behind forcing his reflex to move his arms in parry. "Take this!" The man expected another mass-produced unit to strike but to his amazement he felt like he was staring down on a giant mirror.

"A Takemikazuchi? The U.N. Armed Forces have their own Type-00s too?"

"Ayamine, now!" The dark haired soldiers quickly appeared from behind striking with her blade. But Ikaruga drew a second blade from his back parrying it against her blow.

"Tch…!" Ayamine clicked her tongue in frustration believing that it was the prime opportunity to take him down.

"Impressive. You executed your tactics without flaw. But… it will take more than mere trickery to tame me! En garde!" The three of them then began striking one another like they were in a dance. Ikaruga skillfully wadded his way through the two, parrying and striking at the same time like he had gone through worse before. "What's the matter? Is that all you have?"

"Ayamine, bait him! (Roger!) Teeeeeh!"

The power output between Meiya and Ikaruga were the same but the only thing that differentiated their strength was combat experience that the madman had during the war with the BETA. When it came to knowing the battlefield, he was second to none.

"I told you before… no amount of trickery can take me!" He tackled Ayamine to the ground and prepared to deliver the finishing blow but right then his alarms went off to a lock.

"Take this!" Akane let out a barrage of overwhelming firepower tearing through the buildings like a hailstorm. Her four barreled guns easily ripped the place to shreds forcing the madman to withdraw. "Ayamine, you ok. (Y… yeah…) Damn that bastard. I couldn't hit him even once"

"The enemy commander is an extremely skilled combatant" Isumi warned them. "Don't take him lightly. Munakata, do you have a clear shot?"

"Negative. There are too many buildings to see anything from where we are. You need to lead him to an open ground for us to get a chance"

"Understood. All units listen up. Pin the enemy commander and drive him towards the Shuto Expressway. Shark Company will keep the escort units busy while we deal with him. We can't give him an opportunity to retreat! (Yes ma'am!) Don't give him any chance to counterattack. If one person stops firing then another one should cover. Go!"

Ikaruga smirked as he was forced back by the Valkyries. To be overwhelmed against such warriors was a welcoming sight. But even as he was being pushed back, the girls didn't feel like they were cornering him at all. It was like the man was asking to be pinned down.

"The struggle of the old world…" The madman humored himself with some kind of quote. "Even to its dying breath it will continue to fight against the new. How quaint… but no matter how much you try to hold on to your past glories, you cannot hold against the will of the people. Come… claim your honor! Try to take my life if you can!"

**(Takeru's POV)**

We're still not there? I know that the Tokyo Heliport is close to the bay but still all these detours are starting to kill me.

The fighting seems to have intensified in the other districts. I can feel the tremor even from here. I can only imagine what's going on. So far, Marimo and Yayoi have been keeping me in the loop of the situation but none of it has been good. As far as we know, the city itself was on the verge of collapse. They've ordered artillery strikes to be used inside the Tokyo Metropolis Area. Casualties are hitting an all time record that seconds only the blast of Shikoku Island. But as much as we can tell, the U.N. Armed Force has the advantage.

The Imperial Army is on a complete withdrawal from the frontlines leaving the front door wide open for attack. Almost half of the city belongs to the combined forces but so far the Honor Guards have been fighting a strictly defensive battle.

Bah!

It doesn't matter who wins in this battle. In the end it's humanity who loses. Now more than ever we need to find Yuuhi and get her to safety. If we get her… then this battle might come to a peaceful end.

"Shirogane…"

"Hmm? Marimo sensei? What is it?"

"Your vital signs are acting up. Is something wrong? Are you feeling alright?" Ah crap… it forgot that she's also monitoring my health. I really need to calm down and keep my head straight. I can't afford another panic attack like in Sadogashima. I'm also out of serum that Yuuko gave me. If that happens… I might just lose my life.

"No… it's nothing" I reassured her. "I'm just thinking too hard"

"This isn't the first time your vital signs became irregular, Shirogane. (…) Even before during your earlier operations, your body regulates a strange amount of pressure" That must be my heart acting up. Yuuko did say that whenever I'm in my adrenaline mode my heartbeat rate goes up almost 10 folds making it almost look like a heart attack. "I know that it's unsuitable for me to say but you shouldn't fight if you're body is facing problems"

"Yeah… I know. But I'm fine, really. Nobody knows my body better than me after all"

She seemed somewhat convinced and decided to drop the topic. "Alright. I'll let that go for now. Proceed with your mission. Enemy ECM doesn't seem to be affecting our communication lines too much but our charter plane won't be able to stay airborne much longer. We'll be refueling in an airport but I'll remain on contact for as long as possible. Good luck and… stay safe"

"Heh… I'll do my best Mari—(Flash) Huh?" Wait… what was that just now? What did I just see? (Flash) Is that… me? But if that's me… then… Ah! "Ebisu! Watch out! Behind us! (…!) Everyone, random evade now!"

Bang!

A bullet whistled pass me almost hitting my shoulder. That was too close. (Beep beep!) Damn… I knew it! It's the enemy! Imperial Honor Guards!

"It's a division from the 2nd Honor Guard Regiment!" Kamiyo announced to us as she drew her weapons out. "Be careful… those are Type-81 Zuikakus. They're old units but they're still effective against later generation TSFs. Tomoe and I will take the ones on the left. Ebisu and Shirogane will take the other three on the right! (Roger!)" Damn… I was hoping to avoid conflict. This is just ridiculous!

Zuikakus. I've read about them in the archives. Type-81, the older model of the Imperial Honor Guard's TSF, before they later changed to the Takemikazuchis. I'll have to defeat them to get through.

But will my Fubuki be enough to take them down? Even if they are older models this weapon of mine might not be the best equipment. The Imperial Honor Guards are supposedly the best pilots in the Japanese Army. I had a difficult time fighting Naoya and that was only when he was piloting a Type-94 Shiranui. But I was also able to defeat the Eurasian Army but that was only thanks to the Imperial Army backing my every move. I needed them to act as a counterweight to draw fire while I used my speed and agility to take out the stronger foe.

"1st Lt. Shirogane, two of them are hiding behind that structure" Ebisu called out to me. "I'll deal with them. The third opponent seems to be a close range fighter. You're a Storm Vanguard Fighter, correct? (Y… yeah) Then you're more properly equipped to deal with that target. Go!"

Alright… here goes nothing.

We'll judge our power output when we clash swords! Toooohh!

Clang!

Yosh… I manage to graze him on that first clash. The large size machinery isn't fit for urban combat so I guess I have that advantage. If I can just take down the legs, it won't be able to pursue us. Right… here I come! (Clang!) Take this!

WHAM!

Now! (Clang!) Yeah! I knew it. They're just like the Gekishin class only faster and more durable. But just like any TSF, if you disable the couplings and the transmission, they're just large worthless hunks of lead.

Bang!

Whoa! That was too close. I can't afford to be lazy especially on the battlefield.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

**(Koto)**

"Gahhh!" Isumi cried out as she was barraged with a flurry of attacks from Ikaruga's machine. Her new OS gave her an edge in avoiding most of his blows but with all the rubble and buildings in her way, her mobility has decreased almost considerably.

"What's the matter? Is this the best you have!-?" The madman barked out with a sadistic giggle cracking between his words. "If you ceased to entertain me then you are expendable!"

"Not yet!" Isumi raised her right hand blocking the killing blow like a shield and losing it in the process.

"Hooo? An interesting foreplay. I'm impressed" Ikaruga gave a unique praise. "Sacrificing your offensive power for survivability—protecting the cockpit with your own hands. You lot are certainly more entertaining than the usual rabbles. It's almost a shame to destroy Eishis with such talent… well… almost. (Keh!) But your time is at an end here!" But his attack was blocked by another sword that seemingly came out of nowhere. "What!-?"

"Captain, get out of there!" Meiya returned her blade and swing it again forcing the man to back away. "Are you alright?"

"Ah… yeah. Thanks Mitsurugi. That was careless of me"

"Please don't do anything reckless. I will draw it to the open ground. Please switch to support. (…!) At the moment my unit is the only one capable of going toe to toe with this opponent. The specs on my machine are far superior to a Shiranui. The only difference we have is combat experience, but I'm sure my OS alone can give me the advantage against it. It's only normal that I be the one to deliver him"

"Alright… I understand. This is Valkyrie Leader to all Valkyries. Back away from the primary target and support Mitsurugi. Close range combat is not an option! (Roger!) Get him Mitsurugi!"

"I will not fail you! Teeeeh!"

The two warriors clashed again only to find themselves at par at each other's strength. Even Ikaruga seems to be amazed on how the U.N. Armed Force was able to get their hands on such a prized TSF. Such a treasured relic must've been given at a high cost. But if only he knew the truth.

"Not bad. You honestly do have the strength… but strength alone will not best me!" With a swift counter, the man tackled Meiya brushing her off like a sack of meat. "I have bested more than a thousand of you on my own. If you truly wish to overcome me you will have to bring more than just numbers and powerful weapons. If you do not possess the necessities needed to destroy me, then you're nothing more but fodder! (…!)Be gone from my sight, worm!"

"Mitsurugi! Get down!" Chizuru warned before cocking her guns. "Ooooohh!"

"Annoyance…" But Ikaruga noticed her patterns and clashed her before she even had a chance to shoot. With one sweep he cut through the barrels of her guns hitting the side of the cockpit grazing it by a few centimeters. "Heh… using guns in a sword fight? How idiotic can you be? (Not yet!) Huh?" Chizuru suddenly grabbed hold of the man's sword arm, keeping him locked in that position.

"Ayamine! Take him now! (Copy that!)"

But then to their surprise, Ikaruga parried the girl's blade with his freehand, stopping the dark haired soldier on her track. "…!"

"You missed!-?" Chizuru gasped and was quickly dispatched with a punch right on the face. "Kyaaa!"

"You girls continue to astound me. But I don't need a blade to take you down!" Using only his fingers the man easily brushed Ayamine aside and then striking her on her shoulder sending her down a few meters away. "Don't compare my unit to your feeble mass produced weapons. I am different from those you've met before. But I admire your cheap acts on trying to defeat me. They… humor me quite a bit"

"Damn… what is with him?" Chizuru gritted her teeth feeling completely overpowered by this single unit. Even the others were starting to get the feel on how unbalanced their combat strengths were. The man had ousted each of their strategies like he read them on a textbook. Not just his TSF but his abilities behind a TSF were astounding to say the least. It almost felt like they were fighting a certain chestnut haired genius back in their mock battles a few days back. Though their movement patterns were different, the girls had to admit that they were getting a familiar chilling feel as they fought this opponent.

Mitsurugi knew well how Shirogane would fair against such a foe and so she came up with an idea. "Captain. Conventional tactics doesn't appear to be working. (…?) The man is an expert on anti-BETA soldiers so he probably knows all of our moves before we even make them"

"What do you suggest, Mitsurugi?"

"His strength alone is overwhelming. Facing him head on is folly. We will have to change our strategy to something that none of us are familiar with. (…?) I know that it is ironic to say this but we must think of a way to defeat someone who is far more talented than we are. We need to take him down just like how we plan to take down Shirogane. (…!)"

The Captain recognized the situation and quickly nodded back in agreement. There were little options to choose from at the moment anyway. "Alright. All units, follow Valkyrie 2B's instruction on the duration of the battle. She'll take point from here. (Roger!) C Platoon will remain on standby. If the target attempts to flee then shoot him the moment you get a clear shot. (Copy that!) Go Mitsurugi…"

"Yes ma'am" The young samurai took in a deep breath, gathering her courage before ordering the rest of the squad. "Everyone, break off. Give distance to the enemy!" The Valkyries followed and disbursed from the scene giving Ikaruga a quizzled face.

"Hooo? A game of cat and mouse?" He humored himself with a cocky grin. "Alright then… I'll bite first. Who to play with?" He then noted Ayamine's TSF to be the closest. "Tag… you're it…"

…!

But Ayamine wasn't about to fall prey to his cheap attacks. She dodged the blows, while trying to distance away from the enemy.

All the while, Meiya analyzed the fighting from a safe distance. She can see the familiar pattern of fighting on that man. They're quick and deadly almost surprisingly similar to Shirogane but only in style not in skill. _"The speed and maneuverability of a Takemikazuchi is truly superior to a Shrianui… but nevertheless…"_

She then recalled all the practice simulation she had back in Yokohama Base. Even during her free period the girl made a habit of visiting that place at least once a day to study the fighting patterns of the Ace of the Squad. She spent hours over and over trying to mimic Shirogane's moves using the copied control logs from the computers but no matter how much she tried she would always be a few seconds late to dodge. Even the A.I. that the simulator provided became that much harder to beat especially when cadets place Shirogane's style into its core.

After more than fifty loses, Meiya became convinced that there was not a fighter who can take Shirogane on a one-on-one fight. But if there were two… maybe three of a dozen… then the chances of victory would grow significantly.

"The enemy is still following a predictable pattern…" She announced to the group. "His first attack always comes straight on without feint. Blocking or dodging it will be easy! Ayamine!"

"Understood…" The raven haired Eishi braced herself in a stand position parrying the heavy blow with a good solid block. "Attack is null"

"He will then try to make room to limit your attack options" Meiya continued to explain. "Block his retreat! Yoroi!"

"I got it!" Mikoto rushed in appearing from behind clashing her shield against his sword and launching a few rounds on Ikaruga's shoulder.

"Good. Once he realizes that he's cornered on both ends he'll try to push through one side and divide our battle lines, to pick off the easier targeted ones. Suzumiya! Suppress him!"

"I've been waiting for that!" Akane clocked her gun and with a light squeeze she let out a merciless hail of gunfire rain down, pinning the man to hide. "Why don't you try this on for size!-?"

"Oh…? They've gotten better…" Ikaruga let out a small praise to their skills. "But firepower alone won't do much here" He then leaped from the ground firing chaff smoke in the air.

"What the!-? He's gone!-?"

"Don't be fooled!" Meiya calmed them with a bark. "He's just playing with us. He wants us to think that there is plenty of room for him to run but in truth there's only one place for him to go. He'll try to withdraw from the battle completely when things turn out of his favor! (…) To the Northwest! Within those tall buildings!"

"I got him!" The captain rushed in with her good arm and fired a volley of 120mm explosives forcing the madman to exit to before the buildings come down at him. "Now! Reform the line! Keep a lock on him and block all of his escape routes! He will have no other choice but to surrender sooner or later!"

**(U.N. Forward Headquarters)**

Radhabinod gave out a gruff noise as he watched the battle slowly tipping in the favor of his forces. Everything was working perfectly. His strategy and execution of his plan worked almost like clockwork. His frightening reputation as a master strategist proved time and time and again in this battle. Despite with his army weakened from the battle with the BETA they were able to topple one of the largest fortress the world has ever seen. With the Imperial Army beaten, only the Honor Guards stood between his army and total victory.

He knew how tenacious the royal guards can be. Even against such odds they would rather die than to surrender to an enemy. Their only chance of a swift victory is the capture of the Shogun and the enemy's supreme commander.

"General, we're getting report from the forward Command Post" An operator announced from her seat. "One moment… (…) Enemy forces… are in full retreat. We have taken Nerima, Suginami, Setagaya and parts of Ota, Meguro and Nakano. The enemy has abandoned the other districts and is now making a last stand at Shinjuku. Enemy surrender is imminent"

A round of small cheers echoed from the group celebrating the oncoming victory. But Radhabinod did not make such declaration. Even if the battle was coming to an end the sacrifices needed to achieve it seemed to outweigh the prize. There have been too many deaths and too many losses to even consider this a win. This battle can be considered anything but a victory for him and for mankind.

"What is the status of the Imperial Forces that have joined our side?" He inquired.

"We're getting little response. They've secured Edogawa but what remains of their forces are being decimated by the Imperial Honor Guards"

"Then our only hope will be to rely on the forces we have in the city" Radhabinod gestured to the map overlooking the entire city. "Have Hammer Company take Shinjuku but tell them not to make a move on the royal palace grounds itself. Once we take the western areas and the southern harbors we will have complete control over the city. Focus on gathering information about the enemy's remaining fighting capabilities. (Yes sir!)"

**(Takeru's POV) (Near Tokyo Heliport)**

Gahh!

What the hell is wrong with these guys!-? Don't they know when to back off!-? I just fought against six of them and yet they still keep coming. It's like they're not even afraid of dying. I know that the Honor Guards are notorious of their determination but this is just insane! They're barely even trying to protect themselves!

We've been fighting for over an hour now. At this rate I'll never be able to reach Yuuhi. I wasn't able to recharge or resupply at the command post either due to the nature of the situation. My power supply is already at its lowest point after fighting the Eurasian Army. Anymore and I'll be dead on my own two feet.

"This is Shinigami 3, enemy reinforcements have been sighted!" What!-? More of them? Did they bring the whole army here? "Kamiyo, at this we'll be…"

"I know… but there's no other choice. We have to fight if we're to survive!" Damn… at this rate none of us will…

Bang!

Huh? Ebisu?

"This is Shinigami 4. I'll hold them. The rest of you, get out of here now. (…!) We can't afford to fall here of all places. Even if it is against our old comrades, our duty remains to fight on. So leave this to me. Get to the heliport! Hurry!"

"No!" Is she kidding me? How can you just throw away your lives just for something like this? "We can still make it. If we just hold on a little bit longer…"

"Understood…" Kamiyo!-? "We'll leave the rest to you, Minagi…"

"This is Shinigami 3. I'll remain here as well. (Tomoe!) Two units will have a better chance of holding a large group like this. Go Tatsumi…"

"Roger… come, Shirogane. (But…!) We have to go, now!"

…

Arghhhh! Damn it all!

Tomoe… Ebisu…

Damn it! Is this it? Is this the extent of my power?

Do people really need to die because of these stupid ideals?

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

…

…

…

…

…

"Shirogane…" Kamiyo called out to me. "The Tokyo Heliport is just ahead. The secret entrance should be inside. Once we're in, we'll proceed on foot"

"Roger that…" Kamiyo… she must be taking this harder than me. To leave her friends like that. I understand what she must be going through. To be a sole survivor… it must be a great burden. But still… there's a chance that those two can make it out. They survived Shikoku Island and Sadogashima. If they can make it out of that… then a few TSFs should be easy… right?

Or… am I just trying to convince myself otherwise?

…

The Tokyo Heliport.

It's a lot bigger than I imagined and I never thought they'd put it right next to the ocean. But could there really be a secret escape route all the way out here? Heh… I guess I shouldn't be surprise since the Shogun did appear in Hakone after all. If she can escape all the way there then getting to here shouldn't be much of a problem.

There were still some helicopters by the airstrip but the place seems to be abandoned. There isn't a single trace of life anywhere.

"There doesn't seem to be anyone here" Kamiyo agreed with me. "Shirogane, you go first. You'll clear the inside while I do a sweep around the area"

"Alright… I'll remain in contact"

Psssst…

My cockpit popped open with a whistling noise from the sudden change of temperature. I can't really tell if the place was cold or hot. With all the snow, soot and fire, you'd barely notice anything anymore.

As I reached the ground, I took out my sidearm just as precaution. I have no intention of using something like this especially on a human.

Heh… I forgot how slow I can be when on foot. After being inside a TSF for more than 15 hours, you tend to get used to the neuro-link system. It makes you think that you are the TSF, especially with the new OS.

The facility seemed to be fenced with barbwires. No way am I getting in through there. (Click… clack) The door's lock… figures. The windows are too small for me to enter… but at least I can see inside.

…

It seems like no one's been using this place for while. The snow and dust inside is thicker than most buildings. I guess the war with the BETA made people afraid of flight more than ever.

I'm sure I can bust the door open from here with a single gunshot. Now I just have to wait for Kamiyo to get here.

"Kamiyo, it's me. The inside seems clear. How's your end?"

"No activity. We seem to be in the clear. One moment, I'll be right down—Huh? Ahhh!"

Clang!

What the hell!-? That's… a Takemikazuchi!-? Where the hell did that come from? The area was clear just a minute ago!

I have to get back to my TSF and fast!

"Kamiyo, hold on! I'm coming! (No!) Wha…?"

"This isn't an opponent you can take on lightly. (…!) Right now you're the only one who can do it. You're the only one I know who can save Her Highness. I kept my end of the deal by bringing you here… the rest is up to you! Now go!"

"Are you kidding me!-? There's no way I can just…"

"That's an order! We don't have time to argue! (…!) W… wait a minute. That frame… it can't be!"

"Kamiyo? Kamiyo what's wrong!-? (Kyaaaa!) Kamiyo! Damn it! Hold on! I'm on my way!"

**(Koto) (Valkyrie frontlines)**

"Arghhhhhh!" Makabe let out a defining yell as he delivered another blow on Hayase's frame. Despite their differences in combat power the woman's skill exceeded his expectations. "Damn…! This wretch is just…"

"Don't take me lightly! I went toe to toe with a guy who's ten times stronger than you!" Hayase barked out loud throwing a flurry of strikes with her blade. "I an't losing to someone like you! Not while I still got a rematch to finish, ya hear!"

"Keh! Why you impudent…"

"Take this on for size!"

Clang

A portion of Makabe's head fell to the floor after being sliced off from its torso.

"Keh! So the U.N. still have warriors within their ranks. (Beep beep) Hmm?"

"Lt. Makabe. We've eliminated the enemy reinforcements. We're on our way to assist you!"

"Forget about me! Find out about His Excellency and what happened to our support?"

"Lord Ikaruga is currently engaging with multiple forces at the station. He's completely surrounded and we have no way of getting to him!"

"You fools! Break through the enemy lines immediately! We cannot allow them to capture him!"

"But sir… the enemy command post is right in front of us. If they send reinforcements, we'll be caught in a pincer!"

"If we remain here we'll die either way! Right now our priority is getting His Excellency away from here! (Y… yes sir!) I knew we'd eventually go too far… that man never learns. (Clang!) Keeeeeh! Get out my way!" He quickly brushed Hayase off and making a dash for the other side of the battlefield. His very soul praying to make it before his master tries to do something stupid.

"Oi! Where do you think you're running off to you, coward!-?"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

On the other side of the field, Ikaruga's mech was on its knees after it had been beaten to a corner. Seeing all of his routes blocked he figured that only a master strategist could come up with something so malicious. After being outmaneuvered in three rounds he saw that he was truly biting more than he could chew.

"So… you predicted my movements. I'm astounded" He stated with a hint of admiration hidden in his voice. As he slowly raised his TSF back on its feet he quickly came face to face with a Takemikazuchi with an equally frightening gaze. "How were you able to see through my patterns?"

"You follow a predictable pattern" Meiya answered calmly with her blade drawn. "Though I must admit that your abilities are impressive and your skills unmatched… but you're limited to what your imagination can bring. Besides… you are not the first overpowering opponent we've faced before"

"What!-?" The man drew himself forward raising his arms to crush his opponent, regardless that he did not have weapons, only to pull up short as the surrounding TSFs clocked their rifles in unison. "Oh? It appears I am surrounded…"

Meiya then pointed her blade at the man's face like a samurai about to face his execution. "Ikaruga Takatsugu… by the authority of the United Nations, you are under arrest with the charge of treason against the Crown of the Imperial Royal Family of the Japanese Empire. Surrender and submit yourself to court and we will see to it that you receive a fair trial!"

…

"Heh… who are you to address me?" The madman let out a stern change in his tone. His voice alone was enough to make the girls anxious. "What right have you to bind my arms? You have none. I admit that you are worthy opponents but unless you possess the resolve to see my head roll on the ground then you are nothing more but insects. Or… are you so bound to your mission that you're willing to sacrifice your comrades for it? (…!)"

"Be silent!" Meiya barked back much to the man's surprise. "You are the one who is beaten. If you have any decency left in your noble blood then show the proper respects to those who have defeated you! (…?) But if bloodline is all that is needed to sound your surrender then mine alone should suffice. (…!)" In a move that surprised even the madman himself, Meiya opened a channel to his communication line and showed her face to his screen.

"Wait… your face… it can't be…"

"Even you should be able to see where my lineage lies. If you know where I come from then fulfill your end. Submit this instance!" It only took Ikaruga a second to analyze where her bloodline came from. Meiya's face could be seen as clear as day and it wouldn't take a rocket scientist to tell who she was a part of. If Ikaruga wasn't drunk that night he could've sworn that he was gazing on the face of the Shogun herself. For a split moment the face actually shook a part of his fear but it all came to a stop when he finally understood WHO he was dealing with.

"I see…" He licked the blood on his lip savoring the taste as he regained his composure. "Now I understand. This is quite an interesting turn of events. So the Ghost child of our family has finally shown herself"

"Ghost child?" The Valkyries were puzzled from the phrase.

"The resemblance is almost frightening. You remind me too much of her" Ikaruga went on as if he was ranting a phrase from a script. "Have you come to deliver the end of this nation just as they foretold? Or… have you come to haunt the lands that have wronged your from your birthright? (…) Whatever the case… this seems almost too fitting" He pondered with his words for a moment looking at the darkened sky above. "Is this… fate I wonder?"

"Do not try to delay us!" Meiya warned him with her blade raised up to his face. "Answer the question now or I will dispose of you myself!"

"Hmph… foolish girl. Do you think death scares me? I have seen things so grotesque that death will look like a mercy. It must certainly be painful to live as a shadow of another being entirely. (…) But if you are going to claim my life… do it with sincerity and without any remorse. Otherwise… it will be I who will be taking your head"

Meiya expected something like this from a member of the Royal Family. Their stubbornness to the very end was truly something that was worth of mockery and praise. "If that is your answer… then allow me to assist you in committing suicide" She raised her blade up preparing to deliver the coup d'grace but just as fate intervened, another enemy TSF appeared on sight tackling the young samurai girl down. "Gahh!"

"Makabe!" Ikaruga recognized the red frame almost immediately as two more of his allies landed on his side.

"Your Excellency, stand aside! Please leave this to us!"

"What the hell!-? Where did those three come from!-? Munakata!" Isumi clocked her weapon again only to duck when she saw a barrage hailing in her direction.

"They appeared suddenly out of nowhere! There's too much interference on my radar to determine IFF!"

"Makabe!" Ikaruga barked at his retainer with a disgruntled voice. "You impudent fool! I told you not to interfere!"

"My lord, please… you must survive! For the sake of Japan itself! (…!) If you throw away your life here then everything we've done will be for nothing! You have to survive… for the sake of this country's future as well! (…) I have followed you knowing full well what you intended to do. I know what path you have chosen to walk but you must stand strong and see it through to the very end. And with your plan… I believe it can work. I believe in you more than anyone else. (…!) You are the only one who can do it. You are the only one with the power to steer this country from its own destruction! So please… run away! (Maka…be) I beg of you! You must survive and see your goals fulfilled! Only then can you perish peacefully in this world!"

…

…

"Very well…" Ikaruga replied with determination returning to his voice. "Then I shall see you on the other side then… old friend"

"I will be waiting for you with bated breath… my lord…" And with his heart set, Ikaruga fled leaving his retainers behind to finish the fight. "This is 1st Lt. Makabe to all units! Protect His Excellency at all cost! Show these interlopers what it means to fight against those of the Imperial Honor Guards! (Roger!)"

"This is Valkyrie 1A to all Valkyries! Don't let the target escape!" Isumi gritted her teeth cursing herself for letting their main target get away after they had him cornered. "Give chase! Kazama, Ayamine, help Mitsurugi out of—(Don't!) Eh?"

"We cannot afford any more delays" Meiya urged them to move on. "I can handle this. I will take care of the enemy here and guard your rear! You will need all your combined firepower to take him down! So don't waste your time on me! GO! Captain!"

"Alright… all units, give chase! Full combat speed! Formation doesn't matter. If you get a clear shot then take it! (Roger!) Valkyrie Leader to Valkyrie Mum. Target has eluded us. We are currently in pursuit. I'll update you as far as I can. (Understood)"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Gaaaah!" Kamiyo's frame slammed against the concrete building sending an impact surge against her computers forcing her machine to restart. She had been thrown from one spot to another for about six times now it feels like she was thrown back to last Tuesday. Her enemy was strong… far too strong for her liking. Most of her weapons have been damaged or destroyed in the fight and she barely had the strength to keep up. Her TSF had almost been marred continuously with strikes that would've cut through her bones for sure.

Her opponent was a red Takemikazuchi with eyes that frightened her to her very core. Its mere size and presence gave it an indomitable aura which would probably suppress resistance just by standing in the background. She knew that she was not match for it in both skills and in equipments. Kamiyo could already feel death lingering just around the corner of her cockpit.

"D… damn it… is this all I can do?" The red TSF slowly approached her with its blade drawn. The girl tried to get machine back up but the controls were locked. "Impact lock? At a time like this!-?" She saw the sword raised against her. "Damn…" She made a silent prayer to herself hoping to see her friends in the afterlife. She wasn't religious… but when facing death… praying seems to be the only thing worth giving into right now.

…

But the blow never came. Instead, when she reopened her eyes she saw Shirogane's customized Fubuki grabbing the Takemikazuchi by the back lifting it a few meters off the ground.

**(Takeru's POV)**

"Haaaaaa!" That was too close for comfort. If I was a few seconds late then Kamiyo would be cut in half for sure. But this Takemikazuchi sure is heavy. It almost doubles the whole weight of the Fubuki.

"1st Lt. Shirogane! What are you doing!-?" Kamiyo was barking on my ear like Class rep. "You're not supposed to be here!"

"Don't joke around! I didn't come all this way just so you can get yourself killed! Now get back up!"

"That's not an opponent you can defeat!"

"Shut up! I don't need some runt to tell me what I can or can't do! It doesn't matter what they throw at me! I'll beat em just like everyone else! Teeeh!"

Crash!

I tossed that giant machine aside and readied my sword. Damn… it seems like my blade is worn out from that last battle. I had a difficult time fighting a Type-94 with a training unit… how much more would I last with a Type-00?

Whirrr!

Tch… I got no choice. Here it comes! Teeeehhh!

Clang!

What the!-?

"Kamiyo! What are you doing!-?"

"You can't fight her! You just can't!" What is she talking about? "If you do she'll kill you! (Huh?) Because… Tsukuyomi san is in that thing!"

… what!-?

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Escaped!-?" Radhabinod's eyes widened when he was told of the news regarding Ikaruga's capture.

"Yes sir…" The messenger nodded flinching back slightly from the man's sudden outburst. "Most of the units we've sent were easily annihilated by the enemy commander. Valkyries Squad is currently in pursuit but comparing the speed between their models they won't be able to catch up"

"Hmm… so even they cannot match against him. Do we know where the target is heading?"

"Yes sir. According to his movement patterns, he'll be heading directly towards Shinjuku to regroup with the remains of his main force"

"Then he has nowhere to go" One of the General's advisor stated with a hint of pride behind his smile. "We have Shinjuku surrounded. If he enters that area he'll be trapped along with the rest of his men. General… I recommend we focus all our strength in capturing this ward. We still have our fleet stationed at Tokyo Bay. If we bomb them now we can still close this battle with average loses. We can end this fight now…"

…

The old war hero looked to the situation, having all eyes turned to him. Even though he has been through countless battles already, making these hard choices never got easier. To issue another bombardment from the fleet would level an entire ward down to rubble. Soldiers and civilians will undoubtedly be caught in the crossfire. But in the end… the result comes before idealistic views. "Do it…"

**(Shinjuku)**

But Ikaruga was far from finished here. He wasn't done yet. Even with entire army decimated, they've done their part in stalling enough time for the final phase of his plan to come to life. The battle with the U.N, the mass slaughter of the Japanese citizens was nothing more but a diversion to hide his true intentions.

As he watched the last of the Imperial Army wither away through hails of gunfire, a wicked grin cracked through his lips that would make a demon cower in fear. The sound of his men crying out for aid, the weeping of children… and the storm of gunpowder and ash… were so welcoming that it fed into his ego.

"Lord Ikaruga!" One of the surviving Eishis approached him from behind. "It's no use! The supply base has fallen! We can't hold this position any longer. We have to retreat!"

"So they're finally fed up with us. I expected nothing less from Radhabinod… He truly is superior" The young lord gave his enemy a rare praise.

"My lord! What are your orders!-?"

"You're annoying… (Eh?)" The Madman didn't even hesitate when he pulled the trigger, killing one of his own men in a heartbeat. "Can't you tell that I'm enjoying the view?"

The sight of such carnage was pleasing to the man. Even as his own men felt the touch of death he felt no remorse… no pity and not a hint of mercy in his eyes. A regular man would've been shell-shocked after such a destructive scene play out before them. But for Ikaruga… he only seems to admire it even more.

The gunfire and smoke dazzled endless through the sky, lightning the city in an endless sea of fire. Even the snow that drifted from above melted before they even reached the ground. The whistling of bullets and missiles were like instruments playing a tune only a soldier could understand. Cannons and explosions were the bass going from a low to high pitched noise. It was a symphony in the form of war itself.

Time seemed to slow for the madman as he suffered this heavy lost against his enemies. But for a moment he would like to enjoy it to the fullest. He opened his radio to any channel and listened calmly like driver listening to music while stuck on traffic.

But the lyrics and melody that he expected were replaced with agonizing screams of his soldiers dying in his name. Some of them pleaded for aid while the rest screamed out names of their loved ones before perishing in a blinding light.

It was… majestic… for him. To listen to those souls struggling voices… to hear them beg for mercy and hope were like angels singing in his ears.

"It's beautiful… isn't it?" He asked out loud to no one in particular. "The screams… the sound of battle. (…) Only those who have survived such carnage can enjoy such a scene themselves. There is little to be done now… after we've come this far. (…) How pathetic of me… to come so far… just to desire so little in return" But his tranquil moment was suddenly broken when he noted several TSFs with U.N. paintings approaching him from affront.

"Primary target has been found! Surround him" A U.N. Eishi noticed the blue Takemikazuchi and quickly ordered his men to cover all of his escape. "This is the United Nation Armed Force to the pilot in the blue Takemikazuchi! You're now completely surrounded! Come out of your TSF with hands up, this instant!"

"Arrogant fools" Ikaruga spoke back to him. "You believe that you have me in a corner but in reality is it you who have been in check and you brought this upon yourselves. Allow me to show you the error of your ways!" And suddenly, as if done by the act of god, the ground began to tremble and crack apart.

**(U.N. Forward Headquarters)**

"Emergency alert! A large seismic tremor has occurred within Shinjuku! (What!-?)" Every alarm on the base was going off at the start of the quake. Computers and lights flickered and the crew hung onto their tables for dear life. "Calculating…"

"Is that… an earthquake?"

"No…" The General stated back with his gut feeling. "… I fear it is something much worse"

**(Royal Palace) (Shogun's Room)**

"What is this!-?" The Grand Chamberlain yelled out fiercely as the room tilted from its original standings. Anything that wasn't nailed to the floor flung from their places smashing themselves upon the ground and walls. The stone and wood that supported the castle were torn from their places and swooped by the wind, never to be seen again by the eyes of man. Many hallways and rooms were torn from the building itself as if it was ripped by the hands of a giant. The guards that were unfortunate enough to be stationed there, fell to the cracked earth below, screaming at their own demise.

Yuuhi braced herself in a corner of her room holding herself against such might… her willpower diminishing with each death. She could only sit there… powerless to stop all this madness from continuing.

**(Takeru's POV) (Koto)**

What the hell!-? Is this… an earthquake! At a time like this!-? (Tremor…) Gaaahh! Crap! I'm losing control!

"Shirogane, get out of there!" Eh? Marimo? "Something's happening! I'm reading an earthquake within the city itself! It's reaching a 5.3 magnitude and climbing! The whole city is falling apart!" No way! A real tremor!-? But why now of all times!-? Gahh! I can't seem to get my bearing.

**(Shinjuku)**

The tremor lasted for about 30 seconds before it finally came to a halt. But in that short span of time, the layout of the city had changed greatly that geologists would spend days alone just trying to find out which way was up and down. Buildings were torn, homes, decimated and the history of the Japanese people were washed away in that brief moment.

"This is Valkyrie Leader to all Valkyries, respond! (Bzzt…)" Isumi was getting on her coms trying to find out if anyone made it out of that quake safely. Just as they were chasing that madman into his den, it felt like the city itself literally fell on top of them. "Munakata, Hayase, Kazama, Tamase, Yoroi! Can anyone hear me!-? (Bzzzt!) Damn it! Is there anyone out there at all!-?"

"Th… this is Valkyrie 1C. I'm here" Munakata answered at last. "I have Kazama and Tamase. Yoroi's mech was damaged but she'll pull through"

"Ah! I'm getting a signal from Ayamine's TSF" Mikoto announced as she looked on her screen. "Kei chan! Are you alright? Are you injured?"

The raven haired Eishi then slowly emerged from the pile of rubble with her TSF smoldering with signs of damage. "Minimal damage sustained…" She replied before suddenly pulling two other compatriots from the rubble. "You ok?"

"Chizuru chan! Akane chan!"

"I… I'm fine…" Chizuru grunted through some measure of pain. She had blood dripping from her head but it was nothing to be alarmed. "Thanks… Ayamine…"

"Heh… the world must really be ending…"

"Shut up, Akane!"

"Not now, you two" Isumi commanded them. "Form up on me and do a complete weapons check. We're not through yet! (Roger!) Apply whatever stims you need to keep you up and running. There are a few supply crates by the ruins over there. Keep a watch for enemies and give the weapons to those who need it most. As for—(Captain!) What is it Kazama?"

"L… look there! Over by the smoke!"

The color drained from the faces of the Valkyries as they gazed upon the mighty figure that seemingly came out of nowhere. As if the beast itself was spawned from the depths of hell, it rose from the bowls of the Earth bringing with it the weapon that will destroy all of Japan.

"N… no way…" Isumi felt her throat dry and her eyes bulging from their sockets, still unable to take in what she was seeing. "Isn't that… the XG-70?"


	57. Battle for Japan Part 5

**Chapter 57: The Battle for Japan (Part 5) (The Burning of Japan)**

**(U.N. Forward Headquarters)**

Radhabinod could no longer hide his shocked expression from those around him anymore. With the appearance of the XG weapon, everyone in headquarters had the same effect. They were stunned just like the soldiers who were facing it at on the battlefield.

"That's… an XG-70!" One of the General's advisors broke out of his trance watching as every computer had the exact same weapon printed on their screens. "How could they have hidden something like that!-?"

"Were they secretly building it in their underground factories?" Asked another.

But no one had an answer. They were still trying to process the information into their heads. But their shock was quickly dispelled by the sound of an alarm coming from one of the operator's table.

"Emergency alert! New enemy TSF groups are emerging from the crater! It's… the Imperial Honor Guards! (…!) They're attacking in force from where the XG unit emerged. They're now attacking our forces in Toshima, Nakano, Shibuya and Itabashi!"

**(Shinjuku)**

In that split second, the tide of the battle turned for the worse for the United Nations Armed Force. Disorganized by the earlier earthquake, and weakened from the previous fight with the Imperial Army, the soldiers could barely even gather themselves to resist a fresh elite group like the Honor Guards.

"Behold, people of Japan!" Ikaruga spoke atop the ruins with his personal army at his back. They let out a cheer as their leader gave out his speech. "Today dawns the beginning to a new empire! By my hands I will bring forth a country that will surpass this dying one! (Raaaaahh!) And so… bear witness to the sun that will scorch this land to cinders! Bear witness to Amaterasu herself! (Rahhh!) This is my order to the remaining fighting force loyal to the royal family! This land's greatest triumph is at hand! At long last our greatest dream of ruling a land without the influence of the outside world will finally come to fruition! Stand strong and destroy our enemies!"

"Yes, my lord!"

"Show them the might of sun goddess herself. Show them the power that we have achieved!"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

On board the Amaterasu the commanding officer confirmed his orders and released it to the rest of the crew. "Ready launchers 1-15 and load cluster mines on chaff tubes. Ready all defensive weapons for combat!"

"Yes sir. Loading launchers 1-15 with multi-purpose shells, loading cluster mines on chaff tubes, CIWS are on standby, 36mm chainguns and twin barreled 120mm guns are loaded with AP rounds. Ready on your mark, sir"

"Target the scattered remains of the U.N. Army. Let none survive! Fire!"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Hails of missiles, cluster bombs and explosives poured once again on the city like rain drops. As soldiers tried their best to avoid the storm, they were simply too exhausted to make a run for it. Within seconds, what was left of the U.N. Army of both Hammer and Shark Company were laid to waste. Their numbers thinned mowed down like livestock.

Even Isumi who has been hardened with constant battle had no choice but to withdraw. Even she could tell that her girls were no match with the XG unit and its massive firepower. The weapons on it alone made the firebases look like picnic gardens.

"Retreat! Retreat! All Valkyries get out of there now!" The girls rushed off in pairs dodging the bullets that came their way. It was only thanks to their training and hardened instinct and their new OS were they able to get away safely from the firestorm. "Command Post, this is A-01 Special Task Force, Valkyrie. We've sustained heavy losses on the frontlines and can no longer continue battle. We are withdrawing. I repeat: We are withdrawing from the battlefield"

"Valkyrie Mum, roger that. All surviving forces, regroup immediately at the south-west of Setagaya. A casualty collection center has been established in that point along with several supply crates. There are currently no available reinforcements at this time. Make do with what you have"

"Valkyrie Leader, roger that. Alright girls. Form up on me and switch to Arrowhead 1 Formation! Maintain an altitude below 200 meters! (Roger!) Provide cover for the others, deploy chaff smoke!"

**(Takeru's POV) (Koto)**

Geh… my head. I feel like my whole body is shaking. (Beep beep…) Damn… it looks like most of drives were killed in that last blow. What the hell was that? Some kind of explosion? Whatever it is, it shook the whole city apart. The streets are in tatters and the buildings have collapsed all around. I don't even know if I'm in Koto or Edogawa at all.

Click… click…

Come on. Let's see the damage. So far my supplementary armor is holding. The blast caused some influx in my circuitries but nothing a little rerouting of power can't handle. All those training in mechanical classes with Marimo and the girls really did some work. Class rep was the most helpful because she studied that book from cover to cover.

Alright… I can reconnect my headset with the neuro-link. Transmissions normal. All systems are green. (Whirr…) I can move my arms and legs again.

Hmm? Ah! That's…

"Kamiyo!" Her Takemikazuchi is wrecked a few meters away. Thank god… it looks like cockpit hasn't been damaged. She deflected the debris with her hands. "Kamiyo! Are you in there? Kamiyo! Hey!" Damn… I can see her face on the monitor but there's no response. It seems like she's out cold from that shock. But what did she… (Flash!) Huh? Oh cr—!

WHAM!

A blade flashed through my sights just inches before it hit me. I know that move anywhere. That's the same style I used on Sagiri during the last coup. It's the technique that a good friend of mine once taught me.

Tsukuyomi… but how?

That red machine. It's just like hers. But why? Why would she even consider…?

"Tsukuyomi…? Is it… really you?" I asked on an open channel which I noted that she was responding. "Tsukuyomi san… please tell me why! Why are you doing this? Why are you fighting against me!-? Why are you fighting against your own subordinates!-?"

"…"

"Tsukuyo—WHOA!"

She sent her sword down my way, cutting the building behind me in half. Kamiyo said that Tsukuyomi san was in that machine… but I don't get the reason why? She'd never raise a sword against Meiya or any of her friends. So… why is this happening?

"Grrr…" Huh? Was that… a growling noise I just heard? "Raaaaarrrrghhhh!" What the hell!-?

Clang!

Damn it! I'm unarmed here! My blade is buried under a ton of rubble and my gun is jammed from that collision. What else do I have? (Beep…) Combat knife!-? Is that all I have left!-? Of all the time to… Arghh!

_"Why is it that every time disaster strikes, I find myself without a proper blade?"_

_-Prince of Persia from the game: The Two Thrones-_

I guess I have no choice! It's better than nothing!

Clang!

Gah! The gap between our power outputs is just too different. And the skill behind that machine is probably even better than my own! I'll have to put her down by stabbing the transmission!

**(Amaterasu)**

Ikaruga had to admit that the engineering corp have outdone themselves on this operation. As he entered the Floating Fortress from the rear entrance he could see how much customization they had to input. The XG itself was a mobile castle. A Floating Fortress in every sense of the word. It had enough space inside to house four TSFs and enough weaponry to mow down hordes of BETA inside the Hive itself. Truly it was a masterpiece, the ultimate weapon of humanity itself

"Lord Ikaruga, welcome…" A group of Honor Guards greeted him as he exited his Takemikazuchi. "We have been expecting you. I hope everything meets your expectations"

The madman nodded back in turn. "Yes… you've done an excellent job by completing the XG-70 in a single night. It's far more impressive than I previously expected. The replication must've been difficult"

"Yes sir… but do not let its appearance fool you. Though we were able to build the XG completely, the capabilities are far below that of the U.N. model that they unleashed in Sadogashima. Everything is in accordance with the schematics. The only thing we were unable to replicate its shielding technology. The plans that the Eurasian Army brought us were limited to the structure only. Everything else was customized by our own engineering corp. To make up for the lack of shield we've installed numerous weapons to protect it from oncoming attacks. We also have a squadron of Wadatsumis stationed atop the unit itself to act as living defense force. Their combined firepower will be more than sufficient to eliminate any aerial threats that approach. As you said… this is not an unmanned model like the U.N. The technical masteries needed for such a computer is far too complex for us to decipher within a day so instead we installed a larger cockpit to be manned by a crew of 12"

"I see… but as long as we have its primary weapon then I'm satisfied"

"Yes sir. We also installed a small hanger here to resupply and repair damaged units that have been deployed on scene. In the moment we only have your Takemikazuchi here for rearm"

"Good. It seems like I was right to put your group in this task. You and your men have performed admirably, captain"

The man and his crew puffed their chest up with pride, lifting their heads with an arrogant look with the praise they were given. "We are deeply honored by your words, my lord"

"And what of our forces? Are they still in combat?"

"The 1st and 2nd Honor Guard Regiments are now defending the outer wards. The U.N. Army has been pushed back and the Eurasian Forces have been defeated. We have complete control over Tokyo central area"

"Perfect…"

The man then arrived at the bridge where the crew members of the XG were waiting for his arrival. They bowed as he entered. "Lord Ikaruga. We welcome you. Everything is going according to plan. Our overwhelming firepower has decimated all that resists our advance. There is nothing left standing in your way"

"Then let us play the part we were meant to play. Ready the particle cannon. Target… the Royal Family residence and the Imperial Army main branch headquarters… Saitama!"

"Yes sir. Opening primary weapon's hatch. Moorcock-Lechte Engine running at optimal power, energy mass to particle cannon, stable. Systems all green"

"Emergency vent systems activated, cooling-cartridge loaded. All systems, green. Disengaging final safety locks. Target, the Royal Family residence… Saitama City"

"Raise the trigger to the bridge. (Whirr) Your Excellency…" The captain offered the madman with the trigger for the weapon.

"Yes… it seems appropriate that I be the one who rid the world of this filth. In the end, only evil can defeat the greater evil" He gladly took the trigger and aimed it on the screen. "Now… Your Majesty. Gaze deeply upon the land that has pampered you from birth. Take in what you've sowed here for it is what remains of your pathetic legacy. Because now… I will play… a requiem for you and all your kind!"

And with one squeeze of a trigger, the XG weapon fired its primary weapon bringing forth a beam that many soldiers thought to be the salvation of mankind. Everything that was caught in its path was disintegrated, never to be seen again. Like a force of nature, it carved its way through the Earth like a knife. Even the air that it came into contact were inhaled and spat out like dir.

**(U.N. Forward Headquarters)**

"Emergency alert!" The operator announced to the whole room as an alarm sounded, calling the attention of the General and his advisors. "The XG-70 unit is… it's firing the particle cannon!"

"What's its target!-?"

"Calculating now. (…)It's heading northwards… towards… Saitama City!"

**(Saitama) (Imperial Army Headquarter Branch)**

"What!-? It's heading for us!-?"

"Yes sir! The beam is heading straight here!"

"Evacuate the base!"

"We'll never make it!"

The men never even had a chance to get out of their seats when the beam struck their base engulfing them all in a bright light. Everything that was caught within the explosion vanished to nothingness. The Royal Family, the Imperial Army, the people… the city… all of it… gone.

**(U.N. Army Forward Headquarters)**

A large explosion engulfed the city. No one could believe it. No one wanted to believe it but the deed was done. What was left of the Imperial Army high chain of command, was gone.

"Saitama city… is gone" One of the operators stated as he managed to break from the trance.

"Everything between the city and the XG has been reduced to rubble…"

Even Radhabinod was having difficulties hiding his shocked expression. With such overwhelming firepower… how else was he supposed to react?

"Order the fleet to attack!" He ordered suddenly. "We cannot allow that thing to fire again. Have all of our remaining batteries focus all their firepower on the XG!"

"Y… yes sir! This is HQ to all ships. Direct all weapons at the enemy XG-70 weapon. Fire for effect"

"Strong-Arm Team, ready 200mm rocket. Target, Shinjuku district, enemy mobile fortress. Fire for effect"

The men have lost count how many times they've rained death and fire into the city. They planned on using those cannons as little as possible but when that fortress came out, everything changed. They already lost track on how many times they've used it.

Radhabinod too was losing his temper. He knew that they had to destroy that weapon as quickly as possible… but after the losses they've suffered, he'll call it a miracle if they can just get out of there alive.

"What do we have to send against the Honor Guards?" He inquired to his advisors as he brought up the main table.

"Sir… most of our Heavy Armored divisions withdrew from Shinjuku when the XG weapon appeared" One of them replied pointing towards the area he designated. "At this moment our forces are stretched thin right now. All of our forces in each prefecture are currently in play right now so we're completely on our own"

"We've set up a rally point at Setagaya. Most of our TSFs and Eishis are gathering the wounded and resupplying with our Command Post unit. We still have a few straggling units fighting against the Honor Guards but they have no luck breaking through"

"The Honor Guards have captured Nakano, Shibuya, Toshima and Bunkyo making an almost impenetrable defense line. Unlike our forces sir, they're fresh. It's obvious now that they were only using the Imperial Army loyalists to wear us down"

"They caught us in our weakest moment. Everything that has happened was only a prelude to this moment"

**(Amaterasu)**

Ikaruga's creepy grin grew even more as the flash of light finally faded. It felt sublime to hold such power at the palm of your hands and even more so when he saw the destruction it caused. Within seconds, the estate where the emperor and the rest of the royal family resided for their own safety was leveled down to nothingness.

"Particle cannon fired at 60% efficiency"

"Imperial Army Headquarters at Saitama along with the royal shelter bunker have been destroyed"

"The Urawa-ku ward in Saitama City have been leveled down. Casualties expected to rise of more than 50,000"

"Ventilation of energy complete. Reloading the second cartridge onto the slot. Energy capacitor are at the red, cooling down will take at least… 10 minutes 34 seconds"

"Everything between us and Saitama City has been reduced to rubble. Enemy forces are in chaos"

"The sheer destructive power is amazing" Ikaruga stated. "There's absolutely nothing left"

"Yes my lord… but we were not able to incorporate the U.N's data on this machine. The power output is only half of what we saw in Sadogashima. Because of this we will need to transfer ourselves in exact positions before we can fire"

"That's fine. As long as we can use this weapon to destroy our enemies, I'm satisfied. It takes 10 minutes to recharge. Perhaps it's time we paid our respects to the Eurasian Army who made all of this possible. They were the ones who stole it for us in the first place. But I suppose death to thieves is a fitting punishment. (Yes sir…) Target their headquarters at Chiba. We'll wipe out the U.N. Fleet along with them. I'm certain this is what they were expecting when they decided to use us for their own gains"

"The Eurasian forces that attempted to seize the underground factory have been destroyed my lord" The captain reported to him making sure that he kept up to date. "It was obvious that they simply wanted to use our facility to build the machine and capture it for their own use"

"Yes… it would've been a perfect plan if it wasn't so plainly obvious. Have our forces ready for all attacks and use the Amaterasu to bombard the enemy with supporting fire. (Yes sir!)"

**(Koto)**

Clang!

That was the sound of blades clashing between Meiya and Makabe. In that abandoned section of the ward, the two fighters continue to do battle even when everything around them have been torn asunder. Their skills were evenly matched in swordsmanship so it was obvious to both sides that the first to lose concentration would be defeated.

"You truly are a splendid warrior" The old guard commended on his opponent. "It brings me great honor to actually find someone worthy for a change"

"You as well…" Meiya replied humoring his ego. "To be given a chance to fight a respected member of the Honor Guard in single combat is an opportunity not many are granted"

"Heh… it seems you know your courtesies. If we had not been on opposite sides I am certain that we would've gotten along well. (…) But it matters little now. His Excellency's plan is moving forward. You cannot stop it"

"Then at the very least, please surrender" The young samurai demanded. "I do not wish to spill blood if it can be avoided. I promise that you will be treated fairly in court"

"On that account, we both can agree. I do not wish to spill blood unjustly. But with the untold deaths that has happened here… my words would just be hypocrisy. Turn back now and we both can live to see another day"

"I cannot…" Meiya answered. "My duties bound me here. I cannot allow you to leave…"

"Then we are at an impasse. But it matters little now. War will become obsolete in the new world that is to come. I gave my soul in believing my master's ideals and am prepared for the consequences"

"Are you planning to throw away your life so easily?"

"This life is already forfeit. I have no regrets"

"Then allow me to be the one to send you to your grave! Teeeehh!"

"Head on!-? Foolish! Don't expect me to be easy prey!" But Makabe soon realized that he had met his match. In one quick fluid move, Meiya outwitted her opponent's blade and without the slightest bit of hesitation she slashed right through the cockpit, cutting the TSF in almost two perfect halves. "Keh…! I failed you… Your Excellency"

As his mech burst into a flames, Meiya gave out a silent prayer in honor of the man's loyalty to his duties. "Go… be at peace…" When the dust of battle settled, Meiya pondered on what she was to do next. The confusion was starting to sink into her head. With the destruction of the U.N. Army, and the arrival of the XG weapon… she didn't know what to do. "This is Valkyrie 3B, calling all units. Respond, over. (Bzzzzt…)" All she received was static on the other end of the line. "This is Valkyrie 3B, to any U.N. Forces in the area. Please respond. (Bzzzt…) They couldn't all be wiped out… could they?"

But her attention was suddenly caught when she noted her radar blip showing two unknown signatures coming from nearby. She turned her sights in that direction and suddenly noted two figures duking it out in the middle of the torn streets.

"Is that… an Imperial Army soldier?"

**(Takeru's POV)**

"Argghhhh! Just stop it, Tsukuyomi! Stop attacking!" This isn't good. I'm being pushed back. I'm down to my last knife and my supplementary armor is breaking apart. This isn't exactly the perfect weapon against a Takemikazuchi… especially with Tsukuyomi piloting it. Her skills are truly unmatched in this world or the other.

I've been lucky so far with a couple of hits and close-calls but this knife can barely even graze the armor. Hitting her transmission is even harder.

Clang!

Ugh! Damn it all! Would you just…!

WHAM!

I whacked her right in the face sending her recoiling back a few meters. That gave me a little breathing room to keep my distance. Tsukuyomi truly is superior. I've never been able to beat her once back in my world. But at the same time it's because of her training that kept me alive. I know almost all of her moves and can avoid them or at the very least block them. But what am I supposed to do now? I can't fight on a standstill battle forever.

WHAM!

Keh! She's pushing me back again. Well two can play that game! (Wham! Clang!) Grrr! Come on! (Clang!) Tooohhh! (WHAM!) Yes! A direct hit! (Bang!) Gahhhh! Son of a…!

Clang!

Oh crap. She's got me pinned. (Click… click) I can't get loose! (Whhiiirrr…) She's gonna hit my cockpit at this range! Ahh! No!

Bang!

Eh? What the? A sniper shot?

"Are you alright?" That voice? A Takemikazuchi…? Wait… I know those markings. Meiya! "It's a good thing I caught up to you in time. Fall back for now. This is no foe that you can handle easily. Leave this to me and regroup with your unit"

"Wait!" Crap… she's speaking on a short range open channel. She can't hear me. She's no match for Tsukuyomi alone. If only there's some way I could support her. (Crack…) Eh? No! Not now! My transmissions are damaged! Damn it! (Whack!) Come on, come on! Move you hunk of junk! I can't let those two fight each other. If they do then… (Flash) One of them will be killed! I can't let that happen.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Teeeh!" Meiya delivered a successful blow tearing a piece of metal from the other frame, unaware of the pilot's identity. Their blades clashed and guns blazed in the cold night in synch.

But Tsukuyomi had no awareness of this match. All she had were orders that were implanted in her head and what remained of her skill and basic instincts. Everything else, even the basic matter of speech was gone from her mind. Only groans and grunts can be heard from her.

"Raaaaaaghhhh!"

The two warriors grappled against one another trying to pin the other down to keep their advantage but it was obvious that they were both equally skilled. Each clash was masterfully done like they've been doing it since they were born. The results of their dedication and training were shown with every blow, every parry and every dodge. Yet shamefully… it was a fight neither of them desired. Had only this been a friendly spar or a friendly competition in some tournament, the audience would be holding on to their seats gambling with the other patrons on who was going to win.

But that was not the case in this match.

**(U.N. Rally point) (Setagaya) (Carrot Tower)**

Disarray…

That was probably the best word to describe the situation with the U.N. Army at that moment. In the makeshift hospital that was constructed in haste, the injured, the wounded and the weary, both physically and mentally were trying their best to lick their wounds and get back up on their feet. But with more wounded of both soldiers and civilians piling up by the hundreds, the best they could do was save as many as they can and give comfort to the dying.

"Get the wounded onto the truck! Prioritize heavily injured only! Leave the dead behind. We'll come back for them later!"

"Someone get me some water! Hurry!"

"I need sutures on standby! Help me bring these two to the medical tent. Bandage their wounds and keep pressure on it at all times"

"Her vital signs are dropping. Someone give me a hand over here!"

"What do you mean we're out of medical supplies!-?"

"I'm sorry sir, but we just don't have any more. We used the last of our antibiotics to tend to the wounded. We're completely out until we can reestablish contact with HQ"

"Damn it… Sergeant, gather your men. Search the nearby area for supplies. Medical kits are a priority! Take them from houses if you have to. (Yes sir!)"

Blood and medicine of every kind were splattered on the ground mixing with the snow and water. Doctors, medics and comrades rushed arm in arm to keep their friends alive but their effort proved fruitless.

On one corner of the building, Mikoto who was the expert medic in her squad was tending to one of the wounded. "Does anyone here have any bandages left!-?" She asked while adding pressure on the man's chest. "Anyone!-?"

"Mi… Mikoto san!" Miki came running to her side. "The supply tent had nothing left! They're out of everything!"

"Try the Command Post. They might have some bandages left. (Roger!)"

But as the girl ran off to the CP, the wounded soldier quickly held out to her. "D… don't bother wasting it on me. It's too deep"

"No! Don't give up! You didn't lose that much blood! I can still stitch the wound. Just hang on a little bit longer"

"Stupid kid… it's too late for me. Just… let…" His voice trailed off just like the light in his eyes.

"Hey! You can't do this! Oi! (…) Someone! Give me a hand!"

In another side, Isumi was gathering herself with Munakata trying to gather as much intelligence as possible on the situation.

"Destroyed?" The captain raised a brow in shock.

Munakata nodded in return confirming her news. "The Armored divisions didn't stand a chance against the Honor Guards. Putting a TSF against lightly armed vehicles, you can already tell who the victors are. So far they're holding them at the Grand Crossing in front of Shibuya Station. But there's no telling when it'll fall"

"Shibuya… that's only a few kilometers from here. Do you think they have enough troops to last?"

"The remnants of the 1st of Hammer Company are holding, as long as they don't do anything to provoke the Honor Guards to launching a full scale attack. I have Sakaki and Touko refitting our units for combat, but right now… the situation is grim. For the first time… we actually have more TSFs than we have Eishis. Most were critically wounded when the XG weapon appeared"

"In other words… we're completely at their mercy" Isumi grunted as she looked at the map provided. "They have a bulk solid defense with fresh elite troops. Not to mention that they also have the XG weapon to support them. I can see why High Command would hesitate to attack. (Captain!) Hmm? Ah! Hayase!"

The young spirited officer of the squad came in with sweat dripping down her face. "Sorry I'm late"

"That's fine. I'm just glad to see you alive. (Hehe…) You're injured"

"It's just a scratch. I can bear with it" Hayase covered the dry blood from her shoulder acting tough. "But my TSF is in need to resupply. Can I get it rearmed?"

"I'll tell Sakaki to fix her up" Munakata answered back. "Sakaki. We have another unit that needs refitting. Can you come over once the others are finished?"

"Roger. I'm finishing the last one now"

"Thanks. Oh… and take this" Hayase quickly handed her medkit over. "Give it to those who need it most. I can do without it. (Understood…) So… what's our next move?"

"There's been no orders at this moment" Isumi gave out a sigh seeing how panicked the whole camp was. "We're just trying to stay away from the battlefield and get as many soldiers back in fighting conditions. By the way… have you seen Mitsurugi?"

"I tried to look for her in Koto but the paths are blocked with debris. Just trying to get around was risky enough. (…) But don't you worry. My platoon is made of sterner stuff. I'm sure she's resting in the command post in Koto"

"Yeah… that may be the case. But that doesn't change the situation we're in. (…) At this rate… we'll be forced to retreat further back. And there's no telling what the Honor Guards plan to do with that weapon. (…) Until we receive new orders, we're to provide aid to the wounded. Munakata, get some men and search for some medical supplies in houses and shops"

"Roger. I saw a clinic near here. There might be some stuff we can use"

"Do it. Hayase. You'll be our lookout for now. Should the enemy break through the Grand Crossing in Shibuya, I want you to be our last line of defense"

"Just leave it to me!"

**(Amaterasu)**

"Our forces are holding at Shibuya. Enemy resistance in all other areas has ceased"

Ikaruga grinned mischievously as he knew that victory was his. He destroyed the U.N. Army utterly and what was left of the turncoat Imperial Army were retreating as well. Without the chain of command they were left in the dark.

Sitting upon his throne onboard the Floating Fortress, the madman need only watch as the chaos continued to ensue amongst the people of Japan. Riots and insurrection were growing everywhere and they didn't even realize that they became puppets that obeyed his every command without even saying a word.

"How much longer until we can fire the particle cannon?" He asked.

"We're recharging now. Approximately 400 seconds"

"Power output stable, no immediate errors detected. Readjusting targeting vectors. Target… Eurasian Army Headquarters, Chiba. (Beep) Alert! Enemy units are retaliating in force. I'm detecting artillery fire and armored divisions attacking on our western blockade"

Ikaruga took lazily turned his head to the screen with his fist holding his head above the table. He watched pathetically as the remainder of the U.N. and Eurasian Armies struggled to survive. They fired their guns at them blindly, hoping to get a lucky strike or so. It would've been fine… were it not for the thick armor of the Amaterasu. They were simply delaying their inevitable end.

"Yes… go ahead. Struggle to your hearts' content. Let the old world rot and perish peacefully to oblivion. But there's nothing you can do to stop it. A new world is about to be born. We do not need the filth of the old for its creation"

**(Koto Ward)**

"Teeeeeehhh!" Meiya swung her blade again, blowing another portion off Tsukuyomi's shoulder. The match was close but Meiya held a greater advantage with her new OS. "Tch! This warrior… is fierce. Still… I will defeat you!"

But Tsukuyomi's skill held merits. Even with the damage her unit sustained she forced it with a drive to hold on. But as the fight pressed on she immediately understood that her mech wasn't going to last long in a toe-to-toe match with her opponent. The quality of their unit's performance was the deciding factor in such a match. She needed to end this quickly with a single strike and move on. Taking a deep breath, she readied her stance, raising her blade over her head in a deadly blow.

"That stance…" Meiya recognized it almost instantly. She too knew the style of that attack. "A hien-nodachi? (…) Very well! Come and try me!" Bracing with the same stance, Meiya charged in headfirst trying to get the upper hand in the fight. But her attack was predicted and she soon fell for a trick. "A feint!-?"

Tsukuyomi reversed her sword, dodging the first blow before countering, hitting her little-sister figure down with an unremorseful blow.

"Gaaahh!" Meiya fell in face first on the ground with a defining crash. "Damn!" She tried to break free but found herself stuck in the rubble. "Tch!" But Meiya was resourceful. Using claw-like feet she parried the oncoming blow and pushed her opponent away with enough force to give her some distance. She quickly recovered and drew her second blade out to attack. "Teeeehhh!"

The two sides traded blow after blow like they were truly bent on killing one another. They didn't hold their strikes back and they didn't hesitate to aim directly for the cockpit. It was only thanks to their self training that they were able to survive against one another.

"Tch… this is getting us nowhere" Meiya thought as she looked at the status of her machine. The continuous fighting without resupply was beginning to wear on her TSF. "I cannot prolong this battle any further. I will have to decide it with one strike" She readied her blade on her waist like a sword that would be drawn from its sheath.

Tsukuyomi readied an opposite stance, with her sword pointing downward like an arch shaped cut.

It was like a duel between the samurais of old where one blow will decide victory or defeat. There was no room for errors and a single miscalculation could be your last.

Time slowed and as if drawn by the same puff of smoke… the two warriors unleashed their blows, clashing their blades against another. The sound of their clash made an echo throughout the ward, vibrating in such intensity that it shook even the glass around them.

But to their amazement, it was Meiya who came out victorious. With a single slash she tore the armor of her opponent and disabled it with a quick and clean blow. But she knew that the warrior inside would settle for nothing more but complete victory or defeat. Even now, the red Takemikazuchi raised its wounded body from defeat drawing its hidden arm-blade from its sockets.

But Meiya easily parried her blows. She has studied the general weapons of the Takmikazuchi and know that the arm-blade were nothing more but a desperate way to connect a difficult but fatal blow. With a quick swing she tore the left arm of her opponent only to be stabbed in return. "Geh! Damn it!" She quickly realized her blunder to leave such a simple opening.

WHAM!

The blow struck her hard forcing her machine to recoil back.

"Tsukuyomi! STOOOOP! Meiya's in there!"

…!

And as if reacting to the name, the red machine suddenly stopped in its attack as Takeru rushed in with his gun blazing.

"Oooooohh!" His bullets missed her by a whistle.

**(Takeru's POV)**

Damn… I can't hit her at all. I used full-automatic and not a single shot made a mark. Tsukuyomi is indeed skillful. She really is unmatched.

"Meiya, are you alright in there?"

"Takeru? But… why are you in that machine?"

"I'll tell you about it later. Right now we have to work together. We can't fight Tsukuyomi in our current condition"

"Tsukuyomi? Are you saying that Tsukuyomi is piloting… that machine? But why?" I didn't know either but I was certain. I can judge by the way she uses her sword. It's almost flawless just like her movement even with the old OS. I can understand why Meiya is having a hard time believing it. Even I can't even begin to convince myself that Tsukuyomi would willingly draw her blade against Meiya or her subordinates. But it really is her. "It… can't be…"

Tch… she's readying her weapons again. Even without a sword… she's still a formidable opponent.

…

I don't want to kill her but I can't let her do any more damage than this. Disabling her limbs seems like the best idea.

"We'll have to take her down… (…?) We'll target her joints. Try not to do any damage on the cockpit"

Meiya seemed to be confused by all this new information but she kept herself in check. "Alright. I'll follow your lead"

**(Amaterasu)**

"The Particle cannon is fully charged, sir"

Ikaruga grinned once more as he raised the trigger to his chest. The feeling of ultimate destructive power at the palm of his hands was simply astounding. It was like a toy with dangerous consequences.

"200 seconds remaining until we reach optimal location"

"Counting down. Issuing evacuation orders to all troops stationed within the line of fire. (Beep) Huh? What the? (…?) Your Excellency, we have a problem. There appears to be a small scale battle still happening at Edogawa and Koto. Our forces are currently still engaging with the turncoat Imperial Army and some U.N. forces"

"Will it cause any problems to the beam?"

"No sir. But a substantial number of our troops are still in combat"

"Then they have served their purpose. (…) Those who no longer have a mind and their will are best put down. We'll give them some measure of peace before sending them into the afterlife. Ready the cannon and raise the trigger"

"Y… yes my lord"

"It has been fun Radhabinod…" Ikaruga said to no one in particular. "You provided me with a lot of entertainment. I most certainly enjoyed our little… game. But right now… the world desires stability"

"Optimal firing point, reached! Stabilizing engines. Readying particle cannon! Opening hatch! All systems green!"

"Thank you… my Eurasian friends. Thank you for making our dreams come true. Allow me to send you off with the very weapon you had hoped to wield"

"Particle Cannon, armed! Releasing safety locks!"

"FIRE!"

**(U.N. Fleet Flagship, Saijou)**

On board the flagship, Admiral Kozawa noticed the bright light bursting in the distance.

"High energy beam reaction!" One of the operators shouted out to the crew. "It's headed straight for us! Admiral!"

"Reverse the turbines! All engines to full power! Order all ships to do the same! Tell the ground forces to take cover!"

"It's too late!"

"We're not going to make it!"

The explosion blasted the city in a blink of an eye. Everything was caught within that shining light turned to dust and disappeared from existence. The Eurasian soldiers and the U.N. Army were decimated with a mere pull of a trigger.

The ships that were not caught in the blast soon found themselves capsizing from the mighty waves that came from the aftershock. Sailors and countless others drowned in seconds and those left behind… would suffer a fate of a slow and miserable death.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

In the far off distance… you can almost hear the frightening laughter of the madman who was the cause of all this.

**Remark: This Chapter is dedicated to Audiodelus as thanks for the 'gift'**


	58. Battle for Japan Part 6

**Chapter 58: Battle for Japan (Part 6) (Cries of the Weary)**

**(Edogawa)**

"Keh… d… damn it" Sayoko cursed outwardly to herself as tried to raise her Shiranui back to the fight. She's can't tell how long she's been out but she knows that it was awhile. "This is Orochi Leader to all units… does anyone read me?"

"Major… are you alright?"

"My unit transmission is damage but I can move. What are our losses?"

"Head 3-7 are dead. I'm only getting signal from 6% of our forces. (6%?) Yes ma'am. The beam that was directed at us not only wiped out our forces but the enemy as well"

"This is… insane. How could they sacrifice their own forces?" She looked to the ruins around her only to see the same scene of carnage play over and over. She led a force nearly ten times larger than what she had now. But now… after a brief moment… it was reduced to this.

"Major, what are you orders?"

Sayoko raised her weary body up to face the chaos but knew well that continuing the fight would be meaningless. The morale of her men was already non-existent at this point. If she pressed on… it would only end with the worse possible result.

"Tell all forces to retreat" She said finally after gathering her strength together. "There's little point in fighting now. Help the wounded but do not attract the attention of the enemy. Once we've gathered what we can, we'll withdraw northwards towards Adachi and regroup with whatever's left of our forces. Go…"

"But ma'am… what if they try to hit us while we retreat?"

"They won't. From what I see they need to maintain a solid defense around that super weapon of theirs. It doesn't appear to be complete yet so it relies heavily on support

**(U.N. Forward Headquarters)**

In the desolate base of the U.N. Headquarters, the men scrambled to get themselves organized. After the blast, the whole place came crashing down on them like an earthquake struck. Officers and operators got back on their feet trying their best to get the wounded out and get back in supporting the soldiers fighting on the front.

"General! General!" Radhabinod who took the blunt of a falling piece of debris regained conscious from his nap. He could taste his own blood on his lips and a jagged wound on his arm. "He's conscious. Help me with him. (Yes sir) General, are you alright?"

"Yes I'm fine" The old war veteran reassured them. "Damage report. What happened?"

"Severe damage around headquarters, sir. Most of our fleet was caught in the attack. Luckily our mobile command post was outside of the blast radius. I'm calculating signals from our forces" The officers quickly gathered themselves holding onto their resolve for as best as possible. "Our main fleet that was stationed in Chiba was… wiped out. I'm getting a signal from several surviving ships. The Flagship, Saijou has taken damage. The Yamato and Guren have been lost"

"What of our forces stationed in Koto? (…) Well?"

"I'm getting a signal from the Command Post in Koto but it seems like the beam cut through their forces. Casualties are still being reported in. It appears the enemy's main target was the Eurasian temporary base in Chiba. Our ground forces that landed there were wiped out as well. Most of the city itself and the harbor have been destroyed"

"He's wiping us out one by one" One of the adjutants said out loud fearing that they may have well been dead if the enemy hadn't targeted the Eurasian Army. "It's like he's trying to clear the board of all pieces. (Urgh…) General. You have to sit down. You're in no condition to—(Quiet!) Uh…"

"I understand his attack pattern now" The General forced himself up to the command screen pointing out the areas that were blown. "That madman isn't destroying places at random. He's targeting key military facilities around Tokyo… and we fell for it. (…!) First the Imperial Army Branch Headquarters at Saitama… and now the Eurasian stronghold. From this point on, there's only one logical target he aims to shoot at. (…) He aims to destroy… Yokohama Base…"

…!

"Yo… Yokohama Base? But that's… insane!"

"He wants to destroy all military presence that perceives as a threat. And Yokohama Base is the largest military base the United Nations possess in the far west frontlines. Without them… there will be nothing left standing in that man's way. (…) Order evacuation of Yokohama Base immediately. Prioritize supplies and the research team in the area. Move them out of that place immediately! (Y… yes sir!) What do we have left from Hammer Company?"

"The remaining troops from Hammer and Shark have gathered at the rally point in Setagaya. We have a few battered battalions that are assisting with the wounded and a few more in Shibuya"

"Tell those units to attack. (…!) Even if it is a desperate attempt… we can at least buy more time for those at the base to withdraw to a safe location"

"Yes sir… I understand. (…) Well!-? You heard the General! Issue evacuation to Yokohama Base! Form combat groups with the remaining forces we have. Have intelligence do what they can on their end as well. (Yes sir!) Right now… it'll take a miracle to save us all"

**(Takeru's POV)**

Beep… beep… beep… beep… beep…

"Ugh…" What the? What happened? My whole body hurts. I seem to be in my… cockpit. But… gah! Damn… my arm! Urghhhh!

Painkillers… I need to put painkillers. (Pssst) Damn it. My wounds are healing with my unnatural ability but the pain remains. Ugh… but there's no time for that. How long have I been out?

12:15 AM

Roughly 20 minutes or so. What the hell happened? I remember fighting with Tsukuyomi and then… ah! Meiya! Damn it! She was with me earlier when… when something happened. Grrr! I can't remember. I fought with Tsukuyomi and then… ah forget it. All I know is that we were fighting and I got knocked out.

Let's see. My computer seems to be working fine. Maybe I can get a visual of the area. (Beep) The whole city is in ruins. It's as if another earthquake tore through this place, leaving a scar on the surface. (Whirrr) Ah! There's Meiya's TSF. It seems to have fell on that building.

"Meiya. Meiya, this is Takeru. Do you read me? (…) Meiya! Are you there? Respond! (…)" Damn… nothing but static. Either her coms are broken or she's unconscious. I'll have to get to her to confirm. (…) Tch! It looks like my Fubuki is on its last leg. There's no it'll move after this much damage. I have no choice but to proceed on foot.

The lid of my cockpit tore open with a loud pop noise. Ugh… why is it so hot all of a sudden? I feel like I'm trekking through the desert. Ugh… but I can't stop now. I have to see if Meiya's ok. Her Takemikazuchi is only a few blocks away. A quick jog should bring me there if it weren't for my injuries.

"T…ru" Huh? "Ta… can you… me? This is Valhalla! Please… pond!"

Marimo sensei!

"This is Zeus to Valhalla! I can hear you! Repeat, that, over"

"Get out… there! Enemy… ing in your… sion!"

There's too much interference here. I can't tell whether she can hear me. I have no choice. I'll have to get Meiya out of here and find a way to get to safety. If I remember correctly, the U.N. has a command post here in Koto. Meiya will probably know the way. I'll need to bring my medkit, sidearm, tools… huh? Oh…

That sword.

Maybe it would've been better if I didn't bring it. It seems more like a hindrance than anything else. But if I leave it here… it might be a problem later. Oh well… I guess I'll have to bear it just for a little while longer.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Arghh! Damn… that hurts. My muscles are aching all over. I must've hit myself harder than I thought.

Gah! The painkillers are taking a lot longer to take effect. Now… all I have to do is make my way to that TSF. That doesn't sound so hard… if my head wasn't this woozy. My Fubuki is also dead. The whole body is wrecked. Sorry about that big guy. I should've taken better care of you but it seems like I've got a habit of wrecking TSFs.

…

Meiya… please be alright.

…

…

…

This is strange. The ground beneath me feels like I'm walking on magma. I can feel the ruins boiling almost dangerously so. Maybe we were hit by an HE-shell. Not that it matters now. What's important now is getting Meiya safely out of that unit.

Her Takemikazuchi doesn't appear to be that badly damaged. A few broken parts but nothing major at least. Her cockpit seems to be intact too. Maybe we might be able to use it to get us to the command post instead of my Fubuki.

Clank!

"Meiya! Meiya, can you hear me? (…)" Still no response. Let's see. I can't open her cockpit from here. But if I had something to wedge the safety lock off the hydraulics it might cause a friction, tricking the computer to eject. The sword's too fragile and my side arm isn't big enough. A rock maybe? It's worth a shot.

Crack!

…

…

Clank!

Ugh… so much for that idea. The stones I put there just broke into tinier pieces. These TSFs are built to withstand the greatest pressure so a rock won't do any good. (Pssst…) Eh? Huh? What the? (Psssst…) Hey! It opened! I didn't really think that plan would work. I always thought that was just a random idea that would've been used in an anime.

"Ta… keru…"

…!

That voice…

"Meiya!" I rushed in almost immediately when I heard her speak my name. "Meiya! Are you alright? Are you hurt?"

"Ah… I am… not that badly injured" How can she say that? Her blood is all over the place. She's bleeding on her stomach. "Takeru… you're… here. How did you… get here?"

"Never mind the details" Her body is riddled with scars. If this continues she might die of blood lost. "Let's get you out of there first. I'll explain everything later. Here… let me help you" Geh… she's not the only one who's weak too. I'm not really in my best condition either. Her wounds aren't grave but I'll need a suitable place to tend them. A flat surface alone would do.

"Takeru… (Hmm?) How's… Tsukuyomi?"

…

I'm not sure about her condition. After that blast we were all thrown away into different corners. I can see her Takemikazuchi from here. It's badly damaged, missing an arm and a leg but from what I can tell, it's still in one piece.

"Don't worry" I reassured her. "Tsukuyomi is tough. She's been through worse than this. (…) Now come on. Let's get you patched up"

…

…

Hmm… this place should be good enough. This old shop near the railway seems ideal. The cooler temperature here should keep her warm after all that scuffle. But right now… I should focus on treating her wounds. Stitches and bandages. Morphine and antibiotics. These alone should be plenty for one person.

**(Amaterasu) (Bridge)**

"Target is hit. Eurasian Headquarters in Chiba have been leveled. Radiation is reaching toxic level. Estimated time of reduction to livable condition will be in 4 months and 3 weeks. The U.N. fleet has been decimated but due to unstable energy output the blast was only 40% effective"

"Hooo?" The leader of the rebel army raised a curious brow to this flaw. "So we weren't able to wipe them all out. That's a shame. But nonetheless we've successfully rid ourselves of their fighting strength. (Yes sir…) Recharge the cannon. Target… the U.N. Military Headquarters and research facility, Yokohama Base"

"Understood. Venting energy and recharging particle cannon for fire. 10 Minutes until the next shot can be fired"

"Calculating optimal position to fire. ETA 25 minutes"

Ikaruga let out a smirk. "25 minutes. The last moments of this empire. It seems like such a long time. (…) I wonder what my father would say if he knew what I have done to our legacy. (Sir?) Nothing. I'm simply musing myself to pass the time. Oh… and I know that this might be belated but have we received any word from Makabe or any of my guards?"

The Guard next to the man shook his reply in response. "No my lord. I'm afraid we lost 1st Lt. Makabe's signal right before our second shot. He may have… been defeated during battle"

"Is that so?" The madman didn't show a hint of concern nor did his expression change one bit. "Discarding your life for my sake. That sounds just like something only you would do, Makabe. (Sir?) How unsightly. It seems like you won't be able to tour the castles of Japan after all. (…?) Forget it. We'll have time to mourn later. Right now… let us celebrate for the birth of a new Japan"

**(U.N. Rally point)**

Isumi rubbed the temples on her nose as she watched the soldiers gather up the dead and loading them onto trucks to be shipped off. She just received new orders from High Command a few minutes ago and obviously she didn't like it. But it's not like she had a choice in that matter. It was either you die… or die fighting.

Her orders were clear and she was certain that her subordinates aren't going to like them when they hear it.

"Captain Isumi" One of the staff sergeants approached her. "I've gathered every able-bodied-soldier and grouped them accordingly. We have enough tanks to form a division but nothing more. I've also gathered up volunteers for the mechanized infantry. Most are willing…"

"I see… so I guess this is all we can afford. I'm actually surprised we were able to get this many"

"Sorry ma'am"

"No need. We'll commence the attack once the last of the trucks leave off with the wounded. That way we won't any worries of stray fire. (Yes ma'am) Brief the men. I'll relay our orders to my team. (Understood…) Haaa… they're not going to like this" She sighed heavily before contacting her team. "This is Valkyrie Leader. Sakaki… how goes with the resupply?"

"We're just about finished" Chizuru answered. "All units have been fully repaired and rearmed for combat"

"I see… that's good. (Sigh) Listen up everyone. I've just received new orders from High Command. I know that everyone here is exhausted but just bear with it a little longer. We're ordered to attack. (…!) Our orders are to break through the enemy blockade and engage the XG in order to delay it"

"Wait… are they serious?" Munakata was the first to reply. "Do they really expect us to defeat that thing?"

"Captain. I know that we're desperate… but we barely have enough just to fight the Honor Guards at these conditions. Even if we get lucky enough to reach the XG… we can't face its enormous firepower in any direction. We don't have enough firepower to destroy it. The armor alone is at least 3 times thicker than our own"

"I'm aware of that but we don't have any choice" The Captain sympathized with their plight. "Intelligence has confirmed that the enemy's next target for their particle cannon will be Yokohama Base. (…!) I'm sure you're all well aware of what that weapon can do. If it fires… nothing within a ten kilometer radius of the target will be left standing. I know that even with the amount of firepower we have, destroying it is impossible. But at the very least we should buy time for our comrades to escape from Yokohama. We have to… even at the cost of our own lives. (…)"

The squad looked amongst themselves for answers but it seems like they all had the same idea. They were definitely being ordered to go on a suicide mission with these odds. Simply to delay the enemy weapon with their own numbers was pretty much just the same as asking them to die. But if they didn't then more of their comrades will surely pay the price for it.

"What's the plan?" Hayase spoke up first earning a glance from her team. "If we're gonna do this we might as well do it right, neh? It's too late to worry about the future now. (…) Besides… I can't possibly turn tails while I got an enemy in front of me. I still got a score to settle with one of those bastards. Honor Guard or not… they're still human just like us. If we cut them, they die just like the others"

The other girls found some comfort in her words. Despite a little crude, she still had a way to get some anxiety out of them.

"Heh… that's not a nice thing to say, 1st Lt. Hayase. Shirogane would be sad if he heard that you found a more interesting opponent"

"Idiot… I have no intentions of dying here. Once I beat the crap out of these punks I'll show that idiot how much he missed out. (Hehehe…) Well? Are we doing this or not? The faster we finish this the faster I can get back and get a shower"

Isumi gave a laugh. "Right. This is the plan provided by the intelligence group. At the moment, the XG-70 doesn't appear to be completed. The unit itself has to travel within a fixed altitude to fire the particle cannon. If we block its path with large amount of debris it will buy Yokohama base to evacuate. We will proceed with standard tactics. Everyone, mount up. We'll show the Honor Guards that we're not out of this fight just yet. (Roger!)"

**(Takeru's POV)**

There… that should be enough. I've stopped the bleeding but her condition isn't getting any better. Meiya has suffered punctured wounds in her stomach. Prolonging it seems to be the best I can do. She'll need to have a thorough checkup from a professional doctor before I do anything else.

Her suit suffered some damage but it should be alright until we get to the command post. I can't exactly go back to the heliport and look for the escape route and I can't leave Meiya all alone here either. I guess I can't afford to save both. I'm sure Yuuhi's alright.

"T… Takeru?" Oh… she's awake.

"Hey. (Ugh…) Don't get up. You were wounded during the scuffle. I've added some antibiotics and painkillers but you lost a lot of blood. You might feel numb in a few places but that's natural. Just lie down and rest"

"I see. How goes… the battle?"

That's a question I want to ask myself. I can't contact anyone with the amount of static interference around here. At least I know Marimo's ok. If only I had a way to reach her. "I'm not certain. Can you contact anyone on your coms?"

She reached for her headset and clicking through the reset button. "No. It appears that my suit functions are damaged. I cannot reach anyone at the moment"

"I see… then it looks like we're on our own for now. Here… take some of this. I made it while you were asleep" I handed her a cup of bancha tea that I made earlier. The medkit also had a portable self-sustaining electric heater to boil water with. I know it's silly to use medical equipment to make tea but at least I found some use for it. Boiling snow water was risky enough on its own.

"Ah… thank you… I appreciate it"

I handed her a few of my bite size sandwich afterwards. Calories, iron, protein and nutrients are needed for her to return to full strength.

Munch… munch…

This is strange. To see Meiya like this kind of reminds me of how Yuuhi and I spent our time in Susono. We were surrounded by enemies then and I suddenly found myself fighting for dear life against impossible odds. A lot of things happened in that short span of time and not all of it pretty.

Back then it was a lot easier since I could predict the future. But ever since Sadogashima… the future itself seems to diverge from its original course. Not only that… but it was because I understood the reason of their rebellion because I experienced it once. Sagiri was simply being manipulated and people took advantage of the chaos he ensued. This rebellion however… is different.

The rebels are acting with the Imperial Family backing them. One of them is even personally leading them. I can understand why people would rally to their side. Not to mention that the U.N. is still under the suspicion of using G-Bombs on Shikoku Island. I have to say that this isn't looking good for us.

…

Still… I can't bring myself to believe that Yuuhi would actually agree to something like this. I know her. I know that she cares deeply for the people of Japan. Even if it is just for one person she would do almost anything if it is within her power. Back in Susono she tried to pry the basement door open and even began punching it to submission until her knuckles bled.

She cried and nearly went into a depressed state just because she couldn't save one life. In the end she personally took it upon herself to make sure that two innocent girls get the chance to live.

This is exactly why I can't believe Yuuhi would agree to such a massacre. She's strong and she would only use force as a means of self defense.

…

I believe in her… I believe in Yuuhi…

…

Meiya must also be confused. For all she knows she could be facing against her sister out there. She just fought against Tsukuyomi and I'm pretty sure she didn't intend to fight her so intently.

That reminds me… why did Tsukuyomi raise a blade against us? It doesn't make any sense. Even she would know who the pilot behind the Takemikazuchi was. If she knew it was Meiya… there's no way in hell she would fight.

I might not have a good relation with the Tsukuyomi in this world but back in my old world she was a person who was loyal down to the core. She would do almost anything for Meiya even going to the point of risking her life.

"Takeru? (Hmm?) You're day dreaming again. (Ah… sorry) A soldier should always be vigilant especially on the battlefield. But in your case you appear to be at ease. I supposed that is one of your more unique traits… to calm in situation others will panic in" Heh she does have a point. Though I'm not completely relaxed… I do feel calm. Maybe it's because I've gotten used to the rush of things. Even during the battle of Kyoto… even though we were down to our lowest point… I still had a sense of feeling in me.

"Yeah… I guess all that training finally got into me" I joked around.

"Training? It sounds more like your laziness plays a big role in it. (Geh!) Ahuhuhu" Ahehehe… my laziness huh? Maybe there's some truth in that. Being laid back as I was before. Maybe that's why it's called a habit in the first place.

Ah… I wonder when was the last time I was able to laugh like this. To be able to laugh without a single care in the world? To go back to a time before all this craziness happened. Ah… what I wouldn't give just to go back one last time.

Clink…

…!

What was that? There was a noise just now. Meiya heard it too. We both had our side-arms out upon reflex. Damn… I don't want to use this again.

"It came from the railway station" Meiya stated. I think she's right. From what we heard, it came in that general direction. I can't see anything from here. If only I had my TSF I can use the cameras to find my target with thermal scans. It might just be nothing… but you can't be too careful.

"I'll go and take a look. (Eh?) You stay here and watch my back. (But…) Don't worry. It's probably just falling debris but I'm just going to make sure. We'll keep in contact with short range coms. Understood?"

"… Alright. But please be careful"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Hmm… empty. The railway station is pretty much deserted. I can see some train cars tilted from the earthquake and a few stands tipped over. It's hard trying to picture this place as the capital of Japan. I can only imagine how the residences are living off this place.

…

It's quiet. I don't see anyone here. Maybe it was just my paranoia getting the better of me. Then again…I'd better be thorough just in case. Neither of us will be able to get any sleep if this keeps on.

…

Clink…

There it is again—that strange noise. It's coming from that stand. Could it be a survivor? Maybe a civilian? (Clink…) There's no mistaking it. It's coming from over there. Whoever it is doesn't appear to have noticed me. If I go from cover to cover… I can reach it in no time.

…

Clink…

The noise is getting louder. It sounds like a can or a bottle.

Clink…

Now!

"Don't move! (Hissss!) Whoa! What the?"

"Takeru!" Meiya's voice boomed on my ear. "What happened? Are you alright?"

That scared the pants out of me. It was a lousy cat of all things. It seems like the little feline was looking for food in that opened can and I startled it. The thing then hissed and leaped towards me before it dashed off towards the city. That was embarrassing to let a creature like that scare a military officer.

"It's alright Meiya. It's nothing. Just a cat. (Ah… I see…) Looks like we were worried for nothing. There seems to be some food left here. I'll take what I can and meet you back at the camp"

"Understood. Contact me if anything happens"

"Alright. But also keep an open channel. 1st Lt. Hayase and the others might try to contact you. (Yeah…)" Alright… let's see what they have left in here. (Clink…) Huh? Crud… did that cat come back aga—gahh!

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Shirogane slammed against the pavement on the floor when the mysterious figure tackled him from behind. Shrugging off the pain the boy recovered and quickly got back up to ready his side-arm only to have himself tackled again onto the walls of the train-car.

"Gah!" The boy coughed blood from his mouth and the sudden jolt caused his weapon to slip off his fingers. "Damn!" He felt himself pinned from the throat to the wall.

"Raaaaaghh!" But the boy noted a sharp object aiming for his heart. With quick reflexes he diverted the attack only to have a knife shove down his arm.

"Gahhhh!" He quickly retaliated with a blow to his attackers face forcing the assailant to back off giving him some breathing room.

**(Takeru's POV)**

Arghhh! Th… that hurts! That was too close. A few seconds later and that knife would've gone right through my heart.

I pulled the knife out of my shoulder and before I knew it, the wound I had closed up in an instant. It was as if something phenomenal was keeping my body alive.

"Raaaaarghh!"

WHAM!

Keh! I put my guard up against the oncoming attack. That was a strong kick. If it weren't for my suit I would've broken a wrist. This guy's a skilled fighter. He really knows his techniques. He threw me a flurry of punches but they were easily predictable. I've hand hand-to-hand combat training too with two of the best CQC experts in Yokohama Base in my previous loops so taking on a professional wasn't anything new.

WHACK!

Whoa! A roundhouse kick? That would've snapped my neck. Tch! Fine then! I'll end it with one move! (Wham!) Oooooh! (Whack!) Gotcha! Take this! Space Ayamine Throw!

Thud!

Yes! All I needed was a small opening. Kei taught me that during one of my loops and I had my fair share of experience with that throw plenty of times. My opponent will be stunned for a few seconds by the impact so he won't be able to… move?

"Tsuku… yomi?"

"Raaaargh!"

Ahh! Arghh! That hurt she scratched my face with her nails!

**(Amaterasu)**

Ikaruga tapped his finger on the table as he waited for the giant mobile fortress get into position. It was a long boring process but the prize at the end was worth the wait. As one force after another folded into his hands he felt his objective inching closer by the minute.

Most of the military presence has already been annihilated by his forces and now all those remain can only sit back and watch as he slowly destroys their home with purging fire.

"This is Amaterasu control to all defense divisions. Report your status" One of the operators called out awaiting reply. It was useless, really. With the amount of firepower they possessed who was foolish enough to challenge them?

"This is sector 1, Kita is all clear"

"Sector 2, Itabashi, no enemy activities"

"Sector 3, Nakano, we drove out the last enemy resistance. Regrouping and resupplying troops right now"

"Sector 4, Shibuya is all quiet"

"Sector 5, nothing at Minato"

"Understood. Commander. All sectors are reporting all clear"

The captain nodded back with approval. "Good. We can at last finish this. Prepare the particle cannon for fire. Target, United Nation's Stronghold, Yokohama Base, old Hiiragi town ruins! Make the final preparations. I want no errors this time. (Yes sir!)"

"Wait! (…?) Emergency alert on Sector 4. Scout drones are reporting a medium sized attack group coming towards Shibuya. It's… the United Nations!"

"Another attack? Those imbeciles just don't know when to give up"

"Captain, if we proceed like this, the Amaterasu may be caught in the crossfire. Shibuya is our designated firing point. If we continue…"

"Yes I know. Bring the fortress to a stop close enough to provide support fire. Tell our reserves to deal with the attackers and eliminate them. (Yes sir!) We cannot stop now… after so long…"

**(Shibuya)**

A large column of tanks and TSFs rolled down the streets in formation. Even after the losses they sustained on their first battle with the Honor Guards, the surviving soldiers of the U.N. marched on, carrying their sense of duty with them.

Long strings of guns, cannons and missiles lined up the streets, every last soul all determined to buy their comrades at home just a few more seconds.

At the head of this column, Captain Isumi issued the orders, her authority exceeding all officers on the field. "This is Valkyrie Leader to all units. Remember: Our objective here isn't to destroy the XG weapon but to buy time for Yokohama Base to evacuate. Every second will count! (Yes sir!) Battery group, stand ready! (Yes ma'am!) Hammer and Shark Company, get ready to charge in. Once our long range artilleries blow a hole in the enemy formation take over the enemy positions and create a perimeter around Shibuya! They'll most like send reinforcements once they realize they're outmatched. The XG weapon is still a significant distance away so find cover whenever you can. Once we've secured Shibuya, the engineer group will plant charges around the area to collapse all districts together. With that blockade, the XG will have to find another way through, understand?"

"Understood!"

"The A-01 Special Task Force will spearhead this assault. Hayase, you assist with Hammer"

"Roger that! Come on Ayamine. Let's show these Honor Guards how real women fight! (Copy that…) Let's go!"

"Munakata, you provide backup to Hayase. With their numbers down to two I don't want to take any chances"

"Copy that. Kazama, you're with me. Tamase, Yoroi, you two switch to Blast Guards. (Understood!)"

"A-Platoon will assist Shark Company. Let's go Valkyries… attack!"

**(Takeru's POV)**

Ts… Tsukuyomi…

"Grrrr…"

There's no doubt about it. That's definitely Tsukuyomi. I recognized her almost immediately when I laid my eyes on her. But… something's off. She looks… odd. Her eyes are pitched black and her mouth is foaming with strange fluids. She doesn't even look like herself…

"Tsukuyomi… is that… really you?"

"Arghhhh!" It looks as if she's in pain.

"Tsukuyomi! What's wrong?" I rushed up to her. "Are you alright? (Raaaargh!) Whoa!" What the? She tried to bite my cheeks off. "What are you doing!-? I'm trying to help you!"

"Raaaaaaagrrhh!" Something's definitely wrong. This isn't like Tsukuyomi at all. She doesn't just leap onto an enemy with brute strength. The Tsukuyomi I know would be calm, conserve and always coolheaded… but this one is just like an animal. A feral creature that thinks of nothing but fighting. "Raaaahhh!"

WHACK!

Damn… but her techniques haven't dropped. She's just as dangerous when I first met her. I can't fight her hand to hand in my condition.

WHAM!

"Stop it Tsukuyomi! Stop attacking! Don't you recognize me? It's me! Shirogane!"

…!

Oh… she stopped.

"Ah… Sh… Shiro… gane?"

She responded! "Yes! It's me! Don't you remember? It's Takeru! I'm Meiya's teammate"

"M… Meiya… sama!"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Tsukuyomi fell on her knees with pain coursing through every part of her body. The mere mention of that name brought back pain and suffering she wanted to forget. Her failure.

_"Apparently there was a unit that was fighting near Osaka… but the battle turned for the worse for all of them. I'm afraid there was only one survivor. I am… sorry…"_

The words of a stranger rang deeply in her subconscious. It echoed like a voice giving her a sense of purpose when the sole reason for her existence was lost to the war. Her eyes narrowed at the boy, a rush of anger suddenly pumping life into her veins.

"Shirogane!" She screamed bloody murder to her foe and with near god-like speed she pushed the boy back to the wall and then grabbing his throat by her hands.

"Gahh!" Takeru was caught by surprise of this act. He wasn't even able to mount up a guard before he felt her hands squeezing down his voice-box. "Tsu… ku… yomi! S… stop!"

He later realized how surprisingly strong his opponent was. Combined with his weakened state the boy had little energy left to fight. Slowly but surely… Takeru felt his conscious drifting to a close.

"Shiro… gane!"

"Gahhh!" The boy felt the woman's hands squeeze tighter crushing his throat as if they were made out of cardboard. "Take this!"

WHACK!

Shirogane brushed her grab off before retaliating with a light jab to the stomach making her recoil backwards with a grunting voice.

**(Takeru's POV)**

Now I know something's wrong with her. This isn't Tsukuyomi at all. She's… violent… almost to the point of being feral. But she's quite strong. Was she even this strong when we first met?

"Graaarghhh!"

"Oh cr—!"

WHAM!

Arghh! That kick would've cleaved my head if I didn't block it. Tsukuyomi is… really… she's really trying to kill me!

"Raaagh!"

My gun! If she gets it I'm done for! Keh!

WHAM!

POW!

Crunch!

Grrr! This isn't good! I expected nothing less from Tsukuyomi. She truly is an expert in hand to hand combat. Back in my world, I wasn't able to beat her once. Her skills are on a different level from mine and I doubt I've been able to improve since then. We traded blows for about three minutes before I finally began to feel my strength slipping away from me.

I can't beat her… especially in the condition I'm in. (Grrrrraaaahh!) Damn… she got her combat knife out. (Ruffle) I guess this stick will have to do. A good blow to the head should be enough. Even with the Eishi suit, the impact will rattle her brains rending her unconscious for awhile.

"Right. Here I come!"

**(Yokohama Base) (Yuuko's office)**

Professor Kouzuki sat in her lab that morning, looking over her computer, typing with incredible speed. One can already tell how exhausted the woman was just by looking at her face and the state of her office.

The smell of hot coffee was the only thing keeping her awake in that place. She already lost track of how many refills she has since she started with her work. 20? 100? Not that it really mattered now. She was on a tight schedule and everything second that passed by was a time bomb ticking to the end of the world and humanity as a whole. Never before had she ever thought that typing something so simple on her computer would be saving the world one day.

But her concentration was interrupted when she heard a knock on her door. "Vice Commander. Vice Commander Kouzuki!" The professor recognized the voice as her secretary, Piatif. She looked at her watch and clicked her tongue in confirmation.

"Right on schedule…" She muttered before unlocking the door with a press of a button. Her secretary was panting heavily at this point looking like she had just run a marathon. "What is it, Piatif?"

"I'm sorry to intrude ma'am but you need to evacuate from Yokohama right now! (…) General Radhabinod issued the order himself. All personnel have to move to Kyoto Base this instant. (…) Please. We can't waste time"

"Alright…" The woman replied finally not even flinching from the news. "Get my equipment from the lab. I'll be ready in a minute. (Yes ma'am!)" The mad scientist gave a gentle sigh to herself waiting for the woman to leave before turning to the shadowy figure nearby. "It seems like everything is happening just as you predicted. (…yes) Hmph… I guess I could use the break. Sorry to leave you like this"

"It's… alright…" The figure replied showing no sign of discontent. "A few days won't really change much. We can only go forward from here"

Kouzuki looked the figure, her eyes changing their expression by the second. She pondered on some thoughts thinking and wondering what she could've done to change it. But she was not like Takeru. She couldn't go back in time… and even if she wanted to she didn't want to fix anything. Time is a fickle thing after all. The slightest touch could very well tip the balance in both good and bad.

Lt. Piatif returned again with the same worried expression on her face. "Vice Commander! Please hurry" Leaving the shadowy figure behind, Yuuko complied following the girl up to the elevator. You can practically tell how stirred the base was with all the rattling noise and footsteps you can hear from the surface. "This is 1st Lt. Piatif. VIP target secured. We'll be at the helipad in 5 minutes. Get the private chopper ready for takeoff. I repeat: VIP target secured"

**(Shibuya)**

Over on the other side of the city, the valiant members of the United Nations Armed Forces continued their relentless attack against the elite group of the Household Honor Guards. With desperation being their only motivation in this battle, they poured their souls in the fight hoping to buy their comrades at home a few more seconds to escape.

"Teeeeeh!" Hayase, being the Storm Vanguard that she was, charged in headfirst guns blazing and sword swinging. With skills honed from combat and training she tore through the ranks of the Honor Guards with allies foolish enough to follow her example. "Too slow!" She cut open a Zuikaku in even halves breaking the enemy's defensive lines with a single kill. "Advance! Keep firing on the move! If we get bogged down her we're finished! Don't keep the line waiting!"

"Oooohhh!" The crowd behind her let out a reveling battle cry shouting out all the same as if they didn't have a care left in the world.

In mere seconds the Honor Guards were beginning to lose ground, giving away precious defensive areas to the enemy support group. "Damn those U.N. Eishis! They don't know when to give up! Hold the line! Don't give those U.N. bastards another inch! Reinforcements will be here soon! We cannot dishonor those that have sacrificed themselves for our greatest dream!"

"Oooohhh!" The Honor Guards fought with just as much vigor against their enemy. With their minds clear and their objectives in sight they fought to the bitter end.

At the rearmost of the U.N. Army, Captain Isumi watched blankly as she listened to report after report of victory on her side. The fight was going well but despite all the good news she can't help but feel a slight tinge of uneasiness creeping up her back.

She knew that the Honor Guards would get cocky and would eventually drop their guard when they least expect it. Though this attack came out of desperation from High Command it was still effective in its own way. In a matter of minutes they were able to regain valuable grounds from the enemy but not without their own losses. The sheer tenacity the Honor Guards showed at the face of overwhelming odds was a clear view of their dedication to their duty. They were really going to fight right down to the last man.

"Valkyrie Mum to Valkyrie Leader" Suzumiya's broke through the conflict. "Artillery units have expended 70% of ammunitions. Hammer Company is reporting an all clear on Hikawa, Uehara and Tomigaya. They're moving on to the next area for clean up. Shark Company is pushing the enemy back to Shinjuku"

"This is Valkyrie 1A, roger that. What's the status of the XG weapon?"

"The XG unit is moving at a slow pace from Bunkyo ward and will be crossing to Shinjuku in a matter of minutes. Preliminary results shows that they may fire when they get a clear view of the area"

"Tch… they've moving faster than I expected. I guess we bought enough time" Isumi gritted her teeth in frustration. "Engineer team; get to your designated locations. Once we take over the city area I want those explosives planted. We're running out of time. (Understood!) This is Valkyrie 1A to Valkyrie 1C. Report"

Munataka's face appeared on her screen. "This is C Platoon. We're pushing the enemy forces back with B Platoon but the enemy resistance isn't dropping. They'll have reinforcements dropping down on us at this point"

"Copy that. Shark Company will assist the push but don't overextend our lines. We need to stay out of the XG weapon's range of fire. Hayase!"

"Can you wait for a minute?" The Storm Vanguard grunted as she reported on screen. "I'm a little busy at the moment!"

"We need to increase our pace. We need the Honor Guards out of the ward as quickly as possible"

"That's easier said than done! We're going as fast as we can. We can't exactly go anywhere without a hail of bullets raining down on us!"

"Just do what you can. I'm sending the engineer team over to your location so you need to have the place secured by then"

"Roger that! (Clang!) Ayamine, you heard the captain! Let's get to it! (Copy that) Ooooh!"

**(Takeru's POV)**

Gahhh!

Thud!

Ugh! This is stupid! What the hell was I thinking trying to take Tsukuyomi head on like that? Even with a weapon I'm no match for her. She was one of my masters in my old world who taught me everything I know about hand to hand combat. Just five minutes into the fight I've been floored to the ground six times. It was only thanks to my regenerative powers and quick reflexes that were able to get me out of those jams.

Still… this is a standoff. She can't beat me and in return I can't beat her either. It's obvious that we're both tired from this fight but I have the upper hand in stamina. I could probably just wait this battle out but for some reason the longer I fight the more violent she gets. She even tried to bight my ear off.

Ah… this isn't good. My whole body is trembling. I'm starting to remember the fear I had when I first met Tsukuyomi in this world. She was cold and mean. I even had nightmares about her stabbing me in the back when I least expect it. I've gotten so used to the kind Tsukuyomi that I got close with that I'm completely frightened about the old one.

I can easily beat Ayamine and Meiya and Class rep in CQC altogether but Tsukuyomi really is on another level. I can already tell that by just reacting on her punches and kicks.

Tug!

Arghhh! No! Come on! Not now! (Tug!) Damn it! Why now of all times? My body can't handle any more stress. I need to end this fast. I need to find a weak spot on her defenses otherwise she'll kill me for sure. One good hit is all I need.

A blow to the head with this wooden plank…

Right… here goes nothing!

"Teeeeh!"

Thwack!

I laid two hits on her shoulder but it's not doing that much damage.

"Grrrrr!"

Oh… she's staggering. Now's my chance! Toooohh!

"Raaaaaaghh!" Crap! A feint? I should've seen it coming!

Gahhhhh!

Damn… she's got me on a choke. She's got me pinned to the wall with both hands on my neck. I… I can't break free.

"Grrrrr raaaaaghhhhh!"

Bahhh! I… can't breathe! "Tsu… Tsukuyomi… s… stop!"

This isn't good. I… I'm losing… it. I couldn't… beat her…

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

But just as the boy lost conscious, a voice suddenly brought him back to the land of the living. "Stop this!" Meiya rushed in with her body tackling Tsukuyomi to the ground.

"Gahh!" Takeru took a deep breath in, forcing the oxygen to circulate through his body.

"Tsukuyomi! Stop this at once!" Meiya pleaded trying to get some sense back into her friend. "What's wrong with you? Why are you acting like this!-? (Graaaahhh!) Tsukuyomi!"

"M… Meiya!" Takeru coughed out. "Stay back! Tsuku… yomi isn't herself!" But it was too late, before Meiya knew it, her former friend pushed her off laying a kick right on her open wound.

"Arghh!"

"Meiya! (Cough cough!) Damn it!" The boy tried to regain his balance but his mind was still weakened from the lack of air.

Tsukuyomi then retaliated with a quick karate chop hitting the wounded girl on her the neck knocking her to the floor. Meiya tried to defend herself but it was useless. Tsukuyomi attacked with such a ferocity that would break a riot shield to tiny pieces. With a punch, a kick and a throw she put Meiya on the ground without a hint of remorse from her eyes.

"Tsu…kuyomi" Meiya called out hoping to get the woman out of her trance. "S… stop… please…"

…!

The woman suddenly recoiled back, her head jolting with pain. "Arghhhhhh!" Her body fell back but her eyes kept themselves trained on her opponents. "Grrraaaahhh!"

Taking advantage of her sudden outburst, Meiya recovered, pulling her sidearm out as a final resort. It was the last thing she wanted to do and she wondered if she had the resolve to see it through.

"Meiya!" Takeru cried out. "Don't do it!" But then to their amazement, Tsukuyomi lashed off, grabbing the boy's gun that he dropped.

Click…

The guns were now pointed at one another and neither side seemed to have the courage the take the first shot.

**(Shibuya)**

The U.N. soldiers braced themselves, digging into cover and tightening their defenses in every way possible. The battle was won but the war was far from over. Even now as they wait behind covers they could see the giant XG weapon approaching their position with a cohort of Honor-Guards trailing not far behind.

The sight of the weapon was enough to get the soldiers to say their prayers to whatever god they worshipped. The gun turrets and missile launchers that were apparent made the men quiver in fear.

At the rearmost of the battle lines, Isumi watched intently as she was prepared to stop the monster in its tracks. A bead of sweat trickled down from her forehead. The sound the clocking guns and cannons plus the silent radio waves did not help with her anxiety either. The thought of facing such a beast head on was pretty much like taking on a whole BETA Hive with the ammunitions they have left.

"Valkyrie Mum to Valkyrie 1A" Suzumiya's voice echoed through the airwaves. "Enemy XG weapon will be crossing the ward in 150 seconds. Engineer corp. has reported that all explosives are primed and ready for detonation. Commence operation!"

"Valkyrie Leader, roger that! All team leaders, attack!" With the prey they set their sights on caught in their web the U.N. Army sprung their trap unleashing a barrage of bullets and gunfire at the target. "Artillery groups, suppress the enemy on the ground! We must maintain air superiority! (Roger!) Engineer corp, report in"

"This is Engineer group. We're almost finished with the explosives. Just give us a few more minutes"

"We might not have a few minutes. Just get them ready in case we need to detonate them immediately. (Copy that ma'am) Valkyrie to all team leaders. Focus your fire on the units defending the front of the mobile fortress. Pay close attention to the range of the enemy fire. Remember… that weapon needs to come to us! (Roger!) Support groups are to keep a smokescreen and chaff to keep the enemy from targeting us. Keep them off balance until we get the escort units! (Roger!)"

"Stand fast! Live up to His Excellency's trust in us!" The Honor-Guards retaliated in kind, returning fire to their enemies with equally strong determination to protect the weapon.

It was a heartbreaking scene for humanity to watch as their own soldiers fought one another. Brothers and sisters pitched against one another like gladiators in a ring, weapons made to fight the greatest of enemies of man being used against one another… and desperation of old world against the desperation of a new world. It mattered not who won… Earth would lose either way.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

On board the Amaterasu, Ikaruga let out a grunting noise as he listened to the operators report the battle raging ahead. "U.N. forces have been sighted. We confirmed several TSFs, tanks and other mechanized infantries moving through the streets. The enemy appears to be stretched in a wide field formation attacking us on the front, left and right sides"

"Reserve Guards are engaging with the U.N. forces. They're outnumbered"

"Prepare the Amaterasu for support role. We'll crush the enemy resistance with a single sweep"

"We can't! (Eh?) The enemy appears to be using anti-laser missiles. A heavy metal cloud has appeared in front of the Amatersasu. It's interfering with our targeting sensors. Only the Gamera team are able to respond"

"Fools! How did you allow them to get this close to us! (Sorry sir) Deploy our guards. Do not allow them to get near the mobile fortress!"

"Hoooo?" Ikaruga let out an unexpected noise. "I'm impressed. I never expected them to do so well. They must have a quite a capable commander leading them. The U.N. Army is full of surprises today. It's almost a shame to destroy them. Well… almost…"

**(Koto train station)**

Takeru couldn't tell how long the two fighters have had their guns trained at one another. Time seemed to be irrelevant right now. The boy wanted to put a stop to it but his body wouldn't obey. He was too beaten up, too weak to make any move. All he can do now is to wait and pray that this event would end without more bloodshed.

"Tsukuyomi… please…" Meiya pleaded. "Please come back. Come back to me… (Grrrr…) I… do not know what reasons you have for being like this… but this is… not you. (Grrrr?) Don't you recognize me? Do you not remember who I am?"

…!

Meiya took off her headset exposing her face and tear soaked eyes to her. "Do you not remember me at all? (…) It's me… Meiya. (…!)" The woman recoiled back further as the sound of the name. A slight tinge of pain surged from the back of her mind, like a memory trying to spring itself back to her head. She wanted to remember but her unstable condition prevented her from concentrating. "Please… put the gun down. Neither of us needs to shed more blood this day. (…?) Please… let me help you. You… you are precious to me, Tsukuyomi. (…!) So please… let us put our weapons down" Meiya lower her sidearm as a gesture of trust which only served to confuse the woman.

Tsukuyomi continued to grunt and groan as if she was still in pain. She was confused, angry and sad at the same time. But despite all the pain, she complied. "Meiya… sama…"

A smile returned to Meiya's face as she heard the kind and gentle voice of her friend once more. "Tsukuyomi…!"

…!

"ARGHHHHHH!" But then disaster struck. A surge of pain cut through the emotional moment sending Tsukuyomi back to her maddened state. "ARGHHHHH! RAGHHHH! GRAAAAGHH!"

"Tsukuyomi!"

"Meiya, get back!"

Tsukuyomi gritted her teeth almost to the point of biting her tongue off as she trained her weapon at the boy. Her mind went blank and all she could think of was a way to end the pain.

"Shiro… gane…!"

"Stop it Tsukuyomi!" Meiya raised her weapon back all the while fearing of the consequences should she take that shot.

Everything happened so slowly and in that split second… the fate of three lives was decided with a single shot…

Bang!

Takeru felt his heart sink… his mouth gapped open in disbelief and his mind unwilling to process what he saw. The blood of a soldier was on his face. It scared him, made his body quiver with fear. And at the end of it, Meiya's figure was left on the floor, her hair drowning in the pool of her own blood.

"M… Meiya…"

"Ah… arghhh!" Tsukuyomi felt her mind recoiled on the shot. Her body reacted upon reflex when the gun was pointed at her. She couldn't understand what was going on but her subconscious told her that she had done something irreversible. "ARGHHHH!" But her cries of anguish were easily silenced by another presence that shook the very fiber of her soul with fear.

Takeru's face was twisted with rage that was not seen since the death of his teacher. It was twisted and sharpened into a form so ferocious that even Tsukuyomi, in her deranged state was afraid to face. She didn't even realize that she was afraid until she noticed her hands shaking on the gun's trigger.

**"ARGHHHHHHH! TSU…KU…YO…MI!"**

Bang!

The woman fired another shot in fright and the bullet hit the boy's muscles directly. But still the boy did not back down. He continued his charge, fully aware of death lingering nearby.

Tsukuyomi fired a second round, a third, a fourth and they all hit. But Shirogane could care less about the pain. He embraced it wholeheartedly and with one good hit on the face, he knocked the girl out cold like a light.

The boy's former ally fell to the ground, unconscious just like he planned… but it was far too late. All the rage he had earlier went in that blow. He felt her jawbone crack a bit from his punch and felt a trickle of pain down his knuckles. But there was little time to think.

As he made sure that the woman wouldn't come back up, Takeru made his way to Meiya's dying body, completely unaware of the bullets falling off along with the wounds healing in an unprecedented rate.

"Meiya!" He cried out before looking at the wound. All his medical knowledge he learned from his masters began to surface as he did what he could for the girl. "Don't you worry one bit. I'll fix you right up. I promise. Just hang on!" With hastened speed, the boy carried his wounded comrade back to his camp and began working his way on closing the wound. There was little point in keeping it together.

**(Imperial Palace) (Shogun's room)**

Thud…

"Your Highness!" The Grand Chamberlain cried out in panic when she saw Yuuhi suddenly fainted on the floor. "Are you alright? What happened?"

The poor girl felt a bad omen creep down her heart as she held her caretaker's hand for dear life. She felt something torn inside of her. Like her soul, screaming out in pain as if it had lost something dear to it. She had been watching the battle rage in her city since the first shot was fired and every death that counted wounded her dearly. But never before had she faced something like this.

"Wait here. I will get help. Oi! Someone get a doctor! (No…) Huh?"

"No… I am… I am alright, oba san. I am merely… lightheaded. (But…) It is fine. But I would like some tea. I am feeling… a bit thirsty"

"Ah! Yes of course. I'll get a batch ready immediately!" The old lady rushed off to the small stool to ready the said drink. But in all truth, Yuuhi was not fine. In fact… she was probably farthest away from being fine. Her heart was aching almost like someone had stabbed her with a rusty knife.

Every step she took from there on needed more force than usual. Every movement was heavier and even now the burden she carried didn't seem to lighten one bit.

She looked the battlefield again… bearing witness to the chaos she could not prevent. "Sister… please be alright…"

**(Shibuya)**

"Damn it! Die already you bastard!" Hayase cursed out loud as she tried to cut down another Takemikazuchi standing in her way. "Ooooh! Take this! (Clang!)" The Honor Guard Eishi was slain in a fiery inferno in his own TSF.

The fight was pretty much one sided at this point but only because their plan was well executed by their leader. Still… the Honor Guards weren't exactly making it easier for them. It took a lot longer to take down just one Zuikaku and even longer just to pin down a Takemikazuchi.

The Honor Guards were no rookies. Every pilot they had been seasoned like the walls they used to build the old castles. They've weathered storms of BETA, been through campaigns longer than this and fought more times than a fifth grader could count. Every move they made was honed to perfection like they've done it a million times before.

But Hayase was no different. She too had skills under her belt and was making the enemy work for every hit.

But on the other end, Munakata's group wasn't so lucky.

"1st Lt. Kazama! Two more on the right!" Mikoto barked out from her cover as she continued firing volleys of shots from her rifle. The whole platoon was entrenched in a fortified position firing at strays coming from the sky. Fire and iron strafed the skies and it was only here on the battlefield was when life came at a cheap price.

"I got it!" Tama fired another shot, hitting an enemy right on the shoulder sending it straight to the ground with a loud crash. "Bandit down. Eight more coming at the center! I'm reloading!"

"This is Valkyrie 4C, I'm out of ammo" Mikoto announced.

"Take my last one" Munakata offered which her subordinate gladly accept. "Make those shots count! (Yes ma'am) This is Valkyrie 1C. We're running low on ammo. We lost our supply crates to the enemy and cannot hold much longer! Requesting permission to withdraw"

"Valkyrie 1A here, negative on that. We need to lure the XG just a little bit closer. Just a few more minutes"

"We'll do what we can. But we're down to our last clip. We won't be able to take much more of this. (Copy that) Kazama. We'll provide Shark Company with fire support. (Roger) Gather as much weapons and ammo you can from the field. The rest of you watch out—(Misae, behind you!) Ah!"

Kazama quickly aimed her rifle and fired a shot straight to the enemy's cockpit but not before it burst into a large explosion taking the whole block along with it.

"Gahhhh!"

"Misae!" Kazama caught her wounded companion shouting out her name. "Misae, are you alright? 1st Lt. Munakata, please respond. (Ah…) Misae san!"

"Keh… that bastard. I can't believe I got hit with a cheap shot" Munakata replied wearily from her TSF, blood trickling down her forehead. "Touko, take over from here…"

"Roger that. This is Valkyrie 2C. Lt. Munakata is wounded and I'm taking over command of C Platoon. We can no longer hold our position and are falling back to the secondary line. (Valkyrie 1A… roger) Tamase, Yoroi, cover me while I get Munakata out of her cockpit. (Copy that!) Can you get out of there, Misae san?"

"Y… yeah. Sorry for troubling you three"

"You can pay me back later. Come on!"

"Yoroi san, more of them coming from the left!" Tamase cried out noting another batch of enemies on her radar.

"There's too many of them. I can't handle them all! (Beep beep!) Ahhh! Missiles! Miki san, get away from there!"

The explosion caught the two of them in a single blast.

"Tamase! Yoroi!" Kazama stared in disbelief. "Damn! This is Valkyrie 2C. Tamase and Yoroi are injured and can no longer do battle! I'm extracting them from the battlefield but I require support!"

"Roger that Kazama. We're on our way now. Just hold on!"

"Valkyrie Mum to Valkyrie Leader. The enemy XG weapon has reached targeted point! Priming explosives for detonation once all teams have evacuated from the area"

"We don't have that long! Blow the buildings up the moment you get the chance! (But…) That's an order! This is Valkyrie Leader to all units. Regroup at the final defense line at the Grand Crossing! We've done our job! (Roger!) Suzumiya… blow it up"

"Understood. Priming all detonators now. Detonating in 5… 4… 3… 2… 1"

Explosion after explosion riled the whole city up. Building after building toppled against one another like dominos, creating a barrier made of concrete and stone. The Honor Guards who were unfortunate enough to be caught in such a place were trapped along with their super weapon.

"What the hell?" An Honor Guard unit barked out completely caught by surprised the fight. "Damn those cowards! They timed our attacks with this trap!"

"What do we do, commander?"

"Assist those that are trapped in the ruins. The rest will provide covering fire!"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Ikaruga let out a grunt noise as he saw his men take the fall. "Oh… so that was their plan"

"Sir! Our path is blocked" An operator announced the obvious. "The U.N. forces have created a barricade of buildings. They've trapped a platoon of our reserved guards in the ruins. We can't go over it either. If we increase the output of our engines, we risk going to a complete shutdown"

"They really must be desperate to carry on something like this" The madman commented with a hint of curiosity in his voice. "They're planning to stall us here using the city as their trap. It would've been a clever plan if it weren't so plainly obvious. (…) Destroy the barricade. Nothing must stop our advance! Level the whole ward if you have to!"

"But… my lord. Some of our guards are still trapped there"

"What of it?" He asked coldly like their lives meant little to his cause.

"Uh… as you wish my lord. All hands! Battle station! Load HE-shells on launchers 1-10. Cluster mines to tubes 1-5. Ready all weapons… and fire!"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

And within minutes of its capture, the XG weapon broke free from the trap that the U.N. Army carefully laid out. With fire and steel, it carved a path through the ruins. Nothing on Earth could stop its progress.

Down below, Isumi barely recovered from the attack only to gawk at the enemy's crude way of solving their problems.

"Akane! Akane, speak to me!" Her attention was caught on when Chizuru was crying out for her friend that was struck by one of the explosions. "Akane! Get a hold of yourself!"

All around the captain, the same scene replayed itself. Soldiers were running away, some carrying their wounded comrades on their shoulder and some just trying to stay alive. Those that still tried to fight back… would've learned too late that they have just bought themselves a quick ticket to the afterlife.

"This is Hammer Company Leader. I just lost Squad 3,4,5 and 7. We can't hold our position. We are falling back!"

"This is the Engineer team. Some of my men are trapped in the rubble. We need assistance, over!"

"Hakoro! Hakoro are you there?"

"Someone help me! I can't move!"

Panicked screams and shouts could be heard all around and it was then Isumi knew that there was little hope to stopping that weapon. With a heavy heart, she made the call. "This is Valkyrie Leader. We failed… I'm issuing a complete withdrawal order. All available units that are still capable of fighting are to retreat back to Setagaya. Take all the wounded and casualties you can find. We were unable to stop the enemy XG weapon"

"Valkyrie Mum, roger that. Issuing retreat orders to all units. The evacuation of Yokohama Base is at 7%. We will be moving the mobile command post from the area as well so we may lose contact. Good luck…"

Isumi sighed to this and slowly put a record on her coms. "This is Captain Isumi of the United Nations Armed Force 11th Pacific Army. I'm broadcasting this record on all available frequencies…"

**(Takeru's POV) (Koto)**

Ah… this isn't… good. I'm exhausted. I don't have much strength left in me. I feel like I could fall asleep any minute now.

I spent the last half hour patching Meiya's wounds. Her condition is critical but at the very least I've stabilized her. The bullet was lodge in her stomach so I had to pull it out to prevent it from rusting inside. She lost a lot of blood and her face is losing its color. I've done what I can. From this point on… it's all on luck. I've been holding her in my arms since I finished treating her wound. I wiped off the blood from her body and tried to keep her as warm as possible. I can monitor her heart with my suit… and right now it's weakening by the second. I'll have to add adrenaline boosters to keep her conscious for a little while longer.

As for Tsukuyomi. I discovered what was finally wrong with her. While she was unconscious I linked her exosuit's function with my own. Apparently she's been given a heavy dosage of some kind of drug called benzodiazepines. Her suit's injectors appear to be filled with that chemical too and it's been slowly seeping into body in small amounts, poisoning her blood vessels. I'm not sure what they do exactly but I can tell for a fact that it has been playing a major role in her unstable condition. Her ragged outburst is probably caused by some sort of hypnotic treatment.

I closed up her suit functions and injected her with antitoxin. But it still wasn't a guarantee that it would be sufficient so I tied both her arms and legs to a pole to keep her from lashing out. My gun was also there just in case…

Tug!

Ahh… not good…

I'm losing conscious. I… can't go on.

"Ugh…"

…!

Click!

My hand jumped on reflex towards the gun. It seems like Tsukuyomi is regaining conscious. The hand cuffs I put on her should be more than enough to keep her in. But should she try to attack us… I might not have any other choice but to put her down.

…

"Shiro… gane…"

…!

She called out my name. Does she recognize me?

"Tsukuyomi?" I opened up not taking my gun off her.

"What… are you doing? Where am I?" Haaa… what a relief. I slowly put my weapon down when I saw the light in her eyes. She seems to be conscious of her words and not growling like an animal. "I… cannot move…"

"Sorry. I had to put those on as precaution. (…?) I can't let you go yet. Not until I'm absolutely sure that you're 100% yourself"

"What are you talking about? Why would… ah!" She noticed the figure I had in my arms. "Meiya sama! (Click!) Geh! You bastard. What have you done with Meiya sama!-?"

Huh? Wait a minute. Why is she getting angry at me? (Keh!) Could it be that… she doesn't remember?

"Arghh!" Crap! It looks like she's overexerting that body of hers.

"Calm down!" I urged her. "It's alright. Meiya is fine. She's just sleeping… though she did lose a lot of blood. She'll recover if we can get her to a proper doctor. I did what I could"

"Wh… what happened?" She really doesn't remember. I can't really tell if that's a good thing or a bad thing. "Ugh…"

"Hold on. Don't move too much. You've been through a lot" I gently put Meiya down offered her a cup of tea. "Drink from this" I fed it to her by hand. She refused at first but accepted it when she realized how thirsty she was. I can only imagine she must be dehydrated from our fight. "Tsukuyomi… tell me something. What was the last thing you remember before you blacked out? (Huh?) What was the last thing you remember?"

"Is this some kind of interrogation? (Just answer!) Hmm…I… do not recall much" She seems to be thinking deeply as she poured her answers out. "I remember being in Shikoku Island when the explosions occurred. We were… part of the defensive force guarding the first line of defense against the BETA" The fight with the BETA Carrier. That was three days ago. Could she have been put in that state when she was brought here?

"Do you remember what you did? Anything that happened before now?"

"What are you going on about?"

"You don't remember hitting me at all?"

"Hitting you? To what are you imply—arghhh!"

Ah crap. I think I pushed too far too fast. "Sorry. I didn't mean to ask so many questions. It's just that…"

"What has happened? (Huh?) I… cannot remember clearly… but I recall… fighting with you" Is she getting flashbacks? "It's all a blur but I can see… your face. We were… in battle just now"

"Try not to think too much. I shouldn't have pushed you like that"

"It hurts… just to remember. We were fighting and… I… I tried to kill you"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Tsukuyomi felt a shriek run through her mind. The pain of remembering was not a good one. It was as if her subconscious was trying to forget the memories to keep the mind from shattering. But it useless. Slowly but surely, she began to remember bits and pieces of the struggle. Her body twisted along with her face as she saw images flashed through her eyes.

"Tsukuyomi?" Shirogane tried to bring her back but the woman began to struggle through the pain.

She saw an old vision of her hands choking on the boy's neck. She remembered the rage that she felt, the rush of emotions coursing through her body. It was an intoxicating feeling that trumps over every wine she had tasted in her life.

But the feeling of pleasure was quickly replaced with dread and horror at what came next. Meiya's face came into her vision. Her bleeding face and battered body was all that she could recall.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Shirogane…" Tsukuyomi was finally able to speak up after she endured the pain. She seems to be struggling. "Please… tell me what I have done. (…!) I do not remember… but I know I have done something terribly wrong"

…!

What do I do? If I tell her what she did… it would severely damage her mind. It would probably be best if she didn't know… but…

"Please…" She begged. "I will not be able to live with myself unless I know my crimes…"

…

Haaaa… I guess I don't really have much of a choice.

…

…

I told her the whole story from the start. How we first met on the battlefield down to how we came to this place. I told her everything she wanted to know. It was probably painful to listen to what you did from another person… but regardless, Tsukuyomi did not deny them. Maybe deep down… she already knew what she had done.

"I see… so that's what happened" Tsukuyomi replied after she listened to my short story. "That sounds about right in my head…"

"You were clearly suffering from some form of hypnotic suggestion" I explained her condition in detail. "They dosed you with a drug called benzodiazepine that made you susceptible to commands. You were completely unaware of what you were doing"

"That is kind of you to say… but regardless of how you view it… it does not change the fact that I was the one who performed the deed. Also… you are not entirely correct. (Eh?) A small part of me was still conscious at the time. It is the reason why I can remember glimpses of it. But my will was too weak to fight back. (…) It was foolish of you to allow me to live after what I have done. Had I still remained unstable…I may have done irreparable damage to both of you"

"I know… but it was worth the risk. Besides…I don't think Meiya had it in her to shoot you. (…?) She wouldn't pull the trigger no matter what happened. You meant too much to her. (…) Sorry… I guess I'm a little tired"

"In either case… what do you plan to do now? (…?) From what I can tell… we are still deep within enemy territory. Making an irrational move will lead you to a quick grave.

She has a point. Right now I have no idea on what to do next. My objective was to get Yuuhi but everything changed when all of this happened. The only logical thing to do now will be to withdraw to Koto and wait for this whole thing to blow over. From what I last heard, the U.N. Army has complete advantage over this battle.

Beep beep!

Hmm? An open channel?

"This is Captain Isumi of the United Nations Armed Force 11th Pacific Army" It's the captain! "I'm broadcasting this record on all available frequencies. We can no longer hold our position in Shibuya. I am ordering all forces capable of moving to withdraw from Tokyo City immediately. (…!) The enemy XG-70 weapon has decimated what was left of our forces. Our casualties are high and we cannot endure anymore losses from here on. Retreat to safety zones on the outskirts of Tokyo and regroup whenever possible. May fortune smile upon you all…"

We… lost?

No that's impossible. I thought we were still…

Wait… if the captain is there… what about the rest of the team? Damn it!

What should I do? What can I do?

_"What is it that you want?"_

What I want? (Flash) What I want… is for all of this to end. (Flash) I didn't come to this world to fight other humans. I came here to defeat the BETA. But how the hell am I supposed to do that? How can I possibly end a battle on my own?

_"You can do it…"_

Heh… this is stupid. I feel like I'm having an argument with myself.

_"There are only things that you can do… what others cannot…"_

Heh… the only thing I'm good at in this world is piloting a TSF… nothing more.

_"Then you already know what to do…"_

What to do? What do you mean by… huh?

…

Meiya's Takemikazuchi. It's staring right back at me. It doesn't seem to be severely damaged but still… will it be enough?

Clink…

Yuuhi's sword…

(Flash) _"All the more reason why I chose you to have it. (…?) Ahuhuhu… Tsukuyomi was right. I cannot tell whether you are competent or incompetent. (Hey!) Ahuhuhu… But please… accept it with my blessing. This is what I truly desire"_

Yuuhi's words when she handed me this blade came back to me…

(Flash) _"The sword symbolizes loyalty… but at the same time it is also a weapon. Giving a weapon to another states that you are relinquishing your ability to protect yourself. Without the sword, your life hangs upon the action of another. It is the symbol of greatest trust. With such actions, it means that you are almost literally putting your life in another person's hands"_

Yuuhi… she believed in me then… and she'll believe in me now. (…) That's right. I have to try. If I don't then more people will suffer. What the hell am I afraid of? I got all the time in the world!

Right… I can do this… but first…

Ruffle…

I cut off the binds I tied to Tsukuyomi and released her. "What are you doing, Shirogane Takeru?"

"I'm cutting your binds. Now listen closely. There's a U.N. Base near the port, south of here. If you leave now you might be able to find a medic who can help with Meiya. It's a long way but if you follow the map, you should reach that place in just an hour. The guards might not like it but just think of Meiya for now, ok?"

"And what of you?"

"I'm not good at stuff like this. The only thing I am good at is fighting… so I may as well put that talent to good use. (…) Please Tsukuyomi… don't do it for me… but for her. She needs you… now more than ever"

…

…

…

"Very well. I will do as you asked. But… (…?) Please… come back alive"

…

"Count on it... That's a promise..."


	59. Battle for Japan Part 7

**Chapter 59: Battle for Japan (Part 7) (Those who Challenge the Pretenders)**

**(U.N. Forward Command Post) (Koto Ward)**

"Keh!" That was the sound of a young red-clad Honor Guard as she traversed through the battlefield with an injured soldier on her back. It was a difficult ordeal but it had to be done. The life of that lone soldier depended on her success.

Tsukuyomi cannot recall how long it's been since Shirogane left her with this responsibility. Her mind was simply too focused on the current task to count the minutes that passed by. She knew that the damage she did was unintentional… but that didn't make the burden any easier to bear. The wound she caused Meiya was fatal and she doesn't even want to begin to think what she would do if Shirogane had not brought her out of that hypnotized state.

She remembered urging the boy to kill her but he snapped her out of it, telling her to do what she wants instead of just following a code of conduct. Honestly though… it was a tempting offer… but she doesn't really know how else to live her life. Everything she has done was for the sake of her country, her people. She had been taught that lesson from birth and would teach it to others and take it to her grave if she has to. But now… after seeing the wound she inflicted… all Tsukuyomi wanted was a bullet in her head.

"Tsukuyomi…"

The voice of her most trusted friend brought the woman out of her suicidal state. She stopped on her tracks to answer. Meiya sama… (Uhmmm…) Please conserve your strength. I will bring you aid as quickly as possible"

"You are… back…" A smile slipped from the girl's face as she felt that warmth that she had been longing for awhile. Though Meiya could not see her face she could feel that gentle touch of her most trusted friend. She had missed it for a long while now. Those caring words… the calm demeanor… even the smell.

"Yes… I understand that you may be confused but please put your trust in me just a little bit longer. We are nearing the U.N. camp. I will hand you to a capable doctor and get you treated right away"

"I see… so… Takeru… brought you back…" Tsukuyomi winced a bit at the call of the boy's name. "I'm glad. (…) I knew he would"

"Ah… yes…" The woman forced a smile out of herself. "The boy has a knack of forcing his bad habits onto others. It seems that is one of his more… unique charms"

"Yes… he is… special after all" Meiya nodded back, blood dripping down her lips as her conscious slowly drifted off. "Where… is he?"

Tsukuyomi paused in thought. She didn't want to upset or worry her more than she is. "He has… gone ahead of us to scout the perimeter. The boy did not want us having any trouble getting into the camp in the middle of a battlefield" It was perhaps the first and only lie Tsukuyomi has ever said to her. A sense of guilt pounded on her chest…

"Ahuhuhu…" However… her loss of pride was only shoved back when she heard Meiya giggle behind her ear. "You… are a terrible liar… Tsukuyomi…"

It was an insult in the form of a joke. But the young Honor Guard had to admit that she was right. She was indeed a terrible liar. She couldn't lie unless her life depended on it. Seeing that only Meiya could read her like an open book, she gave up on deceiving and decided to come clean. "I apologize for the deception. I simply did not want you to worry about him. (… tell me…)" Tsukuyomi was reluctant but submitted in the end. "He… has… taken the Takemikazuchi that Her Highness gave to you. (…) He has gone to fight the Imperial Household Honor Guards, alone. (…) It is a foolish endeavor… beyond commonsense alone. (…) But even so… I would not worry about him. (…?) That boy… promised that he would return alive. If a man of his caliber fails to keep his promise then he is shameful. (Ahuhu)"

"I see. So he has… taken it. (…?) I am glad. Perhaps that weapon… is best used for a man of his talent"

"Meiya sama. (…) I apologize… forgive me for not knowing anything more"

"No… do not apologize. You have been nothing… but kind to me, Tsukuyomi. It is I… who should be apologizing to you… for pushing you away. (…) I never showed any kind of appreciation to everything you've done for me. I… didn't wish to be a burden to you any longer"

"Such thinking is preposterous. (…?) I apologize… I was out of place. (Ahuhuhu…) Meiya sama… I know that my words mean nothing at this moment… but there was never a time I ever thought that serving you was a burden to me. (…) To have the pleasure to know you, to see you grow… and to see you mature till now… has been nothing but a tremendous honor to me. From the first day I met you… I already considered my life blessed by the gods themselves"

"Ahuhu… you exaggerate…"

"Nay… this is what I truly feel, Meiya sama. And nothing would be able to change it. Besides…I… cannot imagine my life without you…"

Neither Tsukuyomi nor Meiya could contain their tears. They could not face each other in such a moment but their confessions only added up to their joy and sorrow. A saddening scene for two close friends to be… at the end of the world…

"Tsukuyomi…" Meiya choked out a sob, her heart weakening by the moment. "I must tell you something. (…?) Don't laugh… ok? (…) But I truly believe… that meeting you… was perhaps… the greatest thing that has ever happened to me… in this life. (…!) I am glad… I was able to spend this time… with you… one more time like this…"

"Meiya sama…?" The girl's hand then slowly slipped from Tsukuyomi's shoulder forcing her to react. "Meiya sama!-?" She quickly placed her down and checked her pulse and her heartbeat… but she could not feel any. "Meiya sama! (…) No! You cannot do this to me! Meiya sama!" Tears flowed freely down the woman's face as she saw Meiya's eyes closed. How could she possibly say that and disappear from her life? "Arghhhhhh!"

No… she would not let it happen. At the very least she should try. Try to bring her back. She would never be able to forgive herself if she didn't.

With renewed vigor born from a woman with everything to lose, Tsukuyomi carried her master up and made a dash through the ruins not even caring for her own fatigue.

She ran. Ran harder until her feet blistered and bled, prayed harder than any monk and tore through whatever obstacle that came her way. She felt her conscious drifting from exhaustion and her body giving out from the lack of energy. But Tsukuyomi injected her willpower into them forcing them back up not even caring if her body should decay after this. She didn't care what happened to her as long as she could get help. Of all the failures and disgrace she has done… at the very least she would see to Meiya's health.

Within moments she soon came upon the enemy camp where soldiers with U.N. insignia were standing watch at the forefront of the gate. Her sudden appearance caught them by surprised forcing them to draw her gun.

"Don't move!" One of them warned pointing his weapon at her. "Identify yourself!" Tsukuyomi panted heavily, with sweat and cold eyes drawing her face.

_"Please…"_ She pleaded but her voice was too strained. It can barely go above a whisper.

"Put your hands behind your head, now!" Another demanded.

_"…You have to…"_ The poor girl was limping. Her body was already screaming that she had no strength left but despite all the warnings Tsukuyomi did not stop. She trudged through the snow, slowly, her heart sinking into despair.

"On your knees, now!"

_"… save her…"_

"Put your hands behind your head and put the girl down!"

_"You have to…"_

It was her pride that would be the last to shatter that night.

With all her heart sinking into sorrow, Tsukuyomi got on her knees and begged, her voice crying out for the gods to help. _"Please you have to save her! You cannot let her die!"_

**(Ruins of Shibuya) (XG-70 Amaterasu)**

No one could imagine the wicked grin hiding behind Ikaruga's face. Never before had he seen such power like the XG and no matter how many times he sees the destruction it caused, he couldn't help but be dazzled by its beauty. The destructive power alone wiped out everything in its path and leaving only ruin in its wake. Everything that stood against it was wiped clean of existence. From the tallest of buildings to the smallest of bacteria were purged in holy flame… it was divine.

All his enemies and those who would dare challenge his military rule were beaten to the punch. The rebelling Imperial Soldiers fled at first sight of his weapon and the U.N. Armed forces that had the nerve to impede his march were erased from his path.

The battle had turned one sided with the Honor Guards taking the field. With the U.N. Army crushed and the Eurasian forces decimated there was little left to stand in their way.

The madman was joyful of this swift victory but yet at the same time, a small part of him found the battle boring. It was no fun when you already know the end result.

"Particle Cannon will be fully charged in 600 seconds. Reserve batteries have decreased to 64%. We'll be coming in to range of Yokohama Base… in 450 seconds. Cooling vents for the main weapon have been replaced. No anomalies detected"

"All secondary weapons have been reloaded. First and second divisions have secured Adachi and are mopping up the remaining stragglers. Third division is holding ground at Toshima. Lt. Col. Tekoro and his forces are also holding ground against what is left of the U.N. Army at Suginami"

The ringleader nodded to their report before standing from his seat to give his victory speech.. "Good. Now comes the hour of this country's reckoning. Send out a message to all our forces across Japan! This battle has been our ultimate test. But at long last an end to this war is at hand! Once we destroy Yokohama Base, there will be nothing left standing in our way! This land shall be destroyed by the will of the people and reborn anew! (Yes sir!) Burn it! Burn it all! Let the fires of our capital tell the world that the reign of the old Shogunate… is over!"

"Yes my lord!"

But just as their victory seemed certain, one of the operators noted something on her radar. "Incoming! Enemy TSF! Behind us! (…!) U.N. signature!"

"How many? (Just 1 sir!) A single unit? They must be desperate. (…?) Tell our defensive divisions to shoot it down!"

"Roger. This is Command HQ to Gamera 1-4. Enemy forces approaching from the south-southwest. Direct all attacks in that area"

"Understood!"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The Type-81s quickly readied their massive payloads of weapons aiming at the direction where the unknown enemy signature was coming from.

"Fool, deploying here at this point of the battle…"

"He's coming in a head on attack. If we shoot him from here we'll destroy him before he even makes another move"

"I never imagined the U.N. could have someone so reckless. Take him down!"

"Firing salvo 1-4!" A payload of missiles launched from their mechs hitting the target with a massive explosion in the air. "Direct hit. Target destroyed"

"Heh… what a waste of time and resour—(Alert!) What!-?"

"Target is still moving! It's heading straight for us!"

"Fools! How could you miss at this close range? (S… sorry sir!) This is Gamera Leader to all units! Bring it down!"

"Don't worry. This one is—(Clang!)—mine?" The man barely even got to finish his sentence when he noticed his arms and legs suddenly breaking off from their joints. "Gaahhh!"

"What the hell? He's fast! Division 3! We have an interceptor! Engage at once! (Roger!) Shoot it down!" Bullets and cannon strafed the skies lighting the dark clouds with pockets of fire. But despite all their attempts to hit the unknown enemy… the shadowy figure continued to evade them with little effort. "Th… that can't be!"

"This is Division 3. We have the target on sight! We're—(WHAM!) Grahhh!"

"Inoue!" Her comrade shouted out noticing the squad leader suddenly losing all of her limbs in a blink of an eye. "You bastard! You'll pay! (Clang!) Ah! Wh… what the hell?"

With speed that would rival a devil himself, the Household Honor Guards began falling from the sky like flies. They barely even caught a glimpse of the enemy before their screens went blank. Missiles, and gunfire met their marks only to disable the machines but not kill the pilots. The skill, precision and accuracy of such an attack could only be considered inhumane at this point. One by one their signals were lost from the radar.

"It's fast! My auto corrective data can't keep up with its movements! Switching to manual aim"

"All units keep moving! If you stop even for a second you're a tar—(WHAM!) Argghhh!" The man felt to the surface having his limbs removed from his TSF.

"Is that a new model? I've never seen something this fast before"

"Th… that's can't be!"

"04, what are you doing? Don't just stand there!"

The pilots didn't get a chance to defend themselves when the shadowy figure crushed through their armor like paper. With a single flash, they were swatted down faster than flies.

"Wh… what the hell is with this monster? (…) Ahh… AHHHHH! S… stay away!" The last man standing panicked and began firing his gun blindly at the unknown enemy. But to add to his fear… none of his bullets hit their mark. "Heeeeeeeee! (Click) (Click)…" He didn't even notice his low ammunition warning when his opponent grabbed him by the face and crushed the whole piece with relative ease. "Ahhhhh! Someone! Save me!"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Back at the Amaterasu, the whole command room went into a state of stunned silence when they heard the last transmission from Division 3. Each radio call that came from them was a cry for help and support but none of them could react in time to even provide any kind of assistance.

"N… no way…"

"D… Division 3… has been completely wiped out…"

"3 minutes…" Another man muttered in disbelief. "He defeated 25 Takemikazuchis and Zuikakus… and he did it in less than 3 minutes?"

Even Ikaruga himself who was certain of his victory widened his eyes in horror. His own elite guards… the Household Honor Guards, who are considered the best of the best Eishis in their time, were easily snuffed by one upstart?

Their silence was quickly broken when another explosion took place in the exterior.

"Damage report!"

"Minimal explosion. It came from the outside. Armor ratio standing at 92%! (Explosion!) Ahh! 89% and dropping!"

"Where is it coming from!-?"

"I have a visual! It's coming from the top of Yoyogi National Gym! Putting it on screen now"

When the screen appeared, the whole crew went into a series of gasps. On the screen was a Takemikazuchi in U.N. colors with its sword drawn on its left hand and its gun on its right whistling with smoke. Around that unit laid the disabled bodies and machines of those that it had defeated.

"A… Takemikazuchi?"

Ikaruga raised a brow with a hint curiosity. "That unit… Is it her, again? The one who defeated Makabe?"

"Grrrr! What are you all waiting for!-? It's standing right there! Deploy our reserve guards and destroy it!" The captain barked out.

"Y… yes sir! Command HQ to all units. Deploy immediately and engage hostile!"

**(Takeru's POV)**

Right… that got their attention. I knew if you played with the small fries long enough you'll eventually attract the attention of the big fish. I've slowed them down just a little bit but it's not stopping. I was fortunate to find these weapons at Shinjuku. The weapon depot there had plenty to spare, but they won't do much damage against the XG. If I'm going to destroy something like this I'm gonna need more than just a few guns.

Still… the Type-00 Takemikazuchi is amazing. The speed, strength and control structure is way less sophisticated than I thought. Every component from the head down to the feet is designed for close range combat. The hands alone can be considered a weapon if you know how to use them. The way Tsukuyom piloted her unit made it all the more clearer that they were used for only the best. Meiya's setting and control adjustments on the OS are almost similar to my own. She must've copied my style into this machine… or… to be more honest I copied her style and just made it my own before she had a chance to invent it. Recalibrating the systems to suit my style was almost too easy.

Still… my body is reacting quite naturally to this. It feels… all too familiar, like I've piloted one of these back in my other loops. Who knows… maybe I owned one of these. But it doesn't matter now. I can't allow that thing to get any further. They may have been able to duplicate the Particle Cannon technology but without Sumika… there's no way they can replicate the Rutherford Shield. Even if it is large as a mountain… it's not invincible!

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

And even against impossible odds, Shirogane leaped forward charging against the large floating fortress and the soldiers that guarded it.

"Heeeeaaaaahhhh!"

"Enemy TSF detected! It's charging in!"

"This is Gamera 1 to all units. Be careful… this is no ordinary fighter. He's using the same model as our guards so do not underestimate him. He took out a whole division all on his own"

"Heeeh? So the U.N. have an Ace of their own. Well it still won't—(Clang!) (GRAHHH!) What the hell? Takamoto!"

"Damn! How the hell did he get her so quickly! Squad 2, engage him in close combat. Squad 3 will cover from long range. Squad 1 will act as support! (Roger)"

But it was futile. Shirogane out maneuvered everything they had with his own reckless techniques. When one soldier swings his sword he would parry the blow and counter with a flurry of attacks. He had no weakness, no blind spot. Every limb and joint of his mech was used to take down the enemy. Even his own feet clawed through the thick armor of the Honor Guard's fighter with relative ease.

With eyes glowing red under the hot flame and cold winter snow, the boy marched on, completely unafraid of the numbers the enemy kept throwing at him. With fluid movements his attacks came like it literally flowed out of his fingers. The Guards couldn't keep up with his pace… and at that speed they couldn't even land a single blow.

"Grrr! Who the hell is this? I never heard of a U.N. Pilot with such skill!"

"Even so, it's just one unit! We can overwhelm it with numbers!" But Shirogane vanished from their sight with nearly godlike speed that not even their sophisticated computers could track.

"Th… that can't be! It disappeared?"

"It's right behind you! (Gahhh!) Keh… damn you! You bastard! (Slash!) Gah! I… couldn't even get my weapon out…"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Back aboard the Amaterasu, Ikaruga couldn't help but grow a certain frown on his face. The interloper was beginning to become an annoyance. Despite their obviously overwhelming advantage they couldn't get rid of a single TSF pilot. Earlier they were able to wipe out hundreds of them in one fell swoop yet this one… this one proved much more difficult to defeat.

"Gamera 2 has been disabled! Yokai 1, 5, 6 and 7 has been damaged by the enemy and are no longer to continue battle!"

"Damage sustained on forward armor! Armor integrity ratio holding at 80%! He seems to be focusing on the particle cannon!"

"Fire all missile salvos! Use all weapon against it!"

The missiles launched from their tubes chasing Shirogane by his trail but to their surprise the boy simply flew off and did a 120 degrees turn and shot them all down with his gun like target practice.

"The enemy went through all twelve salvos! Reloading missiles tubes. Gun-turret 4 and 6 are no longer responding! They were destroyed by the enemy attack!"

"Defensive division is down to half strength! They can't seem to hold their ground against it!"

"Tch!" Ikaruga clicked his tongue in response. "How long until the weapon is ready to fire?"

"500 seconds and counting down. However… due to enemy interference it'll take a bit longer to reach the firing point. The ongoing battle has taken down some buildings along the way and are blocking our supposed route"

"Tch… all this delay because of a single pilot!-?"

"Frontal armor sustaining damage! Look out! Incoming missiles!"

**(Takeru's POV) **

I knew it. The front armor really is the hardest part of the whole unit. They don't have the Rutherford Field to protect it from oncoming fire but its defensive capabilities are in another level entirely. However… if I keep the pressure up, I can at least disable the Particle Cannon. Without it, they won't be able to do any harm to Yokohama Base. That'll at least buy us some time to find a more effective way of destroying it.

Beep beep!

More of them? This is insane… I already lost track of how many I've taken down. I've been destroying one TSF after another like flies. Just how many more do they even have?

Tch… it looks like I'm running low on ammo. I used up my missiles launchers on the XG so all I have now are two swords and 450 rounds of 36mm and 5 shots of 120mm. I have to make it count somehow. The enemy still outnumber me a good 10 to 1… and they probably sense a pattern in my attacks. I won't be able to take them by surprise again. They're going to be taking me seriously from here on.

I'm going to need at least a little bit of leverage.

"This is Zeus to Valhalla, do you read me?"

"Shirogane?" Good… it looks like the coms on the Takemikazuchi is still working. I can see Marimo's face on the screen but it's a bit glitchy. "Thank goodness. I've been trying to reach you all morning. What's—"

"No time for an explanation. I'm linking up my suit to your computer now. (Beep) I'm currently engaging the enemy XG weapon. (What!-?) It's a long story. But right now I need your help. Can you give me any details on the XG? Any weakness at all?"

"The XG? Ah… wait… one moment. Umm… that weapon is a top secret weapon developed by the American R&D teams. The only person I know of such detail would either be Yuuko or members of her research team"

"Damn…" I guess that was too much to ask for. I knew that this weapon was a confidential piece of equipment but I was hoping to get some measure of information. Hitting it solely on the armor doesn't seem to be a viable option. Not to mention I don't exactly have enough ammo to destroy it. I supposed holding it off just a little bit longer is all I can do at this point.

"Shirogane, you have to get out of there. There's no way you can stop the XG weapon with the firepower you possess. You have to evacuate before it fires the particle cannon again!" The particle cannon? That must be the same thing that knocked us out earlier. The large explosions and the bright light. It all came from that thing. I can see the trail of destruction it made with that Weapon of Mass Destruction.

Just what are they trying to prove causing so much destruction?

"Marimo… I'm going to delay the XG for as long as I can. (Eh?) Right now… this is the only thing I can do. The only thing I'm good at. (…!) Don't worry. I won't die here. If I can survive going inside a BETA Carrier then I can survive this. (Shirogane!) Get out of here. There's no point in you guys staying anymore! I'll try to buy you guys as much time as I can. We'll meet again soon. I promise!"

"This isn't the time for you to play the hero! If you die now, then everything will be…"

"Such a heroic speech… As expected of my future son-in-law. (…!)" Eh? Yoroi? "I don't exactly have much of a choice but to help you, do I, Shirogane kun? (Beep)" A set of images appeared on my screen. "I will give you a brief detail on the XG-70. Listen carefully because we do not have time for useless questions"

"Yoroi san… how did you…?"

"I said we do not have time for useless questions. (…) I'll be honest with you. The redesign of the XG-70 was made by Professor Yuuko to fix the original problem of the machine but it does have one particular weakness: The engines. (The engines?) Developed by the American company, Lockweed, it was made to relieve strain on the core. It produces equal amounts of power which also generates a little heat as possible. However… the filters for the coolant vents were never really resolved. To prevent that, the engineers decided to put in water coolers inside the engine itself which prevents the engine from overheating"

"So if I shoot the engines…"

"It's mere speculation but to be honest… it's your best bet of defeating that monster. The buildup of heat might as well shut the whole machine down to size. It won't stop them from firing the cannon but it will definitely stop it on its tracks. (…) However… the engineers who developed the engine saw this as a fatal weakness for the whole unit so they added a thick sheet of titanium steel to prevent any kind of firearm to pierce its shell"

I see. So if I destroy the engines keeping the XG afloat, it'll fall down and this whole ordeal will be finished. They'll never be able to repair it in time until reinforcements get here.

"Section Chief!" Marimo barked out. "You can't be serious about letting him take on something like that alone! It's already taken out most of our forces. Going from here is just plain suicide!"

"Marimo sensei… it's alright. (Huh?) I can do it. I have to… for everyone's sake. Don't worry about me. I won't die. (Shirogane…) Now hurry up and get out of here! There are more of them coming and I won't be able to protect all of you at once! GO!"

…

"Alright… but please… come back safely Shirogane. I'll remain in contact with you for as long as I can"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

With renewed sense of purpose coursing through his body Shirogane dove into the thick of the battle once more with his weapons drawn against uneven numbers.

"Aghhhhhh! Take this!" The boy crushed through the ranks of the Honor Guards like water. Regardless of how many guns they had, or what formation they used or what trap they set against him. To such brute force, such strength and such tenacity they could not hope to match it. It was merely a struggle just to stay standing in the fight.

"Gahh! What… what the hell is wrong with this guy!-?" A squad leader shouted out as he noted his allies quickly vanishing from his radar scope. "Why the hell is he fighting so desperately!-? (Gahh!) Keh! Someone stop him! Don't let him get any closer! (Bahhh!) H… haaaa! Don't come any closer! (Clang!) GWAHHHHH!" Shirogane easily ripped off the TSF's arms like he was tearing a well-cooked turkey leg.

The mere sight of their fallen comrades was enough to make the Guards halt in their attack. Never before had the men of the royal army hesitated against a fight… but after what they saw today… they began to wonder if fighting had any merits at all. Not a single one of them had been able to last more than a few seconds against the boy and throwing themselves at him seemed irrelevant at this point.

The Guards recognized the boy's skill and abilities and accepted it… but what caused them to halt in their attack was the feeling many of them had not felt in a long while.

Fear…

That single emotion that many of them drowned out was resurfacing into the form of a chill running up your spine. It gripped their hearts with ice cold fingers running a nervous chill at their spines. The ruin of Shibuya was like a scene of carnage that came straight from hell. Their colleagues lay wasted on the ground in thralls, their commanders and comrades alike were like lambs sent to the slaughterhouse only to be cut down by the butcher with joyous effort. Everything the boy touched fell apart. With blade and gun he thinned their ranks down like he was Death itself.

**(Saitama City military airfield)**

Yoroi Sakon sat back comfortably on his seat on board the plane he was in, his hands cupped over his mouth and his hat covering his face, hiding the expression that he was showing. His eyes remained solemnly focused on the battle raging afoot.

It was plain to see that both the Imperial Army and the U.N. Armed Forces have exhausted all their options in this fight. They've lost almost 1/3 of their fighting strength and more than half of their Tactical Surface Fighters in the last battle against the Amaterasu. The Headquarters of the Imperial Army in Saitama was blown to bits along with the royal family and the U.N. were scattered all across the city, unable to get themselves organized. At this point, even he could see that it was pointless to struggle anymore.

But even with all the stakes down… he couldn't help but flash a small hidden grin as he watched the battle from Shirogane's headset. The man had to admit, it has been a long while since he felt this kind of fire in his stomach. Could that boy do it? Could that boy really turn the tide of this battle alone? He always thought that such heroes couldn't possibly exist in the real world… but considering the boy's achievements up to date… there was a glimpse of hope sparking in his eyes. Was it foolish to believe in such hope?

If his daughter were here, she'd probably agree regardless of how bad the odds were. She believed in Shirogane more so than she believes in her own strength. It beckoned the man to think… to take that risk and gamble once more. If there was anyone to bet on in a fight for humanity's future… it was obvious who he was going to place his money on.

"Yayoi san…" The man whispered to his secretary, avoiding Marimo's ears. "Do we have any cameras in the Toshima Ward that we can use?"

"Huh? Well… most of the street cameras have been destroyed during the battle. But I believe I can hack into some of the abandoned TSF and have their camera visual transferred here"

"Hack into as many of them as possible and transmit the best angle of the fight on an open channel. (Eh?) Please do it"

"Ah… y… yes sir. Transmitting now"

With that alone, the man returned to his luxury seat and smirked under his hat. "Now then Shirogane. The stage is yours. Don't fail us now… you hear?"

**(Takeru's POV)**

Tch! Come on! Send as many soldier as you want, it won't make a difference here! I've taken down leagues of BETA in my loops. A few hundred of you should be child's play!

Beep beep!

Missiles? That won't work on me! (Boom!) I was right. If given the right equipment, the TSF can fire in almost any direction without any kind of hindrance. But the Takemikazuchi alone can be considered top-notched. Even with the OS, the movements are truly superior to any kind of TSF. Every limb and joints were designed for optimal combat with no blind spot whatsoever. My free-flow command logs that my Shiranui can barely keep up are being processed faster than ever before. The equipments used to make this are also top of line which means everything is at its best. A machine built specifically for the use of the Shogun.

I've never had a machine that could match my performance so well. The Fubuki was only able to take me at nearly a quarter of my strength. The Gekishin was slow and heavy, more suited for entrenched defense.

I've grown accustomed to the Type-94 Shiranui since I've been using it for as longs as I can remember. But even with the increase in power output the Shiranui still had a few seconds delay even with the new OS. Can this machine do it? Can it really handle me at 100%? Heh… I guess we'll just have to find out!

Whirrr…

The XG! Keh! Oh no you don't! You're not getting any closer! One good shot at the engine should do it!

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Back aboard the Amaterasu the crew recovered from another explosive shot done by the enemy Takemikazuchi. The sound of crackling fire and slight earth shakes had the soldiers trembling to their knees.

"Put that fire out, now! (Yes sir!) What are you doing out there!-?" An officer barked at the Eishis fighting outside. "It's just one unit! Why can't you imbeciles take it down? Are you going to let the U.N. Army make a mockery of us, The Imperial Honor Guards!-? (S… sorry sir!) We can't allow it to destroy the particle cannon. Focus all of our existing firepower on that unit! Bring him down!"

"Emergency alert! Engine number 1 has sustained heavy damage from battle. Recalibrating stabilizers and slowing down to prevent overload"

"Armor integrity is going below 70%! She won't hold for long!"

"Yokai Squad is gone. Burai and Sanso Squad are withdrawing as well"

"The 1st and 4th Divisions are being decimated! The enemy Ace is wiping them off 4 or 5 at a time! He's cutting through our numbers in minutes! We'll lose our entire defense force at this point!"

"Gamera Battalion has also been disabled. They're no longer able to fight!"

"Get the other defense units out there on the double! We need reinforcements!"

"We already recalled every patrol unit, sir!"

"What about the division we left at Kita!-?"

"But sir! If we recall that group, the fortress will be exposed from the rear!"

"You fool! If we can destroy that machine, it will be over! Do it! (Y… yes sir!)"

Ikaruga grunted at his men, feeling a sense of irritation creeping around neck. "The interloper is starting to become a nuisance. (Forgive me my lord!) Focus all our efforts into moving the weapon to the optimal firing position. It's time we sent the Ghost Child to meet with her parents at last"

**(Adachi Ward) (Imperial Army Forward CP) (Toneri Park)**

"Hurry up and get the wounded into the trucks! We don't have all day! The Honor Guards will be onto us any minute now!"

Hibiki listened from afar in his Fubuki as the soldiers began to withdraw from the battlefield one at a time. Since the cadets were the only ones left with actively working TSFs they were ordered to hold the line against any enemy force that supposedly came their way. They've been standing guard for over an hour since the XG showed up and the most dangerous thing that ever got through them was a probably a termite.

It was heartbreaking seeing how the soldiers were running away but it seemed like the most logical thing to do when facing against overwhelming force. Seeing how futile it was to even fight anymore, the brave soldiers of the once mighty Imperial Army fled with their tails between their legs.

Most of the regular army had already been crushed and what little remain were trying their best just to survive to see tomorrow.

"Tatsunami…"

The boy spurred into motion at the voice of his comrade. "What is it? Is it an enemy? Where is it?"

"No, there aren't any of them you idiot. It's your turn to resupply. (Oh…) There aren't a lot left in those crates so you'll have to do with spares"

"Ah… r… roger that"

"You can ease up a little you know" Asagi assured him. "From what Command Post is saying, the enemy appears to be fighting strictly a defensive battle. They don't seem to be interested in a group that has no will to fight. Besides, the Major's already here. If the enemy did come they wouldn't stand a chance against her"

The boy nodded easing some tension from his shoulder. "Y… yeah, you're probably right. They wouldn't want to deal with us right now…"

…

"Are you worried about 'him'?"

"Hmm? Shirogane sempai?"

"Yeah… I know that you didn't know him for long but I guess he left quite an impression on you"

Hibiki gruffed a noise. "Of course not. There's no need to worry for a guy like that. Besides… I'm sure Shirogane sempai is probably kicking someone's butt right about now'

"Heh… you really have a lot of faith in that guy huh?"

"It's a guy thing. When two men make a promise they keep it until death do them part. He has to survive… he has to"

"Tatsunami…"

But their moment of peace was suddenly interrupted by a communication from their commander. "This is Orochi Leader to all units. We're moving the last of the wounded out of the city. All forces are to regroup at Saitama base once the area has been cleared. Stay within safe altitude to avoid friendly fire. Move out in groups and keep watch on our backs at all time. The reserves will move first to scout out the way ahead and see if there are any blockades that needs lifting. The others are to hold position here and guard our rear. (Roger!) Head 1 and Head 6 will protect the flanks as for our support—"

"It looks like we're really being put on the back this time" Tatsunami added barely even listening to the briefing.

"Yeah… it just shows how desperate they are"

But just as the briefing went on, Tatsunami noted a transmission on his coms. "Hmm? What's this? An open channel?" Out of boredom and plain curiosity the boy opened it only to find the scene of battle being broadcast on the other line. "What the? Hey… Asagi, are you seeing this? (Hmm?) There's an open channel showing some kind of… fight"

"A fight?" She switched it on only to be baffled by the broadcast. "What is this? Is that… a Takemikazuchi fighting the XG?"

One by one, the soldiers and Eishis began to take note of the fight. Slowly but surely, the show began to spread from one person to another like a plague that could not be contained.

"Hey… are you seeing this?"

"What is that? A fight?"

"Once we leave Adachi, I want everyone to… hm?" Sayoko stopped in her briefing noticing that barely even half of her soldiers were listening. "Oi… what are you—(Major!) What is it?"

"You need to look at this…"

**(U.N. Forward Headquarters)**

Radhabinod sat in his chair with a tired sigh as he watched his men scatter around evacuating from the base. The moment their advance forces were decimated by the enemy they knew that there was little left they could do. A retreat was all that was left to do… but with a weapon like the XG, it seemed like they had to run farther than before.

"Ugh…"

"Please don't move, General" The medic cooed the old man down, her hands wrapping bandages over his head and a cast over his broken arm. "I'm almost done here. Your body may be strong but it's still human"

The old war veteran nodded trying his best to be still. It was shameful really to see his troops withdraw at such a defeated state. He thought that he could buy Yokohama Base at least another hour or so but sadly their little diversion only provided them with a few minutes of peace. The council will probably have his head after this failure… not that he was surprised. He has been looking for a good reason to retire after all… and a dishonorable discharge seemed enough.

"General!" One of the staff officers called out to him. "Almost all of the staff officers have been evacuated but we don't have enough space in the ships to get them back to the mainland. Right now we're prioritizing all exclusive personnel. I have a chopper waiting for you at the flight deck that will take you to Okinawa Base. They're refueling right now and will be ready for transport in five minutes"

"Ah… yes… that will do" The General dismissed him and allowed the medic to finish. He rested his head and his back on the wall of the command center and listened in to the operators that were doing what they can to help those still trapped in the city. But just as they were preparing to depart… the monitors on the Command Post began to change.

"Hey… what the?"

"Oi what's going?"

One by one, the main show was being broadcast on every screen in the base, alerting every form of media of a battle that was still raging inside the city.

**(Takeru's POV)**

Haaaaaaaaaa!

Clang!

Come on! Just leave me alone! Why do you people want to protect this thing anyway? (Clang!) Is this what you people truly desire? You'll wipe out everything… everyone! (Clang!) You guys are just crazy!

They're practically throwing themselves at me at this point. They just want to shield the XG weapon using their bodies. Keh! This isn't good. It looks like this Takemikazuchi isn't in its perfect form either. It sustained some damage during the particle cannon shot. If I strain it, there's a good chance I might just break it apart.

I'm out of ammo, and I'm down to my last sword. I can probably take the weapons from my opponents but it's too risky in all this chaos.

But right now… I don't exactly have a lot of time either. The XG is still moving and at the rate it's going, it'll probably fire the particle cannon again in a few minutes. I have to stop it… no matter what.

…

Haaaaaaa…

Looks like I don't have much of a choice. I have to put everything I have into this one shot. If I break through their formation at one point I can make my way towards the XG and destroy the engine with one blow. If I remember correctly, the XG requires two engines to keep it afloat. If it loses one… then it falls and then this madness… will finally end!

…!

Alright then… here I come!

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

With renewed vigor, Shirogane charged himself forward, breaking the encirclement of the enemy tearing through their blockade like it was made out of cardboard. The Guards didn't even get a chance to draw out their weapons when the boy struck.

"What the hell!-?"

"Did he just get faster? How is that even possible?"

"I've never seen someone with such abilities. Tch! This is Division 5. The enemy has slipped through our encirclement. It's heading straight towards you!"

But just before Shirogane could even go half way to the Amaterasu, his path was blocked by a batch of Takemikazuchis, painted in yellow and red. He knew immediately that these were the commanding officers of the Royal Army. Their color variants differently from the black and white he fought with earlier and their skills seemed to match their reputation.

But they were not going to stop him. Not after everything that he has accomplished. With little hesitation he cut through three of their numbers scattering the others away. Those who underestimated his skills were quickly put in their place.

**(Amaterasu)**

"Zennyo 4 and 5 have been disabled!" The operator announced. "Zennyo 2 has been damaged but is still capable of battle. We've pinned the enemy Ace near the ruins of the Grand Crossing of Sihbuya"

"Good!" Their commander praised. "Bring the rest of the division and we'll finally crush that interloper once and for all. Keep all your weapons trained at it. If it tries to make a jump we'll blow it right out of the sky!"

"Yes sir!"

"He's trapped! He can't move from that position now that we have him cornered!"

But despite all of their aspiring words, Ikaruga could only let out a sigh as he watched the battle from his personal monitor. He never would've imagined that a single girl would give them so much trouble and set them back almost a whole hour. "It's such a pity. She really did look similar to Her Highness. She would've made an excellent puppet on the throne. But I suppose their looks aren't the only thing they have in common. (…) Hmm?"

But just as he thought that the enemy would surrender to despair, the blue Takemikazuchi continued to struggle. He continued to show his vigor and his determination to win at all cost. But of course the thing that caught the man's attentions wasn't the skill of the enemy… but his style. It seemed familiar to him… like he had seen such a reckless fighter somewhere before…

"Could it be…?"

**(Takeru's POV)**

Clang!

Ah! That son of a…! I'm in deep trouble now. That last blow tore my last sword in half. I can't believe I messed up on the last minute. Is this it? Is this as far as I can go? (Flash) No. I can't afford to give up. Not yet. I can still end this. I can stop them from causing anymore damage. I promise Tsukuyomi and Marimo that I wouldn't die. What kind of a man would I be if I can't even keep such a simple promise?

Still… this isn't looking good for me. The Honor Guards are becoming more aware of my strength. They know that the moment I move, they'll revise their formation and the moment they move will give out an opening. We're at a standoff.

Tug!

Arghh! No! Not now! Why must this headache always come at the worst possible time? (Flash!) Huh? Ah crud! A sneak attack!

Clang!

Geh! That was too close. A few seconds later and he would've gotten me. Come on. There must be something I can use. (Beep beep) Let's see… my inventory says… retractable daggers? Is that all I have? Tch! It's better than nothing. Let's go!

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

With a swift move, Shirogane parried the next blow and jab his blade arm on the joints shutting his opponent's TSF instantly. The Guards gritted their teeth, feeling a bit annoyed to the fact that they were being beaten back by just one soldier.

"What the hell are you waiting for? He's weakened! Attack!" Their commander ordered but they hesitated. No one had the courage or the will to take on such a fierce opponent with just their blades. Even if he was barely armed the kill counts he has accomplished was enough to make them pause. "Fight you cowards! You're the Imperial Honor Guards! Are you going to let this U.N. soldier make a mockery of our titles? Fight!"

"B… but sir! Th… that man has already taken out more than half of us. We can't possibly stand against him…!"

"Are you going to disobey orders!-?" To everyone's surprise, the commander pointed his rifle at the frightened soldier. "Fight! We cannot allow this monster to get any closer to His Excellency! We swore our complete loyalty to the Royal Family and to give our lives if necessary! Now stop cowering and fi—(WHAM!)" The man was responded with a blade stuck up his face and his limbs dismembered as if they were pieces of a puzzle.

The sheer speed of Takeru's frame, opened the eyes of the men and women of the Honor Guards. They knew then that no matter what they do or how hard they tried… the result was still the same. There was simply no way… they would be defeating that soldier with conventional methods.

**(U.N. Forward HQ)**

"General, I've confirmed the signal from the battlefield" One of the operators announced seeing how the rest of the crew were far too concentrated on the fight to pay attention to her. "It's one of ours. It's from the A-01 Special Task Force. (A-01?) Yes sir. The IFF confirmed this. We believe that the pilot is none other than 2nd Lt. Mitsurugi Meiya. She appears to be engaged with the Honor Guards!"

"Mitsurugi… I see" The old war vet placed his hand on his chin deep in thought.

"Our pilot seems to be causing considerable damage to the enemy. The XG weapon appears to be slowing down due to the battle"

"Do we have any support to lend her?"

"Negative sir. All of our combat groups are still in play right now. We're completely on our own"

"What about the weapons we confiscated from the Eurasian Fleet. (Eh?) Can we still use them?"

"Yes sir. We have a few supply containers but we don't have any TSFs to use them"

"Have them launched towards Shibuya, immediately. (…!) Scrounge up everything we can find. Ammunitions, weapons, missiles… all of it. Send all of it to provide aid to her… and let us pray that it will be enough…"

**(Setagaya Rally point)**

"What!-? Mitsurugi? Are you sure?" Isumi questioned after she was notified by Munakata about the broadcast that everyone was watching. She and what remained her of her squad were assembled at Setagaya after their defeat at the hands of the enemy.

"Yeah. It's being broadcast right now. I just confirmed it with Suzumiya"

"Can you get in contact with her?"

"No… I've tried. Her coms may have been damaged during the struggle. But from what I'm getting from the reports… she appears to be holding the XG weapon at Shibuya"

"That idiot… does she intend to hold the whole force by herself?"

"Captain. It's Hayase" The 2nd in command of the Squad contacted her through her coms. "Are you seeing this?"

"Yeah… Munakata just told me. Can you contact Mitsurugi from here?"

"Negative. I'm barely getting a signal off from all this static"

The captain clicked her tongue in response. "Just what the hell is she up to?"

"Captain…" Munakta opened up feeling a bit confused herself. "We've loaded most of the wounded onto trucks already. Other than Tamase, Yoroi, Kazama and Chizuru, the rest of us can still fight"

"Ayamine and I are still fit to go" Hayase added putting her subordinate on the line. "We can restock in just two minutes and back Mitsurugi up"

"Negative. There are too many of them. You won't be able to break through with just 2 of you. (But still…!) There are too many wounded here. If we gave up the last fighting strength that we have we'll all be at the mercy of our enemies! You have to put your feelings aside for a moment Hayase…!"

"Tch…" Hayase clicked her tongue in response. "Damn it all… just where the hell is Shirogane when we need him the most!-?"

**(Imperial Army gathering point) (Adachi Ward)**

"A single pilot is doing… all of that?" Hibiki recovered after a brief pause. He and a few hundred others were watching the same channel that was being broadcast throughout the network. Barely anyone was even paying attention to the withdrawal order anymore.

As he watched that fight unfold… the boy gathered up his courage and flew out of the area attracting the attention of his partner. "Oi! Tatsu-baka! Where the hell do you think you're going?"

"Sorry Asagi. But there's something I need to do… (Oi!)"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Tatsunami quickly made his way to the old Firebase which was pretty much in ruins since the fighting began. Most of the equipments here were in tatters, especially the 200mm howitzer that Shirogane destroyed in the earlier attacks. But there was still a chance for it to work. The boy had spent 3 years in cadet-training assembling and repairing huge equipments like these were inducted in his lessons. But of course the guns that he had to work on were a lot smaller than the one he had now.

The boy scanned the gun and its mechanical workings. It seemed like the attack Shirogane did not it wasn't too severe. If given the proper tools he could put it back to working order with some tweaks.

"Yosh… this can work…" He took out his knife and began digging his way through the building where the gun was placed.

"Tatsunami!" His comrade, Asagi barked out as she landed next to him with bated breaths. "You idiot! Don't just go off on your own like that! What if you encounter an enemy? Do you want to die?"

"Sorry. But this is an emergency. We don't have much time left"

"What are you talking about? We have to leave now. Didn't you listen to the announcement?"

"As long as there's someone still willing to fight it's my obligation to give it my all. (Eh?) You don't need to follow me. I'm doing this because I feel that it's the right thing to do"

"You and your… arghh! Why do I always get paired up with the idiot of the group? You're crazy! You know that!"

"Heh. I think I already lost count on how many times you've called me that" The boy smirked back knowing well what was in store for him.

Asagi knew that there was little point in trying to get the boy to fold. After being with him for 3 years, she knew that when he sets his mind on something, it'd take a miracle to get him to change his mind. Sometimes she wonders if he was more fitting to be squad leader. After all… she's been doing things his way as far as she can remember.

"Alright fine…" The girl sighed in defeat. "I guess there's little point in arguing since you're so into it. (Hehehe) But if we get out of here alive you're treating me to a date. (Eh?) Shut up and tell me what you're trying to do here"

"Ah… umm… remember during our exams in the Southern Island?"

"The Comprehensive Combat Skill Evaluation. Yeah… what about it?"

"Remember how we needed to cross the bridge on the other side of that ravine but there was an automatic gun bunker in the way?"

"Of course. We had to repair and rebuild a tank to get across the metal bridge"

"Remember the problems we had when we had to use the cannon?"

"Yeah. There was a problem with the barrel and the higher muzzle velocity and pressure were erratic. We had to fire it manually with one of us going out of the tank and aiming it for us. Why?"

"I plan to do the same thing with this thing. (Eh?) The 200mm Howitzer has enough kick in it to pierce through any kind of armor. I'm betting that we could use it against that floating fortress over there. The damage isn't too severe and I think I can fix that hole in just a few minutes"

"But the firebase was designed to have the gun aim 120 degrees angle on the side it's pointed at. Besides, if we try to move it we might as well be breaking it"

"Then we'll just have to move the whole building. (Huh!) I'm digging a ditch around the building. The structure is rooted beneath the ground but if I can just have leverage over it… then I can least try to turn it around"

…

…

…

"You're crazy… you know that?" Asagi added only to earn another chuckle from her partner. "But I guess that's the only good quality you have there. (Ahehehe…) Move aside. (Eh?) Digging with a knife takes too long. You'll need something bigger" She quickly tore down one of the giant gun towers flanking the base and began using it as a shovel.

**(Shibuya)**

"Haaaaaaaaa… haaaaaaa… haaaaa…"

Shirogane panted out, his breath fogging up the screen as the sweat from his brow stung his eyes. The chemicals and stims that he injected himself with had already run dry. He knew that putting too much into his systems would have an aftereffect much later. Chizuru had pestered him constantly about the negatives about relying on drugs that it was pretty much burned into him.

But despite those warnings, the boy put them anyway. He kept putting more and more until his blood swam with those chemicals like they already part of him. The effects would keep him strong and awake to see the fight to the end.

Shirogane looked around him and gazed upon the unseen frightened faces of his enemies. He had lost count on how many he already defeated. Heck… he can't even remember if he was even keeping track. He can't remember how many arms he's broken, how many minds he instilled with fear or how many times he would cut into the stomach of the machine and rip the wires off like a beast with his bare hands.

He turned his gaze to the cloudy sky for a moment, flakes of snow drifted down as if to cool this heated battle.

The faces of his comrades flashed before his eyes. Images of a life he hardly even remembers anymore. Some… he couldn't even remember at all.

No matter how cold it was or how grim the situation may be… his memories would be there to sooth him. They were the only things he had left from the previous world after all. The faces of those that he loved were all that mattered to him now. The people that he cared about, those that helped him up through these tough times. It was the only thing that will ever matter from here on out.

"Haaaaa!" As the boy gathered his breath, he gazed to his enemies once more and prepared for the next round. "Bring it on!"


	60. Battle for Japan Final Part

**Chapter 60: The Battle for Japan (Final Part) (Veni, vidi, vici)**

**(January 1, 2002 Tuesday) (03:00 AM) (Royal Palace) (Shogun's room)**

Ash… fire… blood, steel and dust…

That was the view from the Shogun's room that morning as she watched the empty city in flames. The cracking fire and the smell of burning wood filled the air with poisonous clouds, the earth that held this great city was soaked in the blood, sweat and tears of its inhabitants and even the water was mixed toxic substances that polluted every drop that was drinkable.

It was so different from before. So much different…

To think that it was only yesterday, Yuuhi was looking down on the once magnificent city of Tokyo. She tried to picture how it would look like before but every gunshot that echoed through the streets seems to jolt her back to reality.

There was little comfort that the Grand Chamberlain could provide. She wished there was a way to sooth that pain… but there was none. The city that the Shogun had cared for all her life was reduced to rubble by the actions of a madman. Buildings toppled down piece by piece and its protectors turned against it. A lifeless shell of a capital.

The guards that were once protecting the royal palace had all abandoned their posts leaving the place empty like the rest of the city itself. After witnessing such destructive power at the hands of the XG… it seemed pointless to even remain here. They could protect the place from a BETA incursion, perhaps a few coup d'état soldiers. But against such a ferocious monster like the XG… there was little they could do at all.

Yuuhi felt a drop of water fall on her face. She turned to the darkened sky and raw drop after drop fall over. It felt almost as if the gods themselves were weeping with her. She allowed the rain to come, welcoming it with almost open arms. She allowed the water to drench her expensive robes, to dampen her long silk hair. She allowed it all to come… and hide the real tears that rolled down her face.

**(U.N. Army Rally point) (Setagaya)**

"Eh? What the?" Isumi looked upward when she felt a drop of water fall down her cheek. After a few drops, the storm cloud poured over causing the soldiers and medics on the field to run for shelter. "You have got to be kidding me… Of all the time to… geh! Munakata! What's your status?"

The girl in question appeared on her screen, shielding herself from the rain. "We're moving but slower than usual now with this rain. About half of the injured have been transferred out. However, the trucks will have a harder time navigating through these ruins. Two… maybe three more runs should do it"

"We can't stay here any longer. The battle could turn south any minute. Have those that are not too critically wounded to move with the armored vehicles. Those that can walk on their own will have to help in any way they can. (Roger that) Hayase, I'm leaving the rearguard to you. (Leave it to me!) This is Valkyrie Leader to all units. We are moving out in five minutes. Find any way possible to get out of the battlefield. If you can't get here then we cannot guarantee your safety"

"This is Valkyrie Mum to Valkyrie 1A. A detachment of Imperial Honor Guards is approaching from the northeast. Recommend you evacuate from the area immediately"

"Go Isumi!" Hayase urged her captain. "Ayamine and I will take care of this lot. Lead the survivors out of here! Go!"

"Roger that. Good luck, Hayase" Isumi watched in somber silence as her subordinates departed leaving only her and Munakata to remain with the wounded. "Alright! Pack it up! Leave the equipments behind. They're useless to us if we can't get out of here. Let's go!"

**(Amaterasu)**

But the allied armies were not the only ones that were facing distraught. On the other side of the trenches, the operators of the Royal Guards were facing a rather similar situation regarding one particular unit.

"Engine velocity has been stabilized. We're going on a 40% output to keep it from overheating"

"Weather condition has changed. Calibrating armor to suit the damp atmosphere. No errors detected"

"Weapon banks 6-10 have been sealed. Fires are contained. All systems nominal"

"What's the status of the main cannon?" Ikaruga asked still feeling a bit irritated.

"Power needs to be recharged. They're changing the cartridge right now. But due to the battle up front it will still take us a bit longer to reach our optimal firing position"

"Grrrr… haven't we eliminated it yet!-? (N… no Your Excellency) Tch! Fine! We're firing the cannon now! (…!) We can't wait for full power! Once Yokohama Base reaches firing distance, shoot at will!"

"Y… yes my lord"

"Captain! We just lost contact with Division 4! (…!) All of our escort forces have been completely annihilated! (What!-?) The enemy TSF is still targeting us! It's using whatever weapons it can find against us sir!"

"You idiot! How could we possibly lose half of our entire army to just one enemy pilot!-? (Forgive me sir!) Recall all patrols!"

"That Ghost Child is starting to become a nuisance" Ikaruga balled his fist to the point where his fingers bled. He then turned to his side where his personal guard took position. "Tsukuyomi… deal with her"

"As you desire…"

**(Takeru's POV)**

Haaaaaa… haaaaaa… that's it. That was… the last one. I can't believe I was actually able to take them all on. Now if I bring that fortress down. This battle will finally come to an end!

Tug!

Gahh! Damn it! I'm already spent. I used up all my energy fighting those guys. If only I had a little more boost to keep me going. I exhausted all my stims. Anymore and I might die from overdose. But still… I just need a little more. A little more to keep me going. I already took the Dextroamphetamine in Meiya's medical cabinet and it kept me awake till now. But it seems like my body reaction is too much to take. If I pull anymore… I might burn out and turn to ash.

Keh… but I have to risk it. Even without the serum I have to push forward. That's the only way I can go.

There are pretty much dozens of weapons littered around on the floor. Any of these will do. If I can just deliver one good blow to the engines… then it'll be over. (…) It seems to be drizzling. Good. The difference in our size will give me an advantage. I can only hope that it's enough. (Beep beep) The fuel in my tank is only about half. That should be plenty for a job like this. One sword should be enough. Everything else will just slow me down.

Right… come at me you big hunk of metal. I'll pry every last bit of you even if it means spending what's left of this body to do so.

"Teeeeeehhhhh!"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

On board the Amaterasu, every alarm sounded, alerting those inside of the attacker's presence. "Incoming! The enemy TSF is charging straight towards us!"

"What!-? Impossible! All guns, fire! Shoot it down!" They did so in futile effort as the targeting reticule was barred by the rain and the small size of their target made it impossible to track.

"It's circling around us! It's heading straight for the engines!"

"Don't allow it to get too close to the Floating Fortress! Use everything! EVERYTHING!" The Captain barked out to his crew. He was practically thinking of throwing chalk sticks at the enemy at this point. But regardless of how hard they tried, the enemy was able to latch onto the Amaterasu making their weapons practically useless at close range.

"It's no good! Primary engine is sustaining heavy damage. If he gets any closer none of our weapons can be used against him!"

"Coolant valves are operating at maximum capacity!"

"Where the hell are our reserves?"

"Division 7 is currently on its way from Adachi. Distance, two minutes"

**(Kyoto) (U.N. Embassy)**

In another corner of Japan, far from the front of the battle lines, Yuuko had arrived at the U.N. Embassy along with the contingent of her escorts. She was surprised how fast she was brought from Yokohama to Kyoto in such a short time. Much of the evacuees were barely half way from their station when the order was given.

She knew that the U.N. Council was prioritizing her safety above all else. After the destruction of the Sadogashima Hive, they've been showering her with praises and resources non-stop. In the earlier days it would take weeks worth of reasoning and minor pleas to get the council to agree with her. But after what she achieved, she only needs to ask and the council will provide the rest.

Upon her arrival at the embassy, she was greeted with a small group of armed guards.

"It is good to see you arrive safely Professor Kouzuki" The officer in charge saluted to her as he appraoched. "Please follow me. I've been instructed to take you to the shelter until we've been given the all clear"

"That's fine" She agreed to it without any resistance. "Bring the equipments down with you. They're crucial for my research. (Yes ma'am) Hmm?" The woman then noted a tug on her sleeves. Kasumi was holding onto her, like a child holding onto her comfort net. "Ah… that's right. This is probably the first time you've been to another place entirely. I guess it must be difficult but bear with it just a little bit longer. Lt. Piatif…"

"Y… yes ma'am?" The blonde haired secretary who was carrying the vital documents stuttered back. After only two hours of sleep.

"Deliver those documents to the head of the Security Council. Tell her it's a New Year's gift from me. (Eh?) She'll understand. There's no need to ask for any questions. Once you've delivered it, meet up with me at the shelter. (But…) We have little time. (Understood…) I'm counting on you" The young girl then ran off with the briefcase leaving the madwoman behind to ponder with her own thoughts.

"Professor…" The guard interrupted her. "We'll bring the equipments to your room. Please follow me"

"Of course. I'd like to spend this vacation as productive as I can. Shall we?"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The room was a luxurious one—far too luxurious for Yuuko's taste. After living in the dusty tomes of Yokohama Base for so long the room was a palace. It was almost too spacious for her to think but she guessed that she shouldn't be surprised. Knowing well that she's the key for ALTERNATIVE IV they're probably going to treat her like a VIP for a long while.

It almost looks as if the woman had been thrown back in the Western Europe post-renaissance age. All the furniture here looked authentic enough to be sold for a small fortune. Even Kasumi seemed taken aback by the new viewpoint of the powerful and influential. Heck there was even a cabinet full of exotic drinks in which she could drown herself in.

"This will be your quarters in the duration of your stay here" The officer explained as he watched his men bring the small boxes of documents onto the table. "I will have guards posted outside at all times. If you require anything at all, just press the buzzer on the phone. We will also have your meal sent right up by morning so please enjoy your stay"

"Hmph… this is starting to look more like a 5-Star Hotel. To think they'd spend this much on politicians. (Ma'am…) I guess that's understandable. The nobles must at least feel like nobles to be nobles after all. (Huh?) Nothing. This place will suffice. As long as I have electricity I can work. That'll be all"

"Yes Professor Kouzuki. (…) Oh and for the mean time, please refrain from trying to look outside the window or go out of this room. There's a mandatory lockdown happening in the city so all modes of transportation have been locked down with the exception of military and political purposes only. We do not know when the lockdown will be lifted but we will keep you informed as best we can as the situation progresses"

"I see… so it's that bad?"

"Yes ma'am. There are street riots happening all over the city at the moment but it should die down by tomorrow"

The mad scientist turned towards the window and knew immediately that she shouldn't believe what the officer was saying. With all the bonfires she could see outside the building and the amount of rioters parading outside the gates, she could tell that it'll take more than a few days for this to end. She could even see bodies littered by the picket fence of the embassy, possibly extremists trying to be heroes. The guards here seemed to have been instructed to shoot anyone and anything that tries to get in.

The chaos that ensued in this country, along with the damage done by the coup was by far greater than the 12/5 incident. Truly, this plan must've taken a lot of thinking and flawless execution to be so effective. Though many would detest her thinking, Yuuko had to admit that she was impressed. Only a brilliant strategist and charismatic leader would be able to pull off something like this. Naoya was good but what Ikaruga pulled off was of a greater margin. The only thing that bothered Yuuko was why he didn't bother doing it earlier. If he had so much influence and power then he could've taken this country whenever he wanted.

But none of that really matters to her anymore. After all… even if they win or lose… humanity was doomed either way.

But that can be done later. Right now… a little recreation should do wonders for her tired mind.

After seeing the guards off, she took advantage of what they offered and pressed the buzzer on the phone line. An answer came almost as quickly as she lifted her fingers up. "Yes professor. What may I do for you?"

"I'm hungry. Bring me something to eat (Yes ma'am) Oh… and bring some snacks for kids. That will be all…"

"Understood ma'am. We'll bring it up to you in a few minutes"

With that in mind, the professor slouched back making her way to the cabinet to pick herself a beverage for the entertainment tonight. Pouring herself a glass she found herself in the comfort of the sofa drowning her worries in alcohol like the many other citizens of this world. She was in such a blissful moment that she would be happy to have died then and there. The only thing that would make this scene perfect would be someone giving her a good old fashion foot rub.

**(Takeru's POV) (Ruins of Tokyo City)**

"Teeeeeehhh!" Yes that's it! It's working. I can actually feel the XG unit slowing down. At this pace, there's no way it can get to its attack position. I just need to destroy the engine. With it gone… this whole ordeal will be finished!

Wham!

I have to hurry. My radar is already picking up enemy reinforcements. It looks as if they still have some men to spare against me. But if I can put this thing out of commission, the rest of the operation should be child's play!

Beep beep beep!

Huh? A lock!-? Crap! Above me!

WHAM!

Keh! So there was still one more hiding? A red Takemikazuchi? Tsukuyomi? No… it's just another variant. I'll take it out just like the rest of them! Keeeeehhh!

Tch! Fighting on top of a giant floating fortress. Somehow I get the feeling of an RPG-game boss fight joke somewhere here. Heh… look at me… how pathetic it is thinking of my old world at a time like this. Is this what it means to have your whole life flashing before your eyes before you die? Hehehe… just thinking about it makes me want to laugh.

Clang!

Heh… looks like this one is a toughie. His movements are pretty good and he seems to be using every part of his body like a weapon. But even so… I've defeated opponents far greater than him. Take this!

Clang!

Yes… I broke one of his arms. Now he has no choice but to with—eh? (Whirrr!) Keh! He wants to keep on fighting? Even with just his arm blade they won't be as effective as a guy with a sword. I'll just have to break the rest of his limbs and… (WHAM!) What the? Keh! A grip hold? Does this guy intend to delay me just for a few seconds?

Whirrr…

Damn it! Let go already! Even with just one arm you can't stop me that effectively!

…

Eh? He's using his boosters? Ah! No way! If he pushes me off we'll both fall! Does this guy intend to take me down along with him? Keh! Fine then! Let's sumo-wrestle it out!

Clang!

I tossed my sword aside and reversed counter grip on the red frame. He's maxing out his engines which give him a better leverage than me. But pressure alone won't save you. I got plenty more where… (Beep beep beep!) What the? (Whiirrrr!) I'm low on fuel!-? Damn it! I must've used a lot of it during my blade arm spree down below. If I go full power I'll exhaust my fuel reserves. (Clang!) CRAAAAAP! He's pushing me back! I can't fight like this!

Come on… come on!

Whirrr!

Ah hell! We're falling!

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"The enemy TSF has been removed from the main cannon! It's falling back to the ruins along with one of ours" The operator announced earning a relieved cheer from the crew of the Amaterasu.

"Good! Once reinforcements get here, we can finally end this interloper once and for all" The captain rejoiced finally hearing some good news from the battle. For a moment there he actually thought that they were done for.

"We're not delaying this any further…" Ikaruga interrupted. "Fire all our weapons on the target. Destroy them both. (…?) I will not have one life interfere when victory is so close. (But… my lord…) That pilot is expendable. She's served her purpose. Destroy it… now!"

"Y… yes my lord. Loading all weapons bank. Error on launcher 1, 4 and 8. Readying cluster mines"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Keh! What the hell? That drop would've killed us both if I hadn't used my boosters. Does this guy have a death wish or something, throwing his life away like that? Tch! I had to use up a considerable amount of fuel just to break that fall. I have enough for one good boost but that's it.

Beep beep beep!

Huh? Another lock on warning? Ah crap! The XG's got a lock on me! I'll have to find cover before they—(Clang!) Eh? Ah! What the hell? That bastard! He's not letting go! He's holding onto my whole body with just his one arm. Is he seriously going to sacrifice himself for this thing?

Click click…

Damn… my right arm is locked I won't be able to dodge at this range!

Beep beep!

Crap! Incoming missiles! Damn it you son of a bitch! Just let me go! (Boom!) Eh?

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Just when Shirogane expected his life to end at the next volley, an explosion in mid-air suddenly occurred causing the missiles to explode prematurely before they even met their mark.

A row of confused looks appeared on the faces of the warriors fighting in that last ditch battle wondering what had happened… and the answer came in the form of another large explosion that occurred right next to the Amaterasu.

"What the heck was that?" The captain next to Ikaruga inquired feeling the effects of the shockwave on the mobile fortress. "Were we hit?"

"Large explosion on starboard side! But… that's not possible!" The operator looked at her radar but saw no warning of any ballistics. "The anti-ballistic defense systems didn't detect any incoming attack!" Another explosion occurred causing the crew inside to shuffle from their seats. "Ahh!"

"What the hell!-?"

"Wait… I'm getting something!" All eyes turned towards the other operator who was switching onto the main screen for everyone to see. "I'm detecting… supply containers dropping all around us! (Containers?) Yes sir! I'm picking up at least four dozens on vector approach! (Boom!) Ah!"

"They're using… supply containers?" Even Ikaruga himself seemed to be stunned by the thought. Who would've imagined they would use supply crates as weapons?

**(U.N. Forward Headquarters)**

Back at the U.N. Headquarters, Radhabinod was now pulling the last string of his resources against his enemy. Though it was crude and unprofessional to be using such dirty methods, he had to admit that they were quite effective. To use supply containers as landmines and bombs to avoid the enemy anti-missile defenses was simply ingenious.

"Container 14 and 22 have successfully detonated" The operator on the seat announced to the General as he personally took part in the launching of the last ditch plan. "Damage to the XG is minimal. Launching next wave of containers now"

"Good…" Radhabinod gazed on the screen, a hint of gratefulness to be able to see that they were doing something to slow that monster down. "Keep pounding them with whatever we have left. Do not stop for anything"

"Understood sir. All crew, load next batch of containers now. Prepare for anti-laser and chaff" The containers that were prepped on the launchers flew upward into the battlefield. If Radhabinod had done this earlier he would've actually consider this plan equivalent to literally throwing rocks at his enemies"

"Are there any ships that can still provide firing support?" The General asked to the other operator who quickly went through the list of combat-able ships.

"Checking now. (…) The Yamato and the Wataru have withdrawn from Tokyo Bay. The rest of the fleet has been sunk. Rescue operations is commencing so we cannot allocate any ships at the moment"

"What of ships that are under repairs?"

"Umm… the Saijou is moored inside Chiba but it's been heavily damaged"

"Get me direct line to the Saijou. If it is within range of the city, at the very least we can use it against them"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

On board the flagship of the U.N. Fleet, the crew was scrounging up what little they had left to get the boat seaworthy again. Much of the ship was damaged in the last cannon strike and most of the sailors have been wounded far beyond full recovery in just a few hours.

At the bridge of the ship, Kozawa was handed a transceiver from his first mate stating that it was from high command. "This is Admiral Kozawa. What are my orders?"

"Kozawa… it's me…"

The old sailor raised a brow recognizing the voice. "Radhabinod? This is unusual for you to be giving orders directly. Has our chain of command been severed this much?"

"I'm afraid so…" The General answered with a hint of a smile in his tone. "Sorry not being able to talk but I need to get to the point"

"If it's coming from you directly then I supposed it must be important. (Heh…) Well… I'm not getting any younger so get to it. What do you want?"

"What is the status of your ship?"

The admiral flinched for a moment feeling the morphine kicking into his systems. He looked around and noted that most of the systems were still functioning. "We're stuck on port for awhile. My ship has seen better days. She might not be pretty but she's tough. We'll have her seaworthy in a few minutes according to my staff. (…) Does this have anything to do with that single pilot?"

"Yes… I know that it is a long shot but our forces are being backed to a corner. We cannot afford a complete retreat until we level that weapon. (…) I know that it is difficult for you after what you've suffered but all the support we can provide will be a blessing"

"Heh… you underestimate her, Radhabinod. She's still got some mayhem left in her. Don't you worry. If a single Eishi can show that much courage… my crew can double that over"

"I owe you one Kozawa"

"Ha! Bring me a bottle of sake and we'll call it even. (Hehehe…) I'll see you on the other side then… (Yeah…)" The admiral closed the line and quickly got back on his feet, placing his favored cap tightly on his head. With a deep breath he opened a channel to his crew coughing up to get their attention. "Attention crew. This is Captain Kozawa speaking. The priority level for repairing the turbines has been moved to a lower state. All available crew members are ordered to repair and rearm the main guns and prepare for firing, now"

"Admiral…" The First Mate spoke up. "We expended most of our ammunitions during the first day of the siege. We have enough rounds for a few volleys but nothing more"

"It will have to do…" The Admiral took a mental note of it.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Back within the center of conflict, Shrigoane looked to his side as the smoke cleared. What he saw there was like a sea of treasures just waiting to be plundered. Weapons of every caliber that he learned from school were littered on the floor stretching off like an ocean. Tilted containers opened up revealing the stocks of supplies and wealth of resources for him to use at his disposal.

**(Takeru's POV) (Shibuya)**

Are those… explosives? But… who? Heh… it doesn't really matter, does it? I don't know who you are… but I'm grateful for you to give me a little fighting chance here. With these weapons and fuel on those supply containers, I can finally fight properly against such a mass.

Beep beep!

Heh… and right on schedule. The enemy reinforcements from the frontlines. Goodness. As if it wasn't enough to have me deal with the XG itself, they had to send the whole army here. I must've taken down hundreds of them already. Yet no matter how many I take down they somehow have a replacement waiting for them. They're almost as bad as the BETA. Not that I'm complaining…

I grabbed whatever I could get my hands on and expended my fuel tank for a new one. Hayase always taught me to be resourceful and always consider taking only that you need. But I guess being greedy every once in awhile won't hurt anyone. Alright you bastards. You caught me off guard once. Now let's see how we do on round 2?

"Teeeeehhh!"

**(Tokyo outskirts)**

On the other side of the battlefield, Hayase and Ayamine were standing side by side alone against a small detachment of the Honor Guards. Being the only two who were still capable of fighting they made their stand in the ruins outside of the metropolis area to cover the escape of their comrades, who are slowly making their way to the safe zone.

"Bandit down. 400 rounds remaining for the 36mm…" Ayamine announced checking her ammo gauge as it drained down from her constant burst fire. "3 Rounds remaining for the 120mm"

"Conserve your ammo!" Hayase warned. It was clear as day that they were outnumbered and outgunned by their opponents. But at the very least they were able to secure the sturdier area with the tall buildings to provide them with some decent cover. "Don't waste them on one target! (Roger!) This is Valkyrie 1B. We're holding the enemy at the edge of the ward but we're running low on ammo and supplies. We'll have to fall back soon"

"Valkyrie 1A, roger that. The convoy is just about to cross into the outskirts. Once the last truck is through we'll split up to avoid getting bogged down in one location. Meet up with us at rendezvous point 5 once you're clear. I've sent Munakata to back you up"

"Roger that. We'll clear up the last of these clowns and join up with you. Good luck Captain. (And you as well) We'll be fine. Alright Ayamine. We're falling back. Deploy anti-laser smoke to conceal our retreat. Once the fog is up we'll split at the outskirts and meet up with the captain. (R… roger!) I hope Mitsurugi's faring better than us. (Boom!) Now! Deploy smoke!"

A large puff of smoke appeared from their side, blinding nearly all sort of visual data from tracking their movements. Not wanting to wait for the enemy to get a better shot at them, the two jumped out from their cover and made a mad dash towards the outskirts. Right now… their survival was top priority.

Hayase and Ayamine ran faster than they've ever run before in their lives. They didn't even bother to look back.

"This is Valkyrie Mum to all units. Enemy XG weapon is slowing down. All available forces are to withdraw from the city immediately"

"Hoo? It seems like Mitsurugi is giving those bastards hell after all. As expected from one of my subordinates" Hayase cracked up a grin. "Alright Ayamine. It looks like we lost them. Let's split up here and meet up with the captain. Don't stop for anything. We need all the firepower we can—(Look out!) Huh?"

Ayamine noted a gunshot from behind and quickly reacted upon instinct to cover her CO with her body. The bullet went through her leg, ripping the silicon wires like plastic. "Arghhhh!" Another four shots followed after hitting Ayamine's shoulder and head in quick succession. "Gehhh!"

"Ayamine!" Hayase saw her subordinate's mech crash onto the ground, the light in its eyes dying out. "Damn it all! Ayamine, speak to me! (Keh!) Hold on! I'll get you out of there"

"N… no time. (Eh?) Transmission is damaged. Hydro lines are disabled… and energy supply is extremely low. (…) I do not think I can…"

"Oi! I never taught any of you bozos to quit on me. Now just hand on for a second and I'll rip the cockpit block right open" But just as Hayase crouched down to lend a hand, a Takemikazuchi appeared on her rear just right on blind spot.

"Keh!" Ayamine pushed her comrade away and unleashed a hail of bullets back at the shooter killing the pilot and the mech instantly. "No… time. There are… too many…"

"Damn it!" Hayase returned fire to keep the vultures away but her gun clicked with a death sound that every Eishi hated. "I'm out of ammo?"

"Hayase! Get down!" Another sniper shot came forward from the opposite end of the street forcing the Honor Guards to back away. "Are you alright?"

"Munakata? Heh you have good timing as ever. Can you check Ayamine's conditions?"

"Roger that. Just give me a second" Misae quickly scanned Kei's frame only to see red all over the schematic on her headset. None of the systems were responding save but the last arm that the girl had control over. "It's no good. Her body functions are completely down. It's beyond repair. (What!-?) Look out. More of them are coming through!" Munakata fired another three rounds to scare them off but it seems like the enemy just seemed more determined to destroy them.

"Go…" Ayamine spoke up with blood coughing up her mouth. "1st Lt. Hayase, 1st Lt. Munakata. Please… go. It'll be useless… to fight here. (…) My transmission is already dead. I can't move my unit. But at the very least you two must escape. Just leave me and—(Be quiet!) …?"

"Munakata. Do what you can to get her out of there. I'll lure these bastards off. (But…) No arguments! I'll be damned before I'll let someone get an easy shot at the Valkyries. Here I go!"

"Oi! Mitsuki!" Before Misae could reply in protest the girl went off charging against the Honor Guards with sword in hand. "Stupid girl… she could've at least taken an extra clip with her"

**(Shibuya)**

"Arghhhhh!" That was the battling warcry of Shirogane as he tore through the ranks of the Honor Guards. It was a metallic slaughterhouse to be sure. With the boy's refined talents and heightened morale he was going through their numbers in mere seconds. The Honor Guard's spirit of fighting had already been doused heavily by his skill and even though they continued to fight, none of their methods worked.

"This is Division 8! I just lost first and second platoon. We… we need reinforcements! We can't stop this guy! N—nothing's working!"

"Teeeeehhh!"

"You bastard! This time I'll take you down for—(WHAM!)—sure?" The guy fell right on the floor, his TSF broken to pieces beyond count.

"This is Division 8! Third and fifth platoon is gone! Where the hell is that fire support?"

"This is Command Post. Firing emission confirmed. HE-Shells launched!"

A hail of missiles engulfed the whole area with fire, covering annihilating everything in sight.

"Yes! We finally got the bastard. Eh?" But he was made to eat those words when a blade was jabbed right on his face. "Gahhhh!"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Back aboard the Amaterasu, the crew worked tirelessly on their controls doing their best to take down the interceptor. But despite all of their efforts it was become increasingly clear that the enemy was not done. Not by a long shot.

"Captain! Division 7 has just gone silent. Division 8 is currently holding but just barely. We're losing our defense forces by the dozen!"

"Th… this is… impossible! How can one single pilot do so much damage?"

"Engine block is malfunctioning. We're losing stabilizer control! The Fortress won't be able to get to the optimized firing angle!"

"Gun turret 12 has been silenced! Launchers 14 and 20 are down. Fire in the core room!"

"We have more incoming fire from the U.N. fleet! They're bombarding us!"

"What happened to our defense systems?"

"CIWS units are offline. The enemy unit has destroyed all of them during its last skirmish! We have no way of defending ourselves!"

One bad news after another came like it was the end of the Earth itself, which was pretty much an understatement at this point. Ikaruga gritted his teeth together, his patience already running its limits. "We're firing the cannon now! (…!) We can't wait for full power. Fire it! We'll annihilate that unit with this weapon if we have to"

"Yes Your Excellency. Ready Particle Cannon! Prepare to fire"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Take this!" Just as Takeru took now another chain of Takemikazuchis, he noted an energy-spike-warning appearing on his screen. "What the? That energy spike. Are they gonna fire it here? Tch! These guys just don't know when to quit!" He launched himself upward, disregarding everything that stood in his path. "Out of my way! Teeeeeehhh!"

"This is Command Post to all units" The Honor Guards received a transmission from their operators. "The Amaterasu will be firing in approximately 200 seconds. Delay the enemy unit for a little longer"

"Roger that! Division 9, take flight! Don't let that monster get close to His Excellency! (Copy that!) Rain hell on it if you have to!" But Shirogane dodged all of their attacks and kept his focus clear on the target.

**(U.N. Forward HQ)**

"General! We've detected an energy spike!" The operator announced causing the whole room to go silent. "It's the XG weapon. It's charging up the particle cannon and it's preparing to fire!"

"What's its target?"

"Calculating trajectory… (…) The target appears to be… the ruins of Old Hiiragi town, outside of Yokohama Base. (…?) It appears that the enemy doesn't have enough power to fully charge the main weapon. According to the damage radius, the damage should extend roughly around the airstrip and the main complex"

"The Saijou and the Mogami have expended all ammo and are now departing to open waters. All weapon containers have been launched. We've used up everything sir…"

Radhabinod gave out a sigh. There was little left to do here. But he didn't blame anyone for it. After throwing the last of his reckless plans into the fold he can proudly say that they've done everything they could to support that soldier that was still fighting. "It seems we have played our last card in this fight. (Sir?) Order all personnel to evacuate. We've done all that we can here. Focus all our efforts in supporting the wounded and leave the vicinity of Tokyo City. (Yes sir!) It appears that we can do nothing further but entrust our lives… with the pilot of that machine…"

**(Takeru's POV)**

Take this! And this… and this! (Clang!) Damn it! No matter what, I can't put a single dent on that thing. Its like… made of steel or something. If I only had some kind of hole or a leverage on one impact point, I can blow this cannon wide open. (Flash) Wait… of course! It's just like the BETA Carrier. A hard outside but soft inside. If I can break the outer layer with some explosives, that'll expose the soft insides with ease. If I just use the 120mm explosive shells in one area that should be more than enough to crack this sucker wide open.

Alright… it's a plan! Let's do this, Shirogane!

Whirrrr!

Tch! These guys don't let up. I'll have to do this quickly.

Click…

Right… a clip of 120 should be enough. I just need to prime each shell and plant them on the cannon. Alright… let's do this. (WHAM!) Gahhh! What the hell? Tch! It's that red one again! I thought I got rid of it earlier! It really knows how to annoy me. Fine! If you want to do it that way I'll just rip every bone out of your body!

Clang!

Tch… damn he's persistent! Alright… if you want it like that then how about this!-? Pommel strike, spin kick and vertical slash! (WHAM!) Let's see you try coming back from that.

Now to settle with this thing once and for all. Teeeehh! (Clang!) What the? You've gotta be kidding me! This guy doesn't know when to give up! I already broke both of his arms but now he's using his own body to stop by blade. Well you're not going to get me off my feet again! Arghhh! (Clang!) The feet too? Come on! Why are you even trying to protect this thing? If this is what is going to take to get you out of my hair, then fine!

Whoosh!

There. I sliced off his legs and disabled his transmission right to the core. Alright… now I just gotta rip this piece of junk over! Teeehhh!

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Ikaruga's eyes widened when he saw that same technique being played on screen. A sense of dejavu rushed over him recalling a moment that was so familiar to this moment. He could sense it. The reckless behavior, the desperation of a soldier who was preparing to lay down everything he had left to see his task through. The flawless procedure, the crude yet effective methods and unmatched courage was apparent to his eyes.

"That move…"

And with a single stab, it was over. The explosion that the boy made shocked the man back to reality. Everywhere he looked he could see red error message appearing on screens of the bridge.

"It's no good! We have an energy shortage at sector 8! The energy capacitors aren't responding! We can't fire the cannon!"

The madman smashed his fist to the table, the captain of the ship flinching at the sound. "We're firing the cannon now! Transfer all remaining energy to the cannon. We'll smash the U.N. base with this shot!"

"Bu… but my lord. That would be it! If we transfer power, we won't be able to use this weapon again. The damage won't be enough to level Yokohama Base"

"Fire it anyway! I will deal with that interloper myself. Once the shot is made, transfer all control of the XG functions to my TSF. You will then evacuate from the Amaterasu and meet up with the rest of our reserves. As long as we can signal our forces outside of Tokyo… we can still win this battle. (Un… understood sir) Ready and rearm my Takemikazuchi. I would like to confirm something myself…"

"Understood my lord" The captain then turned to his crew as Ikaruga left the bridge to sort out. "Transfer all remaining power to the particle cannon! Target, the U.N. Armed Force Headquarters, Yokohama Base!"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Back outside, what was left of the Honor Guard's forces were already on the verge of complete collapse. Scattered remains of the once proud and mighty regiments of the Japanese Royal Army littered across the city of Tokyo. One would believe that it would take a horde of BETA or a legion of TSFs to do such considerable damage to one such a force. Yet for all its good will… the cause of all this destruction was a single boy who had everything to lose.

"Damn it! How is this guy dodging all of our attacks!-?" The Eishi at the front complained as the rest of the squad agreed. "It's as if he's ten steps ahead of us!"

"He's moving too fast for my targeting data computer to react. Just who the hell is this guy?"

"What the hell? He dodged our missiles? There's no way he can be human!"

"Keh! I'm out of ammo! Get me an extra clip!"

"I'm almost out myself! Damn it! Why can't we hit this guy!-?"

"Don't panic! If you start panicking we'll all be—(WHAM!) GAHHH!" He took his eyes off his target just for a minute and it cost him both his arms.

"C… captain!" The men saw the figure of their enemy and saw its darkened red eyes. Despite the fact that they had the same frame as their opponent, the darker shaded one looked far more intimidating than all of them combined. "It… it can't be! (…)" Shirogane rose from his killing pose holding his latest victim by the head and crushing it with his bare hands. The grotesque sound of metal being crushed wasn't exactly flattering to the ear. It caused the remaining soldiers to waver…

And when they recall the countless others that were crushed by the boy's indomitable skill, their fear outweighed their courage.

"Ahhh… AAAHHHHHH!" They broke rank and scattered.

"Come back here you cowards! You sully the name of the Honor Guards! Stand and fight!

"There's no way we can win! Retreat!"

"Stay in formation you fools!"

"I'm not fighting him! He's unstoppable!"

"Traitors! Running away is fool's way out! Stand and…" He saw the eyes of the Takemikazuchi staring directly at him. "AHHHH!" The last fighter then joined the ranks of the flock, fleeing with his weapons left behind.

As the Honor Guards finally departed, Shirogane was finally able to get a breather out for a moment's respite. His Takemikazuchi was riddled with dents and scratches that not even a new coat of paint could hide. It was only thanks to the machine's superior performance and the latest up-to-date equipment was he able to get an edge over his enemies.

**(Takeru's POV)**

Haaaaaa… haaaaaa…

Th… they're gone. Haaaa… I can't believe I'm still alive. But there's little time for me to rest. That XG weapon is still a threat and the radiation readings I'm getting is saying that the particle cannon is still active. I have to destroy it fast… otherwise everyone in Yokohama Base will be… (Flash) Sumika.

No!

I won't let them. I'll be damned before I let these bastards do what they want. Besides… if I know anything about Yuuko… she's probably taken her somewhere safe. I can only hope that I can end this battle before this thing causes anymore damage.

Heh… my Takemikazuchi is freshly charged but my body on the other hand is down to its last drop. I'm actually surprised I'm still conscious after that last skirmish. What I wouldn't give for a pack of stims or adrenaline to keep me up for another hour or so. Heh… I guess this must be what junkies must feel. I'm already getting the aftereffects on my body. If I took the detox now I'll probably fall asleep for sure.

Haaaaa… when was the last time I had a nap? I really could use one right about now. I wouldn't even mind if I just slept on the floor right here. (Tug!) Ugh… and this headache isn't exactly doing me any good either.

Beep beep!

Huh? Laser spike warning? No! The particle cannon! It looks like it's charging up! I have to stop it! (Tug!) Arghh! Damn it! Why is this always happening at the worst possible moment? Just when I finally have an opening.

Beep beep!

Huh? Incoming trajectory warning? (Beep beep!) Artillery?

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

And in that moment a large explosion occurred on the side of the XG weapon shaking the crew inside.

"What the hell was that?" The captain inquired only to be greeted with more error warnings.

"Explosive shell impacted on the starboard side of the XG! Minimal damage! But… it's not from the U.N. Fleet. It's… coming from one of ours! (What?) The Firebase in Adachi. I'm putting it on screen now"

The main screen changed channel showing two Fubukis working on a giant 200mm gun that had been modified through certain means.

"Impossible! How can they use the 200mm gun? It's radius is supposed to be only aimed outside of the city!"

**(Adachi Imperial Army Firebase)**

"Damn it… I missed the center by a meter" Hibiki groaned as he recalibrated his aim on the giant target in the middle of the city. "Asagi! That was the wrong type of shell! I need AP not High Explosives!"

"Well how the hell am I supposed to know which is which they've got like four types of ammo in this arsenal!" His partner barked back also equally irritated.

"It's the shell with the blue label on the lower side! I need to find a way to breach its armor not give a new paint job!"

"Well it would've had a better impact if you'd just aimed it correctly!"

"Just shove it down and let me do my job!"

"I'll shove this down your throat if you don't shut up! Arghh! You are so treating me for steak after this" The cannon itself wasn't able to be moved directly so instead, the two dug a ditch around the structure and moved the whole cannon itself to aim at the flying fortress. "AP loaded! Don't miss this time!"

"Targeting reticule, set! Pressure valve stable! Firing!" And with a squeeze of a trigger the cannon fired the shot with a loud bang, sending the large caliber shell right to its mark. "Yosh! Target hit!"

"Did we get them?"

Hibiki checked into his camera, scanning the giant towering fortress that was slowly moving like a mule. To his shock, the last shell he fired, made a giant dent on the armor. "Damn! You've got to be kidding me! That thing is as hard as a mountain! (…!) Load up the next round! We're not stopping until we break this cannon or that fortress! (Roger that!)"

**(Amaterasu)**

"Armor integrity dropping to 34%. We won't be able to last another shot like that!"

"What force do we have at Adachi?"

"None sir. We've pulled our rearguard from that area to make up for our defenses here! The nearest unit is 20 minutes away! We won't last long against it!"

"Grrrr!" The captain pounded his fist on the table. "First we lost our honor by being defeated by one unit, now this? I won't allow them to sink this vessel until it complete its mission! Ready all launchers and return fire on those traitors! (Sir?) I will not bring more shame to the Imperial Honor Guards! Fire everything we have back at them! We cannot allow them to damage this vessel any further!"

"Yes sir! Loading remaining missiles on active launchers. We'll be ready in 20 seconds"

"How much longer until we can fire our primary weapon?"

"Transferring the last of our energy capacitors to the cannon now. Engines are running on minimal power. 90 seconds until we're ready. However we still need to adjust the firing angle"

"Do it…"

"Captain…" Ikaruga's face appeared on the man's personal monitor. "My unit is prepped and ready to sortie. Transfer control of the Amaterasu's engines to my headset and I will try to land the ship safely while the rest of your crew evacuate"

"Yes my lord. The weapon will be ready to fire very soon. Once we've completed our main objective, I will have the men sent out as planned"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"I appreciate it…" Ikaruga answered back hiding a wicked grin in his façade.

As he saw his Takemikazuchi being loaded onto the platform, one of the mechanics approached him. "Your Excellency. We've resupplied your TSF. Energy and oxygen supply are at full capacity. It should be more than enough to last 18 hours at best"

"Very good. That was fast work for your crew. You have done well 2nd Lieutenant" The madman nodded praising the mechanic who stuck up his chest with pride. "I will recommend your group for my personnel staff next time. Though I have one question. What of the SD-11 bomb planted in my unit?"

"Ah… we've had it removed prior to your instructions. We've removed the detonator to prevent any accidents. However you can still activate it remotely"

Another grin appeared on the man's face. "That's all I needed to know. (Hmm?) You have performed well Lieutenant. But I'm afraid you have exhausted your usefulness to me just as the rest of the crew. (Sir?)" And with one fluid motion, before the young mechanic had a chance to react, the madman pulled a pistol from his holster and put bullet right between his eyes. "It's a shame that we were unable to completely destroy our enemies but at the very least our objectives have been met…"

Beep beep…

"Your Excellency…" The captain replied. "We've transferred control of the engines to you. I've already issued evacuations for nonessential personnel. The cannon will fire momentarily"

"Very good, captain. You have served me well"

"Speak nothing of it sire. It was an honor to have followed you"

"The honor was all mine, captain. I thank you from the bottom of my heart for your loyalty. (Click…) If I had one…"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Tch! Come on! Fall already!" Hibiki fired the cannon again and again but no matter how many direct hits he made, the XG still refused to submit. "Just how much more can that thing take!-? (Beep beep!) Huh? Ah hell!"

"Tatsunami! Get down!" Asagi quickly pulled her partner out of the cannon right before the large payloads of explosive hit. "Gahhh!"

"Asagi!" The boy rushed in, but stopped when another hail of missiles stormed in, blinding him with a large sea of fire. He expected retaliation but never on such a scale that they would level the whole base. "Asagi, speak to me! Oi! Asagi!"

"Shut up! (…!) I'm fine you idiot. I'm not going to die until I get my steak from all of this"

The boy let out a sigh of relief seeing his friend's face on his screen. "Haaaa… thank god…"

**(Amaterasu)**

"Enemy battery has been silenced! We've destroyed Adachi base completely"

"Particle cannon is now at 98% capacity! Ready to fire!"

The captain of the Amaterasu balled his fist in triumph. "Alright! We've won now! Open com lines on all frequencies! Transfer the trigger to here. (Yes sir!) With this act, the vision of His Excellency will be one step closer to fruition!"

**(U.N. Forward Headquarters)**

"General! The XG is about to open fire once more!"

The old war dog gritted his teeth down in defeat. "We're out of time…"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

In the far off outskirts of Tokyo, Isumi turned around as she noted a bright light suddenly appearing from the city. She recognized it and quickly shouted to the convoy of wounded. "Everyone, take cover! The XG is about to fire again! Close your eyes and ears!"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

But just as victory seemed certain, one of the operators on board the Amaterasu cried out from her seat. "Emergency alert! (…!) We have incoming. It's the enemy TSF! It's heading straight for us!"

"What!-? That's impossible! What happened to our defensive divisions!-?"

"I don't know sir. I can't seem to get any of our forces on the radio. I think the rest of our defensive divisions have been wiped out!"

"That's just… not… possible!"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Teeeeeehhhh!" Just as the XG opened it chest to fire its primary weapon, Shirogane charged in smoke with his sword in hand. With the clock ticking at every second, the boy lashed out, doing what he does best. Breaking things…

He unleashed one slash after another hitting the XG with every fiber of his being and with one final stab to the chest… it was over. The blade cut through the armor of the mobile fortress, ripping through the silicon wires that poked out.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Armor integrity dropping below 10%! It's no use! The cannon… it's…!"

"Fire the cannon now! We have to do it no matter what!"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Shirogane knew then that there was no way he could stop the cannon from firing. The damage he was dealing just wasn't enough. But there was no way he was giving up now.

Firing his boosters to its maximum output, the boy jammed his blade onto the mouth of the cannon itself forcing it to aim upward. The process was slow but effective. He screamed out bloody murder with all his might and in that split moment he leaped off before the cannon fired, watching as the beam fired into the sky, tearing a small hole in the dark clouds above.

**(Yokohama Base) (The tree on the hill)**

Sumika slowly raised her head up as she saw the beam of light in the direction of Tokyo. Her eyes watered a bit at the sight with a hint of a smile appearing on her lips. Her mouth curved to speak Shirogane's name… yet only the wind was there to listen to her.

**(Saitama Airbase)**

At the rear lines of the Imperial Army, Yoroi Sakon and Marimo stood side by side, staring at the beam no far in the distance. They were quickly joined with the rest of the base's personnel, all unable to describe the sight before them.

"Shirogane…" Those words left Marimo's lips as her hand held to her aching heart.

**(Ruins of Tokyo)**

The expressions of the soldiers present there was unreadable. No one knew how to react to what they just saw then. The mighty fortress, that was to be the symbol of the coup's victory, had fallen to the city that it had destroyed. The living monument to the end of the old Shogunate was torn down by the defiance of one soldier.

The Honor Guards who were still active that time could only watch in disbelief. They have done what they could, they fought with all they had… but despite their best efforts, that one soldier was able to achieve the impossible.

The mightiest force in all of Japan was leveled… by one… boy…

**(Takeru's POV)**

Did… did I do it?

Is it… finally over?

Hehehe… argh… crap. I don't believe it. I actually did it. The XG is… is down. Ahaha… ahahaha. I didn't think that would work. Ahahaha… arghh! Ok… no laughing. I guess I must've broken a rib when I pulled that maneuver. My body couldn't handle such an impact but I supposed I should be grateful that I'm alive.

However… at this rate… Yokohama Base should be safe. Without this weapon, the rebels will have no other choice but to surrender. Ugh… damn. It seems like I'm almost at my limit. What I wouldn't give… for a warm meal, a soft bed and a nice clean shower. Hell… I can even skip the food and the shower.

Heh… look at me… trying to crack a joke in my own head.

I wonder if this is how Hayase thinks when she's trying to calm us down.

I sure hope everyone else is alright. Radio transmission doesn't seem to be working properly here despite the fact that it's supposed to work even under heavy metal cloud conditions.

…

I guess there's no more reason for me to hang out here. With the XG down… I doubt they'll be able to fire that cannon ever again. Withdrawing back to the frontline seems like a good idea. They'll be able to sort this mess better than I can.

Beep beep…

Huh? What's this? A royal private line? Sound only…?

Click…

"Well now… this is a surprise. (…!) Can you still fight, boy?"


	61. Until the Last Man Stands No More

**Chapter 61: Until the Last Man Stands No More**

**(Ruins of Tokyo) (January 1, 2002 Tuesday) (06:10 AM)**

"Well now… this is a surprise. Can you still fight, boy?"

Those were the first words Shirogane heard out of Ikaruga's mouth as he appeared from the ruins of the XG weapon, swinging his blade downward nearly cutting the boy in half.

"Gahh! Y… you're…!"

"Magnificent. Even after all that you still haven't lost any of your lesser instincts. You're unlike anything I've ever seen" The madman fired a volley from his gun but to his amazement, Shirogane simply blocked it with his sword. "How is it that you're this strong? To what means have achieve such power, such strength? Did you receive a gift from the heavens or… did you make a deal with the devil himself?"

Shirogane then quickly retaliated firing his gun but none of his shots met their mark.

"I knew you were strong, boy. But had I known you would be such a troublesome lot… then I would've put more effort in coercing you to my side. (Clang!) But now you… are nothing more but a pest that needs to be swat!"

"Oh no you don't!"

Ikaruga fired his missiles all hoping to get a lucky strike but they were easily dispatched by the boy's good aim. He knocked all the large shells from the sky only to earn respect from his attacker. However, Ikaruga retaliated again, charging in through the smoke with his blade.

The two sides got themselves in a deadlock for a minute before breaking up, giving each other distance.

"Impressive!" The madman praised. "It seems that your abilities have not wavered even after that battle. Only a few have been able to stand me in such a volley. But I guess I shouldn't be surprised, considering the fact that you singlehandedly destroyed what's left of my army. (…) How you acquire such power is a mystery to me. Did you make a contract with the devil? Or has the heavens blessed you twice when you were born? (Clang!)"

"Tch!"

" Hehehehe… it seems you truly are worthy of being 'Her' Champion after all… Shirogane kun. (…!) So it is you. What a coincidence that you and I should meet at a place like this? It feels like fate is playing with us"

**(U.N. Forward Headquarters)**

"Shirogane!-?" Isumi voiced out when she heard the name rung on her intercom. "What the hell is he doing there? What the hell is going on?"

Inside the command post, Radhabinod and all the other staff officers were listening in on the broadcast like it was some kind of special once in a lifetime show.

"Isn't that…?"

**(Adachi ward Firebase)**

"Shiro… gane?" Hibiki noted the name and quickly raised the volume on his coms. "Ah! Sempai! What is he… doing there!-?"

"Oi Hibiki!" His partner called out to him. "Isn't that guy your role model?

"Y… yeah… but… what is he doing on a… Takemikazuchi?"

**(Shogun's room)**

"Shiro… gane…!" Yuuhi's eyes snapped open when she heard the name rung on her old radio. "But how is that… possible?" The girl felt her heart waver for a moment to hear that name. Not wanting to believe her eyes she rushed off towards the balcony to get a view of the battle.

Her caretaker tried to stop her but she was too frail to catch up. "Your Highness! Please come back. It's too dangerous for you to go out!"

And from that balcony, she saw it. Yuuhi's heart leaped up so high that she almost felt it in her throat. She saw the two Takemikazuchis standing in the distance and tasted the bitter joy of reality in her lips. Though her eyes and mind felt deceiving, her heart still longed for that name to be spoken again. She felt a glimpse of hope rising in that dark day. "Takeru…"

**(Takeru's POV)**

There's no mistaking it. This is the ringleader of the rebel army. (Flash) The man that I met in Kyoto and Sadogashima. The head of one of the five ruling families of Japan. Ikaruga… Takatsugu. But… why is he here? And… why is he contacting me through this line?

"Have you come to rescue the princess from a burning tower? (…!) Or… have you come to lay waste of this world? Who would've imagined that we would meet up again like this at such an odd place? I expected our reunion to be a little bit more… magical. After all you and I were once comrades in arms in Sadogashima. Had I known you would be such a nuisance…I would've taken care of you personally. How could anyone have imagined that a single person would throw such a wrench in our plans?"

Ugh… damn… I'm not in a condition to fight him right now. My whole body is still aching from that last battle with the XG. I'm barely conscious as it is. (Beep beep) My damage is already at medium. So far there's no technical error but my targeting data is 1.6 seconds behind. I still have a good sum of energy, oxygen and fuel so at least that'll give me an edge.

"What's the matter? Don't tell me that you're already tired. Dead Men like you should know nothing about fatigue. (…!)" Wh… what did he just call me? "Tell me, Shirogane, if that's really your name. How is it possible for someone who has died to walk amongst the living? Are you a vengeful phantom seeking redemption? Or perhaps you made a deal with Death himself? It matters not. I will gladly send you back to the afterlife where you belong"

"You… who are you?" I blurted out.

"How you managed to stay under the scope of others, escapes me. But none of that really matters anymore. By this New Year's Day… politics and war will no longer bear meaning to the new world that is to come. (…?) So then… let us put formalities aside and set some rules"

"Rules?"

"Yes… the rules of our duel. (…!) I have no intention of prolonging this battle when I know the results. Throwing anything more at you will simply be a waste of resources. So we shall duel… and the victor will claim all. (All?) Yes… this city, Japan, all of it! These are the stakes that we are now playing…"

This guy… he seems so confident… but I guess that's not without reason. I'm practically worn out at this point. (Beep beep) Keh… I can't seem to withdraw either. The Honor Guard seems to have this place completely surrounded. I can't expect backup at this point with all the armies withdrawn from battle. The only hope I have of making out of here alive… is by battling him.

"Alright… I agree"

"Marvelous. Then I choose this field, right here. It will be a battle to the death. What will be our weapons?"

"No limits. We'll fight with what we have"

"Hoo? Quite confident are you?" Keh… this guy is just…cocky. But I can probably use that to my advantage. "Very well… I agree. We shall use everything that we have at our disposal" Tch… if only there were a few supply containers nearby I could've used them to change into new gears. I still have one worn out sword and my gun is already on its last mag. If this fight drags on I'll be at a disadvantage.

I'll just have to finish it quickly…

**(U.N. Embassy) (Kyoto)**

Yuuko gave out a small sigh as she lay comfortably in her couch drowning herself in another bottle of wine. It was the first time in months since she was able to change out in her lab coat for something less stingy. The guest room she was given provided her with ample choices to pick on from pajamas to elegant party dresses. She laughed at the thought of politicians holding large festive banquets pretending that there isn't even a war going on.

How people try to ignore the realities of life is rather pathetic. But a part of her understood it. There are times even she would want to pretend that the BETA never existed on this planet. She could continue to live in luxury here, drinking wine, eating exotic food, hell… sometimes she'd even picture herself with a man sitting by her side in this lonely couch.

"Buruburuburu…" The strange snoring sound of a certain silver haired bunny caught her attention. She looked towards the free chair and noted that Kasumi had already fallen asleep with her arms held tightly around a creepy pink bunny. "Buruburuburuburu…"

"Heh… silly child" The old witch cooed to her. "You could've at least slept on a proper bed" She got to the wall and dimmed the lights.

The city was now quiet to say the least. The rioters outside the embassy had been silenced and routed from the streets. Because of the chaos, the power plant that supplied the city with electricity was cut off. Only a few places in the city would have the luxury of energy at this point.

A part of Yuuko pitied those who had to sleep on the streets tonight. Without electricity and a breezing snow… it would be most likely that a few people would die frozen tonight.

Its humorous how people are easily swayed and how ignorant the masses are.

Just thinking how people are easily moved like sheep left a taste in her mouth that even the wine couldn't take out. But then again… she too was one of the shepherds who tended to her own flock.

Her train of thoughts was then interrupted by a knock on the door and a familiar voice calling out. "Excuse me, Vice Commander Kouzuki"

She recognized it as Piatif. "Come in… (Yes ma'am) Did you deliver it?"

"Yes ma'am. I've successfully delivered the files you've given me. However… (Hmm?) The chairman wishes to meet with you personally and…" The Lieutenant was then rudely pushed aside when another figure entered through the door.

"Seriously now, do we even have time for formalities?"

Yuuko's face brightened up a bit. "Nice to see you haven't changed, sister…" A woman who looked almost identical to the professor stepped through the door. One could already tell by the look of that expensive attire she was wearing that she was important.

"I should be the one saying that. Though I must say that this is just an unofficial visit. (Hoo?) Don't give me that look. You were the one who called me over with these files in the first place. (…) Mind if I share a drink? I could use some of that to cure my conscious"

Yuuko gave out a scoffing laugh before signaling to her secretary. "You can leave us, 1st Lt. Piatif. (Understood ma'am) Oh and before you go, tell the waiter that I need some snacks for two. (Yes ma'am)" Once the girl was out of earshot, Yuuko moved to the wine cabinet to see if there was anything left to toast for. "What do you want? Something good or just strong?"

"Both…" Her clone answered helping herself to empty the contents of her wine glass. Yuuko shrugged to it and poured another glass of the strongest beverage she could find. "I read through your files. (So?) It's interesting… but what you're asking is impossible"

"I thought you could get me anything…"

"If there was a case file attached then it would've been a different story. What you gave me was a shopping list. I can't present this to the council without a valid reason. (…) Why can't you use the research grants provided to buy them? It shouldn't be that hard considering that you have more sponsors now"

"I'm already using ¾ of it to buy another batch of equipments from America. Anymore and people might grow suspicious. That's why I'm asking you to get the difficult ones. (…) It's shouldn't be difficult for someone with your connections"

"True. But like I said… it will be impossible without a valid reason"

Yuuko handed her a glass, a frown marking her face. "You know that I wouldn't come to you for a favor if I wasn't so desperate"

"I know… which makes it all the more difficult to do it. (Hmph…) Oh don't give me that look. You and I are both benefiting from this after all. We promised to support each other no matter what. The success of Sadogashima secured my position here after all. And in turn I granted your ALTERNATIVE IV with more time and resources. But… there is a limit to what can be done here. The politicians will only go as much without compromising their comfortable lives"

"Which is exactly why I need you to get these for me… (…) You know me better than anyone on this planet. I wouldn't have come to you if I wasn't sure you'd get them…"

The visitor shook her head in direness and adjusted her glasses to the scene. The pause they took was chilling, almost to the point that it froze the windows with fog. After awhile, she answered. "Very well. I'll try to weasel myself through those bigwigs. But it won't be easy…"

"Good… because I need all of them by the end of the month"

"Deal. But in turn… I want something back. (…) I've been hearing some strange rumors that you've gotten yourself a nice looking guard dog…"

**(Ruins of Tokyo)**

The tension in the ruins of Tokyo was high. With the last two remaining fighters standing atop the rubble of the once great city, the soldiers around could only stand and watch as the fate of this battle was decided by two lone soldiers.

The U.N, Imperial and Honor Guard forces have all withdrawn to a safe distance, witnessing the fight from afar.

Soldiers, rebels and civilians alike were all tuning into this broadcast, listening, waiting as if they were expecting something to happen. Though none would admit it, everyone could tell that this was the fight that would determine the victor…

**(Takeru's POV)**

"Tell me something Shirogane…" Huh? He's speaking on an open channel now? "What do you hope to gain from this battle? After you defeat me, what then? Are you hoping to gain favor? Wealth? Power? Amnesty? What was it that drove you to fight with such desperation?"

I drew out my sword in reply. "Why does it matter to you?"

"It should matter. After all every one of us need a reason to carry a weapon. Without it we're nothing more but empty puppets with no identity. We need a reason to take up the sword and swing it. It is the only way to justify murder!"

Clang!

"Gah!" What the hell? He got me with a surprise attack. "Murder!-? How does one justify killing someone else!-?"

"Oh there are plenty of reasons for that. We simply need to pick one that suits our own needs!"

Clang!

"Kerrrrh! Well then what about you? What is your reason for doing all this? What do you hope to gain from all this destruction?"

"HA! Why do ask something you already know? The answer should be as plain as your sights can see. The answer for that is simple boy! I seek the destruction of Japan itself! (…!)" The destruction of… Japan? "Yes! To remove a blight upon the world! It's like removing a tumor from the flesh of the Earth!"

"B… but why? Why would you want to destroy my own homeland?"

"My homeland? What makes you think I would call this cesspool of a country, my home? This place is nothing more but a prison for filth, a nation made by insects, rats and parasites. This land is nothing more but a remnant of a bygone era that refuses to pass on to oblivion. (What!-?) Allow me to tell you something, boy. Do you know why humanity itself remains scattered even till this day? (…?) Even though we're facing our own extinction against the hands of the BETA, why is it that we continue to fight one another? (Clang!) Do you want to know why? The answer is simple. It's because of us! The Japanese! (…!) We're the reason why humanity cannot unite against this foe. It is the reason why humans cannot put aside their hatred against one another and fight!"

"That's garbage!"

"Deny it all you want, but you can't hide it! You… an outsider should see it on plain sight. Can't you see what Japan has become? We have become a nation of pride, stagnant from centuries of fighting! The Japan that we all believe to be pure of any kind of corruption is nothing more but a façade built by the blood of children!"

"That's not true!" What is this guy doing? What is he rambling on about now?

"Oh but it is! Don't you see? Our whole history is struggle in itself. This land is made from the sweat of orphans, and the lies and influence of parents! They're so glutton about their own honor that they forget what is really important in this world! (…!) Honor, pride and power… these were all they cared about and nothing else!"

"That's a lie!" I countered his blow and slashed forward but again he dodged it. The man's skills are impeccable just as I thought. I guess he's not called undefeated without a reason.

"Ha! Deny it all you want but you can't bury the truth no matter how hard you try! Our forefathers were so engrossed with those ideals that they forget everything around them! You know as well as I do that they would rather have their whole families starve to death than to bow their heads to an enemy! They would sacrifice their own children for the sake of their ideals! (No!) Yes! It's a common story and they use the same lies and excuses their parents gave to them!"

Excuses?

"Yes! You're a coward if you don't fight and you're a traitor if you disobey orders! Never bring shame to our family! You will go to war and fight and die to bring our family honor! These are the excuses they repeat when they hand you your weapon! For us Japanese, this cycle has been going over and over for generations without us even realizing it! Even after they lost their mortal shell in this world, the spirit and pride of those who are defeated continued to be passed down to their heirs. Those arrogant fools who sought to defeat their enemies, training their children to become just like them! Amusing, isn't it? How the parents would make the deal and in the end it would be the children who will pay the price"

"No! (Clang!) That's not true! We aren't like that at all!"

"Ha! How are we not like that? You can see it as plain as day! Children carrying weapons, while the parents live comfortably in their beds growing old and fat! They carry the burdens that the old coots did not want! (NO!) YES! Even our esteemed Emperor himself didn't hesitate to cast his children into the wilds just so he could live his life without worries! Our countrymen have been trained by these cowards to become drones and obey their every whim!"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The two warriors traded blow after blow after blow but regardless of how much they tried they could not breach each other's defenses. The match alone could be seen on every screen in the country and their voices heard through every form of electronic media possible.

"The last coup d'état is an excellent example!" Ikaruga continued with his ranting, his voice almost strained as if his mind was going madder by the second. "Sagiri is a prime specimen of my proof! He saw himself as the side of justice and that fool actually believed it! There are many people like him who contrite the same anger of our forefathers but had no way to vent their hatred and frustration upon the world! So instead they used the royal family's name as an excuse!"

"What!-?" Shirogane recoiled on his seat upon hearing the old captain's name. "Then during the coup… you were the one…?"

"The man was already on the verge of exploding with his feelings… so I simply gave him a nudge in the direction he was heading!"

"Then all the people who suffered there. You're the one responsible for all of it!-?"

The madman gladly accepted those claims. "Ahahaha! Guilty as charged! Not that it matters now. Oh you should've seen that man when we spoke together. When he first heard my words he listened to me as if he was listening to the voices of the gods! He listened to every word I said believing that it was the will of the Shogun herself. I gave him the money, the resources to pull his crusade off and everything that came afterwards sparked from his own hatred for foreigners alike! That arrogant fool pretending to be a force for justice! I simply told him the things that idiot wanted to hear! You should've seen how he smiled. It was marvelous! The Japanese people are amazing, aren't they!-? AHAHAHAHA!"

"Y… you… you son of a…!"

"Oh don't be a drama queen! I simply gave him information and money, nothing more. He followed his belief with his mind cleared, saying that they're doing the right thing! Why? It's because a member of the royal family said so himself! (…!) Isn't that the funniest thing you've ever heard!-? They use us as a symbol for justice. Even I'm surprised to how stupid and ignorant people are in this corner of the world! That man had every sense of loyalty to the royal blood but none for himself. He would probably sacrifice his own children if I asked him to! There are more of them in this country than you realize. They even think that killing themselves would actually bring their family honor! Amazing, isn't it? They're so blinded by glory that they fail to see their mothers cry in front of their graves!"

…

…

But Shirogane did not back down. Even if the madman's words were affecting him he did not slow down with his strike.

"No…" He said finally. "Even if that's true… you can't judge a whole country because of one man's actions! People are different!"

"Ha! Who's going to believe that line!-? (Clang!) Will they understand that!-? (Clang!) Of course they won't! (WHAM!) Nobody will! And you know why? It's because the Japanese are ignorant! Prideful of their own culture! No matter what we've learned, no matter what we've acquired, no matter what we've achieve, they never change! They'll never listen! (…!) Our own history is ignorance itself! Justice and faith, pride and honor! We never learn from them! We never have! (Clang!) We may carry a different face and a different weapon but the fact remain that we have not changed! No! It's because we refuse to change! We refuse to move on with the world!"

WHAM!

"Gahhh!" Shirogane recoiled from his blow sending him a few inches back.

"I refuse to be left behind while the rest of the world moves forward! And for that reason… this country must be destroyed! Our heritage, our legacy, our entire history! All of it must be put to the torch!"

"No! I won't allow it!" Shirogane gathered his strength and charged in once more striking the madman at his head, scratching his armor. "We all have just but one life to live! And we're the ones who get to choose what we want to do with it! What gives you the right to sound so superior to everyone else!-?"

"Don't fool yourself boy! Do you honestly believe anyone here is living their own lives? Their life is nothing more but a lie! An illusion which they walled with a belief that it was their own! (…!) They all believe that they have the freedom to control their own lives but little did they know that they're just living the life that's been laid out for them! And because of that… because of the teaching of our forefathers… this country cannot move on into the future! Japan has become a nation where happiness is a crime! Where originality and love is frowned upon! Stagnant and forever still in the flow of time! I will obliterate the wall that stands between us and victory! With this country gone, the Japanese will finally earn their freedom!"

"Freedom!-? Stop kidding yourself!" Shirogane spun around dodging the man's blade before slamming his fist to his face. "On what part does this look like freedom to you? Can you call this mass slaughter you made 'freedom'!"

"Shout all you want but there's no way to change it now! Nothing can be gained without sacrifices! If the price calls for it! Then I will not hesitate to perform another massacre like Shikoku!"

…!

"Sh… Shikoku? Then… the G-Bombs that dropped there…"

"Yes! I was the one who planned that act! I destroyed the insolent vermin that have been poisoning the minds of our children and our future generation! If those fools care about their honor and pride so badly more than their family then they can die along with it! I will not allow them to pass their code of honor any longer!"

"Then all the deaths that happened! They're on your hands!"

"You shouldn't blame everything on me! They were the ones who brought it on themselves! They were the ones seeking for a place to die with honor! I'm simply doing what other people can't do! The people of Japan are all stagnant! They refuse to accept reality! Content with watching this world as it is! They say that they want to destroy the BETA, they want to change the world but what have they done to progress that dream? Nothing! And for that, I will destroy this country and at long last unite the world! Only then can we truly destroy the BETA!"

"I won't accept that!" The boy cried out only to have his strike parried. Their blades locked in a struggling match with only the one with greater stamina can win. "Regardless of what others may do or what others may think. I know for a fact that the people carry one wish in their hearts! (…!) Though they may be fighting on opposite sides and their methods different from one another I know truly that these people care about Japan and they will do everything within their power to protect it! But you… you only seek to destroy it!"

"That's correct! These idiots wish to protect a nation that has been rotten to the core. The Japanese are nothing more but shortsighted fools who cling to the traditions of the old! They would rather live here comfortably while the rest of the world burned before them. They're blind to everything else beyond this land! But now they will see… how foolish and pathetic it is to cling on to vain pedigrees and past glories!"

"NO! I won't let you!"

The fighting was on par. As the debate of logic and ideology went on, so did the battle between the two warriors. From a distance, the whole of Japan became the audience, fearful of the fate that was still to come. It had only been minutes since the fight began but already that part of the city looked as if it was trampled by the BETA themselves. It was a match between gods… that was for certain.

…

The battle went on for a few more minutes before Ikaruga noticed the stalemate before him. Never before had he encountered an opponent so fierce. Everything he dished out through his training and experience were simply bounced off from the boy with his amazing skills.

But the same can be said for Takeru. Despite the skill he had with piloting a TSF he still couldn't make any permanent damage on his enemy. He can get lucky with a few scratches but all in all the fight was simply going nowhere fast.

"Enough of this!" The madman declared raising his mech back to position. "You insolent boy! You will protect this nation even though you know its demise!-?"

"Shut up!" Shirogane barked back. "I don't give a damn what happens to this country! (…?) You're right… I am an outsider and maybe you're also right about this country… but I know for a fact that killing isn't the answer! Death will only bring more death! If you kill off the present… then what future do you think we'll have? We're supposed to be saving lives, not destroying them!"

"Such naivety… and such arrogance. What would a Dead Man like you know anything!-? (…!) You don't even exist!"

…!

Catching in his stunned moment, Ikaruga charged in and sliced the boy's stomach causing his cockpit to burst out steam to his face. "Gahh!"

"And this, boy, is the will of the world. Even you, a dead man, cannot hope to match the people's desire! Hmm?" Just as Shirogane was recovering from his blow, the madman suddenly turned his sights to the royal palace where a certain Shogun was overlooking the battle from afar. "Oh that's right. I almost forgot about you…"

Shirogane turned his camera to where the man aimed and was horrified to see Yuuhi's figure standing in the distance. "No…! No! Don't do it!" He cried out with all his might… but he was too late… with a single squeeze on the trigger, the deed was done.

…

…

Everything happened so slowly for Takeru. He did his best to block the shot, but he couldn't stop it no matter what he tried. In a fraction of a second, Yuuhi's figure was engulfed in a sea of flame. Her room burnt and broken from the explosion and all that was left of her was the crown she wore, laying crooked on the floor.

All of Japan would've was baffled at the sight. No one wanted to believe it but it was there. The Shogun… the bright beacon of their hope… was dead…

But their silent cries were rudely interrupted by the sinister laugh of the madman who performed the deed.

"Hehehehe! AHAHAHAHAHA! At last… Japan is now purified of the parasite. At long last the filth that has been corrupting this land is removed! Behold, people of Japan! Witness the birth of the new glorious empire!"

Shirogane's heart sank and so did his soul.

How could this have happened? How could he have allowed this? He had the strength of a hundred men, the knowledge of the future, and the power of immortality. He saved his friends, his teacher and countless lives in Sadogashima… but even with all of that combined… he couldn't save one little girl.

"No… Yu… Yuuhi…"

The picture of her death was burned into his mind. It repeated itself over and over, filling his heart with dread. He prayed for this to be a dream, a terrible dream that he could wake up from. He wanted it to be a dream. It must be a dream. But there was such luck. It was reality… and there was little he could do to change it. (Flash)

The girl's smiling face flashed before his eyes. There was so many… so many things he wanted to talk with her. So many things he wanted to ask, wanted to say… wanted to know about her. He wanted… to… see her happy… he wanted to see her smile…

But that dream was destroyed… before he even knew it was there.

"Ahhhh…" Takeru breathed in and out, his mind and heart warping in its ugly form. "Arghhhhh…!" He could hear his own soul crying out for blood, the darkness in his heart welling to his eyes. His teeth gritted together to hold himself back but it was failing. "Argggghhhhhh!" He tried to block out her face… to hold it in… but it was useless. Against such emotions, against such hatred and such anger building up from that one act… all he could do was let it loose and let it feed. **"ARGHHHHHHHHH! RAGHHHHHHHHH!"**

The sound of his cry resonated like an echo throughout every form of media. It was cry in the form of a death-call. Those who heard it felt a chill run up their spine and those who caught a glimpse of his TSF, would run at the first sight.

Even Ikaruga could feel that fear running up his bones. His hands were trembling at the joysticks and a cold sweat ran down his face. For the first time in years he felt every fiber of his body screaming at him, telling him to run away as fast as he could.

**"I…KA…RU…GA!"**

WHAM!

With the speed of a devil, Shirogane tightened the grip on his sword and slammed it on the madman's chest ripping a portion of his armor away. "Gahhhh! H… how is it… so powerful?" All the rage and anger the boy had accumulated in that short period of time was thrown into that blow sending his opponent flying a few feet up in the air.

**"I… will kill you!"** Shirogane's voice cracked. It came with murderous allure like the gods of death themselves. A switch has been flipped in his head calling forth the barbaric side of the young savior. **"I will kill you with my own hands!"**

But Ikaruga did not back down. Instead he stood his ground, feeling all the more intoxicated with this fight. "Hehehehehehahahahaha! Yes! Cry out till your heart's content! That's all a Dead Man is good for anyway! **(RAAARRGHHHH! DIEEEE!)** Shout all you want but it's too late now! Japan will burn and all of its history will be lost in one fatal strike! Come, Shirogane! Come at me! You and I will stand upon the apex of the empire's glorious rebirth!"

With blood, sweat and tears the boy charged forward! He screamed, he shouted and lashed his anger at the man. The feeling that he dread many years ago was returning once more. The feeling of being powerless… it was all just too familiar to him.

To some, this might just be a single moment in life… but for Shirogane, it was a crucible. It reminded him of the scars that he wanted to heal, the pain that he wanted to stop, the memories that he wanted to forget. But the man brought it back. He brought it all back to the surface and every moment that he remembered it, tainted his soul with an even greater amount of hatred. Hatred for both his enemy… and himself.

The deaths of his comrades, the deaths of those he cherished, the promises that he made. The single thin fabric that held his sanity together just broke apart and all that was left in him was the madness that he had been holding back with his own will.

**"RAGHHHHH!"**

"Gahhh!" Ikaruga felt a blow striking his cockpit but it wasn't enough to pierce the thick armor. "Well now… this is interesting. Come, dead man! Allow me to be the one to send you to your grave once more!"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

WHAM!

Shirogane's grip was unlike anything Ikaruga has ever seen. With a savage-like instinct, the boy crushed his blade with his fingers like they were made out of plastic and lashed at him like he was a beast with its claws. Ikaruga draw his guns out only to be stripped from their sockets and crushed under the bear weight of the boy's arms.

"You really are powerful…" Ikaruga felt that cold chill run up his spine. It filled him with a sensation that was even more intense than facing the BETA. "Let's put it to the test… shall we?" He then withdrew at max speed, forcing the boy to give chase. He fired missiles but none of the shells met their target. It was as if his opponent could see them before they even launched from his tubes. "I see. It seems like conventional tactics won't work against someone of your stature. **(Grrrrr…)** You're like a wild animal… that needs to be put down. Come boy! Come at me like the beast that you are!"

**"Argghhhhhh! Ikaruga!"**

Their blades danced as if on a rhythm, with death lingering ever closer with each blow parried by another. But despite the uneasy battle, Ikaruga could not help but laugh. It was as if all his sanity has abandoned his mind.

"Ahahahaha! You truly are superior! You are splendid, Shirogane! A perfect specimen of a warrior! This is truly a worthwhile present for my last days! Ahahaha! Yes! More! Show me more! Show me your rage! Show me that beast that cannot be hunted!" And he received his answer in the form of a roar.

It was a battle with two mindless warriors bent on killing one another. The boy rushed forward cutting through everything and anything standing in his way. Ikaruga knew that such a force could not be tackled so easily so he flew in the direction where a few of his subordinates were in the way.

"Ikaruga sama?" The Honor Guards were puzzled at the man's presence only to earn a grin from his end.

"Entertain me… (Huh?)"

Shirogane then came to them like a rocket and began tearing through their numbers with accelerating results.

"What the hell!-? **(ARGHHHH!)** S… stop him! Someone stop him!" The soldiers readied their weapons but they never had the chance to pull the trigger when the boy crushed through their arms like they were made out of glass. Their swords were torn in two and those that witnessed his carnage began to back away.

"H… he can't be human! **(Arghhhhh!)** Why? Why can't we kill him? **(RAGHHHH!)** What's with this guy!-? T… take him down! Attack him in force!" Shirogane fed their fear and bathed in the putrid liquid stemming from their machines. It was a scene of carnage unlike anything the world has seen in years.

The Honor Guards charged with their weapons. But like always their attacks were blundered by the hero's might. It was as if they've learned nothing from witnessing the boy's battle. In mere seconds, the squad leader was the last one standing. "Ahh… AHHH! S… stay away! **(RAGHHHHH!)** Ahhh! S… someone… save me!"

The last of the Guards fell, their machines broken into pieces.

Those men who felt his rage quivered and huddled as if the very essence of death held them by their throats.

"Hehe… as I expected. The raw power, that inhumane instinct. How is it that you've developed such power in such a short time? (…) Hmph. No matter. A Dead Man doesn't need to speak anyway"

**"…"**

Ikaruga felt the boy's killing intent directed upon him. His body reacted to every moment screaming at him to flee. But his will denied that. "Come then! Let us fight! Throw yourself at me! Show me that beast that rages within you! I shall be immortalized in history as the one that took down the Champion of the old world!"

There was little left going on in Takeru's mind in that fight. All sorts of reasoning he had left were drowned out by the roar of his voice and the pain in his heart. He lunged himself like an animal swinging his fists and sword blindly like he hadn't a care of who or what got in his way. Everything would fall whether it was man or machine.

Ikaruga could do little but dodge his attacks all the while enjoying the fight to the best of his abilities. Every fiber of his body was shivered at the roar. Though it was obvious that he was the prey, the madman enjoyed every moment of it like it was his last. His adrenaline kept pumping into his veins, telling him to go faster, telling him to run farther and make as much distance as possible. But he was having too much fun to run away now. A horrifying game of cat and mouse if one would say so.

**"RAHHHHHHHH!"**

Ikaruga tried to hide between covers but Shirogane simply ripped through them like cardboard. His Takemikazuchi was showing the sign of change too, like a beast that only existed to kill.

"Hehehehe…ahahahaha! Magnificent, Shirogane! You really are a Dead Man! Ahahaha!" The madman tried to fight back but his arm-blades were easily snapped like twigs.

**"Die…"**

With little left standing in his way, the boy used his bare hands to get the job done. With one quick motion he grinded Ikaruga's Takemikazuchi to a solid building, forcing its head down like he was trying to leave a permanent mark on its paintjob. He wanted to inflict pain. He wanted that man to suffer as much as inhumanly possible before he kills him slowly and painfully.

**"Die…!"**

He pounded his fist on the face again and again with each blow stronger than the previous one. By the time he was done, the poor machine's face was battered down beyond recognition.

**"DIEEEE!"**

The madman did everything he could to resist but as the rage finally settled at its boiling point, there was nothing he could do to stop it. The attacks were ferocious and deadly with little restraints holding him back. **"Arghhhhhhhh!"** The boy was a creature that even the angels would shake their feathers at.

Shirogane pulled the man's machine from the ruins by the head and directed all his strength on his free hand. The fingers of the Takemikazuchi were probably strong enough to pierce through buildings so going through a cockpit seemed like child's play.

"Ugh… you are just as superb as I first met you, Shirogane…" Ikaruga let out a rare praise as blood dripped from his mouth. "Even now you fail to disappoint me. Never before have I suffered such a disgraceful defeat. It almost makes me wish that I knew about you earlier before I set my plan into motion. If you were on my side boy… we would've achieved… so much together"

**"Grrrrr!"** Shirogane formed his fingers together, preparing to deliver the final blow.

"Go ahead… do it boy. Claim my life. I have no regrets. Because as of today… this futile game called war… comes to an end! The glory is yours!"

**"Raaahhhhh!"** With nothing left to stop him, the boy did it. He plunged his fist with every ounce of hatred he could muster without even looking back.

_"Takeru chan!"_

…

…

…

…but miraculously… the boy stopped… with only mere inches away to determine his opponent's fate.

**(Takeru's POV)**

No… how come? Why? Why do you stop me!-? (Flash!) Just let me do it! Just let me finish him right here! If I kill him right now! We can end it! (Flash) Why won't you let me!-?

_"I won't let this world… change me…"_

He killed Yuuhi… he killed people! Why doesn't he deserve to die!-?

_"Takeru san still told me… it was alright, and that he'd protect me"_

Sumika…

_"Cease your whining! If you seek redemption then fight on! You must live!"_

Meiya…

_"Do you have a definitive answer to satisfy both their needs?"_

Yuuhi…! Why? Why do you stop me now!-? WHY!-?

_"No… not yet at least. But if you give me time… I'm sure I can find it"_

…

…

Keeeehhh! Grrrrrr! Arghhhhh! Rrrrrghhhhh!

"Damn it all!"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The boy gritted his teeth, his mind, heart and soul locked in strife of eternal conflict. They gave pause against the darkness covering his conscious, forcing it back down. His mind reasoned with his actions, his heart wavering on the lighter feelings and his soul slowly reminded him of the boy he once was.

The inner fight was grotesque but in the process the shadow was lifted from the boy's eyes making him take the correct path once more.

And with a move that would've made the gods rise from their immortal thrones above the heavens, Shirogane released the man from his grip but not before giving him one punch on the face sending him head first straight to the ground.

"Don't fuck with me! (…!) Who the hell do you think you are!-?" The boy roared over at the coms sending a fearful shock to his foe, tears and sobs choking the airwaves. "Do you think a life is only worth so much!-? Do you believe that dying here will change anything!-? Don't be a coward! The greatest fight we all have to face… is living! (…!) You're probably right about this country. Japan may be tainted, it may be beyond saving… but what I do know is this. (…) No matter how badly this country may seem… no matter how pathetic it may look. There are still those who will continue to struggle with it!"

"…"

"I've seen those people. The ones who struggle for happiness, those who seek for a better tomorrow not only for themselves but for others! Because an old lady once told me…"

_"So long as people like you continue to exist, I can rest easy…"_

"As long as free people continue to be born in these lands… we can change! I know we can change! I know we can learn! (…!) Stop trying to play god you crackpot! You don't get to decide what we are and what we're meant to be! We can figure out those things on our own!"

Ikaruga gritted his teeth, his face wrinkled and twisted in anger. "You dare… YOU DARE CHALLENGE ME!-? You stubborn arrogant fool!"

"Shut up!" The boy countered. "No matter what happens now, I will always refuse you. I will reject you and the Japan you dream of! The world you envisioned isn't meant for us… it's meant only for you! So get out of here and dream somewhere else!"

"You…!" Ikaruga readied his blade once more preparing for a strike. "I expected more from you! You're no different from the rest of them!"

"No! I am different! (…!) Because unlike them… I have the power to do what they can't! There's something in this world that only I can do!"

"Are you saying that you alone can defeat the BETA!-?"

"That was my intentions from the start! (Tch!) And I will do it! I will defeat the BETA with my own bear hands. I've done it before and I can do it again! And there's nothing you can do to stop me!"

"And you would let this country be condemned once more into chaos!-? You're simply preventing the inevitable, child! In the end there will always be people like me who will be willing to take up arms and do the things other people cannot! Between this world and the new… do you really think the people will choose this over paradise?"

"Your paradise is nothing more but a fantasy built of destruction"

"Oh? And what of this one? Doesn't this world look like it's ripe for destruction itself? (…) Why don't we compare our worlds then? Say that you defeat me here. What will your world be like? What promises do you give to the parents, the children of today?"

…

"That's easy. I'm going to give them… a better tomorrow"

"And what if it's just the same? You speak of the future as a brighter one but no one can guarantee such a thing. Not you or anyone else for that matter. What if tomorrow is just as bad as today, perhaps even worse? What if tomorrow is nothing more but a continuation of suffering for the people? What will you do when this land plunges back into the chaos you see here? Will you bear the countless dead you see here on your shoulders?"

"I'll do what I have to. (…?)" Shirogane answered almost immediately, raising his opponent's curiosity. "I'll stand and fight. (…!) And I'm going to keep on fighting until everyone gets sick of fighting. I'm going to pound that nonsense out of their heads like I did with you"

"So you'll force them now!-? Ahahaha! You're no different from me!"

"No… you're wrong. (…?) Because no matter what happens… you and I will forever be different. Because I…"

_"The power to protect others doesn't necessarily mean that you need to shield them with your own body… but to make them stand on their own is just the same. You had that power… and you used it without even realizing it yourself"_

"I have the power other people don't!"

"You… blabbering FOOL!" Ikaruga charged forward with pure rage guiding his blade. But Shirogane was prepared. He could see clearly now. There was no longer any doubt in his mind, no more shadows to cloud his decisions. "Don't you understand!-? It doesn't matter how hard we try, people will never change unless we do something like this! We have to change the world even at the cost of our very souls! If you don't have a proper answer… then you have no right to judge me! Just give up already!"

_"You give up! Trying to make me give up!"_

_-Uzumaki Naruto-_

"No matter what… I will deny the world you envisioned…" And in a blink of an eye, it was done. Before anyone could catch a glimpse of the clash, Shirogane tore through his opponent, cutting through the snow like a blade of grass. The arms and legs of Ikaruga's TSF were torn off from its torso and its body fell silently to the ground for, leaving a wounded warrior trapped and helpless within it. "It's over!"

…

…

…

The defeat of Ikaruga and Shirogane's triumph marked a day that would not be forgotten by anyone. The victory was more than just a match but a symbol. A symbol of what was to come. Even the people began to notice the sense of change in them. It was a change only they could choose. But before any of them could let out a jubilant cheer to celebrate their survival, a madman's sinister laugh beat them to it.

"Hehehehehe… AHAHAHAHA!" Ikaruga's maniacal laugh caught the boy's attention making him raise a brow. "Splendid! That was marvelous. Just as I expected from you, Shirogane! But it's too late now boy! This fight was meaningless to begin with! (…?) I told you before. I would bring a requiem that will end all wars! No matter what happens now, I've won! In but a few moments, the SD-11 unit inside the Amaterasu will detonate and the G-element stowed in its reactor core will overload creating a blast that will make Shikoku look like a fireworks festival! (No…!) There's no way the process cannot be stopped. Tokyo and everyone here will disappear from the face of the Earth, and the blast will at long last bring about an end to Japan! (It… can't be!) The end of the Empire! The end of this tyranny! As it rightly deserves!"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The whole country was awakened for the fifth time that day since the battle began. Every man, woman and child who bore witness could not help but be paralyzed to the man's claims. But while the rest of the country was instilled with fear… the young hero continued to push himself forward.

"No! I won't allow that to happen!" Not even caring for his own safety, Shirogane rushed towards the XG at top speed, never before wishing that he could go faster. Finding the bomb with one quick scan he pierced through the thick armor of the machine, tearing it off in the crudest manner possible.

The timer was visible from the side of the device ticking away every precious seconds like water. There was little time to think and even less time to act, so the boy reacted upon the first thing that came into his mind. Pressing on the boosters one more time, Takeru blasted his mech upward into the sky, screaming bloody murder, all the while leaving a trail of smoke behind him.

Images passed through the boy's mind and so did his headache. The altitude marker continued to go higher and higher at an alarming rate. He didn't know how far up he was but he knew that if he didn't go higher, then others would suffer because of his failure.

The lights in his cockpit began to flicker and annoying alarm sounds began to ring uncontrollably like that alarm clock that you can't seem to reach on a Saturday morning. But the boy shut it all out. All his concentration was fixated in the sky in front of him.

He pierced through the thick clouds that covered nearly all of Japan and as if greeting him, the sun shined its mighty rays to his side, lighting his way forward.

After awhile his computer screen slowly began to blur and the lights in his cockpit began to shutdown. The boy's metallic companion was slowly giving up but in that final moment before everything went dark… he gathered what was left of his energy and threw the SD unit, letting it fly into the sky as the timer reached zero.

The last thing that boy did was give out a smile to the sun that welcomed him. Hell… if his friends could do it on the end of the world then so could he.

All of Japan paused as they looked up to the sky as it lit up in a fiery inferno like hell itself was brought to Earth. They gazed in silence unable to determine who was the victor.

Down below, Tsukuyomi muttered the words of many of her countrymen would ask themselves this morning. "What is this country… coming to?"


	62. Shirogane

**Chapter 62: Shirogane**

The whole world watched, unable to speak of the horrors that they saw before them. Smoke and ruin greeted the people of Japan as they looked onward to what their country has become. The land was painted in the color of their children's blood. Brothers and sisters lashing out at one another, killing what they believed was their enemy.

This land… has not changed… not one bit, just as Ikaruga said. Even before today, the samurai of the old Shogunate would spill the blood of their countrymen in the name of peace. Their time may have moved on but the old hatred and ideology that their forefathers taught remained with the people. It mattered not what weapon they used or what their justifications were. The truth still remained in front of them. Japan has not changed. It was stuck in the past just as that madman said, trapped in an endless cycle of its own destruction.

It was because of their ambition, their old hatred and their anger that they remained this way. They simply couldn't forget. They could not let go. And because of that, their children had to be the ones who paid the price.

The people of Japan could only stare… some in fright, some in disbelief and some with sheer terror gripping their hearts. They didn't want to believe it but all the proof was staring right in front of them.

The words of the Madman struck a heavy blow in their minds but no one could deny it. There was no telling where this country was heading with the path it has taken. Some didn't even realize they were on this path until today. To have it revealed before their very eyes only made them ashamed to be citizens of this nation.

It would take years for them to recover from such a devastating blow… and even longer to rebuild what they have lost today. The scars that had been left in this land by the madman… was deep and it will not be easy to heal.

But out of the many that mourned the losses of today, a few soldiers stood in stunned silence, waiting for some kind of call to reach out to them.

Over by the U.N. Headquarters, Radhabinod and his adjutants looked over at the ruined city, still processing the shock that came over through the explosion.

"Is it… over?" The old war commander asked as if he was looking for an answer.

Computerized noise and echoes filled the room, with everyone focused on the monitors in front of them.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

In another front, Marimo was yelling on her coms raising her voice up to a near pitched scream, praying for a response on the other line.

"1st Lt. Shirogane? Can you read me?" All she got in return was static noise. "1st Lt. Shirogane! This is Valhalla, please respond! (…) Damn it! Boost the signal!"

"We can't…" Yayoi insisted to her. "The explosion took out most of our satellites. We need to reset the system before we can get any reading"

"Tch!" Marimo yelled back in a rare sight of anger before returning to her coms. "This is 1st Lt. Jinguuji Marimo to 1st Lt. Shirogane, please respond! (…) I repeat: 1st Lt. Shirogane, please respond!" Again… the reply she got was static. The woman cursed, barked and even slammed her hands on the table until they were numb. But she kept trying. "Damn it! Takeru… please answer me…"

Marimo barely even noticed the tears dropping from her cheeks as she went on with her pleas for help.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Back in the city, the members of the Valkyrie Squad lamented in their shock in the sudden explosion that nearly claimed all their lives.

"That idiotic bullheaded moron!" Hayase cursed out loud unconsciously through the radio. "What the hell was that? You went through all of that just to die in the end!-? You fucking pig-headed… idiotic… you… idiot!"

Munakata understood her anger and tried to sooth her tears… but there was little she could do at the time.

Even Isumi who rarely showed any kind of emotions was feeling a sudden loss of a skilled pilot. The boy was an exemplary human being. One of the best this world had to offer… but now… his existence felt like a dream.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"S… sempai…" Hibiki too was gritting his teeth in frustration when he finally got his Fubuki to work. He slammed his fist against his cockpit, cursing out all the while. "Damn it all! I'm sorry… if only I… if only I could've helped you faster… Shirogane… san. If only I…"

"Tatsunami…" Asagi tried to get her friend together… but not all the comfort in the world could help ease that pain.

**(Takeru's POV) (Somewhere…)**

Ah… it's pitched black again. I can't feel my arms… or my legs. Did I die? I guess I did…

Heh… I guess that's not surprising. My body was spent already. It's a sick joke, really. Even with all that power, all the strength I had with me, I couldn't save one person. I tried everything; I gave it everything I had yet… I couldn't help her. (Flash) Yuuhi… she didn't deserve that. She didn't deserve to die. I… I could've saved her… but I was too weak. My resolve wasn't enough.

_"Shirogane…"_

Heh… death seems unreal right now. I wonder if things will be just like before… where I… wake up in my room, going back another two months and doing things all over. Ah… but it seems useless to think about it now.

It's funny… how my body can still react to the sense of death. Even after dying so many times you'd think I'd actually get used to it.

_"Shirogane!"_

Ah… I can hear a voice in my head. I don't recognize it. Is it a Shinigami?

Heh… strange how I can still picture a smile in my head. It makes me wonder what else I can do here. Aha… crap. Now I'm crying my tears out. Why am I feeling sad? Is it because of Yuuhi or… is it because I'm dying?

_"Takeru chan…"_

Sumika. Damn… even when I'm dead I can still hear her annoying voice. Heh… how I miss it—that girl and her annoying habits. I always hated her annoying racket in the morning and how it wakes me up every time. I put a chain-lock on the door to keep her out and still she breaks in. Don't you know that you'll have to pay for the damage? Damn it mom… why did you have to give her the keys to the house? I want to wake up in the afternoon where I'm ready to go. Don't you have any faith in me?

Heh… damn it… my memories of the old world is coming back. How I wish… how I truly wish to relive those days again with her… in my house, alone. I want to relive those days more than anyone. To see my classmates in my school, no military conflicts, no BETA, no weapons of mass destruction. Just me, Sumika, Meiya and the gang just hanging out like the good old days.

I want it back… I really want to go back more than ever. I just wish I could…

_"Takeru chan!"_

Ugh… ha… I want to go back. (sob…) I want to go home. (sob…) I want to sleep in my bed and laze around all day. I want to eat tsukiyaki without that stupid poison sauce that Sumika puts in her dish. I want to see my hometown Hiiragi not in ruin. I want to hear Class rep yelling at me when I complain about school. I want to see Tama firing bulls-eye shots at the archery range. I want to see another one of Meiya's outrageous acts. I want to play Valgernon with Mikoto in the arcade and I don't care if she's a girl or a boy! I want to see Marimo chan's love and caring smile. I want to see Yuuko who teases me on a daily basis. And I want to talk with Sumika again before I go to sleep every night. I want to hold her in my arms again… to feel her warmth in my hands, to smell that distinctive cologne that I told her to change, to see her face one more time in a world without war.

I want it back! Give it back to me! Give me back my life! The life that you stole from me! No! I can't die! Not like this! I can't! Not until I see it to the very end! I want to live… I have to live! I will live and nothing's gonna stop me! Not death, not the BETA, not a stinking G-Bomb! I'll beat it all! And I'll beat it again if I have to! I'll go through everything over and over even if it means I have to bear this pain! Come on… COME ON!

_"SHIROGANE!"_

Yuuhi!

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Gaahh! Arghh!" Argh! Son of a… my body… hurts all over like crap. Where the hell am I? It's pitched black. Th… this is… a TSF cockpit. But how in the world…? (Flash) Ah! That's right… the bomb. It detonated and… I threw it. The blast must've sent me flying all the way down. I don't remember much after th—arghhh!

Ahh! What the hell!-? My stomach it… ah… crud. That's a pipeline. It's one of the hydraulics that moves the cockpit in and out. It must've torn itself from the ceiling and crashed onto me. The jagged end pierced through my suit and now… it's stuck all the way inside through my stomach. Argh! I'm bleeding. I'm seeing red all over and that's not only because of the red lights my seat is projecting.

There's a pool of blood on the floorboard and I'm pretty sure those stains on the wall came from me too. (Ruffle) Tch… the wound on my head and my arm have healed up but it looks like this one isn't doing so well. (Beep) My suit systems are still functional. Internal bleeding too?

…

…

Damn… it's stuck and I can't pull it out. I won't be able to pilot a TSF in this condition. (Ruffle) Hmm? Ah… Yuuhi's sword. (…) Heh… there's not a better time to use it now.

…

Clang!

Arghhh! Fu… damn! That hurt! The blade is really sharp. It cut through that pipe like it was made out of wood. Now I can pull the rest of the piece… off. (Ruffle) Arghh! Fuuu… that… hurts…!

Ugh… the wound. It's… slowly healing. It's strange how the skin tries to stitch itself back together. This amazing power… did it keep me till now?

My stims have all been used up. Of course it is. I used it all up during the fight. I wonder if I'll grow addicted to it by the end of the day.

Come on… let's see if this unit can still operate. (Beep!) Yes… it's still in running… just… barely. Most of the transmissions are dead. I barely have enough energy supply to keep it up for a few minutes. I can see the city around me. The whole place was thrashed like an earthquake rolled over with a tsunami and typhoon following afterwards. Most of the ward is barely even visible at this point. Only the royal palace seems to be standing.

The palace…

…

Yuuhi…

I had a vision earlier before I woke up. I heard her… I heard Yuuhi calling my name just now. That was definitely her voice. But… it couldn't be her. The blast from that gun blew the whole roof of the castle. A part of it was still on fire. But still… why do I feel like…? Is it a sign… or is it just my subconscious granting hopeful thinking?

In either case… I can only go. I can't forgive myself if I don't at least try. Please… hold out just a little bit longer, partner.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

And from the ruins of the burnt city, Shirogane raised his mighty weapon up for one last run. The Takemikazuchi he piloted was riddled with countless scars and its armor charcoaled to onyx. Slowly… but surely the robot took its final steps as if it was using the last bit of energy it had left to get its passenger to his final destination.

Pieces of it fell off from the body, littering the floor like it was leaving its mark. Crackles of electricity sparked from its broken parts. But despite its horrid and weakened state, the machine wasn't any less frightening than before.

Step after step, it made its way forward, towards leaving a trail of its corpse for all to see.

But despite the setbacks, it did not slow down. If there was such a thing as a soul in a machine then this one showed its tenacity to the very end. The bond of two sisters and the one who cares for them both were the only things holding the machine together.

Everyone was there to see it. And as it arrived at the gates of the royal palace, its right leg broke off forcing it to kneel a few feet away from the castle terrace. It was a good run… and perhaps its last.

**(Takeru's POV) (Edo Castle)**

Cough… cough!

I got out of the Takemikazuchi the moment it landed near the balcony. Everything was spent, oxygen and energy supply. I'm actually surprised I was able to get it this far.

The smoke here is thick and the support is weak. It looks as if this place could come down at any second. (Coughing) Luckily the stairway was still in serviceable condition and the floors were sturdy enough to hold me. The architects really built this place to last.

There's no one here. The guards must've abandoned it a long while ago. There wasn't a single soul in sight.

Ugh…! Damn… even if the wound is gone… I can still feel the pain. My bones are all messed up.

…

There! That must be the door leading to Yuuhi's room. I can see smoke coming from the other side.

As I drew closer to the door, I've suddenly got a bad feeling creeping up my stomach. What will I find when I open it? Am I just doing this because of wishful thinking or… is it because I know? I can't really tell what my mind is trying to say to me anymore. But even so… will I find Yuuhi there alive or…

…

I guess there's only one way to find out.

"Teeeeeeh!"

WHAM!

I kicked the door open, breaking it down from its hinges.

"Yuuhi! Gahh!" Ah crud. That's a lot of smoke. I can barely see. "Yuuhi! (Coughing) Yuuhi! Damn it! Reply if you can hear me!" Damn… I can't see anything beyond my own hands. How am I supposed to find anything in here? "Yuuhi! (Cough) Yuuhi! Answer me!" Keh! There… this is the balcony where I saw her.

…

…

Hmm? What's that? Something glowing on the floor… (Ruffle) It's… her head ornament. Yuuhi was wearing this. This must be the place where she got blown away. I recall this ornament during her last public speech. It's made out of pure solid gold with a gem as its centerpiece. It acted both as a crown and a ribbon to hold her hair back. The whole thing is melted down to a near crisp and the whole balcony is in cinders.

…

Keh! DAMN IT!

WHAM!

What the hell was I thinking!-? What was I hoping to find here!-? I have to accept that hard fact… I failed. I'm just dreaming. In the end I'm just one man. There's a limit to what I can do here! I haven't changed that much. I'm still the naïve kid who came from the future, wishing that the world will just go my way. I keep trying to change the past and yet no matter how hard I tried it just kept blowing in my face. Is this it? Is this my punishment? The consequences from changing so many things in the timeline!-?

If I can't even save one person… then what the hell gives me the right to save this world?

…

…

…

"Ta… keru…"

…!

Th… that voice… could it be? "Yuuhi?"

"Over… here…"

"Yuuhi!" I can see her. "Yuuhi! You're alive! You're… ah!" She's trapped under that support beam. Half of her body is buried under a ton of rubble.

"Takeru… you… came back…" She stretched out her hand and I grabbed it with all my might. I didn't want to let go. I feared that if I did, she would disappear. Darn it… this isn't the time to be crying but I can't stop my tears. "I knew… that you would…"

"Shhh… don't talk. I'll get you help right away"

"I… I heard… your voice. It called out… to me…" She weak but at the very least she's still conscious.

"Hold on. Let me get this off you"

"No… (…?) Oba san… she… tried to protect me. Please save her first…" Oba san? Ah… that old lady over there.

The caretaker must've been trying to lift the debris up herself, but fell under another ton of rubble. (…) Her pulse is fine. She's just unconscious and the smoke must've knocked her cold. But at the very least she'll recover after a few days rest.

"She's fine" I reassured Yuuhi, relieving her mind off the old lady. "She'll make it through. Let's get this off you for now. Hmph! Grrrr! Arghh!" Crap… my stomach! The pain from the cockpit. It's still there along with a few others. I can't move this log in this condition.

"Takeru… it's alright. Please… don't stress yourself over me. (…?) Forgive me for making you use your talents on such useless things"

"Don't say that. It's not your fault. Just focus on keeping your strength"

"I… I am unworthy of your attention. I was tasked with protecting the people of Japan… yet I was powerless to do anything. I do not deserve this title"

"Shut up! Don't talk like that now! You have to live long enough to meet with Meiya! I promised that I would protect you, didn't I? So just be still…"

"But I have caused you nothing… but grief and trouble. Why would you…?"

"Because I chose to, alright!-? Stop it with your silly questions and just wait while I lift this off! Grrrrr!" Crap. I'm moving it little by little. But at this rate the whole building might collapse on us.

"Please… you have done more than enough. You no longer need to aid someone like…"

"I SAID SHUT UP! You might think that you deserve to die but a lot of people here don't! You need to live! Now more than ever! You have to live not just this country, but for me! (…!) If you die here and now…I'll never be able to face Meiya again. And… I'll never be able to forgive myself. (But…) Arghhh! Just shut the hell up and let me do my job! GAAAARGHHHH!"

Bang…!

I threw away the support beam a few meters from us with a loud thud noise. Ugh… I'm definitely going to feel that. I'm not in my best condition right now.

Yuuhi doesn't look any better either. Her robes are worn down and I can see blood spatter on her arms and legs. I… I can't carry her like this or I risk damaging her even more. My strength is already beyond the point of exhaustion. My mouth taste like iron and saltwater and my legs can barely even support me.

"Takeru…" Yuuhi spoke up. "Please… come closer… and let me see you" I crawled myself to her side trying my best to force a smile. "Listen to me. (…?) You have done more good for this country this day than what I have done in my lifetime. I am… eternally… grateful so please… leave me. (…!) You… must survive. (…) I cannot allow myself to be selfish in these times. (Yuuhi…) Having you here… with me… has granted me such happiness that I did not know existed. But that alone is a crime. (…) As Shogun… I must put my duty above all else. I cannot allow myself to favor one person over another. This life of mine is no longer worth saving. So please… do not force me… to bear this sin. Please, do not let me be the reason for taking away humanity's only hope"

…

How can you possibly expect me to do that when your face is saying the complete opposite? Why would you even force yourself to say that when your tears are crying out? Why are you trying to push me away when your hands are holding onto mine as if they did not want to let go?

"How can I be humanity's only hope… if I can't even save you? (…) Don't be stupid and for once in your life… listen to what I have to say"

…!

My mind went blank in that moment as I brought her lips to mine. The taste of rust, blood and spit mixed together created an uneasy sensation but there was something else. There was a sweetening ingredient added to it but I couldn't figure out what it was. I was too lost in the flavor to even care.

I don't know how much time passed. It felt like an hour or so…

"Ta…keru…"

"If your life is no longer worth living… then I'll claim that life for myself. So now… more than ever… please… you must live!"

"…"

"Everything will be alright…" I found the most comforting words my head could think of and let it out. She needed all the comfort she could get. "Just leave everything to me. I'll get all of us out of this. Believe in me just a little while longer"

…

She returned to me a rare smile and nodded back in return. Alright… I can do this. Hmph! Gah! Damn… she's not heavy but I just don't have to strength to move on.

Crack…

Huh? Oh no. The roof! It's breaking up! The support beam I threw down must've shifted the place! It's coming down!

Crackle… crack!

"Yuuhi!" I pulled her body over to my side shielding her from the falling debris. The wooden frames crushed against my back and forced me down. I won't give in to this. I won't give up now that I've come this far.

…

…

…

Whirrr…

Huh? What's that noise? (Whirrrr…) It sounds like… TSFs

The roof… it's… gone? (Whirr…) What's… happening? (Whirr…) Are those… Takemikazuchis? Did they remove the roof by hand before it came down on us? Th… they saved us. But who…?

Tap tap tap tap tap tap…

I can hear footsteps coming from the stairway.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Colonel Tekoro was the first to come up to the room of Shogun with his bodyguards following in tow. But when they arrived they were surprised to the sight of the young hero boy holding onto Her Highness in a tight embrace.

Shirogane turned around only to find his enemies taking up the space. Takemikazuchis and Zuikakus of every color and every rank lined up before him like a rainbow amidst the ruins of Tokyo. He was surrounded and it was obvious that help wasn't going to be coming any time soon. There was no path for him to escape.

But his undying will wasn't about to give up now. He has gone too far to be stopped here, lost too much to be barred from his mission. So with the last bit of strength, he carried the wounded body of the Shogun in his arms, preparing to fight it out if he had to.

The Guards saw the determination in his eyes and froze in their tracks. The boy was like a cornered animal, wounded and weary. But the spark of defeat was not yet there. With teeth and claw, the beast would stand its ground ready to fight to the last bitter end. The ferocity he radiated can be felt even outside of the castle. It seeped into the hearts of men making them understand what kind of opponent they were facing. The boy had molded his strength, his courage and willpower into one and through the fires of battle he forged those feelings into a power that was sharper than any blade, sturdier than any shield.

They all understood that the boy was prepared to die. The mere gaze was enough to make the Guards take a step back, and after the fight with Ikaruga and the destruction of the XG weapon, their fears outweigh his.

But the Colonel would not raze a weapon against this boy. Doing so was pointless after what he has achieved. He lay to waste entire armies with one unit, defeated the floating fortress alone and saved the lives of countless soldiers and civilians at the near cost of his own. Those feats alone… demanded respect from any warrior of his caliber. Shirogane was clearly on a level that neither he nor any soldier in the army has ever caught a glimpse of.

A gentle breeze blew across their faces, as if sending a message from the divine wind itself.

Two of the guards moved in to apprehend the boy but they were put to a stop at the wave of the Colonel's hands. He noted the glittering sword hanging by the boy's hip with the string fastened around his waist.

"Stop you fools. (…?) You are in the presence of Her Highness's Chosen. Stand down…" The Guards gladly stepped back, not wanting to challenge the pilot. "Show the proper respect to one befitting his status" And with a move that surprised all that were present, the Colonel kneeled down on the floor, his weapon lowered on the ground.

"…?" Shirogane was stunned for a moment, not expecting that kind of a gesture, especially from the Honor Guards, and what shocked him even more was the sight of the other soldiers following his actions.

He ears perked up at the sound of heavy machineries moving. Takeru looked around and saw the faces of the TSFs slowly slipping down to the ground in a gesture of a bow. Soldiers, Eishis and officers alike laid their weapons down, not wanting to incite the boy's wrath.

The greatest fighting force in all of the Empire was on its knees at Shirogane's behalf.

"What are your orders…Your Excellency?"


	63. True Love

**Chapter 63: True Love**

**(Marimo's POV) (January 8, 2002 Tuesday)**

One week…

It has been a week since the battle of Tokyo City. A lot has happened since then but… yet I can hardly believe that it's been so long. The events that occurred there were so numerous that I find it hard to record all of them in my report. I can't even begin to count how many times when the lives of every Japanese citizen were at stake.

My hands still shake whenever I recall those moments. The XG weapon, the battle and the G-Bomb. So many things happened in just a short span of two days but the scar that was left by the rebel army leader, Ikaruga Takatsugu, was severe. It left a wound so deep that I doubt people will ever recover. He broke Japan physically and spiritually just like he planned it. With the lost of the Imperial Army High Command, and the royal family along with his majesty, the Emperor, the people seemed to be at a lost.

The destruction of Tokyo was shown on every form of media possible. Smoke and ruin was all that remained of that city and every citizen of this nation was there to see it firsthand. Everything that the people had accomplished… were engulfed in flame and forgotten.

Was this what Ikaruga hoped for? Did he want to fill the people's hearts with guilt and frustration, to throw the truth in their faces and make them see the errors of their ways?

I guess it really doesn't matter now, does it?

Our culture, our history and our people were mocked and rejected by the very royalties that they worshipped. Many of the countrymen are still in a state of shock and much of the Provincial Government is still paralyzed by the destruction of the capital. And thanks to that event, Japan is now split into a complete two factions with the majority of the citizens and military now supporting the government against the smaller royal family.

After the complete surrender of the rebel army on New Year's Day, January 1, 2002, Prime Minister Sakaki Kurechika and his new cabinet issued an emergency meeting session to discuss the future of Japan. The first order of business was the immediate relocation of the capital. The city of Fukushima was to become the new hub capital of the nation since it was one of the last few cities in Japan that had any military strength. The city also lies further northward, away from any conflict.

As it is seen by the public of the world, the United Nations declared Japan to be an unstable nation and immediately took it upon them for an immediate rearmament.

The conditions were clear and it could not be avoided seeing how we blatantly began killing each other for our own ideals. As per the agreement for continued self-governance, the provincial government was forced to submit to several conditions.

Firstly, Japan's military powers are to be reduced to 40% of its original strength. 25% will be used for self defense purposes only—a Self-Defense-Force if you will. The remaining 15% will be supervised by U.N. Officers in the continued offensive and defensive role against the BETA whenever necessary. This of course include TSFs, soldiers, light armored vehicles and ships.

Secondly, Japan will immediately hand over all of its weapons of mass-destruction like the SD-11 unit and G-Bombs to prevent such disasters from happening again. They will also disband and hand over members and/or former members of the Imperial Honor Guards for questioning.

And lastly, because of recent events: Japan's military industry will be kept to a limit of 30% and impose a strict rule of firearms supervised by the U.N. Army itself. This will effectively decrease armed resistance and the possibility of any other kind of rebellion from happening again.

Of course there were some who detests against these conditions, especially within the ranks of the Imperial Army. But no official or public impeachments have been made since the battle of Tokyo.

With the destruction of the capital and the lost of so many lives and equipment in this rebellion… it's obvious that they were not in a position to argue against anything. But still…I can't say for certain that this whole ordeal was entirely bad for the country. Even though they've lost everything they gained independence in return.

But not everything was destroyed during the coup. Thanks to the efforts of one particular Eishi… a sole survivor of the Royal Family was spared from the chaos. The Grand Shogun of Japan, Her Highness, Kobuin Yuuhi.

With her authority she assumed control of the provincial government of Japan and began a campaign of economical and industrial growth negotiations between the Japan and all other factions around the world. With most of the government, military and royalty, barely nonexistent… it's safe to say that Her Highness, alone, is now the one and true supreme authority here in Japan other than the Prime Minister himself.

A few members of the royal family who were on missions overseas returned as well. They were exempted from charge since they had no knowledge of what was happening in the mainland.

Many of the Eurasian officers who participated in this coup were captured after the dust of battle settled. In response to this, the E.U. announced that this incident was a unilateral action taken by the commanding officer of the Eurasian Army who recently went power-hungry. By laws of the Spanish Convention, all POWs are to be returned to Great Britain immediately for trial.

As of the rebel leader, Ikaruga Takatsugu… he was taken in by the remnants of the Imperial Ministry of Intelligence to be trialed on a later date. As of the moment, his whereabouts and status are unknown.

By January 4, 2002, Tokyo has been declared unsafe to the public due to strong radiation caused by the SD-11 bomb that detonated above its skies and the toxicity that was left by the G-element from the XG-70. Much of the rural areas including the city of Chiba and Saitama are now going through the state of post war reconstruction and will be maintained by the Imperial Army for the duration of the repairs.

To avoid collateral damage, a 12 mile roadblock has been declared by the U.N. with no one allowed in or out of Tokyo without the proper authorities.

The U.N. Army had mixed opinion in this matter of course. Despite the fact that they did save the country, a significantly large majority of the Japanese still remains uncertain of their goals. The damage that was inflicted upon Tokyo was largely done by our faction and by General Radhabinod's personal orders. Still… the General was able to avoid prosecution by delivering evidence that the rebel group were indeed prepared to destroy everyone that got in their way. Even by using another G-Bomb on us. All voices against the U.N. Army were then silenced in an instant and no other voice spoke against them from that day on.

To honor those that have fallen in this grave incident, a memorial was erected yesterday in the outskirt ruins of Tokyo by the Imperial Army. Another was built in Kyoto to honor those who perished during the Shikoku incident and those who sacrificed their lives to protect the last bastion of Japan. The ceremony was small at the least with only very few survivors attending both events.

As for Shirogane… well… let's just say there are a lot of things he has to answer for. As of right now, all information regarding him has been strictly classified by the United Nations supreme council. It can be safe to say that we cannot condone his actions. The military cannot dictate unofficial actions like this. The official word on paper will be saying that Shirogane was undertaking a top-secret mission for the 11th Pacific Army but of course there's really no truth in that. There was even little point blocking it from the public. After the coup d'état done by the Imperial Household Honor Guards… there wasn't a soul on Japan that didn't know that name.

His face was posted on every newspaper article and every news channel in existence. Rumors speculated around him like wildfire, especially in the net. Now that the media was no longer under the influence or control of the government, all stories regarding the boy spread faster than anyone could control. He became a hot topic for the media that everyone wanted to know. After the boy was relieved from duty he was immediately taken in for questioning by the intelligence group. But I seriously doubt they'll be able to publicize anything at all. Heck… even I'm having a hard time drawing a conclusion to what or who Shirogane really is. First… his superior ability as a soldier at such a young age, his strange relation with Vice Commander Yuuko, next his development program of the TSF's Operational System and now this.

What he did in Tokyo that day changed everyone's perspective about him. I don't even know which part of him are truth and lies anymore. I always knew that he was good when he piloted a TSF, everybody knows. His talents behind the machine were obviously second to none… but what he did there just changed everything.

I don't even know where to begin. To singlehandedly disabled the XG-70, go toe to toe against an army of the finest Eishis the Honor Guards could muster, defeat their leader in single combat and save Tokyo from destruction, surviving an SD-11 blast in the process and rescuing the Shogun from certain doom from the royal palace.

I feel like I'm writing a novel rather than a report. They did say that facts are a lot stranger than fiction and I guess this area proves that theory.

…

Shirogane's actions have greatly changed the course of this country. Though it won't be admitted by the military, the people know in all likelihood that none of us would be standing here if it weren't for the abilities of that young man. However I must also add that his decision was dictated by events beyond his control and I can only fathom that he must've suffered greatly to force himself to fight over and over against overwhelming odds. Yet despite these numbers… he continues to show incredible talents, defeating even the strongest of foes with barely even the slightest bit of effort.

But… under all that fierce exterior, I cannot seem to picture him as a deadly weapon. People will probably never understand it since they've only seen him in battle. But as his former instructor and… acquaintance I have come to know Shirogane personally.

He's a kind a sincere boy, an extremely capable soldier and somewhat charismatic if I may add. He's no different from the other cadets I've trained during my years as an instructor. But after what everybody saw on TV… I doubt my words will do him any good.

The rest of the Valkyries were exempted from the investigation seeing how none of them had any knowledge of his mission or his background. In fact… nobody knew of the boy's life before he joined the military cadet training. All they had were bits and pieces of his life and nothing concrete. Even my research during my obsession with Shirogane doesn't seem to hold any credit now.

The only person who would truly have any clue to who Shirogane really is would be Yuuko. It's no secret that Takeru and the Vice Commander hold a strange intangible relationship. Even I can't really say if they were old acquaintances.

**(Takeru's POV) (U.N. Branch Headquarters, Kyoto) (Guests room) (06:20 AM)**

Uhmm… ugh…

Damn… not this again. This is the third time I've woken up this early. No matter what I do I can't seem to get a decent wink of sleep. How long has it been since I've been imprisoned here? Two days? Three? I already lost count. The bed they provided me was soft as a feather but even with a good bed I can't seem to calm myself down. It feels like my body has been put on a permanent state of adrenaline even after the battle was over.

…

The battle. Just remembering it gives me the chills. The siege of Tokyo took a total of 3 days before it was finally over. The whole city was in shambles when I left. A lot of things happened afterward and just trying to remember each and every one of them was difficult enough. So many things happened all at once that they all become blurry when the calm came.

Yuuhi…

The last time I saw her was when I gave her up to the Imperial Army for medical treatment. She was hurt but not critical. Ironically though, the reason why she was able to get proper care so quickly was because of the Honor Guards who escorted me there to the nearest U.N. base.

After they lost their leader, the rebel army surrendered completely without any further resistance. I guess without their trump card they had no more reason to fight.

After the battle was declared over, Marimo chan and I were brought in for interrogation. It was the same process we had during the first coup a few weeks back. I was questioned through the usual things and I answered all of their questions directly. But strangely enough they seem to be avoiding all the important questions. I can only imagine that they're probably ordered not to dig deeper than they need.

A few days later I was brought into a guesthouse in the U.N. Embassy here in Kyoto. I always pictured myself to visit Kyoto sooner or later but never in this fashion. To be honest… this place is kind of like a fancy prison cell. It was a lot bigger than my room back at Yokohama Base that's for sure but it still felt like a detention block without the iron bars. The food is bearable but I still preferred Oba san's soup over the chef of this place.

There are two guards posted outside of my room with one of them checking on me every morning, afternoon and evening.

The only thing keeping me from going mad is the books they have lined up here. Aside from the usual military propaganda and science books they have lined up they also had something like magazines here for entertainment. It's been forever since I actually had something worth reading. I wonder if they'll loan this to me if I asked nicely.

Knock knock…

Eh? A visitor? It must be the usual checkup guy.

"Come in"

…

"It seems like you're doing well, Shirogane"

"Ah! Isu… I mean… Captain" I saluted to her in my proper military way.

"No need for formalities. This isn't an official visit" Captain… goodness it's been so long since I've seen a friendly face, or even a familiar face around here. It feels like forever since I last saw anyone from my squad. "Hooo? This is quite a grand room. Even the quarters back in Yokohama Base wasn't as fancy as this. (Ahehe…) But I supposed looks can be deceiving…" She's got that right. This room may look fancy but you can tell that this was nothing more but an expensive prison cell. You get good food, good bed and a nice bath… but you're still not free and you have no way of communicating to the outside world at all.

"Yeah… it can be… lonely here" I stated back feeling a bit better now that I saw a familiar face.

"I'll take your word for it. (…) Don't look so glum. It's not like they can press charges against you for saving peoples' lives. Sit down" We took our seats by the expensive sofas where she relaxed a bit. She looks just as tired as I am. That's no surprise after what happened. "I guess it must be hard for you too. To be arrested right after what you've accomplished. But seeing you on your feet is a good sign. I actually half expected you to be in a hospital bed when I came to visit.

"Well… I wasn't exactly that hurt when I left…"

"That's good. At the very least I can tell the others that you've made a full recovery. (Others?) The squad has been asking for your condition for days now. (…!) Don't worry. They're fine… to say the least. About half of the squad has been hospitalized after the mission. Excluding you, only Munakata, Hayase, Suzumiya and I are in active condition. The rest are now on temporary leave"

"Is… everyone alright?"

"No fatal injuries, so to speak" The Captain added with an honest look in her face. "I'm sure a few of them should be up and about right now. I think I saw Ayamine back at the barracks two days ago"

Haaaaaaa… thank goodness. They're all ok. A small part of my subconscious has been worrying about those girls for days now. I've actually been having nightmares for the worst case scenario.

"So… everyone's ok?"

"That depends on what you mean by 'ok'. If you mean they're alive then yes. Otherwise… most of them are still in medical care. Meiya especially. (…!) Relax. She's alive. I confirmed it myself. Apparently a member of the Honor Guard brought her to the U.N. base right before we all evacuated"

So… Tsukuyomi managed to do it. That's good. I was wondering how that girl was.

"But enough about them. I'm actually here to talk about you. (Eh?) Considering what happened at Tokyo… I guess it's safe to say you're not your every day soldier. (…?) Haven't you heard? Weren't you informed of what happened back at Tokyo?"

What is she talking about? "No… actually, I haven't been able to communicate to the outside world ever since I was brought here. They've kept me in this room for a few days now"

"I see…" The captain folded her arms and legs as she thought for a moment. "I guess that's only natural to keep POWs from other information. (…?) Well… if they're not informing you of anything then I don't have the right to tell you either. Sorry… but I guess you'll have to be out of the loop for a little while longer. (Wha…?) But don't worry. I can't imagine the council punishing you for saving people's lives. They're probably just confused on what to do with you after such a gallant display. (…) You really ruffled a lot of feathers"

I guess she's right. Even I remember how that fight turned out. I'm actually a bit surprised I came out alive at all and in one piece too. I shouldn't be surprise if there are some people who took what I did a bit differently. I supposed I won't be expecting a parade in my name like they showed in anime. Still… to know that my friends are alive and well… that's enough for me.

"Oh and before I forget. Ayamine asked me to give you something. (Eh?) Here… I'm not sure what it is but she preserved it in plastic" Eh? Wait a minute… is this? It is! It's the yakisoba bread! She wrapped it all in plastic to keep the sauce and meat from spilling. It almost looks professionally made. That's Ayamine for you. "I was able to sneak that pass security so don't let the guards see it, alright?"

"Yes ma'am"

"Ahu…" Oh? She laughed. "You really do look a lot like him, especially with your hair like that. (Eh?) Nothing. You just remind me of an old friend of mine. When was the last time you had a hair cut?"

"A haircut?" Ah! Now that she mentioned it. My hair has been growing wild for the past few days. I haven't a chance to… well… now that she mentioned it, I don't really remember the last time I had a haircut. I've been so busy with military duties and the war that I haven't had time to go through my daily necessities.

"Ahuhu… you look adorable with long hair. You should consider keeping it. (Hey!) Ahuhuhu" Grrr… don't tell me she added that just to tease me. It's really embarrassing to have someone make fun of your hair. She almost reminds me of Sumika. "Four missions…"

"Eh?"

"Four missions. That's a new record for the Special Task Force. (Captain?) For the past year… the A-01 has had a lot of casualties in every mission they undertook. In every mission, it is expected for the team leader to lose at least one or two Eishis. (…) Seeing that we have the lowest survival rating in the entire army… you won't be surprised to see at least one or two faces missing from the roster. (…) Two missions was the highest amount I could get my record to. No other squadron came close. But now… I have a new record of four. Sadogashima, Osaka, Kyoto… and now Tokyo. That totals up to four official missions. And in no small part thanks to you. (…?) You really are amazing, Shirogane. A little wild but amazing either way"

"Ahehe…" Wow… I've never seen the captain have such a soft expression.

"D… don't look at me like that. What are you thinking right now? (Ahehehe…) Don't laugh! I'm trying to show my appreciation here!"

Aha! Now she's blushing? "Ah… sorry about that Captain it's… just that you… (Hmm?) It's just that this is the first time I've seen you like this"

"Keep that up and I'll tell Hayase to go harsher on your next training session. (Ah!)"

Knock knock…

One of the guards at my door entered.

"Excuse me. But visiting time is over"

"Ah… is that so. I guess I used up my time" The captain replied waving the soldier off. "I guess that's it for today. Sorry I couldn't provide more"

I shook my head in reply. "No. I'm glad that you came, ma'am. If you hadn't, I could've gone mad already"

"Ahuhu… if that's how you feel then I'm glad I made the visit. I expect you to report to me the moment you get out of detention, Shirogane. (Ma'am) I'll be sure to send your regards. So until then… be safe"

"Yes ma'am"

**(Imperial Ministry of Intelligence branch Headquarters)**

"Haaaaa…" That was probably the 100th time Isumi Yayoi sighed that morning. Being a member of the Imperial Ministry of Intelligence was supposed to be a good thing. She had access to military files and secret documents that any man could dream of. But of course back then she'd have an army of subordinates to coordinate with her through all of the paperwork.

After the battle of Tokyo, many of the members were arrested for conspiring against the government of Japan and the royal family. Thankfully, her boss was able to get her acquitted for all charges and scrounge up whatever members they could find to help sorting through all the papers.

Ever since she returned to the active headquarters, she had been piling file after file like a machine. Her boss might be laid back but that was only because he let the others do the paperwork for him.

"I'm tired…" She whined wearily as she slouched herself onto her working desk after finishing the last of the files for one section. "If this keeps up… I might just grow wrinkles…" But her moment of rest was quickly interrupted by a call on her phone. She groaned but answered it anyway. "Yes? Isumi speaking"

"Director Isumi…"

The voice alone snapped the woman out of her tired state. "Councilman… (…) Y… yes sir. What may I do for you?"

"Where is Section Chief Yoroi Sakon?"

"The Chief?" She looked around the office a bit phased. "I'm sorry councilman but the Chief isn't at the office at the moment. I'm afraid he's… gone off on personal business. I'm afraid I'll have to let him call you back. Though I'm not sure when either…"

**(Kyoto Red Cross Hospital) (Room 225)**

Check…

The nurse of room 225 ticked a mark on her note as she looked at the heartbeat sensor monitoring the patient's body. From one machine to the other, she ticked one mark over the other as if it was just another standard routine for her.

She took a glance at the young cerulean haired girl making sure that her oxygen mask is strapped on tight and checking her vitals to see if it matched the machine.

It has been the fifth day since she started this basic routine and always the results seem to be improving. With no complications expected in the last minute, the nurse confirmed that the patient will rest easy and decided to end her shift for breakfast. Food was rather scarce these days and a little extra portion can go a long way.

And right before the door closed behind her, Yoroi's hands moved to the knob, holding it open just a little while longer. He took a peek in the room making sure no one else was inside and gently closed the door behind him, locking it with a defining click.

The man rarely showed any kind of emotions through his face and even less through his heart. He was a master of deception, a con artist if you will. He was the type of person who can fool a fisherman to buy his own fish. It took years of practice and a little bit of talent to perfect his unbreakable mask. With his words he was unbeatable and he always knew what to say when the situation called for it.

But now… as he stared blankly at his daughter's half scarred face… he was at a loss for words.

He brought flowers, chocolate and even a 'get-well-soon' balloon in hopes to share a joke with her. But the only response he got was beeping noise of machine and rough breathing from her facemask.

Never in his life did Yoroi thought that he would still have the capability to show such weakness. To show a soft side that he discarded a long time ago but there it was… a part of him that made him… a father.

_"Because I know that no self-respecting father would dare give up his own child for the sake of others, no matter what the cost may be"_

Shirogane's words echoed from his past. It voiced with such meaning that even a man like him could feel some sense of remorse. He extended his hand to hold his daughter… but quickly flinched back knowing that it would be useless.

In the end, his priorities played a bigger role. His work was too important to let feelings get in the way. "Hmph… I guess you were wrong… Shirogane kun…"

Seeing that there was little point in being here, the old man put his gifts on the table and tipped his hat to his daughter. For the hundredth time, he shut his heart and wore the mask of a spy once more.

But just as he took his first step towards the door, his ears flinched to a voice that called out to him. "Dad…" Even though the girl was not conscious… her mind could not hold back that which she desired most…

The shell that held the man's heart was ripped off by a beating voice echoing in his head. It forced him to look back to see a teardrop fall from the little girl's face.

The mask he wore shattered and the father that has been shouting in his subconscious finally came through. The echoes finally reached that thick skull of his forcing him to act.

He tossed the chair that stood in his way and kneeled beside his daughter bed, his hands clutching on the blanket searching for the girl's fingers. A sense of joy and unspeakable happiness filled his heart when he found it. He kissed her fingers and held it to his face like he had been longing for it. He wanted her touch on his face. He wanted to see his daughter smile like he does, he wanted to hear her laugh like her mother and listen to how she berates nonstop of her love-interest with glee.

"Mikoto…" It was only when he spoke her name did he realize that he had been crying all this time. The tears rolled out nonstop as if a dam had broke. "Mikoto…"

And in that silent hospital… no one would ever remember hearing the cries of a grown man echoing through the hallway.

**(Room 226)**

"O… oi… Tamase. Are you sure you should be doing that?" Touko questioned as she saw how her comrade was struggling just trying to pour tea in the teacup from her sickbed. "You don't really need to force yourself. You barely just recovered"

"It's alright. I… I can do this" The little pink haired girl insisted. But despite her attempts to pour the tea it all ended in failure. "Hauuuu…"

"Ahuhu… there's no need to force yourself in your injured state. (I'm sorry…) That's ok. I know that you want to get better soon but you won't heal that fast if you keep struggling with yourself. Here… have some"

"Thank you… 2nd Lt. Kazama…"

"Ahuhuhu… call me Touko. You and I are just about the same rank and I don't think formalities are required when both of us are injured. Here… drink it while it's hot"

"Hai…" The little pink haired mascot submitted and ate up. "Bwahh! Hot hot hot hot hot!"

"Ah sorry. I should've cooled it down first" Touko apologized feeling somewhat silly to give her hot tea.

"Hauuu… my tongue's burned"

Touko saw how the girl stuck her tongue out and couldn't resist smiling. She had a thought about her Cat's Tongue but decided to keep that joke to herself for now. "Pfff… it's alright. Here… cool it down with a nice apple. (Hai… munch munch) Ahuhu… you know… Misae san came to visit you the other day"

"Eh? You mean… 1st Lt. Munakata?"

"Yup. She came to wish you well but you were still asleep then. She brought us this fruit basket as a get well present. (Hoo?) She wants us to get better soon so make sure you get a lot of rest. (Hau…) Oh don't give me that face… ahuhuhuhu" But their happy moment was suddenly interrupted from a knock on the door. "Come in—eh?"

"Pardon my intrusion… (…!)" Kazama's face lit up along with her injured partner.

"Un… Undersecretary General Tamase?"

"Papa?"

The old man was wearing his usual suit and tie. Though he still held a dignified posture and an unbreakable stare, it was all just a façade. If you look closely at this man you would see that his suit alone had more wrinkles like he had been wearing it for days. His posture was flinching from time to time like he was struggling just trying to stand on his own two feet. His eyes also had dark bags which were covered with a thick coat of makeup to hide his fatigue.

As he entered the room, he gave out a sense of professionalism before speaking. "You must be part of the A-01 Special Task Force…" He said to Kazama directly which she saluted in turn.

"Yes sir. 2nd Lt. Kazama Touko, at your service…"

"Hmm… you have good eyes. You have my gratitude for keeping company to your subordinates. (Ah… no problem sir) I know that this may be unprofessional but… may I have a few minutes with her?"

"Ah… umm… of course. I'll be out of your way" Touko nodded before turning to her comrade with a cheerful wave. "I'll go checkup on Sakaki and the others. I'll come back and visit. (Alright…) Later then. Undersecretary…" She gave one last salute to the old man before departing.

The father and daughter paused for a moment waiting for the sound of a door closing behind them. It was a rather awkward pause with neither side speaking a word. But after Genjosai assured that he was in the clear of eavesdroppers he pulled up a chair and placed himself beside his daughter's sickbed.

"You've had a long week, haven't you?" He opened up with a small yet saddened smile.

"Papa…" The girl felt her father's hand on her head patting it like he was trying to congratulate her.

"Goodness. Have you always been this short? I figured the next time we meet you would've at least grown a few inches"

"Ah… well… I try to keep up. (Hooo?) I drink milk every day before training just like you told me. (Heeeh?) I try to eat meat and do pull-ups in my room"

"Oh? So you've been doing it religiously? Now that I think about it, you do seem to be outgrowing that scrub. Perhaps I should consider buying you bigger clothes the next time you visit. (Ahehehe) Hahahaha"

"I would like to visit home again…" The little girl added earning another nod from her old man.

"I would like you to come home too. I'm sure your friend would love the visit. I've made some renovation at our place. Though I had to destroy your room to make way for the archery range. (Eh!-?) Ahahaha… I'm kidding. But I did make a new dojo to practice. I guarantee that you will be thrilled. (Ahehehe) You and Suiko can play like the old times. You can even bring your friends along if you'd life"

"Heeh? That would be fun. Can I bring the whole team?"

"Hahahaha… the more the merrier. We can all have dinner if need be. (Really?) Really. But you might want to give me a call before you bring your whole group in"

"Yes papa!"

Their conversation was suddenly interrupted when Genjousai felt a tinge on his chest. His phone was ringing through his suit which he quickly whipped out only to frown at the caller number. It was only expected for a man of his stature to be busy with calls from dignitaries from around the world. But at the very least he wanted to spend a little more time with his daughter.

If he had a choice, he'd gladly let the world burn if it meant spending the rest of his days with the last of his family. But sadly… he wasn't given that option and his work meant that few others would get to see their families too.

"It seems like it's going to get busy soon"

"Are you going already?"

The old man nodded, grudgingly. "I'm afraid so. With the country as it is you can only imagine how troublesome it is in the U.N. consulate. I do wish I could spend more time…"

"It's alright" Miki cut him off with a brazen smile plastered on her face. "I know that papa has an important job to do. I'm sure we'll have plenty of time to catch up later. (Tama…) Even if we can't I'll be sure to write you a lot of letters so you won't miss me as often. I'll write up every day so you'll know what I've been up to"

"Ahaha… I still have a stack of your letters that I haven't read either" The old man admitted trying his best to enjoy what time he had left in this room. "But… it would be nice to hear it from you directly. (Ahehehehe) Hahahaha…" Genjousai patted his daughter's head once more giving her some measure of courage. "Ah… that reminds me" He quickly whipped out something from his pocket that fit the size of his palm.

"Is… is that…?" Miki recognized it almost instantly when her father opened his hand. It was a round shaped locket encrusted with silver and strapped together in a chain. Just one look alone and anyone can tell how pricy it was.

"It was a locket your mother made when she and I married years ago. (…!) She… made it for you when she found out that you were coming along. She was very superstitious and always had a way with things like this. She said that it had some magical charm that would protect you from harm" He hung it over the girl's head and gently placed it around her neck. The chain was still too big so it hung right down to her belly. "Heh… it fits like a glove"

"Papa…"

"We both planned to give this to you on your wedding day. But I supposed with the world moving as it is, everyone will need all the protection they can get. Either physical or spiritual. I know that you don't really remember your mother… but I'm sure that she would've loved to see you now"

Miki looked down on the locket, tinkering with its mechanism. It was true that she doesn't really remember her mother. The closest things she could relate to her were the pictures her father kept around the house. Her old man described his wife like she was a saint and loved all the good and bad things about her. The bits and pieces that came from what others said about her shaped a person in her mind and to some… that was all that was needed to fill the hole in their lives.

Looking down on that locket, Miki could picture how her mother would make something like this. Even though it was a rather expensive locket she could tell that her mother had a talent in art. She could already imagine a lady much older than herself pouring her heart and soul in making such a trinket. The mere thought of it warmed her soul like nice fireplace by the house.

Miki felt the strange love in this locket. She wanted to hold it in her hand for a long time but she knew that there was someone else worthier of such a charm.

She gently took it off from her neck and handed it back. "Tama?"

"Here… papa. I think you should hold on to it. (…?) I can feel mama's warmth in this… and I can tell that it can give me hope. But… I would like mama to protect you instead of me. Because… I already have someone protecting me. (…!) And besides… it's also my duty to protect papa and everyone else. (Tama…) I will protect papa… because that's what I chose to do. It's my decision. So please… don't worry about me… and take good care of yourself and mama too… ok?"

"Tama…" Genjousai lowered his head in shame, his eyes reddening to the point of tears. To think that he and thousand others would be at the protection of his own child. It hurt him… yet at the same time filled his head with pride. He hated himself for actually feeling happy about her daughter's conviction.

Choking through a sob, Miki gently reached out and took his hand. The difference in their size was great but it was difficult to tell who was guiding who.

**(Room 327)**

In another room on another floor, another member of the Valkyrie Squad was having an embarrassing moment.

"Ah… ahhhh~" Chizuru let out a moan as she felt her body being pressed. "S… stop that Akane. You're… hurting me…"

"Oh stop whining and relax, will you? Just a little more"

"Ahhh… th… that feels weird. I don't think that's… the right hole"

"Eh? Oh right, sorry. How about this?"

"Ahhh! Th… that hurts… ahhh~~ (Ahehe… sorry) Y… you're teasing me on purpose aren't you? I'll rip your tongue off!"

The red head laughed it off. "Oh now that's an interesting concept from someone like you. (Poke…) Oh? Soft?"

"Ahh! A… Akane! Please don't do…ahhh!"

"Just… a little… more… HMPH! Just… a little more…"

A few patients who passed through that room that morning put up bizarre fantasies in their head as they listened on what was happening in that room. The moans and groans they could hear was like porn except for the visual aids that was needed for the stimulation.

Those patients were quickly turned away when one of the nurses came by and urged them to keep their naughty thoughts to themselves. But unfortunately what was happening in that room was far beyond sexual harassment.

"And… there we go…" Akane announced with a triumphant face. "Who would've thought that putting on a uniform would be a 2 man job?"

"Ah… yeah… thanks" Chizuru appreciated her help. With the injuries she sustained during the battle, just putting on her skirt was like trying to assemble a rifle with one hand.

"Hey, it's what friends are for, right? Besides, you helped me put on my scrubs the other day" They shared a small laugh together. "But are you sure you want to go back already? You've only been hospitalized for a few days. No one would blame you if you take a few more days off. Besides… are you going to be alright without your glasses? You can't exactly navigate without them. You broke your last pair earlier"

Chizuru let out a sigh. Her friend was right. She did break her glasses somewhere along the way. She had a hard time just trying to read the signs to the proper restrooms. "Don't worry about it. I have a spare one in Yokohama Base. The doctor already told me that I have a perfect bill of health. These are simply aftereffects from being hospitalized. I'm sure I'll be back to normal once I get back. Besides… it's not like I'm going to the battlefield any time soon. I'll probably just be helping Suzumiya with the paperwork. (I see…) Don't worry. I'll be sure to come and visit you whenever I get the chance"

"Yeah…" Akane relaxed a bit in gratitude. "Say hi to onee chan for me. (I will…) Oh and bring a box of sweets if you can. I don't know about you but I'm already getting bored of hospital food. I might even want to try that fortified orange juice for a change"

"Hehehe… come on now. It can't be that bad"

"It's easy for you to say since you're getting discharged!" The oragette added fuming from ear to ear. "Me… I have to stay here for another week thanks to my kneecap"

"Ahuhuhu… alright I get it. I'll see if I can get you something from the store. But I won't make any promises. (Hai hai…) I don't know if there are any sweets but I'm sure they have a fruit basket for sale down by the lobby. (Yay!) Anyway I should probably report to Captain Isumi first. I don't want to lag behind on roll call if it can be helped"

"Hai hai… I know better than to try and stop you once you've got your mind set on something"

But just as Chizuru was finishing her uniform on the mirror, a knock on the door caught her attention. "Excuse me, may I enter?" She quickly recognized the voice as one of the doctors of the hospital. "Sakaki Chizuru?"

"Yes… that's me" She answered at the call of her name. "Is there something wrong?"

"No it's nothing like that. One of your personal effects was found by one of the patients and he asked to give it back to you"

This of course made the girl in question raise a brow. "One of mine? I don't remember bringing anything with me when I came in"

The doctor ruffled through is lab coat and handed her a small object which fit her hand. "The patient said that you dropped it on your way to the lobby"

It was a box. An expensive looking box at that. One can tell just by looking at the fabric that it was made and the logo at the top hatch was something to boast. Those who own such a fine brand are surely the envy of many jewelry holders.

"Hooo? Is that jewelry?" Akane asked with a teasing tone.

"Baka… I wouldn't own something so expensive. It's not use…ful…!-?" But she stopped mid way when she opened the box to see its contents. "Th… this is…"

The doctor who gave her the box raised a brow. "I'm sorry. It is yours, isn't it?"

The girl quickly closed the box and stared at the man with a straight face. "Pardon. But who was the patient who found this? (Eh?) May I know who retrieved it? I would like to properly thank him"

"I'm not sure. I just retrieved it from the reception desk at the lobby. (…) Umm… anyway, please try to be more aware of your belongings. Please excuse me…"

After the doctor left the room in a rush, Akane turned to her friend who seemed to be staring intently at the box given to her. "What's up with that guy? (…) Hey… Chizuru, what's in the box?"

The chestnut haired girl took a breather before opening it again. Akane expected to see a ring, a necklace, maybe even a bracelet inside. But out of everything that she could picture in her mind… a pair of eyeglasses was all that was to be found.

Chizuru felt her chest heave. This was clearly the act of someone she knew very well. It wasn't the first gift she received indirectly. Under normal circumstances, she'd probably just put them in the drawer and let them collect dust for all eternity. But now… after seeing this… her resolve on her oath began to waver.

She swore to herself that she would never tie herself to that man ever again. She cut herself off from him. That was the very reason why she joined the United Nations in the first place.

She tapped the side of the lens and noted the quality of the craftsmanship that was poured into this pair of glasses. The frame was made out of solid gold so there would be no worries of it damage in any situation. The rims were round almost similar to her old pair and the lens themselves were probably made out of replaceable material so it can be fixed and maintained easily.

"Ara? There's a note at the bottom?" Akane pointed out to Chizuru's surprise.

"A rabbit needs to have good eyes to keep watch of wolves…" She muttered the words out.

"What the heck is that supposed to mean?"

Chizuru gave a small chuckle in reply. "A rabbit eats carrots. Carrots are the most basic food group that helps eyesight… heh…"

"Huh?"

**(Japan-BETA war memorial)**

Ayamine Kei walked along the quiet veteran's park that morning carrying with her a bushel of flowers and candle incense for a particular person. No… she wasn't visiting a secret lover or anything but rather an old man whom she hadn't had the time to see.

After a few minutes of walking she arrived at the very heart of the graveyard where a plank of stone with a carved name was placed.

Ayamine Shuukaku…

She placed the flower the soft bed of earth and pulled some of the weed that had grown in the area. No grave keeper had tended to this place for over a month now so it's no wonder why it seemed rather overgrown.

Kei wondered how long it's been since she last thought about her father. Has it been years? It should. She's been in the military far longer than she even had a childhood. It was so long ago that it almost felt like it was another life entirely. The flowers she drew back in preschool, the dream of seeing the aquarium, the tour to the zoo. All of them… gone in an instant.

After cleaning the grave site she lit the candle incense and offered a silent prayer to her old man. It was a silent offering but one that had much respect in it. God knows that the people buried here deserved better.

"Kei?" The girl's thoughts came to a quick halt when she heard her name being spoken behind her. She whipped her head back and noted a familiar bespectacled figure standing there, wearing surprisingly plain clothes, carrying two bottles of sake in hand.

"…Naoya?

…

…

…

The former rebel leader poured a bottle down the grave giving his former mentor something to enjoy in the afterlife. It was a casual gesture… but unnecessary.

"I see… so you're on leave" Sagiri said to the girl behind him, who gave out a soft yet silent nod in reply. After drenching the gravestone, the man lit another incense candle and offered another silent prayer the same way Kei did earlier. "I've been visiting your father's grave as often as I could. I never imagined that I would actually see you here. (…) I supposed you must be on leave if you are here personally"

"…"

"Ahehe… still as silent as ever. You haven't changed…" Naoya let out a soft laugh pouring two cups of sake in turn.

"What are you… doing here?" Kei finally spoke up breaking her silence. Her eyes were different. They were hard and very much focused.

"Paying my respects. I have been granted leave for good behavior and probation for community service. I expected my life to be extinguished when the battle ended that day… but it seems like my sentence has been suspended" He swallowed the contents of his cup and quickly poured himself another. "Heh… I forgot that you never did like sake. You always had orange juice or soda whenever your father had guests in the house"

"I did not like… the taste back then"

"Ahahaha… yes neither did I. Now that I recall… it was your father who influenced me to this drink. They say that sharing sake is the best way to two people to connect"

"You fell asleep on the first toast"

Naoya rubbed the back of his head shyly as she reminded him of his light drinking habits. "Ahahaha… yes that's true. I woke up the next morning with scribbles on my face"

"Heh…"

The two of them stood there for awhile, in front of the grave as if having the dead be their only audience. It was quiet… and no one was around to disturb them. Kei would've enjoyed this moment too… but she knew that this happy moment wasn't going to last.

"I made a deal with the Imperial Army yesterday…" Sagiri opened up his main topic putting his cup down to stop himself from drinking more. Kei's ear twitched and brought her full attention to him as if she was expecting this. "After what happened at Tokyo, I supposed it should be no surprise that they've become desperate. They're recruiting prisoners and former soldiers to fill in their ranks. In exchange for 15 years of service we will be granted full pardons at the end. It's funny how people can do the craziest things when they're pushed to a corner"

Ayamine looked down to her father's grave with heart in pain. She didn't know how she should be feeling right now. Though she was happy to see her former friend alive and well… but to see him in such a pained state was almost unbearable.

"I see. So… you're still in the Army?"

The man poured himself another cup before answering. "It is the only occupation I know how to do. Besides… there is much I need to repay. (…!) Though the men hide it, I cannot deny the fact that I ruined the lives of thousands because of my own petty grief. I put my own feelings and my personal hatred before the will of the people and because of that I became a pawn for someone else's ambition. (…) There is no way for me to atone for what I have done. But at the very least I can repay those who have died with my own life. (…!) Heh… your father would've been ashamed to know a man like me…"

"Naoya…" Kei suddenly spoke up breaking the man off his thoughts. She approached him, inching closer by the second. Her eyes were watery as if she was feeling torn inside out.

"Kei…"

She pressed herself against his chest making him blush for a short moment. The former rebel saw that girl's face up close and quickly all the memories he had with her during their childhood flashed through his mind like a cheap VHS recorder.

And just as the girl got up closer to his face in the right angle, she swiped her hand right pass his face hitting it with all the force she had in her weakened body.

Naoya recoiled from the blow with his glasses nearly off from his face. That slap sent his brain ringing like a BETA Grappler hitting on his front door.

"Do you enjoy being pitied?" His former childhood friend asked with her tone harsher than any military instructor. "Do you think that giving your life in battle would bring back those from the dead? (…) Haven't you learned anything at all!-? (K… Kei?) If you want to start atoning for what you've done… then at the very least… live! If you throw away your life because you think yourself guilty… then all those who followed you would've truly died for nothing. Are you simply going to run away like you did before? Are you going to turn a blind eye to everything around you and simply look upon yourself!-?"

"Kei… I…"

Slap!

The girl sent another blow to his face shutting him up. "Why don't you try to think how I would feel if you really died?" Tears rolled down her face as she scolded him, her voice almost straining. "Stop making self serving excuses and start taking responsibility of your actions. Only then can you start to forgive yourself. (Kei…) Until you get that into your head, don't ever show your face around me ever again! (…) And you're wrong on one thing. My father would still love you… no matter what you may have done. You… you were like a son to him. (…!) If you're still gonna wallow in your own pity… then do it when no one's around…"

It took awhile for Sagiri to get his stance back together. The girl's words hit him harder than any of Shirogane's punches could ever do. He almost lost his footing as he struggled to get back on his feet.

"If you plan to throw your life away… I will find you" Kei added before gulping her first glass of sake. "I will hunt you down and bring you back from hell itself, if I have to…"

And just like that, the girl turned her back on her former fiancé and walked off leaving him to ponder in his thoughts. But despite all the lashing she dished out, Naoya couldn't help but grow a small smile down his lips as he watched his first love walk the roads with her head held high. He turned his head to the gravestone, trying his best trying to hide his shame.

The man could already picture his former mentor laughing at him from the afterlife.

**(Kyoto Imperial Prison)**

Ring!

Tsukuyomi Mana opened her eyes at the sound of the bell. The sight and smell of the prison was the same as ever, not that it ever changes of course. It was dull, depressing and the routines here were insufferable. Shades of dark and gray were all that greeted her in the morning. But she guessed that was understandable considering that this place was a prison after all.

It was a state of the art detention center with concrete walls, barbed wires and a moat to prevent all attempts of escape and entrance. In every hall there would be at least four or five armed guards patrolling the area, all of which are given strict orders to shoot anyone with buck-shots that would be giving the first sign of trouble. Seeing the place from the outside seemed pleasant enough but it was the inside that would break a person completely. The prison was built not only to keep the inmates but to crush all hope of ever escaping. The only way out was to either serve their sentence or… find someone to get them out through a hefty bail.

It has only been a week since Tsukuyomi was brought here after her trial. At first she expected to be executed like the other members of the high ranking members of the Honor Guard but instead she was incarcerated in this place along with the rest of the rebel army.

There were no excuses for those who lifted their weapons against the people that day. Whether she remembered it or not, Tsukuyomi knows what her comrades did. Simply being a part of that military organization is enough to find her guilty.

Getting up from her hardened bed in her 6x8 feet cell she got out to listen to the hall guard make out roll calls.

The guards and prisoners in this side of the prison were all female due to the gender verdict but even so it served little difference to those inside.

Breakfast was served afterwards. As you'd expect from a prison, the food was meager with little to offer in taste. But as a soldier this wasn't new to her. Sometimes during missions, Tsukuyomi had to go on with nothing but insects and leafs from trees for days. It was common practice for her training, especially for those in the Honor Guards.

After baths in the shower room, the prisoners would be given a selected number of jobs to do for their community service. Tsukuyomi often pick sewing as her task since it was one of the few things she was actually good at. To knit and to use the sewing machine to a certain extent was somewhat different from what she's done in her years as a soldier. Most of the time she would be knitting torn inmate clothes and other pieces that needed mending. But at the least she was doing her part.

On rare occasions she would also be helping out in the kitchen to whip something that was barely edible. Prison food didn't exactly have a variety you can choose from.

After the jobs are done, the inmates would go to the courtyard for leisure time after lunch. The prisoners would sort themselves into the recreational games provided there. Tsukuyomi did not join them of course unless there was a good Shogi match that would catch her interest. But she prefers to be alone for the duration of her stay in this place.

Most of the inmates in this prison were former members of the Imperial Army and the Imperial Honor Guards that fought during the coup in the capital city so it was not surprising that she saw a few familiar faces amongst the crowd.

Checking her time, she knew that there were only fifty minutes left until dinner and then they'd all go back to their cells. It would be another peaceful day in the next 20 years she would spend here.

"1st Lt. Tsukuyomi Mana?" The call of her name caught the woman's attention. Usually it wouldn't be bothering if it wasn't for the rank title that came with it. She turned around and noted the guard who called her.

"Yes?" She responded looking as stern as was before.

"You have a visitor. Please come with me"

"A visitor?" The young Guard raised a brow in question. "I was not informed of any visits today"

"This is an informal visit sent in by the warden. Now please… follow me"

Tsukuyomi complied seeing that there was nothing else to do in the courtyard that day. Other than gazing at the clouds her day of peace seemed to only last for so long.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

…!

Tsukuyomi's reaction was justified with her visitor. As she was handcuffed by the guards on both hands and feet she could see the person on the other side of the screen door quite clearly. The slim figure and the hairstyle that she could easily pick out in space.

"You're secured" The guard declared rattling the chain a bit just to be sure that they won't come off. They had to make sure that the inmates would never be able hurt the guards or any visitors upon their visit. Strict policies like these were followed to the letter. "You have 15 minutes"

After she was bound with cuffs and chains, Tsukuyomi was pushed through the small frame with the door closed behind her. In that single room there was only one table, two chairs and a hanging light bulb which wasn't being used. The young Guard felt exposed… like a sacrificial-meat that was being sent to the hounds. But there was little point in being scared now. Fear was merely just a distraction at this point.

With a deep breath, the emerald haired girl walked up to the table and gladly pulled herself the last remaining chair opposite to her visitor.

The two figure stared at each other, both expecting the other party to speak up first.

Tsukuyomi felt a tinge of shame creep up on her chest as she trade glances with her visitor. The injuries that were visible from the girl's uniform were enough to remind her of what she had done that night. Though it was not intentional… that did not change the fact that it was her hands that caused those wounds.

"It's good to see you again… Tsukuyomi" Meiya was the first to speak, breaking the silence between them.

"And you as well… Meiya sama…" She replied trying her best to look content or happy. "I see that you have recovered from your injuries… I am glad"

"It was nothing… though the doctors did say that I should avoid stressful work for awhile so I will not be able to pilot my TSF in the time being. But I am also relieved to see you well. Prison life has not done you wrong I hope"

"Ah… of course. Most of the inmates are former colleagues of mine so we all know one another well"

"I see… that's good. I was worried that they may have mistreated you in any way. But considering your abilities… I believe those worries may have been misplaced. Ahuhuhu…" It was a cold and bitter laugh the two of them shared. Some might say a thankless joke.

"Meiya sama…" Tsukuyomi opened up sighing with some sense of defeatism. "I understand that this is rude for me to say but what is the true purpose of your visit? The warden in this detention center doesn't make exceptions to visitors that easily. Had you made a proper request…I would've understood… but…"

"Ah… I see…" Meiya changed her tone, ending their little old-friend-visit charade. "You are as perceptive as ever. I apologize for the deception. To be honest I am actually here on official business. The delegates are discussing on releasing several political prisoners as a favor to the provincial government. This information will be set on the news by tomorrow"

Tsukuyomi understood the act like it was part of her dictionary. It was true that many soldiers were imprisoned here but at the same time there are a few members of the former Honor Guards that had ties to the government itself. Relatives of diplomats and such were of the few examples. It was probably one of the few things the U.N. could do to appease the Japanese mass that were still undecided in the new regime and occupation. Now with the Imperial Army almost under their complete control and their strength drained to almost non-existent, there was little left to stand in their way.

Japan will undoubtedly become a colony under U.N. control.

"I see…" Tsukuyomi gave out a sigh. She knew that the day when Japan came under U.N. rule would not be far off… but she never expected it to come like this. "So the United Nations has absolute control over Japan" Her visitor could only answer with a nod. "I supposed it cannot be helped. In the end we were only delaying the inevitable. Japan has been unstable since that day. It would not be a surprise to see many of our countrymen supporting that faction now that they have seen their strength"

"I have no doubt that a lot will change in time" Meiya added folding her arms to a fixed position. "Even now… the system that we followed in the past is slowly attuning to the people's needs. (…) Perhaps it is for the better. We will need to change our ways eventually. We cannot remain stuck in the past less we remain there forever"

"You speak 'his' words…"

"Perhaps Ikaruga had some merit to his dreams. This land has not changed. Though our methods differ and our beliefs conflicting, I still believe that what he said to the country has moved some minds. (…) Perhaps this was his purpose all along… to change this country regardless of what the cost. I guess we'll never know…"

The two girls sighed almost in unison. The battle of Tokyo had left scars in them that would take years to heal. Tsukuyomi knew this well as she kept passing glances at her friend's stomach remembering every details of that fight.

The very thought of that fight left Tsukuyomi with several sleepless nights. She would see that moment pass through her mind like a nightmare. On some nights the poor girl would wake up hearing her own scream, blood in her hands and her finger on the trigger. It felt so realistic that she could not help but relive it from day to day.

Though it was true that she had little control over herself that time… it still didn't change the fact that she killed others with her own hand.

"How is… Her Highness?" Tsukuyomi asked, changing the subject.

"She is well. Though it is not expected of her to make any public appearance any time soon due to her injuries. (…) She will recover. You may rest easy"

"I see. Then he really did it"

"You do not sound surprised…"

"After what I have witnessed that night… my expectations of him have greatly risen. I will not be surprised if he performed greater feats in the future. Though I must admit that he is reckless and naïve. Shirogane… does possess something I still have yet to fathom. I doubt I would be able to defeat him if we were to fight"

"That is a high praise coming from you. I have never heard you recommend someone so highly before, Tsukuyomi"

The prisoner laughed. "That is true. But still… the boy deserves it. He and I did fight once… though I can scarcely remember it" Meiya felt the gunshot wound on her stomach tinge a bit at the reminder of the fight. "I do not believe any amount of forgiveness will do for me"

"It is fine. What's done is done. It is pointless to talk of the past when the future is still ahead of us"

"Yes… that is true. I apologize. (Don't be…) Then perhaps I should ask what your true intentions are for this visit. (…?) I am honored that you would spend your time with me, Meiya sama. But I cannot see you here without any real business"

…

…

…

After a brief pause, the cerulean haired girl sighed in response. There was little point in hiding something from someone who knows you from birth. "It appears I cannot hide anything from you after all, Tsukuyomi. (…) Very well then. The true reason I am here is to grant you probation and suspend your sentence. (…!) In truth, the warden here actually owes me a favor from before and I've called in some of my contacts that are still in service"

"But why would you…?"

"It is only temporary of course. (…!) The paperwork is being processed at the moment so I took the liberty of asking a visit as a favor. (Meiya sama… you can't possibly mean…) It is only a temporary measure. I am still working on your full release of custody with the proper authorities. I cannot say when you will be erased from suspicion. (But…!) You will stay in Kyoto in the mean time. So long as you do not go against authorities they will not press charges against—(Wham!) Hmm!-?"

Tsukuyomi pounded her cuffed fists on the table asserting her infuriation. "That is not what I meant!"

Three armed guards entered the room at the call of the loud noise.

"I understand your resentment… but I have already been granted permission by the warden" Meiya added only earning another spiteful look from her friend. "You will be released tomorrow in the afternoon. I already have a place for you to stay to serve your probation. Should your 'stay' pass without incident for two months, they will grant you free leave"

"But Meiya sama. This is unjustly. Why should I go while the others remain imprisoned? Though I may have little knowledge of it, the fact remains that I am part—(Be silent!) Ah…!" Meiya's words silenced the woman almost instantly.

"This is my decision and mine alone. (…) I do not need your permission to do it nor did I ask for it. (…!) The deed has been done. (Meiya sama!) We are done here…"

"Wait! Meiya sama!" Tsukuyomi tried to reach out but she was stopped by the three guards behind her. "Keh…!"

But just before Meiya left through the visitor's exit… she turned back one more time to watch her friend struggle. "Tsukuyomi… let us meet again… in more peaceful times…"

"Meiya sama!"

**(Takeru's POV) (U.N. Branch Headquarters) (05:20 PM)**

It looks like they're finally closing the embassy. The last of the guards are just switching shifts. I wonder how much longer do they intend to keep me locked up here. There's only so much a man can do to entertain himself. If it wasn't for the Captain's visit this morning I probably would've shouted at someone.

Still… the information she provided me was relieving. Knowing that everyone is alive and well got me relaxed. My subconscious must've been holding it out on me.

Well… I guess there's no point in staying up any longer. I'd better get change and head to bed. It's the only thing I can do n—hmm?

"1st Lt. Shirogane…" Eh… that voice. I've heard it from somewhere before. "Excuse me…" Oh I remember her. She's… Piatif, Yuuko sensei's secretary.

"Come in…"

"Pardon for intruding this late. I've come to escort you out. (Eh?). You are now being released of custody as of this moment. Vice Commander Kouzuki has negotiated your detention sentence. (Yuuko sensei?) Yes. Please sign here to verify your release"

"Oh… umm… ok" I answered hesitantly while quickly signing my name on the release form she handed to me on the table. If Piatif is here, does that also mean Yuuko is here too?

"Good. Now please follow me"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Whoa… so this is the U.N. Headquarters in Kyoto. It's a lot bigger than I remembered. But then again, I was practically half asleep when I first arrived. The hallway alone is huge and decorated with stylish furniture. This place looked a lot more like an embassy than a military base. There are still a few armored vehicles you can see outside of the window and even some tanks being shifted through the parking lot.

"1st Lt. Shirogane. Please keep up. We do not wish to be late"

"Ah… yes ma'am. Sorry" But it's hard to keep my focus right now. After being locked up for so long it wouldn't be a surprise if everything feels… unreal. Not to mention that I still have a lot of things going through my head at the moment.

Hmm? Hey… isn't that? It is!

It's Yuuko sensei! And she's with… the base's CO, General Radhabinod.

Piatif and I stopped a few meters from them and saluted in proper form. "Pardon the interruption sir, Vice Commander. I've brought 1st Lt. Shriogane as you requested"

"Ara… that was quick. I guess she wasn't kidding when she said she could have it done in an hour" Yup… that's Yuuko sensei alright. It feels like forever since I listened to one of her antics. I never imagined I would feel so relieved to hear her voice again. "Good work. I'll be done in a few minutes. Go get the car. (Yes ma'am) Hmmm…" Wh… why is she looking at me like that? Did I do something wrong? "So… how are you feeling? (Eh?) You had a whole week to rest. Don't tell me you're still tired. Heh… not that it matters"

"Ah… huh?"

"I guess it's safe to say that you've had some interesting things happen to you these past few weeks. I'd like to hear it all through your own words. (…) You really know how to attract a crowd, Shirogane. (Ah… yes ma'am) Well then General. If that's all, we'll be taking our leave"

"Wait… Professor Kouzuki. (…?)" The General raised his hand to stop her. "Before you go, I would like to have a word with you subordinate" Eh? He wants to talk with me?

"Huh? Ah… I see. Alright then. I'll be waiting outside. Come to me when you're done, Shirogane. (Yes ma'am)"

…

"Be at ease, 1st Lieutenant. I am not here to direct punishment on you" The General opted to me. Phew… I guess that left some tension off my shoulders. "If you were in any trouble, the imprisonment here should've been punishable enough. (Sir…) But I supposed you understand why we had to keep you locked up for such a long time. Though I must admit that it was thanks to you that we were able to achieve victory in Tokyo… the deed you performed there has been taken very differently by many groups. Some may hail you as a hero, but to the eyes of others, you are to be considered a threat. (…) To not be harsh to judge them. It is only human nature to fear that which they do not understand"

"Ah… yes sir"

"That reminds me…" His face softened a bit to me. "This is perhaps… not the first time we've met, isn't it? (No sir…) But I supposed this is probably the first time you and I had a personal conversation such as this. Hmmm hmm…" Oh? He laughed? "I would've enjoyed having more time to talk with someone like you, 1st Lt. Shirogane. But it seems that duty must come first. In any case I would like to give this to you personally…"

He handed me a small colored box which was big enough to fit the palm of my hand. "These are…"

They're military ribbons. I've seen these before on the chest of officer's uniforms. They symbolize missions or campaigns they've been through. I think I've read it somewhere before.

"Ribbons…" The General confirmed it for me. "All field personnel who participated in the battle for Tokyo are given one. Though you were unofficially part of the battle, I thought you may have at least earned something. (Ah… yes sir) Do not be mistaken. Though it may be nothing more but a small trinket to the eyes of another, it is the only way the military knows how to reward those who accomplished things beyond their oath. (…) Occasions such as this are usually given with celebration… but after what had just occurred, we need to give the people and soldiers time to mourn and rest. But… at the very least… I would like to thank you in person… 1st Lieutenant"

"Sir!" I saluted him in kind.

…

Eh? He extended his hand to me.

"In other countries we call this a handshake…"

…

"Uh… yes sir…" I returned the gesture in kind. His hands feel wrinkly yet strong. It… kind of reminds me of my dad.

"Let us meet again…"


	64. The Scars Left Behind

**Chapter 64: The Scars Left Behind**

**(Takeru's POV) (U.N. Military Base) (Kyoto) (January 9, 2002 Wednesday) (07:10 AM)**

Shake shake…

Ugh… not again.

Shake shake…

I don't want to get up yet. I'm still sleepy. Give me a few more minutes.

Shake shake…

Ah… now that I think about it. This feels kinda good. A nice backrub is exactly what I need to get me back to sleep. (Shake shake) Yeah… keep it up. A little higher…

Shake shake…

A little more to the left. A little more and…

WHACK!

Bwah! What the hell!-? That hurt! Who in the world whacks someone in the head this early in the morning?

"Guuuuu… Sumi—ah? Kasumi? (Good morning) Ah… g… good morning" It's Kasumi… and she's carrying a heavy looking notebook. "Did you hit me in the head again? (Nod…) You really need to stop doing that. It's barely even… 7. Ugh…"

"07:15. Wake up Takeru, successful" She's keeping her diary just like Sumika. "Bye bye…"

"Ah yeah… bye…" And just like that. She left the room as strangely as she came. Haaaa… I really need to learn to lock my door. Marimo chan has been complaining about that since I first got into cadet school.

…

Eh? When did I ever have a fancy alarm clock like this? I don't remember getting one. And… I don't remember having that desk or that computer. As a matter of fact… where… am I? This… doesn't look like my room.

…

Oh wait… that's right. I'm in Kyoto. I was released from my detention yesterday thanks to Yuuko sensei's help. She brought me here to the barracks where the rest of my squad was resting up. She asked me to meet up with her later in the afternoon but it's still a bit early for that.

Well… I don't think I can go back to sleep after getting my head whacked with a book. I should probably get changed and get some breakfast. Hmmm… let's see. I got two spare uniforms and some daily clothes. This is the same setup for my closet back in my room. They're not like the exosuit that I wore in combat but I suppose one size fits all. Still… I'm gonna need some thicker clothes to bear the winter cold. It's still snowing outside but at least the weather is bearable unlike Tokyo which was both hot and cold at the same time.

Grumble…

Uhh… whenever my mind is running, my stomach is there to interrupt it. It has been the constant cycle of my life. Eat, sleep, play. Heh… it's hard to imagine that how my life was a few… years ago. No. It's longer than that. If I combined all the loops I've been through in this world… then it should at least count to… maybe 10… no 100 years? But… if I include the loop back from the previous timeline then… that would be… arghh… I keep forgetting that I've never been good in math. Besides… there are too many variables for me to think of. I'll just drown myself with worries if I keep pondering in the past. Right now I have to keep my focus on the present and hopefully I can have one sense of a future.

Grumble…

Oh… right. Food. The prime basic need of all humans. Let's see if there's anything in the PX worth taking.

Click…

And off I go to…(Thwack!)

"Oww!" What the heck? Somebody just slammed a fist up my face!

"Ah… Sh… Sh Sh Sh Sh… Shirogane!-?" Eh? That voice…

"1st Lieutenant… Hayase? And… 1st Lt. Munakata?"

"Ara ara… it looks like you made a blunder opening, Hayase chan…"

"D… don't put it like that!" Hayase scolded back. "You were the one who said that I should knock!"

"Well you were the one standing all night when you heard that he was coming back. (EEEEEK! Munakata!) Good morning 1st Lt. Shirogane"

"Ah… good morning" I replied to her unconsciously. "Did you… come to wake me up?"

"Not me. Hayase wanted to do it" Munakata added which only added to Hayase's outburst for some reason.

"That's not true! I only umm—taking a stroll! That's right! A morning stroll! I wasn't in any way coming to knock on your door or anything! (Ah… ok…) You got it? I was taking a morning stroll! (Yes ma'am…) Grrr… 1st Lt. Shirogane. I was taking a morning stroll and just happen to pass by your room when you opened the door**. ARE WE CLEAR!-?**"

Eeeeeek! She's scary. What did I do to make her so frustrated!-? "Yes ma'am! 1st Lt. Hayase was on a morning stroll, which happens to be passing through my room when I opened the door!"

"Good. Now that we have that settled. I… was just finishing my stroll and am now going to the PX! (Yes ma'am!) And… you're coming with me!"

"Yes ma'am I am… (Wha?)"

"Oh my…" I saw Munakata grow a sly grin. "First date in the morning. Bold move, Hayase. I'm impressed. (Mu-na-ka-ta!) Ara… I think Shirogane is having the same thoughts too"

Eh? No I'm—(WHAM!) Goh! I see stars…

Thud…

"Fine! I'll go by myself!"

…

Ow… my stomach. Why the hell… did she have to hit me so hard? Is this how you greet someone who just came back from a death defying mission? Eh?

"Need a hand?"

"Ah… Munakata san. Thanks. But what was that about?"

"Who knows? But I guess you could say that Hayase san was looking out for you. (Eh?) Ahuhuhu. Come on. Let's get something to eat. I know a great place nearby. The PX is probably crowded this time of day"

"Eh? Are you sure we're allowed to leave the base?"

"Oh that's right. You weren't briefed on our situation. (…?) Seeing as the A-01 Special Task Force is currently underhand we've been given free leave until the end of the week. Most of our members are still recovering in the hospital so I doubt we'll be seeing any action any time soon" I guess everyone else got the brunt side of the fight. If it wasn't for my fast healing ability I think I'd probably be in the same state they are. "Don't worry. None of them are in critical condition. Give them a few more days and they should be back on their feet in no time. Now come on"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"A takoyaki stall?"

"Oh? You know of it?"

Of course I'd know it. Everybody knows what a takoyaki stall is. At least… everyone I know. They're ball-shaped snack that they serve as a side dish. They're usually filled with octopus, ginger or onion. I remember having a few of them back in my world when Mikoto and I stayed late at the arcade one night. They dipped it in sauce and serve it on a platter. My dad even said that they go perfectly with sake.

But seeing how this world isn't exactly like mine… I supposed there aren't a lot of people who knows about them.

"Umm… I heard about it from somewhere"

"Well you'll love it. Come on" This place… really is a takoyaki stall. It has that special feel of a snack bar. It's just like how it used to be back in my world. The stools, the table, even the smell of home cooking was to die for. "Pops, two of your special"

"Ooooh? Misae chan. Welcome back. I'll have it ready in a minute. And who's your friend here?"

"This is a new teammate who just came in this month"

"Hoo? A new member? And a man this time. You don't see that many male soldiers around here often"

"Ah… pleasure to meet you, sir" I bowed back in response which I think made him laugh.

"Ahahahaha! That's new. Nobody here calls me sir before. They just call me pops. Hehehe. Looks like you got yourself a big one Misae chan. He's got good eyes and a good face too. (Eh!-?) I never imagined you'd actually bother to go and get someone after all these years. Ahahaha!" This guy… why does he remind me of a certain chef back at my base? His attitude and personally are almost identical.

"Uh no actually—"

"You always did say I should get myself a man eventually, pops" Geh! Munakata? Don't tell me you're joining this man's roller?

"Hooo? So I was right! But to get a new guy off the bat seems a little too soon. He must've been quite the charmer or you were just that good. (Hey!) Ahahaha! Tell me son, how is the girl in bed? (GEH GEH!)"

"Hmm… I'd say he's about average" Munakata san!

"Bwahahahahaha!" Ugh great. This guy really is like oba san. "Tough luck there kiddo. Better luck next time. BWAHAHAHA Two specials on the house, coming right up"

"Munakata san! Why did you—?" She shushed me before I could finish.

"Just let him have his moment. The owner here is an old friend and he and I made a deal that if I could get him to laugh then he'd give me one order on the house. (…?) Just play along"

…

…

…

"Hai! Here you go. My special 10 ball premium with mayonnaise"

Hoooo! These look real! And I don't mean real like the synthetic stuff they feed us at the PX but the real deal. The meat is real, the sauce is real, the smell is real the mayonnaise is real!

"Shirogane… you're drooling"

"Ah huh?" Ah crud that was embarrassing.

"Ahahahaha! Go ahead and drool kid. The smell is already to die for. Eat up and grow" Now that… is an order I can follow to the letter.

"I'll be happy to oblige!" munch munch munch munch!

"Don't wharf it all down" Misae added. "You should enjoy it"

"Leave the boy be. Every man has their own way of enjoying a good meal. Bwahahaha!"

Haaaaaa… ah… the taste. The sweet taste of a well prepared meal. I knew it would taste this good. It almost reminds me of that meal Tsukuyomi made for me a little while back. The taste alone is making all of my senses numb. The spice goes all the way to my nose. All these emotions are rushing… can't… contain… happiness.

Ahuu… I'm crying because of a simple snack. How pathetic am I?

"Hai hai… here… tissue"

"Ah… thanks… Misae san"

"Bwahahaha! If it's that good I'll make you another batch on the house. Try not to eat it all in one go. Ahahahaha!"

Haaaa… my taste buds haven't been so relieved since I last had my last cup of instant ramen. If I could have one of these every week, I'd probably be the happiest man on Earth"

"Looks like you enjoyed that" Munkata seems to be taking her time with her batch. She even has a bottle of water to boot.

"Well after having nothing but synthetic food for a few months, you'd kinda wanna change the menu a bit"

"Ahuhuhuhu… Touko said the same thing too. (Kazama san?) Yeah. She eventually got bored of the synthetic food one time so I brought her here. I met the owner when we were on duty here and ever since that day I made it a habit of coming by this place every time I get the chance" Eh? The Valkyries were stationed in Kyoto? That's pretty far off from the frontlines before Sadogashima.

"You had assignments here too? (Hmm?) I mean… isn't a little far off for soldiers?"

"Oh… that was before we became commissioned officers. Back then we were just cadets piloting Fubukis. We usually deliver things or patrol areas that have little to no conflict. Casual jobs for rookies" I see… I guess they had those jobs that no one else wanted like the team and I during the Mt. Tengen incident. "The most exciting thing we usually get to do there is to quell some fights between the countryside. Heh… talking about it reminds me when I got into a huge fight with the Captain this one time. But I supposed that's all behind us now"

"Ahehehe… you sound like an old lady saying that, Munakata san"

"Oyaji… double the pepper on the next batch. (Ok!)" Ah! Hey wait now! "That's for calling me old"

"I'm sorry! Please forgive me! I'll be more careful from now on!"

"Ahuhuhu. Oyaji, switch it back to normal. (Roger that) Oh and get me two more for takeout. I'm paying. (Ok)"

"Eh? Munakata… san?"

"Take it as a welcome back gift. Though Hayase doesn't really show it, I think she's grown a soft spot for you, Shirogane. I guess you have that charm on people"

"Aheh… I'm not that amazing"

"If Hayase heard you say that, she'll punch you for sure. (Geh!) Honestly though… I don't think I've seen anyone do what you did back there. (…) You took on a group that the whole U.N. Army couldn't handle alone. Truth is… everyone is still shaken after what happened, even the team. When we realized it was you, I thing everyone had their heart stopped for a moment. Hayase even thought you were going on a one-way suicide mission. (…) Even I agreed. One against a hundred of the finest Eishis Japan had to offer seemed like bad odds. But you did it. You defeated them… and their leader. You even made them submit in the end. (…) If you look at those track records alone… you can tell that no normal person can accomplish those feats alone"

…

"Lieutenant…"

"Don't worry. I'm not going to pry information out of you. I just wanted to give you something as thanks for saving our lives out there. I know that working with Professor Kouzuki gives you a lot of things you can't say… but at the very least you can enjoy someone's company. (…) Thanks to you… a lot of damage was prevented. If it wasn't for you… a lot more people would've died. I think everyone feels the same way too. (…?) Heh… I don't think I have the right words to properly thank someone. Usually I'd let my actions do the talking for me. (Eh?) Ahuhuhu. In any case… I'm glad you made it back alive, Shirogane"

…

"Thanks… 1st Lt. Munakata"

"Call me Misae. I don't like to sound like my mother any time soon"

"Ah… ok then. Misae… san"

"Anytime. And if you have time this evening, come find me. I know a great little place where can have a drink. (Ahehehe…) Oh and you really should keep that hairstyle. It suits you" Eh? My hair? Oh that's right. The Captain said the same thing to me yesterday. I haven't had a haircut since… well… ever. "Oyaji. I'm off. (Ok)"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Wah… that was great. I got to enjoy some decent snacks for a change and now I got two extra serving for myself. As much as I enjoyed my meal, the most surprising thing I had that morning was Munakata. She looked… cute back there it almost made my heart pump faster.

I never thought that she could make such a soft expression. It almost makes you think that she was once an ordinary high school student like me. Ahehe… I'd better not say that. Otherwise she'll use that as ammunition to tease me again. Still that was kind of surprising. I think I might have a new opinion for her.

Hmm… it's barely 9 o'clock and the weather is still warm considering that there's still some snow falling over my head. Haaa… it's times like this I wish I brought some clothes from home along with me. My favorite jacket that my mom bought for me on my birthday would be perfect for this time of year.

Well… it doesn't seem like I need to visit Yuuko yet. Maybe I should see if there's anything interesting in this base. It's not every day we get to see life outside of Yokohama.

"Hmm? Shirogane?"

"Hmm? Ah… Captain…"

"Ah… so it is you. I almost couldn't recognize you from the back. I heard that you were released last night. Sorry if I wasn't there to welcome you"

"No it's ok ma'am. It was rather sudden for me too since Yuuko sensei was the one who did it"

"The Vice Commander did?" She raised a quizzical look. "I wasn't told of this. (Eh?) Ah… but I guess only someone of her status would be able to do something like that. It must be nice to have friends in high places. (Ahehehehe) Anyway it seems like you've made a full recovery. You should meet up with your squad when you can, they were pretty worried about you when they learned that you were in detention. Especially Hayase. (Eh?) She was the one who petitioned me to come and visit you the other day. Geez… you have no idea how many sleepless nights she had just trying to convince me"

Hayase… did that?

"I… didn't know…"

"Well I guess you being here eased her up. She can be a little thickheaded when it comes to these kinds of things. But I'm sure she'll cheer up once you warm yourself back into her. Ahehehe" Hehehe… so even the captain can pull a joke. "Oh that reminds me. The others recommended that we have a party later this week to celebrate our accomplishments. Seeing that we didn't have a lot of time since Sadogashima, the others thought that it would be nice to have a get-together"

"Heeh… that sounds great. I'll definitely come"

"Discuss it with the others when you meet them. At least that way we'll have something to laugh about. (Yes ma'am) If you're not busy tonight let's meet up later. I'll give you a treat for making it back in one piece"

Ahehe… I'm already happy with these takoyaki. "I'll consider that offer, ma'am"

Heh… a party huh? That sounds nice. We haven't had to celebrate anything since Sadogashima. After surviving Kyoto and Tokyo, I think we could all use a bit of rest ourselves.

…

Hmm… it looks like I don't have much to do. Maybe I should go and see Yuuko sensei after all. I can leave something lingering in my chest forever.

**(U.N. Kyoto Base) (Hanger area) (10:15 AM)**

Wahh… this place is really huge. I guess they didn't call this the main Headquarters of the U.N. Army for nothing. They even got a few runways for TSFs and planes to land. I can walk around this base for hours and I'd probably not see half of it.

It took me about an hour just to find out where the lab was. It was only then I realized this place didn't have a lab but instead they use the empty hangers as makeshift centers. I had to hitch a ride with one of the travelling jeeps just to get here.

Ah… now how the heck am I supposed to know which hanger she's in? She didn't even bother to tell me which area she'd be in. Hmph… maybe I should've asked Kasumi when she woke me up this morning. (…) Well… I guess there's no point in waiting here. I should probably check each of these hangers. I'm sure one of them has to be the right one.

…

…

…

…

…

Ok… I'm tired. I searched through five of those hangers and all of them are empty. Geez… next time I should tell Yuuko to give me directions around the base before giving me orders. At this rate… it'll be sunset before I even find the right one.

Oh? That figure over there. I recognized her.

…

Yup… there's no doubt about it. That's Yuuko sensei's secretary. Lt. Piatif. This is good. She should know where Yuuko sensei is.

"1st Lt. Piatif!"

"Hm? Ah… 1st Lt… Shirogane? What are you doing here? Your meeting with Vice Commander Kouzuki isn't until 1300 hours. Is there something the matter?"

"Ahehe… well no. I'm just... well. To be honest… I'm kind of lost myself. (…?) I've been looking for the place where we're supposed to meet"

"That's correct. Hanger 31. But you are not expected in another 2 hours. Is there an emergency?"

"Huh? No… I just wanted to find to… uh… it's… actually a funny story. (…?) Well… let's just say that I wanted to get things done with Yuuko sensei but… I didn't exactly know where she is. But now that I'm here I might as well go with whatever it is she wants. Ugh… wait… that really made no sense"

"Oh… I see" Eh? She understood my antics just now? "From what I can gather, you appear to be looking for the Vice Commander to discuss about your appointed meeting but she did not tell you where it would take place. You decided to look around the base instead of inquiring it from the information office and by accident, you found me"

"Yes! Ah… yeah… exactly" The way she explained it was more precise.

"I see" She nodded to me before whispering something to her headset. I guess this was bound to happen. Yuuko has probably gotten used to the fact I always know where to find her in Yokohama Base. Now that I'm in Kyoto… I don't have the slightest idea where any of the places are. "The Vice Commander is still on a meeting with the board members of the Research Department and will not be available for some time. If you'd like, you can wait for her until she returns"

"Ah… yeah sure I can do that" It's not like I have anything better to do.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The hanger itself seems to be a makeshift lab of some sort. It wasn't as technologically advance as the lab in Yokohama but it had the same feel. The smell of chemicals and strange odor filled my nose as I entered.

Hehehe… this lab kinda reminds me of the physics room back in my world. The bubbly noise and the smoke gave this place almost like a feel for one of those science fiction movies. Yuuko sensei constantly used beakers and test tubes to make coffee and tea but I keep mistaking them for something else. Ahahahaha… I must've been quite the amateur. Even now I still can't get used to her antics and unusual behavior.

"1st Lieutenant. Would you like some coffee?"

"Huh? Ah… yeah… sure. Thank you"

"I just informed the Vice Commander of your whereabouts. It appears that the meeting finished earlier than expected and she will be arriving here soon. She requests that you remain here until she arrives"

"I see…" I guess I made the right decision in coming here early myself. Talk about luck. Still… where is everyone? I thought that a lab like this would have more scientists or at least more security guarding the door but it's almost completely deserted with the exception of Piatif.

Did Yuuko leave her to do all the work here by herself? The workload alone must be enormous. (…) Hmm… I know I've met with the Lieutenant a few times before but this is probably the first time I actually got a good look at her. Her Japanese is fluent but she's definitely not from here. European? Probably. She might be a little short but she he has that exotic look. I don't exactly know a lot of people from Europe anyway. She looks… mature. You'd think a woman like her could come up as a model. In fact… the reason why I was able to pick her out from the rest was because she sticks out like a sore thumb. I could probably see here in the middle of the crowd if I wanted to.

Heck if she appeared in my school I bet everyone would notice. Hehehe… (Flash) Eh? Wait… why am I getting a sense of dejavu here? (Flash) Piatif… was she… in my school? No that's not possible. I don't remember having someone as good looking as her in my class. If we did I'm pretty sure I'd remember. But… then again… ever since Meiya came into my life I haven't really been paying much attention to things happening around me.

"Hmph! Tch!"

Oh… that's cute. She's trying to reach a book on the top shelf but it's just beyond her grasp. (Ruffle) And now she's looking for something to stand on.

Ahehehe… she can be funny if you look at her that way.

"Are you trying to reach that book?" I came up to her and asked which seems to surprise her. Strange… I always thought that she'd be taller than me. "Hai… here you go"

"Ah… thank you"

"Do you always work alone like this? (Hmm?) I mean… this is a top secret lab under Yuuko sensei's supervision. I expected at least a few guards or at least some people to help out"

"The other staff members of the ALTERNATIVE IV research team are stationed in Yokohama Base. (Oh?) As for the staff and security, they have been allocated on more immediate tasks in the frontlines. Usually the research department would be the last group to have their staff cut, but considering recent incidents, it is not surprising that we have little to no help at all" She's gotta be kidding. Is the U.N. so underhanded that they have to cut off resources to the plan that may very well be the last hope of humanity?

"But to only have one person watching over something so important… isn't that a bit much?"

"I have already submitted forms to request more aid to the lab. Unfortunately there are none to be found since most of the reserves have been assigned to hospitals, relief centers and factories to keep the flow of supplies running. This has been the case for the last three days in Kyoto Base"

"No way. (…) Then… you've been maintaining this place on your own for the last three days?"

"It would not be the first time. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to set up the lab before Vice Commander Kouzuki returns" Wow… that's some dedication. To think that she'd be keeping watch over this place all on her own. I'm too lazy just to stick around and clean the classroom with the others. Hehehe… I can't remember how many times I had to avoid Class rep from catching me in the halls just to bring me back for cleanup.

"Do you mind if I helped? (…?) Since I'm not doing anything right now I might as well help out in any way I can. (…) Uh… is it… no good?"

"No. I accept. It's just that… (Hmm?) This is perhaps the first time we have ever talked in private. Though we have met a few times, we have never been properly introduced to one another"

"Ahaha… yeah" Ah… why the heck am I getting all embarrassed about? I don't get this nervous when I talk to other girls now do I?

"I am a member of the U.N. Armed Force 11th Pacific Army, ALTERNATIVE IV Research and Development plan and Vice Commander Kouzuki's secretary, 1st Lt. Elena Piatif. A pleasure to meet you"

"Oh… I'm uh… umm… Shirogane?"

"Ahuhuhu… a pleasure to meet you 1st Lt. Shirogane" What's wrong with me? First we were having a normal conversation, now I'm stuttering at my own words. "Anyway. Since you're volunteering for this work, don't expect me to go easy on you. I'll work you to the bones from here on"

"I'll do my best ma'am"

**(Marimo's POV) (Gym)**

Haaaaa… another day, another bunch of forms to fill out. I never imagined that one large coup would entail so much paperwork. Thanks to the facts that we don't have any sorties for the next few days, every available staff member is being allocated for some upcoming exercise. I know that it's already been a week since the incident but they could've at least given us some kind of rest day. I don't think I'll be able to finish all of these on time. My workload alone with 1st Lt. Suzumiya has already doubled in the past week.

Thanks to most of the staff going on sick leave and visiting relatives across the country, I'm basically an office worker at this point. I guess no amount of complaints I say in my head will blow all my problems away.

Hmm… it's almost lunch time. If I'm quick enough, maybe I can make it to the PX and grab something to eat on my way back.

I can pass through the gym for a shortcut.

…

Hmm? What's that crowd gathering over there? Is there some kind of incident? There seems to be an awful lot of cheering though.

"Teeeh!" A fighting match? "Dorya!"

WHAM!

Wait… I know that person. Isn't that 1st Lt. Hayase? She appears to be in combat with another soldier.

"Come on. Don't tell me that's all you've got. I've fought flies that lasted longer than you!" She seems to be in the wrestling ring doing her usual fighting stance. I guess it shouldn't be a surprise seeing that she is the top hand to hand specialist in the team.

"Grrrr…" Her opponent seems to be a male nearly twice her size. I wonder if this is normal for someone like her.

"Go get him 1st Lieutenant!" 2nd Lt. Suzumiya appears to be cheering for Hayase on the sidelines. What's with that stack of paper she's holding? "With these tickets! We'll eat for a whole month for sure!"

Eh?

"Oi! Come on man, you can't lose to her!"

"We're counting on you to get those meal tickets back!"

"Ooooooh!"

All the men here seem to be cheering for opponent but it doesn't seem like Hayase is fazed by them. "Bring it on! I beat all 30 of you in one round flat! If you can last longer than those bozos I'll admit defeat!"

"D… don't underestimate me! You don't know what a man is capable of doing when his food depends on it!"

"Hooo? But a girl needs her daily nutrition too! You won't know what they'll do when their beauty is involved!"

Ah… ha…

I think with the words being thrown around I can form the event that's happening before me. It appears that Hayase is challenging everyone in the gym for a hand to hand combat with their daily meal ticket on the line. And judging by the amount of people who are clutching their arms and shoulders, I guess it's safe to say that she's in the lead.

The referee looked on both sides before signaling the match to start. With a wave of his hand, the two fighters leaped against one another with everything they had. It was rather crude trying to use brute force alone but I guess fighters like them don't really know another way to deal with a greater force.

WHACK! WHAM! POW!

Thud…

"Match end!" And the men cried…

That took only 10 seconds. The man barely had time to create any kind of solid defense before Hayase took him down.

"What's wrong with you wimps!-? Is this really the best you guys can offer?" Hayase taunted at the men who seemed to be biting back at this point. "Come on! Next challenger, right now!"

The crowd muttered amongst themselves. It seems like after what they witnessed, none of them have the will to fight against her.

"1st Lieutenant! You're awesome" I don't know about those two but I don't think stealing meal tickets from a battalion should be considered awesome. "With these tickets, we'll be able to feed the whole squad for a feast!"

But instead of a victorious face, I noted Hayase's expression seems to be the complete opposite. She seems… bored for some reason.

**(Takeru's POV) (Hanger 31)**

Hmph! Ugh… what the hell is with all this stuff? Who would've thought that a lab would need so much material? I've been carrying boxes and books left and right like a forklift. I know that I volunteered to help out but this amount of work is still too much for just two people.

"That is wrong 1st Lt. Shriogane. The red boxes go to the storage, the blue boxes stay in the lab and the white boxes goes on the table. We cannot afford to mix any of their contents together"

"Hai hai… I get it" Piatif is amazing. She's been doing this for hours and she's barely even breaking a sweat while I on the other hand am filling buckets by the dozen. The humidity of this hanger isn't exactly helping either. I don't want to go outside either otherwise I might catch a cold.

"If it is too much for you, then please leave them as they are"

"Ah no it's alright. I… just wish they'd install some air conditioners around here"

"Some of the materials here are required to be in a room temperature at all times. Exposure to any changes may damage the samples we are keeping" Samples? What kind of dangerous chemicals is Yuuko bringing with her this time? "In any case, we can do them later. Please hand me Red Folder 6C from the file cabinet there"

"Yes ma'am"

Geez… I can't believe Piatif was planning to sort all through these things on her own. She's quite amazing if you just look at the things she does around here. Not only does she know how to set up those high tech computers but she immediately knows what to do when they're on. She's like one of those genius librarians in my school that can find a book in almost an instant.

Now… let's see… file cabinet, Red Folder 6C. (Ruffle) Uwa… there are over hundreds of Red Folders in here. How the hell am I supposed to look for just one? Umm… let's see here. 4B, 15E no… 89G. Ugh… they're not even in order! How the hell is anyone supposed to get any work around here if they can't even sort these things out!-? I'll just have to wade through them until I find it.

Next is…

259 AA…

…

No way! Double letters too? Forget it! I'll grow a beard first before I even find that folder! I'd rather move boxes in order rather sorting through other people's mess!

Creeeeeeaaaaakkk…

Eh? Ah… crap…

Crash!

…

…

…

Bwahh! Damn… I almost suffocated. Who would've thought that being buried in a mountain of papers would actually be lethal? This almost reminds me of the time I had to print out those 50,000 pages that Yuuko asked me before. But of course that small amount wasn't enough to bury me in something like this. Gu… why the hell do they need so much paper anyway? Couldn't they have kept this is in a disc or a computer or something? It seems like such a bother to have them printed with ink.

Ruffle…

Ugh… Lt. Piatif is really gonna hate me for this. I think I might've just added more work on her busy schedule. (Ruffle) Haaa… if this pile of papers was any deeper I'd probably be swimming in it. Goodness. How does Piatif keep up with all of this? Just looking at all the workload is already making me sleepy. (Ruffle) Hmm? What's this?

File 1AAA: Shirogane Takeru

It's a folder. But why does it have my name on it? (…) Could it be just a coincidence? No… there's no doubt about it. Yuuko wouldn't have something so redundant just lying around in her file cabinet. That folder must be exactly what it is.

It's about me.

But why would she have a folder about me? (…) Ok maybe that was a stupid question. I shouldn't be surprised if she kept something like this all this time. This is Yuuko sensei we're talking about after all. Even a person like her would keep records of me. After all… our relationship has been… platonic at best. As long as I keep providing her with the results she needs she'll keep watch over me. I wouldn't be surprised if there was a folder here about the rest of the Valkyries too.

Maybe I should put this back. I'm more concerned on what Piatif san would do to me once she sees this mess. Now that I think about it… where is she? I thought I made quite a ruckus for her to check out.

"1st Lt. Piatif…" I called out to her. "Umm… I don't think I can find that file anymore. (…) 1st Lt. Piatif?" Maybe she can't hear me. "1st Lieutenant? Hello? Are you still th—"

Oh!-?

"Zzzzzz…zzzzzzz…zzzzzzzzzz…"

Piatif… she's… sleeping? I guess she decided to take a quick nap but fell in hard. I suppose that explains why she didn't respond when I made that crash just now. (Zzzzzzz…) Ahehehe… that's quite a cute face she's making. I guess even soldiers can show their soft sides.

I should probably leave her alone. Maybe I'll just sort these boxes after all. It's not like they're that much trouble.

"Ara ara… what's with this loud racket?" Hmm? That voice…

"Yuuko sensei? (…!)" Ah… there she is.

"You're… Shirogane…"

"Huh? What's with that expression? Of course it's me. We just met yesterday, didn't we?"

"Huh? Ah… yes… you're correct. Sorry. I just wasn't expecting you to show up this early"

"Oh… yeah. I was actually here a few hours ago. I was just helping out with… setting up the lab. Should I wake her up?"

"No… let her rest. We don't really need her to continue where we left" Eh? That's odd. Was Yuuko always this tall? And when did she ever wear glasses? "Now… tell me, Shirogane kun. Why are you here?" Shirogane… kun?

"Uh… what do you mean?"

"Well if you bothered taking time to come here at all, you should have a reason for your visit"

"Eh? What are you talking about? Weren't you the one who said that we should meet around this time? (I did?) Yuuko sensei. You're not pulling another one of your jokes on me now, are you? (Sensei?) Is something wrong?"

"No… nothing's wrong. (…?) I'm just… curious, that's all" Strange. Why am I getting a strange vibe off of her? Yuuko sensei seems… different somehow. Like she's emanating a different kind of aura. "So… I was the one who called you. (Huh?) Why did I want to meet you again?"

"I don't know. You were the one who asked me to come in the afternoon when I was free. You… said something about some tests"

"Oh? And what kind of tests?" Uh… sensei… that's too close.

"Uh… sensei. Why are you looking at me like that?"

"To better see you"

"Ok… then why are you so close?"

"To better hear you of course" What the hell is this? A role-play of some kind? "Hoooo? The microscopic details are astounding. It must've cost a fortune to get even the tiniest skin cell right"

Eh? Hey wait… why do I get the feeling of dejavu here? I feel like I've had this conversa—(Yoink!) Owwww! Ow! Ow! Ow! Ow!

"Yuukwo shenshei! What are you doing!-?"

"Oh nothing. I thought I would run a few tests"

"What kind of tests is that!-? Can't you just take my blood like you always do? (Blood?) Yeah. You just take a vial or two and then a quick scan"

"Hoooo? That sounds… interesting. Let's do that" Ok… now I'm sure she's acting really weird right now. (Click) Eh? Wait a minute. A cigarette? "Alright. Let's get to it"

"Since when did you start smoking, Yuuko sensei? (…!)"

Bzzt!

The lights came on as I asked the question.

"I was wondering what all that noise was about. It's only you" Eh? Yuuko… sensei?

"Ara… it looks like my cover is blown. I got so excited I broke out of character for a minute"

Wait a minute. Yuuko… sensei? Two of them?

"Th… there are two of you!-?" I yelled out loud when I saw the two of them standing together. "Why are there two Yuuko senseis!-?"

"Motoko. I should've known that you would try something like this. If you wanted something from my labs, I'd ask that you come to me first"

"Ahaha… my bad. I was simply going to take a look in your new facility. I thought to give it a quick inspection. It was only a coincidence that I met your Guard Dog along the way. The rumors never said that he would be so young and dashing. Did your standards change over the years, Yuuko chan? (Give me a break) Ahahahaha" The taller looking Yuuko turned her eyes at me as she lit a cigarette on her mouth. "Sorry about earlier. I wanted to see if you were the real deal"

"Real deal?"

"Don't bother with cryptic words" The shorter Yuuko added. "He's too dense to understand anything without a translator. (Hey!) Now… why are you really here, onee san?"

Onee… san?

"Ahuhuhuhu. Honestly, I wanted to get a sneak preview of your work on ALTERNATIVE IV. But it seems like I found myself a much bigger prize" The tall Yuuko approached me with her cold yet uncanny eyes. She looked like a hawk starting down on a prey. It's not as scary as Tsukuyomi but there was definitely a sense of killing intent in that look of hers. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Shirogane kun. I've been hearing a lot of things about you, especially in these last few days. (Ah… yeah…)" She extended her hand which I returned the gesture. "My name is Kouzuki Motoko. I am one of the Six Head Councilmen of the United Nations and Lead Director of the Research and Development Section"

Kouzuki… Motoko? That family name is the same… Yuuko sensei. Could they be related?

"Oh… and I'm also Yuuko chan's sister in case you're wondering"

…!

S… sister!-? (Flash) That can't be right. I don't remember Yuuko sensei ever mentioning having a sister before, in this world or the other. There has to be some kind of mistake. (Flash) But yet… why does she feel so… familiar? My mind feels like it… knows her. Is this some kind of side effect? Another locked memory that I can't seem to reach out to? (Tug!) Ugh… my head is throbbing again.

"If you're done with introductions, then leave. We're still in the middle of a setup and I don't have time to give you a tour of the place" Yuuko sensei motioned, gesturing her to leave.

"Eh? But we've only just met. Can't I stay just a little bit longer?"

"Once I have everything ready, you can stay for as long as you want. But for now, leave. I don't need you skulking around and probing for more information. And if you're looking for something relating to ALTERNATIVE IV, I left them all at Yokohama"

"Haaaa… you even treat family this way too. I guess it can't be helped. I'll retreat for now. But I must say I am quite surprised. (…?) Shirogane… Takeru… huh. A very interesting specimen you have here. Would you be willing to make a trade? (Motoko…) Ahuhu… it seems like I overstayed my welcome. Well… I supposed we'll be getting to know each other another time, Shirogane kun"

And with one last wave, she was gone. That was a strange lady… and not just because she looked almost like Yuuko sensei. She was… unique… in a way. Like one of those students who stood out in class and not because of their looks or their academic skills.

"Haaaa…" I heard Yuuko sigh when she closed the automated doors behind her. "Finally. I thought she'd never leave" After a quick breather she moved past me like the even just now didn't really seem relevant.

"Ah… um… Yuuko sensei? (What?) You are… the real… one, right?""

"Are you talking about what she said?" I nodded in reply. "Heh… well… judging from your expression, I guess you didn't know about her. (…) Heh… I guess even you're all seeing future can't predict everything after all. But in any case, it's true. That person is a close relative of mine and a very influential person" A close relative? That's it? "I recommend that you don't go near her or talk to her unless you can help it. I already have enough of the council out for my blood. I don't need her to add to this mixture"

The council? "Are you in some kind of trouble?"

"Of course I am! With the stunt you pulled off at Tokyo, I've been hounded left and right by their interrogators. They're even theorizing that I've been running a superhuman project behind their backs. (…) Haaaa… thanks to you we had to cancel our visit to Sadogashima for the continuation of ALTERNATIVE IV"

"Eh? Sadogashima? But why?"

She took a seat by one of the computer tables and groaned a bit. "The radiation level around the island has returned to normal levels. Seeing as there was now a new defense base being built there I thought to go there and do some readings. Though the Hive itself may have been destroyed there are some traces we could use to further enhance our combat with the BETA. (…?) But it doesn't really matter. Thanks to what happened in Tokyo and that crazy one-man show you pulled off, I doubt they'll let me go that easily. (Sorry) Apologies are a waste of time. I'd rather have you fix this problem than to make things worse"

"I'll… do whatever I can"

"Ara? So you're finally going to take responsibility for once? I guess you're maturing"

"Sensei… I'm trying to help you here"

"Yes yes, I know. But I get the feeling that if I get you to help, you would only do the opposite of that. (Hey!) In any case… I want you to be extra careful while you're in Kyoto. Do not take anything for granted, no matter how irrelevant or how small things may seem to you. (…?) Because of what happened in Tokyo… everyone seems to be on edge. And after what people saw on that day when you took on the Honor Guards, I have no doubt they'll take action"

"Yuuko… sensei? What are you saying?"

"The crows and vultures are gathering. And when they strike… they'll pick you clean until there's nothing left but bones and marrows. (…) I want you to be ready for anything. You have my permission to use whatever force necessary to protect yourself. (…!) Are we clear, 1st Lt. Shirogane?"

"Y… yes ma'am"

"Good. Oh… and before we start with our tests I just want to let you know that I might need to call you in for some assignments. So make sure to keep your schedule open whenever you can"

"Assignments? Like what?"

"Who knows? Now… let's get on with it…"

**(1 hour later) (A-01 Barracks) (01:40 PM)**

That has got to be the strangest—most bizarre meeting I've ever had. It feels like a bunch of things just happened in front of me and I couldn't tell what was going on. Yuuko having a sister and the council out for her blood? I feel like I may have dipped myself in a pool I can't get out of.

Still… Yuuko sensei seemed pretty on edge. I've never seen her so spooked before. I wonder if I should keep a close eye on her just in case something happens. Then again… she did say that I stay alert while I'm here.

I just hope she's being paranoid from all of this.

…

Ah… crap! I completely forgot to ask her about Sumika! That was one of the things I wanted to ask her when she came to visit but never had the time to answer. I guess with everything that occurred, it must've slipped my mind. I'll just have to ask her the next time we meet. I really need to focus on things.

Hmm? That figure over there. Isn't that… Meiya? It is. I recognize that samurai hairstyle anywhere.

"Meiya!" I called out to her which seemed to have caught her off guard. "Hey there. Long time no see"

"Huh? Ah… umm… Sh… Shiro… I mean… 1st Lt. Shirogane"

"Shirogane? What happened to Takeru?"

"Ah… uh… right. Forgive me. My mind is not—wh… when did you return?" She shifted around, trying to change the subject.

"Last night. I wanted to meet with you guys but you were all asleep. Didn't Hayase tell you about it?"

"N… no. She did not. I was… out and…"

"Is… something wrong?" I looked at her with a puzzling face. "You look like you're out of it"

"Is… is that so? I was not aware. I must simply be tired"

"I… see. I was actually worried. The last time I saw you, was in Tokyo… and you didn't leave in the best shape. (…) But I'm glad Tsukuyomi got you out"

"Y… yeah… she did" Eh? Why is she stuttering like that?

"Why are you looking away?"

"Eh? I… I did not look away" Is it just me or is Meiya feeling uncomfortable around me? "I… just have many things on my mind at the moment. Forgive me…"

"Oh… ok then. Is there anything I can do to help?"

She shook her head in reply. "No. It is a private matter. You need not concern yourself with it"

"Hey come on now. Don't be like that. We're comrades aren't we? Helping others is what we do"

"Comrades… huh. (Hmm?) How much can we be if we… cannot keep up?"

"Huh? What did you say?"

"Nothing. It is simply idle thoughts. Anyway… if there is nothing else then I will take my leave. I have errands to run"

"Hey Meiya, this isn't like you. If there's something bugging you then tell me. It's not like it can hurt me or anything. What's on your mi—"

Whack!

Ow! What the? She smacked my hand away. That really hurt.

"I already told you that it is not of your concern! (…?) I understand that we are comrades but our personal lives are of a different matter! (Ah… s… sorry) It is rather rude to simply insert yourself where you are not wanted. Such an act can be called a crime in itself"

"I… I'm sorry. I didn't mean to… barge in like that. It's just that. I haven't seen any of you guys for a week now. I thought… I could make up for lost time. (…!) I understand if you want to be alone but… you once told me that we can't take anything for granted. That we have to enjoy our life no matter how dull it is. Besides between my special assignments with Yuuko sensei and training with the team, I don't really know when I'll be able to talk with all of you like this. (…) Look… whatever I did wrong earlier, I'm sorry. But I can't promise it won't happen again. That's just how I am"

…

…

…

"You are unfair… Takeru. (Eh?) H… how am I supposed to get mad at you when you apologizing like that? You are a cheater. I cannot even fight back"

"Ahehehe… I guess that's just one of my unique charms, neh? (Ahuhuhu) Hehehehe. So… will you please forgive me just this once?"

"Ah… w… well…"

"Excuse me, Shirogane dono… (…?) Pardon my intrusion but I would like to have a moment of your time" Eh? Who called me? And… dono?

…!

That white and yellow uniform!

"The Honor Guard!" Both Meiya and I backed away from the soldier who approached us. I upholstered my sidearm as well in the worst case scenario.

"Please do not be alarmed. I come in peace…" I don't recognize his face but that uniform alone shows his allegiance. "I assure you I am not armed. I merely wish to talk"

"About what?" I asked, not taking my eyes off him.

"How did you enter this base?" Meiya added also preparing to draw her weapon.

"The front door of course" He answered raising his hands up. "I assure you I have gone through the proper channels and customs of your military standards. I have a visitor's pass with me which sadly… only grants 1 hour for my entry here. (…) You have my word, I am not here to harm or apprehend any of you. I am simply here as a liaison from my superiors"

The guy didn't seem to be lying. From what I can tell he didn't look armed. But I can't really blame my restlessness. I've fought the brunt force of the Household Honor Guards during the Battle of Tokyo and sent most of their soldiers in prisons or in hospitals. I can hardly imagine them coming to me in peaceful terms after that.

It took awhile for Meiya and I to lower our stance. He lowered his hands too in gratitude. "For what reason have you come to him?" Meiya asked first.

"It is a private matter and should not be spoken in such an open place. Do you mind if we speak somewhere more… private?"

…

"Alright…" I answered. "I know a place"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

I took the man to the old hanger area with Meiya with me. The sound of running plane engines and mechanics working around the runway was enough to mask all noise from us. I learned this from Tsukuyomi that the noisier, the better.

That corner in between the two empty warehouses should suffice. It has only one point of entry.

"Before we begin, I would like to ask your companion to kindly wait" The Guard added to me. "I know that this may seem suspicious but the information I wish to relay is for your ears only, Shirogane dono"

"Alright… (Eh? Takeru!) It's ok Meiya. If anything happens I'll give out a shout. Just wait here, ok?"

"Tch…" She doesn't seem convinced. "Very well. I shall trust in your judgment. I shall await your return"

The walls are made of concrete so they won't echo if we keep our voices down and with the wind and not to mention other sounds should keep eaves droppers from hearing us. Once we've confirmed that no one was around to listen in, I quickly asked. "So… what do you want to talk to me about?"

The Guard turned to me with a soft expression. "Yes. Forgive the cloak and dagger situation but this is for the sake of keeping the information I have, a secret. (…) You need not be alarmed. Like I said, I am not here to pass judgment to you, Shirogane dono. I was not part of the group that began the coup in the capital that day"

"That sounds pretty suspicious already without you saying my name all the time"

"Ah… a thousand pardons. But there is a reason for my behavior. (Hmm?) You… could say that I am… a little baffled. When I first heard that the entire military force of the Household Honor Guards was taken out by a single man, I was skeptical. I expected the man to have committed such a deed would be… unique. But you do not look far from ordinary"

"So does that mean the Imperial Household Honor Guards are still around? I thought they were disbanded after the battle"

"A large portion of the Guards were dismissed, yes. But you cannot fully erase one group without filling it with another. The Honor Guards are significantly smaller than it was before thanks to your actions. Our high command has been replaced with a completely new staff. You might even say that the name stays the same but the members are not. And… not every one of us participated in Lord Ikaruga's rebellion"

Not all? Does that mean that there were Honor Guards in different parts of the country? The world?

"So you're saying that you're a completely new group?"

"Not all. There are some officers who still remain but are kept under watch. A few hundred are still being hunted as we speak. However… those who still remain must still uphold the sworn duty given to us by His Late Majesty. The protection and safety of the Royal Family is still our highest priority. (…) You do not seem convinced… Shirogane dono"

"No… I'm convinced. (Oh?) Believe it or not, I have friends within the Honor Guards myself. As a matter of fact they were with me during the Tokyo incident" Kamiyo, Tomoe, Ebisu and Tsukuyomi came into my mind. Despite everything that's happened, I know for a fact that they didn't join Ikaruga's side by choice. The hypnotizing techniques they implemented into their soldiers were the ones to blame. "I know that not all of you guys are like that and I think I can give them the benefit of the doubt"

"We are grateful for your trust, Shirogane dono" He lowered his head lowly to me.

"And what's with the dono? (Hmm?) You've been calling me that since we met. I'm not a lord or anything so why do you call me that?"

"It is more than an honorific. It is a symbol of status (Huh?) It is… difficult to explain. To put it simply, the previous members of the Guards have recognized your skills and acknowledged you as a person of greater status. You have defeated one of the head members of the Royal Family in combat. That alone grants you recognition amongst the Imperial Honor Guards. I cannot say for certain what that makes of you since you do not belong to the Imperial Army or the Royal Guards. But what I can say is that… you… are important. Forgive for not being able to provide a clearer explanation"

I didn't really understand what he was trying to say either. I do remember seeing the Honor Guards surrendering after I got rid of that SD-11. My memory of that night was a little blurry too. Combined with my fatigue and all the stims I put in my body, I'm amazed I can still recall anything at all.

"In all truth… it is already too great an honor for me, a mere soldier to be speaking with you directly, Shirogane dono" The man added finally with a bow. "However… I supposed we should return to the real topic at hand. (…) I have come to deliver a message from Her Royal Highness, the Shogun"

…!

The Shogun…? Yuuhi!

"The Shogun!-?" Crap… I raised my voice too loudly. Hmm… it doesn't look like Meiya noticed. The sound outside is blocking most of the noise here. "You mean… she's safe? She's alright?"

"Yes. Her Highness made a full recovery and is now under intensive care. She was slightly wounded from the battle but the doctors confirmed that she will be well by next week"

Haaaaa… so… she's alive. Yuuhi really… alright and… alive. Thank goodness. Geez… I'd wish she'd tell me sooner that she was alright. I was really worried about her when we parted ways back in the capital. There were no announcements, no calls. She didn't even make a public appearance for the whole week. I'm sure Meiya would love to hear this.

"So… she's really… alright"

"Yes. She asked you… not to worry about her"

"Good. That's… good. So what's the message?"

"She requests a meeting with you. (Eh?) Her Highness wishes to meet with you to discuss several matters" Yuuhi… wants to meet with me? "At the moment, Her Highness is on her sickbed here in her estate in Kyoto. She humbly requests an audience with you at your earliest convenience"

"Wait… she's here? In Kyoto?"

"That is correct. Will tomorrow morning suffice for you? If I recall correctly. Your unit has been designated to be on leave at the moment" He's right about that. My unit is technically on leave and we're not usually assigned to normal tasks like guard duty or patrol. But still… that doesn't count for the assignments Yuuko might have for me. "Is it… not good?"

"No… it's fine" To hell with it. I can't pass up this kind of opportunity. There's no telling when I'll be able to meet with Yuuhi again. I have to take this chance while it's still being offered. "I'm free tomorrow"

"Very well. I shall have a driver come pick you up in morning by the front gate at 0700. There's less chance to be spotted at that time. Now if you'll excuse me. I must return before my visit time expires. (Yeah…) Oh… and please keep all the information we've discussed here, private. Her Highness's condition is not to be announced until she is ready. (Yeah…) Then I bid you good day, Shirogane dono"

After a quick bow the man removed himself from the area signaling Meiya that we were done. I don't know what was going on but if he was telling the truth then that means that there's a chance I could get to see Yuuhi tomorrow.

"Takeru…"

"Oh… hey there, Meiya. Good work on keeping watch. Sorry it took so long"

"Nay… it is alright. I am glad that you are unharmed. I was simply surprised that the Honor Guards would voluntarily approach you unarmed after what happened. (Yeah…) What did he wish from you?"

"Ah… well… that's… private. (…?) Sorry. It's a sensitive matter at the moment"

"Can you not tell me? (No…) You've been keeping a lot of things from us lately, Takeru"

"Well if you hang out with Yuuko sensei long enough, you tend to keep things to yourself. (…) Sometimes I forget what the secrets and she lectures me forever about them"

"Ahuhuhu… and yet you can weave the most ridiculous humors"

"You should already know that that's just how I am"

"Indeed. Perhaps it is best I do not bring myself to matters that does not concern me"

"Well after you gave me that lecture about personal reasons, I think I can relate"

"Uuuu… you are being unfair again!" Ahahahaha… she looks so adorable when she puff her cheeks like that. "You are using my own words against me. I was careless"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Wahh… I can't believe it's almost 5 PM. I really must've lost track of time when I was with Yuuko sensei. I was hoping to have a chance to explore the base so that I would know my way around at least. But with everything that happened today it doesn't look like I can get anywhere.

Meiya and I have been talking most of the way back to the barracks. It's nice to finally have some peace and quiet to talk to familiar faces. With everyone still in the hospital, my squad-mates are pretty much the only people I have I can talk with freely. I heard that a few others have already been discharged but I barely have the chance to even meet with any of them.

"Hey Meiya. (Hmm?) I heard the captain saying something about a party for the team. Do you know anything about that?"

"Party? Ah… yes I recall 1st Lt. Munakata saying something similar. They wish to hold a gathering of the squad for a celebration. I believe 1st Lt. Hayase and 1st Lt. Munakata are taking part in that endeavor but they are still waiting for everyone to return from their medical needs. They insist that everyone should attend and there are no exceptions"

"Hehehe… yeah… that does sound like something they would do. But I can't imagine Misae and Hayase doing something together without some incident"

"Ahuhuhu… you do not give them enough credit. They're far more dependable together than you'd expect"

"I'll believe it when I see it heheheh. (Ahuhuhu)"

"It seems like I was wrong. (Eh?) You have not changed at all, Takeru. You are still the same man I remember"

"What's that all about? Did you expect me to change suddenly?"

"N… no of course not. That is a ridiculous notion! (…?) I was merely stating that… umm… (…?) You are simply putting words in my mouth!"

"Hey I didn't start it"

"You two seem to be getting along nicely"

"Eh? Ah! Touko san!"

"Sorry to interrupt. You two were having such a lively conversation that I wanted to be a part of it"

"2nd Lt. Kazama. I am glad to see you well" Meiya saluted with a professional tone.

"Please, call me Touko. Save the formalities for the more important issues. Besides… I've always hated being called that. I haven't seen you for awhile Shirogane san"

"Yeah… I just got back last night. It was unannounced"

"I see. I bet Hayase san must've given you an earful when she saw you. (…?) Ara? Didn't she talk to you earlier?"

"Well… we met but… things happen"

"Ahuhuhu… too bad. For a moment I thought there might've been an event going on" Eh? An event? What does she mean by that? "Who knows? Maybe she wants another rematch with you. (Geh!) But in any case you really should talk to Hayase san when you get the chance. I'm sure everyone here would like to welcome you back" Heh… Misae said the same thing too. "Are you two heading back to the barracks? It's almost time for dinner"

Meiya looked surprise when Kazama mentioned food. "Ah… is it already that late? I had not notice. I will accompany you. What about you Takeru?"

"Hmm? No I'm fine. I'm still stuffed from this morning. Besides I still have… eh?"

"What is the matter?"

"AHHHHHH! (…!) No it can't be!"

"Wh… what is it Takeru!-? What's wrong?"

"I lost my takoyaki! (Tako… yaki?)" Damn it… I must've misplaced them in Yuuko's lab during all the confusion happening there. I remember putting them away when I was helping Piatif with her workload but after that I left empty handed. With everything that happened since then I pretty much lost track of it. Damn… and I was actually gonna have those for my snack time. Curse you cruel world!

"What? So it is just food you're panicking about?" Meiya sighed at my face. "It is not some kind of emergency. You do not need to fret over such a little thing"

"It's not just food! It's takoyaki! (…?) To simply tear the sacred bond between a man and his food is sacrilege!"

"A… sacred bond?"

"Takoyaki? Are you talking about the takoyaki stall outside? (You know?) Of course. Misae showed it to me a few months back when we had our sorties here. I can't believe he's still open after all this time. The squid there is simply amazing. (Exactly!) But if you lost it then I believe someone else may have found it already. Something as good as that being left too long is as good as gone. (Huuuuu!) Don't cry, Takeru san. I'm sure you'll be able to get more tomorrow. You'll just have to deal with the cafeteria food just a little bit longer. Now come on. It's a little while before the cadets are dismissed. We might be able to grab our portion if we hurry"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Ahuuuuu… my takoyaki…

To think that my first good meal of the week would be lost to the wind because of my idiocy. I just hope that whoever's eating them right now knows the full value of its taste.

Cafeteria food. Not exactly the best of mankind's exotic dishes but they're enough to keep your stomach full. The standard fish, rice, soup and fruit. You'd think the military would change the menu a bit just to get the bland taste out of my mouth. But I suppose their budget goes to military development than morale concerns. The only good thing I have right now is the tealeaves that Kyozuka oba san gave to me before we broke camp outside of Kyoto.

I supposed it could be worse. I could be off on the battlefield living off the land with nothing but wild mushrooms, bugs and spare rations to keep me alive. Soldiers can go insane without the proper nutrition for just so long.

But… like the soldiers of today used to say: Take what you can get. I might as well have seconds. I still have some spare meal tickets from when I was in detention.

"Hm? Ah! Touko, over here!" Oh? Those two over there. The Suzumiyas. They're waving at us. "We saved you a spot"

"Ah thanks Akane" We gladly took our seats by the two sisters who seemed to be half way through their meals.

"Ara? Shirogane… san?" Haruka noticed me almost immediately. "You're back"

"Oh! Shirogane! When did you get back? I didn't even know they released you from detention"

Ahehe… it feels weird to be the center of attention here. "Sorry. I just came back last night. It wasn't announced"

"Is that so? No wonder I didn't receive any information about it" Haruka added looking at me with her solemn eyes. "Congratulations on your return"

"Heeeh… you could've stayed in detention a few more days. We wouldn't miss you. (Hey now…)" Akane added only to earn a death tone from her elder sister.

"Akane chan. Please do remember that you are speaking to a superior officer. (Geh!) If the captain was here she'd set you straight immediately. But I will overlook this. Now please go to the counter and order two batches of fruits. (Eh!) We now have 2 of our comrades returned today. That is a cause for celebration enough"

"Eh? Another one of ours got released today?" Touko asked looking quite surprised as well.

"Hai. She returned this afternoon with her release forms. The doctors gave her a clean bill of health and she can return to active duty starting tomorrow. (Hooo…) Akane chan, please hurry with the order…"

"Alright fine. I'll treat you all this once. You're lucky I got some extra meal tickets, Shirogane"

"Hooo? That's a pretty big stack you got there. Is that the reason why you're so tiny? (What was that!-?)" Ahehehe… that's probably the first time I've ever tried to tease Akane back. "Are you calling me small!-? Why don't you and I go on right now!-? One on one. (A…ka…ne… chan…!) Ahhh! Right! Fruit baskets! Coming right up. Keh! Count yourself lucky, Shirogane! I won't forget this! (Hai hai…)"

And off she goes. I guess even the mighty Akane can't match up to her own sister when it comes to ferocity.

"I apologize for Akane's behavior, Shirogane san" Haruka gave me a tiring sigh. "She's been like that ever since she was a cadet. She's always getting into arguments with our instructors back in the days"

"It's alright" I waved it off. "I'm pretty much used to it by now"

"Forgive her. She's usually a lot nicer to people. It's just that…"

"Being partner to Storm Vanguard One automatically makes you her enemy" Touko added with a hint of a joke in her voice. "I guess she still considers you her biggest obstacle, Takeru san. Maybe you should let her beat you at least once during our next training session" I doubt that. She'll probably hate me even more if I let her win intentionally. I know a little bit of Akane back in my world and that she always goes for a fair fight. She'll ram any obstacle head on like a bulldozer and laugh off the pain. I should know… because I've seen her done it before when I was going out with Class rep.

"My apologies again. I will lecture her about it"

"I told you, it's fine" I insisted but Haruka is just being too damn sincere. "If she comes back with those fruit baskets I'll let her off"

"I thank you"

Ah… another ordinary day in the cafeteria. It feels like forever since we did something like this. Ever since the BETA invasion, coupled together with the coup that just happened last week, I can't remember the last time we all sat down just to have some peace of mind. Maybe this is what people call the wishful bliss of life.

…

Hmm? Who's that?

"Yo! Everyone!"

"Ah, welcome back. You took awhile" Haruka greeted the figure that appeared near our table. "Did you get lost on your way here?"

"No it wasn't that hard. Sorry I took so long. I had to get a new change of clothes in my room to get that hospital smell out of my face"

…!

Th… that voice! I know that voice!

The blue hair and perky personality. There's no doubt about it.

"I already sent Akane chan to get us some treats for dinner. We wish to celebrate two of our comrades' return"

"Oh? We have another one? I thought I was the only one who got out of the hosp—"

"K… Kashiwagi?"


	65. Towards a Darker Tomorrow

**Chapter 65: Towards a Darker Tomorrow  
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**(Hanger 31)**

Yuuko gave out a sigh that night looking at the monitors in her room. Ever since she arrived here in Kyoto she's been hounded by the council demanding an explanation. It was expected. After what Shirogane pulled off back at Tokyo, it was only natural for them to be curious. Even staff officers of the Imperial Army were growing curious too.

It was not new to see a gifted soldier appear from time to time in the army. On rare occasions a talented individual would spring up amongst the rabble setting an example for all to see, becoming a shining beacon of hope. But what Takeru pulled there was no miracle or simple talent.

He performed something that no man could… no human could. No matter what story she weaved, what alibi she puts together it would never be enough to satisfy their quench for truth. Thankfully she was able to put them off her back by saying that he was an ALTERNATIVE IV plan's secret. But of course that only seems to spring their curiosity even more. She was opted to tell them the truth but doing such a thing could alter the very fabric of time and space as she knew it.

She decided to let their imaginations wander a bit and hopefully this whole thing about secret super-soldier projects and cyborg development program would blow over.

But she doubt anything like that would be happening any time soon. She wouldn't be surprised if the council had this whole lab under constant surveillance on the outside.

"Vice Commander Kouzuki" The mad scientist was brought out of her thoughts for a moment when her secretary interrupted. "I have a call from the mechanics in Yokohama Base. They say that the parts that you ordered have just arrived. More than half of the necessary resources have been allocated"

"I see… good. At this rate we can end the research early. How about the HSST ship I requested?"

"They're still looking into that ma'am. A ship of that caliber isn't exactly easy to procure"

"Tell them I don't need a factory fresh one. I just need the core module of the ship. Tell them to scavenge one or get one that isn't in use anymore. (Yes ma'am) Once they've received it want the mechanics to work on the detailed repairs. Tell the man in charge that I'll send the designs to him by tomorrow. (Understood ma'am) Hmph… if only they could procure me more hands to work with"

It would take a few moments for Piatif to call on her again. "Vice Commander. They say they can get an old version of the HSST in the storage unit. It's an older model but it works just the same"

"Good. Have them work on it immediately. We can't afford anymore setbacks. (Yes ma'am) This war isn't going to win itself" But their little workload was suddenly cut off when another irritating voice crept up behind them.

"My my… aren't we in a rush tonight?" Yoroi Sakon motioned boringly with his hands raised.

His presence alone only made Yuuko sigh even more while Piatif drew out her sidearm in response. "Oh… it's only you. You have some nerve showing your ugly mug in front of me again"

"Ahaha… apologies. If you disliked my face so much I'll be more than happy to get a facelift. I hear that plastic surgery is quite a dominant profession in America right now"

"And your sense of humor hasn't improved either"

"If it's humor you desire then search no more. I have here a long list of jokes and comedic situations that would enlighten a crowd. (…) I was walking down the street this evening when I came across a rabbit. It asked me if I was…"

"Hai hai, stop right there"

"Ma'am, should I call for security?"

"No need…" Yuuko waved her secretary off. "He's not a threat. Get me a cup of coffee. (…?) I have something to discuss with him"

"Understood ma'am. (Bzzt) This is Lt. Piatif. All security, stand down. False alarm" The girl whispered quietly to her headset earning a confirmation from the other line.

Once she was out of earshot, the two adults returned to their conversation. "So… what does the Ministry of Intelligence want with me this time? I have no use for you at the moment"

"Now now, Professor Kouzuki. We are all civilized people. Let us not be hostile with one another. Please, have a takoyaki. I give it as a peace offering"

"I don't allow food in my lab"

"Oh? That's odd. I simply found this on the sofa over there. Well if you're not having one then I shall…" He gladly ate a piece from the box. "Hmm… a little cold but the flavor is genuine"

"Are you going to start talking or do I need to have security take you out?"

"Ahahaha… please don't be hasty. I was merely lightening the tension between us"

"There is no lightening the tension between and me. After that stunt you pulled in Tokyo, I have no reason to believe that there will be any lightening at all"

"If you're referring to the splendid TV show I broadcasted, I was merely doing that to lend my support to my son in law. I never expected him to pull what he did then. After all… who could?"

"You have an answer for everything, don't you?"

"If I stopped talking we would never get anything done now, would we? But… I digress" The old spy gave out a sigh, taking a spot by the empty tables. "Your Guard Dog has become quite famous, hasn't he?"

"Thanks to you no doubt. (Ahahahaha…) If you're looking for information regarding him, then you know I can't tell you"

"Of course. I wouldn't dare go snooping into information that does not concern me. But unfortunately, the same cannot be said about everyone, especially my employers"

"Oh? And what do they have to fear? I thought the Heads of the Ministry of Intelligence were acquitted of all charges when they collaborated with the U.N. Armed Forces"

"True… I will admit that it is a rather cruel tactic that we use to survive while the rest of the world drowns around us. Special contingencies are always prepared in case of regime change. Regardless of how Japan is, the Ministry of Intelligence must continue to exist without fail"

"Abandon a sinking ship while you can. Hmph… if it didn't cost a lot, it would've been quite impressive"

"Survival is worth any price, Professor Kouzuki. You of all people should understand this more than I do. (…) But we are getting off topic. Allow me to get to the point of this matter"

"Oh? Well that's a first. I thought you'd like to keep talking" Yuuko added only to earn a chuckle from her visitor.

"As much as I would love to gaze into your loving eyes, I… have an appointment to keep. I come to you out of the goodness of my heart to give you some information as a head start. (Oh?) I have no intention of going against you, Professor Kouzuki. Many of us know that doing that would simply be signing a death warrant. For the moment, the multiple agencies around the world are not taking action. But give them a reason to flinch and they will come…"

"Don't try to sound like the hero. Because of you, everyone around the world knows about him. (Ahehehe) What are you planning, Yoroi?"

"Who knows? Perhaps I just wish to give your Guard Dog a little screen time. What he did back in Tokyo was all him. (…) But my words do have some ring. A Dead Man moves with the living. A fitting title for someone who is supposed to be dead"

Yuuko's eyes rolled. "Speculate all you want. In the end, only your imagination has free reign"

"True… but you should worry. The provincial government may try to make a move"

"Leave the political matters to me. I can handle that"

"One scarecrow won't be enough to chase away the flock… professor"

"Hooo? Are you threatening me, Sakon?"

"I won't dream of it…"

"Then let me ask you this. Who do you fear more? Me… or him?" It was that moment that Yoroi paused in his words giving a moment's thought before answering the question. It was probably one of the rare times he actually thought for a moment fearing what came out of his mouth would judge his future health. "People often ask as to who guards the Guardians when the answer plainly states that Guardians don't need guarding"

"Ahehehe… it appears you are getting very good at this game, Professor Kouzuki. It seems I am defeated on this round"

Yuuko showed him a rare grin knowing full well that victory was hers. "Now then. Now that we have all the pleasantries out of the way… why don't you tell me the real reason why you're here?"

**(Takeru's POV) (PX) (06:10 PM)**

Kashiwagi…

I can't believe it's her. Well… I know that it is her but after all the intensity of what happened in Tokyo, she must've dropped out of my mind. The last time I saw her was after the battle on the outskirts of Kyoto when she was taken in by the medics to be treated in the city for her injuries. She must've been released about the same time as me.

There was a big scar stretching across her face going from the top right of her forehead down to the bottom left of her nose. There are also some visible bruising around her arms and neck but they're bound to heal if given enough time. It seems like everyone here didn't come out without some scars with them.

But… what now? It feels a little awkward with me and her sitting on the same table. She seems to be quite conscious when she's here and her constant glancing aren't exactly helping. Though she won't show it, I can feel her eyes on me but every time I look her way she quickly darts off to the other side. Well… I guess I shouldn't be surprised. She did try to kill me back then. (Flash) The moment she had her daggers in front of me I knew that she was serious. The girl was ready to kill herself for the benefit of mankind unlike myself.

I supposed it shouldn't be a surprise. We were at the edge of our line with heavy losses. Coupled with the news of her brother… I can understand how Kashiwagi would do such a thing. I remember the captain telling me something about it. Her brother was considered M.I.A. after the battle on Shikoku Island. After the G-Bombs dropped I doubt the chance of finding any survivors would be low. I know it's hard for someone to lose someone important to them. I've felt it before. The sense of lost… the weakened state. It's one of the reasons why I came back after all.

"Shirogane san? Are you alright?" Haruka called out to me.

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"You have not touched your food since you've arrived" Oh… she's right. I'm so busy thinking that my meal has already gotten cold. "Do you not like the taste?"

"No it's not that. It's just that… I need to have a proper drink for something like this. Regular tap water won't do. I'll see what they have in the PX. I'll be right back"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Haaaa… that was so lame running off like that. I know what I said but in all honesty I couldn't handle the awkwardness between me and Kashiwagi. So far nobody seems to know what happened inside the Carrier. That's a good thing seeing that something like this could put her in a bad position.

_"It's part of being a soldier! Sometimes we have to do things that we don't like. You should know this better than anyone!"_

_"If you're not willing to die for something then you're not fit to carry out anything!"_

Kashiwagi…

She really… she really was planning to die that night. She was prepared to go down taking out every BETA she could get in her. That girl probably wanted to escape reality as quickly as possible in the most painless way she could think of. Ah… but I have no right to judge her. She shouldn't hear that from me. I used be exactly the same until a little while back. It was only thanks to my friends and Sumika that I was able to get through it all.

I'm sure with our help she'll get over it quickly. Though of course that won't remove the issue of what she tried back then. I'll have to figure out a way to get this awkwardness between us removed otherwise it'll affect our performance together. But how? I used to solve problems like this before but never really memorize how I was able to put them away. Maybe I'll let our situation cool down for a moment and find some time to talk with her in private. I'm sure she'd want the same thing. Nobody needs to know what happened in there. Maybe I can ask her for a talk later tonight…

"Um… Shirogane…"

"Huh? Ah! K… Kashiwagi?" Damn… she nearly gave me a heart attack. "Wh… what are you doing here?"

"Suzumiya wanted some juice too. I thought I'd get her some. (Oh…) Yeah…" Uwa… this is bad. She won't even look at me directly for more than a few seconds. It must really be bothering her just as much as it's bothering me. "So… I saw you on TV during my stay in the hospital. It seems like you're quite famous now. I didn't read the details but you were the one who brought down the ringleader of the coup in the capital, neh? As expected of the Legendary Rookie. You really are incredible"

"Ah… y… yeah" Is she trying to hold it in?

"Not only had that but you pretty much done some really incredible things back there. I bet Hayase san will be out to get you soon. Ahehehe. (…) It almost makes me feel bad that I missed it all"

"Aheh… yeah… I guess so"

"You can tell me all about it later. I need to get Akane her juice otherwise she'll get mad at me again. (Oh… right)" She's pretending like the whole incident never happened. I understand if she wants to move on but something of that scale should be discussed. Small fights and quarrels are fine but if you keep something like this bottled up inside of you, it can explode right in front of your face. "Hey Shirogane. What do you think Akane would like better? Synthetic juice or milk?

"Uh… try pineapple, I guess. (Heeh…) Giving her milk seems a bit too casual"

"You're right. Besides, if we give her milk she might take it differently. Nice answer"

…

…

Maybe this is for the best. Pretending like it never happened seems to be one option. Water under the bridge is fine with me but… will we be able to handle this awkward feeling between us. I never had this kind of feeling whenever I'm with Kashiwagi. She's been one of my closest friends in both worlds and you could say that she's the older sister I never had. Heh… just thinking about that makes me sound like a guy with a sister complex.

"Hey… Shirogane… (Hmm?) Do you have time… later tonight? (…?) I was hoping you and I could… talk for awhile… about what happened. I… don't think you could…"

"Stop" I interrupted her. "Before you say anything, I'd like to tell you that I'm not mad for what you did back then. (But…) We both know what you did back then but I don't think I can blame you. The situation was desperate and you weren't in the right state of mind. If I was having the same day as you were having… I think I would've done the exact same thing. Losing someone important can drive you to do the craziest things. (…!) I know what you're going through and I won't charge you with anything for it"

"But back then… I almost hurt… I could've—"

"Yeah… I know that. To be honest I'm still kind of shocked you were able to do such a thing. But I learned from someone that if you let your emotions get the best of you, everything else becomes a blur. (But still…) Just let it slide. You don't want to talk about it anymore than I do. It's water under the bridge now, okay? (Wait! Shirogane!) What? I already told you I don't care what you did back then. Talking about it will probably just make things even more awkward between us"

…

…

"Can… it really be that simple?"

I shrugged my shoulder. "I'm just that kind of guy I guess"

"I can't accept it…"

"You don't have to"

"It wasn't right…"

"Yeah, it wasn't…"

"Then why!-?"

"Hey hey, keep your voice down. Do you want the whole PX to hear us? Besides… you're starting to sound like Class rep in a way"

"Ugh…" She can't seem to find it in her heart to put it pass her. Usually, Kashiwagi would be more composed and brush the most serious topics off like they were wind in the air. But I supposed it's different when you're the cause. "I don't like it…"

I guess there's really no choice. "Fine. If it'll make you feel better. We can talk about it. (…) But not here. I want to keep this between us. No one else needs to know about it. Is that ok with you?"

"Huh? Ah… yeah…" She nodded with a guilty face. "Thanks… Shirogane…"

"Hey it's what teammates do"

"Then… maybe later after dinner. You could… come to my place. My room is right next to yours so we could meet in private"

"Sure. I'll see you then"

Clang!

Hmm? What was that? It sounded like someone dropping their tray on the floor and…

"Th… that's…"

"Eh? 1st Lt. Haya…se… 1st Lt. Misae…?"

"Th… that was such a hot topic…" Munakata stated out with her eyes bulging from their sockets and her mouth agape. "Haruko… I didn't know you had such conviction in you. This… this is quite a shocker. (Ha?) Inviting the Alpha Male into your room. I wouldn't have believed it if I didn't hear it firsthand. You barely offered any kind of defense against his charms. Has your sexual instincts finally taken over your voice of reason? Hooo… my opinion of you has just heightened"

"Wha!-? No! It's nothing like that!" Kashiwagi protested. "You got it all wrong! And… what do you mean that your opinion of me just heightened? What did you think of me before now?"

"Why… a lonely virgin of course. (Gehehhh!) And you… 1st Lt. Shirogane. Accepting a girl's invitation into her room without hesitation. I always knew you had the eyes of the beast in you. Finally we get to see the fangs of the raging animal come out at last. This will be a night to remember!"

"No! Munakata san! You're doing it again!"

"And just when your talk was getting really interesting too. I guess it must've caught Hayase off guard as well. I thought that Kashiwagi gave up the race but now she's trying to speed boost herself to the finish line. I'm very impressed. I'm actually at a loss for words. But please… don't mind us. Continue your heated discussion. Pretend like we're not even here"

"How the hell am I supposed to pretend that when you're standing right there!-?"

"Damn… it looks like we're not getting anything more out of these two. This is all your fault, Hayase. We could've gotten a bit more before your shock came to you. (…) Hayase? Oi, Hayase. What's wrong with you?"

That's odd. Hayase seems a bit… phased. Misae san is waving her hands in front of her but she doesn't seem to be responding. It seems like Hayase was the one who dropped her tray earlier. "Is… is she alright?"

"No way… don't tell me…" Misae snapped her fingers in front of her but there's still no reaction. "I knew it. The shock came so suddenly, her brain was unable to process all the information in time. It went into overload. She must've shut herself down to prevent an outburst. Such a frightening thing. (Thud…) Oh… she fell. Be at peace 1st Lt. Hayase. I will be sure to carry on your will for the sake of others. Cross into the light and find serenity in the afterlife"

"No! She's not dead! She's not dead! Someone call a medic!"

**(Hanger 31)**

"The 6th Pacific Army?" Yuuko asked sounding somewhat irritated when she heard the news from her Imperial Informant.

"Yes. I heard it from Undersecretary General Genjousai himself" Yoroi confirmed it with a nod before popping another squid ball in his mouth. "The U.N. 6th Pacific Army will be arriving at Japan as a replacement for the 11th Pacific Army itself. Seeing as how General Radhabinod has exhausted nearly all of his resources during the last few campaigns in Sadogashima, Niigata, Kyoto and Tokyo in the span of two months, it seems only natural that he would lose his influence over the military. I heard that he had to promote 20 staff officers alone to replace those that he lost in the last mission"

"I thought the 6th Army would be stationed in Antarctic. Are you telling me that the U.N. is willing to abandon one of its unique sites for replacements?"

"Rumor has it that it was done under the request of the Soviet Union"

That alone made Yuuko perk in interest. "I see. This explains it" Yuuko took her seat by the table pouring herself a cup of coffee for the night. "I supposed it was only inevitable. After they lost so much ground in Kamchatka they're trying to open a second battleground here in Asia"

"The Prime Minister made a bargain, giving U.N/USSR full control over the island Kyushu in return for their continued support and supplies from overseas"

"That's rather pathetic, giving an entire part of the nation like that"

"He is merely trying to get on the good side of the world's superpower. Honshu will remain under the control of the Imperial Army. But due to the lack of resources and the restriction brought to them by the U.N. Army, you can only imagine how outstretched they are in this situation"

"So he'd prefer to let others stand between him and the BETA on the mainland. How clever. I might have a new impression for Prime Minister Sakaki. At this rate… he might stay in office for another decade or so. (Ahehehe) But I supposed this will make future operations in the far east a lot more convenient for us"

"Indeed. The U.N. Armed Force will now be the frontlines of the eastern war with the BETA in place of the Japanese Army"

There was a dry humor standing between the two adults. Even the ants that crawled beneath them seemed nervous at the touch.

"There's more to this, isn't there?" Yuuko inquired only to earn a positive answer from her informant. "Out with it. I don't have all night"

"There's been some rumor circulating around the Shogun as of late. Though nothing is confirmed, she plans to unveil a new project for the benefit of Japan. (…) The Royal Family has lost much favor since the coup and with the Emperor dead and his heirs all but thinned down to a last few subjects, not to mention the atrocities committed by the Imperial Honor Guards… they are backed to a corner. (Oh?) If the Shogun succeeds in whatever it is she is planning then the Royal Family may return to their former glory"

"I see…" Yuuko understood almost immediately. "There are people out there who would rather have them silenced forever"

"A lot of people will benefit with a puppet Emperor on the throne. You could say that this might be their… last stand"

"And what does this have to do with me? I have no beef with the Royal Family or those against them. I already kept my promise with the people of Japan by destroying the BETA Hive in Sadogashima. I'm more focused on my work than to meddle in the affairs of politics"

"Ah… but there's more, Professor Kouzuki. (…?)" Yoroi's tone changed suddenly catching the woman off guard. "The Soviet and American parties have also tried to benefit from the last coup. Taking advantage in the Eastern Front in Europe. A lot of cloak and daggers are happening behind the scenes lately. It's rather difficult for me to keep track of them all"

"I have no interest in the Eastern front. There are too many parties involve there. I'd prefer to keep it here where's things are a lot more simple"

"Oh I don't think you need to fear them but rather the new power that's been growing during the last week. (New power?) Yes. A group that only recently surfaced to our knowledge. Their leader is a powerful fighter with ties to the eastern front. The group possesses a small but frightening army, a large network of information and has many key sympathizers within every nation in the world. A very unstable, but influential, power that threatens every government it crosses. You could say that the Shirogane group is slowly forming…"

The name alone caught the woman's attention. "Shirogane… gropu?"

"How about it? Does this interest you, Professor?"

"Maybe… but keep talking and I might catch something"

"As you wish" The man nodded lowering his tone. "After the stunt your Guard Dog pulled at Tokyo… I think his message may have reached the ears of those who sympathize with him. The faction is now spread… but if you actually organize this group you can imagine how dangerous it would be to leave it alone"

"I see. So that's what got the others so riled up. He's got supporters in places he doesn't even know"

"You could say it's his charisma. Ahahahaha… I supposed you can't gauge people's abilities once they've been pushed to a corner. (Hmph…) Well… I believe that's everything. I will leave you to your business, Professor Kouzuki. Let us meet again on a later date"

"Hold on a moment" Yuuko stopped the man with a playful gesture of her fingers. "Aren't you forgetting something? (…) Though I wouldn't mind killing you here for giving me such a hard time with the council, you still owe me a debt for loaning Shirogane to you. (…) If it wasn't for him, your plan would've been halted before it even reached step 4. Don't go thinking that I'll let that slide just yet"

"Ahahaha… now that's the Professor I know and love. It almost makes me believe that expected me to do something like that. (Maybe…) Very well. If I am anything I am a man of my word. But please do not expect anything too much. With the nation still unstable as it is, it may be difficult for me to get around" He was quickly handed a small notepad which was filled with a list of items that would make even the masters of tongue twister bite their tongues. "Oh? What is this? A love letter?"

"A shopping list" She corrected. "I need everything listed there to be delivered to Yokohama Base by the end of the month. Even you can handle something as simple as this"

Yoroi raised a brow to question her as he skimmed through the items. Could such a favor really be that simple? "Hoo? That's quite a list. Just what do you need so many parts for, Professor?"

"That's not part of the deal. Give me the parts and I'll consider your debt settled. (…) I'll leave the rest up to your imagination. (Hmmm…) Lt. Piatif. Please escort Section Chief Yoroi out of the hanger properly… (Yes ma'am)"

**(Barracks) (Takeru's POV) (08:50 PM)**

Ugh… that was tough. Munakata really did it this time. Does she enjoy tormenting me so much? She's making my normal life harder to live with every tease she gives out. She's almost as bad as Yuuko sensei in my world. With her constant tease of me with Marimo chan, I often get the brunt side of jokes from my classmates. Even when Meiya first came into my school… it was horrible. The death stares, the death threats… even the teachers get jealous of my situation. I bet if I put those two together they'll make anyone they set their eyes on live a life of hellish screams and nails for breakfast.

Haaaa… but I guess there's no point going back. By the time we got a medic for Hayase, the PX was practically closed. I barely had a chance to eat. Hmm… I wonder if that old man would give me another freebie of takoyaki. If I plead long enough he might give me a box.

I didn't even get a chance to talk things over with Kashiwagi. Damn it. She told me to meet her at her room later tonight but without a steady timetable I'm just relying on luck here. (…) Hmmm… she said that her room was next to mine. My room is at the edge of this floor so that means this room here is hers. What are the odds of that happening? Everyone else seems to be out somewhere so this is probably as good a time as any for us to meet.

"Shirogane!" Hmm? Oh… and speak of the devil. "Haaa… haaaa… haaaaa… I finally found you" She looks tired. Did she run all the way from the PX? "Sorry about that. Things got a little hectic in PX"

"That's ok. So Misae got you too huh?"

"She wouldn't stop hounding me until I answered her questions. I had to hide in the storage room for 30 minutes just to shake her off" I think I understand how she feels. That woman has a frightening ability to twist words and bend situations to humor her. Other than Yuuko sensei and Yoroi… she's probably one of the people I can't really read. "Thanks to that ruckus the cafeteria lady gave us an earful. We had to spend our meal time cleaning up the dishes afterwards"

"Heh… serves her right for trying to smudge her way. Though I wish she didn't drag the others with her"

"Ahehehe… that's true. But I suppose that's a good thing. We won't have to worry about anyone eaves dropping. (…) Hey… you mind if we take a walk around? (Hmm?) I feel a lot more comfortable to be moving around rather than standing still"

"Of course. I don't mind"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Ah… this feels somewhat familiar. It's been awhile since I've been in a real urban atmosphere like this. It feels nostalgic for some reason. Maybe it's because I grew up in a small city like Hiiragi. Ahaha… just thinking about it makes me miss my home already.

"The atmosphere here is a lot different from Yokohama Base, isn't it?" Oh… Kashiwagi seems to be thinking the same thing. "You don't get to see so many lights in one place. They usually close up the facilities when the sun goes down"

"Yeah… they do that…"

"They say that it's to conserve energy but honestly I think the workers there just want to star gaze at night. Hehehehe" Ahuhu… that does make sense. Since Yokohama Base is practically in the middle of nowhere, you can get a clear view of stars especially at the hill behind the main building. "It's funny. Usually when I get this emotional it's usually with Cpt. Isumi. But now that I'm going with a man it feels like we're on a date. (…) Have you ever been on a date before, Shirogane?"

"… yeah…"

"Hooo? I guess Munakata wasn't kidding when she called you the Alpha Male"

"She'll give anything a nickname if you give her the chance. (Ahahahaha) Hehehehe…"

…

…

"I bet the girl you took out on a date must've been very happy. (…) Heh… I guess I should be the same. (Kashiwagi…) Sorry. You had to bear through that for my sake. It seems like I like to avoid topics I can't handle"

"It's alright. I know how you feel. Even I don't like to get to the point right away"

"It's kind of ironic seeing how I'm usually the voice of reason in these kinds of situations. I must look like a complete mess"

"Well… I won't deny that you look different. But I don't think you look bad with that scar"

She brought her hand up to her face and felt the scar left behind by the gash she received a week ago. "Ah… you mean this. You could say it's a souvenir from that mission. Don't worry. It doesn't hurt. The doctor said that the scar will heal go away in a few months. (That's good…) Honestly I was surprised when I woke up in the hospital the other day. I didn't expect to come out alive from that operation. I even thought that you might've actually left me for dead. (…) But I supposed you're not that type of person. You showed me that during Sadogashima"

"Hey now… do I really look like someone who'd hold a grudge? I already told you, I'm not mad about that. Can't we just drop it and move on?"

"You might be able to move on but I can't. (…?) I already talked with Cpt. Isumi and it doesn't look like you've told anyone what happened in there"

"That's because I didn't think it was necessary. (Eh?) Look… you weren't yourself that time and from what I heard from the Captain, you were having a really hard time. I know how it feels to lose someone precious to you, especially family. (…!) Once you feel that loss, it's hard to replace it with anything else. You were angry, distraught and delusional. Put those together and it was obvious that you'd snap. (…) I'm not going to hold you guilty of that charge nor do I plan to blackmail you with it. Consider it a favor from one comrade to another and let's just leave it at that"

"Just… like that?"

"Just like that. (…) Besides… filing a charge with you sounds like it involves a lot of paperwork. I'd rather use my free time lounging around rather than doing something like that. I can be very lazy when I want to. (…) Also… do you really think that's what the others want? (…) Getting you demoted would mean that you'd be kicked out of the squad. You don't want that… and I'm sure no one in the squad wants that to happen, especially the Captain. She has enough trouble with me in the group. The last thing I want to is to burden her with this"

"That's just… so… selfish…"

"Maybe it is. Anyway. That's all I have to say in this matter. You can repay me on that later. (R… repay!-?) Yeah. If you feel like you owe that much then you can pay it back with your specialty. (…!) Hey… what's with the flushed face? Is paying back someone really that hard for you?"

"N… no! Of course not! It's just that… I… didn't take you for someone like that. (Eh?) F… fine. If that's what it takes to even us out then… I'll submit. C… come by my room later. We'll settle things there. (Settle?) J… just don't be too rough… ok?"

Rough? What is she… talking… ab… (Flash!) Eh? Wait a minute. What did I just see…? (Flash) Me and… Kashiwagi… did that?

…!

Pffffftt!

"What!-? No! I didn't mean that! (Eh?) I was talking about you making me dinner or lunch or something! (Haa?) Wait. Did you think that when I said to pay me back would be…?"

"W… wait a minute! Were you talking about food this whole time!-?"

"So you were thinking about it!"

"Well how I was supposed to know what you're thinking!-? I'm not psychic! A… are you saying that you don't want me?"

"Of course not! Whatever gave you that idea!-?"

"W… well… I thought all men are the same! Munakata even called you the Alpha Male!" Geh! Oh come on! She's using that poor excuse!?

"Don't take her words so seriously! She's manipulative that way! Besides, I wouldn't dream of… no… I wouldn't want to do 'that' with you!"

…!

WHACK!

Ow! Why'd she hit me?

"And what's that supposed to mean! (Geh!) Are you saying that I'm not good enough for you!-?"

"N… no of course not!"

"Then don't go flat out refusing a girl's offer like that! You think I don't have 'that' kind of experience? I'll tell you now that I have just much… ex… experience as you!"

"What are you saying? How did we even get to this topic!-?"

"B… be quiet! (Yoink!)" Ow… that really hurt. Don't go pulling someone like that! "You were the one who brought us to this conversation in the first place!"

"You were the one who misinterpreted my reason at the beginning!"

"Grrrrr! That's it! I'm not gonna let this one slide! By the end of next week I'm gonna make you a meal that'll leave you drooling for more!

"But I just told you that I—"

"That's far from the point!" Yikes! Why is she getting angry all of a sudden? "I can't let something like this pass without some kind of compromise! (Eh?) It's not just my honor as a soldier! My pride as a woman is also at stake here! (Your pride!-?) I can't accept such an insulting rejection after what just happened!"

"K… Kashiwagi! Your grip is… too tight!"

"If I leave this hanging, I'll never be able to live this down my throat! (Ha?) Fine! I'll do something for you as payment! I'll… I'll make you dinner, and then we'll call it even! Alright!-?"

"What are you talking about?"

Yoink!

"Just say yes to it already!" Bwahhhhh! Don't shake my head like that! I'm… still… not… fully… well~~ "You got that!-? I'll have a meal ready by next week so don't… don't go telling anyone!" Stop… shaking… me!

Yoink!

"I… don't… get… it!"

"AHHH! Shirogane! You're insufferable!"

Yoink!

Wahhhhhhhh!

…

…

…

Ugh… she… she finally stopped. Thank goodness. For a moment there I thought I was breaking through the space time continuum.

Sob…

Eh?

"Shirogane… why are you… such a… nice guy? (Kashi… wagi?) Why is it that the only blockhead in our team… had to be you? (Sob)" Oi… what kind of a question is that? And why are you using my chest as a pillow? Eh? C… could she be…?

"Kashiwagi. Are you…?"

"I… I'm not crying!"

Yoink!

Bwahhh! No! Stop doing that! I'm gonna puke! Marimo chan! Someone! Help!

**(U.N. Embassy, Kyoto) (10:05 PM)**

Tamase Genjousai walked along the halls of the U.N. embassy that night looking all the while more exhausted than before. This was the fifth meeting he had to attend today with little breaks in between his strenuous task. The reconstruction of the U.N. Army chain of command was difficult to say the lease. With most of their resources and personnel exhausted from the last battle, it became apparent that new blood was needed to replace the empty halls of the U.N. Bases.

Looking down at the documents handed down to him by the U.N. council, it was obvious that things will only get worse from this point on. He let out a sigh before tucking the documents back into his suitcase before heading off where his escorts were waiting. He would have time to deal with the politics of the world at a later time. Right now, all he could think of was getting to his hotel and get a nice hot shower and a bed to sooth his nerves.

But just before he got to the entrance, he was stopped by a familiar figure waving in the distance. "Oya! Tamase san" It called out to him in a friendly demeanor.

The Undersecretary raised a brow for a moment before he recognized the person. "Ah! Amanohara!" He shouted his name out. "This is a pleasant surprise. I wasn't expecting you to be here of all places"

"The same can't be said for you. You're quite easy to track down since everyone here knows your name. (Ahahaha) Gwahahaha! It's been a long time old friend"

"You too. I thought you'd still be with your daughter in our estate in Hokkaido"

"My work keeps me well traveled. I barely have time to stay in one place for too long. (I know what you mean) Ahahaha! Again… Tamase… I cannot thank you enough for providing refuge for my family. When we lost our home in Hiroshima, I truly thought that our luck had run dry that night. Were it not for you, my family and I would be on the streets like the squatters"

"That is what friends are for. It was fate that allowed us to meet up again in Tokyo of all places"

"Ahahaha! True. But if there is still a god watching us from the heavens, then perhaps he was with my family that day. At the very least I can have a roof over my little Suiko's head"

"Oh how is your daughter by the way? I heard you had her enroll in a medical school"

"That's right. She's studying right now in college. Though I'd prefer to keep her away from all the blood… she insists that she contributes something to humanity"

"It seems like she inherited your thickhead. (Gwahahaha!) Ahahaha. You should visit her whenever you get the chance"

"Ha! How can I miss her if she keeps writing to me every day? I have a stack of letters back in my hotel that I haven't even had the chance of ready yet. With a girl like her she'll never run out of things to say, that's for sure"

"Ahahaha… it seems like our families have more in common than we give credit for"

"Speaking of Suiko chan. I heard your daughter just recovered from battle as well"

"Indeed" Genjousai gave out a proud answer. "She's strong…"

"She's a lot tougher than her height would suggest. (Ahahahaha) Hahahaha… she's just like her mother in more ways than one I tell you. (Indeed) Ah… I apologize. Perhaps that was too much of me"

"No… it's alright. I'm done mourning"

"That's good. We remember the past to give us strength to fight the present so at the very least we would have a future! Come, why don't you and I have a drink to celebrate our reunion? For old time's sake?"

The Undersecretary thought for a moment finding little reason to decline that offer. "Hmm… yes. I think I could use a drink"

"Good. I know a place" Amanohara quickly led the way, patting his old friend by the shoulder.

"By the way Amanohara. What are you doing in the U.N. Embassy of all places? Are you waiting for someone?"

"Ahahaha! Not at all. I'm actually representing Prime Minister Sakaki to the U.N. for his post-war reconstruction of Tokyo. (…?) You're now looking at the new Ambassador of the Japanese Provincial Government Class"

"Hoo? That's a rather impressive station. I didn't know. Congratulations"

"Ah… it's not as impressive as it may sound" The large man added feigning disappointment. "They simply promoted me because they don't have anyone else qualified for the task. You could say that I was their last choice in the matter since the previous ambassador perished during the 12/5 incident"

"Still… it is a rather lofty promotion. I'm sure that you'll do just fine. (Ahahaha!) I guess with that line of work we'll probably be seeing each other more often"

"I certainly hope so. With everything that's happened in Tokyo, they're scrounging up every man they can find. It's heartbreaking… to see our own people being asked more than they could give. It will never be enough as long as the BETA are still present. (It never is…) If this continues… I have no doubt that we will be asking children to fight for us…"

"That… might come a lot earlier than you'd expect… old friend. (Hmm?) Here…" Genjousai handed the man the documents he received earlier. "A bill was passed on earlier today in discussion of the recent conflict"

"Lowering the drafting age to 10?" Amanohara stated quietly to avoid eavesdroppers from listening. They're mad to carry this bill in motion"

"No… they're just desperate. After what had happened at Tokyo, both the Imperial Army and the U.N. require new blood to continue the fight against the BETA. The U.N. itself is already diverting much of its resources from Europe to support the frontline here"

"I see. So that's how it is. (…) To let children hold our weapons—it almost looks as if the rebels had some merit to their words. I will pass this on to the Prime Minister tomorrow. Hopefully we'll find a way to resolve this without further bloodshed"

"You have my gratitude…"

**(Takeru's POV) (January 10 2002, Thursday) (06:45 AM)**

Ring ring… ring ring… ring ring…

No… not now. My head still hurts.

Ring ring… ring ring… ring ring!

Oh… come on. Does it have to be morning now of all time? I barely had any sleep last night. Thanks to Kashiwagi's antics… I was thrown around like a ragdoll to the point I blacked out from the G-force. (Flash) That girl is really… strong. But she's also strange. I was only looking out for her and in return she retaliated with a full blown grappling hold on me.

That little misunderstanding between us nearly got out of hand. Thankfully we resolved it before any of those words got into Misae's head. Neither of us will hear the end of it if it gets to her. She'll probably tease us and take those words to her grave, and beyond.

And after we parted ways… my brain went into a meltdown. I keep getting strange visions about me and Kashiwagi back in my world. Those strange images were like… a memory… that I simply forgot. I can't even see them clearly when I was up.

Ugh… never mind. It's Thursday and I'm tired. Maybe I'll sleep around until noon. Besides I need the strength when I go and visit the Shogun on…

…!

Oh crap! Yuuhi! I totally forgot I'm supposed to meet with her today! Wait… what time is it? 6:50! Crap! I need to—bwahh!

Thud…

Ow… from the bed to the floor. Real smooth. Grr… no time to beat myself up. I need to get change and get to the front gate in 10 minutes! Ahhh! Come on! Where are my uniforms?

…

…

…

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Haaa… haaaa… haaaa… Damn it…

Running after waking up… wasn't my best idea. Maybe I should've told that guy to pick me up in the afternoon instead. Wha… such a gloomy weather. The snow is really starting to fall again.

…

This is the front gate of the base. It's only guarded by two MPs standing by the watch post. You'd expect a military base to have more security than this. But I supposed I can't say the same for Yokohama Base. After all that is where ALTERNATIVE IV is being kept.

The Honor Guard said that he'll send someone to pick me up at 7 o'clock but it's already 7:15. I don't know if being late was in their noble genes.

…

…

Hmmm… it's rather peaceful this time of day. No roll calls for cadets and not even a school bell. I can see a few cars on the road but so far no traffic. Kyoto is really huge despite the fact that it was leveled down by the BETA a few years back. You wouldn't think people would still live here after the whole place was torn down.

That reminds me. Now that the BETA Hive in Sadogashima is gone… the closest one would be in the Korean Peninsula just off the shore of Kyushu. The BETA are still in the less literal term 'Right next door' but still… I wonder how future operations will take place. (Flash) Back in my last loop… me and the rest of the A-01 were sent on a last ditch mission deep into Kashgar to take out the main Hive. I haven't heard a peep about that operation coming soon… but then again… a lot of things have changed since I arrived here.

Hell… I've altered so many things in this loop alone that I'm having a hard time keeping track of them all.

The coup, Yuuhi, Marimo chan, Cpt. Isumi… and everyone else.

And also… there's something different about me too. Though I hate to admit it, I wouldn't be alive right now if it wasn't for my unique ability to heal. My body has been changing in a greater margin than before. Back then I only had the abilities I've received when I was a soldier but now I'm stronger, faster, and more durable than before. I don't know what's making me stronger… but I sure won't complain about it.

"Excuse me… Shirogane dono…" Hmm? Who? "Pardon for my interruption. I was sent here to recover you on behalf of my lady" Eh? Hey… wait a second. Don't I know this guy? He looks really familiar. (…?) That cheekbone, that suit, that posture and that poker face. They're ringing a bell in my head. I just can't tell which one. "Is… something the matter, Shirogane sama?"

…!

Ah! That's it! Now I remember!

"T… T… Takahashi!-?"

"Yes… that is my name. Ichimonji Takahashi" It is! It is him! No wonder he looked so darn familiar! He's Meiya's chauffer back in my world! "Forgive me. I was not told that you would know who was coming to pick you up"

Takahashi…

It's really been awhile since I last saw him. Back in my world, he used to drive this 60 meter limousine like it was nothing. I think I was friends with him back in my world. When I married Meiya, we saw each other on various occasions. He used bring me to a meeting place in 10 minutes flat and drive me home before dinner. No matter where I was or where I was going I would get there before I even know we were on the road.

Man… seeing him here brings back some memories.

"Ano… are you alright, Shirogane dono?"

"Huh? Ah… yeah. Sorry. I was just… surprised"

"My apologies. It was not my intention to startle you. As I said, I have been sent here to bring you to my lady. She awaits you in her family's estate. Please follow me. (Ah… sure)"

…

…

…

Aha… ahahahaha… aha… hahaha…

This is really. I really want to laugh right now. That car… that's the car we're taking? Pffftt…!

"Is something wrong? Shirogane dono?"

"N… no. Sorry. I was just thinking about… something funny" Crap… I can't hold it in. After seeing him drive that 60 meter limo for so long, I've gotten used to his behavior of passing things like they were nothing. To see him with a small-ordinary-run of the mill car like this is just too… hilarious.

"Ah… I see. You need not hide it. I understand that you're used to military vehicles. Riding something as luxurious must be strange"

"Y… yeah" I played along holding my laughter back. "Sorry about that"

"It is quite fine, Shirogane dono. But before we proceed, I would ask that you put this on" He handed me a brown jacket that was about the size of my uniform. "Though it is common knowledge that Her Highness is under the custody of the U.N. we cannot allow people to see her freely without alerting her presence to the whole world. We'd rather not have a foreign soldier visit her whenever he pleases" I see. He has a point there. No matter what, I'm still a U.N. soldier by name. They won't allow foreign influence visit Yuuhi without a proper reason. It might also be scandalous for the media too. The last thing I need to is more publicity with my picture on it.

"Alright. I understand. (Ruffle)"

"I'll keep your uniform in the trunk of the car. When you are done with your visit, I will return them to you. (Ok…) Now please step inside. We have a long road ahead of us"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

It's been awhile since I've been at the backseat of a regular car. Being in the military for so long you kind of get used to the cockpit of the TSF or the tight space of an armored vehicle. Usually I'd be the one driving the vehicle or manning the weapon topside. It's nice to be the passenger once more.

This car is pretty spacious too with soft seats that you could melt yourself in. The windows are darkened so I can't see outside. I guess they want to keep the estate's location a secret. Oh? There's even a sunroof, now that's classy. Too bad there's not a lot of sun these days. In this snowy weather, you'll be lucky just to get a glimpse of it.

"Shirogane dono. (Y… yes?)" I straightened my posture up when Takahashi called my name. It doesn't feel weird when he calls me with the honorifics. As far as I remember, whenever I was with Meiya he'd call me that. "The journey will take around an hour or so, so please rest while you still can"

"Oh… ok then"

He says I should rest but that was a lot easier said than done. Unconsciously… I was nervous. I haven't seen Yuuhi since the coup d'état a week ago when we were rescued from Edo Castle. So many things happened so fast that it all becomes a blur after awhile. If you leave it long enough you start believing that it was all just a dream.

Heh… yeah… a dream… a dream of me being the knight in shining armor rescuing a princess from a tower surrounded by evil minions and a giant dragon.

Haaa… if only that were the case. Still… why would Yuuhi ask for me now of all times? Though I am glad that she's fine and I'd like nothing better than to visit her… I still find it… odd. She wouldn't ask for me indirectly unless it was something really important.

Well… then again she did take the risk of visiting me in Yokohama Base a few weeks back. That alone was enough to get my heart pumping. (Flash) And that kiss on the cheek… (Flash) Eh? H… hey wait a minute…

_"How can I be humanity's only hope… if I can't even save you?"_

Oh…

_"If your life is no longer worth living… then I'll claim it for myself. So now… more than ever… please… you must live!"_

G… gahh! No wait! I'm starting to remember bits and pieces of that moment… in her room at the burning castle. I… I held her in my arms and I ki… kissed…

…!

Uwa! I remember now! That's exactly what happened! We kissed! Or… at the least, I kissed her… or was it she kissed me? AHHHHH! Crap! That's so embarrassing. Just remembering it gives me the shivers. What the hell was I thinking saying something as cheesy as that? That's even worse than the letter she wrote to me weeks ago! Ahhh! That was stupid, stupid, stupid! I am so stupid! How is it that I'm so rude when it comes to royalties?

First… I yelled at her in Susono, she sent me a letter and we had a private visit. Afterwards we… k… ki… kissed. Arghhhhh! Crap! Just remembering it lights up my face like a light bulb. I know that it was just the spur of the moment and I needed to give her some morale boosting words but if you think about it now just makes me wanna slap myself. I wonder if anyone here is having the same kind of misunderstanding-relationship as I am right now.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Back in the barracks of the Valkyries, Isumi would hear the echoes of sudden-simultaneous-synchronization of sneezes passed around from room to room.

"Hmm… the weather must be getting to them. I should requisition some jackets for the squad later today"

**(Slopes of Mt. Fuji) (Kyoto) (Takeru's POV)**

Hmm… odd. The estate must be really far if we're taking so long to get there. We took so many twists and turns that it feels like Takahashi has been driving in circles. The silence in this car was also getting on my nerves. I would've appreciated some kind of music to ease my stress off. Meeting with a member of the royal family wasn't exactly a common thing to happen… well… in my exception of course.

Maybe if I just call…

"Shirogane dono… we are here" The car came to a complete stop as Takahashi made the announcement. I guess he wasn't kidding when he said that the trip would only take an hour. Looks like there's not much of a difference between the Takahashi here and the Takahashi I know back in my world.

Ruffle…

The place we came upon was a forest of some sort with the road splitting up between them. Though even in this cold weather the woods were dense and you can barely see pass them unless you have really good eyes. And slab right on the side of the road was a big ordinary looking house.

Heh? So this is the Shogun's estate? It looks almost like a regular 3 storied apartment. You wouldn't even think twice that a member of the Royal Family could be living here. I supposed this is also part of their concealment.

"Please do not dally, Shirogane dono. The estate is not far now"

"Eh? Wait… isn't that the estate?" I pointed at the big building in the middle of the woods.

Takahashi raised a brow at me looking in the direction of where I was pointing. "Ah… no. That structure is the garage"

"G… garage? (Yes…) Garage as in… for cars?"

"Yes. I do not know of any other meaning for that word, Shriogane dono. (…!) But with the exception of being a parking space for vehicles and such, that building also serves as residence for the guards out on the street. The estate is further inside through this path. (H…ha?) Please follow me"

We trudged through a narrow dirt path up the hill. Even in this tough snowy weather you can still make out the small trail that leads off the road. I can easily tell that someone has been taking their time making sure this path stays clear for visitors but not enough to attract hikers or tourists. Does this world even have tourists anymore? (…) Of course not. With the world at war as it is, people barely have enough time visiting other nations for leisure. Hell… I don't even remember when I last had a holiday.

Oh? I see something ahead. It looks like an… old fashioned gate. I haven't seen one of these since the Imperial Palace in Tokyo.

The whole structure was made entirely of wood and the wall that the gate was attached to seemed to stretch on forever. It kinda reminds me of the old Sengoku Era where Samurais were at the pinnacle of their fame. This place just seems to give out that antique atmosphere.

Takahashi gave out a few knocks before it was answered on the other side. "We have arrived" He announced to me before opening the giant wooden gates. "Shirogane dono… please follow me"

I followed his instructions and entered through the gate looking… wha…?

…!

Gah! Y… you're kidding me. This… this is where Yuuhi's staying?

…

It's huge!

No… scratch that. It's not huge, it humongous! Gigantic! Far out big! It's almost as big as the Hakkeijima Sea Paradise amusement park! You can't possibly count this as an estate but rather a big-town instead. I can fit my TSFs here and you'd still have enough space to throw a firework festival without drawing attention.

The place had the old Sengoku theme too. This place just screams out everything about Japanese cultural history. There are about 6… no 8 buildings of different sizes surrounding the main complex at the very center of the estate. There's a moat, a pond and dozens of cherry trees that are waiting for spring's blossom.

It's incredible. It almost feels like I've gone back in time or something.

…

…

Wait… I think there's an ironic joke somewhere in that last sentence of mine.

"Shirogane dono. Please hurry. We have a schedule to keep"

"Huh? Ah… yeah… of course"

We walked towards the main complex building which looked a lot more like a temple than a house. Talk about old fashion but I supposed this is one way to keep people from guessing where members of the royal family were staying.

The inside was made in the old traditional style with sliding doors and tiled rooftops with ornate designs to make the place look all the more important. You can practically call this a landmark for Japan already. I wonder how much it cost just to build something so… historical. Well… it's not like this can surprise me anymore. I've seen Meiya take down one big plot of my city just to build her room in the middle of the whole thing. Lavish castles and such things… are yesterday's news to me.

After a few minutes of walking, we finally made it to what I think was the audience room. I expected Yuuhi to be there but instead I found a familiar old lady who was staring right back at me.

"Oh? Takahashi… what brings you here at such a time?" She asked with a familiar tone that I heard back in Hakone. "I was not expecting you until this afternoon"

"Grand Chamberlain…" Takahashi bowed to her taking his hat off in the process. "Forgive the intrusion but my schedule was slightly altered last night. I have brought a guest for Her Highness"

"A guest?" The old lady raised an irritated brow at both of us. "Her Highness is currently in her sickbed. I did not allow any visitors at this time"

"This is Shirogane Takeru dono from the U.N. Armed Force. I was instructed by the Honor Guards that Kobuin sama requested his visit at the allotted time. I am merely following what I was told. Forgive my rudeness"

…

The old lady stopped in her words and passed a quick glance to my side. It's clear to me that I wasn't in her top-ten list of friends. "This is the man?" She asked which Takahashi answered with a solemn nod. What the heck was that supposed to mean anyway? "Hmmm… he's not as impressive as his name would suggest. (Huh?) Are you sure you have the right person?"

Hey… you know I can still hear you right?

"The Guards gave me his description. There is no mistaking it, Grand Chamberlain"

The old lady darted her eyes from me to Takahashi as if trying to find some discerning hint on my face. "I am not convinced. (…!) Bringing a stranger and a soldier from a foreign faction to a sacred ground like this is simply intolerable. I imagined that man to be more… mature" Ok… now I'm sure she's doing this on purpose. I'm still here! And I can hear you as clear as day! Can you at least try to pretend that you want to be my friend? "The one you brought doesn't look any older than a mere boy"

Ok… now she's just trying to earn my irritation.

"No… he is who he claims to be…"

…!

That voice…

"1st Lt. Kamiyo? When did you…?" Takahashi looked slightly surprised at the girl who mysteriously entered the room. 1st Lieutenant? When did she get promoted? She's wearing a different uniform too. A yellow version of her old one.

She approached me slowly and stared directly into my eyes. "Hmph… that face. You haven't changed at all…"

"Tatsumi san… do you know this man?" The Grand Chamberlain inquired only to earn a brief nod from her.

"Yes. I have met with him a few times. I recognize his face and body man is indeed Shirogane Takeru. He has my vouch"

The small tension that was in the air lifted slightly with the Grand Chamberlain's nod. I barely said a word and already I'm surrounded by old faces that I met in different parts of my life.

"Very well. I will submit to your judgment" The old lady added pulling her long gown back. "Her Highness is still having her treatment at the moment. She is unavailable at this time so you'll have to wait in the garden. I will call for you when she is ready"

"Ah… ok… thank you" I was barely able to get those words out of my mouth when Kamiyo stepped in.

"I will escort him there. (…?) I will ensure that he will not wander off. This area is part of our jurisdiction. Takahashi, you may return to your duties"

"I thank you, Kamiyo san"

This is weird. I never imagined I would actually have a tense moment with three of these people. It feels… odd.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Brrrr… it got colder all of a sudden. Why the hell do we have to wait outside in this freezing weather? Seriously I think that old lady just sent us out here because she doesn't want me in the house. Brrr… heck even the fishpond is frozen solid. I wonder if the fishes there are still edible. I wouldn't mind some fresh sushi right about now. Hmm… some grilled fish from oba san back at the base would be nice too. Maybe even a nice set of takoyaki back at that snack shop for dessert.

"Hey… you…" Huh? Oh… Kamiyo. "Here… we can't have you freezing out here just when you arrived" Huh? Ah! Mittens! That's just what I needed. Ah… that's much better. Who knew that such a simple piece of clothing would make all the difference here in a cold weather?

"Thanks, Kamiyo. (…) Ah… I mean… 1st Lt. Kamiyo. Sorry. And… umm… congratulation on your promotion"

"Forget it. I've already gotten used to your rude behavior. Changing it will not alter my perspective of you. Besides… we rarely have any conversation with one another. (Ahehehe…)" Yeah… she's right. In this world we rarely talk to each other at all. It's weird since back in my world, she and the other two idiots would be arguing non-stop. It's like a daily routine for us. Hehehehe… just thinking about it feels somewhat nostalgic. Hehehe… the Three Idiots. It's really difficult for me to call them anything else. "What's with that creepy smile? Are you plotting something?"

"Huh? Ah no. It's just that… you kind of remind me of someone I used to know. (…?) You look really similar to her"

"I see. It is not rare to see one or two people that have similar personalities. The world is still a vast place despite the circumstances" That sounded very philosophical for someone like her.

"Ah… hey. So where are the other two?"

"The other two? You mean Tomoe and Ebisu? (Yeah) They are here as well. We have been assigned as Her Highness's personal bodyguards in the duration of her stay in this estate"

"Heeeh? That's quite a big job. It must be nice for you to be in charge of the guards"

"No. (Eh?) There is no one else here in this estate. Other than me, Tomoe and Ebisu and Her Highness, the other residence only includes the Grand Chamberlain and the chauffer, Takahashi. The remainder of the Guards are stationed outside these walls and are not permitted to enter without valid reason or authorization"

"Eh? Wait… are you telling me that there are only six people living in this giant mansion?"

"That is what I just stated. Does your idiocy deafen your hearing as well?"

"B… but isn't that a bit weird? I mean… there are only 3 of you guarding this whole place"

"Do not underestimate the security detail of the Kobuin residence" She said with a stern sense of pride. "We would not leave one of the last members of the royal family without sufficient protection. The only reason we were chosen for this honorable task is because of our loyalty and dedication. Nothing else. (…) The U.N. may have custody of Her Highness in name only… but as long as we exist, we shall be the last line of defense for Her Highness no matter what. That is the duty bestowed upon us by his late majesty"

…

"Still… to have only three guards. (…) It's not that I don't know your abilities… it's just that… it must be tough"

Kamiyo's expression seems to agree with me. "The Honor Guard is not what it used to be anymore. Though we have some discontent and various opinions within the group, our duty still remains. I will not question my orders so long as they do not contradict our oath"

"Does that have something to do with your promotion? (…) You're a 1st Lieutenant now. That's an achievement but I don't see any difference"

She took a short pause before answering. "Our new rank is merely a token. It is not something to be proud of since we failed in our duties. (…) But I do not regret it either. (…?) To be honest… I do not believe I would be here if it were not for your actions that day"

"Where did this come from?"

"I am merely expressing my thanks and gratitude. Were it not for you… I would've died during that battle in Tokyo. Tsukuyomi sama would've killed me for sure. (…) Though it was stupid of you to risk your life like that. If you had left me to die, you would've rescued Her Highness a lot faster. It was an irrational move"

"I didn't want to leave someone behind just to save someone else. (…?) I promised myself that I wouldn't sacrifice anyone unless it was myself"

"Heh… that does sound like something you'd say. After Susono City… I think I've gotten a proper image of you in my head. It is easy to understand why people would put their trust in you without so much of a question. The course of actions you did in Sadogashima made you quite famous around the nation"

"Ahehehe… it wasn't intentional. Besides… I think I was lucky in that part. But… you were also pretty amazing in Tokyo. You, Tomoe and Ebisu. You three were all alone in enemy territory, away from contact because you only had a different opinion about your orders. If it weren't for you three, I don't think I would've been able to get into the city at all. (…) So I think we can call each other even for now. Don't you agree?"

"Heh… you really are a strange one. But I suppose that's one of your good qualities. (Huh?) Ah… n… nothing! I did not say anything" The way she blushes away doesn't make it all that that convincing. "In… in any regard. I thank you for saving my life that night. You have my gratitude. Do not take it as anything else. (Ahehehe) Do not laugh! Are you mocking me!-?"

"Ahahaha… no not at all. You just look cute when you flush like that. (What was that!-?) Ahehehe"

"What's with all this racket!-?" Geh! It's the old cranky lady. "This is a place of serenity for members of the Royal Family! Behave!"

"Forgive us, Grand Chamberlain" Kamiyo bowed lowly to her. "We were merely having a conversation. We shall keep it down"

"It doesn't matter anymore. (…?) You there… boy" She gestured to me. "Her Highness will see you now. Come with me"

"Ah… y… yes ma'am"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Kamiyo and I followed the elderly lady deep inside the main complex. There were so many corridors and twice as many rooms to fill them all. I would've gotten myself lost on the first two intersections if I came in without a guide. I wonder what these rooms are used for anyway. They can't all be bedrooms, could they? I mean… it is supposed to be a place for the royal family so I thought there'd be more.

After a few minutes through the empty halls we finally came upon a small slid screen door at the very end of the main complex. The door didn't look that different from the others. In fact… it was practically the same. Was this building designed to keep intruders guessing which one was the real room? It sounds pretty unelaborated.

"Your Highness. Forgive the intrusion" The old lady knocked on the wooden frame a few times to alert the residents within.

"Oba san?"

…!

My heart skipped a beat.

Th… that voice…! It… it's her…

It feels like forever since I heard that voice. It's so close yet it feels… so distant. (…) My body starts to feel heavy and my legs are growing numb.

"Shirogane Takeru… the guest your requested an audience with, has arrived"

…!

I heard a muffled breathing on the other side of that screen door. My body was getting itchy and my hands were getting hot under these mittens. The very weight of my body was becoming like lead. Why does it feel like every moment that passes by is a year off my life?

"Please… enter. The door is not locked"

…

…

…

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Yuuhi…" That was the first word that left Takeru's lips when the door slid open. His gaze pierced the Grand Chamberlain to see the figure lying on the other side. In that fraction of a moment when their eyes met, everything around them remained silent. Shirogane's shoulder lifted back as if all the weight he had been holding magically came off. His heart began beating faster and faster like drum set in a rock concert. Everything that seemed relevant was left forgotten.

The woman whose name he just said returned the boy's gesture with the smile that she had not made since their last meeting. Yuuhi laid there in her bed covered by thick layers of blankets wearing a white silver gown that one would mistake for a bathrobe. Her lotus colored hair remained ever valiant and her deep sharp eyes grew soft as if to say the words her mouth could not.

Takeru did not wait for permission from anyone when he entered with his heart tightening with each step he took. The Grand Chamberlain protested to his actions but her words were drowned out by the wind and melded into the background. Kamiyo was opted to say something too but was quickly silenced by the expression the Shogun had on her face. It alone… spoke more than a scholar could say in his own lifetime.

"It is good to see you again… Takeru…" Yuuhi greeted her visitor with the best words she could think of. The feeling she had in her chest was something that no man could explain in mere words. It was the same feeling she had when she last embraced her sister in that ship so long ago.

Takeru was stunned. He knelt down beside her bed just like he did with Sumika and tried his best to smile. But something kept him from doing so. There was just something in his eyes and mouth that kept him from showing that expression.

It didn't take him long to realize that he had been crying when Yuuhi wiped a stream of tears from his cheek. A sniffle and cough followed after making the boy look like a man who just had his first child born with no complications. So few people have ever felt such joy and that alone… is considered a blessing.

Moments later, Kamiyo would pull the Grand Chamberlain by her sleeves, gesturing that they were unneeded there. They had no part in this moment and their presence here would be considered nothing more but unwanted. The mere thought of it made the old lady… jealous… if that was even possible for someone her age. But at the same time she could not help but feel some measure of happiness for the girl she came to care like her own daughter.

Feeling that they were hindrance in this moment, she closed the screen door behind her and made off, leaving the two alone for a moment of serenity.

"Thank… goodness…" Takeru added between sobs. "Thank goodness… Yuuhi…"

"Forgive me for worrying you" The Shogun cooed to him, patting his messy hair to sooth his tears. "It merely took awhile to finally get a message from this estate. Please… do not cry…"

"Ah… ahaha… yeah. Th… that's right. I'm soaking all over your bed sheets" Finally gathering his strength together, the boy wiped his unsightly face from existence and calmly looked back to the Shogun's eyes. It felt like the war with the BETA almost didn't matter to him anymore. "Sorry I was… late"

"It is fine. I was the one who asked for your visit. You have nothing to apologize for"

"I know. It's just that. I was… really worried about what might've happened to you. I… didn't know what happened after we parted from Tokyo"

"Ahuhuhu… your concern is heartwarming… but as you can see, I am well. My condition doesn't allow me to move a lot these last few days but the doctor said that I should have a full recovery by month's end. (That's great!) But you should not concern yourself with my wellbeing. In this regard, one must be more concerned about themselves before others. I too was worried of your health when we last met. (Ahehehe…) Please, sit"

Shirogane's face was flushed from the waterworks. He gladly pulled himself an idle chair nearby and returned that longing gaze to the Shogun. Many things ran through his mind when he first came to this estate. He even had a list of things to say and a script written at the back of his head. But when he saw Yuuhi… everything just seemed to have… flushed out before he knew it. All the lines he rehearsed, all the emotions he had… were just washed away in those tears.

**(Takeru's POV)**

"I have heard many great tales about you, Takeru. Ever since I awoke in the hospital, I have seen your name spoken by people and soldiers alike. You have become a figure of great importance in the span of just a few days" Ah… she must've watched the news about me. I've heard that my picture has been on the news channel lately but I haven't had the time to watch it firsthand. "There are some who even hail you as a hero" A hero? Me? Ha… no way. I'm still far from being a hero. "Saving countless lives at the near cost of your own. Such a title is deserving of you"

"Ah… no… I'm not that special. I was just… lucky"

"Ahuhuhu… too much modesty can be considered arrogance in its own, Takeru. (Ahehehe) But then I supposed it is only in your nature to say such things" Ah crap… my face is getting red all of a sudden. It was embarrassing enough just to cry in front of her. Akane was right… I really am a crybaby. "Is something wrong?"

"No… I'm just… relieved. When we parted ways… I was actually expecting the worst case scenario. I'm pretty sure even Meiya was worried sick about you"

"Indeed. She can be a worrisome person. Though I wish she would be more concerned over her own conditions rather than mine"

"Well… you two are alike in that sense. You worry about each other constantly that you keep forgetting your own health"

"Ahuhuhu… indeed. Perhaps we really are more alike than we truly realize" It feels strange. A few moments ago I was pouring my heart out and now I'm laughing with her like nothing happened. It feels… oddly good. "The weather seems to have warmed up a little, hasn't it? (Yeah…) It seems that winter may be ending sooner than we think. (…) Would you accompany me for a short walk, Takeru? (Eh?) I would like to get some fresh air today"

"B… but are you sure that's ok? I mean… your injuries"

"It is fine. The doctor said I can take short walks around the garden as long as I do not attempt anything too stressful. Would you… kindly help me up to my feet?"

…

I couldn't deny her that. With a gentle hand I moved Yuuhi up from her bed, removing the thick blankets from her lower half. Her wrists are so soft. Has she always been this small? She looks so much different from when I last saw her in person. Her stance was so unbalanced that she began to look more like an antique vase. I'm afraid that if I hold her too tightly she might just break.

"Are you sure you can stand on your own?"

She returned to me another approving smile. "Do not worry. I assure you that I have endured greater than this. I am not as weak as my figure would give out" Heh… she's right there. This girl is anything but weak. Anyone who says otherwise would be mistaken on her first look.

…

…

…

We arrived at the garden on the other side of the main building a few minutes later. The snow had lightened up giving way to some measure of sunlight that can be seen through the clouds. The weather was bleak to say the least but it was a lot better than the hail we've been experiencing in the last few weeks.

This garden was pretty much the same as the other one. The flowers have withered from the cold weather but the seeds inside would eventually bloom by the start of spring. The weather outside was pretty gloomy for a walk but it didn't seem to affect Yuuhi one bit.

…

"This place…" Hmm? "It reminds me of the time when you and I first met, Takeru" When we first met? Does she mean during the 12/5 incident? "It was snowing just like this in Hakone. (…) Though it has only been a short time since that day… it feels like an eternity had already pass by. I still have dreams of that day when you and I took a stroll in the park of Susono City"

…

Susono City. I can't believe it's only been a month since that eventful day. Has it really been that long? I've been so preoccupied with so many things that the days fly by like the wind. That was the time when I really changed the future. I changed so many things these past few months that I'm beginning to lose track.

In the process of those changes, I've been looking over the possible interference that may have come from it. There were a few things that changed but I can't seem to find anything relating to each other.

What happened at Susono City is a bit hazy on my end. After all, I was unconscious for about 15 hours when the battle ended. The last thing I remember before I passed out was a big fiery explosion that engulfed me. Yuuko said that I was caught in some kind of air raid but I couldn't remember much from that point onward. By the time I returned to Yokohama, things had already calmed down and there was no longer any need to be on alert.

"You need not worry about Rin nor Eiko. I was assured of their safety the other day. They have been moved to Fukushima before the battle in Tokyo began" Oh right. Those two girls we met back then. I almost forgot about them.

"That's good" I let out a sigh of relief. "At least those two are fine"

"I too am relieved to hear them well. Though I am sure it is not easy for them to witness war again… so soon after their lost. Sometimes I wonder if I could keep my word to the old lady. (…) Ah… forgive me. We should not dally with the past and move on. Please… come with me"

How long has it been since I walked down the road without a care in mind? I can hardly seem to recall when I was this relaxed. We walked for a few more minutes going from one side of the garden to a shed a few steps from the main building. I never left Yuuhi's side and she mostly did the talking in these parts.

**(Imperial Ministry of Intelligence Base) (Somewhere near Mt. Fuji)**

Ikaruga sat in meditative peace that night gazing at the single candle that lit his cell. It has been a week now since he was transferred to this isolated prison away from sound or any sunlight. The only companies he had for comfort were the rats and insects that infested this place by the droves. He couldn't tell how deep he was in. He was blindfolded the entire time when he was brought here. Judging by the echoes he could hear from the dripping water and the time it takes for his meal to arrive, his jailor must've put him down so deep that may as well be in hell.

In the days that came by, the man was given time to exhaust his time by reading the books that were provided. Ironically all the books were based on religion and redemption in the Christian era. None of them were of any use to a man whose sentence was set in stone.

But the man wasn't bothered by time. In fact… time was the only thing he had left. He could care less if his sentence was suspended. A few decades living in this rotting cell wasn't so bad.

As the madman returned his focus on the candle, he closed his eyes and recalled the last moments of his triumph.

A week ago… he would've been crowned a king, a hero of the Japanese people, and a living legend amongst the world. His dream of an empire strong and free, his ambition of becoming greater than what this world could offer. They were so close he could actually sense the after taste it in his tongue. In but a few short moments he would've accomplished things that were so great, the people would compete to build monuments of him across the nation.

It was a dream he shared with a select few. Though some would view him as mad… it was those select few that made him carry it through. But sadly… that dream he had hope to bring to fruition… was shattered by the tiniest flaw in his plans.

Even now, Ikaruga could picture that boy's face in front of him. That boy, who he met at the pier of Niigata… that tiny miscalculation he did not foresee, caused his entire plan to crumble in but a few short moments. After only seconds, the fragile dream he had for Japan was easily shattered. His ambition and the will of the free people were swallowed up by the voice of a naïve boy who wanted to become the hero.

Simply saying it in his head was enough to make the man laugh.

But of course… such naivety would not be taken lightly in a world of reality and idealism. In this world… there was no room for happy fairytales. It would be stamped out like a weed among the flock. But this particular ideal had more strength in it than men would bargain for.

The boy with naïve ideals bit back the force of reality and claimed his right on the table. It was something that even Ikaruga could not have foreseen no matter how much he tried.

_"I'll do what I have to…"_

_"I'll stand and fight. And I'm going to keep on fighting until everyone gets sick of fighting. I'm going to pound that nonsense out of their heads like I did with you"_

"A world without the need of sacrifice. Such a naïve world… yet beautiful… isn't it?" Ikaruga muttered to himself as he saw the last fight play through his head. Simply recalling it through meditation was enough to give him the shivers. The roar, the killing intent, the savage fighting style. You can play it over and over in a simulator room and you still won't get enough of it. It was barbaric… in every form of the word. It was almost as bad as the BETA ripping into your cockpit and preparing to eat your flesh.

But the madman's relapse came to an abrupt end when he noted footsteps echoing in the dark halls. He smelled the stench in the air and knew that it was not the time for his meal. Not unless they wanted to bring this one early for some reason.

But this set of footsteps was heavier… louder. He could tell the materials of those shoes were much more expensive than those that came before.

In but a few moments he saw the face of his new found visitor. A smile curled up from his lips as if he was greeting his attendant rather than a guard.

"Ikaruga dono…"

"Ah… so the infamous Yoroi Sakon finally shows his face. Your presence here must mean that my fate has been decided, doesn't it? (…) Come now. You must be just as surprised as I am to see me alive after the battle of Tokyo. To be honest, I expected the battlefield to be my grave… but my opponent appears to have a merciful hand in his judgment"

Yoroi tipped his hat down with a hint of agreement in his voice. "The boy has a tendency to surprise people that way. Some would call it naivety but you clearly cannot deny the results he can produce"

"I agree" The madman behind bars nodded feeling somewhat relieved. "In a world like this… results are the only things that matter. Like food… you cannot produce first-rate cooking without proper ingredients and a talented chef. Lack one and you lose the benefit of both ends. Looking at the battle back then and his determination, Shirogane is quite the first-class chef. He is indeed a mystery. I have no regret in losing against him"

The spy laughed. "Indeed he is interesting. But aren't you overestimating him too much? (…?) In the end, he crushes everything he sees with his own brute strength. In this world you need more than just muscles to rule over it. His ideals are rather childish too"

"I agree. In a world of realist, such a naivety would be easily crushed like the dirt under our foot. In a war with the BETA… such pathetic ideals are simply not allowed. (…) But that is where our opinions differentiate, Yoroi san. (…?) What if those ideals had the strength to back them up? What if such pathetic and naïve ideals had the power to hold itself on our own ground? Wouldn't that make it interesting? (…) Ahahaha… but enough of this. Though Shirogane would make an interesting topic for us to discuss, I know that you don't have a great deal of time to play 50 questions with me"

Yoroi sighed. The man was good. Tricking someone of his caliber seems inefficient no matter what he tried. Even Yuuko would have some difficulties cracking this man's skull. "Very well. I shall get to the point. 2 years ago, roughly after the time when Yokohama was reclaimed by the United Nations, a secret deal was made between the royal family of Japan and America. Though the use of the G-bombs was highly debated over the table at the time, it did not stop our nation from purchasing it. The reason for us having such powerful weapons was needed to be used in the direst of situations. (…) A total of five of these bombs were paid in advance in good gesture of the Empire. (…) Japan never required the use of such weapons thanks to the miraculous efforts of the ALTERNATIVE IV plan. So the weapons remained dormant until they were used during the 2002 New Year's incident by your faction"

"Yes… guilty as charged. I do not intend to hide it" Ikaruga raised his bottle up as if gesturing a cheer.

"2 of those bombs were used on Shikoku Island killing thousands in the process. Another one was used to power the XG-70 mobile fortress to keep it from malfunctioning. Another was given to the Eurasian Army and was later confiscated by the U.N. (…) That only leaves… one more"

"It's basic mathematics. Addition and subtraction. What of it?"

"That bomb is missing…"


	66. Innocent Days

**Chapter 66: Innocent Days**

**(January 11, 2002 Friday) (U.N. Base Post Exchange) (Kyoto) (10:20 AM) (Marimo's POV) **

Haaaa… it feels like forever since I last had something proper to eat. Working day and night over paperwork is really going to take the years off my life. After finally submitting the last documents in, I finally have a day all to myself. They were finally able to shift in reserves from the bases in the eastern part of the nation and provided us with more manpower around here.

Suzumiya seems to be grateful for the extra hand too and was already off to the barracks for some well earned rest. I think I'll do that too after breakfast. A full stomach and a well rested mind are essential for every soldier. That's what I keep telling all of my students. Hehehe… who knew that I would actually be working back on the field and in the most elite force in the U.N. Army? Though I'm pretty sure Yuuko had something to do with it I can't really say I can complain anymore.

The work I do here is far more valuable than I did back in cadet training school. Though it's a rather sudden change of pace, I find it rather… familiar. I wonder how long it'll be till our next sortie.

The political chains are still unstable at the moment but the U.N. Armed Force has its own problems to contend with. With the 11th Army now nearly exhausted due to the two coups that took place in the central Japan, our military strength had to be focused primarily on securing Honshu with the assistance of the Imperial Army. With the amount of riots that need to be quelled, anti-government and anti-U.N. resistance popping up all over the mainland, it'll be a long while before we can return to our previous strength.

I heard that the U.N. Council decided to bring another Army from Europe to replace our losses here in Japan. A little more manpower would be welcome.

But even so… I don't blame anyone for this setback. Japan was probably neck high in stress already with all the fighting going on. Despite the victory in Sadogashima, it hardly feels all that realistic compared to the last rebellion in Tokyo. It was inevitable for them to let things blow over proportion and letting out their anger in the only way they knew how.

Yet… they still don't understand. The government and its members are doing the best they can in this war. The world won't revert back to its kinder self in just a day. An ordeal such as this takes time and patience to overcome.

"Haaaa…"

Hmm? That girl sighing over there. Isn't that…

"2nd Lt. Kashiwagi?"

"Huh? Oh… ah… Instructor" She saluted at me which I quickly waved off. "Sorry. I didn't notice you there"

"Are you just having breakfast now? It's rare to see you wake up late. Did something happen last night?"

She groggily muttered to herself with a bitter tone. Maybe I shouldn't have asked. "Something like that. I was kept up all night because of… a little misunderstanding with someone and Munakata is hounding me for it"

"She's always been like that. I would've thought you've grown used to it by now"

"Yeah… but lately she's been more stubborn about it"

"Then all you can do is bare the blunt side of it. Munakata has always enjoyed teasing others no matter how petty the subject is. The others have already gone off for today. Mind joining me? (Of course) Ahehehe… it's been awhile since we last met back at Yokohama Base. We've never really had the chance to talk like this"

"Yeah. We were all so busy with training that we didn't have time to catch up at all. I never would've thought I'd actually be working with you again, Instructor. I thought you were determined to stay as an instructor forever"

Heh… I thought that too. "I guess you can't really tell what the future holds, neh? (Ahahahaha) By the way. That's quite a lot of food you have there. I didn't know you had such a large appetite, Kashiwagi"

"Ah… no. This is for… something else. (…?) I'm trying different things to get a better taste of what goes with which ingredient. The sauce is just for show"

"Eh? But I thought you were already an excellent cook when you were in cadet training"

She ruffled her hair shyly with an awkward laugh. "Well… I've been out of practice since I joined the army. I've only been commissioned for two months now so I rarely get the chance to get into the kitchen again"

"Oh? What brought this on? Is there a particular reason why you're back with kitchen wares?"

A smile cracked on my lips when I saw her face turn to a shade of red. "Uh… n… nothing really. I just thought that I… might get back to some… finer things in life… ahe…hehe…"

"Ora… don't tell me it's for someone special. (Fuwa!) Gotcha! (Eh?) Alright. I won't pry. But if you want, I can loan you a few pointers. I've had some time in the kitchen when Sergeant Major Kyouzuka isn't around the cafeteria. (Really?) Really. We can start tomorrow. Unless of course, if you're busy"

"No! Not at all. I'd be more than happy to have you teach me again, Instructor"

Ahuhuhu… it's nice to be called that again. After being promoted a few weeks ago, it feels like forever since I last stepped inside a classroom. Nowadays it's all just been one workload to the next. It'll be nice to finally get some recreation done once in awhile and cooking just happens to be my specialty. Hmm… I wonder who Kashiwagi's preparing a meal for. It has to be someone special for her to be making one with her own hands. Buying food is one thing but making the food itself is another matter entirely.

"Ah… there you are, Kashiwagi" Another voice interrupted our meal time conversation. I looked towards the voice only to find Isumi standing at the edge of the table in her usual military uniform. "I've been looking for you all morning. (Captain?) I was just about to head to your room"

"Sorry about that. I was out dodging Munakata this morning. I haven't been able to get some decent peace since now. You need me for something ma'am?"

"A letter came for you this morning. It was dropped in by the mailman. (Mail?) Yeah. I thought you might want"

"Ah… thank you. But you didn't have to do that captain. I would've received notification later if it was in my mailbox"

"I thought you should have it now before you change your mind. (…?)" Kashiwagi reluctantly accepted the letter that Isumi produced from her breast pocket. "You should read it at your own time. (…!) Our TSFs are still under repair so we won't be going anywhere anytime soon. But starting Monday, I expect each and every one of you to start coming in on roll call. Can you tell the others about this, 1st Lt. Jinguuji?"

"Of course. I'll pass the word along, ma'am"

**(Underground Prison) (Somewhere near Mt. Fuji)**

An uneasy pause hung around the air that afternoon in the cell beneath the earth of Mt. Fuji. The sound of dripping water from steam pipes and squeaking rats were all the noise one could hear other than the breathing of the two men eyeing one another like they were ready to break each other apart.

On one side of the iron bars stood the former rebel ringleader, Ikaruga Takatsugu who stared emptily with a cocky smile on his lips. On the other side, Yoroi Sakon, the Ministry of Intelligence's Section Chief stared with an unlikely frown.

It was obvious that neither side were friends. The feelings that they were resonating was so intense that it may have killed even the ants between them. The rats that littered the place even agreed that if it weren't for those iron bars between them, Yoroi would've probably be strangling the prisoner with his own bare hands to get what he wants. But sadly enough the man resisted his urge to kill the unarmed convict and placed his sidearm back in its holster.

"So this is the real reason why you visited me" Ikaruga began an open dialogue sending a chill down his interrogator's spine.

"It's been confirmed that a total of five bombs were acquisitioned to the Royal Family shortly after the Yokohama incident. All have been accounted for, so to speak, except one"

"And your superiors believe that I would possess the knowledge of the fifth bomb's location. How interesting. What makes you believe I would know anything about it?"

"With the exception of the Emperor and the Kobuin Household, the Ikaruga family was the only ones present during the transaction and has been in charge of their locations and security so they would never into the wrong hands. Judging by that logic alone I would believe that you of all people would know where they are. (…) We attempted to seize all the weapon caches that belonged to the former five reigning families at first but by the time we got to them, they were all emptied in a hurry. Other than the G-Bomb alone a substantial amount of weapons are still left unaccounted for so you can see our distress"

"So by taking our means to defend ourselves you will prevent another armed uprising from happening. Ahuhuhuhu. Such a simple blunder" Ikaruga gave out a hearty laugh which echoed across the empty halls of his prison. "And what will you do if I helped you locate this missing arsenal of yours?"

"The will be up to the council to decide. I am simply to gather whatever information I can get"

"Then I'm afraid your efforts have been misled. I have no knowledge where the last bomb is. Even if I did… what makes you believe that I would tell you"

"You are a man who have nothing to lose and nothing to gain" Yoroi explained with a cocky smirk. "After you last scuffle in the capital, your reputation has soured, yet somehow you still retain a few loyal subjects. Some who are still keen on rescuing you"

"Yes. Loyalty can be quite a trick. I'm actually quite surprised they haven't found me yet. You must've hidden me quite deep"

"It's more of a plan of trickery. I send out dummy prison transports to separate locations making the loyalists believe that you are in one of them when in truth you were never moved from the spot"

"Ah… I see. I supposed your reputation does live up to its name" Ikaruga let out a rare praise to the man who simply tipped his hat in return. "It seems like the bomb situation has left you people uneasy. After you saw its affects first hand in Yokohama and Shikoku Island… I can only imagine what it has done to the people's psyche. The last thing you want is to see another massacre like that happen again"

"Then does that mean you know where the bomb is?"

"You're simply asking the wrong questions, Section Chief Yoroi. No one knows where the bomb is. You don't know, I don't know and the council definitely doesn't know. (…) The real question here is… who would benefit for having such a dangerous weapon at their disposal? Who has to gain… in having such power in their hands? The answer to that question… is probably sticking out of your mouth right now"

"You ask who… so it is a person not an organization"

"Who knows? What does your detective instincts tell you? (…) Why would anyone want something so deadly within arm's reach?"

"Power…" Yoroi immediately answer. "Without power… no one will listen to you. (Aha…) Does someone want our attention?"

"I'm afraid that will be a question only your future self may answer. (…) Well? Does that satisfy your curiosity, Section Chief?"

"Yes. I am content. I am grateful for the information you have given me"

"I don't suppose this will lead to anything close to an early release"

The old detective dressed man gave a small chuckle in response. "I'm afraid not. A man of your stature is too dangerous to be let loose upon this world. Besides… I made a promise to myself. (Oh?) That I will kill you with my own hands… before I see you out of this cell" The tone in Yoroi's voice suddenly turned deep as if it had lost its previous humor for just a short moment.

But Ikaruga didn't seem to flinch. It was like he was expecting that phrase to come out of his mouth. "That sounded almost personal, Section Chief"

"Blame my daughter. She's in love with an idiot and right now I have no choice but to follow"

**(Takeru's POV) (Kobuin residence)**

We've been walking around the compound for about 10 minutes now before we finally came to a stop at one of the buildings. It looks a lot like an old fashion storage house. What could we be doing here?

"Ahuhuhu… this reminds me of the time back in Yokohama" Yuuhi gave a chuckling noise in my direction. "Do you remember, Takeru?"

"Yeah…" How could I forget? I nearly had a heart attack when she appeared that day. It was in the ruins of the old Hiiragi town where I used to live back in my world. She showed up right in the middle of town with Yoroi and we had a short talk together. It wasn't really much of a talk… more like she was just passing by. That was also the day she handed me that sword. It was there… I was able to understand Yuuhi and knew deep in my heart that she wouldn't have ordered something like a rebellion in the capital.

"Is the dog and her family safe? (Dog?) The little ones we met in Yokohama. I hope they are well" Oh… that dog. (Flash) The one that took my yakisoba bread. Now that she mentioned it, I remember seeing that mutt at the front gate of Yokohama Base a few times. Right before we deployed for Kyoto… the guards at the gate kept it as their little mascot or something. I haven't been paying much attention to it.

"They should be fine" I answered. "If Yokohama Base is intact, I'm pretty sure those little ones safe. They have a pretty good keeper after all"

"Ahuhuhu… I am glad"

…

"Hey… Yuuhi… (Hmm?) I… I need to know. Why did you call me here? (…?) I mean… I'm really glad to see you again… but this is just…"

"Does it trouble you to visit?"

"N… no! Actually… I'm quite happy that you called me to visit you. It makes me… feel kinda special. But even so, you wouldn't take all the risk sending a member of the Honor Guard to a U.N. base without good reason. If you simply didn't want me to worry, then you could've easily send a letter like before"

"Hmm…" Her expression didn't change. In fact… they actually got warmer towards me. "I cannot deny it. (…?) You are correct, Takeru. Though as much as I desire to speak with you on a peaceful matter, I'm afraid there is a valid reason why I brought you here with such urgency. (…) We're almost there. Please bear with me just a little bit longer" I wasn't really sure what she wanted here but it does sound important. I followed her into the storage room which was pretty much packed with so many old antiques that can easily fill up a museum. "Our nation is suffering through a great change since that eventful day in our capital. Crops burned, homes demolished and families are separated. A great rift has been caused by the people and the ruling class that cannot be ignored. If such things continue… I feel that it is only a matter of moments before more incidents like the last one spurs up all over again"

"Another rebellion?"

"Yes. But there is a way to stop that from happening. (…) If we can appease their desire… then perhaps we can return the people back to their dormancy and we can solely focus on rebuilding rather than repairing this broken nation. (…) I know that you have been through much already, Takeru, but I asked that you lend me your strength once more for this task"

"Heh… you really don't need to ask. (…?) I promised to help you whenever I could, remember? If you're honest about it then you can count on me"

She curled up a small warm smile on her lips. "Ahuhuhu… you continue to amaze me to no end at all… Takeru"

"Ahehehe. Well I try my best"

"Then let us continue" She then gently place her hand on the wall of the storage room which turned out to be a switch of some sort. The floor beneath us gave way revealing a stairway leading downward covered by an open trap-door. Is it a basement? No… they wouldn't need a storage room if they had a basement… would they? It's pretty dark, you can hardly see anything around here. The only source of light I had was Yuuhi's robes that glittered in the faintest spark. "Please follow me"

Soon enough we arrived at a pretty spacious room at the bottom of the stairs. It's still pretty dark so I can't tell what was in there.

Bonk!

"Ow! What the heck?" I hit my head on something.

"Ebisu san. Can you please turn on the power switch?" Ebisu? Was she here? How can she tell?

"Yes Your Highness"

Click…

Ow! That's too much light for someone who has been in the dark for only two minutes. Damn it. First it was too dark and now it's too bright. In either case, I still can't see!

"Are you alright, Takeru?"

"Y… yeah. The lights just blinded me for a second th… eh?" What the hell!-? What is this place?

"Do not be alarmed. You are in no danger here" The basement she brought me to wasn't a basement at all. In fact… it was probably the furthest thing from a basement. It was a 10x20 room with a ceiling just as high. There were computer consoles scattered across the room and enough monitors to make my head spin. At the center of the room, stood a virtual projector that showed a 3-dimensional version of almost anything. That's a pretty pricy piece of equipment. The place was so distinctive that it almost reminds me of the mobile Command Post that I used to work in.

"Whoa… what is all this?"

"This was once one of the forward command posts of the Household Honor Guards during the battle of Kyoto when the BETA first came from the mainland. The estate was built over it a year later to facilitate any needs for future defense or campaigns in times of war" I see. I guess nobody would suspect such a place to be a command center for the royal army. "But we should not dally. Allow me to show you something. (…?) Ebisu. Please bring up the latest design plan we had the other night. (Yes Your Highness)" A beam of light appeared from the table but I couldn't see anything. "Takeru… here…"

Yuuhi handed me a small looking object which I quickly recognize as an intercom that we used on our Eishi Suit's headset. I've used it a few times outside of a TSF to simply move the cameras. Only those who have no knowledge of TSFs would find it strange.

The moment I placed it on my ear I saw a holographic image on top of the table projector. "Is that… a building?"

"This is the latest project that I have been conducting on for the past few weeks" Yuuhi explained with a serious tone. "It was designed by members of the Imperial Ministry of Technology Civilian Branch to answer with the current strain of rations in the nation. They call it the food processing plant"

Food processing plant?

"It is the solution to providing ample stable food at an accelerated rate. In the past few months that have gone by there have been many outbreaks of battle within the borders of Japan. With our war with the BETA and the recent coups that occurred, the people have been growing restless. And now with our supplies of food dwindling to keep the war efforts going, the common people barely have anything to go on. (…) This plant will serve as a hub, providing the basic necessities our country deserve"

"A building that grows food?"

"Synthetic food" Hmm? Ebisu.

"Ebisu san is correct. The food they develop there will be purely synthetic. Facilities such as this are not uncommon in any country right now. You may even call it a redundant idea. Even so, small food plants like those can only produce so much before their needs, exceed their output. This one however is different. (…?) Besides its amazing processing power, this facility will become fully automated instead. This will greatly ease the need for workers and maintenance to allow the plan to function without stop. You may say that you can run this facility with but a hand full of workers to fill. (…) Should this plan succeed, it will increase our food yield by a total of 40%"

40%!

"Th… that's amazing! It can produce that much?"

"Those are only the round up numbers the Ministry of Technology has been able to provide. There is no telling how much it will truly yield until it has been built" Still… those are some huge digits. With that facility, it can change a lot of things. "This is the reason why I asked you to come here in person, Takeru. (…?) I require your aid in this endeavor"

"Me? But… what can I do?"

"The final design of the food processing plant requires additional aid to complete. As you may have notice… all available resources we have at our disposal is being allocated to rebuilding the lives of our people. At this rate it will take years before this plan can come to fruition. (…) I do not wish to take more than what the people can give, and with the government strained with their diplomatic task, it gives me no other choice but to turn my hands to the United Nations. (…) I know they've suffered greatly in the past week and the royal family is the one to blame but if their goal remains in the benefit for all humanity then they cannot ignore this project"

"B… but why me?" I stuttered. "I have no idea what to do with something like this. I'm not good with construction or math… or…"

"Perhaps I was unclear. (Eh?) I require the aid of your guardian. One who is called, Kouzuki Yuuko. (…!) She is the one I desire to make contact with" Yuuko? I see. Right now, getting to meet with her is almost as hard as trying to get an audience with the Shogun. But with me as the middle man, I get to visit either one of them any time I want with the usual security channels. Now that I think about it, it makes me feel kinda… like Yoroi. A simple messenger. "Is something the matter?"

"No. It's just that. I guess I was kind of expecting this, unconsciously"

"Forgive me for asking you such a task when you have done so much already"

"No. It's fine. I don't mind being a messenger. It really can't be helped after all since it's nearly impossible to get something to her without going through the proper channel. If I go, it'll make things simpler. If what you say is true and this thing does provide more food for everyone, then I'm all for it. I'm never good with anything when it involves my brain but I'll try to help out in whatever way I can. Even if it just a lowly delivery job, I'll do my best. You can count on me. (…) Besides… it's not like I have anything to do right now. So don't apologize, ok?"

"Ahuhuhu… I appreciate your understanding. I shall leave it to you then, Takeru. (No problem) Ebisu…"

"Yes ma'am" The little girl behind her nodded and handed me the folder containing the plans of the food plant. I skimmed through it for a bit and noted every page. There are so many numbers and formulas here that it kind of rivals Yuuko sensei's 100 page equation.

"All the details of the processing plant are there. I know that convincing her will be difficult"

"Hey, don't underestimate me. She might be a hard nut to crack but if I can survive a BETA attack then convincing her should be child's play"

"Your confidence is welcoming"

"I'll give this to her when I get the chance. That's a promise"

Grumble…

…

…

…

Uh… was that… my stomach just now? That was pretty loud.

…

"Ahehehehehe…"

"Have you not eaten, Takeru?"

"N… no. As a matter of fact… I think I woke up pretty early this morning so I didn't have the time to visit the cafeteria" Not to mention that all this talk of synthetic food and processing plants got my stomach reminding me that it needs intake too.

"Then perhaps you would like to join me for breakfast. (Uh…) I would very much enjoy your company"

"Th… then I'll take you up on that offer"

…

…

…

"Idiot…"

Guuuh! Ebisu…! Does she really have to add that final word so quietly?

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

**(U.N. Base Kyoto) (Gym)**

It was a peaceful afternoon, there at the gym of the U.N. military base. Well… as peaceful as a battlefield could be.

"Teeeeh!"

If you ignore the groaning noise of cracking bones and the broken pride of men's esteem on the wrestling arena, you would call it peaceful and quiet. If you can turn a blind eye at the small pile of bodies that were stacked up on the bench, you would probably recommend this place to a yoga instructor to teach his students to meditate.

"Dorrrya!"

"Gahhhh!"

Whack! Poof! POW!

But considering all the yelling you could hear from the arena, you'd probably reconsider that idea and look for an empty park instead.

Thud…

"K.O! Winner, Hayase!" The referee of the match declared with his hand up in the air blowing a whistle to announce the victor.

Mitsuki wiped the sweat off her brow as she looked at her latest accomplishment. She had return to the gym this morning and re-challenged all the soldiers that she won her meal tickets with. There were fresh new challengers to add to that roster but everyone she went up against all seemed to meet the same fate. On her corner overlooking the match, Akane was cheering her on while at the same time acting like a coach providing all the necessary aid needed for her fighter to continue.

Over by the audience bench, Meiya was observing the match closely to familiarize herself in close combat. Though her wounds restricted her from any strenuous training, observing CQC was perhaps good in its own way.

She had been here since the match began and from what she could tell, that was perhaps Hayase's 11th opponent for today. The man lasted three minutes longer than the other opponents but that was only because her CO has been fighting without stop. If anything… that alone should be considered an impressive feat.

"Ara? This is a surprise" The young samurai was alerted to a voice that was directed at her. "I thought you'd still be in the track field, Mitsurugi"

"2nd Lt. Kazama?" The girl raised a brow at her. "Ah… I have already finished my daily exercise. I am currently observing 1st Lt. Hayase to train myself in close quarter combat"

"Aren't you supposed to take it easy? You just recovered from a gunshot after all"

"Training the body is simply half of the path to true strength. Adjusting one's mind to combat is another half"

"Ah… so that's it" Touko let out an understanding smirk. "I guess I can understand you there. The same thing can be said with sniper training. Though you don't need a lot of strength to pull the trigger, you still need a calm mind to judge a shot. But I doubt you'll learn much from Hayase when she's in fighting mode. (Doryaaaa!) From what I can see… she seems to be plowing through her opponent's defenses with nothing but brute force. You won't learn any techniques from her"

"I agree" Meiya nodded. "1st Lt. Hayase has been… rather violent as of late. It's easy to discern her patterns of attack but she seems to crush the enemy defenses regardless of their weight or size"

"Oh that? She's always been like that. Hayase always tackled every problem she had straight on and worry about the mess later. You could say that she uses a certain method in getting through. (A method?) Yeah. Misae told me about it but that girl tends to picture her opponent as something she wants to defeat the most. That way, she always go all out without holding anything back"

"I see. She pictures her enemy on her opponent to bring out the best in her"

Touko confirmed it with a nod. "I heard that she even put Misae's picture one time on her punching bag. (Eh!-?) It's true. Sometimes people need something to vent their stress through in the end"

"Then… perhaps could she be picturing, Tak—I mean, 1st Lt. Shirogane on her opponent right now?"

"That seems to be the most likely candidate right now. I think she still hasn't gotten over the duel they had back in Yokohama. I think she's grown quite a fascination for his skills"

Meiya seems to understand but only in her own mature way. "I see. But I do not really know if Tak—I mean 1st Lt. Shirogane would take that as a good thing. For some reason… I believe he's trying his best to avoid combat with 1st Lt. Hayase"

"Ahahaha… he wouldn't be the first. When Hayase sees someone stronger than her, it makes her more hyped than usual. You could say that someone has a clear goal on something"

And Kazama wasn't wrong either. As the most recent opponent got pounded to the ground, Hayase could only crack her shoulder in reply. It took her less than a minute to knock the big guy to the floor. Despite her small figure, her body seems to possess the strength of Hercules that no mortal man can topple. Anyone who tried to take her down soon found themselves on the floor faster than they could cry out 'OMG'.

After the fallen has been dragged away, the victorious warrior returned to her corner where her partner/coach/friend was praising her of her triumph. Hayase simply waved it off and took a breather by the stool, waiting patiently when she will finally get that man she's been so eagerly awaiting.

She wanted Shirogane Takeru in that ring with her on a one-on-one match. She could already picture how it would go. The fight will be biblical. It would rock the foundation of this gym to such a level that heaven and earth would split making way for the apocalypse.

She wanted a fight that would make the hair on her skin crawl, a fight that would pitch her in a way her mind, body and soul would sit at the very edge of their limits. A fight that would make her breaks a sweat and brings about Armageddon itself. A fight that would very well tear this whole room apart and soldiers and cadets would forever memorize it as the match of legends!

The only worthy adversary she could think of was the only person that was able to battle her to a draw the other day. Shirogane… Takeru. That was the person she wanted to get her hands on. It wasn't because she looked down on the other members of her team.

She knew that Mitsurugi was skillful in her own way and Ayamine was no different either. The two of them would probably put up a decent fight but it wasn't what she was looking for. She had a match with Munakata a long time ago and the others had their own strengths.

But that boy had that something the others did not. She vaguely remembers it in their last duel. She remembered being engulfed in an overwhelming sensation that nearly drowned her in it. It was only a glimpse but she knew that it was there. That beast lurking behind his eyes. It was hidden until the very last moment when their blades were drawn against one another.

Just thinking about it made her body shiver with excitement. But her thoughts were quickly dashed away when she noted that another foe decided to take up her challenge. It wasn't Shirogane… but a nice warm up was good for the best of brawlers. It'll have to do for now…

**(Kobuin Residence, front gate) (Takeru's POV) (A few hours later)**

Ah… the cold weather. It seems like the sun isn't going to shine today either. How dull. I would've appreciated at least one glow of sunlight at least. That way it'll give me a reason to come out and see the sky. But I guess beggars can't be choosers.

"The weather doesn't seem to be clearing, does it?" Yuuhi who was standing beside me asked already knowing the answer.

"It's been like this for almost two weeks now. You can't really tell if it's day or night in cloudy days like this"

"A day does not necessarily need to begin with the sun shining on our faces. Sometimes, the company of friends and love ones are more than sufficient to get through the hours. Though… I am quite saddened that we cannot more time together"

"Well… I already spent too much time here. I don't want to overstay my welcome. Besides… I got to enjoy a free meal here too"

"Ahuhuhu… if food is all that you need for a visit, then feel free to come back any time. Oba san enjoys cooking very much and her skills are unparallel as far as I know"

"Your Highness, you praise me too much" The old lady in question bowed slightly in honor. "But I would much prefer to cook for you rather than this pig…" Geh… come on. What did I ever do to get on your bad side? She's like a mother who's irritated of seeing her daughter's boyfriend.

"Do not take her words too seriously. She simply has a difficult time trusting strangers"

"No it's ok" I waved it off. "I've gotten used to being treated like that" Hayase and some of my other teammates pretty much do the same thing despite my rank. I guess what they say about first impression are true after all.

"Shirogane dono, Your Highness" Takahashi approached us from the large wooden gate wearing his usual chauffer suit. "Forgive the intrusion, but the car is ready"

"I thank you, Takahashi" Yuuhi gave out a waving gesture in reply. "I understand it is difficult to manage in this weather but would you give me a few moments longer?"

"Think nothing of it, Your Highness. Managing a land vehicle is not that different from the planes I've piloted in the past. Please take your time. I shall be waiting for you outside, Shirogane dono"

"Ah… yeah… thanks" It feels weird to have him bow to me like that. "Well… I'll be leaving, Yuuhi"

"A moment of your time, Takeru. (Hmm?) There is one last gift I wish to give you before you leave. (…?) Tomoe… please give it here"

"Yes, Your Highness" Tomoe? How did she get there? I didn't even notice. She's also garbed in yellow like the other two that I saw earlier today. And… that thing on her hand.

"Is that…?"

Yuuhi nodded to confirm my unasked question. "The blade was confiscated at the end of the battle by the Household Honor Guards. They returned it to me by right. I wish to return it to its true holder"

"Eh… but I'm…"

"The sword alone holds no meaning. It is the bearer that gives it purpose. I was hoping you would accept it once more as a symbol of my trust" I slowly reached out to it and let the weight of the sword sink into my hands. It's heavy… just like it was before.

"But… are you sure?"

"I have no use of it. A sword is only good as its holder. I'm afraid the discipline and dedication I once honed during my earlier youth has left me. I no longer have the skills necessary to wield something of this caliber. I'd rather let it be in your hands than to let it collect dust in the storage room. Besides… did you not say that you would claim my life as your own?"

…!

_"If your life is no longer worth living… then I'll claim that life for myself"_

"Awawawawawawa!" Crap… she remembers it too!

"What was that!-?" Ah hell… the old lady too!-?

"How did you say it? If your life is no longer worth living… then I'll claim…"

"Ah! No! Don't say it! Please! I'll die of embarrassment!"

"Ahuhuhuhu. It was such an unoriginal sentence. Thinking back at it now, it is almost laughable"

"H… hey! It was the spur of the moment! (Ahuhuhu) S… stop that! I was trying to save you!"

"My apologies. I merely wanted something to talk about. It is difficult to create a conversation in such circumstances" She paused for a moment, holding out her hand to collect the next snowflake that dropped to her palm. "Though it has already been hours since your arrival here… it feels like only moments have passed. If only there was a way for time to stop"

"If time stopped, then we won't be able to get anything done at all. The only thing we can do is… move on. (…) Someone once told me that time is the cruelest form of kindness. It doesn't really wait for anyone"

"Ahuhu… you are correct once more. Regardless of our feelings, time will always move forward. But sometimes… I wish all of this would just… stop… just for one moment" Time traveling… heh… just thinking about it already brings up a bad memory in me. If I told her that going back in time was possible, she'd probably laugh. After all… this isn't the first loop I've done. "But I suppose… as a member of the Royal Family… we do not have such luxury of time"

"Well… I won't pretend to understand how that feels. I know that being the leader of a nation can't be easy and the decisions you make can be unbearable. (…) Just… don't forget to come out for air every once in awhile. Even if you are the Shogun… you're still human and you could use a break now and then"

"Perhaps I shall seek comfort in you, next time, Takeru"

"If I can help in anyway, then I'll try my best. Besides… if I can bring you out of a burning castle and take down a floating fortress… then helping you out should be child's play. (…) Well… I should probably go now. If I end up missing for too long, they'll get suspicious"

I gave my last goodbye to Yuuhi before turning towards the gate. The weather was still dull and the snow was gathering at my new coat. If I don't go now… I'm sure someone will notice and I'll probably get lectured by either Cpt. Isumi or Marimo chan. Still… this feels… strange.

It was neither good or bad… it was just… strange. My body wanted to move but my legs can barely respond to them. Something in my heart was telling me… to wait… to slow down… even just a little bit. That nudging feeling in my chest was somehow dragging me back.

…

Fwup…

"Eh?" I felt something grabbing the back of my coat just now. It wasn't harsh but it was still… forceful. I turned my head back only to meet Yuuhi's slim figure once more. Her hands were dug deep into my jacket and her eyes lowered to avoid my gaze. "Yuuhi… san?"

"W… wait…" She barely made that word come out of her mouth like she was holding her breath. "Please… just… wait a moment. (…) I… I… wish to confess something to you… so please… just… let me have a little more of your time. (…?) Wh… what you said is true. I am a member of the royal family and the leader of this nation. But regardless of my status… I am still an ordinary human girl… and I for one still owe you a debt of my life"

"Your… Highness"

"I was… I was truly… afraid that night" She pressed her body against my back, leaning her warmth towards mine. I can feel her hands trembling, as if they were holding back to wrap themselves around me. "In truth… when I was trapped in the palace that night… I truly believed that it was my destiny to die. I failed in my duties and in the end… I felt so powerless to do anything but watch as my people suffer through my incompetence. I thought death would be some kind of mercy to someone like me"

I turned around and cuddled her head to my chest. "Hey… it's alright. Everything's fine now"

Her voice was straining and slowly but surely… I can feel her tears running through my uniform. "When I heard your voice then… I really thought the gods had smiled on me once more. (…) I was overjoyed when you came to aid me… but I was still… so afraid"

"Hey come on now. This isn't the first time you've seen me fight. Was it really that scary?"

"No… of course not. I have seen you battle against greater odds and still return victorious but even so… when you went out against them… I truly did fear the worst. You were fighting against men who have seen countless battles before you… men who have seen the true horrors of war and survived. (…) When I think about their experience and yours… I began thinking that one of them might actually hit you and that you… would die right there… in front of me"

"Well I guess you have a point there. I was a little bit reckless. But I was fortunate that they let their guard down just long enough for me to beat them to a pulp"

"That's far from the point!" Oh crud. Now she's crying at me. "You do not understand… how difficult it was… to watch you from afar all the while knowing at some point at some time… you could die. To be so powerless while I entrusted the fate of my nation to someone who had no part in it"

"Hey… now you're starting to sound like Sagiri. (…) I know how it feels like to be powerless. But wasn't it your idea to give me this in the first place? (…?)" I lifted up the sword she gave me, proving my point. "You gave me this so that I could protect you. (…) Meiya told me what it means to give this to someone. You relinquish the power to defend yourself by entrusting your life to me. What I did back then was completely my choice. (Takeru…) So please… can you stop crying for me?"

"Ah… forgive me… it appears that I have shown weakness. It was… against my etiquette to bring my emotions on such a scale"

"Whether it rain or shine… you can always cry when it hurts. (…) There's no rule in this world that says you can't show feelings just because of your status"

"Takeru… san…" Her eyes are sparkling with tears. Before I even knew it, she was bawling on my chest like she did back in Susono. All that pent up feeling that she had been holding was pouring out like a dam that had burst. Everything she wanted to express, to feel, to show… were being let out. I know that she needed to hold those in for the better of the country. But for once… I think they would let her let it all out just the way she wants it.

…

…

…

It took awhile before she finally stopped crying. By that time, the front of my uniform was already drenched with her tears. Man… and I thought I was the crybaby.

"Ah… forgive me. It seems I have used you as my sponge once more"

"I've gotten used to it. This isn't the first time you've bawled over me. (Ah… that's right…) If it helps, you can always slap me again"

"Ahuhuhuhu… I shall refrain from doing that again, Takeru san. Though never I thought I would have to lean over the shoulders of another man to hide my worries. It seems like my debt to you continues to pile up in greater numbers"

"Well you did ask for me to help you whenever you're down. (Ahuhuhu) But… right now… I'd better head back"

"Yes… I understand completely. After all… this world still requires you, Takeru, soldier of the United Nations. If you are willing to give your best out there for the sake of this nation and humanity itself then I shall endeavor to do the same. (Ahehehe) Ahuhuhu… and should our paths cross again… then perhaps next time… you would like to join me for dinner"

"I'll definitely be looking forward to it… Yuuhi…"

**(Marimo's POV) (U.N. Base Kyoto) (Barracks) (12:15 PM)**

"Haaaaaa…"

Goodness… since when was the last time I had a yawn that big? I must be getting really lax from my duties with all this no-formal regulations unless absolutely necessary. After being a stiff instructor for 5 years in a row… I guess I must've learned how to loosen up a bit. Hmm… that also reminds me. I should've gotten my salary today. Maybe I should treat myself something nice for dinner. It's not every day we get to be stationed in a big city like Tokyo so I shouldn't waste the chance while I still have it. I wonder if someone here can recommend me a restaurant nearby.

I know that I trained myself to like synthetic food but there's no harm in having little treat once in a while. Right… it's settled. I'm gonna spoil myself tonight. After a good afternoon's nap I'll go out and… eh?

Hey… isn't that… Shirogane? What is he doing in that fancy looking car? Oh? It seems like the driver is escorting him out. Did he go out on business—or maybe Yuuko sent him on some top secret assignment? Well… I guess I shouldn't be surprised. Being acquainted to someone like her can often lands you in strange positions. But then again… I supposed those two are rather more alike than people would give credit for.

Yuuko is cunning and always has her mind in the mission. Shirogane is naïve but has more than enough strength to back up his goals. Though you'd probably see them as complete opposites they seem to share some measure of bond that keeps them attach. Their methods are unorthodox and constantly reckless in one way or another but no one can deny the results they give in the end. With Shirogane's strength and Yuuko's mind… they would truly make for a frightening pair.

I haven't seen him in person since the Battle of Tokyo. I heard that he returned to active duty but I never imagined that he would come back so quickly after what he accomplished. He's currently a hot topic that's being passed around by cadets and commissioned officers as of late. Soldiers talk about him constantly like a famous rumor and even the instructors back at various training schools are using him as a prime example to train cadets.

Back then a part of me was fascinated by Shirogane's prowess. I even went as far as searching through confidential information. That alone got me in hot waters with Yuuko which also seems to play a part in my transfer from the training school.

Oh? He seems to be done talking with the driver. Maybe I should… no. I probably shouldn't bother him. The boy probably has enough on his plate without me interfering. A good instructor knows that you should never get involve with your students or pester them about their past. (…) Ugh… saying that phrase in my head makes me feel like a hypocrite. Why is it that I keep contradicting my own words with my own actions? Something has got to be wrong with me.

Well… it doesn't matter now. I should probably just leave him alone and get some rest. Yes… that's right. A long nice nap for a hard working soldier. Besides, it's not like I have to follow him around 24/7. I'm not some groupie that likes to hang out with a specific person in general. Yes… and I even plan to treat myself out tonight so I'll need all of my energy.

…

Then again… it might look quite pathetic for a woman to be eating in a restaurant all by herself. Maybe I should ask Shirogane to come with me. (…) Geh! No! What am I thinking!-? I'm not some lonesome woman who wants an escort to a fancy restaurant just so she could look good in front of others! This is my alone time and I don't need anyone to ruin it!

…

But… Shirogane did say he wanted to taste my cooking. Maybe this will be a good way to find out what he prefers in a meal. He did like those fried eggs and tomatoes. (…) Wha!-? NOOOO! What the hell!-? I'm reverting back to my other-self! Why should I care what he likes to eat!-? I'm not his den mother or his girlfriend! I don't have to cook something he likes! Hell, I should just cook something he hates, like liver or raw eggs instead! Yeah… a meal that'll make him sick to the stomach! Aha… ahahaha!

…

Wait… but if I do that, won't it be too obvious that I made something he dislikes? No… I should make something he likes and pretend that I didn't know what he liked to begin with. Yes… it's perfect. I'll create the perfect meal that he can't resist and I'll pretend not even knowing it, all the while pretending to pretend that I did know…

…

…

…

WHAT THE HELL DOES THAT EVEN MEAN!-!-!-? ARGHHHH! This is hopeless! I'm talking myself in circles! My words are becoming so twisted that they're not even making sense anymore!

"Marimo… sensei?" Eh? Sens… ahhhh!

"Sh… Shirogane!" WHY NOW OF ALL TIMES!-?

"Wh… what's with that reaction?"

"N… it's nothing! H… how did you get here? (I walked up the stairs…) Ah… I mean… where are you going? (My room…) Oh… ah…"

"Marimo sensei… are you… alright? You look a little red"

"I… I'm fine! I'm perfectly fine! There's not even the tiniest thing that is wrong with me today! Ahahahaha! (A…ha?) A… anyway. What are you doing back in your room so… early?"

"Oh… I was planning to leave some stuff in my room. Sorry if I bothered you"

"Bothered? Me? Ha! I'm not bothered. I'm… fine! I'm perfectly fine! Never better! (O…k…?) In fact… I'm so great that there's no way that you can bother me at all! Aha… hahaha…! (A…ha…)" What the hell am I doing? My words are going all over the place. At this rate he'll definitely be suspicious. Quick… I have to say something that'll break him off track. "Uh… so… are you busy later, this evening? (Huh?) I'm asking if you're busy later tonight!"

"Uh… well… no… not really. I have to visit Yuuko sensei later but other than that I'm not really doing anything. Why?"

"W… well… I was wondering if… we… we should… have dinner! (Eh?) Yes that's it! Dinner" Wait… what? NO! What am I saying!-? I'm contradicting myself again! My mouth is not cooperating with my brain!

"Dinner? Ok… (Huh?) I don't mind really. It's not like I have anything planned. Besides, it'll be a good time for us to catch up. We haven't seen each other since last week. (Really?) Really. It'll be just like old time"

"Th… then I'll… meet you at the front gate… later… this evening?"

"Sure. I'll see you then"

And just like that we both waved each other off and returned to our respected rooms.

…

…

Aheh… ahehehehe… ahehehehehehehe… aha… ahahaha… ahahahahaha… ahahahahahahaaaaarghhhh! KYAAAAAAAA!

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And later that afternoon, Marimo would spend the rest of her nap time screaming and biting her pillow unable to determine whether she was doing it out of pure joy or just irritation of her actions.

**(Takeru's POV) (Yuuko's lab) (Hanger 31)**

I returned to Yuuko's lab near the airstrip a few hours later to deliver the plans Yuuhi gave me. She didn't seem surprised when I gave it to her. More like it was something that she didn't mind having a look. I wonder what she'll say about it. I know that I promised to get Yuuhi some support but in all truth, I'm not really sure if I can get it. I mean… it's not like I have any influence over her. But still… I'm sure Yuuko can't deny this opportunity. Even she should understand how this would benefit the world. If we can make this food processing plant work then it might just help us too in the process.

"Hmm…" It seems like Yuuko just finished reading it. "So this is what she was planning. Heh… not bad. It seems like she's not called the Shogun without a good reason"

"Yuuko sensei? (What?) So, what do you think? Is it possible… to make something like that?"

"I don't see why not. The making of synthetic food has been a common practice throughout the world since World War II. The one that she's proposing is simply the same thing but on a much larger scale. (…?) Usually, any nation would be able to build something like this without too much effort but the only problem they had was the manpower required to maintain such a large facility. The Shogun fixed that problem by making the plant fully automated which only requires about 10 to 20 people to facilitate it. Hehehehe… I'm impressed. I can see she's not the Shogun just for her looks. Though it seems like the design itself is still far from completion. (…?) Alright… I'll support it"

"Eh? Really!-?"

"What's with that look? Aren't you happy that I'm actually agreeing?"

"No… it's not that. It's just that… I never thought you'd agree with it so easily"

"Hoooo? Are you picturing me as some kind of evil demon that won't give in without something that profits me? Hehehe… you're correct. (…) But I wonder if she understands what she's getting herself involved in. (Eh?) If she follows with this plan… the list of enemies will grow exponentially"

"Wh… what do you mean?"

"I mean to say that there are a lot of people who'd rather not have this plan come to completion. (Eh!-? Why not?) Though military strength is a powerful persuasion, food will always be the greater incentive in this world. Do you know the world's current largest food provider at the moment?"

"Uh… America?"

"Ahahaha… I keep forgetting that you're not from this world so there's really no way for you to know after all. The correct answer would be the Philippines. (Philippines?) Correct. It's the island nation to the south. Unlike most of the world, the government there focuses more on agricultural production than any other nation. It currently provides roughly 50% of the food we eat today. (50%!-?) Surprised? It was an agricultural country even before the war with the BETA. They have a military force of their own but they also rely on aid from all the other nations around the world in exchange for the precious resources they have. At the moment, the U.N. holds a rather substantial monopoly on their food production"

I see… I guess that's understandable considering the war. Japan lost much of its infrastructure since the BETA invasion. Since we're fighting in the frontlines we have to rely on food from another nation.

"But what do you mean about what you said earlier?"

"I mean exactly what I said. There are people who would rather not have this plan come to light. (…!) Food is prioritized to the military above all else to continue the battle with the BETA. Without food, people will die even without the BETA. Anything we have left is given to the people and distributed accordingly. At the moment, the balance of foodstuff is constantly being fought with"

"But why? Isn't more food good for everyone?"

"It is… but not everyone will see it the way we want them too. The masses will do anything for food. They will fight for it if they must. So anyone who controls the food supply… will control the masses, one way or another. (But that's… just…) Cruel? It's the way it is. When people are hungry… they will go to great lengths just to get what they want. Fish will always flock where the bread is dropped… or so they claim. The Shogun is playing a very dangerous game ahuhuhuhu"

"This isn't funny…"

"And what are you going to do about it? Stop her from playing? (…) I already promised my support. There's not much more I can do but pull a few strings in the council. Besides…I still owe you a few debts myself. (Debt?) Ara… you forgot already? Then forget it. It's not important. I don't normally involve myself with political figures but if she's willing to bet her life on something like this I'd like to see the end result. I'm sure the final verdict will be… interesting. Still… that isn't the only reason I'm surprised. (Eh?) Calling a U.N. soldier to meet in secret and in private. Even if it just to get to me… I must say that it's just a scandal waiting to be exploited by someone"

I just stood there and processed the new bits of information given to me. Yuuko seems almost too happy for this. Is she planning something again?

"Vice Commander…" Lt. Piatif interrupted us. "Should I make an appointment with the delegates?"

"Yes, do that. Have it for next week. Oh and Shirogane. (Yes?) Come by tomorrow morning after breakfast. I need you for something. (What is it?) Just a regular checkup and we might need to go into further details later. Just make sure not to be late"

"Understood. I'll make time for tomorrow morning"

**A/N: And Chapter 65... wow i really am slowing down since the Tokyo arch but what the heck. I'm still going and we probably won't be seeing a lot of conspiracies until I get some romance out of the way. Not much to say right now seeing that I'm still thinking on what to do and who to put in next. Marimo is in and Kashiwagi and a little bit of Hayase but the others will have to wait a little bit longer. I'll be showing more of the political situations in the next chappie but who knows? I might twist it to a sudden fighting or Ikaruga busting out of prison... NAH! That guy's spent. He's just a royal dude waiting for execution. I'll probably put his justification of his coup and such.**

**Oh... and FYI... there's a VN on this story! Yay! Thank you Siamese Fighting Fish that eats moss ball! Keep fighting, keep reading and keep writing!**


	67. When Things Change

**Chapter 67: When things Change**

**(Takeru's POV) (U.N. Base Kyoto) (Front gate) (06:20 PM)**

Hmm… it's almost 06:30. Marimo chan said that she'd be meeting me at the front gate this evening but it's already way past dinner time. The others are probably in the PX eating ahead of me right now. Even though it's only been a few hours since I ate with Yuuhi, I'm still hungry. This weather isn't exactly helping either. Brrr… I wouldn't mind a cup of hot tea right about now. The only thing keeping me warm is this uniform and the mittens the Three Idiots knitted for me. I really wish they'd issue some real jackets other than those overcoats they provide for the Eishi exosuits. Heck… I wouldn't mind wearing the exosuit alone. At least that thing had a temperature adjustment device built into it.

…

Marimo's late. She's never late for anything. Maybe late for class every once in awhile but never this late. I wonder if she forgot about me. (…) If she did, it would make the waiting here completely pointless. I don't want to catch a cold either. It's even stranger why she'd want to meet at the gate of all places. We could've just met in the PX together instead. It's a lot warmer than waiting out here.

Brrrr… was it just me or did the temperature dropped even further again?

…

…

…

06:50…

Are you kidding me? Dinner time ends at exactly 8PM! We'll barely have time to get our food and eat! I don't want to rush my meal time, especially when it's my time! Haaaa… I just hope she's not there eating ahead of me already.

…

…

Was I stood up? That does seem like the most likely scenario. Maybe this is the way she's punishing me.

"Ahh… Marimo chan! This is too cruel!"

"What's too cruel?" Bwahh! "Wh… what's wrong? Was it something I said?"

"M… Marimo chan? When did you get here?"

"I just got here myself when you were whining to thin air. (Oh…?) D… did you wait long?"

"Well… it is kind of late now" I checked clock inside the guardhouse as I answered. "The PX is probably crowded at this time"

"S… sorry about that. I… was… kind of busy earlier" Well I supposed it couldn't be helped. Working with Suzumiya can probably keep you preoccupied. I shouldn't be too hard on her. "I… kind of overslept. (Eh?) I… was taking a nap in my room and I forgot to set my alarm. By the time I woke up, it was already 6PM" You're kidding me.

Are you saying that the diligent Marimo chan who has been the pinnacle of early times… was late because she didn't set up her alarm clock? Gimme a break. That's probably the most redundant excuse I've ever heard. Even the Marimo chan in my world got tired of that excuse and banned me from using it ever again.

"You… you just overslept?" I tried my best not to smile but the sweet taste of irony was kind of flattering.

"D… don't laugh! Do you know how difficult it was just to get here without being spotted? I don't know about you but I don't want more rumors to spread like last time. The last thing I want is more reasons for people to tease me"

"Hey now… you were the one who said to met up here in the first place. (WHAM!) Whoa! M… Marimo sensei?" She slammed her head on the guard post making a dent on the concrete wall. That must've hurt.

"Don't remind me about it" She muttered out with a strange depressing tone. "I've spent the last days trying to rectify those rumors about me dating one of my own students. After all that hard work of denial and rejection I'm now contradicting myself again. Why do I feel like such a hypocrite?" What the heck is she saying? I can barely hear her from here but that depressive aura she's radiating is really strong. Was it… something I said? It is her fault for making me wait out here.

"Shall we go? (Hmm?)" I spoke up trying to change the subject. "For dinner. If we hurry now, we can grab something at the PX before it closes. I don't know why you wanted to meet up here in the first place since we can meet up there later. Come on. The others are probably waiting for us there. (Fwup!) Gwehh!"

"Shirogane… are you trying to test the extent of my patience or are you really just that dumb?" H… hey! What's with the sudden change of mode? She was sulking a minute ago, now she's radiating some killer intent. "There's only so much that stupidity can go. (H… hai?) If we were simply going to the PX I wouldn't have asked you to meet me out here. It's inefficient and time consuming. (Oh?) Why don't you try thinking for a moment? If I just wanted regular synthetic food I could just have gone to the PX and back"

"O…k. So what do you have in mind?"

"One of the staff officers recommended me a small restaurant a few blocks from here" Huh? A restaurant? "I wanted to try it just once before we head back to Yokohama. It's not every day we get to be stationed in a large city like this. I want to treat myself to something nice before we go. (…) What's the matter? Is something wrong, Shirogane?"

"N… no… it's just that… I don't really… like the atmosphere of restaurants. (…?)" Because I had a terrible experience during my last visit to a food joint.

"You don't want to?"

"N… no it's not that. It's just that… going somewhere classy is… kind of expensive and… I… don't exactly have any money"

"Eh? Wait… don't tell me you're broke already. (Ahehehe…)" Well to be honest, I never had any money to begin with. The only things I brought with me were the clothes on my back, my Game Guy and my instant ramen… which has been eaten down to the last cup. "Didn't you receive your salary?"

"Eh? Salary?"

"Your monthly. Didn't you receive anything?"

"No… not that I know about"

Marimo chan raised a curious eye at me before suddenly having a moment of realization. "Oh that's right. You were stuck in detention last week so you couldn't receive your monthly then"

"Wait… we have a monthly?" Does that mean we actually get paid?

"Of course. We're soldiers after all. We don't risk our lives at the front line without some measure of compensation. The government pays us a small sum as an allowance"

"But I thought we were volunteers"

"You join the cadet school as volunteers. You're an official commissioned officer now and that means you're a real soldiers and an Eishi of the United Nations. (…?) It should've been explained in the manual you received" That's odd. I don't recall receiving any money in my last loop or any other loops. Maybe with the world ending and all… and seeing that we never got to leave Yokohama Base… I guess it must've just slipped my mind.

"Wait… I became a commissioned officer on the 9th of December last year and today is… January 11 so that means…"

"It has been officially 1 month and 2 days since you became a commissioned officer. In other words, you should be receiving your first paycheck. (Uuuu…) Don't cry. I'll look into it tomorrow. For tonight, it'll be my treat. Come on"

"Ah! W… wait!" Ugh… why do I have a bad feeling about this?

**(Ministry of Intelligence base) (Yoroi's office)**

It was noisy—too noisy even for Yoroi's taste. When he returned to his office building, he expected everything to be in order but instead he found himself in the middle of a verbal crossfire between his own subordinates and the phone lines which have been constantly ringing non-stop.

"Sectors 4 to 12 are reporting clean!"

"No traces of radiation? Are you sure? (…) Check again!"

"I don't have any more information. Search the warehouses. (…) Which one? ALL OF THEM!"

And the list goes on and on without an end in sight. It even took the detective wannabe, a full minute just to reach his office without getting hit by one of the stray haymakers the employees were making to themselves.

As he entered his personal sanctuary, his secretary, Yayoi Isumi, sighed with a sense of relief before pouring herself another cup of coffee from a mug which seemed to have been filled and emptied a few dozen times already. "Chief…"

"Is it the end of the world already? I've only been gone for a few hours"

Yayoi didn't take his jokes very seriously and decided to return to her professional self before locking the door behind her boss and putting the projector on. "The Head of the Ministry of Intelligence has been requesting your attendance for some time now. I've filled a progress report already so we should be good for a few more weeks"

"Heh. How immature of them. Dropping all this work on us and impatiently waiting for the results"

"It is a matter of great urgency. A G-Bomb has gone missing. If people found out about this it could cause a widespread panic"

"Now now, Yayoi san. Worrying over things you have no control over will only add wrinkles to that beautiful face of yours"

"Please Chief, focus. This is an urgent situation. If another G-Bomb goes off in Japanese soil, the government will lose stability and whatever influence we have on the U.N. member nations"

"Yes yes, I understand" Yoroi nodded boringly back at her, removing his coat and hat, placing them on the hanger. "At the moment our movements are limited thanks to the U.N's restriction placed upon us. But we have to make do with what we have at our disposal. Do we have any leads?"

Yayoi didn't seem that enthusiastic when she looked at her notepad before answering. "We've been using all our remaining resources in a wide scale search but so far all of our leads have been nothing more but dead ends. We've searched all the local warehouses in 4 cities already from Hokkaido to Okinawa but so far nothing has turned up. (Hooo?) We also seized some unregistered ships and cargo shipments on land but they were nothing more but they were nothing more but smugglers passing food and materials through illegal channels. As they would say here: We're grasping at straws"

"That is because we are not looking at the right places. (Eh?) Searching wildly will yield us nothing at this point. To find the bomb, we must have some knowledge of who might have it. We have to narrow our search patterns as much as possible"

"Do you… have something in mind, Chief?"

Yoroi cupped his hands over his mouth as he answered. "The question isn't where is it… but who has it. (Sir?) Who would profit from owning such a weapon? Who would want something like that? (Chief?) The answer is in the question. We simply need to ask the right ones. (Sir? Is there something…) Yayoi san… bring me a list of names of every foreign and local delegates that have returned or arrived at Japan after the incident in Tokyo. (Eh?) Make it as accurate as possible. It doesn't matter who…"

"What are you getting at, Chief?"

"This is a puzzle that we can only tackle head. Heh… it seems like whoever wants the bomb must be pretty sure they can hide it"

"Does this have anything to do with your visit to the detention center?" Yayoi inquired only to earn a trademark smirk from her boss. "Haaa… very well. I will trust your judgment in this. I'll tell the members to hold their search until you give the word"

"I appreciate it"

"Were you able to extract any new information from the prisoner? You spent quite a long time down there"

"There's only so much you can get from a madman like him. We can only go on with the clues left behind. A bomb of that caliber would leave traces of radiation. Do we have any monitors that have detected that unique form of energy?"

"No… the only traces we're picking are from Tokyo and the bomb's original location at the Ikaruga residence. If they're transporting this weapon through a vehicle then it's possible that it may have the whole cargo lead-lined to prevent leakage"

"They cover their tracks well. Almost too well" Yoroi nodded before finally coming to a conclusion. "Well… I'd better get to work. I'll leave you in charge here while I'm gone"

"Eh? But Chief! What about the list?" Yayoi protested but she couldn't stop the man from gathering his jacket and walk out the door.

"Have it done by tomorrow. You can just leave it on my desk"

"B… but then where are you going?"

"I hear that Kyushu is still warmer this time of year. Don't worry. I'll be sure to bring you a souvenir"

"C… Chief!-? Chief! Haaaa… very well…"

**(Takeru's POV) (Sayonara Restaurant)**

Damn it. I can't believe I'm back here again of all places. The calm atmosphere of this restaurant is just so familiar my body is getting tense. Just sitting here by the corner looking through glass-wall is giving me flashes of my old world and not fond ones either. This seat, the table, the waiters and even the food they served is giving me a sense of nausea.

And what's with that name? Sayonara family restaurant? Is it some kind of franchise where people eat for the last time? Haaaa… geez… I'm getting angry a name. How pathetic can I be?

This place… reminded me a lot of that old world. It was a rather casual restaurant for families to come and enjoy. There were about a dozen tables with sofa corners for the leisure customers, a small mini-bar at the side for alcohol and a cashier. It wasn't anything fancy like the Sky Temple restaurant but it certainly came close to its atmosphere. Heh… just thinking of that place already makes me grit my teeth. There were a few people here and a few families that seem to be enjoying themselves for a late dinner.

"Shirogane? What's the matter? You've been rather quiet lately"

"Huh? Oh… sorry. It's just that. This place… kind of reminds me of something long ago" Come on… get a grip now. This is this world… the other world is in another dimension. I can't go through a relapse again.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Seeing Marimo chan sitting just across the table feels almost like the world is playing a sick joke on me. (Flash) I feel… a little light headed.

"No… I'm fine. What do they have here?"

"I already ordered for you. (Eh?) You were looking out the window for a long while now. The waiter was getting impatient. (Ah… sorry) You're not acting like yourself. If you don't like it, we can always find another place if you want"

"No… that's alright. I don't want to bother. I'll… probably get over it, eventually. (…) I promise"

She gave me a disbelieving look before she forced herself to answer. "Very well. I won't pressure it anymore. I didn't mean to make you feel uncomfortable"

"No… that's not it, Marimo sensei. You don't make me uncomfortable at all. In fact… I don't think I can ever be more comfortable with you around me. (…?) In fact… I think you're… really kind and gentle with everyone around you" To be honest… I think that's probably why I know I can sleep during class without worries at all. She can make me nervous but never uncomfortable.

"Where did that come from?"

"You're really strong sensei and I think you're more amazing than anyone actually realizes"

"What are you talking about? You should look at yourself sometime. You're far stronger than me, Shirogane"

"Hehehe… that's because I had someone pick me up every time I fell down. (…?) I'm not as strong as you might think sensei. I'm just like everyone else"

"Some people might find that hard to believe. You've done some pretty amazing things even before the incident in Tokyo. Even before you became a commissioned officer, I already thought you were incredible. Your piloting skill is topnotch. (Ahehehe) And not to mention all your abilities as a soldier. But then again… I supposed being recommended by Yuuko had something to do with it. (Sort of…) Ahuhuhu… fine. If you don't want to tell me then I'll leave it at that. You should enjoy this moment of peace while it still lasts Shirogane"

This time of peace. It feels like peace has been the last thing on people's mind nowadays. With all the fighting that's been going on, it's hard to tell when people's lives will actually return to normalcy. The battle with the BETA, the coup… everything. The weight of one fight after another is making it more and more difficult to live in this world for everyone. I'm not surprised to see why ALTERNATIVE V received so much support before today. This moment of respite is just like one of those old proverbs of 'the calm before the storm'. Maybe this is what Yuuhi meant about pausing time for a short moment. To live in a time of pure bliss just for a few short minutes would be heavenly for anyone. But I supposed time itself would move on with… or without you.

Heh… but then again… time isn't exactly a factor with me. If I die, I could just go back to the starting line. A seemingly endless loop of beginning without an end. I'll have to remember to thank Sumika the moment I see her back in Yokohama Base. I bet she'll be thrilled to know what I've done in the last few weeks. Heck I've got so many things to tell her I won't even know where to start.

"You know… it's really rude to be silent when you're dining with a woman, Shirogane. (Eh?) You've been staring out the window for ten minutes now. Your habit of day dreaming has become even worse. (Ahehehe) Maybe I should have Isumi check up on that habit of yours"

"Ahehehe… sorry. I'll try to be more attentive later"

"Habits can change if you have the will to change them"

"Heh… I doubt I'll be able to change my habits, sensei"

"Where there's a will, there's a way. That's one of the oldest sayings in the book. Ahuhuhuhu (Ahahahaha) But I'll let it slide for tonight. After all, this is my treat"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Urrrrrpp!

Whaa~~… since when was the last time I had eaten that much? I feel so stuffed I don't know if I could take another bite. To have real food on the table is like a once in a lifetime opportunity. I feel so blessed to have two great meals in one day and it seems like my stomach is no longer complaining about being hungry.

"Hey… cover your mouth when you do that. It's rude to do that in public"

I laughed a bit from my sudden burp. "Ahehehe, what's the matter? Isn't burping supposed to be considered a compliment to the chefs? I was merely showing my appreciation to the food"

"That may be so but remember that there is something called etiquette in the public line. When you're no longer within the vicinity of the establishment, it's simply considered rude. (Ahehehe) Besides… it's slurping that's considered a compliment to the chefs. Burping is another story entirely! (Hai hai…) Are you paying attention, Shirogane?"

"Yes ma'am. (Are you?) Geez… what's gotten into you? I thought you said I could enjoy my food however I want?"

"Enjoying your food is fine but I would like you to consider your manners at least. The whole restaurant was staring at us when you let out a loud burp in front of me"

"Ahehe… sorry about that. I didn't know that the carbonara would be so spicy. I get gas with spicy food since it boils down to my stomach"

"Black pepper isn't even that spicy. You were just eating too much of it at once. It was embarrassing just to sit there with you"

"Well it's just been awhile since I had real food. I'm not entirely trained to live off synthetic food forever. If I did I'd probably die already"

"If Kyozuka san heard that, she'd be heartbroken. (Gu!) Shirogane… be a little considerate on what you say out loud"

"Y… yes ma'am" I lowered my head in shame.

"But if you had a good time then I supposed it wasn't all for nothing. Now come on. If we don't hurry back soon the others might get suspicious"

"Aren't they already suspicious with the rumors going on around?" I added which only seems to make Marimo chan feel even more depressed.

"Don't remind me~. (S… sensei?) I've spent the last few days clearing it up with the people around the base. The last thing I want is for that silly rumor to sprout out again"

"But is it really that bad? (…?) I mean rumors like that will go no matter what we do. We're part of the same team after all so even if we keep denying it, it'll just look like we're trying to keep it a secret"

"You might not care but I do!" Yikes… I forgot how scary she can be when she's angry. "Haaaa… but I supposed you're not wrong either. Even if I put this down, they'll probably just think that I'm lying"

"Well we all must reap what we sow"

"Don't use that metaphor here. It was never my intention to sow anything. It was merely people's imagination that sowed the seeds of our relationship. (Our relationship?) Ah… ahh! Never mind! Forget it! It doesn't matter. Let's just go" Geez… I can't believe I'm saying this but Marimo chan is really starting to act like Class rep. Their personalities are almost frighteningly identical. Just give her a pair of glasses and she'll be good to go. Heh they'd actually look like sisters if you put it that way. I wouldn't even mind seeing something like that. "Shirogane… just what are you thinking right now?"

"Eh? Wh… whatever do you mean?"

"That expression of yours is very suspicious. You really need to learn how to keep that idiotic face of yours in check. (Ahehehe) This is why nobody can take you seriously. Your face is just too friendly to be any threat"

"Isn't that supposed to be a good thing?"

"If you want people to take you seriously, you need to get rid of that childish self of yours. Sometimes if you want people to respect you, you need to be able to hold on your own"

Heh… she'd be surprised how many people told me that. I can be serious if I wanted to. But no matter what… I simply can't change who I am. Heh… who knew I could be such a softie?

"Hmm? Ah! Shirogane, look" Huh? Oh… a flower peddler. "Uwah… winter rose. They're so pretty" Oi oi… what happened to that speech about having people taking you seriously by dropping your childish self?

"Hoo you have good eyes there lady" The peddler was a middle aged man who seemed to be making a living with the flowers that he sells. "Nobody knows about winter flowers anymore. Even in this gloomy weather, there are things that still grow"

"They're quite lovely. Did you grow them yourself?"

"Of course. These little ones don't need much sunlight so they still grow regardless of where you plant them. As long as there's a source of water, they'll fill a garden in no time" Hmm… now that h mentioned it, I remember seeing some of these in Yuuhi's garden the other day. They're really lovely up close. Of course… the only flower I know about is the Saintpaulia that Tama grows in her room. (Flash) Hmm… I wonder how those flowers are doing now at the back of the base.

"Heeh… these are pretty good, neh, Shirogane? (Ah… yeah) I could really use these to decorate my room. Oji san, can I have one of these"

"Of course. Anything for a pretty lady" The man quickly wrapped a bushel around a thin colored paper and handed it to her with a smile. "Here you go. Don't drop it now"

"Ah… make it two instead" Eh? Two? "It's on me. I heard from Chizuru that you don't really have anything to decorate your room back at Yokohama. So I figured you could use this as well. (Ehh!-?) Come on now. Just take it. Even a nice boy like you should understand the necessity of having some color in your life"

"B… but Marimo sensei"

"What? There's nothing wrong with a little flower?"

"N… no it's just that… I don't know if I can pay you back"

"Don't sweat the small detail. It's my treat tonight so just take it. (Ah… umm… ok)"

"Ora… don't you have any shame there, young man?" The old guy added to me with a teasing tone. "Having a beautiful lady buy you flowers? Aren't your roles reversed now? (H… hey!) Seriously now. Kids these days have no sense of romanticism in their bodies. I fear the future generations to learn from such blockheads"

"Ahuhuhuhu" Don't laugh Marimo chan! You're not making me feel any better!

"Hai… here's your flower. Try not to let them wither in the dark young… man…?" Hmm? Why is he looking at me like that? "Eh? You look familiar. Have I seen you some—auaah!" Eh? What's with him? The man's face suddenly grew pale when he saw me. "Y… you're…"

"What's wrong?" I asked raising a brow. "Hey… what are you staring at? (Ahh!) O… oi… are you alright?"

"It… it can't be! Sh… Shiro… gane? (Huh? How did you…) M… my apologies! We're closing now so I have to leave!" Haaa?

"Wait… what about the flowers?" Marimo inquired raising her bushel up.

But the man quickly brushed us off and began towing his flower shop away. " j… just take them! It's free! (Eh?) I… I… I have to go now. Good day, sir, madam!"

"H… hey!" And before Marimo or I could even call him out, the man was long gone. What the heck was that about? "Oi… Shirogane. What did you do to scare him off?"

"I don't know. I was only taking the flowers and he just… ran" It was really odd. The guy looked almost deathly pale like he was looking at a ghost or something. Did he mistake me for someone else? No… that's not possible. He said my name…

Marimo and I could only stare at each other with a blank expression as we walked back to the base in silence.

**(Kobuin residence) (Shogun's room)**

It was another quiet night in the Kobuin residence that night. Yuuhi looked away in her empty window gazing upon the darkness beyond her room. It would be another cold night here in the slopes of Mt. Fuji… but she didn't mind. After all she has gotten used to the cold long ago. The snowy winters and lonesome nights have been accustomed to her for awhile now. But fortunately the warmth in her heart more than makes up for the freezing temperature outside.

Her body generated a great amount of heat ever since Shirogane visited her. The mere thought of the boy was enough to bring the girl back to her old teenage self. It was a welcoming change. But as her thoughts faded towards the boy, they were quickly interrupted by her caretaker who entered her room with a new batch of tea to keep her warm at night.

"Oba san? Surely you don't need to visit me so late at night. You should rest now. I don't require constant watching like before"

"Don't be absurd. Ensuring your health and welfare has been my duty since you were born and I would not stop until every last body in this bone of mine breaks. Besides… we'll all have plenty of time to rest when we're dead"

"Ahuhu… you always seem to have a way of saying things, oba san"

"And this is partly your fault for pushing yourself" The old lady added earning another chuckle from her lady. "You couldn't have discussed things in your bed chambers rather than walking around in this bogging weather. The doctors said that you're not strong enough to stand much less walk around like that. (Oba san) I always keep telling you never to overwork yourself under any circumstances. If you'd collapse under my care I wouldn't be able to live with myself anymore"

"You exaggerate too much, oba san. I appreciate your modest concern but… I did not wish to cause him… anymore needless worries about me. (…) I wanted to meet him without any thoughts or pity"

"Does he mean that much to you? (…) You weren't even able to make an appearance to the memorial services yet you decided to expend your precious energy on one person. Yet here you tell me you do not wish to cause him needless concerns. (Ahuhu…) Is that also the reason why you did not wish to tell him about your situation? (…) If you did… perhaps he may have…"

"No…" The Shogun cut her off. "I do not wish for that. It would not be fair… for him…"

"I understand…" The Grand Chamberlain silenced herself. "But you do understand that the heads of the four ruling family will not be patient about this. With his majesty's untimely end, the royal family will need a new leader to follow"

"Then I do hope that they will wait… just a little bit longer for my decision"

**(January 12, 2002 Saturday) (U.N. Base Airfield) (09:04 AM)**

Haaaa…

This is getting ridiculous. The weather here hasn't changed at all. It's still dark and gloomy for the past 2 weeks now. I wonder how long it'll take for the sun to finally pierce those thick clouds. Ever since the Shikoku incident, the sky has been in that same color. Heck… I'm even starting to forget how the sun even looks like now. At this rate, it'll only be a matter of time before I start to feel depress. Not to mention that this cold weather isn't helping either. It's already below… 20 degrees out here. If it goes down anymore, even the BETA would become giant popsicles before they even reach the coast… which doesn't sound like a bad idea.

Whoosh…

Brrr… even the wind is biting at my neck. Maybe I should've worn that jacket after all. The mittens are helping but only in my hands. Huaaa…

I need fire… fire… or something warm. A cup of tea… hot chocolate. Heck, I'll even take coffee if it's hot enough. Something to make me stop shivering at least. Brrrr… come on Yuuko sensei… do I really need to see you all the way out here in the middle of the airfields? This place is pretty much snowed in as it is!

"Here you go…" Eh? Ah! Kasumi! "Here… it's hot"

"Ah… thank you" Wah… that's warm. Nothing beats chocolate in a cold snowy day. "Haaa… thanks Kasumi. You're a real life saver"

"You're welcome"

"Hey… is it alright for you to be wandering about on your own? I mean… this is a pretty big place. Don't you ever get lost?" She shook her head in reply. I wonder how she's able to find herself around. Even if she is an esper, Yuuko wouldn't have allowed her to go around without someone watching her. Hmm… now that I think about it, this is probably the first time I've seen Kasumi so far away from Yokohama Base. They must've been in a really big emergency if they went all the way to evacuate Yuuko from it. The only time I've seen her away from her labs was during our Comprehensive Combat Skill Evaluation and during the Sadogashima campaign.

"Don't worry. (…?) Don't worry… about me. I'm alright"

"H… hey now. Are you… freezing? Geez… here" The poor girl almost looks like a rabbit Popsicle. She looks like she could freeze any moment. I placed my mittens on her hand which fit like a glove. I guess those Three Idiots had their uses after all. "Were you coming to wake me up? (Nod) Heh… I guess you really can't move around freely with in this weather. If you're planning to walk around then you should at least get yourself something to keep you warm. (Huuu…) Ahehehe… don't be like that. Maybe you could ask Yuuko sensei to get you something else to wear in this weather. Come on. Let's get you inside before we freeze to death out here"

"Ara? Shirogane and… Yashiro?"

Hmm? That voice. "Class rep!"

"What's with that face? Is it weird to see me?"

"No… it's just that… um… when did you get back?"

"Just last night" She answered folding her arms with her usual smile. "I was supposed to come out the same day as Akane but the doctors insisted that I remained for a few more checkups. (Is that so?) Yeah. Oh… Yoroi and Tamase also got released too. You should go and visit them when you get the chance"

"Heeh… Mikoto and Tama? They're back too?"

"They should be at the PX right now with the others. I'll be joining them soon after I report to the Captain. Will you join us for breakfast?"

"Ah… I can't. I have to meet up with Yuuko sensei today"

"Yuuko? Ah… you mean Vice Commander Kouzuki. (Yeah…) I guess there's no choice. But you really should make it a point to visit them. They're probably more worried about you than anyone else" Eh? Is it me or does Class rep looks… different somehow? "Hey… are you paying attention? (…) Wh… why are you looking at me like that? (…) D… don't glare at me like that. It's not like I'm forcing you to do something you don't want to"

"Eh? Ah… sorry. I didn't mean to stare. It's just that… there's something different about you, Class rep? (There is?) Yeah… you feel… different. Did you change your hairstyle?"

"This is how I usually keep my hair. It's not different from before"

"Then… are you using makeup?"

"What kind of a question is that? I haven't changed my appearance in any way at all"

"Then what part of you is different?"

"How should I know!-? You're the one who said there was something different!" Wa… it seems like I made her mad again. "A… anyway, you should hurry off before you're late. I don't want to keep you from whatever top-secret mission. (Hai hai) Oh… and before you go… straighten your necktie. (Eh?) Your necktie is crooked. When you're presenting yourself to a person like the Vice Commander, you must always look impeccable. You should remember that you're a commissioned officer now and you have to hold yourself as a prime example for future cadets. (H… hey now) And not only that, but you're also a member of the A-01 Special Task Force. As a 1st Lieutenant you represent this unit as a whole and hold as much responsible as Captain Isumi. Therefore you need to make sure not to sully our name. Really now… as a superior officer, you really have no sense of respect whatsoever"

Hey now… how did we get from my necktie to self respect? It's only crooked by a few centimeters. Besides, both Yuuko and the Captain said that formalities should be cast aside.

"Are you listening, Shirogane? (Y… yeah…) Don't just say yeah. You should take these words to heart. I'm tired of repeating the same thing over and over to you"

"Hey… you do realize you're talking to a superior officer, right?" I mocked back at her.

"What of it? (…?) So what are you going to do if I do talk back? (Eh?) Will you discipline me or send me to the detention center? (Ah…) See what I mean? No self respect whatsoever. You can't even punish one of your subordinates"

"Hey now… aren't you being a little harsh here?"

"I'm only pointing out to your flaws. If you want soldiers to take you seriously you need to have that aura of taking command. At the rate you're going, you'll never earn any attention from anyone. Even Akane has more sense of leadership than you. (…) Consider you position at least. (Ah…) Go. You still need to meet with the Vice Commander"

"Ah… h… hey wait!" What's gotten into her? She comes to me, says what she wants and bails off. "Class rep…"

Fwup…

Hmm? Oh Kasumi. I almost forgot about her. She's tugging my coat with her pouty face.

"She's confused…" Eh? What does she mean by that? "She doesn't know… how to act… towards you anymore"

"How to act? Why would she be… confused?"

"I don't know" The little rabbit answered. "There are a lot of things going in her head. (…?) Anger, discomfort… and so many more. They're all there… but she doesn't know where to put them"

…

Class rep…

"Come on Kasumi. Let's go. Yuuko is probably waiting for us. (Nod)"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Wah… this place really has changed since last night. It almost looks identical to the lab back in Yokohama Base. I'm amazed how much equipment Yuuko needs for her experiment. This can easily be described as a mad-scientist's lab with all the fog, the strangely glowing tubes and electronic devices scattered around. Heck if this were in a room, we can probably use this as our centerpiece for the haunted house in our room back in my school during our school festival. It'll win top prize for sure.

Oh… there's Yuuko sensei. She appears to be on the phone at the moment with Piatif by her side. Have those two been in this lab this whole time without rest?

"Yes… I understand…" It seems to be a rather serious conversation if she's making that face with me nearby. "I'll be sure to show up. (…) It's not every day we get to celebrate a small occasion. Yes… I'll make sure they come. I'll call you again for the final arrangements. Good day" She hung up the phone and let out a disturbing sigh. Maybe I should come back later when she's in a better mood. "Oh… Shirogane, you're here. Good. We can start. (Yes ma'am) Hmm? Why is Yashiro… ah… don't tell me went out in this weather? (Nod) Goodness… why do I even put up with—haaaa… forget it. Come here, Yashiro. Let's get you warmed up before you freeze to death"

"Heh… I said the same thing too"

"This is partly your fault too! (Eh!-?) Having a girl go through the cold snow just to wake you up. If you had woken up earlier she wouldn't have to bother going at all. If I were to judge you, I would call you a very inconsiderate man. (Ga—inconsiderate!-?) Letting a girl go through the harsh snowy weather all by herself? You're no better than the mother of Little Red Riding Hood" Oh come on! It's not like I didn't want to be late. Besides, isn't she the mother who doesn't stop Red from going to the forest? "Now quit your whining and sit down"

Haaaaa… things haven't really changed at all between Yuuko and me. This is pretty much the same relationship we've had since we first met. Either I become her subordinate or I become her guinea pig. Even before I came into this world she's always been toying with me and Marimo chan. Heck… I think she selected me to be her personal favorite the moment I came into Hakuryo High.

Hmm…

Now that I think about it… does Yuuko bother every other student that way or was I just special somehow? Well… I supposed going and coming from two worlds can make me pretty special in a way. But still… all of this was done thanks to Sumika. She made into a Causality Conductor to begin with and put me in this time loop, experiencing everything from 22 October 2001. (…!) Wait… if Sumika brought me into this world… then could she also be the one responsible for this ability I have? My body heals at a totally unnatural rate and apparently my heart also goes up super crazy whenever I'm in trouble or stressed. I've watched plenty of science-fiction movies in my time but the only logical explanation I can think of is Sumika. If she can send me back in time then doing something like this should be…

No… wait… let's not rash here. We have no proof about this. Besides, Yuuko would've said something if she knew that Sumika had a part to play in it. What would I know about quantum causality in the first place? Everything I spout out would be nothing more but wild guesses and speculation. I really need to stop thinking about technical stuff and focus on my strength. The only thing I can do is fight. I'll leave all the brainwork to Yuuko sensei.

"Alright… let's get started" She said to me while pulling out a needle from her pocket.

"Hey… sensei. (What?) I know it's too late to ask, but isn't it dangerous to take so much of my blood?"

"What's this? Did you finally grow conscious to what I've been doing to your body? (Well… yeah…) Relax. I'm only taking a few drops. Besides… if I want to get a full dosage we'll have to do this procedure multiple times since your wounds keep closing in on me. But if you're that worried, I can always get you a blood transfusion if you want"

"N… no… that's ok. I'm good"

"Really? That's a shame. I wouldn't mind if you donated your kidney. (No thanks!) Hah… you're boring as ever. Come on. Let's get this over with" Ow… I never liked shots. Never have… never will. I've suffered bullet wounds, cuts and bruises but I still can't get used to the stinging pain of needles in my arm. Heck… I even had a pipe pierced half way through my stomach. "Oi oi… don't move or the wound will close"

"That's easy for you to say since you're not the one getting it"

"Don't be such a whiny boy. Women don't like men who whine. (Hey!) But I do have a bit of good news. I'm going to make an official visit to Her Highness tomorrow"

"Eh? Yuuhi?"

"Correct. I'll be making a visit to her estate in the morning to discuss U.N. Support to her Food Processing Plant. Though the project will be kept a secret until a later date, it's a perfect opportunity to improve relations with the royal family"

"So the U.N. will help out?"

"Mostly. Though in truth, they're merely doing this to keep their image of benefiting all of mankind. There are a few people out there who would rather put their resources for better use. But the vote was unanimous. By next week, the Shogun will announce the project to the populous reveling her support from various factions. The U.N. will simply be monopolizing the food that comes out of the plant" So it's just another game of politics. "She's quite brave for someone so young. You might actually learn a thing or two from her, Shirogane. (Geh…) But I supposed there are some good things from it. Should her little project work, there's no doubt that governments around the world will duplicate this plan for themselves"

"So you're saying that they'll make more of them?"

"That seems to be her grand scheme. (…?) Increasing productivity and at the same time, improving Japan's relation with the other countries around the world. She's pretty cunning for someone of your age"

"Hey… you're making her sound like some kind of mastermind. She's only thinking about the benefit of everyone after all"

"You sound like you're convinced that she's doing this out of the goodness of her heart. (Huh?) Never mind. Young men these days really have nothing better to do with themselves"

"Heeeh? That sounds like something a grandmother would say"

Pinch!

YEOW!


	68. Faces of People

**Chapter 68: The Faces of People**

**(Takeru's POV) (PX) (11:20 AM)**

Ow… ow… my arm… is numb.

Damn that Yuuko. She didn't have to go that far just because I called her old. That woman is totally overreacting over the little things. She was practically sucking my life blood up like a vampire. Anymore than that then I would've been dried up for sure. Why does she need so much of my blood anyway? It's not like she's gonna get anything different than before.

Ugh… and now with that fiasco done, my blood sugar levels are down to 0 and now I have to walk all the way back to base and get something to eat. Ughh… she could've at least given me something. Anything! And to think that I had two good meals yesterday to make up for it. Now I wouldn't mind just getting a slice of bread down my mouth. Maybe even a little yakisoba on top would be nice too. Synthetic would be fine…

Sniff…

Haaaaa… damn it. My stomach is now affecting my other senses. I can actually smell yakisoba sauce in the middle of this snowy weather. (Sniff) Heh… it actually smells nice. Right now there's not a thing I wouldn't give for taste of that.

"Deal accepted… (Eh?) Morn…"

"Ah… Ayamine… good morning. (…) Hey… is that thing in your hand…"

"Yakisoba bread" She answered immediately, sticking the said bread in front of my face. "Want some?"

"YES PLEASE!"

Munch!

New record… 0.6 seconds per bite. Yakisoba bread eaten in 4.8 seconds.

"Uwaaaa…! I'm revived!"

"You like it?"

"Yes! Very much so! Your creativity of making yakisoba bread is top notched, Ayamine"

"Good. The contract is signed. The pact is sealed. (…?) You will now go on a date with me?"

"Huh? How'd you come to that conclusion?"

"You were saying it out loud. (Saying what?) That you'd give your virginity to me"

"There's no way in hell I would say that!"

"Tch… he's sharp"

"That has nothing to do with being sharp! You just played my words on a whim!" Damn it… no matter what, Ayamine has to be the strangest most bizarre girl any man has ever met. There's just no telling what's going on in that head of hers. It's like a bag full of feral cats just waiting to gouge out someone's eyes.

"You said it… (Huh?) That there was nothing you wouldn't give… for yakisoba bread" Eh? I was saying that out loud? "Yes you were" Geh! What the? Can she read my mind? "You think with your mouth. You can't hide what you think"

"Ah… oh… right" Damn it. My mouth is totally flying. I really need to learn how to keep my thoughts in my head. At this rate, I'll be spouting things like top secret information out of the blue for everyone to hear.

"I can still hear you. (Geh geh!) Then let me use my 1 wish. (I'm not a genie) You will grant it"

"Hey… are you even listening to me anymore?"

"The deal was irreversible when you ate the bread. (Damn it!) If one bread won't do, there's more" She then pulled out another Yakisoba-Bread from nowhere and shoved it in front of my face. "Give me your hand"

"Yes ma'am!" DAMN IT! Why is my mouth resisting what I'm thinking now!-? (Yoink) "Ah! The bread! (Sit) Wha? (Sit…) H… hey I'm not a dog!"

"If you sit, I'll give you two…"

Sit…

DAMN IT!

"Very good…"

Munch…

As my teeth sunk into that bread, I couldn't help but cry as my pride was struck down with every bite. How pathetic it is for me to cry over such little bread.

"Want another one?" Why do I suddenly get a sense of dejavu here? I feel like a dog being trained by his master and wagging his tail like he's ready for the next order. "Fetch…"

"Stop it! I'm not a dog!"

"Then go on a date with me? (Eh?) That's my wish. (A… date?) No good?"

"Well… sure… if you want. (…!) H… hey what's with that expression. You look petrified"

"A shocking answer. (Huh?) I didn't expect this. Shirogane is bold today"

"Hey, you were the one who was asking me. (…) Are you taking it back?"

"Never ask a talking horse how it talks. I'll take it. (Huh?) Meet me at the gate in 20 minutes"

"Ah! Hey wait!" Damn it… that girl runs just as fast as Mikoto. She didn't even let me finish. And… isn't it supposed to be 'Never look a gift horse in the mouth'? Haaaaa… I don't think I'll ever understand women, no matter how long I've lived with them.

Whirrr…

Hmm? That noise… that's a TSF engine. Oh? A pair of F-15 Eagles. I haven't seen one of those in awhile now. Oh

**(Marimo's POV) (Office room)**

Hmmm… hmmm…

Thud…

And that's the last one. I knew that the paperwork would be slow after yesterday. After we plowed ourselves through that hell, we only needed to sign up a few more forms to ease up the pace. I once again have the afternoon off. I wonder if I can catch an early lunch today. I've got nothing better to do so I may as well enjoy myself. After tomorrow we'll be back to daily work and the team will probably be returning to their training routine with the captain.

Haaaaaa… a girl can get really lazy with such a long holiday. If only I could spend another day in the southern island then it would be complete. In fact…I wouldn't mind a trip to America either. A warm place is fine enough for me, anything to be rid of this bygone cold.

"Ara… Jinguuji san. Are you finished already?" 1st Lt. Suzumiya called out to me. "You work fast. I'm surprised you got all of that done in just half the time"

"Years of practice tend to rub off on you. After experiencing the hurdle we had in Sadogashima, things like this are child's play. Are you done on your end too?"

"Mostly. I intend to finish the rest after lunch. Will you be joining me? (Of course) You seem to be in a good mood today, Jinguuji san"

"Eh? I am? (Yes) I don't think I've acted any different from before"

"No… it's not that" Suzumiya added to me. "You just look like you're happy all the time. (I am?) It's because you've been smiling nonstop since you arrived here this morning. Did something good happen?"

"Eh… well… not that I can think of"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Out of all the places in this base, there wasn't a place more crowded than the PX. It was the warmest place in the base with the other being the hangers. But the smell of metal and iron were the only thing that kept people out of there. They much prefer the smell of hot food to warm their senses. Even I have to agree that the atmosphere around the PX was far better than the engineering block any time. After placing my order and my meal ticket in I thought about getting a little snack along the way.

Oh… that reminds me. I still haven't had the chance to make lunch for Shirogane yet. Even though I promised to make him a meal, I still haven't gotten around starting yet. So much for that promise.

Hmmm… but I wonder what he likes. Judging from last night he seems to be shy about his order so I couldn't really place anything on it. He seems to like all types of meat but very picky about his vegetables. He barely even touched any of the broccolis they had for the side dish.

Ahuhuhu… just thinking about this makes me feel like his wife living in—

…!

Thud!

"J… Jinguuji san? Are you alright?"

What the hell is wrong with me? Here I was having a regular time of my life and the next thing I know, my mind is blurting things as if it was just a natural expression. I'm pathetic… no… I'm less than that. I'm a pathetic hypocrite with mentality issues. Yeah… that's probably it.

"Jinguuji san? Are you ok? You hit your head pretty hard. Is there something wrong?"

"No~ Just trying to get rid of my old, pathetic self~~ (…?)"

"Ah! Suzumiya san, Jinguuji san!" Hmm? That voice…

"Tamase?" Suzumiya answered to the little girl running towards us. "It is you! When did you get released from the hospital?"

"Just this morning. But the doctor said that I shouldn't do anything too strenuous for at least a week. I got released altogether with Chizuru and Mikoto chan"

"Heh? Yoroi and Sakaki too?" I inquired with a positive nod from the little pink haired girl.

"Yeah, they're coming right now. You wanna join us?" And true to her word, Yoroi and Sakaki quickly arrived in unison with trays in hand.

"Ah! Suzumiya san, Instructor!" The blue haired figure greeted us with her usual carefree smile. "It's been so long. How have you two been? Did anything happen when we were apart?"

"Yoroi. You should address your superior officer properly. And it's not Instructor anymore" Sakaki was the same. Still strict on regulations. But it seems like she lost that bitterness edge in her tone. "It's good to see you again, 1st Lt. Suzumiya, 1st Lt. Jinguuji"

"Ahuhu, you can drop the formalities" I coddled her. "The captain specifically said that we don't need to use them while we're in public. And you can still call me instructor if you still want. Though our ranks may have differed since then, we're still comrades in arms. (Ah… yes ma'am)"

"Uwaa… it feels like we haven't seen each other in 3 years. Everyone looks so much taller than before. I could almost cry. (Ahuhuhu) (Ahehehe) Ah! That's right. Did anyone receive any presents while they were in the hospital? (Gifts?) Yeah, I got a whole bunch of them. I was so surprised when I woke up the other day. I got flowers and chocolate alike"

"Ah yeah!" Tamase sprung up with glee. "I got some chocolate from Papa right before I was discharged. I still have some in my room"

"Heeeh… I also got this cool hat too" Yoroi added pulling out the said hat from her jacket. "It was left along with the flowers. Uuuuu… I feel like one of those adventurers in Indiana Jane! I feel like I wanna go exploring"

"If all of you are here then that means that the whole squad is back together" Suzumiya declared. "I'm sure the others will be glad to see you all. Though it might be some time before we're redeployed again. Considering all your injuries and the fact that our replacement TSFs have not yet arrived, we will have to be stationed here for now. (Ahehe) Well I supposed we can consider this an extended vacation for now. We should enjoy it while it lasts"

"Hai!"

Heh… I guess Suzumiya isn't wrong there. With Yoroi, Sakaki and Tamase here… the team is practically back on its full fighting strength. But it does seem that it will take awhile before they decide to use us anywhere.

The Battle of Tokyo took a lot out of the team both physically and mentally. The damage that was done there could easily crush any normal citizen to a state of depression but I supposed that really wasn't the case for these girls. They're strong… stronger than many of the people I've seen. I guess war really does pull the worse… and best out of humanity.

The TSFs that we brought into battle were also severely damaged beyond repair. Some of which are probably still left stranded somewhere in the ruins of the city. Though it's already been a week since the battle, it will still take some time before all our lives return to some sense of normalcy. But… at the very least… we have this.

**(Streets of Kyoto) (Takeru's POV)**

Haaaaaa… why does this always happen to me? I was planning to spend this day with some peace and quiet but instead I've been drag by a strange girl through town in this bone chilling weather. Well… to be fair, I was the one who agreed to this date but now I feel like taking it back. Damn it… I'm tired, I'm cold, I'm hungry and I'm low on blood sugar. The only good thing that came out of this deal was the three yakisoba bread that Ayamine made for me an hour ago.

If I knew it would be this cold outside, I never would've agreed to coming. "Hey… Ayamine. (…yo) Can you stop holding my arm like that? It feels weird with you clinging onto me. (No…) Come on. Can't you just walk normally like other people? (It's cold…) But you're wearing a jacket"

"Does it bother you?"

"Well… not really. It's just that… you don't normally cling onto someone without a reason. (Then it's fine) No it's not! Come on. Listen to reason here. What if someone we know sees us like this? They might get the wrong impression"

"We're on a date"

"Yes I know that. But I have the right to my left arm, you know?"

Oh… she's making that pouty face. "It's a decision. I want to hold"

"Haaa… is there anything I can do to let you go?"

"Wanna hold hands instead?"

"Clinging it is…" I surrendered to her monotone voice. There's really no point in trying to reason with her. Any sort of logic is impossible to work against someone who brushes them off like the wind on their face. "So… where are we going anyway? (…) We've been walking for almost an hour now in this general direction. Do we have a destination at all?"

"I dunno…"

"Gah! Then why the hell have we been walking for!-? If you have no destination then it's pointless to even leave the base in the first place!"

"Shirogane, you're too loud"

"I'm only loud because you make me loud!"

"A man should lead. Take the initiative. That is their purpose" This girl is really trying my patience!

"You were the one who wanted to go on this date in the first place! It's not a date if we don't even know what we're supposed to do or where we're even supposed to go! It's called dating principle!"

"Shirogane, you fail as man. (Why!-?) No… you fail as a human"

"I don't want to hear that from you of all people! This date is completely pointless!"

"Hmm… Shirogane… you have no sense of fashion. (Huh?) You have poor taste"

"Again… I don't want to hear that coming from someone like you!" Haaaa… I really need to calm down. Why am I getting worked up over such trivial things? It must be because of my low blood sugar. Yeah… that's definitely it. "And besides… it's not like they provide a wide variety of things to wear. This uniform is the only casual wear I have. I can't help it if I don't have anything else to wear"

"Then let's get you new ones. (Eh?) Yosh… destination set. Let's go…"

"Eh? Ah! Wait! Ayamine!"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

A clothes store. Why am I not surprise? This date is really going from one area to the next. She created a destination right off the bat and entered the nearest store possible. I have a bad relation with stores like these. I remember my mom taking Sumika and me into one of these shops on a weekend. They spent a whole 2 hours playing dress up and looking for the perfect swimsuit only to keep them in reserve before trying another shop entirely to differentiate the price.

After that ordeal was done they spent another 4 hours in a shoe shop trying out all kinds of footwear that doesn't seem to be any different from the other from my perspective. I spent ¼ of a day inside the mall, lost in my own boredom and the worst part of it all I missed all my Saturday anime that showed on TV. It was a painstaking process. That much is clear.

Ruffle…

Bwahh! What the hell? Why am I buried in fabric!-? Is the clothe store taking revenge on me again!-?

"Shirogane, try these on" Eh Ayamine? Did she pick out these? "Dressing room is over there"

"Wait! Why am I trying them on? I don't even want new clothes!"

"You need a new wardrobe"

"I'm perfectly fine with my uniforms, thank you! I don't need you buying me new things as it is"

"Do you… want to see me try them on?"

"Huh? How'd you come to that question?"

"You're bold…" Geh… this woman is just…

"You're twisting the situation again! Can we please not try them and just go and eat somewhere? (No…) Why not?"

"Because I want to see you in more or less than your uniform" Wait… more or… less? What the hell does that even mean!-? "Put them on… Dressing room is there"

"There's no way I'm going to try them on! I refuse!"

We gave out a small staring contest before she gave out a sigh in defeat. "You mistake me, Shirogane. (Eh?) It wasn't a request. (Crackle!)" OH NO! No! I have to get out of—(WHAM!) GWAHHH! NO! Damn it! It's the unbreakable, Ayamine Death-Grip! She hasn't used this move on me since we were cadets! No matter what universe I'm in there was never a time where I was able to break free from these perfected hand-held bonds. They were like the ball and chain tied to my hands. "It is futile to struggle"

Damn it all!

Thud…

Fwoosh…

Ruffle…

How humiliating. She threw me into the changing booth, closed the curtains and dumped the clothes on my head like a pile of laundry.

"Don't worry. I won't let anyone peek"

"Who the hell would want to peek!-?"

Ugh… there's no going around it. She's definitely not going to let me out of here before I try some of these. Haaaa… I might as well just give in. Maybe Class rep was right. I really have no sense of self respect whatsoever. To be pushed around by Ayamine, a subordinate of all people. Maybe I'm just too used of being pushed around. After all… it's not like I can say no to anyone. Heh… it almost reminds me of our date after the cook-off battle back in my world. But of course back then we had a more leisurely time than today.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

After fifteen minutes of trying out one shirt after another, I was finally released from my captivity with Ayamine's approval. This was… perhaps the plainest thing I could find in that stack. Even if I don't have a sense of fashion, I know that I look well enough to walk around.

"Hooo… nice, Shirogane. It can only be an improvement"

"Somehow… that doesn't sound like a compliment coming from you" Well… at least she's satisfied. Now I don't have to spend hours picking my pants or shoes.

"You got money? (Eh?) It's expensive" Hey… don't tell she's… "Joking… it's my treat" Haaaaa… I nearly yelled out again that time. If this girl was going to force me to buy something I didn't want then I was definitely going to put my foot down. Besides… I didn't have any money to begin with. I still don't know how this paycheck system even works. I remember getting paid a few times doing some part time job at a local convenient store but that's pretty much it. I have absolutely no life skills when it comes to this world. Heck, the only knowledge I've gained in this world are loosely based on military and top secret information alone. Hardly worthy of a person whose been living in this world for more than a hundred years.

Maybe I really should focus on gathering more casual information rather than military details. I remember reading a magazine back when I was incarcerated back in the embassy.

"…"

Hmm… I wonder if there's a bookstore somewhere. I could use something else to read than those military tactic books in my room. Even a little light novel can go a long way for someone like me.

"…"

Seriously… I don't normally read but even one of my manga back home would be a nice change of pace ahehehehe…

"…"

Ok… that kid has been looking at me for quite awhile now. He's got those big eyes locked onto me like I'm some kind of clown in the middle of the room. It was a kid about 5-8 of age. He was about the height of my waist, with brown shaggy hair with eyebrows to match. He was wearing a jacket with the same color and blue shorts that went just below his knees. "Uh… hey there. (…) Is… there something on my face?"

"Wah… man on TV" Eh? What did he say? "You're that hero on TV"

Hero? Me? Heh… kids. They really can say the strangest things. "Me? No I'm not a hero"

"Aha… then that means you are a hero! (Eh?) Heroes never say they're heroes, which means you are a hero!" What the heck…? Did this kid just play with my words? "Yay! A real hero!"

Ahehe… this is embarrassing. Even if it is just a kid's imagination, it kinda feels nice to be called a hero. "Alright alright, I'm a hero so keep it down. You don't want everyone to know, do you? (Ah… right… sorry) Are you with your parents today? (Yup!) Ok, so where are they? (I dunno) Eh? You don't know or…"

"I don't know where they are" Oi… how can you possibly lose your parents in a store like… wait… now that I took a good look around, this shop seems bigger than I first imagined. With all the racks of jackets, pants and jeans… I might actually get lost myself.

"Could it be that…you're… lost?"

"Yes I am!" You're joking. How can you even say that with such a cheerful face? This is such a pain. "Hey Mr. Hero. Can you help me find them?"

That was perhaps that most childish request I've heard since my years living in this world. It's not like I can refuse either. Leaving a kid alone in a store like this is just breaking moral ethics. "Alright. Can you tell me what your parents look like? (Hmm?) Do you remember what clothes they wear or the color of their hair?"

"Umm… they wore… something like that" Huh? A store clerk? But why would they…

"Hey, do your parents work here?"

"Yeah! My mom works here. My dad brought me here earlier" Somehow I feel like I want to hit my head on a wall right now. This kid isn't lost; his parents just brought him here to meet up and he must've wandered off. "You're a weird hero…"

No… the only weird one is you kid. But I can't say that out loud. "Don't go calling people weird just because they take their time thinking. The Golden Rule states it as so. (Golden… rule?) Yeah… it's Do not do unto others as you would that they should do unto you. (…?) J… just don't say bad things about people"

"Ahahaha… Mr. Hero talks weird" Damn it. Now I made a mockery of myself. So much for being a hero. "Ahahaha… you're a funny hero"

"Ahehe… I guess I am" I couldn't help but rub the back of my head in embarrassment. This kid may be a little weird with words but he's a true kid at heart. I haven't seen one of them since Susono City. (Tug!) Arghh! Uh… what the? My head… it's throbbing again.

"Hey Mr. Hero… are you ok? You don't look so good" Heh… even a kid can see my face flinching. I really need to hide my expressions more often.

"Yeah… I'm fine. Just a little headache" What in the world…? Why is my headache coming now of all times? I'm not inside a TSF and I'm not even that tired yet. Yuuko sensei said that my headache is caused by extreme stress or something similar to that. But now… it's just coming randomly. Even during Tokyo… this pain in my head just comes at the worst possible moment.

"Yuuta! (Hmm?) There you are. We've been looking all over for you"

"Ah! Mom! Dad!" Eh? Are those… the kid's parents? I guess we didn't need to look for them after all.

"I told not to run off on your own like that. Goodness. Your habit of daydreaming is beginning to worry me"

Aheh… I guess parents really do have their hands full with a kid. It must be tough raising a child as your own. (Flash) Eh? What the? (Flash) This image… who…? Those two girls in the open field. Why do I… know this?

"Impressive…"

"Huh? Oh… Ayamine"

"8 out of 10 kids often cry in front of strangers… even more so when they're lost" Just what kind of chart system does she have in her head? "A well made chart…"

…!

"Ah! Crap! Did I think out loud again?"

"No… that one was obvious. (Eh?) Shirogane… your face speaks more than your mouth ever could. (Really?) You have no poker face at all. (Geh!) You'll be terrible in a game of chance"

"Geh! Oh come on! Isn't that a little too harsh!-?"

"It's called tough love" She added with a mocking wink. "No good deeds go without punish. (…?) But still… I am impressed. (Eh?) You talked with the child without making him cry. (…?) You even made him laugh. That's a rare gift"

"I wouldn't call that a gift. I just have a way with children. They just seem to agree with me more"

"A kid at heart. Ah… no… a kid either way"

"Somehow… I get the feeling that you're saving a punch line for later. (You noticed?) So that really was a buildup!"

"Heh… you'll be a great father. (Eh?) Shirogane… papa. (Pat pat pat)" Wh… what the heck? I don't get it. Is she trying to compliment me or is she just trying to get me to drop my guard when the ball drops? I just don't get her at all. I really really don't.

"Umm… excuse me" Oh… it's the parents. "I'm sorry about that. I hope my son didn't intrude on you"

I waved the mom with a casual smirk. "No it's alright. He didn't do anything wrong"

"Dad, dad look. It's the funny hero from the TV" The kid pointed at me with a toothy grin.

"Yuuta. Don't call people like that. He's… not… ah…?" Hmm? What's wrong with him? The guy's face suddenly grew pale. "Ah… AH! y… you're… Sh… Shirogane… (Eh?) Shirogane… Ta… Takeru?"

"Huh? How do you my name?" Wait… didn't something like this happen before with the florist last night?

"F… forgive us, your Excellency! I apologize for my rudeness. I… I didn't know!" Whoa! Why is he suddenly bowing at me like that? And… what did he call me?

"Shirogane? Shirogane… Takeru?"

"That's the boy?"

"Could it be? He seems to be a lot younger than I thought"

Hey… what's going on? Why did the mood in the shop suddenly turn eerie? And… why is everyone looking at me so strangely? (Whispers) Something isn't right… I suddenly feel like every pair of eyes is suddenly onto me. (Tug!) Ugh… damn it… not again. My head is… pounding again. What the hell is happening? Did I do something… weird? (Tug!) Ugh!

"Shirogane… let's go. (Huh?) The things are paid for. Let's go" And before I can even protest to Ayamine, I was pushed out the door with people making way as if they were avoiding the plague itself.

…

…

…

**(U.N. Base Kyoto) (Barrack's Courtyard) (03:10 PM) (Takeru's POV)**

Haaa… haaa… haaaaa… running in the middle of a snowy weather was not the best idea. Now I got snowflakes inside my uniform freezing my skin.

"Safe…"

"This isn't the time for your jokes" I was too tired to even yell at her. "What the hell was that? Why were those people…?"

"Who knows? (…?) Maybe they saw an oyster"

"There aren't any oysters here" Is she trying to test my nerve here? I'm really running out of patience. (Flash) That guy… there was just something about what he said. (Tug!) Ugh… and this headache. Why now?

"You ok?"

"Yeah… I'm fine. I just need to… sit down for a minute" It seems like all that running in the middle of a snowy weather didn't really agree with my condition. I'm suddenly beginning to feel dizzy like the whole world is spinning all around. This seems to prove that whenever I'm in a great deal of stress, the headache just seems to come back and haunt me. "But… what was that all about?"

"What was what all about?"

"D… don't you find it weird at all!-? I mean… they were staring at us"

"Do you find it weird to be stared at?"

"Of course! Especially when it's unnatural!"

"I stare at you all day and you never give any attention"

"That's different! This is way… and when did you ever stare at me?"

"Every time… (Eh?) I stare at you even when you're asleep" Wha? Wait… is she serious? That's disturbing! "You look cute when you drool"

"Cut it out! This isn't the time for one of your—(Tug!) Arghh! (Shirogane?)" Ugh… my head. That last one was a strong one. Crap… am I blacking out? (Tug!) Ugh… damn it…

"Shirogane? What's wrong?"

Damn… not here… not… now…

"Shirogane!"

**(Yuuko's lab)**

Yuuko never once thought she could be taken by surprise. She was a woman who was born with a natural poker face, a person who wouldn't flinch even at the end of the world. She's seen it all before. Weapons of mass destruction, mass graves, even the deaths of some of her closest friends back when the war first began.

Even before she became a member of the United Nations, she understood that human emotions were simply a chaotic tool that drove people to do the most ridiculous things. It was a factor that played an illogical concept in a game of facts and theories.

Emotions are a dangerous tool. It cannot be tamed, negotiated nor reasoned with. They simply flutter around a person's subconscious going back and forth without any order or any kind of system. They do what they want without cause or effect. Like a children without a handler they will simply do what they wish without even a strict sense of knowing when, what, why or how.

To compensate for the lack of such trivial things, Yuuko built her stoic smile as a front to hide her deeper feelings. It has worked well for the past few years and it has never failed her…

Until someone showed up on her doorstep and decided to drop a bombshell of information that was too much for her to process in a few hours.

…

She'll be honest. Meeting with Shirogane extended her list of interest greatly. The information he provided was fascinating and downright critical to the importance of her precious ALTERNATIVE IV. She has to admit that if it wasn't for him, then things would've turned out a lot differently for the people of this world. Whoever said that one man's action can change the course of history would find this boy to be proof of his claims.

"Vice Commander…" But the mad scientist's train of thoughts was interrupted when her blonde secretary came into the corner of her eye. "I have the event report that you requested. (Oh?) Yes ma'am. It seems you were correct. There appears to be a multinational event coming to play a few days from now. A joint training exercise hosted by the U.N. Armed Forces and the Research and Development Division"

"A training exercise?" Yuuko raised a brow. "At this time? Isn't it a bit too late to have such an informal event?"

"Yes ma'am. This proposal was passed on two days before the events in Shikoku. It was supposed to be held last week but certain events that occurred during that time canceled the event completely. The council and welfare committee agreed to this with the reason to develop better weapons to combat the BETA"

"I see…" Yuuko showed a little sly grin knowing well who was planning this façade. "It seems like my sister is planning something quite grand for Shirogane after all. Do we know what parties will be involved in this exercise?"

"Yes ma'am. The U.N. Special Development Team from the 11th Pacific Army, the 211th Battalion from the Far East Soviet Forces 3rd Army, the Japanese Army Fuji Tactical Training Group, the 44th Tactical Armor Battalion from the E.U. and finally… from the U.S. Army, the 65th Combat Training Battalion. There will also be a number of cadets from various armies to observe and/or participate in the matches should the need arises. (…) The hosting location will be here in Kyoto, the training ground will be at the Awaji Island, Hyogo, and the ruined city of Gose, Nara"

…

The mad scientist went deep in thought. If it weren't for this little bit of information, she'd probably be surprised by her sister's act. Her eyes carefully scanned the list of armies that were to be participating in this so called 'Training Exercise'. It was almost as plain as the eye could see. To bring forces from around the world in one location was simply a setup for something much grander. She can't tell what it is yet but she knew that if she and her sister had anything in common, then she probably would've done the same thing.

"It seems like we're going to be busy soon" Yuuko nodded, flipping the pages back and forth. "A dangerous game is about to be played and now we have this. It's as if we're signing our own death warrants without even knowing it. (Ma'am?) 1st Lt. Piatif, get a direct line to the Imperial Ministry of Technology and get the jeep ready…"

"Uh… yes ma'am. Right away"

While Elena was off sorting things through her intercom, Yuuko could only stare blankly into the dark clouds above from her window and grin evilly. "A gathering of heroes… hmph… how fitting…"

**(Takeru's POV) (Barrack's Courtyard)**

Hmmm… uhmmm…

Ugh… what happened?

Did I… pass out? I guess I did. Ugh… that headache must've really hit me hard. I'm still feeling the aftermath in my head. Ah… this is… the courtyard behind the barracks. I guess I must've fallen here. It's a good thing nobody saw me. Otherwise I may have been rushed to the hospital. I don't like that place.

Still… this is the second time I fainted now. The sudden rush of emotions, stress and the combined effort of Ayamine's antics must've all played a part in my condition.

…?

Speaking of Ayamine. Wasn't she with me earlier? Don't tell me she ran off when I fainted. What kind of friend is she?

"The best kind…" Eh? That voice. "Did you sleep well?"

"Ah… Ayamine? Why are you… up there and I'm… down here?" Wait! Am I lying down on her lap? Ah crap! (Whack!) "Ow! What was that for?"

"Stay down. (…?) Never rush up after taking a nap. It's not good for you. Yoroi said it before" Huh? Oh yeah… I remember hearing that in one of her First-Aid lectures. But putting my head down on a girl's lap just seems… too mushy for my taste.

"I see. I guess you're right about that. (…) How long… was I out?"

"Six hours… (Eh?) It's now 09:15 PM. You were asleep for a very long time" Six hours? I was out for a whole six hours? That's too much even for me. "You feelin better?"

"Y… yeah… thanks. (…) Hey… Ayamine. Did you… stay with me this whole time? (…) You could've brought me to the infirmary"

"You didn't look like you want to. (Eh?) That was the feeling I got… from you"

Feeling? What kind of radar is she using in that head of hers? Is it like a sixth sense or something? "Then… you could've called for help"

"No. (Eh?) I wanted you… all to myself. Even if it is… just for one evening. (…?) Even if you were not aware… it was worth it"

Ayamine… you… (Flash) Heh… silly girl. She's as possessive as ever. Always a strange selfish brat with a sweet heart no matter what universe she comes from. Even back then in my world… she was like this. But even though she's selfish… there's just something beneath that layer that makes her special. Hehehehe…

Ah… but I guess this is nice too. With everything that's been happening, my body must've finally given out. Falling unconscious must've been a way for my body to say that I've been overworking.

…

I guess I should learn to take it easy from here on out.

"Can you stand?" Ayamine lifted my head up gently brushing my hair as I go.

"Yeah… I'm fine now. Thanks… Ayamine"

"…don't mention it…" She replied giving me a smirk in return. "So… you sick?"

"Huh? Oh… no… it's nothing like that. It's… well…" I can't tell her about my unique abilities. Yuuko specifically said not to tell anyone about my powers. Well… it's not like they'll believe me anyway. I mean… who would believe someone to possess supernatural talents that make them invincible? "… it's complicated…"

…

…

…

I hope she can take that as an answer. I mean… I don't really know of any other way to say it.

"I see…" Oh? She accepted it? "Should I tell anyone?"

"I'd prefer if you keep this quiet. I don't want the team worried about me over and over"

"Hmmm…" Oh she laughed? "Alright… I'll keep it a secret. (Thanks…) But one day. (…eh?) You'll tell me… one day… ok? (Ayamine…?) Maybe not now… maybe not tomorrow… but definitely one day… right? (Y… yeah…)" All I could do was answer honestly. "Then I'm happy. (…?) Here…"

"Huh? This is… more yakisoba… bread?"

"Payment for the date. I made enough for everyone. I was saving it… as a surprise… for the party"

"Party? Oh yeah… I remember the Captain saying that we'll be having a party to celebrate. You plan to give this to everyone? (Nod) Well… I won't stop you. If they're just as good as this one then I'm sure the others will be happy you made it for them. (Yeah…) Thanks again and… sorry if I made you miss dinner"

"No prob. I got to spend time with Takeru. (Eh?) Will you… be ok?"

"Huh? Ah… yeah don't worry. It doesn't last this long. I should be good from here on"

"That's good. (…?) Shirogane… you really are… special. (Eh?) See you…"

…!

"Y… yeah… see you" W… what the hell? Why do I feel so lighthearted? I feel… like I got butterflies in my stomach and my why does my face feels so… hot? I think my heart even skipped a few beats too.

Ayamine… that girl is just too strange… even for me. Even after years of living with her… I can't seem to get the basic principle of understanding of her thoughts. Everything I try just seems to bounce off of her like a trampoline. It's like talking to a wall. But I suppose… in this case, I might actually get a more decent conversation talking to brick wall than out of her. I think that was the first thing I thought about her when we first met.

Ugh… but this isn't the time for that. I need to see Yuuko sensei quickly and talk to her about this headache. That serum she gave me barely worked too. Hopefully she'll be able to sort this out.

**(Hanger area)**

Brrrrr… damn it. Did the temperature drop again? How much longer do we have to put up with this weather? I know that it's the winter season and everything but still… this is too much. It's been ages since I last saw the sun. I could really use a summer day to brighten up this sour mood of mine.

The base was being buried under a ton of snow as it is. Even with the street sweepers cleaning it up every hour they can't seem to keep up with the weather at all. The only place they can only manage was the airstrip next to the base. I guess they have to set their priorities straight.

Ah… there's the lab.

Click…

Eh? That's odd. The door is locked. (Click click…) Maybe if I knock… (Knock!) Yeow! That's cold! The wall is frozen solid! The temperature must be below freezing point if it gave me frostbites in just a few seconds. Phew… I need to put my mittens back on.

The weather seems to be picking up. The wind blowing through my face is so cold I might just freeze to death for real this time. These weathers can be brutal especially in the middle of winter where the temperature can go below -5 Celsius. Its times like these I wish I could have a kotatsu in my room to keep me warm 24/7. Heck… I'll even buy a futon just to sleep under there for the rest of the night.

It doesn't look like Yuuko's inside. Maybe she went on some urgent meeting. In any case… it doesn't seem like I'll be able to get inside any time soon. The door is pretty much frozen to its hinges and I can bet that there are plenty of security details added around this place. Yuuko wouldn't leave her research unattended without someone to look after it. I'll just have to come around tomorrow. Right now I should probably go back to my room and get some rest. That's probably one way to nurse a splitting headache.

Whirrrr…

Hmm? What's that? Are those… TSFs? Why are those guys sorting in the middle of the night? That's quite a lot for one group. Are they training or something?

"Alright! Move the last of them in!" Hmm? That voice… isn't that the captain? "Bring the Gekishins in first followed by the training units. I don't want them tangled inside like last time"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Yup… I was right. It's Captain Isumi for sure. I'd recognize her voice. She seems to be coordinating the mechanics in the hanger. That's a lot of TSF for one group. I'm counting at least… 10… maybe even 20 if my eyes don't deceive me. They're just Fubukis and Gekishins. I've seen plenty of them before but not in this quantity. The only time I've seen so many units in one place was during the 12/5 incident and that was a long time ago.

Hmm… that reminds me. I wonder if my Shiranui is somewhere around here. I remember Yuuko saying that our TSFs are stationed here. If I recall… my Shiranui was still busted when I left it at Saitama. I wonder what happened to it.

"Good. Once they're stored, commence a check up on all units. Don't leave a single part unchecked. (Roger!)" Wow… even though we're supposed to be off duty, she's still working around the clock. I guess the higher you are in the military the more responsibility you have. "Hmm? Eh? Shirogane?" Ah… crap she saw me. "What are you doing here?"

"Ahehehe. Hi there ma'am" I waved my hand jokingly back at her. "Sorry… I didn't mean to interrupt"

"That hardly matters now. (Ahehe) What are you doing—no… how were you able to get in? This area should be off limits. Didn't the guards try to stop you?"

"Guards? I didn't see any. At least not through the rear entrance"

"Tch… and this is supposed to be one of the most secure bases in the U.N. They can't even lock the back door properly" Uh… maybe I shouldn't be here. "Well… I guess there's no point in punishing you for it. I'm going to have a word with the man in charge of the security detail later" Phew… I dodged that bullet there. Sorry 'other-guy' it looks like you're taking this one for me. "In any case, why are you even here? If you wanted a place to stroll around, the track field should be more than sufficient"

"No… I was just going to meet with Yuuko sensei in her place but it looks like she isn't here"

"Eh? Yuuko sen—ah you mean Professor Kouzuki. That explains it. Her lab is here after all. Sorry you had to waste your time but you missed her awhile ago. (…?) She left her office about an hour ago with Lt. Piatif. I'm not sure when they'll be back" Well, I guess that rules out the possibility of them being trapped inside the lab.

"I see… it can't be helped. But what are all these, Captain? (Hmm?) There seems to be a lot of TSFs coming in and out of the base lately. I even saw a couple of F-15s flying above head this morning"

"Ah these… I guess it's safe to tell you seeing that you'll be briefed about it in a few days. (…?) These are cadets from the U.N. 6th Pacific Army stationed in Kyushu. (Cadets?) That's right. They're recruits that just finished their Comprehensive Combat Skill evaluations. They'll be observing and/or participating in the upcoming Training Exercise being held here in Kyoto. (Training Exercise?) Well… that's one way of calling it. To be honest it's pretty much just another program to advance weapon designs for multiple companies that are funding the TSF projects around the world. In the addition of it being an advance training course, mechanics and scientists can also get battle data from various TSFs and compare them along the way. This is pretty much the fastest and proper way of gathering battle data with any risks"

I see… I supposed that explains why there were so many TSFs flying around this morning. They're preparing for a training exercise.

"Who else will be participating in this?" I asked.

"Other than the Japanese Imperial Army and the U.N, the Soviet Union is expected to participate in this match. (Heeh…) I also hear than the U.S. and a few companies from the E.U. are coming too"

"Hooo!-? That's huge. This is almost like the Olympics. (Olympics?)" Ah crap… I forgot they don't have sports events here. "It's kind of like nations around the world competing in basketball or soccer. And the winner takes the trophy home"

"Oh… well I guess that is similar in this event. It is a tournament in its own way. Squads of different factions are expected to fight one another to ease tension amongst the nations. You could say that this is the most humane way of settling scores. If that were the case then I wouldn't be surprised if Hayase asked you for a rematch here. (Geh!) But I wouldn't worry about it. I think it's best if we sit this one out and let the others work it amongst themselves"

"Heh… I can agree with that ma'am"

"The Valkyries will probably just be observing if not coaching the matches"

"Captain…" A mechanic interrupted us. "Sorry to interrupt but we're just about finished here"

"Ah… alright then. The cadets should've already been briefed to where they'll be staying for the night. Wrap up everything here and we'll call it a night. You can do all the maintenance work tomorrow morning when it's not as cold"

"Understood ma'am" The mechanic nodded in reply before turning to his crew. "Alright let's wrap it up! Close the hanger doors and lock the entrances. Seal the berthing grounds"

"Well that just about finishes my work here. Let's go, Shirogane. (Yes ma'am)"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

When we got back outside, Captain Isumi quickly pulled in her jacket and stretched her arms and legs out as if she was finishing a long day's work. "Ahhh… we're finally done~ Now I can finally unwind. A few glasses of beer and the night will be perfect" The captain's pretty loose once she gets the work weights off her shoulders. Despite her age she doesn't act any differently from the rest of the squad. Even a person of her caliber likes to chill after working hours. Heh… she kind of reminds me of a school kid who likes to party after a hard day at school. If I were her, I'd probably say the same thing.

"You seem pretty upbeat, Captain"

"What else did you expect? A stiff old lady, being serious about everything?" She replied with a childish tone. "I try to separate my regular self from my professional personality. If I start mixing those two together then it'll be difficult to sort myself out in different situations. (Heh…) Why? Do I really look that different when I was inside?"

"Well… yeah. You almost look like a completely different person. You're like a child again, ma'am"

"Oi… Shirogane… if you say that to another girl, they'd hit you. (…?) Just what do you take me for? I'm not that old. I may be the second eldest in the family but that doesn't make me any less of a youth than you. If you call me old one more time, I'll send you to the detention center just for insubordination"

"Ahehehe… sorry ma'am. I'll try to be more considerate next time"

Grumble…

…

…

Isumi raised a brow at me when my stomach made that noise. "Shirogane… was that…? (Ahe…) Could it be that… you haven't had dinner yet?"

"Well… no…" It's because I was forced to go on a date with Ayamine this afternoon. By the time we got back I blacked out. The only thing I have now is the yakisoba bread that she gave me. "I was… mostly busy with something else"

"I guess luck isn't on your side today. The PX is probably closed by now" She returned with a mocking tone. "But if you're still hungry then I can probably help you there. (Eh?) Come on. I can't have one of my best Eishis starve to death because he's too lazy to get his own food"

**(PX)**

Even though she said that… why the heck did we come to the PX anyway? Like she said earlier, this place is closed for the night. The stalls were locked up and the kitchen was empty. Unless she plans to cook herself, I don't think we'll be getting much out of this place.

"Oh… good. It looks like no one's here" The Captain said to no one in particular. She's… ruffling through the cupboards. "Ahaha… I was right. They really do have leftovers after all"

"Captain? What are you doing?"

"Leftovers. (Eh? Leftovers?) Every night, the chefs here usually have excess supply and they store them up for tomorrow. Normally they'd put them in the freezer but they tend to run out of space so they put them in storage units like these. Here"

Eh? One of the plastic bags—ahh! "Yeow that's cold!"

"Ah sorry about that. I forget that they also make sure to store it in cold temperatures to keep them fresh. You usually have to heat them first but the kitchen is locked up for the night so don't expect anything fancy"

"Eh…? Have you… done this before, Captain?"

"Well… it wouldn't be my first time stealing food from the PX" She added with a slight chuckle. "Don't tell anyone. But back when I was a cadet, I'd usually come by and pinch from the PX's supply room late at night. (Huh?) I'm usually hungry after I finish my independent training so I come by whenever there are leftovers"

Heeh? So the Captain did something like that when she was a kid? I'm surprised. I usually thought that she's the type of girls who can do no wrong but now I'm seeing her in a new light.

…

…

…

By the time we finished scavenging the cupboards we happily took a table and feasted upon the unnaturally large gourmet set up for us. To be honest I felt kind of guilty of taking food from the PX but the captain doesn't seem to mind at all.

"Itidakimasu!" Isumi called out with her chopsticks in hand. I know that I haven't really gotten to know the Captain very long but seeing her act like a blissful child is kind of… new. I never imagined that there is a hidden persona underneath all that tough exterior. "What's wrong Shirogane? Aren't you going to eat?"

"Ah… yeah… well…"

"Is it too cold? I already told you that it isn't going to be something fancy. But something for the night can make a big difference in the long run"

"No it's not that. It's just that… I've never seen you like this before? (Hmm?) It's like… I'm seeing you in a whole new light. You act so different then when you were at the hanger"

"I see… well I supposed that's true. I already told you that I keep my personal self and professional self separated. (Really?) You have a long way before you can understand us girls, Shirogane. (Eh?) Girls are… complex creatures. You need to spend years with them to actually begin to understand the surface of their nature. (Uh…) What you see now is probably what I'm not afraid to show you but deep down there's a side of me that I tend to keep to myself"

"Heh… I think Misae san said the same thing once"

"Then you're one step closer to understanding women. (Ahehehe) Ahuhuhu. Now eat up"

"What's the rush? It's not like the food can get any colder, ma'am"

She gave me a small hearty laugh in return. "That's true. But like my sister once said: Never leave the food hanging no matter what. (Your sister?) The eldest one in my family. She's an excellent cook and doesn't like it when we keep the food waiting. Though she might be an airhead at times she can be really motherly with the three of us. I supposed being the eldest has it rough"

The eldest sister… (Flash) Wait… could it be… that girl I saw back then…?

"Hey… Captain. (Hmm?) Could that person you're referring to. Could it be… Yayoi san by any chance?"

Her eyes widened in response. "You know her?"

"Well… I actually met her? (…?) Before Tokyo. We met in Saitama"

"Saitama? When was th—wait… was this the time you and Jinguuji were taken in?"

I nodded back in return. "Yeah… she was working with another member of the Ministry of Intelligence. We were picked up together before we were…"

"Hold on…" The Captain then abruptly put her hand up to stop me. "Are any of the information you're about to say related to your mission in Tokyo?"

"Well… yes…"

"Then I don't want to hear it. (…?) Though I am a bit curious, I can't divulge myself with information that doesn't concern me. The official word of your task is that you were sent on a top secret mission. If I learn anything more than that then I might become a liability of information leak" Oh… she's right. The things that Yoroi and Yayoi san showed me back in Saitama were pretty highly classified information. They probably went through a lot of length and a small dose of desperation to tell me what they did.

"Y… you're probably right, Captain" I admitted.

"So… you met Yayoi already. I never imagined that she would be part of the operation you were doing. How is she? (Eh?) I might not be able to ask what you two were involved in but I can ask how she's doing, can't I?"

"Ah… well… she's fine. As far as I remember. (Is that so…) Sorry I can't tell you more. We didn't really have time to sit and talk"

"No… that's alright. I actually got to meet with her awhile back. (…) But… it's good to know that she's alright. After what happened in Tokyo, I lost track of a lot of my old friends around the countryside. It'll be a welcome change. (Ahehehe) Oh… by the way, Akira sends her thanks"

"Akira? (Flash) Oh… your younger sister?" I remember her. We only met briefly during the Sadogashima Campaign. I actually almost forgot about her.

"She's been asking to see you since Sadogashima. I think she may have even taken a fancy of you. (Eh!-?) Ahuhuhu, just kidding. There's no way my sister would go for someone like you. (Hey!) I suppose the only person you need to meet is Marika. (…?) She's the second youngest in the family but she has talent. If we get the chance, maybe you should meet her"

"I'd love to. Though… I think that'll be difficult in the situation we're in right now"

"True… our involvement in missions keeps us from making personal contact. But… we'll keep that little thing in mind. (Alright…) Ah… hey… since… we're on the topic right now…"

"Hmm? What's the matter ma'am?" That's odd. Her tone suddenly changed. Now she seems more… timid than usual.

"I never really got to thank you properly for saving my life back in Sadogashima. (…?) With everything that's been going on, I think now may be the only time I get to say my peace with you. (Captain?) D…don't misunderstand me. Though I'm grateful that you went through all that length to save me, you still went out of your way to disobeying orders. You were fortunate that the Vice Commander levitated your punishment to simply boring tasks"

"Well they do say that no good deed goes unpunished"

"The Vice Commander said that you were reckless beyond measure… but I supposed that's one of the few traits that you have that are actually commendable" Ouch… now that just hurts. "Many of your actions nearly cost you your life. You're lucky you just lost a few TSFs along the way. (Ahehehe) The Head Mechanic back in Yokohama will probably give you an earful by the time we get back. (Geh!) You only have yourself to blame. If you can only handle your TSF better then you wouldn't have come back a complete mess. I can't even begin to realism of how many TSFs you've wrecked even before you became a commissioned officer. I used to think that Hayase was the only reckless person in my Squad but it turns out you broke every record she had by a large margin. (Guuuu) Really now…"

"Ahehehe… well… I don't suppose there's any way for me to look good in that scenario, is there?"

"None…" Gwahh! I felt like she just stabbed a nail of tough love in my chest. "You're reckless, (Stab!) foolhardy, (Slash!) and always acting before thinking. (Hadoken!) But… despite all that, I supposed it's safe to say that… you… are a good person. (Eh?) You might not be the perfect soldier that everyone dreams of… but I'm well aware that you are loyal and a good friend to those you cherish. Though it's rather childish, I still think that you have a good heart. (Captain?) So all in all… I supposed your good quality balances your bad quality altogether"

Thud!

"So in the end, this long speech of yours had absolutely no point from the start?"

"Maybe…" I'm starting to think the Captain is becoming more and more childish the longer I stay here. It's like she turning back time in a more literal way. "Well, now that we're done, let's eat!" Don't go ending the subject so abruptly! That's just as bad as Mikoto! "Don't be so glum. It's only natural to have a conversation while we're eating, neh?"

"Geez… Captain. Your method of teasing is almost as bad as Misae san"

"Well I wouldn't call it equal but I can understand a little bit why she likes to tease you so much. (Eh?) It's that face you make whenever your thoughts are being derailed. (My face?) It's like a lost puppy that's trying to chase its own tail without even knowing it. It's almost adorable. (EHH!-?) Now, let me try this. Open wide"

"I'm not a kid! Don't go spoon feeding me! (Ahuhuhu) C… captain!"

"Alright alright. That's the last one, I promise. (Geez…) Ahuhu… sorry about that. I guess I couldn't resist. It's fun to unwind after a long week's work. We really should do this more often" What am I supposed to be? An object of her releasing pent up stress or something?

Haaa… maybe the captain's right.

Women really are complex…


	69. Sweet Life

**Chapter 69: Sweet Life**

**(January 13, 2002 Sunday) (U.N. Kyoto Base) (PX) (07:10 AM) (Takeru's POV)**

Haaaaa… at last… a normal warm breakfast. It feels like forever since I actually had a regular meal without something occurring in between. Waking up extra early for a good shot at freshly made food is always to die for. A small sense of home was back at my hands.

Still… after finally eating real food for the first time in weeks I kinda feel depressed to be reduced back to synthetic food. The meal that I got from Yuuhi and the treat from Marimo chan sure cured my bad stomach but it also left an increased appetite that much I can tell. Nowadays my body has been craving for more and more. I'm already at my second serving and yet I'm still not full.

Well… like they say, a good body has high metabolism. So I'd better eat up and stick to my regular diet. Maybe I'll also pay that old man a visit. He might just give me a free pack of takoyaki if I ask nicely. Maybe if I bring Misae san, it might increase my chances of getting a free meal. But wouldn't that be abusing a friend's connection?

No! When it comes to my stomach there is no secondary purpose! All I do is to satisfy my hunger!

Yosh! After breakfast, I'll go and kidnap Misae san and get her to get me takoyaki! It's a brilliant plan!

"Ara? 1st Lt. Shirogane?" Eh? Oh… it's Haruka. "Haaa… it is you. It has been awhile since we met"

"Ah… yeah. I guess it has"

"Do you mind if I join you? The cafeteria is quite empty this time of day especially on a Sunday when most of our regulars take leave from duty"

"Not at all. Go right ahead" She gladly took her seat opposite of myself with her usual carefree smile. "You're up pretty early Haruka san. I thought I was the only one who got up this early today"

"I usually wake up at five o'clock in the morning before reporting for duty" Eh? 5 o'clock? That's even before sunrise. "Please don't make such a face. It is common for staff officers to wake up early"

"But… at 5 in the morning? I don't think I can make that kind of time. I mean… I'm probably still asleep"

"It's not difficult. I trained myself to wake up at that specific time already. I usually take about an hour on running in the track field and another half an hour to get change. I have my breakfast at around 7 and commence work at 7:45"

"Ahaha… I guess you must finish earlier than the others"

"Not at all. I have lunch break at 12:30 and return to work exactly 1:10 PM in the afternoon. Work time exits around 6 and then I usually have dinner with the team at 7. I don't usually have any other menial duties so I review my work file for tomorrow from 8 to 10. I enter sleep mode at exactly 10:15"

H… holy crap! What the hell is she, a machine? That routine is just plain brutal! With only a few hours of break in between I'll probably die of boredom before the BETA get to me! Even after years of being a soldier in the same time loop my habits still remain the same! She's more diligent than I am and probably more soldier-like than I'll ever become! Guuuu… just listening to her routine of work with little play makes me feel like a half-ass-good-for-nothing-lazy-bum. It's so real that I feel like I wanna cry.

"Oh by the way, how's Akane? I heard that she's been hanging out with Hayase for awhile now"

Haruka gave me a cute chuckle in return. "Yes that is true. They both have been spending much of their free time doing training in the gym ever since they both have been released from the hospital. It was only fortunate that they both came out of that battle with only a few bruises and scratches. Though I do wish they would take their time to relax a bit, I supposed it is in their nature to train harder"

"Well both of them are fanatics when it comes to training. Maybe they have more in common than I thought" I added before taking bite off my synthetic mackerel fish.

"Akane chan idolizes Mitsuki san since we met. Even back when we were at school she was a better swimmer"

"Eh? Hayase was a swimmer?"

She replied with a nod. "Correct. We were all in the same school one time. I was in the same class as Mitsuki san before we were all conscripted into the army. Akane chan was two years below us. They were perhaps the most competitive people I know" Heh… I guess that's a usual thing to say about swimmers. They can be competitive especially when it also came to piloting a TSF. "Despite their differences they became close friends and competed in the same swim team. Mitsukin was only faster by a small margin" Wow… so Akane can actually match Hayase in something after all. I'm amazed. I think my opinion of her just heightened…not that there was much of it to begin with.

She hated me the moment I got into Hayase's team of Storm Vanguard and I think that won't change any time soon.

"Shirogane san? What's the matter?"

"Huh? Oh it's nothing" Ugh… me and my daydreaming routine. "It's just that after hearing what you said… I'm actually seeing Akane in a new light. To be honest I don't really know much about her since we met. We only seem to meet on training and missions. And… I don't think she has a high opinion of me either"

"That's not true. Akane chan talks about you more often than you'd think. (Eh?) I observe most of her independent training especially in the training simulator room back in Yokohama Base. Do you know that the trainers back there have created a Special Course designed from your control log, Shirogane san? (…?) It was built to incorporate all of your unique movements allowing other pilots to mimic them in a friendly manner" Eh? A new training course in the simulator? Why haven't I heard of this? Well… it's not that I have enough time to visit the simulator room anymore. Right now it's all about mock battles and realistic fights.

"How come I've never heard of it?"

"It was not something spoken amongst the men. They called it an 'unofficial training session' to challenge people like Akane chan to try and do unique movements like yours. So, Mitsuki chan holds the record of completing it" Wow… I'm actually surprised to the amount of things going on without my knowledge. I just hope those guys back at the base aren't exaggerating it. The last thing I want is more attention to me.

As much as I want people to notice me, I think I've had enough attention for one day. It's hard enough just trying to avoid Hayase every day to keep her from issuing a rematch. People have been going on and on about our little fight back at Yokohama Base but seriously, I don't want to fight her. She's scary. Downright scary to the bones. I'd much prefer to be fighting with a horde of BETA any day if it means avoiding her. Then again…

"Shirogane san… you're day dreaming again"

"Huh? Ah… sorry about that. What were you saying again?"

"Ahuhuhu… it seems that Jinguuji san's profile on you was spot on. You are easily lost in your own thoughts and you speak your mind regardless of how hard you try to keep it in your head"

"Geh! Sh… she told you about that, didn't she…?"

"Ah! Speaking of which…" Haruka clasped her hands together when a thought popped up in her head. "Jinguuji san asked me to look into your paycheck delay. (My paycheck?) Yes. Apparently the money was frozen due to your time in detention a few days ago. It will take some time to get it moving again so in the mean time, please take this as consolation" She quickly produced a thick heavy envelope from her side pocket and handed it to me.

"Th… this is…?" I've been in the business world a few times myself. Money has always been an issue in every major deal. Stocks, product, supply and demand. These were the common words that flew out of people's mouths and surprisingly enough I can understand all of that.

But never… in my entire life have I seen a stack of money so large that it barely fits the palm of my hand. There was enough money in that envelope to last me 2… maybe 3 years of my allowance. My eyes were bulging and the cold sweat in me dried up. There was at least 4… maybe even 50,000 worth in large bills.

"Is something wrong?"

"Ah… n… no! It's just that… isn't this a bit too much? (…?) I mean… I'm grateful for this but this looks a bit too much even for a regular soldier"

"What do you mean? That is a standard minimum salary amount for an Eishi of the U.N. Armed Forces. There are some soldiers who still receive almost twice as much as this. (Eh! Twice as much!-?) Yes. Staff and higher ranking officers like ourselves are privileged to receive much more than this. But seeing that this is still your first military tour, you won't be seeing any significant increase in your income" Th… this is really new to me. I've only been in the army for a month now and yet I feel like this money is the weight of the world to me. To think that a stack of papers like this would weight almost as much as a gold bullion. I never held so much money in my entire life.

Even back in my world when I was with Meiya. Tsukuyomi never lets me handle money because she didn't trust me in handling it which is kind of true since I usually spend most of my allowance in games. If only she could see me now.

"Still… this is… a lot of money"

"Have you not held such amount before?"

"Well… to be honest… my dad never lets me hold more than a couple of thousand yens. He can be stingy when it came to money just like my mom"

"Ahuhuhu… your parents sound like very discipline people. Perhaps there was something that happened that made them distrust you with such things" GEH! Haruka! What are you? Psychic? How could she possibly know about that? Well… it's not far from the truth. One time my mom asked me to buy some vegetables from the store a few blocks from the house. But then I suddenly caught interest with a manga book that was on sale in the bookstore. I got so caught up that I bought it and I couldn't afford the things that she asked me to buy. To make it all worse… I thought I could trick her by buying a bunch of candies instead. I had to go without dinner for a whole night. "Ara… judging from your expression, I seem to be correct"

"Guuu… Haruka san!"

**(Shogun's residence) (Audience room)**

It was a tense morning for the Grand Shogun of Japan. At first she was not expecting any kind of visitor during her stay in her residence until her wounds had completely healed. She expected her hideout to be safe from all eyes, from all attentions. But such was not the case for the unexpected intruder who came knocking on the estate's front door. Now she was here in the audience room, granting privilege to someone she was not expecting for some time.

The Grand Chamberlain urged her to continue resting and turn the guest away but she insisted on meeting with that person, personally.

"My apologies for the delay… I was not expecting any visitors so early at this hour. Especially not from someone so important"

"Please, I don't like it when other people praise me with such an honest face" The female visitor who was being threatened with a gun at her back replied in her own pace. "Though I would rather not have weapons pointed at me. We cannot hope to start any kind of negotiation if I am kept at gunpoint"

The Shogun quickly signaled her three Guards away, dismissing them from the room with but a gesture of her hand. "Forgive them. They were merely performing their duties. We do not receive so many visitors here. But I am surprised. I was not expecting to meet you until later this afternoon, Professor Kouzuki. Has something occurred for your reschedule?"

"Not at all. I merely wished to discuss the terms of our support before making the official meeting" The mad scientist then laid out the designs that were handed to her the other day. "Shirogane showed me the plans for your new project. I must say there are very little flaws for me to change. Some of which aren't really even critical. (…) As you expected, the U.N. Council plans to support your project every step of the way. They're prepared to provide tools, resources and manpower to their extent in exchange for the Food Processing Plant Blueprints"

Yuuhi gave out a pleasant heave. "I see…" A small weight on her shoulder had been lifted, easing her stress. "I am eternally grateful. I was unsure whether the U.N. would take part in this endeavor. I assume that our deal is concluded?"

"Yes. We have supply trucks already en route from Mie, Aichi and Gifu towards Fukui. We also have more shipments coming from America later tomorrow. With them, it should be relatively easy for us to build any structure"

"My gratitude. It must not have been easy to persuade the council after what the Royal Family has to done to our own people. The people of Japan already owe you a great deal of debt for erasing the BETA from our lands"

"I merely delivered the killing blow" Yuuko reasoned. "It was the soldiers that handled all the hard work. (I see…) But… to be honest… there is also another reason why I came to visit in person. I simply wanted to get that annoying hurdle out of the way. (Oh?) If I may… I would like to discuss something in private. It is a rather… sensitive subject"

Yuuhi raised a curious brow to the mad scientist and quickly understood what she meant with those words. "I understand. Oba san… would you mind brewing some tea for the guest and myself?" The Grand Chamberlain answered with a deep bow and politely made her way towards the door leaving the two politically powerful figures to discuss amongst them.

"I am grateful that you understand, Your Highness"

"So then. What is it you wish to discuss with me so privately?"

"It involves, Shirogane. (…) As you and thousands of other people around the world may be well aware of, the boy isn't normal. No matter what kind of story the U.N. Council tries to weave through the media, you cannot hide something that grand once it's out there. (…) Even a kid can tell that no normal human can pull stunts like that. He's special… and in more ways than one. (…) He's naïve to the point of idiocy yet he can still deliver surprising results once he puts his heart into it"

"Indeed…" Yuuhi agreed. "His ideals can be brash and childish… but with his own strength, he still believes that he can make that world come true. (Hmph…) I do not wish to impede his path. In truth, I do wish to support it"

"Please… don't do that" Yuuko stopped her immediately. "I'd rather not spend hours deciphering cryptic messages and riddles. I have enough of that with one person in particular. (…?) If you truly wished to support his ideals… you wouldn't have gone through all that trouble to bring him here in the first place. (…) It didn't click to me at first but after I looked through the plans… they're becoming clear as snow. By making him deliver such important documents hand in hand, it won't take long for the wrong people to notice him. After what he did these last few weeks… it might actually begins to make more sense with the training exercise coming up"

"…" Yuuhi was quiet but her face made no sense of flinching. The room was like a match with two impenetrable poker faces staring back at one another.

"You're playing a very dangerous game alone with this project of yours and now you're putting him in the crossfire. Heh… I wonder how it feels like to be used in such a way"

"If you figured out that much… then I do not mind if you tell him"

Yuuko broke a smirk off her lips. "You won't mind if his opinion of you changes? And here I thought you two were sharing a moment together"

Yuuhi lowered her head a bit feeling a sense of shame rising up her heart. She knew what she had done and if Shirogane ever found out the true reason why he was brought here then their relationship would surely sour. "I see. You are as clever as they you are, Professor Kouzuki. I supposed it's no longer necessary for me to hide my intentions. (…) Yes… it was my original intentions in luring Takeru here to my side. To allow my plan to succeed… I required… someone with impeccable strength"

"Someone with impeccable strength…" Yuuko muttered silently to herself allowing the Shogun to continue.

"I make no excuses for my actions. I shall take full responsibility for what I have done"

"Even if it means you may never see him again? (…) You underestimate him, Your Highness"

"Will you… tell him?"

…

…

"No…" Yuuko's answer came as a small surprise to her. "If I were in your position… I think I would've done the same thing too. But I don't like it when someone uses something that belongs to me. (…?) I'll allow Shirogane to be your bait… but I want something in return. It sounds fair, don't you think?"

The Shogun paused for a moment looking at the woman in front of her. She had to admit that she wasn't expecting something from the world's VIP. But then again… the rumors about her eccentric attitude have been accurate in these last few minutes. Looking around and making sure that no one was around to hear them, she replied. "Very well… what is it that you want?"

**(Takeru's POV) (Streets of Kyoto)**

Brrrr… this is ridiculous. Is this blizzard ever going to stop? It's been snowing for three days straight and the snow alone is piling over me nonstop. Of all the time for the heater back in our place to break down, it just had to be today. Without the heater in the barracks, the only place soldiers could get warm is at the PX or the longue rooms. But there doesn't seem to be enough space for everyone. So either we all had to crump inside one room or to voluntarily heat our bodies up. In other words—exercise.

The latter idea of course was absolutely horrible. At this temperature, my sweat would probably freeze from this god awful weather before they even reach the floor and that's only if I can sweat at all.

I'd better take cover in that convenient store. At least there I'll be protected by this hail of snow until the afternoon. Hopefully it'll die down by then.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Ding dong!

Oh! That tune! I haven't heard that in a long while. The convenient store automatic door alarm. Heh… as a high school kid, you can practically get used to that noise every time you enter a store. Who knew that something so trivial can remind me so much of home?

Still… this shop pretty much screams normal. I can see so much of my old world through this small shop. I don't supposed living off of microwavable food and instant ramen had anything to do with it. But… then again… isn't everyone like that? There are racks of food and snacks lined up neatly at the center of the store, drinks of all nature stashed in see-through refrigerators, and cupboard of magazines and other books stashed by the windshield.

Haaaa… just being in this atmosphere brings me back to my life as a kid again. Oh! And while I'm at it, I may as well spend my hard earned money for some food. I might even be able to buy some of that old man's takoyaki again.

Ruffle…

OOOOHHHHH! They have manga too!-? This is awesome! It's been so long since I've seen a book that I can actually relate to! I didn't think they'd have something like this in this world. I remember Class rep talking about moving comics one time but they're pretty much called anime where I came from. This is soooo sweet. I think I should buy some for Sumika too. She's not really into stuff like this but it'll definitely brighten up that room of hers. I'm sure that it'll lighten her mood too.

…

…

…

Ahh… I can't wait to get back to Yokohama.

Sure… it's not as pretty as Kyoto or Niigata for that matter… but to me… it's like a second home. I guess with Sumika there… it does make it feel like home.

Thud!

"Ow…!" Huh? Did someone just hit me? "F… forgive me. I was careless. Are you injured?"

"Eh? Meiya?"

"Ah? Take… Takeru? (Meiya?) This is a surprise. I never expected you to be here. Are you here to purchase some provisions as well? (Provisions?) Was I wrong? It's common practice for soldiers to bring along large amounts of contents from places they are stationed in"

"Is that so? (It is…) Well I supposed that makes sense. It's not every day we actually get stationed in a populated center like this. We won't know when we'll actually get to visit Kyoto again"

"Precisely" Meiya confirmed it with a nod. "Tamase introduced me to this store this morning. (Tama?) Apparently an acquaintance of hers works here. She has agreed to provide me with a discount for today only"

"Heh! That's great! Can I get one too?"

"I'm afraid not. This privilege is entitled to myself only. You may ask her but I would not want you to abuse her friendship for your own profit"

"Hey come on now. What kind of person do you think I am? (…) Alright alright, I won't do it" It feels like she can read me like a half-open book. Besides, how good can a discount be in a small store like this? "So what did you come to buy here?"

"The usual amenities. Though I plan to get more later on if time allows it. If you desire, I can assist you in your purchase"

"Well… to be honest I actually came here to hide from the cold. (…?) I was freezing outside so I thought I'd come in here to get warm"

"I see… so you were only here for the warmth? Why did you not remain in the base? Our rooms should have their own heaters"

"The heating thing outside turned into a Popsicle so everyone's piled up in the PX or the longue. I don't think you should go back until they fix it"

"I see…" She let out a disappointing sigh. "It would seem like the weather will not be improving any time soon. Nonetheless, all we can do is endure. Come, I would like to return as soon as possible"

…

…

…

Umm… how do I say this?

Everything that's happening around me—it all feels so… nostalgic. The simple act of going to a cash register with goods in hand and hearing the pleasant words of 'Thank you, please come again' just makes me feel like I was just at home. This is probably one of the most done practices of the average high-school student. I should know… because I used to be one.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

It was awhile before we finally got out of the store. The weather hasn't improved either… damn it. Why didn't I just stay in the PX like the rest of the team? It would've been a lot warmer that's for sure. Heck I wouldn't even mind the crowd, as long as I don't have to freeze.

"Takeru, here… (Hmm?) Instant coffee. I got it from the store. It's not much but at least it will give you something to warm up with"

"Ah… thanks" I accepted the plastic cup and slowly sipped through it. The warmth I needed was not there but at least there was something in my stomach to keep it from freezing over.

"Aren't you overreacting?" Meiya added to me with a puzzling look. "Surely we have been through harsher climate than this"

"That's because we were wearing our exosuits at the time. We can adjust our suit temperature to meet the needs for the weather. They're much more efficient than these jackets they give us"

"You keep whining about the weather. The cold shouldn't be an issue for someone like yourself"

"Well from where I came from, it was never as cold as this. (…!) What's wrong?"

"No… it's just that I keep forgetting that you were raised overseas before arriving here" Geh… I totally forgot about that. My supposed back story that Yuuko sensei made for me wasn't really holding. I keep forgetting that I'm really not from this world either. "You are indeed strange. But anyway, we should head back to the base. If you do not wish to freeze then you should stay in the PX instead"

"Yeah… I plan to do that. But it's still cold"

"Ahuhuhu… whine all you want, it will not make you warmer"

"Hey, that's mean"

"I am merely stating the truth. Perhaps one of these days, I will have to call you the whiner in the group. (Geh!) If I take it to 1st Lt. Muanakata, she'll be thrilled for sure. (Don't you dare!) Ahuhuhu, it was a joke. Do not take my words seriously" How the hell am I supposed to do that when your face screams 'seriousness'!-? "Ahuhuhu… I'm beginning to understand why people like to tease you so. The expressions you make when your thoughts get derailed are enjoyable. Perhaps I should consider following in her footsteps"

"No! Please god no!" I pleaded. With Misae constantly pestering my thoughts and Yuuko pulling my leg on a daily basis, having the rest of the team follow in that pattern will be the death of me.

"Relax… like I said, it was only a joke. We should return. I do not wish to stay outside if the weather will continue to worsen" I agree. If it gets any colder, I might have to stay in my room with the blankets over me for the rest of the day. Maybe this is the reason why some animals like to hibernate in the winter. They'll just sleep off the days and eat during the spring and summer.

"Haaaa… what I wouldn't give to be a bear for a day. (…) Hey Mei—eh?" Where'd she go? "Meiya? Hey, where did you…" Oh… there she is. She seems to have been taken in by that toy shop next door. "Oi Meiya?"

"…"

What is she staring at so intently? A claw crane game? Heh… what are the chances? It seems like she wants that purple teddy bear at the corner of the box.

"You want it? (…?) What's the matter? You've never seen a crane claw game before?"

"Ah… no… well… I was just" She gave a defeated sigh when she knew that she couldn't come up with a good enough excuse. "No… I have not. This is perhaps the first time I've seen something like this. To be honest… this is perhaps one of the few times I've actually been in a toy store"

"EH!-? You've never been inside a toy store? (…) Geez… that must've been rough"

"D… do not patronize me. Is it wrong for someone to focus solely on their training rather than menial things? I cannot help it if I am inadequate in such things"

"Ahehehe, sorry. I didn't mean it like that. Here… let me show you how it works. (Ah no, you don't need to…) Just relax. I'm a master at this. You just put a coin in and…"

Ding dong…

"Ah! It moved!" Of course it moves. That's the whole point of the game. If it didn't then this game would've been a complete rip off for everyone.

"You use the lever here to move the crane to where you want it and then push the button to snap one in. (Beep) And… (Oh! Incredible!) There we go…"

Clink…

"Ah! You got one!" Meiya practically had her face to the box. She looks so adorable that she kind of reminds me of Sumika when we first played this game. Sumika was so close to the box that she had her face printed on the screen door. "Takeru! Focus! Otherwise you'll drop it!"

Hey… come on now. Everything that happens from here on will be the crane's fault, not me. Besides… I heard from somewhere that these machines can be rigged but I never let get to me.

Clunk…

Ratadada! I acquired a green dragon stuffed toy!

"Amazing! You actually got one?"

"Hey, that sounded like you were expecting me to lose"

Meiya flinched back with a small blush. "O…of course not. I was merely surprised how you were able to acquire a prize so easily"

"Yeah, sure. Here, you want it? (Eh?) I don't really need a stuffed toy. You can have it"

"I refuse. (Eh?) A prize not won fairly is a prize not earned. I shall earn my own prize by tackling this challenge" Hey… is she serious? The whole point of getting this dragon was for her. I didn't even want this little creature.

"H… hey wait a sec—" But before I could even voice my protest, she already inserted a coin and began playing. She hasn't changed a bit. She's the same girl I met all those years ago. A bit of a dunce when it came to normal everyday things but she always did it in her own unique and strange way. Somehow I think those two words really aren't all that different.

Clink…

Clank…

Beep…

"Ah!" Oh… it looks like the one she tried to get slipped off by a hairpin. (Click) She inserted another coin. "Hmph… I appear to have miscalculated that one" Ahehehe… this might be enjoying to watch. "AH! That's impossible! I had that one! (Click) You are cunning, small one. But you shall not escape my next attempt!" Hey… she's not planning to stay here forever, is she? "Arghh! That cannot be! (Click!)"

**(About an hour or so later)**

I can't really tell how long we've stayed in that toy store. It feels like an hour… or maybe even longer. But I can tell how much Meiya lost today. After using up all the loose changed she had, she couldn't even get a single one of the stuffed toys in the claw crane. I thought that she would give up and call it quits for the day but that only seem to strengthen her resolve in getting the prizes inside.

Instead of turning away from the game, she went to the cash register and exchanged for coins. We ended up staying in that store longer than I had hope and despite all her valiant attempts, all that money she invested in the game was futile.

It took me about an hour of reasoning just to get her to stop.

"Hey, Meiya chan. Don't be like that now" I pleaded only to get a verbal spat at my face.

"Do not speak to me in that manner! And do not call me by that ridiculous name!" Eya… she's really mad.

"Come on. It's not like I did it on purpose. The crane had a life of its own" The reason why she's mad isn't because she didn't get a prize. It's because of what I did after I stopped her.

After I got Meiya to stop playing that obviously rigged game, she gave me her last coin to take a free shot. And only to add an unintentional insult to her injury, the crane was able to nab not just one, not two, but three of those dolls in unison. Now I have four stuffed toys with me that I never wanted in the first place! They all just came down on my lap without my consent.

"How can I possibly believe you when you easily won those with barely any effort? This is a flaw that I must remedy on my own. As if you are not enough of a skillful soldier, you are also an expert on such cheap mechanics. Your talents truly have no bounds, Takeru" I don't know about her, but that didn't sound like a compliment at all. I mean… wasn't it just pure luck that I got all three in one?

"Hey if it really troubles you that much, you can have one. I don't really want them in the first place"

"No… I cannot accept something that I have not earned. It is unprofessional"

"What kind of logic is that? Is it really wrong to give something just for the sake of giving? You know, like Christmas Presents. (Christmas?) Eh? You don't know Christmas? The time for joy and time for cheer?"

"Is that… a western event?" Ah crud… I totally forgot that we never had any kind of Christmas celebration last year. I was thinking about our Christmas Eve. The last night we all spent together right before the base CO came knocking on our doorstep. (Flash) I remember the whole cadet school went all out on it and decorated the entire base. It almost looked like a festival of some sort.

"Ah… I guess you guys don't really celebrate Christmas here"

"No… I'm afraid we do not" She answered honestly. "I've heard of this Christmas… but I'm afraid I know not of its origins or anything that's related to it. The only thing I do know that it involves a tree" That's a pretty vague thing to say but I can understand that she's talking about a Christmas tree. But… I supposed to be fair, I'm not exactly an expert on it either. I know that it involves, Santa Clause, gifts and something about Catholic religion. "I supposed it's no surprise for you to know something seeing that you lived overseas before. I envy you"

"I don't really think that has anything to do with it"

"No… I believe it does. Unlike myself, you appear to have been raised somewhere with a lot of cultural heritage. Where a person is born and raised can shape character in my levels, much like a stone is shaped by its sculptor. I was born here in this land and was raised among people who many consider nobles. I know only the traditions of this country and nothing else. Everything I know about the foreign nations comes from books and words of others. I am not surprised if your knowledge of the outside world is far greater than most"

"Hey… first you were angry, now you're praising me? Which one are you trying to pull?"

"I am not trying to pull anything. It simply irritates me that the gap between our skills is lengthily getting further away from my grasp. Simply trying to keep up to your abilities is a difficult challenge on its own. Had I know that you would be such a great warrior, I would have pushed myself even further in my training"

I don't think any amount of training she does will ever be enough. Unlike her… I've been piloting a TSF far longer than anyone. All the years of culmination, training, studies and lessons drilled in by one of the most brutal instructor all made me to what I am today. Heck… I don't think I would even be here if Hayase didn't pile drive all those instructions in my head with her attitude.

"Well, I guess you could I'm above your average soldier. I'm not really that special if you look back at it" I laughed it off.

"I cannot tell whether those words come from your arrogance or your modesty. You returned victorious against many battle hardened warriors and even when the odds were greatly against you. Calling yourself simply 'Above average' is a vile understatement" Well… she's probably right there. I only kept my abilities toned down during our training as cadets back in Yokohama Base because I didn't want to feel alienated by everyone. But now after what I pulled off… I think it's safe to say that there's no need to hide it anymore. My skills are just… inhumane. Even Marimo said that it was already beyond human possibilities when I first took a step in the simulator.

Hmm… now that I think about it… my body also seems to have been greatly enhanced with every new loop that I go through. I guess that's also something that I need to think about. Even I have to admit that becoming faster and stronger every time I loop back is a strange behavior in this cosmos.

"Takeru, you're drifting off again"

"Ah… sorry. I guess I was just thinking about something. But in either case, you're probably right. Now that I look back at it, I'm beginning to see that my abilities are a bit supernatural myself. There's really nothing I can say that can change that but… even so… will you at least take this?" I offered her the blue dragon which I got in par with the other two. "Take it as an apology for taking so much of your time. I wasn't trying to prove anything with that crane claw machine. I just thought that… you might want it"

She paused for a moment, darting her eyes from the stuffed toy to me. It feels like she trying to decide whether to take or simply walk away. But I know her too well. After a few seconds, she reached out for the toy with a hesitant gesture. I guess she finally calmed down from that little outburst.

"Nay… you have nothing to apologies for. To be honest… I was not hoping to receive one myself. (Hmm?) I was actually planning to give it... to someone…"

"Give it to who?"

"Eh? Ah… no one! It is nothing for you to concern about. You have my gratitude. Though may I ask, what will you do with the others?"

"Heh? Oh these? I still got three of them" Why the heck did they all have to be cute stuffed dragons? "I guess I could give them to the others. Tama would probably like the pink one and I guess I could give the orange one to Suzumiya. As for the green…"

"Perhaps you should keep one for yourself. (Huh?) It seems logical. If you are simply willing to give up all that you've earned, then the game would not benefit you"

"Yeah… but little cute dragons don't really suit someone like me. If someone saw me with something like this, they'd call me whack. (Whack?) Ah… I mean… crazy or soft"

"I see. I supposed you image is important to you. Very well, I will not press on it any further. What you do with it shall be your business. (Thanks) Think nothing of it. Oh… by the way, did you receive notice of our new assignment?"

"Our new assignment? No… not that I've heard of"

"It's no surprise. You have not been with us for the past few days. 1st Lt. Jinguuji explained that there will be a mission briefing tomorrow, Monday morning at 1100. We are to report to the barrack's meeting room at exactly that time for a new mission we've been tasked with" A new mission? Ah… it must be that Training Exercise that the Captain was telling me about the other day. I supposed I shouldn't tell her until tomorrow. "Takeru… you're doing it again…"

"Ah sorry. I was just thinking that this is probably our last holiday. With all this free time, it kind of opens up a whole new world of idleness"

"After knowing you for so long, that appears to be a subject you seem most familiar with. (Hey!) I am merely speaking out of experience. The way you ignore our instructor during her lectures and the fact that you hardly put much effort in Close Quarter Combat training reveals a lot of your personality"

"B… but I still did above average, didn't I?"

"Hiding your true strength does give you an advantage over your opponent but not exercising it may have dire consequences later" Somehow… I get the feeling that she's feeling that her irritation is related to the fact I kept beating her in all those exercise.

**(Oita Province, Kyushu) (U.N. 6th Pacific Army New Headquarters, Tsukumi Base) (Outskirts)**

Snow fell over the old ruins of Kyushu that night. It covered the old city of Tsukumi widely like a white blanket covering from top to bottom leaving very little areas to see any other color than the sky itself.

A few weeks back, you would find this place deserted, desolated and devoured from the war of humanity and the BETA. Much of the buildings that stood here were long gone and anything of value would've been picked clean by scavengers and smugglers alike that plan to make a small fortune with the loot that they find around places like this. Empty houses, stores and monuments that stood the test of time were all that were left as clues that people actually once lived here. All traces and evidences of habitants… were plucked clean through the years of salvage.

But of course… that was weeks ago.

Now… after years of separation and isolation from the native inhabitants, the city found new life once more.

But instead of the human life that once wandered the proud streets of this city, its new residents were made of steel and metal. Giant soldiers standing as tall as buildings stood guard over the ruins like modern version of an unburied terracotta army. Tanks and trucks steamrolled through the city, searching every nook and cranny for any intruder, and a vast majority of planes and helicopters passed over the airspace, ignoring the masses below.

But among those ruins of rubble and broken buildings, a single man stood out, well hidden from the naked eyes. Yoroi Sakon observed the army with almost praising interest as to how they worked well with one another like a well oiled machine.

Click…

He snapped his camera at the new military base in the distance, taking note of the many facilities that have been built there. Usually on a normal day he would've liked nothing better but to wander the insides of a foreign military compound, gathering intelligence like a regular officer of the Ministry of Intelligence would do. But to his surprise, the place was locked up tighter than Yokohama Base in kind.

He had a feeling that Yuuko had something to do with the major change in security. With the electrical fence keeping all manner of intruders out and patrols followed with attack dogs. It would take at least a month's worth of planning, MP bribes, and a boatload of dog feeds just to get into the courtyard.

But of course… nothing was impossible for a man of his caliber.

But right before he could start mapping his way into the facility, his attention was caught up by his phone which rang silently in the snow.

"Yayoi chan… it's a pleasure to hear you again" The man answered the call with his trademark tone. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"Sorry to disturb you, Chief. I just got the results of the dignitaries that you wanted the other day" The super spy paused in his investigation and quickly hid back in the shelter as a chopper passed over.

"Ah… is that so? Very good. Anyone worth noticing?"

"They're mostly diplomats from America and the E.U. And a few representatives from the multinational companies and the U.N. Undersecretary himself. These are all that are worth noticing with the Training Exercise that's about to be announced" Yayoi shuffled through the pictures, matching the names with their faces.

"Excellent. But I have a change of mind. Focus on the Americans. (Eh?) Give me a detailed background on each one of them"

"W… wait a minute Chief. There are over a hundred of officials coming from American alone. You can't expect us to keep tabs on all of them. We don't have the manpower or the resources to launch a full investigation either. Is there any way we can lessen the number by a small margin?"

"I don't need all of them" Yoroi answered. "Just those that are worth of any importance"

"These are highly respected individuals, sir. They're all worth noticing. Unless you can shorten the list of suspects, we'll be stretched thin. You'll have to be more specific. And… you haven't told me what you're up to either. There's only so much I can do without your guidance and the other agents are getting restless without you here"

"People are so easily panicked when things are lost. They should know better than to run around like headless chickens. (Sir!) I'm kidding" But just as the man was laughing at his secretary his words were silent when he noted abnormally large figures standing by the hillside. "Oh… now this is trouble. (Chief?) It seems like Japan will become a battlefield once more. With the nation as it is, it will be impossible to stop all of them at once.

"Chief. You're not making a lot of sense. Where are you? Just what are you trying to pull?"

"No time. Have a list of all the delegates on my table by the time I arrive. Cut down the list as much as possible. And get me in contact with Professor Kouzuki. (Ehhhh!-?) It's urgent. I will explain everything once I reach the base"

**(Takeru's POV) (Track field)**

Ugh… damn it. This is getting ridiculous. If it gets any colder than this everyone will be breathing ice out of their mouths before spring. There wasn't even a single space left in the PX. People must be out of their minds just trying to keep themselves warm. I bet more than half of the base's personnel are all in there, squeezing together to keep themselves warm. The only thing I can get out of that place was some coffee.

If I happen to drop dead here, the snow would be my grave. Heh… that almost sounds like one of those death poems I read back some old novels back in my school library.

Fwush!

Pwheh! Yeow that's cold! I got snow in my mouth. Who the hell kicked snow all over?

"Ah, sorry about that. I didn't see you th—oh… it's only you" Eh? Hold on. Don't I know that irritating tone? "What are you doing out here? Got kicked out from the PX?" Akane… I'd know that voice anywhere. There's only one person in this world I know that would use that mocking tone at me.

"Hey… you're supposed to apologize when you kick snow at someone. Not berate them out of a whim.

"Well it's not my fault that you're standing in my way. This is a track field so stand aside if you're not going to run" Haaaa… it seems like no matter what I say, I'll never be able to change her view of me. Ever since I joined up with the team in my last loop she never changes her attitude towards me. It's only with Hayase when she becomes a cheerleader. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have to finish my daily exercise"

"Eh? Wait… why are you running in this weather?"

"Just because we're on a break doesn't mean I can slack off in my training. No matter what the weather is. Rain or shine, sunny or snow, I force myself to go beyond my limit to improve myself. 1st Lt. Hayase is the same. Even when she had a dislocated arm, she continued to train herself in the gym without stop"

"You really do admire Hayase, don't you?"

"Is there something wrong with having someone to look up to? (…?) Just because you're part of the Storm Vanguard Team, and because you can pull some amazing stunts, that doesn't mean you're the best among us. Don't forget that the battle you two had ended in a draw" Wow… her admiration for Hayase really shows in her words. Though I get the feeling that me being Hayase's partner, isn't the only issue she's annoyed with.

"But didn't Hayase admit defeat in the end?"

"Only because she considers a draw a lost either way. Besides, she was obviously taking it easy on you because you guys were a newbie. If she was fighting you with her full strength, she'd beat you with barely any effort" Wow… now she's starting to sound like her number 1 fan. I've never seen someone so dedicated and praising someone with a straight face. "Believe me… I've seen her fight. And you haven't seen Hayase san when she's in her full fighting mode"

Full fighting mode? Well… I've seen her fight before so I guess that's just how she is.

_"You have to understand Shirogane. Hayase has had a condition even before she was enlisted into the army. She has a difficult time holding back her strength"_

Hmm… I remember the captain saying that she has a difficult time holding back. I guess it comes with her character. I've known Hayase for awhile myself but only through military life and nothing more. I'm pretty sure Misae told me that women are a lot more complex than they give out to be but I still can't wrap my head into seeing Hayase any differently. Even if she was a kind hearted lady, I still wouldn't want to fight her.

"Hey… Akane. (What?) You've known Hayase for a long time, right?"

"A few months longer than you. Why?" She counter-questioned as she began a routine of stretching in front of me.

"Well I was wondering. Have you noticed anything weird from her? (Huh?) Anything out of place or character. Something that doesn't suit Hayase"

"What are you blabbering about? Are you trying to find some kind of weakness to exploit her or something? That's cheap, even for you"

"Hey, come on now. It's not like that. It's just that… I just realize that I don't really know everyone very well"

Whoosh!

She threw out a couple of punches forming a shadowboxing stance. "I've never met her personally until I graduated from cadet school. So I don't know much about her. But even if I did. (Whoosh!) What makes you think I'd tell you anything?"

"Eh? But didn't your sister and Hayase studied in the same class together? (…!) Whoa! Hey! Watch where you're kicking"

"How did you know about that!-? (Hey!) Don't tell me… (…) Have you been poking your nose in their private files or something? You scum!"

"Whoa! Easy! I'd never do something like that" But wait… how did I know those two studied together? Or the fact that they were in the same class?

"Listen to me. Don't poke your nose in someone else's private life. What happened between Hayase and onee-san is none of your business"

"What happened between them? So you do know Hayase before you came here. (…!) I guess I was right"

"Tch… listen. Captain Isumi strictly said that you shouldn't poke around other people's business unless it's necessary. So keep out of it!"

"Hey, you were the one who let out that little piece of information. (Geh!) I wasn't trying to look into any dirty secret or anything. I was just curious about something. (Something?) Well… I guess you could say I'm little curious about Hayase so I wondered if you knew anything at all. I didn't mean to upset you. (…) So can you forgive me?"

…

…

…

Uuuuu… she's staring at me. I don't like that look.

"One match… (Eh?) Spar with me for one round without holding anything back. If you can beat me then I'll tell you anything you want to know about Mitsuki. Deal?"

"H… hey wait a minute. You seriously want to spar in this weather? We'll freeze!"

"Then you'd better defeat me quickly if you want any answers out of me. (Huh?) En garde!"

"Hey wait a sec—(WHAM!)" Whoa! That kick looked deadly. If I didn't block, that would've left me defenseless. "Hold on! Are you serious!-?"

"What's the matter? If you can beat a whole army, then someone like me shouldn't be a problem! Come on! (Whack!)" Yeow! Just how much strength does she have in that small body of hers? It's like trying to stop a tiny tank. "Is that all you got!-? Where's that strength I saw back in Tokyo!-? You were tougher than this!"

WHAM!

WHACK!

POW!

"Oi! Hey! Stop it! Akane! You're being too aggressive! (Whapack!) Ow! Th… that's dangerous!" What the hell is this? She looks like she wants to kill me.

"I'm not done yet! Haaaa!" She threw a flurry of punches at me which I quickly parried. "Stop blocking and start hitting back!"

"Are you crazy? You just got out of the hospital! If you keep that up, you'll just end up hurting yourself!"

"Don't joke around! Even if I am injured! That doesn't mean I can't fight! I can adapt to any situation!" She repeated her routine of kicks and punches like I was a living sandbag. Despite what she said, I can tell that her body was slowing down after each blow. I can see that her movements were getting more erratic and forced. She must be hurting inside. "Don't look down on me!"

"Cut it out!" I grabbed her arms to stop her from flinging out wildly but she simply shook me off with her tiny frame. I never imagined I'd actually have to fight her like this. "Akane! That's enough. Stand down!"

"Don't underestimate me just because you're one rank higher!"

WHACK!

…!

I recoiled backward after she landed a clean kick right onto my left cheek. It wasn't strong but it was enough to bring me to a dazed state.

"I got you now!"

Damn it! I've got no choice!

WHAM!

"Gahh!"

Just as she delivered her trademark kick, I quickly smashed it away and countered with a force palm on the chest.

Thud…

Haaa… haaaa… haaaaaa. Damn it… I think I sprained myself on that last hit. I can't move properly with all these jackets to keep myself warm. But at the very least I stopped Akane from hurting herself. If she went any further, she might pull a muscle or something. I'll have another reason to thank Tsukuyomi back in the other world. If she didn't teach me this technique, I'd be in deep trouble.

"Are you ok?" I asked to the girl on the soft snowy surface. "Have you calmed down yet? (…) Hey… come on. I didn't even hit you that hard"

"Y… your hand. (Hmm?) Can you get it off my chest?"

"Huh? AH! Sorry. It wasn't intentional. I was just… trying to stop you. (…) Are you… alright?"

"Yeah. My old wounds didn't open. I'll be fine. (That's good) You really are… super strong after all. (…?) It only took you one move to put me to the ground. I guess… there's really no hope for me to catch up to you, isn't there?"

"Well… to be honest, it was mostly just luck on my part. Besides, you're injured. You couldn't use your full strength in your condition. (…) Don't look so down. You're making me look like a bully here"

"S… sorry…" Eh? What did she say? I didn't hear her. "Ah… your face"

"Hmm? Oh… crud I'm bleeding" I guess that kick had more than just a punch in it.

"I…I'll go get a first-aid kit"

"No, don't. (…?) It's alright. It's nothing serious. I'll just rub some snow on it and it'll heal"

"Don't kid around! Even a small wound can cause an infection. I'm not going to feel responsible for wounding you"

"And I'm telling you to stop overreacting to every little thing. (Ah…) Haaaa… look… if you don't feel like talking, I understand. You never really liked me to begin with so I'm alright with that. (…) I won't bother you anymore. Just get some rest before you open up your old wounds again"

"W… wait! Just wait a moment, will you? I wasn't trying to… (Flash)" Huh? Wh… what was that? "H… hey, are you alright?" Ugh… my head. Why am I feeling this now of all times? "Oi, Shirogane! What's wrong with you?"

My head is spinning again. (Flash) Images… (Flash) Too many… images. (Flash) A face… a name… why do I know?

"Hey! Shirogane. Don't joke around! This isn't funny!"

"Narumi… Narumi Takayuki… (…!) That guy… (Flash)" That name… why does it sound so… familiar?

"Narumi? How do you know about him!-? (…) Oi! Say something! What do you know about Narumi?"

"Can you give me a minute? I'm not… feeling that well. (…!) Who is… Narumi?"

"Ara ara… the Alpha Dog strikes again~ I'm impressed"

"Eh? Oh… Misae san" Where did she come from?

"You weren't satisfied with Kashiwagi. Now you're going after pure young innocent Akane. Your hormones and your morality truly have no bounds, Shirogane. (Eh?) Had I known you would be such a fisher, I would've offered myself to you from the start. (HEHH!-?)"

"M… Munataka sempai! H… how long have you been watching us!-?" Akane barked out with a flushed face.

"For awhile now. Though I must admit, I wasn't expecting a fight. Ah… Akane chan… you almost look like a little lion with her fangs cut. I was actually hoping this little incident to go… further" Further? What is she talking about? "Ah… this really is most unexpected. I never imagined that our most spirited member would fall prey to this man's charms. You're becoming even worse than me, Shirogane"

Worse? Wait… is she talking about…?

"What do you mean by falling prey!-?" Akane returned with a strained yet squeaky voice. "Like I'd fall for any tricks this guy can come up with! He got lucky with that last shot! (Ahuhuhuhu) Uuuuu…! Shirogane, say something!

"How am I involved in this?"

"You're the main reason why she's taking it the wrong way! (Ahahahaha!) Guuuuu! I'm holding you in charge of this! Take responsibility!"

"Oh… now this is juicy"

"1st Lt. Munakata, please stop doing that! (Whistle~) Gah! I won't forget this, Shirogane! Next time, I'll definitely beat you! So you'd better watch out!"

"Eh? Wh… wait a second!" Damn it… she's gone. For a girl who loves to swim, she sure knows how to run.

"Don't chase after her" Eh? Misae? "Give her some time to sort herself out. (…)" Did she come out here just to stop Akane from fighting? "I'm surprised. I never thought Akane would go and openly strike you like that"

"Oh… you saw that?"

"I saw everything. She really did a number on you, sandbagging like that"

I laughed it off. "Aha… well I wasn't expecting her to have that much strength. Besides… I didn't want to hurt her either"

"Heh… you should rethink that strategy of yours. Women aren't as fragile as you might think. (…?) But in either case, you continue to impress me. Come on. Let's get you to the infirmary bef—hm? (What is it?) Your cut… it's gone"

My cut? Ah crap! Did it heal already? "It must've healed. It wasn't really that deep to begin with"

"If you say so. But if you're still cold, then drink this. It'll warm you right up"

"Oh… ah… thanks" I awkwardly thanked her.

"And if you need someone to cure your urges, just come by my room. (No thanks) Ara… I got turned down by a man, so cruel"

"I'll thank you for the drink though… (…) Pweehh! Bwahh!" What the hell is this!-? It's so sour my tongue is actually feeling the after burn. My mouth feels like it's been placed inside an acidic room put with prunes and vinegar.

"What's the matter? Don't you drink sake?"

"Sake!-? You call this sake!-? Sake aren't supposed to be sour they're sweet! And who the hell drinks sake at two o'clock in the afternoon!-? Bweeeh!"

"Ah… it must be the fortified orange juice that I added to the mix. Either way, it got you heated up, didn't it?" My whole body feels like it just wants to puke everything it just drank in any way possible! Oh… now my stomach aches. "Hai hai… here, have some water"

…

"Wahhh… much better. For a moment there I thought I lost my taste buds for good"

"Don't overreact over a simple drink. (Yes ma'am) And if you really are that cold, why don't you just go to the PX?"

"The place is packed full to the brim" I answered. "They're still trying to fix the heater back in the barracks"

"That's not good. At this rate we might have to sleep in the cold. The captain might even have to implement emergency procedures to warm ourselves up. (Emergency procedures?) Sharing a bed of course. The warmth of a human can never be substitute"

"Sharing a b—!" Ah crud. The images of Mikoto and I during the Comprehensive Combat Skill Evaluation are coming back again.

"Ara… it seems you like you've already had that experience. As expected of the Alpha Dog. (Geh!) Who was it that you had the luxury of sharing bodies with? Was it Mitsurugi? Or Ayamine? No… Sakaki appears to be more your type. Masochists tend to attract one another. (Maso—?) A double punishment game. It might be fun…"

"Misae san, please don't go deeper than that. If you do, I don't think you'll ever come back. (Ahuhuhuhu)"

**(A few hours later) (Barracks) **

Haaaa… today has been exhausting. I barely did anything and already I feel like I shaved off a year off my life span. I haven't seen Yuuko or Kasumi all day. Maybe I'll go and visit them tomorrow. (…) Ugh… it's already dinner time. The PX is probably still packed at this time. It'll be a miracle just to try and get something to eat. I'll have better luck tomorrow during breakfast.

Grumble…

Ah… my stomach is on strike again. Come on. I'm sure we can go through one night without dinner. It's not like it'll kill me or anything.

"Wow… that was a pretty loud one" Eh? Who? Kashiwagi? "Yo, long time no see"

"Oh… hey there Haruko. Did you come here for something?"

"I was preparing myself in my room. But I never imagined I'd see you here. The PX must be really crowded"

"Yeah. The place is packed even when they're not serving anything. With the heater broken, they have to settle in that place"

She gave me her usual chuckle. "Well bees flock to where the honey is sweetest. (…?) It's an old saying. But in any case, you came at a good time. I was actually going to find you myself. (Me?) Yeah. Here…" She procured from her room a small boxed object. "Debt payment in full… with some interest"

"Eh? Is this…?"

"Tada! Kashiwagi special, homemade bento!" Oooooh! It looks great! (Sniff) It smells great too. "I haven't cooked for awhile now so I'm still a little out of practice. Since neither of us will be having dinner, wanna break bread with me?"

I couldn't say yes fast enough…

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

She invited me into her room where we quickly used her work desk as our table. It was almost a complete identical room to my own with the exception of some photos around the cabinet.

Wow… the bento looks even more delicious up close. Just staring at it already makes me wanna drool. The roasted chicken, the fried hamburgers, mashed potato salad! Oooooh! Fried rice with egg strips! Wow… for a moment there I actually feel like I've had this dish before.

"It'd taste a lot better if you actually ate it, Takeru" Haruko added which I quickly wiped my mouth in reply.

"Sorry. It's just that… people don't often get to eat something like this" Soldiers like us have to live with synthetic food all year long and that's only when we're lucky. Since food supply has been prioritized to the military I can only imagine how bad it is for civilians.

"It's not that good. I bought most of the stuff here from the grocery store nearby. Since I haven't done this for awhile I'm a bit rusty. So I had 1st Lt. Jinguuji help out" Marimo chan? (Flash) I see… no wonder this bento looks so familiar. There's a hint of her cooking in it. I can see how she arranged the chicken and the egg strips. "Sorry, but I'm having the chicken. (EHH!-?) Just kidding. You looked like you were prepared to dive into that dish head on. We'll just split it in two"

She quickly arranged the food, giving me the cover of the box as my plate. "Wow… these all look really good. It's hard to imagine that you're rusty"

"Ora. I've been a self taught chef when I first came to the military school. Making homemade dishes are easy if you have the skill and basic knowledge. (Heeh…) Don't you cook?"

"Well… not really. The only thing I can make is rice and egg"

"Tamago gohan is not a dish. Cooking involves using the kitchen, or at least some measure of kitchenware. (Ahehehe) But I supposed that's men for you ahahaha. (…) Try the hamburger with the sauce. It tastes a lot better. (…) What's wrong? Is there something on my face?"

"No… it's just that… you look different today. (…?) The other day when we met in the PX… you were kind of… down. Not that I don't mind you being happy"

"Ah… that. Yeah. I guess I was a little down in the dumps" She reverted back to her old mood. Even I noticed that she was perkier than usual. Mikoto had the same expression too, a few weeks back during the 12/5 incident.

"I'm happy that you're happy. But if you're forcing it out of you then…"

"Ahehehe… you've gotten sharper, Takeru. (…?) I guess I was trying too hard back there. Sorry. I didn't mean to do it. I was just… trying to remember how I used to be before all this happened. (…) Back when we were in that worm… you saw the ugly side of me. I never thought… I could act the way I did back then"

"People change when they're in distress"

"Thanks… but that doesn't exactly make me feel better. (…) I never thought that I was… capable of doing something like that"

"Well… to be honest, I never expected to see you do something like that too. But like I said before, what's done is done. All you can do is move on. Pointing blames at someone isn't exactly going to make it any better. Besides… it wasn't your fault. If I knew someone I loved passed away, I'd probably be in the same state as you are"

"Eh? How did you know about…?" Ah crud! My mouth slipped. "Ah… the captain told you about him, didn't she? (…) I guess I shouldn't be surprised. After what you went through, you probably deserved an explanation. I supposed… she isn't wrong"

"Sorry… I didn't meant to bring it up"

"No… it's alright. To be honest… I was actually thinking how big of an idiot I was to believe in the report. (…?) I… received a letter the other day… from him"

"From him? You mean… your brother?"

"Yeah… Apparently his unit made it out of Shikoku even after the bombs dropped. He got a few cuts but nothing of immediate danger. (That's wonderful!) Yeah. And the funny part is… his teammates are calling him a hero. (A hero?) Yeah. He was the one who was able to get his team and a few hundred others to safety in Iga. One of the commanders commented on his bravery. Here… he even sent a photo of him and his new medal"

Oh? What a great group shot. They're all kids around my age. There's a big guy giving a thumbs-up on the photo, two people writing something one of their friend's arm cask, and another soldier spacing out. I'm guessing the guy with bandages, blue hair, sitting on the hospital bed, holding the medal in his hand is Haruko's brother. Heh… I can really see the resemblance. He looks pretty neat. Almost like a younger version of me a few years back.

"I think the two of you would get along really well" Haruko added with a grin. "Your personalities are almost identical. (Really?) Yup. You even have the same perverted sides as he does. (Hey!) Ahahaha, I'm kidding" Geez… this girl. Is she doing this just to get a reaction out of me like everyone else?

"But… I'm happy for you, Haruko. (Eh?) Your brother is alive. That's another reason why we should celebrate"

"Ah… yeah… I guess you're right"

"Hey, if you start crying now you'll ruin your food. Haven't you heard the phrase 'Happiness and hunger is the best seasoning' and 'Tears and depression are the worst'?" Actually I made that up just a few minutes ago.

"You made that up" Geh! She saw right through me! "I've gone to school too you know. And besides, the greater seasoning a chef can give to his dish is love" For some reason, that sounds like something a kid would say. "Love is the perfect seasoning that can make even basic steamed rice taste like a 5 Star dish. Kyozuka san makes all of her meals out of it, that's why everything she cooks always taste so good"

"Hooo? I never imagined you had such a childish side. (…?) So how much love did you pour on this meal? (Munch) Judging from the taste, it's quite a lot"

"Oi… don't twist my words to suit your own perverted fantasy"

"Ahehehe sorry, my bad. Come on, cheer up" I rubbed her head playfully to get the tension out. But still… this is great. To know that your love one is alive and well is a great relief for everyone. Maybe that's one of the reasons why I'm so calm here. To know that my friends are here with me… makes this world all the more bearable.

To know that Sumika is out there… waiting for me back at Yokohama Base… is also a relief. But it seems like our little reunion will have to wait… just a little bit longer…


	70. Troubled Souls Gather

**Chapter 70: Troubled Souls Gather**

**(Briefing room) (January 14, 2002 Monday) (10:10 AM) (Takeru's POV)**

It was a cold morning when we arrived at the briefing room that day. By the time I got to the briefing room, every member of the squad was there, all suited up in their proper uniforms. Surprisingly enough I don't feel that anxious. Every time we come to a briefing room, I would feel my muscle tense up. Maybe my subconscious has finally gotten used to this state… or perhaps it's the fact I know that our new mission wasn't going to be anything dangerous.

"Squad, attention!" Hayase reverted to her usual self, calling us to the front as Captain Isumi entered with a folder in hand. "Salute!"

"At ease" The Captain waved it off returning to us a smile. "Welcome back, everyone. I'm glad to see everyone present. Though I'm sure not every has fully recovered from their wounds, it's still good to see Valkyrie Company back to full combat strength. The past few weeks that have gone by should've been enough time to sort yourselves together. (Yes ma'am!) Before I begin our mission detail, I'm pretty sure all of you have heard by now of the Training Exercise rumor that has been going around. Well those rumors are true so don't be surprised if you happen to see a TSF or soldier from a different country wandering around the base. (Yes ma'am!) It might look strange to hold a Training Exercise after the incident in Tokyo. But you must understand that with the rapid increase of BETA attack, not to mention the new strain, The Carrier, military forces around the world are desperate to create new, more efficient, effective and worthwhile tactics to counter the threat"

She's right. With the BETA acting smarter than before and adding that giant monster to their roster, we'll definitely need a lot more than a few large guns.

"Member nations in the U.N. Charter will be participating. Other than those and Japan—Russia, America, The COSEAN and the E.U. Council have agreed to send a small detachment to cooperate. Diplomats, ambassadors and foreign VIPs will be staying within Kyoto Base so I expect everyone here to be at their best behavior especially in the formal events coming up" Formal events? Is she talking about mission briefings and such?

"Don't worry Captain" Hayase eased herself in. "With so much going on, I don't think they'll even notice our behavior"

"That tone of yours is most disturbing, Hayase. Are you planning something?"

"Not at all. To be given a chance to fight against strong opponents is a rare event. I might go all out for once" We all turned to a small chuckling group as she puffed her chest out with some hint of pride. I guess she wants to fight Eishis from other countries too. I can understand. Even I'm a little curious to see the other TSFs out there. With the exception of the Gekishin, Shiranui, Fubuki and Eagle, I'm actually excited to see what kind of cool TSFs we'll be seeing on the field.

"I see. So that's why you're so perky. Well as much as I '_hate'_ to bring your mood down, the A-01 Special Task Force will not be participating in the exercise"

"EHHHHH! Why not!-?" Hayase burst out in fumes.

"A group from the 6th U.N. Army will be in charge of representing us in this event. Seeing as how most of our members haven't fully recovered from their injuries, we'll be benched for side-tasks instead. Early tomorrow morning, at around 1100, unnamed dignitaries from The Union of Soviet Socialist Republic will be arriving for a meeting with a council member of the U.N. Council" A council member? (Flash) Could it be… that woman? Yuuko's sister? I guess it's possible. "This will be a high profile meeting so we'll only be present for the welcoming ceremony"

"Wah? That's it?"

Hayase's antics only made the captain give out a grin. "If you find it too boring Hayase, then I have the perfect remedy for you. (…?) After welcoming the delegates, the A-01 unit will also be assisting with providing escort for the Japanese Army Fuji Tactical Training Group" Well… that doesn't sound so bad. We'll be meeting with other Eishis for a change. "Unfortunately the training unit won't be arriving until a day later so we'll be handling their little energetic bunch"

"Wh… what!-?" Hayase's eyes widened as she heard her mission. "C… captain. Are you saying that we'll be…"

"That's correct. Congratulations Hayase. You've just been demoted to Babysitter for a day!"

"NOOOOOO!"

Wow… is looking after rookies really that bad for her? I wonder what she thought of us when we first joined. (Thud) Oh… she fainted.

"Alright. Settle down everyone" The captain added. Did she add that last part just to get a reaction from Hayase? "This might just be another routine mission, remember that these recruits may one day be fighting alongside you. Assisting and motivating the new recruits may improve our relationship with the Imperial Army and the people of Japan as well" Ah… I get it now. This meeting with rookies is a diplomatic way of getting on the good side of the Imperial Army. With most of the old army destroyed from the last few battles with the BETA and Shikoku Island… they're probably going to need everyone up and about and we definitely want to have soldiers that won't cause another coup like before.

"I think Misae san would love to see the new recruits most of all" Touko added which her friend quickly and playfully hushed her.

"Ara ara, Touko chan. You mustn't spread such words or else you'll scare the others. (Eh?) Though I agree, young soldiers are my favorite, I still like those that are close at hand. (Huh?) Why… this perfect little specimen right here is an all time favorite" Wait… why is she inching closer to Class rep?

"Eh? Heh? Wait a moment. Does she mean… me!-?"

"Now now, Misae san. Now you'll really scare them away"

"Ah… I just can't help it. With such silky smooth skin and those passionate eyes it's just difficult to resist" Hey… that's danger close right there!

Clap clap…

"Alright, that's enough. You can leave your perverted imaginations after the briefing Munakata. (Yes ma'am) Don't go putting some weird ideas in them. Some of these recruits might be greener than grass but that's also the reason why they're here. (…?) This is probably the closest they'll ever be to the frontlines of the battle so I expect all of you to be prime examples for them. (Yes ma'am!) Anyway, those are our assignments for tomorrow. There are a total of eight groups. Five of them will be handled by another unit. I'm leaving Hayase, Sakaki, Tamase and Suzumiya with group one, Munakata, Kazama, Yoroi and Jinguuji will handle group two. Shirogane, Mitsurugi, Kashiwagi, Ayamine and Akane will deal with group three. Is this understood? (Yes ma'am!) Report to Hanger 7 at 1100 sharp. Dismissed! (Ma'am) Oh and before I forget. In the duration of the visit, no one is allowed to leave the base unless they have formal business. So make sure to stock up on your necessities before you're locked up"

"Wah…" Mikoto made a face. "I totally forgot to buy that new book I wanted" Is that really your top priority right now?

"And make sure you dress properly. I don't want to see a single wrinkle on your uniforms when I start the inspection. (Yes ma'am) Oh by the way—Shirogane" The captain's voice was directed at me. "Professor Kouzuki wanted you to go to her lab later after lunch. She says you'll know where to find her" Yuuko sensei is looking for me? I guess she must be referring to her lab. "That's all for today. Dismissed"

After saluting, the captain walked out. I guess that means we have the rest of the day off. But what could Yuuko want now? Another assignment? Could be… Well it doesn't matter. I was planning to visit her anyway. I can probably visit Kasumi later on.

"Waaaaa…" Tama let out a small yawn. "This is huge. It's gonna be a huge-huge event! I've never been to such a big gathering before"

She must be talking about the Training Exercise. I agreed solemnly. "Yeah. Diplomats from all over the world will be coming here. It kinda makes your skin crawl just thinking about it"

"Not to mention they'll be bringing the Aces from other nations too" Mikoto added taking her place next to me. Is she talking about aces as in professional Eishis? "I heard that this is going to be the biggest event of the century"

"Oh that's right" Touko followed after, joining our little group. "I listened to the rumors that some high esteemed members will be coming from Europe" High-esteemed? Does she mean like nobles? (…) Heh… thinking about European nobles makes me picture those people with ridiculously giant wigs that I learned from history class. I remember doodling their faces on my textbook when I was bored back in junior high.

"Ah… that group" Misae seems to know what they're talking about. "The detachment from the Federal Republic of Germany, 44th Tactical Division, Cerberus. (Cerberus?)" I questioned back which prompted their attention. "An elite division from Europe. Their reputation far-extends not only throughout the world. Commonly known as the Watchdogs of Hell" Watchdogs? Wait… don't people call me that too? "Their records are extremely superb in military standards and their unit is deemed to be one of the most respected throughout Europe and the U.N"

"You could say that they come from nobility" Touko finished for her. "But it's rather strange…"

"What's strange?" I asked.

"I understand that this training exercise is supposed to be the biggest event of the year but it doesn't seem to make any sense for the E.U. to send their most veteran Eishis" Hmm… she's got a point there. Usually when it's just an event they'd bring some regular soldiers instead. But to send vets with combat experience so far back is rather questionable.

"Hmmm, Kazama san speaks true" Meiya entered. "Even I have heard of them. Their reputation is whispered even amongst the regulars in the U.N. Army. Though I am excited to meet with such splendid soldiers, it does begs the question why they would send such an experience group to a trivial event such as this"

…

"It could be… a day off" We all turned towards Misae who procured us an answer. "I heard that after the events of Kyoto, the BETA's offensive on the Euro Front has intensified. There was a BETA invasion in London about a week ago" Wait… I think I heard about that too on the news channel. I wasn't really paying much attention to it but I remember hearing a BETA attack somewhere in Europe.

"Eh? But didn't they win that one?" Mikoto inquired. She seems to have seen the same news as I have.

"Yeah… it was a victory for the E.U. But they never state what they lost. (…)" Hmm… Misae has a point. Even I learned (though pretty late) not to trust what the media says about anything. They always say that we won but they never fully explain how many we lost. The BETA numbers are almost limitless. Manpower and resources are practically on edge on our side as it is. "From what I hear, the 44th Division is the first and strongest line of defense of the E.U. It's possible they may have suffered casualties after the battle"

…

A few of us made a sound. It seems like they're being pulled off the fronts to lick their wounds and recover. I guess everyone needs a little day off now and then.

Cerberus huh? Hmmm… I think I recall that name. Something about Mythology or something. Meh, I'll have to look it up later.

"Aauu…" Hayase seems to be on the wall, groaning.

"1st Lieutenant? What's wrong?" I asked. "I thought you'd be thrilled about meeting with someone strong"

"There's no point…"

"No point?" No point? "What's the point of meeting strong people if you can't even fight them? Hauu… and here I thought I could expect something new. I never got the chance to fight any of those Eurasians either" She must be talking about Tokyo. Well she does have a point. Even if they were a mixed group, their fighting style was very different. The TSFs they used were also mixed. I don't remember what models they were using except for the Type-81s. Those things were monsters. It's hard to believe I was able to take them down with just a Fubuki. "Shirogane…"

Bwahh! She scared me. "Y… yes ma'am?"

"What's with that cocky grin of yours? You look like you have something to gloat over"

"No! I was just umm… thinking of… our latest mission" Crap. I probably shouldn't tell her that I fought with them otherwise she might get jealous.

"Really? Cuz that smile of yours looked really~ suspicious right now" Geh! Can she read me like everybody else?

"Now now, Mitsuki chan. Please don't take your frustration out on him" Suzumiya aided me in the right moment. "It's not his fault that our members were injured in the line of duty. We all tried our hardest so perhaps you should reward us instead of taking your anger on them"

"Tch… fine" Wow… these two really are close friends. I wouldn't be able to calm Hayase like she did. "Alright listen up! Since we're obviously not going to be fighting those peweets, we're all going to do our crash-course training! (Ehhhh!) No complaints! I want everyone in their suits and in the simulator room in 10 minutes!" Great… now she's going to make us train in simulator runs instead.

"Objection…" Suzumiya called out. "The simulator room is currently being modified for the tour of the cadets that will be coming from Kyushu. No one is allowed"

"Tch! Then we'll spar in the gym!"

"The gym is being renovated as a temp storage room for today"

"Then we'll go the track field!"

"The field is also being used as a parking lot. (Then—) The airstrip is off limits for personnel only. (The PX!) The cafeteria caretaker will ban us for the rest of the day. (The hanger!) It's too dangerous with all the heavy machineries…"

"Gahhhhhh!" Uh oh. It looks like Hayase lost it. "Fine! We'll do it right here! Shirogane, take off your clothes right now! (EHH!-?)" Why me!-?

"Amazing…" Misae's grin was visible even from this distance. "I didn't know you had that kind of relationship already. This is too good to pass up" Why are you so keen on making this so much more complicated than it already is!-? Geez now the whole team is eyeing me wildly. Even Haruko is looking at me with a flushed face.

"Shirogane !"

"H… hey Hayase san. Misae san teased you just now. Aren't you supposed to be angry at her?"

"Forget that! I'll deal with her later. I want you!"

"Ara… that sounded like a love confession" Will you stop it!-? "A love triangle between two best friends and one boy" Best friends my ass!

" . ! Fight me!"

"Wait! I have an appointment with Yuuko and…"

"That's still a long time! I want you here and now! (Ahuhu)" Damn it! Everything she says is just adding more fuel to the misunderstanding. I can practically hear Misae printing a list of things to say in her head. "If I can't get this pent up frustration out of me, I'll explode!"

I darted my eyes to my teammates. Surely someone will help a comrade in danger! Tama? (Hau!) She quickly darted her head away. She can't do it. Hayase will quickly overpower her if she tries anything. Ayamine? (Huu…) SHE'S ENJOYING THIS!-?

"If you won't start, then I will!" H… hey! Hayase san! Why the hell are you stripping? Are you really that desperate? "Come on! Face me!"

Suzumiya? Akane? Meiya? Class rep? Kashiwagi? Anyone?

Damn it. The door is blocked. Must I really fight her? I really don't want to but it seems like there's no other choice. I don't think even Suzumiya can stop her at this point. I might just have to…

Click…

"Bwahh! Who turned off the lights!-?" I heard Tama scream as the whole room went dark.

"I can't see! (Thud!) Ow!" Mikoto smashed against the wall.

Everyone seems to be caught in a confused moment. Now's my chance! Exit, stage left!

Whoosh!

"Ahhh! Shirogane! Come back here you coward!" I politely decline, ma'am!

**(Track field)**

Phew… this should be far enough. They won't find me out here in the track field. Geez… Hayase really can be scary when she's like that. I really don't want to go against that bloodlust of hers. Every time she challenges me to a duel, I feel like she might end up ripping my spine off like one of those ninja characters in the game 'Immortal Combat'. Hehehe… now that I think about it, that character really suits Hayase somewhat.

Whirr…

Hmm? What's that noise? Trucks? There are about a dozen of them on the field. I can see soldiers passing boxes to one another like a bucket brigade. They're pretty diligent.

Oh… that's right. Didn't Suzumiya say something about the track field being used as a temp parking lot or something? I guess she was right about that. This is good. That gives me time to get some decent workout. I've been really lax with my training nowadays. For the past week, I've been taking it easy to get myself to calm down. But I guess our rest time is finally up.

Ah… thinking about getting back to work really bums me out. I feel like a student again who's facing the end of his summer vacation. But instead of enjoying things in the beach I'm out here freezing my butt off in this cold winter.

Well… I don't suppose I have anything to do right now. I already had breakfast. It's still a long while before I need to meet up with Yuuko.

"Hnn…

Hmm? What's that? I can see a small figure staring out into the distance. "Kasumi? (…!) Whoa! Sorry. Did I scare you? (…) Sorry. I didn't mean to do that. What are you doing here? You're not causing any trouble, are you?"

"Watching…" Watching? Watching what exactly? "Morning…"

"Huh? Ah yeah… good morning… but it's mostly noon… I think" You can't really tell with all these dark clouds. Heck… the only way I can tell what time it is, is by looking at my watch. Luckily they provided a cheaply-massed-produced-water-proof version in the PX. This is the only thing that can tell me what time and date it is. Anything else, I'll have to rely on a clock.

"Hmm…"

"What's the matter? Is there something there?" Oh… she's watching those soldiers over there playing snowball. They look like cadets. I guess they're here just to slack off. (…) Wait… has she been watching them play all this time? "Kasumi… have you been here all morning?" She nods back. I Thought so. It's not unnatural. Even a kid like her would find a snowball fight interesting. Even when I first saw my neighbors playing in the snow I immediately went out and built a snow fort. It was ridiculous but it was fun either way. I guess there aren't a lot of people her age to play with. "You've never played snowball before?"

"…"

"I thought not. Well… I'm not sure if they have any set of rules. But you usually just throw snowballs at each other until you stop" Heh… I remember playing a game with Sumika one time in our backyard. We built forts on each corner and began our little snowball war. Sumika's fort was barely finished when I started a preemptive strike on her. She scolded me so much that she kept throwing snowballs at me until I gave in.

"Hmm…"

"Hey… wanna play snowball war, Kasumi? (…!) Here… I'll show you"

I rolled up a nice good snowball about half the size of my fist. This should be enough for someone like—(Thwack!) "Bwah!" What the heck? Was that a snowball?"

"Hnnn…" Wait… did she throw that snowball at me? Did she know how to make one before hand?

"Hey! That's not fair! I was supposed to be teaching you how to make a snowball first! (Thwack!) Bwah!" That one landed on my face. She's good. "Alright young lady. That is a declaration of a snowball war! Prepare yourself!"

…

…

…

It feels childish to be making a fort out of snow again. Back then, a fort like this could cover my body from head to toe. Now it's just barely above my knees. Still… if I kneel down, I can duck properly.

"You ready, Kasumi? I won't be holding anything back! (…!)"

Splat!

Ha! I knew she'd try another cheap shot. Fool me once, shame on me. Fool me twice, shame on you. Fool me thrice, and you'll get a snowball! (Thwack!) Haha! Direct hit, Commander! Nice going soldiers! We sure showed her. (…!) Wahh! She's retaliating in full force! Take cover!

Splat splat! Thwack! Pow!

Bwahh! She's breaching the fort! Return fire!

Splat!

Ha! We managed to land a hit, commander! Yosh! Now it's time for a full—(Thwack!) Pweehh! What the heck? That wasn't a snowball. That's… her rabbit?

"Usa-san sneak attack…" Usa… wha? "Huhu…"

"Damn it. She's mocking me, isn't she?" Somehow I feel stupid directing that question to the rabbit. "Alright then. Counterattack!"

Splat!

Haha! A portion of her fort broke down. Now she won't be able to hide fr—eh? (Moshu moshu…) Did she fix the whole fort by herself? How did she fill in that block in just a few seconds? (Huhu…) Teeeeh!

Splat!

Another direct hit and a bigger part of her fort falls. (Moshu moshu!) And just like the rabbit that she represented, she reconstructed her fort with lightning speed. (Huhuhu…) You think that's funny? Well I can do better! Hadoken! (Splat!) Another direct hit captain!

"Moshu moshu!" N… no way! She fixed the whole fort in record time. How the heck can she—is she a mechanical genius or something? They break easily but she can fix them just as fast. (Splatttttt!) Pweehh! "Huhuhuhu…"

"Hey! That was a cheap shot! (Huhu)" Guuu… FINE! I'll just have to break that fort faster than she can rebuild it! "Doryaaaa!"

…

…

…

Our game lasted for about 20 minutes or so before we finally dropped down, exhausted from the duel. We were ridiculous. We fought like there was actually a prize at the end of the game. But the only thing we were able to accomplish was breaking a sweat. In the end, Kasumi was the first one to bring my fort down. I was so focused on making snowballs and taking out her walls that I neglected to rebuild my own fort.

We both lay down on the snowy field, with the pink rabbit standing in the center. From a third party's point of view, we'd probably look like two defeated pairs and the doll was the last man standing. It's weird but that's how I predicted people would see us.

"Haaaa… that was a good match" I yawned out peacefully to her. "It's been awhile since I last played this game. You make a good opponent, Kasumi. (…) No one could've rebuilt the fort faster than you. (…)" Hmm? She pulled out her diary from her coat. The only time I get to see that is when she whacks it at me in the morning. "What are you writing now?"

Scribble…

She waved her pen playfully like a kid with crayon doodling over a piece of paper. In just a few seconds, she was done. (…) It was a picture… or should I say a childishly drawn picture of me and Kasumi throwing snowballs at each other. But the only difference is that she was the one victorious. (…) I wonder if this is how the future will remember you. Over on the left page, I see her daily memoire written down neatly like a schedule.

January 14, 2002 Monday

Weather—Cloudy (Tenth day)

07:10 AM – Wake up Shirogane Takeru (Unsuccessful)

07:40 AM – Breakfast (Synthetic mackerel and rice)

10:30 AM – Play snowball with Takeru (It was fun)

I flipped through a few pages and the routine stayed the same. On the left side would be the day she had and the right side there would be a drawing, commemorating that certain day. If this is how Kasumi organizes her day, I'd definitely love to see how she does a proper schedule. She'd be an awesome secretary for sure. (…) I can already picture her in a suit with her usual bunny ears with reading glasses and a notepad at all times. Hahahaha… just picturing it makes me wanna laugh.

Grumble…

Ah… that little death match must've burned up all the calories I had earlier. I'm hungry again. (Grumble) Oh? "Hey… Kasumi. Was that you? (…) Ahehehehe… I guess this little spar of ours took a lot out of us. (Hnn…) You wanna get something to eat? I know a good place just outside the gates" She nodded in reply before picking up her little bunny.

**(Takoyaki stall)**

Ahh… nothing beats the cold better than a hot plate of takoyaki. I'm glad that Misae san showed me this place. The heat of this place is almost godsend.

"Welcome! Come and ta—oh! You're Munakata's friend"

"Sorry to bother you so early, oyaji"

"Nonsense! I just finished opening up! Come and take a seat. It's good to see a familiar face every now and then. Oh? And who's this little one you brought with you?"

"Ah… this is Kasumi. She's a good friend of mine. Say hello, Kasumi. (…) Sorry, she doesn't talk much"

"Hahaha! Action speaks louder than words. It's a concept that's been proven since the dawn of time. (…) Welcome to my little booth little lady. Grab a seat and relax and let Pops here do the heavy lifting! (…) Ahahaha! You're right, she really doesn't talk much. Her face doesn't say much either. But either way you show great taste. Want a little carrot before you get the main course? (…!)" Ahahaha… he probably thinks that she resembles a rabbit. I think that was my first impression of her too.

"Oyaji. I'll have two of your special"

"Yosh, two specials coming right up. Oh and have a taste of this. A friend of mine owns a farm in Okinawa. He brought me a batch of orange. I was hoping to serve them as side dish. They're really sweet too" Oh! I haven't had a fruit for awhile. (Munch) He's right. It really is sweet. "Whadaya think?"

"It's great! They're really sweet"

"That's what I thought! Bwahaha! Ok, wait right there and I'll have your special in a bit. (Hai!) But… Shirogane kun… (Hmm?) I know that men can be desperate, but isn't she a little too young for you? (Pffffft!) It's almost criminal to go after someone so small too. I know that you military bunch grow up quick but even so, there should be some kind of morality out there"

"Wha! No you got it all wrong! Don't judge me through that warped mind of yours! You're almost as bad as Misae san!"

"Bwahahaha! It really must be nice to be young! If I was 20 years younger I'd probably ask that girl out sometime"

"Ah… no. I don't think Misae san is that interested in you. (Bwahahaha!)" The man simply laughed off at my sarcasm. Geez… this man. If it wasn't for the takoyaki he's making then I probably would've thought him to be nothing more but an old pervert. As I ate the leftover of the orange, I drowned myself in the smell of the fried batter and the heat of the grill.

…

…

…

"Yosh! Two specials, up and about!"

Wah… heaven on a platter. I popped one into my mouth the moment it was served. I didn't care if it was still hot. The taste just numbed the pain away.

"Haaaaa… it's exactly as I remember"

"…" I see Kasumi pop one in her mouth. After a few seconds her eyes widened with a surprise expression. Immediately afterwards she began popping them in like candy.

"Hey there, ojou-chan. Don't warf it all down in one go. (…!) Oh? Looks like you got some stuck hohohoh. (…!) Here, water"

Gluck gluck…

"Pwahhh…" She let out a breath of satisfaction before sticking her plate back. Is she ordering another round?

"Ahahaha! The girl's got good taste! Yosh! Another special on the house! (…!)"

"You sure, Pops? I can pay for it" I offered which he quickly turned down.

"No need. I'm more than happy to serve a beautiful young lady such as her. (…) Hey, if you don't get a boyfriend in ten years, I'll take you out on a date. (Nod)" Don't nod to that! "Bwahahaha! Excellent! I'll add extra special as a promise! I'll even give you a bonus discount the next time you come by!"

Oyaji… you really are just like oba san. Well… with the exception of giving discounts.

…

…

Hmm? Oh… a TV? I didn't even know there was one until now.

"Ora? You wanna watch something, kiddo?"

"Huh? Ah… no not really"

"Don't worry! I have a friend in the cable company. He hooked me up with free footage as long as I keep providing him with free takoyaki" Free cable? Is that even possible with all the military restrictions? He handed me the remote which I immediately took. "Though you won't find anything but news this early. Most of the kid shows are usually in the afternoon where everyone is actually awake" I can understand that. With everything happening as it is, it's only natural for the news to be on.

I flipped through the channels a bit. Most of them were just plain static and blank pages. We run in a couple of music channels along the way and a few news broadcasts. There was even a news caster reporting about the fighting happening across Europe.

…

After looking through it all, I can only say that everything looks bleak at the moment. There was absolutely no good news. As if nothing good came out of the constant fighting. I never imagined TV would actually make me even more depressed. After a few more searches, I closed it.

"Nobody watches TV anymore" Pops said to me. "Just looking at that little box already makes me depress"

"Yeah… they're reporting nothing good at all. It's like…"

"A continuing rerun of soap operas. (Eh?) It's a joke. Ahehehe. (…) But you know… back in the days… TV was like a little past time for me. They used to have shows like never before. Movies, cartoons and singers going at it 24/7. It's like a little paradise in every household. (Oyaji?) Heh… I remember my wife prattling on getting me to record her favorite shows whenever she's off to work"

"Eh? You're married?"

He gave me a quizzical look. "Of course I am! You think a man like myself wouldn't have found a perfect woman somewhere and settle down!-? (Geh! Really!-?) Is it really that hard to believe?"

"Well… you kinda look like a person who would be running a takoyaki shop for the rest of his life and everything… in fact… you look just like him now"

"Somehow… I get the feeling that you're trying real hard to mock me, boyo. (Ahe…he…he…) Fine. If you want proof then take this on for size! (Ruffle) Tada!" OH! He produced a picture frame from his cabinet. "This is our little honeymoon picture we took years ago" It's beautiful. I can actually see Pops as his younger self with a beautiful looking woman and a toddler in her arms. It was more of a family photo rather than a honeymoon picture.

"She's really pretty…" I said unconsciously.

"Jealous? That's what everyone says whenever they see this photo. Hard to imagine she'd settle with someone like me eh?"

"Heeh… you're actually more respectable than you look, Pops. (Bwahahaha!) You should probably bring her here some time. I'm sure she'd bring more customers for sure"

"Bwahahaha! That's true! But if I bring her here, I'll be too bothered to keep her fans out instead of cooking. She can really sing. (Oh?) Yup… like an angel I tell ya. Whenever she whistles, she'll make little Yuzu sleep like a light" Yuzu? I guess that's the baby's name.

"It must be nice… having a family like that"

"Tell me about it. Those two can be a handful. If I didn't have this job I probably would've gone nuts by now. Ahahahaha" Heh… so he's married and with a kid. I never would've expected that from someone like him. He's too rugged but he really does have a soft side. (…) Hmm? Why is his face like that? "I guess she must be around 12, this year…"

"Oyaji? What's wrong?"

"Eh? Ah! It's nothing. I was just thinking what to bring home tonight. (…?) I wanted to celebrate our anniversary so I was thinking about getting her a gift"

"Heeeh? That must be tough"

"Yeah. Once you give them flowers, your originality dies down quite a bit. Anyway, enough about me. How about another one on the house? (Ooooooh!) (…)" Kasumi handed out her plate for another one. "Hai hai! Another one for the brave lolicon and the pretty princess! (Pfffft!)"

**(A while later)**

Waaaah… I am revived. Nothing fills the stomach better than a good old fashion face stuffing. I'll probably never ever get bored of Pop's Takoyaki. Kasumi seems to like it too. So much so that I had to buy two takeouts for her. Heh… talk about splurging. But I supposed something like this can be tolerated once in awhile.

Ah… I feel so full that I don't even want to move. (…) Kasumi seems to have the same idea as me. The heat of that place was so good that it can easily become a second home to anyone who enjoys a good meal and good company—and maybe even some good sake.

Haaaaa… it's almost lunch time. I don't feel like getting a meal. Maybe I should go see Yuuko instead. Our meeting isn't until later this afternoon but it might save us some time just to be done with it.

"…"

"Eh? Hey Kasumi. I'm going to Yuuko's lab. Wanna come with me?" She nodded back in reply.

**(Hanger 31) (Yuuko's lab)**

"Yuuko sensei, are you here? (…) Sensei?" Hmm… odd. I guess she isn't around. I wonder where she is at this time. She's usually around the lab every single day. I don't normally see her anywhere else unless there was something that required her personal attention. Hmm… now that I think about it, I don't think I've seen her anywhere else other than her lab. If I didn't know better, she probably sleeps in her office. I guess being a VIP of the U.N. can restrict your movements.

Tip…tap…

"Hmm? Oh… 1st Lt. Shirogane and… Yashiro?" Huh? Oh, it's Elena.

"Uh… hi there" I waved my hand shyly at her.

"Is there something you require from the professor? You aren't scheduled to come until later this afternoon"

"Uh… no I just wanted to know what she wanted from me. I thought that we could have that meeting of ours early instead. (Is that so?) Is she out?"

"Ha! Something like that is almost a mere impossibility. (…!)" What the? Who was that? A loud voice boomed behind me. "There are only a few things in this world that can get that woman to come out of her shell, and even more so when she's enthralled with her own work. Believe me; I've tried many times already" I looked to my right and noticed a tall man standing at attention with a smirk on his lips. He was a middle-aged man with a military build and a scar going down his left cheek. He was wearing an Imperial Army uniform and his brown chestnut hair seemed to be growing a few strains of gray that were only visible up close.

Obviously, I didn't recognize him but judging from his rank patch, he was clearly an officer of high influence. "S… sir!" My reflexes kicked in and I stood at attention and saluted to the man which he returned in kind.

"There's really no need for formalities but it is appreciated nonetheless" He let out a small laugh at the end.

"Excuse me, Lt. Colonel. I will let the professor know that you're here. Please wait a moment" Elena bowed lightly to us before leaving. So I guess she is here after all.

"Of course. Please, tell her to take her time" There was a silent pause between the two of us in the room. The man seems to be an officer of the Imperial Army… but what is he doing in a U.N Base and in Yuuko's lab no less? (…) He approached me, gazing down at my face with a content look. Kasumi quickly rushed behind me as if to hide from the man. "Hooo? I see. It appears that my eyes have not mistaken me. You are the infamous Shirogane Takeru, correct?"

"Eh? Y… you know me?"

"It is my duty as an intelligence officer to know these things. Besides, it is difficult to forget the face and name of someone who singlehandedly defeated the Imperial Household Honor Guards. (…!) Though I must admit, I am a bit…baffled. I did not expect the personal bodyguard of Professor Kouzuki to be so… young. I supposed the younger generation has much to surprise us. Don't you think so? (Umm…) Hmm? Ah… forgive me. My manners have been quite poor as of late. I seem to have lost the sense of charisma in me. I am, Lt. Col Iwaya Eiji of the Imperial Ministry of Technology. It is a pleasure to finally meet you, Shirogane dono"

"Uh… it's a pleasure to meet you too" I shook his hand unconsciously.

"It is a great honor for me to speak with you directly. Your name has been around every lips of every citizen in the new capital as of late. (I am?) You have quite the fan club, Shirogane dono" A fan club? Is he for real? "I do hope you can live up to their expectations. Otherwise it might be a terrible shame after your performance at Tokyo"

"Ummm… well… I…"

"Ara… now this is a treat. A thief is at my doorstep. (…!)" That voice! Yuuko sensei! "I didn't expect you to come and visit me personally. I hope you don't plan to steal anything important"

Iwaya let out a small chuckle in reply to the professor's sneer. He almost reminds me of Yoroi Sakon. "You're mistaken, Professor. I am a humble thief. I simply steal that which others have no use. Besides… I wouldn't dream of stealing from you, especially when you have such a fearsome guard watching over me"

"Heh… that smug attitude of yours hasn't changed either. That's good. I wouldn't have given you permission to enter otherwise. (Ahahaha) I should assume that you brought your evidence with you?"

"I am a man of my word" The man gestured to the suitcase he was carrying. "I do hope that it would live up to your expectations"

"We'll see soon enough. But I must say I am surprised. I expected you to send a messenger"

"My father in heaven would throw a fit if he knew that I kept such a beautiful woman waiting. He was a very shrewd person when it came to such things. Ahahahaha"

"Ara… sorry but you're too old for my taste" Ow… even that sounded a bit blunt, even for Yuuko sensei. "But if your sense of humor is still intact then I suppose there is still hope"

"Ahahahaha… I'm not that old, Professor. I'm barely passed my prime" Iwaya then handed the suitcase over to Elena allowing her to check its contents. "But I do need to ask… why? (…) Why the sudden interest with the XFJ Project? You barely took notice of it until now"

"A project has its high points" Yuuko answered scanning some of the documents presented to her, flipping through the pages while taking quick glances at the man. "I'm merely interested in the successes it made during its operations at Kamchatka. Especially that new weapon that made quite a name for itself"

"Hooo… that sounded rather suspicious, Professor. It almost sounds like you want to steal that weapon for yourself"

Yuuko gave him a wicked laugh of her own. "I guess only a thief can know a thief ahahaha…" This is… strange. They're passing on dark humor and fake laughs like they were playing a game of chance. It feels like I'm being pushed back from the mere aura they're emitting. This is probably what they call an adult conversation. Every word that comes out of their mouths is carefully calculated not to be too aggressive or too passive. This probably isn't the first time I've heard Yuuko talk like this but it still gives me the chills. "Hmm? Ara… Shirogane and… Yashiro? What are you two doing here?"

She finally remembered us.

"Oh… this man here?" Iwaya returned his attention to my face. "We were merely introducing ourselves. I was curious to meet the man who destroyed… and saved… Japan" Huh? Saved and destroyed? What does he mean by that?

"I see…" She eyed me with a witch-like grin on her lips. "Then I supposed I should formally introduce the both of you. This here is Iwaya Eiji of the Imperial Ministry of Technology. You may consider him as… an exceptional thief"

"AHAHAHAHA!" The heck? What does she mean by that? "You praise me too much, Professor"

"I'm just stating the truth. So… why are you here, Shirogane? I wasn't expecting you until much later"

"Ah… no… I actually wanted to finish our meeting early since I don't have a lot of things to do. (Hmm?) I guess this is a bad time?"

"Not at all. I supposed you can stay. I was planning to give you this little bit of information anyway. (Eh?) Piatif. Get it ready. (Yes ma'am) Shall we, Colonel?"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

My body felt tense as I followed Yuuko and the Colonel into the adjacent room where Elena was preparing the projector. It was a small room that just had enough space to fit a small table and a few chairs with some areas to move around in. It felt like one of those top secret meetings where all the dark secrets are being passed around with absolutely no chance of anyone eavesdropping. Almost the kind of thing you'd see on a spy film.

Yuuko and I took our seats while Iwaya headed towards the screen as if he was a teacher rather than a soldier.

"Now then…" He cleared his throat before beginning. "I supposed I don't need to introduce the XFJ plans to you, professor"

"I'm not interested in old boring-scripted lectures" She replied sounding sheepishly annoyed. "Just get to the good part"

"As you wish. (Click)" The screen quickly came to life showing a blueprint of some kind of cannon. "Is this what you requested?"

"What's that?" I asked. "The… Type-99 Electromag…magnetic Induction Launcher? Is that a weapon? I can barely pronounce it as it is.

"That's correct. Though it's a relatively new project, it made quite a fuss in the Soviet front" Yuuko added not even hiding her amusement. "I supposed we can spare time for a little history lesson. Iwata…"

"As you wish…" The Lt. Colonel continued for her. "The EML-99X is the solution. It was the response the Ministry of Technology created to counter the BETA's immense numbers on countless occasions. The weapon was designed to be a mobile-artillery unit to be used in wiping out columns of BETA where they can be found easily on open fields and Hive corridors. You could say that it was the precursor for America's Particle Cannon technology" The Particle Cannon? Does he mean the giant weapon that was built onto an XG? "As you may have heard already, the first testing of the weapon met with tremendous success in Kamchatka and was battlefield-proven to be very effective on the BETA themselves"

Click…

The projector screen then changed, showing a Shiranui wielding the weapon on both its arms.

"It's huge!" My mouth slipped a bit but they ignored my reaction. The thing was about half the size of a TSF with a large barrel and a canister that seems to cover all the way to its back. (Flash) Wait… why am I surprised? I've seen the particle cannon level down an entire Hive Monument with just one shot. Something like this shouldn't be new to me.

Iwaya ignored my sudden outburst and continued. "The field test showed its immense firepower that easily crushed oncoming BETA regardless of their species. On the first shot, it easily annihilated up to 3000 enemy units with one sweep"

Three thousand!-? (Click) The projector showed a short video of the Shiranui firing the weapon. And with one shot and swept the whole floor red with BETA.

…

…

Uwooo! That was so cool! Even if it was just a few seconds I could tell that it was no joke. That weapon literally tore through the BETA like knife through butter. Even the thick armored front of the Destroyer Class was ripped to shreds by that shot. It felt like watching one of those mecha movies again with giant beam weapons. Heh I feel my childhood returning.

"Impressive…" Yuuko gave out a positive comment. "I guess those rumors from the north are true after all. I'm glad to see the propaganda showing something worthwhile"

"Indeed. The results were far better than we could've hoped for. It was perhaps one of the very few successes we've had in the year. You could already tell that High Command was more than ready to implement it for official operations"

"Well… if it was that great, why didn't we use it?" I inquired out of curiosity. "I mean… if it's already field tested, wouldn't it be alright if we used it against the BETA? (…) Did I say something wrong?"

"No… you are correct" The Colonel nodded. "The weapon was indeed field tested and ready to prove itself. But recent incidents that were beyond our control had forced the project to a halt. During our field test in Kamchatka, the prototype was destroyed along with the core module. We were unable to gather new data and our limited resources at the time grounded the whole operation along with the other remaining side projects. (…) We requested additional aid from the United Nations but after the lost of Yukon Base and various other incidents that followed afterwards… they were inclined to help us further. We were unable to replicate the data and therefore could not mass produce the weapon for any further use during the Sadogashima Campaign"

So that's why. It's no wonder I haven't heard anything about this weapon. If we had something like this to fight against the BETA the Sadogashima Campaign would've gone a lot easier. To wipe out three thousand BETA a shot… that would make a whole lot of difference on the battlefield.

But… is it alright for me to know such classified information? I mean… I know I'm with Yuuko sensei and all… and it's true that I know some top secret stuff already but Yuuko doesn't normally let me look at things that doesn't really concern me. This weapon kinda… looks like it could change the whole course of the war.

"Hmm… I guess the Yukon Base incident was a near fatal blow to the project" Yuuko said to no one in particular. "I supposed they can't pretend that nothing happened after something that big. Even your own supporters would back down"

"Which makes me beg the question, Professor Kouzuki" Iwaya added turning his attention to her. "Why are you supporting us now? When I first proposed this project you barely even lift a finger. Why the sudden change?"

"Who knows? Maybe I had a change of heart"

"AHAHAHAHAHA!" The man broke out of character as he laughed. "I didn't know you still had one. (…) But… I won't question my good fortunes so I'll get right to the point. What is it do you want in exchange for your support?"

"That weapon" Came her quick and plain answer. "Can you make it work again?"

"We can try. But it will still require a substantial amount of research, not to mention the resources needed to build such a thing"

"Price and materials are no objects. Can you make it work?"

…

"Is this the reason why you also took the XFJ-01 Shiranui? (Your answer?) Yes… I believe we can. Give me a few months and—(That won't do…) Hmm?"

"You have until the end of the month to get me two full working weapons"

"The end of the month!-? Impossible. To force work on such a speed is…"

"That is my condition. I require only two working prototypes, nothing else"

"…" I don't know what's going on here. The two of them are staring at each other in a deadlock scenario. There are just too many variables that I can't seem to connect. Yuuko can be pretty scary when she's angry but the same can be said for that man. If you take away that joking personality of his, he almost looks like the General of Yokohama Base. Always serious no matter what the situation is.

"Haaaaa… very well… I'll see what I can do" Oh? He submitted? "If the materials can be brought together quickly enough I supposed it can be done. (Very good) I'll also need the support of the council. After we lost our underground factories in Tokyo, it will be difficult to move materials around without being noticed. (…) I supposed this is good enough fortune to ask for something so little"

"Indeed" Yuuko nodded with some hint of an agreement. "Though I would've preferred to have your Niece work with us instead or that test pilot at least"

"No" The Colonel answered almost immediately. "Those are the two conditions I cannot comply. Besides, the test pilot belongs to the American Army. I have no say where he goes. I also sent 'her' back to America as a precaution. Though it pains me to say this, she will be much safer there than in her home country. (…) She is an Honor Guard at heart after all. Staying here now would be… problematic at best"

"Hmph… well whatever" Yuuko brushed it off. "I'll handle the paperwork. Just make sure you deliver your promise"

"A man never goes back on his word. My father in heaven would disown me if I did something dishonorable to a beautiful lady such as yourself"

I don't really know why… but that sounded so cool coming from him.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

A few minutes later, the guards came by to escort the Colonel back. We only met for a few minutes but he left quite an impression in that short span of time. It was his character that gave him away. It was like he was following a script that he wrote in his head. It was… an amazing experience.

"Well now… don't tell me he left a mark on you" Yuuko inquired in her usual tone.

"No… I was just… amazed" And I wasn't talking about the weapon that he showed either.

"He has that affect on people. Now… what do you want? (Hmm?) If you're here early, that must mean that you want something"

"Ah… no not really. I just… have nothing to do this morning so I came here instead"

"Oh? You seem to have a lot of free time. Maybe you want to spend time cleaning the lab instead? (No thanks) Tch. Well anyway, that was the little bit of information I wanted to show you"

"Eh? You mean that weapon?"

"Yes. I was planning to install it for the XG. If such a weapon can be of use for us… then things might get smoother for future operations. Having a professional explain it, was far better" So she called me just to show me that little clip?

"Do you mean we'll be using that weapon on the battlefield?"

"Of course. I didn't order it as decorations. I would've had it prepared earlier but with all the commotion, they had to postpone its construction. It would be nice to make the battle with the BETA easier, don't you think?"

She's right. The BETA aren't exactly getting any easier to fight, especially now with that new Carrier strain leading their attacks. If a weapon like this can do about as half as what they showed, it might just be the edge we need. The captain said it herself that the human race needs to develop new strategies against the BETA. That's one of the main reasons why the training exercise will take place.

"Yeah… I supposed you're right" I admitted to her.

"Well, if that's all, then leave. (Eh?) You don't have anything else to ask so it's pointless for you to stay here" Ow… now that's just cold. "Ah that's right, you came here with Yashiro earlier, didn't you?"

"Kasumi? Yeah, I did. I told her to wait outside"

"Heh… that girl seems to wander off whenever she wants now after she got out. It must be her first outing in a long while"

"Um… isn't it dangerous to leave her out there on her own? I mean, she is important, isn't she?"

"Of course she is. But I can't exactly stop her if she wants to go out. I might have to assign her a bodyguard sooner or later if this keeps up. But… I supposed this will be fine for now. As long as she doesn't wander out of the base, I can keep an eye on her through GPS. (Heh?) GPS, it stands for Global—"

"Yes, I know what it is but I'm just curious how you managed to stick one on her"

"A good businesswoman always keeps track of their assets. Otherwise you might lose some of them"

…

…

…

"Umm… just to give me peace of mind—you wouldn't happen to have one on me, would you? (….) Sensei?"

"Ah sorry, I was lost in thought. You were saying something?" You lie! That's a complete and utter lie! She was looking at me with a devilish smile just now! "Anyway, I'm busy right now. Since we're done for the day, you can take the rest of the afternoon off. (Hey! Sensei!) Elena, please escort him out"

"Yes ma'am. Please follow me, 1st Lt. Shirogane" Damn it! You mad woman! You're just playing with me, aren't you?

**(Kyoto streets) (11:20 AM)**

In the end, I couldn't go back in the lab when Yuuko locked the door behind her. I became paranoid for a moment looking over my uniform and my pants and shoes to see if there was anything that can be used as a tracking device. Though I doubt she'd do something like that, there's just something with her character that tells me to think otherwise.

Either way it doesn't really matter. As long as we both continue to produce results, she can experiment with me for all I care.

Right now I should probably get some things for our lock-in. If what the captain says is true then we won't be allowed out of the base until visiting hours are over. I bought myself something to read yesterday so… maybe a little snack should suffice.

…

Oh? A cake shop? How come I didn't notice that before? (…) Meh, whatever. If it's cake then I'll take it!

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Oooooooh! This is… this is a genuine cake shop for sure! The smell, the atmosphere… it's all just perfect! Oooooooh! And there are even a line of cakes just waiting to be picked.

This place seems to be pretty popular despite its size. I can customers left and right browsing the selection, I even see several staff officers from the base making rounds. I wonder when was the last time I had something sweet to eat. It feels like forever. I bet the gang will probably like this one for the upcoming party.

"Wahhh…" Eh? Wait… I recognize that voice. That little girl with dangerously sharpened hairstyle.

"Tama? (Oh?)" It is her. "Hey there"

"Ah! Takeru san! Good afternoon. I never expected to see you here. (Me neither) Are you here to buy some sweets too?"

"Well, I'm not really sure. I haven't had one in a long time so I don't really know which one is good"

"Cakes aren't just food, Takeru san. They're a form of art that people tend to ignore"

"Well… isn't cooking a form of art on its own?"

"Cooking is an art but making a cake is on a totally different level! You must never mix those two together. (Eh?) When making a cake… it's like trying to get the perfect mixture together. The right amount of toppings, icing, butter and chocolate… vanilla, strawberry… and much much more. All of which are then held together with the right amount of frosting. They're like sculptures made by professional artisans"

"You seem to know a lot about cakes"

"They're like little bits of heaven in your mouth. And when they melt inside… you feel like you could just fly… (Tama?) Eh? What is it?"

"No… it's nothing" Though your eyes did look sparkly at the time.

"If you're having trouble making a selection, then maybe I can be of assistance, Takeru san"

"Oh? That'd be great. That way I won't have to waste my money"

"You might even want to get one for Hayase san. (Geh!) She's still looking for you after you stormed off from the briefing room"

"Geez… that girl… she can't even give me a moment of peace"

"That's because she respects your strength, Takeru san. There aren't a lot of people who are as strong as you are"

"Somehow, I think she just wants to fight me just for the sake of it. She might not look it, but Hayase can be very scary sometimes" It's true. That girl gives me goosebumps every time she gives me that weird eye. Her killing intents are almost deadly to the point that I have to brace myself every time we have a conversation.

"But Hayase san can be nice when she wants to. But I guess being her target doesn't exactly help. (Hehehe) Well, I supposed you'll just have to put up with her violent antics, Takeru san" Don't say something so depressing with such a cheerful voice. It makes a mixed mood. "Cheer up Takeru san. I'll even pick a cake for you if you want"

But before I can agree with her offer, the store clerk rang his bell to announce his finished order. "Ora, Tamase chan. Your cake is ready!"

"Ah! Thank you, uncle"

"Don't mention it. It's not every day I get to use my talent for something special. How'd you like the free sample?"

"It was delicious. Though the frosting was a little too much that it sunk with the rest of the cake"

"Is that so? I'll have to revise it for later customers. Come back some other time and I'll make the next batch even tastier. (Yaaay!) Thank you for your patronage"

After paying the man up front, Tama came back with a giant cake that about half the size of her legs. It was inside a box so couldn't tell what it was shaped like. "Are you… gonna eat that all by yourself?" I asked, afraid of the answer.

"Hmm? Oh this? Of course not. I had this cake ordered a few days ago" She explained. "I was hoping to surprise everyone during our party" Oh… that's right, I completely forgot that we were supposed to hold a party for the whole squad. "Ah… but with the Training Exercise… I don't think we'll get the chance to hold it"

"Heh… yeah. Talk about bad timing. But maybe the next time we get relieved, we could have a get together"

"Emmhmm! I'll have oba chan keep it for me once we get back to Yokohama. So even if we don't get a rest period, we'll at least have something to look forward too, Takeru san" A plan for an indefinite future. Now that's a long term plan.

"Heh that does sound good. (Hahahaha) So… does that mean I get a free sample taste?"

"Nope. (Geh!) I will only open this cake when everybody is present, otherwise it won't be a surprise anymore. But I will help you pick out a cake, Takeru san"

**(Yuuko's Lab)**

Yuuko groaned as she hung up the com-line later that morning. It was another call from her employers, the council. Whenever she gets a call from them it's always bad news. It's not like she chose to work with the bigwigs. As much as she hated those people, she needed them alive to keep her work from going down under. They're the ones holding all the funding and sadly enough they're the ones who decide what to do with the majority of the large pool of resources they possess.

Luckily the council's attention favored heavily her way. Thanks to the success of ALTERNATIVE IV and the recent media buzz, it was only natural that they would align themselves with her bandwagon. It's funny how people like to jump on when the wind is in their favor. It's almost too easy that she wants to laugh.

But regretfully, after Shirogane's performance showed on TV during the coup in Tokyo, the council was becoming ever more cautious of her actions. The suspicions of her creating super-soldiers were still fresh in their minds. She expected it to die down sooner or later without sufficient proof, but it seems like that theory only drove more organizations to dig deeper.

She doesn't mind the attention. They can search all they want but it was certain that they won't find anything regarding that subject. But she only wished that they'd stop bothering her with all these calls and probing for information. They're becoming almost too obvious for secret organizations.

"Professor…" Her secretary called in with a small stack of papers in hand. "Sorry to interrupt but I have that list of dignitaries you wanted"

"Ah… good. Put them there" She began scanning through each page, thoroughly, like she was looking for a particular name. She squinted slightly as familiar names came up on the list. "There seems to be quite a lot of them, aren't there?"

"The Training Exercise appears to be a generating a lot of attention. There are even wait lists going on with the Imperial Government on the number of important visitors"

"And the Soviet diplomats will the first to arrive tomorrow. What perfect timing" Yuuko gave out a sarcastic note but Elena ignored it. "And they plan to host the entire thing in Japan. That's a bad mix… (Ma'am?) Never mind. It won't matter in the long run. Here" Yuuko then pulled out one paper from the stack and handed it to her secretary. "This is the one we're looking for"

"Frank Heinemann?"

"The technical advisor for Boening. He'll be arriving on the same day as the Soviet dignitary with a small escort. Excellent. (…?) Send this information to Section Chief, Yoroi Sakon. He'll know what to do with it. (Understood ma'am) Oh and once you're done, transfer all our collected data here and transfer it to Yokohama Base then delete them afterwards. (Ma'am?) It won't be safe to conduct anymore research with these foxes so close to the door"

"Umm… as you wish ma'am. I'll have all the files ready immediately"

**(Takeru's POV) (Streets of Kyoto)**

Haaa… now this is a treat. A special chocolate cake all to myself. It took us awhile to pick it out from the rest of the pack but it was worth it. It's a good thing they serve cake by the slices too. There were only three portions left of the whole thing and I got all of them for the price of two. Hehehe…

"Takeru san, you're drooling" Eh? Ahh crap. That was embarrassing.

"Are you going back already?"

"Yes. I promised to meet up with Mikoto chan and Kei chan at the courtyard later this afternoon. We plan to do some independent training before lunch. Maybe you should join us"

"Uh… I think it's a lot better for me to be outside for the time being. (Eh?) I somehow don't think it's safe for me to go back while Hayase is still looking for me"

"Ahehehe… that's true. She's probably still looking for you right now. (Yeah) Well, I'll go back first. I hope to see you then, Takeru san" She walked away just as always, but not before turning her head, one last time to give a good bye wave. "Don't worry. I'll tell Hayase san to stop searching for you once I get there"

…

Now… this is probably cliché to what I said an hour earlier but I'm starving again. With this cake in hand, it almost feels like a crime not to eat it. Uuuuuu… this is gonna be sweet. I should probably find a nice quiet spot to enjoy this meal and savor every moment like it was a slice of heaven on Earth.

Oh… that's right, there was a park near the base, two blocks from here. There were some marbled tables there for people to relax but seeing how it's snowing I doubt anyone would want to take a nice relaxing stroll there.

I'll probably have to stop by the convenience store first to get something to drink. Uwaa… I can't wait. Who knew that anticipating for sweets can be so exciting? It's almost pathetic but in a good way.

…

…

…

Ah… that's the store that I went to yesterday. It's still open. Let's see here. What would be nice for a good refreshing drink? The synthetic stuff back at the base is good and all but there's just so much a guy can swallow before he loses his sense of taste. The sake that Yuuko sensei gave me gave some flavor on a good day but that's pretty much it. I need something else otherwise I might go crazy. Oh? Here they are.

Anything with sugar content would be a blessing at this point. I don't recognize any of these brands back in my world but I supposed it can't be helped. If there was at least some hint of them then I'd be somewhat grateful for a little taste of home.

I should probably just buy them all. No point in taste testing since we'll be stuck in the base for who knows how long. I might even share these to the rest of the team in that party the Captain mentioned.

Yosh! It's decided. I'll take'em all!

…

…

Ok… maybe I was being a little over-the-top. I was taken in by my greed that I took too much. I had myself two baskets full of drinks of every kind from cans to large bottles. People in the store were already staring at me like I was hogging all the refreshments. Heck, even the cashier was throwing a weird look at me.

… hmm? Wait… that cashier girl. Doesn't she look like…?

No… that can't be. I must be hallucinating. Maybe I haven't fully recovered after all.

"Thank you for your patronage"

I left the money and headed off.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Alright… now that I have everything I need to enjoy a relaxing afternoon, the only thing I'm missing now is a place to spend it. Hmm… I don't think I can head back to base just yet. With 1st Lt. Hayase looking for me I think I should spend the rest of my day outside instead. It'll be good for my physical and mental health too. I know that she's hungry for a rematch but there's just something about her that scares the pants out of me. I'll admit, I like sparring with her. Out of all the Eishis I know, she's probably the toughest only seconding with Tsukuyomi.

I can understand why she'd want a rematch with me. After that scuffle we had in Yokohama Base, she's been gunning for me like a hound dog. Heck, on the first day of our training when I partnered up with her I had this unconscious feeling that she's targeting my back just for an opportunity to humiliate me. Her personality can also be frightening and her training regime, brutal as hell. But I supposed things have to be tough for the members of the A-01 Special Task Force.

Oh? A park? I never noticed this place. It's right at the back of the convenient store. I think this place is… or at least used to be a park. Even with all this snow I can see the layout of the place. There were a few benches and stone slab tables around the area connected through a stony walkway path. There were a few dead trees lining the area and weeds growing almost uncontrollably. I guess there hasn't been anyone around to maintain the garden for years now.

But beggars can't be choosers. It's a lot better than going back to base and eating there. The benches and tables were still in good shape and much of the areas were grassy enough to sit on.

Ah… chomp!

Uuuuuuu…! It's just like Tama said. Every bite is like a little taste of heaven. I haven't had something this sweet since I last remember.

"Oba san, I'm taking out the trash" Hmm? That voice. Oh… it's the cashier lady I met earlier. She came through the back door of the store. "Hmm?" Ah crap… she saw me. I learned from a long time ago that it's not polite to stare at people. I know that it's rude but there's just something about her that's just so familiar. I can't put my finger on it but I know I've met her somewhere before.

This is probably just another one of my dormant memories that Yuuko talked about—something that's buried underneath this exterior that can only be pulled out if I had some kind of mental or emotional trigger. So far… nothing's popped up. I should probably just ignore it. We probably met in another lifetime in another loop.

I still have flashbacks of areas and memories I don't even recall and for some reason I seem to be able to recall names of people I've never met in my entire life. It's a good thing those memories are dormant. If all of them came out at once, my brain would be toast—and I don't think I learn that much in a short span of time.

Still… there's just something about her that's ringing my bells. That hairstyle and that face. If I look closely she kind of resembles…

"Oh… Tsukuyomi chan. Good work again today. (…?)" The old lady store owner came out with a wide smile on her face.

Eh? Wait a minute… did she just say…?

"It is fine, oba san. I am happy to assist in any way possible…"

…

…

…!

Pffffffttt!

"Tsukuyomi!-? (…?)" It is! It is her! It's definitely Tsukuyomi for sure! Why didn't I see it earlier? She looks so different but now that I know her name, everything just seemed to pop back to memory. I've gotten used to her Honor Guard attire that I didn't expect her to be wearing those. She looks so plain that it was hard to get any readings. She almost looked like a completely different person with that hairstyle.

Ah… crap. They're both looking at me. I must've yelled out a bit too loud that time. But I'm just surprised to see her in that attire.

"And who are you supposed to be?" The owner questioned raising a brow at me.

"He is an acquaintance of mine" Tsukuyomi answered before I could move my lips. "I apologize for not notifying you earlier" She's lowering her head to a store clerk? Just like that?

"Ah I see. Then its fine" The old lady waved it off with a caring gentle smile. "I'm glad to see you have friends along the way. Hurry up with the chores and you can get off early today"

"I thank you, oba san" After a gentle wave, the old lady went back to the store leaving me and Tsukuyomi at the back to talk. But right now… I'm still having a hard time just trying to find the words.

"T… Tsukuyomi? Is it… really you?"

"It is…" She answered after a brief sigh.

"But… what are you… doing here?"

"This is my temporary employment" Employment? Does she mean that this is her job? "Do not concern yourself with me. The owner of this store is an old friend of my family. I am well situated here"

"Situated? What does that mean?"

"It means exactly what it means. (Huh?) If you have no more questions, then I bid you farewell. I have work to do"

"Now just hold on a minute!" I yelled out feeling like she was trying to cut off our conversation short. "There are just too many things I want to ask right now! You can't just blow me off without some measure of explanation. (…) I don't understand. Why are you working here and what happened to your career as an Eishi for the Honor Guards?"

"That business is private. It does not concern you. (Yes it does!) You are persistent" She isn't making this easy for me, is she?

"I know it's rude to ask about other people's personal life but this is just too much even for me. How and why are you here and…?"

"Enough" She cut me off with a gesture of her hand. "I have a break time one hour from now. If you truly wish to talk then wait here. We can discuss things then" And before I can even protest, she walked away.

What the hell…?

**(Marimo's POV) (Kyoto Base) (PX)**

Haaaa… finally… some peace and quiet. The fiasco that happened this morning was terrible. Even though it was still technically an after-briefing period, the squad really is lax with their regulations. Although she didn't really mean it, I'm pretty sure 1st Lt. Hayase would've gone through with that personal sparring session without anyone's consent. I wonder what Shirogane would do if I hadn't close the light that time. Heh… the boy looked like such a lost and helpless puppy that it was almost too good to pass up.

I can understand why Shirogane refuses to spar with her. Hayase can be very intimidating when she gets her spirit up. She's been like that as far as I can remember. Whenever she spots a fierce opponent she always charge straight in without strategy or tactic. But that's probably one of her good traits. The others don't seem to mind it seeing how she only picks on Shirogane in the first place. Some of them are even calling him Hayase's punching bag.

But I wouldn't worry. As far as I can remember when he first joined my class a few months back, he was at the top of almost… well… everything. Though he might not be as good as a sharpshooter as Tamase, he can easily come up as second best or third place if you count Munakata or Kazama's skill in the equation. In CQC, he was probably at the top, easily outmatching both Ayamine and Mitsurugi at the same time. Hayase's records on hand to hand combat were outstanding as well, but I wouldn't count on it being on par with Shirogane.

However… if you asked me who the best pilot there ever was, Shirogane would take the cake hands down. No contest. The team probably knows it. Heck the whole country probably knows it too. I wasn't able to submit any official report on his activities in Tokyo but I know what I've seen in my own eyes.

On his first mission during the 12/5 incident he was able to take on a squadron of Shiranui with a mere Fubuki. Sure, he had the new OS in him but even with that alone, the kill rate of pitting those two machines are about 5 to 1 in favor of the Shiranui.

In Sadogashima, Osaka and Kyoto, he performed admirably, fending off hordes of BETA alone. The boy was a one man killing machine. And in Tokyo he again showed his resilience by taking down a cohort of A-6 Intruders and a small company of F-5. And then… there was the matter of the XG-70 and the Imperial Household Honor Guard. I don't think anyone can deny his skills after that matter. It was that very battle that set the boy to the top of the food chain.

I can go on for hours how amazing Shirogane is. He might not look like a pilot at first glance but he can really be caring whenever he puts his heart and mind at it. I'll admit… his ideals and motivations are naïve but he won't change them no matter what people say. Maybe it's that unmatched strength of his that gives him that confidence. Heh… the only problem with that boy's skill is what happens after a mission.

Because of his recklessness, the machines that Shirogane pilots tend to return in the worst possible state. I hear waterfalls of complaints from the mechanics back in Yokohama Base who have to go through the wreckage every time it returns. The first Fubuki that Shirogane received was burnt to a crisp beyond recognition. His borrowed one was wrecked to the point you can barely recognize it. His first Shiranui was also battered in the same manner and his second Shiranui was swallowed whole by a Carrier which was later spat out but was contaminated so badly that they had no other choice but to burn it along with the BETA. And later the Fubuki he borrowed from the Imperial Army was melted down all the way to the body. And I don't even have to tell anyone how the Takemikazuchi he used came back. That thing was so broken it doesn't even have any aesthetic value anymore.

Haa… I just wish for once that boy wouldn't break the tools we give him.

"Waahh… that was terrible~" Hmm? Oh… it's Tamase and Yoroi. They're both sagging wet.

"Wah… I'm so wet and I just took a bath. Maybe we shouldn't have done that after all. Ah! Instructor Jinguuji san"

"What have you two been doing?" I asked looking at them with a puzzling face.

"We were out doing a little independent training earlier" Mikoto answered shaking the water from her hair like a dog.

"But instead of training, we suddenly got caught up in a game of snowball" Snowball? That must've been fun. "Ah I guess this is a good time for lunch. Do you mind if we join you, Instructor?"

"You can drop the formalities here" I said to them as they returned a salute. "You already graduated from my class so there's really no point in calling me Instructor"

"Oh… I guess you're right" Tamase replied with a small blush on her face. "But it's hard to call Jinguuji san anything else. We've gotten used to calling you, Instructor since you've been with us since we first started class"

"Yeah… that's true" Yoroi followed after with the same childish expression. "We've been calling her Instructor when we first came to the Training School. It became a habit ever since" Heh. That's true. In our first session I did order them to call me ma'am or Instructor. That's the first thing most instructors would say to their student. "Maybe we should start calling you 1st Lt. Jinguuji more often"

"Ehh~ But I still like calling her Instructor"

I laughed at those two. "Ahuhuhu. You can call me whatever you want as long as it doesn't break military jurisdiction. The Captain insisted on easing the formalities with the squad after all"

"Marimo… chan…" Hmm? Ah… Ayamine? I didn't even notice her when she arrived with her tray. And… what did she call me? "It's proper…"

"Ah that's right!" Tamase squealed with a wide smile on her face. "Takeru san had the habit of calling you Marimo chan. We could use that!" No… wait a minute.

"That's true. Takeru always called you that whenever you two were together. Marimo chan does have a nice friendly tune to it. (Yay!)" Hey, at least listen to my opinion first before you start making decisions in front of me. "Marimo chan!"

"Marimo chan…" Ayamine? You too? "Sounds nice…"

"Yay! Marimo chan!"

"DENIED!" The three of them froze instantly at my inner 'Instructor Voice'. "That's too overly familiar. I will not accept that name no matter what. (Ehhhh!) Jinguuji san will do. Under no circumstances are you to call me that at any time. Is that understood? (Yes ma'am!)" Besides… there's only one person in the world who can call me that.

**(Takeru's POV) (Behind the convenient store)**

I think this is perhaps the longest time I've ever sat in one place. Ever since I met Tsukuyomi, I've been gazing my eye on the backdoor of the convenient store like a hawk. There were so many questions pounding at the back of my head. That person was definitely Tsukuyomi that I know.

I didn't recognize her at first because she had her hair tied to a bun like she did back in the other world. Her attire was also too casual. If she was a spy, she'd probably passed like water on a grill. What was she doing here? She said that this was her temporary employment. I guess that means this is her job. But then… what about her job as an Honor Guard? Does Meiya know about this? Wait… what about the Three Idiots? Do they know about this also?

Arghh! My mind is going nuts that I can't think straight. I lost my appetite as well. Now the cake just looks like decoration on my table. I don't have the will to eat anymore. At least… not until I get some answers from her.

Creeeek…

"Hmm? Tsukuyomi?" Ah… nope. It's the store owner.

"Tsukuyomi chan is handling the cashier at the moment" She answered with a wide toothy grin. "She'll be out back here in a few minutes"

"Oh… I see. Thank you. Sorry to be a bother"

"Nonsense. I'm glad to know that, that girl has some friends around here" I don't know about being friends. We're close enough to be acquaintances in this world but never enough to be friends. The lady was probably in her mid 60s from my perspective. But despite her age she still looks pretty healthy. Her mouth was missing a few teeth and her hair was almost completely gray from side to side. "Ara? Wait… your attire. Are you a soldier?"

She must be talking about my uniform. "Yes ma'am. I'm a soldier of the United Nations"

"The United Nations… oh" She looked closely at my face as if she was looking for some hint of a lie. "I never thought she'd have a friend in the U.N. I supposed your relationship must be complicated. (Complicated?) Either way. I'm glad that she's not alone today. That girl never really talks about herself" The old lady slowly joined me on my table and pats her back a few times to relieve her stress. "To be honest, I'm actually surprised to meet someone she knows around here. Tsukuyomi chan doesn't really bring much of her friends around even when she was a child"

"Eh? You knew Tsukuyomi even back then?"

"Of course. I served her family many years ago. I've known her since she was but a child"

"Served? But I thought you were family"

"Ha! She just calls me that" The old lady gave out a wide hearty laugh. "We've been together for so long I may as well be old enough to be her grandmother. (…?) I always thought that girl had been alone all this time. But it seems like she does have friends after all. Please take good care of Tsukuyomi chan for me, will you?"

"Ah… well… of course" Though I'm pretty sure she can take care of herself without having someone watching her back.

"Thank you. It's heartwarming to see some youngsters getting together once in awhile. Ahehehe. Oh… but where are my manners? I don't even know your name"

"Ah… it's Shirogane. Shirogane Takeru. A pleasure to meet you ma'am"

"Shiro… gane… Takeru?" She raised a brow at me. "That's quite a beautiful name you have there, young man. A symbol of health, nobility and a fierce warrior. The career of a soldier seems to fit someone like you"

"Oh… umm… thanks… I guess" I'm not really sure if that last part was added with sarcasm. It's the first time anyone ever explained my name to me. It's… a little embarrassing.

Creeeek…

"Ah… Tsukuyomi chan. Welcome back" The old lady then turned towards the backdoor where Tsukuyomi appeared. She was still in the same attire as I last saw her. Now that I got a better look… she does seem cute up close. "Did you finish cleaning up the store?"

"Yes, oba san. All the items have been accounted for" She replied in the same militaristic manner that I remember. "But… are you certain you wish to close this early?"

"Of course! I wouldn't want you to spend such a special day working inside a shop. Come now. Your friend even went to the trouble to prepare cake for you. (…?) Don't be rude and join us" Eh? Is there something special about today? "You don't mind. Do you, Shirogane kun?"

"Ah… no not at all. I just bought a little too much for myself"

After awhile, Tsukuyomi reluctantly joined us on the table. Heh… she looks so much different up close. My perspective mind had already gotten used to see her in her military outfit or her exosuit. But now… she looks almost… ordinary. You wouldn't believe that this innocent looking girl is actually an esteemed member of the Imperial Honor Guard. Heh… just trying to picture it almost makes me laugh.

"C… could you not stare so much, Shirogane dono? (Hmm?) Your gaze hurts"

"Ah! S… sorry. It's just that… you look so different than before. I can't believe it's actually you"

"Ha! That's the same thing I said" The old lady added with another toothy grin. "Clothes can be quite a powerful object to the eyes. She almost looked like a completely new person. If she smiled a bit more she'd be really cute around here. (O… oba san!) Ahahaha! Just let me have my fun. Oh… that's right. I think I still have some tea leftover in the kitchen. I'll go and make us a batch. (I will do it!) Nonsense! I can't have the birthday girl doing all the chores. I'm not that helpless, you know. Besides… I have a surprise gift for you"

Huh? Wait… did she just say… birthday girl? Is the special day she mentioned…Tsukuyomi's… birthday?

"But surely I can be of assistance"

"I keep telling you, to relax" The old lady insisted. "Sometimes it's alright to rely on someone other than yourself, Tsukuyomi chan. (…) You have a nice conversation with your young friend there and leave the rest to me. I won't take long"

"Oba…" And before Tsukuyomi could finish, the old lady was gone. "Haaaaa… she doesn't seem to understand the predicament she's in. I apologize for that. She means well but she sometimes asserts herself in matters that don't really concern her"

"It's alright. I don't mind" I waved it off. "Even though it was unexpected, I'm glad to meet you here, Tsukuyomi. (…) Ah… I mean, 1st Lt. Tsukuyomi. Sorry. I guess I never got rid of that bad habit of mine"

"Tsukuyomi will do. (Eh?) My rank no longer serves purpose for me. I am no longer affiliated with my former employment, therefore it is no longer appropriate for you to address me as such"

"Huh? Wait… does that mean… you quit?"

"It was not by choice" She added with a slight remark. "Judging from your expression, I supposed it is safe to say that Meiya sama never mentioned our previous encounter with you"

Previous encounter? "Wait… you met with her already?"

"Yes. About a week ago. She is the reason why I am in my current predicament. (…?) You have no clue to what I am speaking of, do you?"

"Not… really" I admitted with a plain laugh. "To be honest, I'm still having a hard time seeing you as anything else, Tsukuyomi san. I mean… you've been a member of the Honor Guard for as long as I remember"

"Indeed. It is also difficult for me to adjust but I am fortunate to have an acquaintance of mine be my guardian. (…) Do you mind… if I asked you something?"

"Huh? Ah… no not at all. What is it?

Tsukuyomi's eyes darted around our immediate area before she whispered her question. "How is… Meiya sama doing?" Somehow I should've figured that would be her question. She hardly thinks of anything or anyone else other than Meiya or Yuuhi for that matter.

"Meiya? She's fine. Though she hasn't fully recovered yet, she's walking around without any problem. She can't handle stressful jobs yet but she's helping out the paperwork with Marimo sensei and Suzumiya. She doesn't want to be a handicap for the team so she's doing what she can for all of us. (…) Don't worry. I'll be sure to stop her if she tries something too difficult"

"Ah… I see. Umm… thank you"

"If you want, I can get her to come here. I'm sure she'll be thrilled to see you and—(Don't!) Eh?"

"Please… don't. I… I do not wish her to see me in my current condition" Condition? What is she talking about? "I cannot bear to face her now. We did not part ways well in our last… encounter"

"Last encounter? What happened?"

"Explaining such things to you will take time"

"Well… it's not like I have anything else to do"

She gave me a disgruntled face. Maybe she was expecting me to back off when she put on a strong façade but she knew that I had her beat. It seems like my sense of curiosity hasn't gone away either.

"As you wish" She sighed in defeat. "A few days after the battle of Tokyo, all members of the Imperial Honor Guards who took part or even suspected to be collaborators in the coup were taken in for questioning"

"Yeah, I heard about it. It was all over the news back then" I remember hearing something about it in the loop back report on the news channel one time. I didn't really pay much attention to it but I heard about what happened.

"Almost all the members were founded guilty and were sentenced to 30 years imprisonment" 30 years. I can barely sit still for twenty minutes without twiddling my thumbs. I don't know what the average sentence is for treason but I'm pretty sure that's a long time. "I myself, am not excluded from that judgment"

"Eh? But why? Weren't you fighting against your will?"

"The charges presented against me were strong. There was little for me to do than to submit. Even though I was not myself at the time, it does not change the fact that I fought against the United Nations under the banner of the Household"

"But still! It's something to investigate. The court should've presented some kind of therapist"

"The hypnotic theory was suggested" She added bluntly to stop me from going any further. "But even so—that alone does not outweigh my crimes. And following that all evidence of hypnosis are still buried somewhere in Tokyo, it would be impossible to fight any further. I was given the same sentence as the other members"

"Huh? Hey wait. If you were sentenced in prison then… why are you out here?"

"Ah… you noticed" I'm… getting a really bad feeling about that smile of hers. "I escaped my correctional facility a few days ago and am now in hiding. (…!) I drugged the guards on duty and escaped unseen through a waste transport. (Wh… WHAT!-?) Hmm? What's the matter?"

"If you escaped then you're a…" An escaped convict!-?

"I was trying to lighten the mood for you. It was obviously a joke. Why are you taking it so seriously?"

"A joke?"

THE WAY YOU PRESENTED IT WAS NOT A JOKE! Damn it! My heart is really pumping now. My head was all confused for a minute before she said it was a joke. I would've pulled out my sidearm if this had gone through.

"I apologize. I did not mean to increase your anxiety. I thought that you would've preferred something to ease the tension"

"Aha…ha… I see" I know I shouldn't say this out loud but she really has a poor sense of humor. "S… so what's the real reason why you're out here?"

Her face darkened a bit when I asked. "Meiya sama was responsible for it. (Meiya?) Yes. She was responsible for my early parole. She made a deal with the warden of the penitentiary for my release. In return, I was granted a small measure of amnesty. Instead of serving 30 years in prison, I was given probation for 5 years with community service involvement. (Probation?) I will be kept under surveillance until the probationary officer releases me and grants a complete pardon. So long as I do not commune with any former member of my previous employment I can remain free. But in the process, I may not leave the border city of Kyoto until it is done"

"Then… that's great! Isn't that a lot better than being stuck in prison for the next 30 years?"

"In your case, that may be. But to be honest… I cannot say that I agree with this. (…?)" Can't agree? What's not to like? If I had the choice of being free or stuck in prison, being free is the first thing that comes to my mind. "Meiya sama made a blunder in her move"

"A blunder? What do you mean?"

"The warden of the prison owed her favor. She could've used that favor to further her condition or improve her standings. But instead… she had to waste it on me. (…?) Resources like that are not easy to come by. I feel shameful to be walking free under her name"

"But isn't it better? I mean… isn't this better than staying behind concrete walls the next 30 years?"

"If it would improve Meiya sama's standing then I would've gladly serve my time behind those walls instead. (Tsukuyomi…) Forgive me. I was being too blunt"

"No… it's alright" I can understand why she's upset. For years now she's been the one who always watched Meiya's back. To have their roles switched up must've been painful for her. Judging from how she talks about this warden, I can only imagine that he's high up in connections. Having a favor from someone important can get you a long way but instead, Meiya decided to use that favor up to free Tsukuyomi.

I know how powerful favors can be. They can be the turning point you need in a war and they can get you out of a pinch real fast. I should count myself lucky to be granted a few favors with Yuuko herself and getting them alone can be considered a special case since I'm so close to her. Still…

"You know… I think Meiya did that, knowing that she wouldn't get anything in return" I began as I returned my attention to Tsukuyomi. "She's that kind of person after all. She's willing to go far, even to the point of hurting herself to save someone else. (…) She might be stubborn but that's just who she is. To be honest… I think you two share that common trait. I think you may have influenced her. (…) Back then, before we were deployed in the 12/5 incident, you were prepared to let Meiya hit you just so you can protect her"

"That was… a long time ago…"

"And right then, before the operation at Sadogashima… you even begged me to protect her, putting your pride aside for one moment. (…) It might sound crazy… but that's how I see you two. Both of you are willing to throw away so much for someone else"

"You assume too much. (Am I?) Though… I cannot find anything to disagree with you" Her voice toned down a bit as if she was drawing me in. "Perhaps… it was not a mistake to trust you after all… 1st Lt. Shirogane"

"Takeru is fine" I opted to her. "If I get to call you by your name then so can you"

"Ahuhuhu… then I accept… Takeru…"

Creeeek…

Oh… it's the old lady. "Yosh! The tea is ready!"

**(U.N. Kyoto Base) (Barracks) (Takeru's room)**

But while Takeru is off in the city, another member of his team was prowling about his room, knocking to see if anyone was in.

"Takeru? Takeru, are you in there?" Meiya was outside the boy's room knocking on the wooden frame but without anyone responding to her call. "Haaaa… where can you be at this time?"

"Ara? Mitsurugi?" Touko's voice alerted the girl to her presence. "What are you doing here?"

"Ah… 2nd Lt. Kazama. Sorry to bother. Was I being too loud?"

"No. I was just getting my things ready for tomorrow. Are you looking for Shirogane?"

"That's correct. I was hoping to go shopping with him today but he doesn't appear to be in. Would you know where I might find him?"

The green haired girl thought for a moment before answering. "Hmm… I haven't seen him since the mission briefing this morning. He might still be hiding from Hayase. I would be too if she was coming after me. (I… see…) In any case, you'd best get what you need before curfew"

"I will do that. Thank you" The young samurai girl exhaled with a tinge of disappointment in her mood. For weeks now she had been feeling… irritated for the only male of the team. She was hoping to have his company once more. Somehow being near him gave her the strangest feeling of comfort here in her life as a soldier.

The boy might be the biggest mystery in the United Nations but he's also the last bit of remnant of humanity's past. She couldn't really explain why but whenever she looked at Takeru, she can't help but picture him as an innocent boy just trying to find his way around.

Most children these days can barely enjoy the basic necessities of life. Some don't even know how to smile when they are born. But for Shirogane, it was different. Either on missions or in his free time, the boy was like a bundle of childish misfit. It was no surprise how he became fast friends with Mikoto and Miki since those two were also in their childish stage.

But Shirogane reminded her of things much more. In him she could see the world that came before the BETA. In his eyes he looked to ruined cities as if he longed for the days when the people live their lives without even knowing the meaning of war. The only people she knew who had that kind of look were veteran soldiers and seasoned citizens who have lived long enough to know what that world looked like.

Children like her never even got to see what that world was like before the invasion… before the war. Even now… only few still remember it. She only knows of them from the pictures that are shown from people's memories.

This was perhaps… why the boy fascinated her interest. Though his skills were intriguing, it was the smaller things, the little things that grabbed her interest.

"I supposed there's no point in lingering here" She muttered to herself. But just before she departed, she twisted the doorknob of the boy's room and noted that it wasn't locked. She stopped on her tracks and twisted it again. The door creaked open and her eyes widened a bit in surprise.

She took a peek inside and scanned the surroundings with the eyes of an owl. She heard from Jinguuji that the boy rarely locked his room for any reason. Though it was a welcoming notion at times, he was reminded that it was understandable for people to require some privacy.

"Takeru?" She called out once more to make sure of something that was already obvious. "Are you in here?" The lights were out, the curtains were closed and the rug had not been used for quite some time now. It was plain to see that the boy she was looking for was not present at the time.

Her strong and noble side which held a dominant grip on her psych told her not to go in. It told her that entering one's room without their permission was the greatest of all invasion of privacy. She told herself to turn back, to go do… something else, besides this. But it failed. Her curiosity and her intrigue into the domain of a male's animal kingdom only seemed to tickle her desire for knowledge.

"No! I should not be doing this…" She returned some measure of sanity back into her mind but before she could take a step out of that boy's room, an echo of voices rang on the other side of the hallway.

"Wahh… now that was exciting" Meiya immediately recognized it as Kashiwagi's voice. She familiarized herself with that playful tone of hers. "It's been awhile since I had that much fun. I didn't know they had a pool table in the officer's longue"

"It's too bad they only had three tables" She listened to the other which she quickly recognized as Akane. "I would've played longer if it wasn't for those seniors"

"Well we have to give them their turn. We can't keep the place to ourselves forever"

"That's easy for you to say when you won most of the matches!"

"Ahehehe… now now, let's not point blames on others. It'll get us… ara?"

"What is it?"

"For a moment I thought I saw Shirogane's room open" Meiya's face paled as she heard Kashiwagi's footsteps getting closer and closer to the door. She didn't know what went through her mind in that moment but she knew that if they found out she was here then it would be bad. "Ara? That's odd. His room is locked"

"What am I doing?" Meiya questioned her own sanity. "I shouldn't be hiding like this. It would only make me look even more suspicious if they find me here. I should probably just come out and confess. I'm sure they will understand…"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Meiya simulated that scenario in her mind and it only ended up with the two Valkyries snickering behind her back.

"Hooooo~? So the great and proud Mitsurugi snuck into a boy's room?"

"I smell a scandal already" Akane was imagined sitting on the terrace with a wide inhumane grin that went from ear to ear like a comical character that was plotting against her victim.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Meiya recoiled back from the doorknob as that scenario played in her head. "No. I cannot in right mind exit without a decent reason. If I were to be discovered exiting a boy's room then it would not look good on my record. I must think of a proper excuse before I make my escape" She quickly scanned the room, checking for whatever she can use as a reason for her to be here with the door locked behind her.

Using his computer for private business?

No… that was too plain.

Classified business with Professor Kouzuki?

No… that wasn't going to work either. Only Takeru had the right to use that excuse.

The laundry?

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Uwahhh… this is surprising. Mitsurugi san is going through a man's laundry!" Kashiwagi screamed in her chibi head.

"I never imagined her as that kind of a woman!" Akane followed, with everybody else popping up behind in chibi mode.

"I thought that I was the biggest teaser in the group…" Munakata added with fake sobbing tears flowing down her eyes as she bit on a piece of cloth from her collection. "But it seems that I have been outdone by one of our own subordinate! I gladly relinquish my crown to you, Mitsurugi"

"All this time she was acting so noble. Who knew that she was hiding a dark fetish underneath that tough exterior!-?" Mikoto cried out hugging Miki with waterfalls coming down their eyes.

"A perverted samurai…" Ayamine declared with a hidden smile. "Good one…"

"2nd Lt. Mitsurugi…" Captain Isumi called out in a disappointing tone. "I never thought that you would be someone who would go through other people's laundry. Perhaps I should recommend you to a therapist…"

"W… wait a moment! Please! This is all a misunderstanding!" Meiya tried to reason with them but they backed away the moment she took a step forward. "I can explain! Truly, I can! (Meiya…) Ah! Takeru! Please tell the squad that this was all just a misunderstanding! I would never go through someone else's laundry without their permission!"

…

…

…

"Meiya… (Y… yes?) Hentai…"

STAB!

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Meiya collapsed to the floor as her imagination came to an end with her imaginary Takeru hammering the final nail in her coffin with that last word. Who knew that her own imagination would break her resolve so quickly?

"Oi, it's obvious that he's not in" Akane's voice trailed behind the door. "I'm going to the PX. I'm starving for something"

"Eh? Ahhh! Wait for me, Akane! At least let me change first!"

…

…

After awhile, there was only silence. Meiya thanked her good fortune and slouched on the free bed with a sigh. The last five minutes felt like an ordeal that was unnecessary to take. She cursed on her curious side for making her come here. She felt her knees weakened and her body limp from that anxiety. Combined with her current injury, it was no surprise that she lost a lot of her stamina so quickly.

She thought of leaving quickly before someone realizes that she was there. The last thing she needed was for her imagination to come true. But right before she could take one step out to safety, a strange looking object appeared at the corner of her eyes catching her attention almost immediately.

It was an object that did not seem to fit with the rest of the room. An object made of expensive jewelry and rare leather.

"A sword?" Meiya was familiar with such tools. She had one almost identical to this but unlike the one she owns, this one was made with finer materials than she could afford on a monthly basis. A sword did not seem fitting for someone like Shirogane. He only practiced with wooden swords and never real ones unless it was behind the controls of a TSF. She imagined him to be more of a trendy person instead of someone who collects items like this.

But when she unsheathed the blade from its scabbard… her heart skipped a beat.

**(Takeru's POV) (Park)**

Haaa… haaa… haaachooo!

Oh great… don't tell I'm coming down with a cold. Maybe I should've bought an extra pair of jackets instead of cake. This cold weather isn't really doing me any good.

"Ara? Are you coming down with something?" The old lady inquired, her gentle wrinkly hands handing me a hot cup. "Here young man. Nothing chases away decease better than a cup of warm tea. (Ah… thank you) You should take care of your health. You're still young and have a long life ahead of you. Learn to enjoy every moment while you still can"

"Well… I try ma'am"

This old lady was a bit crack but she does have a sweet personality. "Hohohoho! Good. Very good. At the very least you can try. (Ahehehe) You have good eyes. Most people nowadays don't have that kind of face you're making. I hope you will continue to be friends with Tsukuyomi chan. (O… oba san!) Now now. Don't make a big fuss out of it. I don't normally get to see a friend of yours who is actually normal. Rather than having someone from work you actually brought someone who is quite interesting for once. (…) Ah… and before my senility gets the better of me, here"

She then handed Tsukuyomi a box that was wrapped with a nice pair of ribbons. "Th… this is…"

A scarf? It was a red scarf. "You like it? I made it myself. I had some free time so I thought I'd make you one"

"Oba san… surely you didn't have to go to such lengths for me"

"Nonsense! If you had told me that your birthday was coming sooner I would've knitted you a sweater instead!"

"Oh yeah, you said something about that" I interrupted. "Is today really your birthday, Tsukuyomi san?"

"Ah… well… yes. That is correct. January 14 is the day I was born. Though it is hardly a cause to celebrate at all"

"I was planning to buy a big cake for her but she flat out refuses" The old lady added puffing her cheek like a child. "Where is it written on the law of this universe that you cannot celebrate your own birthday?"

"Oba san. Please consider my position at least. I do not wish to impose on you anymore than necessary"

"And yet you're fine with just eating a small cake like this?"

"Shirogane invited me for it. Besides, he does not seem to mind" Ah… to be honest, I only bought those cakes because I just felt like it but I don't think the old lady needs to know that.

"Hooo? So you're saying that you're fine when he's the one buying the cake!"

"Th… that isn't what I was implying!" Wow… I don't think I've ever seen Tsukuyomi like this before. She looks like a normal girl with a dere side. "Shirogane already brought the cake before I could refuse. On your terms, you were preparing to purchase the cake regardless of my consent"

"Haaaa… you haven't changed a bit. Still the stubborn girl who can't just relax for once in her life" Pfffft! Crap. I almost laughed at that one. I have to agree. Since the first time I've met Tsukuyomi in either world, I have never seen her out of her pose once. She was always strict with her duties regardless of the situation. But… then again there was that incident with Male-Mikoto but I wouldn't poke on it too much.

Still….Birthdays… huh…

Man… just thinking about it takes me back. A once in a year event. Hmm… now that I think about it, the last birthday that stuck on my mind was that time when Meiya was still new in town. That time when… when I was still living in that world.

I remember it solely because of that abnormally large cake that we could barely finish. We celebrated it together along with Meiya's birthday and with another huge cake to boot. What was it again? Chocolate? I don't quite remember but it was huge. Big enough that it wouldn't even fit my room. How did they even make the darn thing in the first place?

"Shirogane san…" The old lady called out to me.

"Ah… y… yes ma'am?"

"No need to be so formal young man. This isn't a military compound.(Ahehe) But at least you're not as uptight as this girl here. (…) Anyway, I was wondering if you would like to join us for dinner tonight. I was planning to bring this girl out for some special treat but I doubt she'll mind bringing a friend along" Eh? Me?

"…" Tsukuyomi looks pretty agitated by this. For some reason she looks like a powerless girl trying to get through to her hardheaded aunt.

"Ah… I think there's been a bit of a misunderstanding here" I corrected her. "I just came by to ask Tsukuyomi san some questions. That's all. The cake I brought was just a coincidence. And… I don't think she'd call me a friend just yet. (Oh?) Well… umm…" Ah… crud. How do I say this properly? What is my relationship with Tsukuyomi right now? I doubt she'll accept me as friend. Our ties were never really that close in any of the loops I remember here in this world. Even when things were at their best or bleakest, she was cold as ice. Even now I still believe our relationship to be less than platonic. We're more of… comrades in arms maybe but that's probably going a little too far.

"I see…" The old lady stated out looking at both of us with a solemn expression. "I understand. I apologize for that. It was not my business to pry" She seems to have understood that I couldn't really explain our situation. "It shouldn't be a surprise to me. I always knew that Tsukuyomi chan had something to go with younger men. (Eh?) I supposed that's one of the reasons why you've become quite close friends"

Wait… what is she talking ab—pfffft! What!-? Wait a minute. Is she implying what I think she's implying?

"You should've told me earlier that you were planning to meet up with that special someone, Tsukuyomi chan. I would've prepared food for the afternoon instead. (AH!) Goodness. Children these days have no romance skills whatsoever. And here I was, worrying that you would never find such a person to handle your hardheadedness. (Oba san!) Good day…"

"W… wait a minute ma'am!" I pleaded. "No, you're mistaken. It's nothing like that!"

"Well… it appears that I'm only getting in the way of your reunion. I'll head back to my room now. Please help yourself to the tea. But don't take too long!"

And before I could even think of a proper response, the lady was gone. For an old woman she sure runs fast.

…

…

"I apologize for this" Tsukuyomi said with a grunting tone. "She probably already knew how our relationship stands. She is merely does this to get a reaction off me. This has always been her method. (R… really?) Yes. You are not the first person for her to make fun of. She often does this every time a moment presents itself. She can be irritating but she is still family to me"

"No it's fine. To be honest, she kind of reminds me of someone" Kashiwagi's face came to mind. She loves to tease and her cheerful personality also made it hard for anyone to fight back. "Anyway, you want something cold to drink instead? I bought a whole bunch earlier from the store"

"Yes, I know. I was the cashier at the time. (Gu!) Buying so much of our drinking products spell suspicion. Just what are you planning, holding so many beverages?"

"Ah… well… it's a long story" I wasn't really thinking clearly when I bought these.

"Well… it matters not. Still… it's good to see you again, Shirogane. Though it has only been a short time, I'm glad we had the time to talk"

"Likewise. I'm just sorry I didn't have enough cake for all of us. I would've gotten you a present too if I knew it was your birthday"

She raised her hand up in protest. "You need not bother. There was no way you could've known about today and you may call it purely coincidental that you and I should meet in this particular spot. Perhaps fate has brought us together somehow"

"Yeah… fate"

"Now… if you'll excuse me. I have to help oba san before she decides to do something bizarre again"

"Yeah… ok. (Ruffle) Ah! Wait a moment, Tsukuyomi. (Hmm?) I think I might have something for you. (Ruffle) Aha! Here" The green dragon stuffed toy that I won yesterday in the crane box game. Luckily the thing was small enough to fit inside my coat pocket. I was planning to give it to the other girls in my team so I brought it along with me. But after that incident with Hayase I just had to get out of there.

"This is…"

"Sorry if it isn't much. I won it in a game yesterday and rightfully so… I'm not really sure where I can even afford a proper gift. (…) Tsukuyomi?"

"A… are you sure? (Huh?) Are you absolutely certain that you wish to give this to me?"

"Well… yeah. (…) Ah… maybe you're… not into that kind of thing?"

"NO! (Bwah?) It is fine. It's just that… I was not… expecting this. (…?) Considering the treatment I have given you in the weeks before during your cadet training, I would not expect you to return with some measure of kindness" She must be talking about when she asked me to protect Meiya back in Niigata.

"Well… you had your reasons of being overly cautious with me. I just do what I think is best. Besides… even the best of us needs a little cheer up once in awhile. (…) Well… I should probably head back too. The captain will chew my ears off if I don't head back before nightfall. I'll see you later, Tsukuyomi"

…

…

…

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Tsukuyomi paused for a moment as she watched the boy depart with his bag of beverage in hand. It was a pathetic scene really. Like a boy who was heading back to his room just to read his manga with something to quench his thirst.

He was irritable and perhaps one of the most puzzling people she had ever met on this Earth. But regardless of his faults, the boy does have his ways of impressing people

The green dragon stuffed toy that he gave was nothing short of a poor choice of a gift. It had no value whatsoever, it was worthless, penniless, a dime in a dozen. Yet for some reason… that little stuffed toy… was able to bring a smile to her cold dutiful face.

Perhaps there was some truth to what her aunt said. Perhaps she does need to relax.

"Ora… I see even you can make a face like that"

"Oba san?"

"A child was actually able to do what in day what an old lady like myself couldn't do in a lifetime. It must be nice to be young ahehehehe"

"Oba san, please try not to put things out of context"

"Am I putting them out of context?" The old lady added putting on an innocent face. "… or are you simply trying to put it through your own context?"

**(January 15, 2002 Tuesday) (U.N. Kyoto Base airfield)** **(Takeru's POV)**

Huaaaaaa… man… I'm exhausted. Why is it before I start my day, I feel like I'm just about to die? My body seems to have been this way since I first learned of the word 'school'.

Yesterday was pretty whack. Meeting with Tsukuyomi really had me running late until nightfall. The guards would've reported me for sure but I just told them I was doing an errand for Yuuko sensei's and they let me straight through. I guess I'm pretty popular that way. But still… what happened yesterday really got me thinking.

Tsukuyomi was in a good condition on her own but it doesn't look like she wants to see Meiya while she's there. I supposed being changed from a respected member of the Honor Guards to a store clerk was a big shot to her pride. Still… I'm glad she's alright and it was her birthday nonetheless. I wonder if Meiya knew about this. Those two are close friends after all.

Well… either way, both of them should recover in time and if all goes well, they'll meet again and hopefully in better circumstances.

"Oi, Shirogane. Close your mouth at least" Marimo chan whispered to me. Ah… that's right. We're supposed to be welcoming the dignitaries from the U.S.S.R. today. That's the reason why we're all out here in the morning. I should keep my focus and try to at least look proper. "This meeting is being broadcast live on television. Don't go making a face"

It's not exactly broad daylight but this is probably the most sun we'll be getting in awhile. The whole lot of the Valkyrie Squad is in full uniform right out in the middle of the airfield waiting to greet someone.

"Sorry ma'am. I'll try my best"

"You look exhausted. Did you not get enough sleep last night?" Touko asked which I waved it off.

"I was busy doing some of Professor Kouzuki's work. It took awhile but it's done now" I think I'll keep using that excuse for the time being. I'm too tired to think up of anything right now.

"Is that so? The Vice Commander must be really demanding if you're exhausted"

"She can be irrational but she does give results" I reasoned which seems to buy me a pass. "Anyway, I don't think she'll give me anymore special assignment for awhile so I'm free from here on"

"That's good. I'm sure the others will be happy to hear that. You shouldn't push yourself too much, Shirogane san"

"I'll… keep that in mind"

Whirrr…

I can see a private jet landing, along with a number of TSFs.

"Eh? I've never seen those models before" They're definitely not the standard Shiranui and they're not Eagles. I guess it shouldn't be a surprise to see another type of TSF. The Americans have their own special Raptor and the Eurasians have those units that I've never seen before fight toe-to-toe with our best Eishis. The Soviet shouldn't be any different. But these designs are really… quite different from the ones I'm used to.

"Su-27… Zhuravlik…" Marimo replied as she stared upward at the mechs that were lowering down at the airstrip. "A 2nd Generation TSF. They were once the backbone of the Soviet fighting force. Their design concept is similar to that of the American's F-14 and F-15 but they're much faster and stronger. They're supposed to be replaced by a newer version but you often still see some of them in service around the Soviet Army"

"Heeh? I didn't know that"

"We covered it in class. (Eh?) You would've known something as easy as this if you paid more attention to your studies, Shirogane. (Guh!)" Wait… when did we ever learn about these things? I only remember learning the Gekishins and Fubukis during our cadet training. "That's because you keep skipping class whenever you go off with Yuuko. (Ehhhh!?) And try to keep your inner voice to yourself. It's too loud. Now pay attention and keep your yawns in"

Damn it… now everyone is laughing at me. I really need to keep my thoughts to myself.

"Squad, attention!" The captain ordered which we quickly followed. The plane that just arrived looked really fancy. Definitely someone really important is coming. This is probably the first time attending something so formal. "Salute!"

Three squads formed up and raised their hands in unison per instructions. That was when I noted two figures exiting the plane. The one in front seemed like an officer. He looks… burley and big. Almost as big as me and Marimo chan combined.

The second one behind him also looked like an officer. A girl. She's pretty young to be a soldier. His secretary maybe?

And there's the base's CO. Gen. Radhabinod. He came to greet the dignitaries, personally?

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Radhabinod's face twisted for a moment when he saw the face of the man exiting the plane. He has met with dignitaries before from various factions around the world and they've all been very cooperative with his position. He expected to see a diplomat or a brownnoser who wanted a quick visit in this training exercise, but unfortunately the person who came to visit was in neither of those categories.

As the soldiers welcomed the man with a raised arm-salute, he quickly followed basic protocol and gave his own version of respect.

The Russian dignitary was a man about ¾ of Radhabinod's height with more girth. He was old, that, anyone could tell that with the wrinkles on his face. His hair was down to its last strain of gray and his uniform has more stripes than one could count on.

"It's been a long time, General Radhabinod" The man opened dialogue with a slightly coy tone and a thinly displayed smile on his lips.

"Commander Budomir… Rogofsky" Paul seethed his temper a bit as if he was holding the spit on that name. "This is a surprise. I never thought I'd see you again… and here… of all places"

"I guess that makes two of us. How long has it been? Two? Five years? It's hard to keep track of time these days. (…) But don't worry yourself. My business isn't with you today. I was hoping to have a nice chat with one of your superiors. I won't be taking much of your time, I assure you. (…) Don't give me that look. What happened to your Indian hospitality? You still have one, don't you? Give a little smile for the cameras at least"

The General unconsciously balled his free hand as an irritable vein began to appear on his forehead. But he quickly swallowed back his pride and stepped aside. "Very well. The meeting with the chairman will take place in a few minutes. Please wait for your call in the lobby. I'll have some men escort you there"

"That won't be necessary. I have my own bodyguard that can help me in my time of need. (…) Come now. Don't be rude and introduce yourself"

"Yes sir. My apologies, sir" The young woman behind the old man quickly stood at attention and saluted in near perfect military manner. "Major Natassja Ivanova, Commanding Officer of the 211th TSF Armored Battalion, 18th Division, 3rd Army, Zhar. A pleasure to meet you, General"


	71. An Honest Hand Part 1

**Chapter 71: An Honest Hand (Part 1)  
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**(January 15, 2002 Tuesday) (PX) (Takeru's POV) (12:15 PM)**

Haaaa… finally, lunch. I thought that welcoming ceremony would never end. Standing out there in the cold with nothing but the radiators of the engines to keep you warm was exhausting. I'm glad we got that out of the way.

Having warm food on the table to satisfy your hunger is a godsend. I just wished we didn't have any more assignments. To be honest, even though it was a bit dull, I was actually enjoying our little vacation. Without any training or fighting, I actually believed for a moment that I was actually back home… with my friends.

"1st Lt. Shirogane? (Hmm?) Is something the matter?" The elder Suzumiya inquired to me. "You've been starring out the window for some time now"

"Just leave him be" Akane stated, taking a bite from her synthetic dongpo pork. "The guy likes to daydream all he wants here"

"Don't be like that, Akane chan. Can you at least be supportive for your teammate? (Che…) Is something bothering you 1st Lt. Shirogane?"

"Ah… no it's not that. I was just thinking how fast our little time off passed by" I answered honestly. "Even though our holiday was a bit long for most off duty leaves, it still felt pretty short"

"Ah… I see. You're probably just suffering from a case of Success-Syndrome. (Huh? Success syndrome?) Yes, it is a rather common illness for people who have not completed any objective in a long span of time" I've never heard of a virus like that before. "Your body is probably feeling weak and disheartened because your mind is unconsciously stating the wasted time you used up. Perhaps somewhere deep in your mind, you had set out a clear cut goal but you did not fulfill it. In other words… your body is simply repressed from the lack of use"

"I guess what Suzumiya is saying that you should be productive with your time instead of lazing around like you always do" Guh… that hit a nerve. How can you possibly say something so heart wrenching in such a casual tone Mikoto?

"Takeru san does like to laze around a lot" Tama! Not you too!

"Being lazy makes you weak…" Ow… even Ayamine is pinching me on this. "Failure as a human being" That's probably the last thing I wanted to hear from you.

"Now now. Please don't let it get to your head, Shirogane san" Haruka comforted me. "Everyone gets it once in awhile. It's nothing you should be embarrassed about"

"Onee san. You really need to stop dotting on him" Akane added with a grunting look. "This dude needs to learn to stand for himself. You can't always be there to pull him out of a jam"

"It's called camaraderie, Akane chan… and how many times do I need to keep telling you to address him properly? Your mannerism hasn't improved either. In fact, I think it's gotten worse"

"I'll start treating him like an officer if he starts acting like one. Really now. How you got to be promoted twice in one day, is really confusing. (Akane!)"

"But… Akane does have a point though" Class rep? You too? Why am I not surprise? "If Shirogane is going to be an officer, then perhaps he needs some time alone. Taking charge is also part of training to become a true officer but his attitude makes it difficult for anyone to take him seriously"

"Hmm… that's true" Mikoto nodded in agreement. "Takeru does have that goldfish look on him" Goldfish? What kind of a look is that? "Every time I look at him, I can't help but smile. He's like a fish you'd see inside an aquarium. They go around not doing anything but they always make you feel better afterwards"

"Yeah, I get that feeling too" Tama agreed with her hands raised as if she was asking for a high-five. "Takeru san does make that face sometimes. But I think that's because we're so used to seeing him the way he is that we find it hard to see him as anything else"

"Haaa… Tamase… Yoroi, I see you two haven't changed either"

"H… hey! Why are you being nice to them and you're mean only to me?" I questioned Class rep's quick change in attitude.

"That's because she's a 2nd Lieutenant like me. You on the other hand are higher ranking officer so you're different. You need to hold stature and poise. Take 1st Lt. Suzumiya as an example. Despite her gentle appearance, she holds a more intimidating look than you"

"Aha… please don't say that. I don't look that serious… do I?" Well… she does get kind of scary whenever she's annoyed or angry.

"But… I thought the captain suggested that we lessen the train on formalities" I reasoned.

"This is self respect. Don't compare it to small time greetings. We've had this conversation already and you still can't get it right" What the hell? Why am I getting lectured all of a sudden? This is supposed to be a free time where I get to eat in peace. "This is also part of becoming a good officer. With the rookies coming soon, you need to become a prime example for all of them. You need to have the face of someone they can trust. That happy-go-lucky attitude of yours just isn't going to cut it. (Uuuuu…) Don't give me that look. I'm doing this for your sake. (Gauuu…) Geez. You're hopeless sometime. Mitsurugi, say something to him. (…) Hm? Hey… Mitsurugi?"

"Huh?" Meiya looks like she in a daze. "Ah… forgive me. I wasn't paying attention. What were we talking about?"

"We're talking about Shirogane's behavior as an officer" Class rep repeated. "What do you think he should improve?"

"Ah… I… I supposed he's fine how he is"

"Eh? But… but don't you think he should improve on something?"

"No… at least… I… well… I'm… not really sure" This is odd. It seems like Meiya's got something in her mind. She doesn't appear to be focused.

"Meiya san… are you alright?" Tama inquired looking at the puzzled girl. "You've been looking at the ceiling for awhile now"

Ayamine gave a wheezy noise. "She caught the Shirogane syndrome…" It's not a contagious decease damn it! "It's a dangerous virus"

"Wha… I knew it" Akane directed her eyes at me. "Your laziness is contagious after all"

"I'm not a walking virus! Meiya, help me out here!"

"Huh? Ah… of… of course. I'll… get some water" It's no good. That girl is out of commission. I'm completely on my own.

"Ah… I almost forgot. Shirogane san" Suzumiya called out to me. "Later after lunch, the captain wants all officers to report to the hanger for briefing before we meet with the recruits from the Imperial Army. (A meeting?) Yes, the captain wants us to discuss the process of the tour. It shouldn't take too long"

"1st Lt. Suzumiya. You really need to stop babysitting him" Oh shut up!

**(U.N. Embassy) (Meeting room)**

It was a dreary mood in the U.N. Embassy that afternoon. The weather has been bleak for weeks now and it shows no signs of letting up any time soon. There has been frequent passing hails and bone chilling wind passing by every few minutes. The guards and staff officers in this building had to resort to turning their heaters up to maximum just to keep them within room temperature. The place was so cold that even freshly made coffee would freeze six times over before anyone could take a sip.

But of course, it wasn't the weather alone that made the guards dreary at that time.

Kouzuki Motoko sat in her chair in the meeting room as she listened closely to Russian dignitary in front of her. Col. Budomir Rogofsky. She knew the man's reputation well. A few months back, the man was once revered as a respected envoy from the U.S.S.R to mediate with the United Nations, a politician both in heart and mind.

"So… this is a rather unpleasant surprise" Motoko began, lighting a cigarette in her mouth. "I wasn't expecting you to be here out of all people, Rogofsky"

"I could say the same thing, Chairman…"

"I thought the KGB tossed you into the deepest, darkest hole they could find and threw away the keys. I'm rarely proven wrong at this point"

"I was given amnesty for a time. This little visit to the Far East front is rather dull but it will suffice. Shall we get down to business then?"

"As you wish" Motoko nodded, puffing a cloud of smoke from her nose. "What is it that you want to discuss? If this is about Alternative IV, then you'll have to discuss the terms with Yuuko"

"The recent successes of Alternative IV have indeed piqued the interest of the party, but that is not the reason why I am here. As much as we desire to learn more about 'her' plans, the Soviet group has its own way of dealing with mankind's greatest enemy. I've come bearing a proposal to the U.N."

This made the elder Kouzuki sister raise a brow in interest. "Oh? And what is that, exactly?"

"The party wishes to conduct a field test with their latest project. I don't suppose you're familiar with Maj. Sandek's personal key project?"

"The Polnoye Zatmeniye" Motoko answered. "I read about it but only the basic reports. It involves those two special pilots under his command, yes? (…) I thought support for that plan dwindled after the latest incident"

"The Party now wishes to expand that project… a little further. They were hoping to take advantage of the Training Exercise and use it to test out our latest candidates"

"I think you're talking with the wrong person here. (…?) I'm Chairman of the R&D department of the United Nations. I have no say in what goes on in the Training Exercise. Besides… I doubt anyone will disapprove of your squad to use whatever tactics to win so why bother me with this?"

"Of course, of course. I know that we can enhance and improve our pilot's combat efficiency and effectiveness all we want but what the Party requests is your… insights… in our little project. (Insights?) Please, take a look at these" Rogofsky then handed the professor a stack of papers and photographs that made no sense to the average man.

Motoko accepted the documents and began to compare them with her vast knowledge of information. "What are these?"

"Those are MRI scans from several candidate soldiers that are to take part in the project"

"Aren't the Soviets a little too keen on taking children and orphans?"

This of course only made the commander grin. "No professor. Those candidates are perfect adolescent people all within the age of 15-25. (…!)" Motoko's eyes widened. "One out of a hundred soldiers was caught to have latent abilities of ESP. (Impossible…) It's true. Though it may sound like a science-fiction novel, our scientists believe they have found a way to allow regular soldiers to develop psych powers regardless of age"

Motoko took a moment to decipher the pages before finally calming herself down to listen. "Forced evolution… is it…?"

"Yes. And no one on Earth knows more about evolution than you… Chairman…"

…

…

…

It took awhile for Motoko to finally give her answer. "Very well. I'll bite. So what is it the Party wishes in return for my… insights?"

"To allow us to conduct the same kind of tests with the remaining contenders of the Training Exercise"

**(Takeru's POV) (U.N. Kyoto Base) (Hallway)**

Damn it… this sucks. I couldn't enjoy my lunch at all with everyone ganging up against me. Thanks to Class rep and Akane, I had to sit through a lecture of becoming an officer and such. It's such a waste of free time. God, if only I had a way to get through to their thickheaded I would give her a piece of my mind. But… I don't think she was wrong either. Arghh! How can I fight like this? I can beat a horde of BETA in five minutes flat but I can't even raise my own hands against logic.

"1st Lt. Shirogane. (What!-?) Eeeep!" Ah crap… I'm taking out my pent up frustration on Suzumiya of all people.

"Ah… crap… I didn't mean to yell out like that it's just that—sorry"

"N… no it's alright. That just caught me by surprise. Were you thinking about what Sakaki and Akane said in the PX?"

"Is it really that obvious?"

"Please don't let those two bother you. I'm sure they didn't mean what they say. Those two are probably just looking out for you"

"Really? Because it really didn't sound that way" With their strict lectures and talks, I feel like I was the student and they were the teachers.

"Sakaki san is probably just letting you know how it's like to be an officer and Akane chan is simply exaggerating with me as an example. (…?) In truth, I didn't become a field officer overnight. I wasn't confident about my rank either. (You weren't?) No. It took me a lot of time to adjust to my new found power and authority and of course… responsibility. Fortunately I have Cap. Isumi and the other members to thank. It took me months before I finally got a grasp of my place"

"I see… I guess even the most mature of us has difficulties adjusting"

"Ah… please don't say it like that Shirogane san. It's embarrassing" Ahehehe… I guess even someone like Suzumiya gets embarrassed too. "But to be honest, I think you're a splendid officer as you are now, Shirogane san. (Eh?) Though others might not realize it, you have a talent on your own. Becoming close to your friends while at the same time being an officer is a difficult thing to do"

"I think they're just used to it because that's how we treat each other all the time"

"Ahuhuhu… you give yourself far too little credit Shirogane san" Ah… somehow I feel much better than before. It's like I'm being revived by her cheerful supportive attitude. "Shirogane san?"

"Ah… sorry. I guess I'm dozing off a lot, aren't I?"

"You seem distracted. Is there something on your mind that you wish to talk about?"

I waved my hand up in defense. "No, it's nothing serious. I just have a lot on my plate at the moment. But thanks for cheering me up, Haruka san. (Anytime) You know you'll make a great wife one day"

"B… bwahhh!" Whoa! She stumbled on her own feet. "Ow… my nose…"

"A… are you alright?"

"Sh… Shriogane san!-? (Eh?) P… please don't say something like that out of the blue. You really surprised me. Goodness… and here I was supporting you. You had to tease me just like 1st Lt. Munakata"

"What? About you being a good wife? (Bwahh!)" Whoa… she almost did a back flip there. "What's wrong with that? I was just telling the truth"

"I… I'm nothing like a good wife at all! It's… it's true that… I can barely cook and my household skills are a bit above average but that still doesn't make me a proper housewife!"

"Who gave you that concept? Besides… a wife doesn't just cook and clean the house, they also support other members of the family. You really have that cheerful attitude to make your man really give it his all"

"P… please stop it! I… I'm not that kind of girl, Takeru san!" Wow… this is probably the first time I've ever seen her with such a cute angry expression. "I'm flattered that you said that but that… that doesn't make it true"

"Hey, if you can cook, that's probably more than enough for a man of my caliber. (Eeeep!) Ahahaha"

"Moh! Tak—I mean… Shirogane san! Stop teasing me. You're almost as bad as Munakata sempai!"

"Ahahaha… sorry. My bad, my bad. I'll stop now"

"Hooo? You two seem to be having a good time. (…!) Yo…"

"Ah! Captain!" Haruka and I saluted in unison in which she returned in kind.

"At ease. (Ma'am) You're quite the odd pair. Are you heading to the briefing room already? The meeting isn't in another half hour"

"We just wanted to be early for once" I added with a small laugh.

"Ahuhuhu… that means a lot coming from you, Shirogane. (Geh!) I never expected the two of you to hang around. But I guess that doesn't say much seeing as how Suzumiya and her sister a polar opposite of one another. (C… captain!)" Heh… that's true. Akane is nothing like her elder sister who is calm, collected and more mature. Even now I'm having a hard time accepting that these two are actually even related. Maybe their genes skipped a beat. "Ah… since you two don't have anything to do until the meeting, why don't we go and meet the rookies?"

"Eh? They're here already?" I asked.

"They've been here since this morning after the welcoming ceremony. It'll be a good chance to meet up with the teams you'll be assigned with. (…) Don't worry. I'm sure they're a proper bunch"

We shrugged our shoulders and quickly followed the captain out of the main building.

**(Main office longue)**

Hooo? So these are the recruits? There are a lot of them. They don't look that much older than I am. Some of them look even younger than me. I guess it's to be expected to see greenhorns once in awhile.

But from the looks of it, they look more like a group of kids on a field trip. I guess being this close to the frontlines is quite a spectacle for them.

"Haaa… this really takes me back" Isumi said out to no one in particular. "I can't remember the last time I saw this many recruits all in one place. It almost feels like a school field trip"

"Well, I supposed that is partly correct" Suzumiya agreed solemnly. "This short journey to the frontlines is a way for them to gather combat experience and understand the situation of being at the forefront of the war. The Training Exercise is probably one of the main reasons why they are here in the first place"

"Ahehehe… that's so like you to be observant, Suzumiya. (C… captain!) But this really does take me back. The Eishi suits they use are similar to the ones we had back in the days. They really make you standout"

"That makes you sound really old, Captain" I joked. "It hasn't been that long since you were enlisted"

"Shirogane… you really have no idea how to handle a woman's heart, do you. (Eh?) Calling me old only makes me want to kill you, you know? (Guh!) Really now. For a man who hangs out with women all day long, you're hopeless" Ow… somehow I feel like someone just stabbed me at the heart with a rusty knife. "Anyway, I'm going to have a word with their squad leaders for the moment. You two stay here"

Hmm… rookies eh? They're soldiers who just got enlisted after graduating from their military school. I supposed I can understand how the Captain feels. If you look back at our graduation ceremony, you kind of miss that moment where everything is right in the world. These kids are no longer cadets but fully fledged soldiers who have seen or at least experienced some measure of combat.

Heh… I wonder if that's how we looked when other war vets saw us.

I guess this must mean that I'm a war vet already. Heh… maybe I should be calling myself old rather than the Captain.

"Ahuhuhuhu…" Suzumiya chuckled at my side. "You're probably having a rather nostalgic thought, 1st Lt. Shirogane"

"Geh! H… how did you know?"

"Your face says a lot more than your mouth ever could. (Ahehehe) But that's a good look on you. You remind me of a soldier I once knew back when I was a cadet"

"Really? I guess should probably look more dignified to the rest of the new recruits here"

"First impressions are always the most important in meetings. It's usually how people react to you for a long duration of the time"

"Yeah…" I sighed with a hint of agreement. "I guess my first impression with my teammates stuck with them forever. Now I wish I could just—(Tap tap tap tap tap!) Hmm?"

"SHIROGANE~~ SEMPAI~~!"

WHAM!

Goooh! My stomach…! Oh…

"Sh… Shirogane san!"

Ow… what the heck? Who the hell just tackled me to the ground? I feel like someone's hugging me like some giant teddy bear. If it was any harder I would've cracked a rib or two.

"Wahhh! Shirogane sempai! It really is you! It's been so long!"

Eh? Wait a minute. I know that face… that voice. "T… Tatsunami!-? (Yes!) G… get off me! Stop that!"

After finally getting my feet back up, I dusted the dirt off my shirt and got the kid off my waist. "Wahh! It really is you, sempai! I almost didn't recognize you with a different uniform! How's it been? Have you been assigned to any new missions lately? Did you get to fight BETA on your way? Tell me tell me tell me!" Yup… that's him alright. That's Tatsunami Hibiki, the cadet I met during the coup d'état in Tokyo.

I almost forgot about this guy. After I was dismissed from Tokyo, I hardly gave him another thought. The only reason I remember him is because he's the only one here who ever called me sempai. He was one of the good recruits I saw back then. If I remember correctly he was part of the Imperial Army rearguard units.

"Umm… is he an acquaintance of yours, Shirogane san?" Suzumiya addressed to me with a puzzled face. I guess she didn't expect to see me get tackled on my first visit.

"Yeah, I guess you could say that. I met up with him awhile back. He's an energetic ball of energy"

"Yosh! A pleasure to meet you ma'am! I am Cadet 1st Cla—I mean, 2nd Lt. Tatsunami Hibiki from the Fuji Tactical Fighter Training Group, 3rd Battalion! It's an honor"

"Ah… a pleasure to meet you too. I am 1st Lt. Suzumiya. I wasn't aware that Shirogane san had friends in the Imperial Army"

"Emmm! Shirogane sempai and I are comrades in arms. We fought together side by side in an epic battle for the future of Earth! It was glorious, it was awesome! And downright surprising when we discovered that he was actually—(WHAM!) Guobobobo!" Ow… that must've really hurt to be smacked right on the head with a hammer.

"TAT-SU-BA-KA!" Oh… it's that partner of his. As… Asagi or something. "How many times do I have to literally pound it inside that tiny, pathetic excuse of a brain of yours? When you're in the presence of superior officers, you are to stand at attention and salute! Not tackle them down like an NFL player! Get that through your thick skull or I'll do it for you! (BWAHHH!) Don't try to escape you pathetic excuse of a soldier! Apologize to both of them immediately!"

Crackle!

"Gyaaaa!"

Oooh… ok… I never imagined the human body can bend so far back. Just looking at it feels painful.

"Umm… is that another acquaintance of yours, Shirogane san?" Suzumiya asked which I could only nod in response.

"Unfortunately, yes… they are"

"Ara ara… are those two at it again?" Hmm? "Geez… they really can make a scene, can't they?"

"Ah… you're…"

The other boy gave me an honest salute. "Sir. I am 2nd Lt. Matsukaze Ryouichi of Squad 455. It's an honor to meet you again"

I returned the gesture. "Ah… it's good to see you again too"

"It's alright sir. We only met for a short time. You don't have to pretend that you remember me. (Ahehehe) Though to be honest, I am a little surprised to see you here, sir" Well I guess that makes two of us. "Ever since Tokyo, you've become quite popular. It's no surprise everyone here would know your name, sir"

"Ah… is that so?"

"Tatsunami has been boasting about fighting by your side one time. He's really taking a fancy out of you, 1st Lieutenant" I'm not sure about that. He's more like a puppy who found a master that he likes the most. "Anyway… I should probably stop her before she really kills him"

…

…

…

After awhile, the two disturbing duos finally calmed down and stood up at attention in front of us. It was no joke. They were indeed the three cadets I've fought beside with during the coup in Tokyo. They were now wearing their military uniforms in dark green colors and with rank patches on their necks.

"Sorry about that, 1st Lieutenant" Asagi saluted to me with an apologetic frown. "I didn't mean to go overboard there"

"That's alright. It doesn't really bother me" I waved it off. "But I never expected you guys to graduate from your cadet school so early"

"Hehe! That's because they recognize our talents! (WHAM!) Doh!" Tatsunami got smacked in the face once more.

"Our graduation was unexpected to all of us" Asagi explained with a professional tone. Out of everyone here, she seems to be the most mature out of the team. "But after our skirmish in Tokyo, High Command deemed us worthy of promotion and sent us to the Fuji Training School to receive more advance lessons in TSF combat. Though to be honest, there are actually many factors that played a part in this. (…?) Ah… forget it. It's nothing important. It's good to see you alive and well, 1st Lt. Shirogane"

"Same here" I saluted back. "I didn't expect the group I was going to be with to be the same team that I met back then"

"Your surprise goes both ways, 1st Lieutenant" Asagi nodded with a coy tone. "Judging from your uniform, it appears that you are indeed a member of the United Nations. (Flash)" Oh that's right. The only time these two saw when I was undercover as an Imperial Eishi. Back then, the relationship between the U.N. and the Imperial Army wasn't at its best so Yoroi gave me the suit to disguise my real affinity.

"Sorry… there's a good reason for that"

"Who cares about that!-?" Tatsunami barked out. "It doesn't matter where he's from! What I want to know are those cool TSF moves he pulled! Those insane maneuvers, that slick style that looks as if they were just flowing out of his fingers, those awesome stunts and triple pile driver jumps! You make them look so easy I thought anyone could do it with enough training! (Umm…) Shirogane sempa. Please! I beg of you! You must tell me who taught you those moves!"

"Huh?"

"Those TSF moves! Please tell me who taught you those moves! They're too amazing to be created from one person entirely! Even the veterans back at the training school in Hokkaido can't compare!" Is he talking about those stunts I pulled? Ah… I remember now. I remember Haruka telling me that there's a simulator course that has my control log implemented. He must be talking something similar to that.

"Well… if it's my moves… I guess they're all originally mine"

…!

"WHATTTTT!-!-! Is this true, Shirogane sempai?" I already told you that they're mine. "Then you really must be super-special to know such combinative skills. Hmm… if that's the case then there's no other choice. (Eh?) If you hold the knowledge to such incredible talent then I must shame myself. (Uhh…) Shirogane sempai! Please, I beg of you! Take me on as your apprentice"

…

…

…

"What?" My mouth gawked just like the other two.

"Make me your disciple! Your acolyte, your first new-born! (Huh?) Teach me those techniques and I shall follow you to the gates of hell themselves. I shall do everything you say. Just say the word and I will—(WHACK!) Goyo!"

"That's enough ogling for one day" Asagi groaned. "Sorry about that. He's been worshipping you nonstop since the New Year incident. I guess you could say that he's a fan of you, 1st Lieutenant. (Oh… I see…) Anyway, I'll bring this guy back to the waiting room like the rest. I'll see you again sir, ma'am"

"Huh? Ah! Wait Asagi! I still wanted to ask him something!"

"Shut up! You're lucky the Major isn't here or she'd whoop you back to the Stone Age"

"Wahhh! Shirogane sempai! Let us meet again as promise between men~~~!" And with that last pathetic wail, the boy was dragged off into the backroom where the captain remained.

"Ahahaha… sorry about that" Matsukaze apologized for them. "Tatsunami has his heart in the right place but his antics usually put us in a tight spot. Asagi is simply trying to put him in place so that he won't hold back the rest of our unit"

"Hmm? Wait… I thought you guys were in different squads"

"Huh? Ah… that. You're correct" The former cadet nodded to me with a sad face replacing his expression. "We used to be in different teams but after all the casualties we've taken during the coup d'état in Tokyo, and not to mention the low quantities of drafted recruits nowadays, the higher ups decided to merge several units into one squad to make one combat ready battalion" Merging training squads? Is that even possible?

"I did hear that there were a number of Imperial Army cadets in combat" Suzumiya summed up in her head. "The reports say that the losses were astronomical"

"That's correct" Maysukaze confirmed it. "Almost all of our training squadrons were annihilated in the battle. This is also perhaps one of the reasons why we were enlisted so quickly. (…?) They merely need bodies on the front right now"

"I understand…" Suzumiya seems to understand what he was referring to. "It must be difficult to hold such burdens. I'm sorry if we cannot do anything to improve your situation"

"Ah… no I didn't mean to put it that way, ma'am. I was just reminiscing. A… anyway, I should probably catch up with my team before the meeting. Later sir"

He then left the hall leaving me and Suzumiya to ponder. It feels a little weird to have someone saluting at you all the time. I guess this is what Class rep calls self respect but I supposed it's a bit further from what she's talking about. Still… after being Hayase's lacky for a long time, I kind of gotten used to being a subordinate myself.

**(An hour later)**

After finally getting all our places set, the Captain finally called us in for the official meeting with the rest of the higher ups in the squad. It feels strange to be standing beside all the 1st Lieutenants and the captain like this. Maybe my rank does hold more power than I initially realize.

Three full squads of the Imperial Army Fuji Training Group stood at attention in front of us. From there I can even see Tatsunami and his friends. The boy seemed to have finally calmed down, though I can see him sneaking a few glances my way. I just hope I won't have to deal with someone as energetic as him in my training here.

"Attention!" The representative of the training teams called out. Like good soldiers, they all formed up at attention in straight orders. "And… salute!"

"At ease" The Captain began in her officer's voice. "Welcome cadets. My name is Captain Isumi Michiru of the United Nations Special Taskforce A-01, 9th Squadron. From here on you are to address me as ma'am, sir or captain. (Ma'am!) As this is part of the regime of the Training Exercise, allow me to be the first to welcome you to the United Nation's Kyoto Base. As part of your training to become better Eishis in the future, you will all be attending to watch the Training Exercise with your proper Instructors once they arrive. For now, you will be given a tour of our facilities and familiarize yourselves in surrounding areas. Though this goes without saying, none of you are authorized to enter restricted areas without proper authorization or without proper personnel to go with you"

"Ma'am!" This is starting to sound more like a mission briefing than an explanation or a welcoming party. But… I supposed they have to know where they stand in this base.

"Each of you here will be escorted with one of the officers standing with me. I'm sure a few of you have already met one another. This is 1st Lt. Hayase Mitsuki. (Yo…) 1st Lt. Munakata Misae. (Greetings…) 1st Lt. Suzumiya Haruka. (A pleasure) 1st Lt. Jinguuji Marimo. (…) And last but not least, 1st Lt. Shirogane Takeru. (…!)" Eh? Hey wait… what's with those expressions?

"Shirogane? That Shirogane?"

"The guy who took out the Honor Guard singlehandedly? I thought he just a rumor"

"No way…"

"I thought he'd be older"

"A monster like that in a Special Taskforce?"

"Be quiet!" The representative yelled out to them.

The Captain ignored their whispers and continued. "Your lodging has been prepped for tonight and tomorrow only. You can discuss further briefings from your CO after the tour. As for further discussions…"

I stopped listening midway and directed my attention to the trainees. It's hard to imagine that I used to be one of them all those years ago in my other loops. Back then I was no greener than these recruits just trying to know which side of the gun I needed to point to the enemy. Ahahaha… just thinking back to my cadet days gives me a sense of nostalgia. Maybe I can ask Marimo chan to give me some pointers when I'm leading these kids.

"Alright then. If there are no more questions we'll begin parting with the team. Squad 212 will be assigned with 1st Lt. Hayase. Follow her and don't get part ways. (Yes ma'am) As for Squad 455, they'll be…"

…

…

Eh? What's this strange feeling? My fingers are tingling and the hair on my neck is standing up slightly. Am I being haunted? I do feel a little heavier than usual. Like someone is casting some kind of curse on me.

…?

"PleaseletitbeShiroganeSempai PleaseletitbeShiroganeSempai PleaseletitbeShiroganeSempai PleaseletitbeShiroganeSempai PleaseletitbeShiroganeSempai PleaseletitbeShiroganeSempai PleaseletitbeShiroganeSempai PleaseletitbeShiroganeSempai PleaseletitbeShiroganeSempai !-!-!"

Eh? Who's… whispering my name? Geh! Tatsunami!-? What the hell is he doing? And what is he holding? It's like a magic talisman and he's chanting my name like some kind of spell. My body feels… strange…

"PleaseletitbeShiroganeSempai PleaseletitbeShiroganeSempai PleaseletitbeShiroganeSempai !"

STOP! That voodoo curse is killing me! Keh! I… can't…

"Uh…" Captain! Do something! That boy is putting a curse on me! "Umm… Squad 455 will go with 1st Lt. Shirogane"

"Yosha! There really is a god!"

WHY!-?

**(A few minutes later) (Hallway)**

Haaaaa… now this is troubling. I never imagined that I would actually understand what Marimo chan is always concerned about but it seems to be screaming at my face right at this moment. I'm pretty sure if the Marimo chan in my world could see me now she'd probably be screaming karma at my eardrums like she was hoping for it to happen.

Leading a group of seven recruits through the hall, I felt like a tour guide to a kid's fieldtrip. It wasn't exactly bad. It was a good change of pace after all the fighting that took place in Tokyo and not to mention the BETA on the outskirts of Kyoto. But honestly I'd prefer to spend my free time in leisure than to be doing this.

This kind of reminds me of that punishment Yuuko gave me back in Yokohama Base. Being a teacher or observer wasn't exactly my strong point.

But leading a tour was fun on its own. The only thing is that…

"Uuuuuu…!"

… every time I turn my head back I notice these pair of giant glittering eyes looking at me like I was some kind of celebrity. Tatsunami has been at my back putting himself at exactly 3.5 meters at all times. I get the feeling that he's trying real hard to hold himself back… and to be honest… I'm a little scared.

I'm not exactly sure what kind of impression I've left since Tokyo but ever since that day I've been getting a lot of mixed reaction from all kinds of people. I've also notice some of the guards in the base giving me the stare at times but I tend to ignore them whenever I can.

But right now I should probably be more focused on the tour. My team consisted of Kashiwagi, Akane and Meiya. They're just here as assistants but I don't really know how they can assist.

"Neh… Takeru…" Kashiwagi came up to me. "You don't have to look so uptight. (Wha?) Your hands are matching your feet march" Geh! It's true! I'm walking with my right hand and right foot at the same time! I look like a complete idiot! "Ahahaha!"

"Sh… shut up! It wasn't intentional"

"Don't worry. This isn't some kind of formal event so you can loosen up a bit. Right now you should just focus on getting the team to their destination. The captain gave you a list of places you needed to go, right?" Oh yeah… the schedule. The Captain handed this to us before the meeting. I guess I kind of forgot about it. "What does it say on the first area?"

"It says here that I should take them to the simulator room" That's just a few minutes' walk from here. I supposed that's where we'll go first. I know a shortcut through here.

**(Simulator room)**

"Yosh… here every, we have the simulator room" I declared to the group who seemed only mildly interested. I guess it shouldn't be a surprise seeing as how they've been training in these pods ever since they came out of their Comprehensive Combat Skill Evaluation.

I expected them to go 'ooooh' and 'ahhhhh' but I supposed that's a little too much for the first stop of the tour. Maybe I set my expectation bar a little too high. What else am I supposed to do?

"Oi… Takeru" Kashiwagi called out to me again. "You're supposed to say something to inspire them. You can't just bring them to a place without some kind of speech ready"

"A speech?" There's no way I can do that. "I don't know what to say!"

"Weren't you told in the briefing that you're supposed to give some measure of detail with every location?" Wait… I think I remember something about that but I stopped listening half way. I think I must've dozed out that time. Curse my short attention span.

"I… think I forgot…"

Kashiwagi gave me a disappointed sigh. "Really now. You're a genius when it comes to fighting but you're really hopeless when it comes to these technical things. (Sorry…) Ahehehe… I supposed no one's perfect. Alright, I'll give them something to wow about but in return you owe me a date. (Eh?) So what's it gonna be?"

Is there even a choice in that question? "Fine… I agree"

She seemed unusually happy when I agreed to it. "Yosh! Negotiation successful. Alright squad, listen up. As you may know already, the simulator pod is supposed to train new pilots to familiarize themselves with the atmosphere of the TSF. They judge your aptitude and your brainwave pattern to see how long an Eishi can last inside without suffering from claustrophobia. The first ever simulator was developed for astronauts back during 90s by an American Space traveling group called NASA. As for the details…"

Kashiwagi continued on with her speech in front of the recruits like a real teacher. And just like that she took the stage. I guess it was only natural that she'd know a lot more than me. My General Knowledge in this world is probably lower than the average citizen. To be honest, the longest I've ever stayed in a world is… what? 2, maybe 4 years? Even then I've only been learning the things that were necessary for military standards. I've been trained to be a soldier ever since I came here and nothing more. Even then, my knowledge of the BETA came directly from Yuuko sensei and Captain Isumi.

I know so many things about being a soldier and a survivalist but so little about the known world of the common student. Haaaa… its times like these I realize just how useless I am in peace time. Maybe this is how soldiers feel when they come back home from a long sortie.

"…" I can feel Akane's stare at my back.

"What is it now?"

"Nothing. I think you already know what I'm gonna say, so I'll spare you the detail" Guuuu… this girl is really testing me. "If you can't handle something as basic as this then you really need to step up your game, Shirogane. You can't let others take your burdens for you" Guuuu… there really isn't a way for me to counter. How am I supposed to know this stuff from start? My General Knowledge of this world really isn't up to par with everyone.

"Oh? You guys here with the training group?" One of the staff sergeants called in. "It must be nice being with the younger generation. Sorry about the mess, the maintenance crew is just adding the final touch for the Training Exercise tomorrow. We'll have the mess sorted out by tonight"

"Ah… yes of course. Thank you for your hard work" I nodded back. "Are you guys making some big changes?"

"Mostly just adding more pods" The staff sergeant answered. "With the amount of trainees the 6th Pacific Army is sending us, we'll need to add a few more just to cover them all. Kyoto Base wasn't meant to hold this many personnel for a long duration. (It's not?) We're mostly a supply station for the frontlines and a checkpoint for most ongoing cargo. We supply all forward bases from here to Yamaguchi and nothing more. But… who knows? Maybe this place will become another training school instead"

I see now. That's probably why they needed so many maintenances done. The Kyoto base wasn't suited for this kind of purpose so they had to make some huge changes. It's true that there are a lot of ruins outside but I supposed they weren't prepared for so many people visiting so suddenly. This is interesting news.

"Yo, Takeru" Hmm? "We're done here. There aren't a lot of things going on so why don't we move to the next place on the roster?"

"Hmm? Ah… yeah, sure. Thanks Haruko"

"Don't sweat it. I'm happy to help" She then turned to the troupe with her cheery face. "Now, before we leave. Does anyone here have any questions?"

"Hai! I do I do!" Tatsunami? Why am I not surprised? "Can we see an example of your training? We want to see more of how experienced Eishis do better in the simulator" And why am I not surprised that he asked that?

"Hmm… that does sound like a reasonable thing to do. 1st Lt. Shirogane can be a prime example since his TSF skills are truly superior to mine. (Ooooohh!)" Geh! Kashiwagi! Why are you agreeing with that? Does your loyalty sway two sides? "But unfortunately, the simulator room is being renovated for other cadets to use. So we'll have to save that for another day. (Oooh…) Ah, but remember. The Training Exercise starts tomorrow so I'm sure everyone here will get their fill of real live combat"

"Ehhhhh? That's too long! (Yoink!) Yeow! My cheeks!"

Sheesh, that scared me for a minute. For a moment there I thought I might have to instantly change into my exosuit for this tour. I just hope this tour can go without any more surprises.

**(Yuuko's Lab)**

Yuuko was not happy. Usually when she frowns it often had to do with something about her research being hampered by Red Tapes or military procedures that can be really time consuming. Even as a Vice Commander for an entire army, she was not immune to the system that all well-to-do-citizen abides by. Even with her vast network of information, there are still some things that required a more abrupt touch.

The only thing that bothered her more than those annoying bigwigs is the boy that suddenly dropped into her lap. Shirogane had the tendency to annoy her at times but not without results to prove his worth. Time and time and again, that kid have managed to pass every trial she gave him. She considered the boy's abilities to predict the future but his oracle powers seem to have waned since Sadogashima.

But right now, it was neither of those things that annoyed her. The thing that was making her temples ache was the man on the tiny computer screen in front of her.

"So let me get this straight…" Yuuko began in the most irritating tone she could possibly make in her life. "America is at war with itself?"

"A temporary setback, Professor. Things are still under control" The man on the other line reasoned, his voice a bit domesticated. "The National Guard still has the area country in order but thanks to a recent influx of refugees, living space around here is getting slimmer and slimmer. We've had a few riots lately around multiple cities. Supplies aren't just cutting it"

"And what about the XG-70 project?"

"The old facility has been cleaned as you requested. All of the weapons that were being constructed at the time have been moved to another location. The delivery of those units will be on schedule so there's no cause for alarm"

"You're right. If there's anyone to blame here it would that idiot I sent to lead the security detail for the project. I supposed with all the fighting that's been happening, it was only a matter of time before people start panicking. What's happening in Washington right now, Vice President?"

"Nothing good since the battle of Sadogashima. With everything that's been going on, we're on the verge of declaring Martial Law on the populace. There has been many armed resistance against the National Guards as of late"

"Armed resistance?" The Professor questioned.

"Refugees armed with small firearms and such. They've been attacking further and further inland, ambushing relief aid and farms throughout the south. We've noted that more than half of the Seattle is under siege. We do not know where they're getting their weapons but the FBI and Homeland Security are working around the clock to apprehend the ringleaders. Whoever these terrorists are they appear to be well funded and supplied"

This of course, made Yuuko lift herself from her seat. "Is it… 'them' again? Like those from the Yukon incident?"

"We have solid proof so far but all the evidence seems to point at it. I never imagined we would have to deal with the likes of the RLF again. If the situation is not handled quickly, we will have to recall the 7th Fleet from the Philippines"

"The RFL. Those ragtag freedom fighters. I thought that group was disbanded after the Yukon incident"

"They have no shortage of members in these lands, Professor. In a world where food is scarce, people will do anything to survive. But I supposed I can say the same for Japan as well. They lost a lot these past few months that went by"

"The balance of power is shifting fast and there's no telling where it'll land. With all the major players coming to one place… I can only assume that things will end badly for one"

"Let's hope that will not be the case, Professor Kouzuki. (…) But in case a storm does come, you'd best batten down the hatches and keep your bodyguard close"

The mad scientist gave a small laugh. "I don't suppose the 65th Combat Training Battalion you're sending here has anything to do with it"

"The decision of sending one of our most experienced units to your Training Exercise was not mine, Professor. The U.S. Army simply wishes to send its best to represent us for future relation. Also… to be honest… I believe your little Guard Dog riled up some feathers here back at DC. (…) I won't say that I'm not particularly curious of this 'Exaggerated pilot'. But when this rumor is coming from you… I tend to expect that anything is possible"

"My my… I'm flattered, Mr. Vice President" But the professor's chat was soon interrupted when she noted Isumi standing in front of her. "I expect our next conversation to be less strenuous. (Beep)"

"Sorry to barge in ma'am" Isumi apologized. "Is this a bad time?"

"No… I was just finishing some loose ends. Thank you for coming on such short notice"

"Think nothing of it, Vice Commander. I was tasked to follow your every instruction after all" Isumi gave the mad scientist a coy smirk in reply. "What can I do for you?"

"How's the status of the team? I heard many of you took quite a beating on your last mission"

"A few of us will be out of commission for awhile. 2nd Lt. Mitsurugi and Sakaki are still suffering from injuries despite their doctor's insistence to remain in care. They're assisting Suzumiya with some paperwork while they recover. The other members of the team are suffering from several injuries as well and will not be returning to the battlefield anytime soon. The only members that are combat worthy conditions are Hayase, Kashiwagi, Jinguuji, Suzumiya and Shirogane. But… I'm afraid that our bodies aren't the only things that suffered heavily from the last battle"

"I've already requisitioned new TSFs to replace the ones A-01 has lost in Tokyo" Yuuko added earning a positive nod from her subordinate. "As members of the Special Task Force, I was able to bump the request ahead of the list, so expect them soon. (Yes ma'am) As for another matter, there is something that I require your immediate attention. (Hmm?) I'll be attending a meeting at Fukushima in a few days. By that time, I expect a special shipment to be delivered here on schedule"

"A special shipment, ma'am?"

"The TSF that the Prime Minister gave to us. With the exception of me, Marimo, Shirogane, and the maintenance crew, you're the only one who has seen it firsthand. I'm leaving the security detail to you in case of any emergencies"

"Are you expecting trouble, ma'am?"

"No… but with so many vultures flocking around my lab, it's been getting harder to breathe"

Isumi couldn't help but agree subconsciously with that statement. Being a hero of mankind in destroying a BETA Hive net the Professor as a powerful and very influential individual. Being someone important meant that you had powerful friends with deep access to secrets… but that also meant you had very powerful enemies to contend with.

And with the Training Exercise netting many powerful figureheads from around the world, it was becoming fairy clear that the Professor's safety was becoming less and less forthcoming.

"I understand ma'am" The young captain saluted. "I can assume that you won't mind any added security I implement in the dossier?"

"You can consult that with Piatif. She'll be here handling all the moving of my research data. I trust you can handle things here for a few days. Oh and use Shirogane in however way you see fit? (Huh?) Don't be afraid to let him handle some of the paperwork manual labor. That boy is a lot smarter and more durable than you'd think. (Ha…) But before I go, I think I can spend a few days out in the open"

"In the open?"

"Nothing. Just make sure that the machine is prepped and ready for combat. The mechanics back at Yokohama should've already finished its repairs"

**(Firing Range) (Takeru's POV) (02:20 PM)**

Ah… the firing range. It's been awhile since I last came here. I haven't had the chance to hone my sharpshooting skills since we left Yokohama Base. It's not that I need any training in it; I just don't want to get rusty with my own abilities.

"Oi Shirogane…" Akane's piercing voice brought me back to reality. "Stop daydreaming. We're still continuing with the tour. Don't get distracted. (Hai hai) This is exactly the reason why Chizuru and I have been scolding you. You're not even trying to be a decent officer at all"

"Hey, I'm doing what I can here. And besides, Kashiwagi's handling them now. She's doing a good job so far. If she was having trouble, then I'd intervene"

"Heh… so you're letting your subordinate do all the work for you?"

"Isn't that the whole point of having subordinates in the first place?" I countered which only made the little lioness growl back in anger. I think I hit a nerve there.

"Subordinates are supposed to lighten your burdens, not carry them for you. This isn't proper protocol" She's talking about rules now? She must be really desperate if she's going there. Only her sister knows how to use the power of the rules wisely, but she's nowhere in sight. "Stop laughing! I'm serious here!"

"Of course you are. (Guuuu!)" Hehehe… it looks like I won this round. That should keep her off my back for awhile. I only wished there was something for me to do.

"Hmm? Ah! Takeru san!" Hmm? That voice…

"Tama?" I saw the little pink princess running up to me with the rest of her team behind. "What are you doing here? Did you guys finish the tour already?"

"Sorta…" Came her embarrassed answer. "Hayase san decided to skip the gym since it was still being renovated" Skipping a stop? Is that even allowed? "She asked me to demonstrate my sharpshooting skills to the group so I brought this along" She held out a rifle from her back which was pretty much just perfect for her size.

"Hey, isn't that the rifle you had since training school?"

"Eh? You noticed?"

"Well… I recognize the wood frame…" Besides, it's pretty hard to forget. She told me about it during our time together back in one of my loops. She cherished that training rifle greatly not only because it wasn't humongously taller than her but she kept it because of sentimental value. Tama was always a sentimental girl. Heck, even back in my world, she cherished many little trinkets like they were a part of her.

"I kept mine in perfect condition. I bring it with me for good luck. What about yours, Takeru san?"

"Me? I didn't really keep mine. I just returned it to the armory like all the rest of my equipment. (Haaa?) Well… I did keep a piece of my old Fubuki if that counts" That old thing was destroyed beyond recognition. I'm pretty sure the mechanics back at Yokohama Base smelted it down for spare parts by now.

"I see. That does certainly fit you. (Huh?) Since no one here is a better pilot than you, it's only natural that you'd keep something from your TSF, neh?"

"Heh… I guess you have a point there. I never really thought of it that way. I guess we all keep a little bit of something that reminds us of who we were"

Like that gun she's carrying for example.

She had that gun when she first arrived at Yokohama Base and she's polished it and got used to its weight and size that it almost became part of her body. I remember hearing her go on and on how she loved that gun. Sometimes I worry that she may have loved it more than me.

I didn't have a sentimental memento like her. All the guns I used were pretty much just off the rack or used already.

"Oi! Tamase, we're waiting!" I heard Hayase called out from the watch post.

"Ah! Yes ma'am. On my way. Ahehe. Well I'll see you later Takeru san"

"Ah… yeah… sure…" Ugh… looking at that sweet girl's face brought back some old feelings in me. It seems like the love I had for her, for everyone, hasn't subsided one bit. They're as every bit as loyal as the first time I had them. Ah… but right now… I think Tama would be a bit disappointed if she saw me right now.

I promised her back in my other loop that I would practice every time I get the chance. That girl was a great coach. Though our skills differed at the time, I've always wanted to shoot like her. In all my life in both worlds I've never seen anyone who can pull off a shot like Tama. I guess I must be a bit off practice. I should probably use my free time for more independent training if I want to keep up with her.

(Flash) Damn it… if only I could remember more of our time together. I remember catching a small glimpse of our future one time. It was short but I can recall this… very exquisite feeling.

We were planting flowers in a garden, just the two of us with no one to interrupt our time together. I don't remember much of it but I'm certain that it was a good memory.

"Yo Shirogane sempai!"

"Huh? Ah… Tatsunami. What do you want now?"

"I just wanted to talk to my most favored Eishi. Is that wrong?"

"Aren't you afraid that your friend might smack you again?"

"Ahahaha. That's just natural for Asagi. Hitting me has become a natural reflex for her" That doesn't sound like something you should be laughing about. "But I am glad to see you again, Shirogane sempai. (Hmm?) I haven't had the chance to thank you properly for saving my life back then. I thought I should take this opportunity to do it. (…) You didn't save me once but twice. During the time when we had to scout out for the army, I really thought I was gonna get shot"

"You do remember that it was your fault that we almost got caught by those soldiers, right? (Geh!)" I remember that night like it was just yesterday. It was because of him that I had to take down two soldiers at once.

"Ahahaha… well its water under the bridge. No need to worry about it. (Hey…) But… I have to admit I was a bit shocked when I read the report. (…?) To think that you were a U.N. Eishi all this time. It's no wonder high command brought you in. If you were just a regular Eishi, you wouldn't have been able to do all those ridiculously amazing things. Ahehehehe"

"Ah… well… there's a reason for that" It's hard to explain. I know that my mission there was top secret but I just can't find a way to cover it, especially when there are people who know me.

"Well, it all worked out in the end. But I'm still amazed. You took out the whole Honor Guard by yourself and destroyed that super-giant-weapon thing. You should've received two or three medals just for that" Ahehehe… ah man I'm blushing from all the praise he's giving me. "I'm not sure what your reason was for being there, but I'm really glad I got to meet you. I would love to see how you perform on the Training Exercise tomorrow. (Training exercise?) Yeah, the exercise that we came here to watch. Aren't you gonna be in it?"

Oh yeah… I forgot about that. "Sorry but I won't be participating in that exercise. (EHHHHH!) Another group will be representing the U.N. in that fight. As much as I hate to say it, most of my teammates still haven't recovered from their injuries yet"

"Oh… is that so? I guess it can't be helped. (Sorry) Boooo… and here I was expecting to see another grand performance from you, sempai"

"Well, you'll have to wait until the next crisis. Until then, you'll have to enjoy the regular show"

"Buuuu… that's no fun" Tatsunami made a pouty face.

"Ahehehe. Alright, how about this? Since you guys are staying here for a few days, I can teach you a few things about piloting. (Really!-?) Yeah. We can discuss it during dinner. You can join us in the PX after we're done with the tour"

"Yosh! I will gladly be of service sempai!" And just like that, the boy was off, like a hyperactive high schooler. Heh… he kind of reminds me of someone I used to know.


	72. An Honest Hand Part 2

**Chapter 72: An Honest Hand (Part 2)**

**(January 15, 2002 Tuesday) (07:20 PM) (PX)**

"Fuuuuuaaaaaa…" Hayase Mitsuki let out a long and tiring sigh as she finally got to her seat in the cafeteria. It has been a long and tiring day with the welcoming ceremony and the touring of the rookies but at last she was able to sit back and relax. "Finally. Dinner. I can finally have some peace and quiet"

"That sounds like something a lonely hermit would say" Misae added only to get a tiring yet infuriating reply from her host.

"Shut up~! I'm just glad we can finally say goodbye on babysitting" She answered honestly. "I can't believe they actually had to use us, the Special Task Force to do some menial task like this"

"It can't be helped" Haruka reasoned. Out of everyone on the table, she was perhaps one of the few who saw things at a reasonable perspective. "The 11th Army has lost much of its resources in the last few battles. They're strained in many places already"

"I heard that they even reassigned some from the Okinawa Post" Touku added, taking a bite off her meal. "There have been a lot of new faces lately too. With the cadets from the 6th Army coming here, you can barely tell who is from who anymore"

"The staff members around here have also changed" Misae noted passing a glance at the new chef behind the PX counter. "It's more like the 6th Army is taking over"

"Eh? Is that a bad thing, 1st Lt. Munakata san?" Tamase Miki, the youngest of the group inquired. Much like her looks, and her skills behind a gun, the girl was oblivious to most kinds of conspiracies.

"Not really. It's just that… all the flags that I set up have all gone to waste. (Flags?)"

The elder Suzumiya quickly interrupted before the woman could add more naughty thoughts to the innocent child. "Don't listen to her Tamase chan. Misae san just isn't the kind of person to make fast friends. (…?) Misae san… please don't go twisting other people's thoughts with your logic"

"Ah… but Suzumiya… meeting all these new people is so much work. Setting routes and understanding their pattern is almost too difficult. (Misae san!) Ah… but don't worry. I might just have to raise an event scene somewhere around here. (Event scene?) Ahuhuhu"

A vein appeared on Haruka's head as she was about had it with the girl. "Mitsurugi san. Can you please pass me your combat knife? I'll be sure to return it. (…) Mitsurugi san?"

The team quickly turned their attention to the girl in question who seemed almost like she was deep in meditation. Meiya's eyes were staring at her food, her mouth gapped open just partially and her hands were holding onto her eating utensils, lifeless, as if a ghost was holding them but could do nothing with it.

"Meiya chan?" Mikoto called out but again there was no reply but the breathing of her breath. "Are you alright? Hello?"

"Oi! Mitsurugi!"

Thwack!

Hayase's slam quickly brought the girl back to attention and quickly she discovered all eyes on her. "Huh? Ah… what happened? (…) Umm… what were talking about?"

"Are you feeling alright?" Misae inquired, patting the young samurai on her shoulder. "You haven't touched your food"

"You've been acting like that since this morning" Hayase recalled seeing how the girl was not entirely there at the time. "It's starting to bug me"

"I… apologize. I just… have a lot of things to think about"

"Oh? Is it a love problem? (Misae san!)" The perverted lady grinned a bit when she cast her eyes around the table noticing the many reactions of her teammates. Some unconsciously gasped, some had their eyes widened a bit and even Hayase had a feint blush appearing on her cheeks.

"No… it is not that" Meiya answered with a half honest face. She pondered for a moment, trying to think of an excuse but none came. "Excuse me. I am not feeling well. I will get some sleep while the night is still young" And without even waiting for a reply, the girl departing leaving her friends behind to ponder.

"Geez… now you scared her" Suzumiya added much to Misae's joy.

"Don't worry. She probably has something to think on her own. It's best to leave other people's private life for themselves. (…) Speaking of which: Where's Shirogane?"

"Ah… I think he went back to the barracks to get changed" Kashiwagi answered. "He said that he didn't want to stay in his uniform all day. (Oh?)"

"But wasn't that hours ago?" Touko added.

"Maybe he's skipping dinner again?"

**(Takeru's POV) (Barracks)**

Crap crap crap crap crap crap! I can't believe I overslept! Of all the time for me to pass out!

I only came back to my room to get out of my uniform but instead I decided to take a 10 minute nap before meeting with the others. But I totally conked out and now it's way too late for me! Ahhhh! The PX must be full by now. It'll be hard to for me to get a seat. Hopefully I won't have to sit outside in this freezing cold weather.

…

Ahhh! Damn it! A military traffic? There's been a lot of trucks coming and going lately—so much so that there aren't enough parking space for all of them in the garage. At this rate, the PX will close before I can get through.

Maybe if I double back behind the hangers I can take a shortcut through there.

Tap tap tap tap tap tap…

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Yosh! Just as I thought: They're using the hangers to park all their vehicles in. But there aren't a lot of them right now so it's smooth for me to go through. The maintenance wing should be right here. From there I can pass through the building without going around the airstrip.

Tap tap tap tap tap!

"Ah…!"

"Whoa! Captain!" Haaaaaaa! Shirogane DODGE-no jutsu!

"Sh… Shirogane?" Yes, I dodged her! My streak of slamming into people has been brok—eeeen! "Ah look out!"

Crap! Too much twist!

Boing…

…!

Ah… phew. That was too close. A little bit later and I would've smacked the captain for the hundredth time in this loop. Too bad my dodging technique was a little rusty. It's a good thing I landed on something soft otherwise I would've hit my head… on… the… pavement?

Squish… squish…

Eh? What's this? There's something covering my eyes. (…) It's soft and squishy… like… like plumed peaches. (…!)

"Shirogane…" The captain called out to me.

"Ah… captain… sorry about that. I'll try to be more…careful… la…ter…"

…

…

…

M… Marimo… chan?

"Shirogane. (Yes?) Do you really want to die that badly?"

"Ah Marimo sensei… good evening. What a nice weather we're having, right? (Squish)"

"Yes, we are indeed having a good weather. The forecast said that we might even see the sun tomorrow"

"Yay~ that's great news. We haven't seen the sun in a long while now…"

"Although… the weather man did say that it might rain tonight. (Oh really?) Yes… he said that there was a good chance that it'll rain blood, which is such a shame because I don't want any of it on me… (Squish) This is a new uniform after all"

"Ah… I see…"

"So I'll just ask out of curiosity. JUST HOW LONG DO YOU INTEND TO STAY THERE!-?"

"Bwahh! I'm sorry! I didn't mean to! It was an accident!"

"You have the nerve to say that even though you kept your hands on it at all time!-?" Wahhhh! She's scary! I can see a demon behind those eyes! With horns, tail and a pitchfork and everything! She's angry. She's really-really angry! "Since you were a cadet, I've always been testing my patience with you. You always ace in all forms of military training. I really thought you were a genius! But in the end you're like all men! A pervert, molester, slime! (Geh!) I don't care anymore! Go away! Die you filthy slime!"

"Neh Marimo chan. Aren't you overreacting? It was just a little accident and—"

"How. Many. Times. Do. I. Have. To. Tell. You. To. FIX. THAT. HABIT!-?"

"Eeeeeeep! Don't hurt me! C… captain! Please tell her to calm down! (Ah…) Captain!"

"1st Lt. Jinguuji, please remain at ease" Oh! Marimo's killing intent stopped.

"Tch… damn it…"

"As much as I want to see Shirogane get what he deserves, we still have business to attend to. (Tch… understood ma'am)" Phew… I'm saved. "You can go out on him after we're done here"

Ehhhhh!-? WHY!-?

"…hmph… thank you ma'am"

Uuuu… I don't like that look. That's the look she gives only when she has something in store for me. My goose-bumps are getting goose-bumps. I should probably run now while I still have the chance. If I eat my meal fast enough I won't have to meet with her again and she'll probably forget all about it tomorrow.

"Ara ara… what's all this then?" Hmm? That voice. "I didn't expect to see you three here. What a strange pairing" Oh. It's Yuuko sen—no wait… that cigarette…

"Chairman!-?" Captain Isumi and Marimo quickly stood at attention with their hands raised in salute. I quickly followed their example and stepped aside.

"Be at ease. You don't need to salute to me unless we're in a formal meeting. It's a waste of energy. (Ma'am!) Ahuhuhuhu… still the strict person as the first time we met" It's strange. Her personality really is like Yuuko. Her gestures, the way she moves, and the way she talks. You would definitely see how these two are related. They're practically mirror images of one another. If it weren't for the cigarette, the glasses and the different hairdo I'd probably mistake them as twins. "Mind telling me what you three are doing out here so late? It's not a love triangle, is it?"

"No ma'am" Isumi answered quickly. "We're running an errand for Professor Yuuko Kouzuki. We were simply on our way to the hanger as we speak"

"Ah… is that so? What a bore. Carry on then. I wouldn't want to keep her waiting. (Yes ma'am) Oh Jinguuji chan. It's been awhile. (Yes ma'am) I haven't seen you since college. I do hope Yuuko doesn't cause too much trouble for you" Huh? Wait… does Marimo know her too? Well I supposed that's to be expected. If she's that close with Yuuko then it's only natural she'd know about her sister. I supposed being friends for a long time has a bigger merit than being acquaintances. After all… regardless of how long I've known Yuuko sensei. She only remembers me for a few months in every loop I've been.

"No ma'am. No problem at all" Marimo answered. It seems like she put that little rage behind her for the moment. She's directing that stare at me…

"I see. Well then, off you go. I'd hate to keep you all to myself" And with but a gesture of her hand we quickly left without so much of a thought. The only person I knew who could do that was Yuuko sensei. I guess these two really are related. "Ah but Shirogane. (Hmm?)" She called out to me by name. "Do you mind if I borrow him for awhile, Isumi? There's something I wish to discuss with him in private. (…) Don't worry. I won't take too much of his time"

"Understood ma'am. Shirogane, stay with her" I saluted back with a nod in reply. Marimo gave me that concerned look before she disappeared into the hanger but I'm sure she's just overreacting.

…

…

"Such a diligent girl" Once the other two were gone, the Chairman spoke up. "It's hard to imagine that she was just a naïve love struck girl a few years back. (Huh?) Nothing. Just the rambling of a scientist. But looking at her now—I kind of miss the naïve version of her. Now then, Shirogane kun. Come with me. There's something I want to show you"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

I followed the Chairman to one of the airfield at the large part of the base. We walked for about ten minutes or so but we don't seem to have a very specific destination. It almost looks like we were just wandering around in the middle of the snow.

"Umm…" I opened my mouth up to speak but she beat me to it.

"So how are you fairing? (Huh?) How are you feeling? After a long rest I'm sure you're doing well"

"Ah… yes ma'am" I answered awkwardly.

"How about the rest of your team? I heard that many of them were injured in the line of duty"

"Ah… yes ma'am. They're all recovering fine. But some of them aren't fit for active duty yet"

"I see…" She waved my answer off like it was air on her face. What the hell is with this shallow conversation? "How about you? Are you fit for duty?"

"Me? Well… um… I think so"

"Good. That's very good…" Huh? What does she mean by that?

…

…

…

"So… what is it that you wanted to show me, Professor?"

"Be patient. We're almost there. (…) What's the matter? Don't you trust me?"

"Well… I don't really know. (Hoo?) I mean… I understand that you're related with Yuuko sensei but… I… I just don't know"

"It's understandable" She replied with a gesture of her cigarette. "We've only met for a few minutes. I can hardly leave an impression at that short amount of time. If I had known that I was going to meet the infamous Shirogane Takeru in the flesh, I would've been more prepared. (…) Leaving a mark on someone takes time and effort… if the other party is willing to listen. But… I supposed I lost that round to Yuuko. She's more or less a better player in Poker than I am. (Poker?) Strip poker"

"Pfffft!"

"Ara? What are you visualizing now?"

"N… nothing! Nothing at all!"

"Don't be embarrassed. It's good to know there are capable males out there. When the war with the BETA is over… we'll need to focus on repopulation and I'm sure you have plenty of candidates to pick from. (C… candidates?) A single man in a team of girls? It's already a harem in the making. I'm surprised someone like you can contain such urges with such a group"

"I… well… I umm…"

"Heh… well it doesn't matter. It's still a long time before that event comes into play. But should you survive long enough to tell the tale, I wouldn't mind having you in me. (Geh!) Oh? You're not turning red like the others. Does that mean you've already done it? And here I thought I was talking to a virgin. (Ha?) They say that a virgin has a strong sense of duty to their mission. It takes their mind off their sexual desire. But it seems like I was barking up the wrong tree this whole time. (Huh?) Never mind. We're here…"

Huh? I didn't even notice that we were so close to one of the hangers already. That conversation must've gotten me out of a runt. It was a pretty embarrassing talk but it somehow broke the ice between us, somewhat.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The inside was the same as the other hangers in this base. There were mechanics working around the clock and a few TSFs in the berthing grounds that were covered with a large sheet. I supposed this place doesn't sleep at day or night.

"So what is it you wanted to show me, Professor?"

"All in due time. Be patient now" She tells me that but a guy can only go so far before he gets annoyed. All the crew here seems to be pros. I wonder if she wanted to show me those TSFs.

"Oh? Chairman Kouzuki? This is rare" The head mechanic came to greet us. "I wasn't expecting you to personally oversee the new arrivals yourself"

"A good businesswoman must always keep track of her assets. Especially when they're very expensive. Can you get me a copy of the shipping manifest later?"

"Of course, of course. I'll have it done once we finished unloading the new arrivals. Do you want to see the unveiling?"

"That's why I'm here" The Chairman answered with a coy smirk. Seriously now, she's really starting to remind me of Yuuko. The easy-going personality and that devilish smile. It's the look of a true mastermind. It's like nothing can faze them. "Are you coming, Shirogane?"

"Huh? Ah… yes ma'am" I followed the Chairman to the elevator that quickly took us to the catwalk overlooking the large TSFs. There were five of them in total and they were all covered with giant sheets. It was hard to decipher their appearance with a simple piece of cloth.

"Are all these units developed to my specification?" I listened to the conversation between the Professor and the Head Mechanic as they took point in our walk.

"Yes ma'am. They're all factory fresh. They've already added the new paint job so there really isn't much for us to do but tune them up once the test pilots get here"

"Good… very good. You can lower the curtains now"

"Understood" The mechanic got to his radio and called in his team. "Alright! Lower the sheet!"

…

Eh? Wait a minute. Those are…

"Ooooh! Takemikazuchi!" I nearly yelled out when the cloth dropped from the frames, revealing the giant behemoth behind. I'd recognize these mechs anywhere. It's hard to forget after I fought about hundreds of them in Tokyo. The Imperial Household Department special TSF, built for the exclusive use of the Imperial Household Honor Guards. No matter how many times I see it, they still scare the pants out of me. The simple fierce exterior of the machine could give a man the chills just by looking at it for a short moment. Maybe they intentionally put that for a psychological warfare.

"I see you're familiar with these machines" The professor stated, approaching my side by the railing.

"Well, it's pretty hard to forget once you see them once"

"One of the late 3rd Generation TSF in the world. Built in answer of the aging Type-82 Zuikaku, the Type-00 Takemikazuchi. An amazing piece of equipment, isn't it? It's hard to believe that we'll be having them for the Training Exercise"

"Eh? I didn't knew that members of the Honor Guards would be participating in the exercise"

"They aren't. (Eh?) The U.N. will be analyzing the new found strength of the Type-00. These variants are being used for demonstration only"

"But… I thought these units were made exclusively for the Honor Guards" At least that's what I know. I've never seen anyone other than Tsukuyomi and the Three Idiots pilot these. Well… there was a time when my team piloted them but that was back in my last loop.

"That used to be the case" The Professor answered leaning her back on the guardrail. "But after these units demonstrated their amazing feats in the Battle of Tokyo, High Command decided to try them out. They purchased a number of these from the Imperial Household Department as a test run to further enhance their combat performance" Enhance? The Takemikazuchi was probably the best TSF I've ever ridden in my time as an Eishi. The one that I borrowed from Meiya pretty much held me at 75-85% at least. Every part of the machine was made for combat. I don't know how else you can improve something that's already/nearly perfect.

"What's there to enhance?" I asked.

"Well… enhancing it is simply one thing…" Motoko added. "Thanks to its remarkable performance during the Battle of Tokyo and seeing as how the Type-00 easily outmaneuvered and outmatched most of our 1st, 2nd and some of the 3rd Generation TSFs, we're planning to implement this unit to our regular army. (…!) It would greatly increase our combat output against the BETA" Implement this to the U.N? Does that mean we'll be piloting one of these on the battlefield too?

"Did the Household Honor Guard approve of this?"

"The TSF is a universal weapon used by all. With the BETA now riling their attack groups with the new Carrier Class, we have to look at our options. (…?) After the incident at Shikoku and Kyoto, it became clear that we have to step up our game. That's why we need better equipment and better weapons that will suit our soldiers. And seeing as how the Takemikazuchi outperforms most 2nd Generation TSF… some people are starting to see it in a new light"

"Does that mean we'll be mass producing Type-00s for the standard army?"

"That's a possibility. But to do that, I need someone to show me its full capabilities. That's why I brought you here. (Eh?) You've piloted a Takemikazuchi before… haven't you?"

(Flash) The images from that battle returned to me. That day, my body probably put that TSF to its limits. I remember forcing that machine to do the impossible over and over again. Cranking the gears and joints to the point where even my Fubuki would break.

"Yes… I have piloted one" I admitted. There was little point lying to someone like Yuuko. She'll probably find out sooner or later.

"So I'm sure you understand most of its strengths and weaknesses. (…?) How would you like to be a part of the training exercise to demonstrate the abilities of the Takemikazuchi? (Me?) Yes. Other than a few pilots we have in our arsenal, no one here has more experience inside a Type-00 other than you. Which makes you the most qualified to be the test pilot for this model"

"Me… a test pilot?"

"Correct. You'll be the star pilot of the fight with the most advance TSF this world has created. Seeing your control logs and talent behind this kind of weapon is second to none in the U.N. Army, it seems almost appropriate that you be the one to create the next generation TSF"

The next generation of TSFs. Could we possibly make something that's even stronger than the Takemikazuchi or the Raptor? That does sound plausible. With my abilities, I might be able to let them create something that can actually handle me at 100%. It's really worth a shot. (Flash!) Ah… wait… no.

"Well? What do you say? Shirogane?"

"It sounds… really interesting, Chairman" I replied honestly. "I'm really tempted… but… I'm afraid I can't. (…?) I'm sorry. But I'll need to consult this with Yuuko sensei first"

"Oh? What's the matter? Can't make decisions by yourself?"

"I'd really like to do it, ma'am. Making the next generation of TSF really does sound like a possible deal with my abilities. But nonetheless, I still have to follow procedure. If you submit this as a formal mission through Cpt. Isumi or Yuuko sensei, then I'd have no objection. I can't act on my own without reason. As tempting as it is to pilot a Takemikazuchi, I'm afraid I can't do it without the consent of others"

The Chairman showed me a small grin in return. "Is that so? Then I supposed I'll have to submit a formal request, am I right?"

"If either Cpt. Isumi or Professor Yuuko approves, then I'll do it"

…

…

…

"Hoooo. It seems like you aren't a virgin after all. (…!) Ahuhuhu. Very well then, 1st Lt. Shirogane. I'll submit a formal request to your unit. I hope to see you again, in better circumstances. (Ma'am) Ahuhuhu. You really are an interesting specimen. I can see now why Yuuko kept you hidden for so long. (Ma'am?) Hai hai… you don't need to salute to me. It's a waste of time and energy. You may go now"

"Thank you for your offer ma'am"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

As Takeru's figure went off to the distance, Motoko couldn't help but puff a stream of smoke from her nose with a grin she could barely contain. The offer of being a test pilot for a next-gen TSF was perhaps one of the biggest promotions the army could ever give to a soldier. Only the best of the best would be given the task of putting their machines to their limits. She already expected the boy to decline but never expected it to be so sudden and direct.

After all… being a guard dog of a certain scientist entitled him with little freedom. If Motoko didn't know better, her sister probably placed a hypnotic suggestion on the poor boy, chaining him to her side like a dog on a leash. The chain felt so strong that it was probably the boy's lifeline.

"Are you just going to let him go?" The Head mechanic asked looking at the chairman with a hint of bewilderment.

"He's loyal to his master. There's no breaking that bond. I'll have to submit a formal request but I'm pretty sure they'll decline it either way"

"The test pilots we have should be more than sufficient for these training units, don't you think?"

Motoko gave a small laugh. "If you want to make the perfect meal, you'll need the best ingredients. It seems like I'll have to ask Yuuko chan for another favor"

"You know she probably won't agree to it"

"Don't worry" The woman let out a chuckle, quickly flicking her empty cigarette but to the floor. "I'm just taking the dog out for a walk. One way or another… I'll have him in the Training Exercise"

**(Takeru's POV) (PX)**

Uwaaaa… damn it I'm so late. The PX is completely empty. Most of the good stuff are probably gone by now. Haaa… I was hoping for a good night's meal after a long day's work. I'll probably have to settle with leftovers for now and wait for breakfast tomorrow. I guess that detour around the base really wasted a lot of time.

Ugh… there's nothing left on the counter. "Hey pops. Can I have some synthetic dongpo pork here?"

The guys at the back looked up to me with an irritated expression. "You're a bit late kid. We closed the kitchen half an hour ago. You can take the leftovers by the stand"

"Ehhh? Come on. I really could use something to eat!"

"Then don't be late next time. We have a strict schedule here at the PX. If you want to have something made then come early or come first. Once we shut down the stove then we stop cooking until the next meal time"

Damn it. That's just cruel to a latecomer like me. Well… I supposed it can't be helped. I'll have whatever is left on the racks. Some chicken, rice and some warm soup to boot. More than enough to keep me well fed for the next few hours. I just wish I could taste real food once more. For the past week, I've had nothing but good food on the table. I guess reverting back to synthetic stuff pretty much messed up my appetite.

Well… beggars can't be choosers. I still have some leftover cake from yesterday. I can have a little midnight snack back at the barracks then. The drinks I brought should also sate my thirst. Oh! I might even ask Ayamine to make another one of her special Yakisoba Bread! It'll be a treat. Maybe I can bribe her with a drink? It's a thought…

"Umm… excuse me. (Hmm?) Pardon my interruption but is this the Post Exchange?" Oh? A foreigner? (Flash) Oh that's right. The Captain did say about foreign pilots coming here for the Training Exercise, so it shouldn't be a surprise to see one or two about in here. But… I guess I wasn't really expecting someone as… captivating as her to speak to me. "Umm? Excuse me?"

"Huh? Ah… sorry. I didn't mean to stare" I quickly backed off from the woman and bowed my head in apology. "Yes, this is the PX. Did you want something?"

"Ah… please don't apologize. I just wanted to ask if there was anything left to eat"

"Oh well there are some leftovers here. It's not much since it's already way pass closing time"

She looked down at the stands, her hair going down her neck. I know that I've only seen a few foreigners in my life but this girl is… kind of… pretty. She looks like a princess in one of those storybooks that I've read. Long silver hair like from a well-bred horse's mane, pale colored skin, deep and dark blue eyes, and a straight tall figure that was just about my height. She looks mature, strong and groomed… almost like… a character in a fairytale, a person from nobility. She actually reminds me of… Yuuhi.

"Do you think the chef can make fried potato?"

"Huh? Fried potato?" I repeated. "Well… maybe. There are some French fries but they're pretty cold already. The chefs here can make some for you but they closed the kitchen so you won't be getting anything from them"

"Hey! I can still hear you!" Geh! The chef came out. "I already told you. We're closed. Come back tomorrow and we'll—oh!" He stopped mid-sentence when he noticed the lady beside me. "And… what may I do for you, ojou-sama?"

"Ah… pardon to interrupt so late at night. I did not wish to bother you"

"Nonsense! I'm free as a bird. What do you wish for? Ask me anything" Eh? Hey wait a minute. Why the hell did his attitude turn a complete 180 when he's talking with her?

"I was wondering if you can make some fried potatoes for me"

"Fried potatoes it is! Oi! Yukimura, start the stove! We have a customer!"

What the heck!-? "Hey pops! How come you start the stove for her and not me!-?"

"Shut up kid! I'm trying to make a good impression here!"

"That's just not fair!" Damn it. That guy is a total sexist! I'll sue him for sure.

"Ah… I'm sorry about that. I did not mean to cause trouble" The lady apologized which I quickly waved it off.

"Nah, it's alright. I'm used to being treated that way"

"Then… perhaps you would like to have a share of mine. (Eh?) Please take a portion of my meal as an apology—or at the very least, a token for our meeting"

"Ah… well… if you put it that way… then… sure"

"Ahuhuhu. You have my thanks. My name is Sigelinde. 1st Lt. Sigelinde von Fahrenhorst of the Federal Republic of Germany. It's a pleasure to meet you… umm…" She offered her hand up.

"Ah… Takeru" I shook her hand in return with a bit of embarrassment in my voice. "1st Lt. Shirogane Takeru of the United Nations Armed Force. The pleasure is all mine, Fah—uh… Fahren san"

"Please, call me Sigel. My friends call me that since my name is somewhat difficult to pronounce"

"Ah… I see. Well… thank you, Sigel san"

…

After awhile, the potatoes were done and I led my new found friend to one of the tables that was clean enough to eat on. It wasn't much but it was better than my cold synthetic meal.

It was a bit awkward sitting with a foreign soldier. I've never had that much ties with people from other countries, other than the American Commander, Walken, if I remember his name correctly. She's probably… the 2nd… or 3rd foreigner I've had contact with.

"How do you like the fried potato?"

"Huh? Oh… it's really nice. I've only had a few of these when I was little. I never knew that potatoes can be this tasty"

"I'm glad you liked it"

"You must really like them if you ordered that many" Her whole plate is full of potatoes. She only took a few side dishes to add the flavor.

"Oh I'm not going to eat all of them. I'm saving a few of these for my comrade. He won't admit it openly but he adores fried potato more than anything"

"Well, he has good taste in food. (Ahuhuhu) Aheheheh"

"The only thing better than his taste in food will probably be his skills behind a TSF. Not that he'll admit any of the two"

"A TSF? Then… does that mean you're an Eishi? (Eishi?) Oh… I mean a TSF pilot"

"Forgive me. I haven't practiced my Japanese since we left England; my accent still lingers in my words"

"No, not at all. Your Japanese is very fluent. I'm actually surprised you can speak so clearly"

She gave a heartwarming chuckle in reply. She looks so cute. "I appreciate the compliment. I'm pretty much used to the auto-translator in the exosuit that it has grown on me. But yes, you are correct. I am a TSF pilot"

"Then that means you'll be participating in the Training Exercise?"

"Yes. I was chosen to be the representative for the E.U. to participate in this exercise"

If her unit was chosen then that means they're one of the best of the best in the European Front. "It must be quite an honor to be chosen. (…?) I mean… they say that they only choose the best to come here. Your team must be extremely talented"

"I wouldn't say talented" She replied with her casual voice. "You may say that training and hard work pays off in the end. (…) If a person has the strength to fight and the will to go on, then that person is capable of many things. As long as there is will… there is a way…" Why do I get the feeling that I've heard that before? "But I supposed there's a little luck in everything that happens. (Luck?) Perhaps a better term for it would be… faith. (Faith?) Yes. Faith. Faith in your own arms and legs, faith in your weapon, your heart, faith in the cause that you fight for. (…) Perhaps faith plays just a big a role as any other variants in battle"

"Faith… huh. That does make sense"

"Sometimes… a little faith can make a difference between victory and defeat"

"I guess I can agree on that too"

"Ahuhuhu" Ahehehe… dang… she looks even cuter when she smiles. "What about you, Shirogane san? (Eh?) Will you be participating in the exercise as well?"

"Me? Well… no" I answered dejectedly. I'm sure if Hayase answered that question she'd be gripping her heart and screaming into the sky. "My unit and I are being tasked with side jobs for the moment. They need all the hands they can get to support their effort here"

"I see. It must be troubling to lose so many comrades. My condolences"

"No it's alright. I'm glad to have some time off from all the fighting. With everything that has happened, it's good to have a little bit of peace and quiet"

"Ahuhuhu… you're starting to sound like someone I know" Heh… this is… nice. It feels kind of relaxing talking with her. I can't seem to stop smiling either. "But perhaps you would watch our match tomorrow"

"Are you going to fight tomorrow already?"

"Our match will be in the afternoon after the official start off ceremony in the morning" She answered. A match between two professional teams of Eishis- that has to be worth watching. I'm pretty sure Hayase would lose it the moment she sees the match. She's been looking forward to the fighting ever since she heard the rumors. It's a shame that she won't be participating in it. "I do hope that you'll watch the match, Shirogane san"

"Ah… yes of course! Absolutely. I'll definitely be cheering for your team, ma'am"

"Ahuhuhu… then please look forward to it" Oh man… what's wrong with me? My heart is racing and my face is burning. Could this be what they call, a love at first sight? Heh… that sounds plausible. "Hmm? Oh… Wilfried?"

Hmm? Who is she talk—whoa…!

_"Sigel. There you are. I was wondering where you've gone…"_

_"Ah… sorry about that, herr Major. I was hungry so I thought about getting something to eat"_

Wh… who is this guy? How did he get so close without me knowing? The guy was tall as a giant and his face is so scary that my body stiffened at the sight of it.

_"They already gave us rations for the flight. Why do you need more?"_

_"Field rations are good for the battlefield but once in awhile, I require some decent food as well, Major"_ Wait… they're speaking in another language. Does that mean this scary person is also a part of her team? _"Ah… allow me to introduce you. This is 1st Lt. Shirogane Takeru of the U.N. Army. He was kind enough keep me company for the night"_ She said my name out loud. Did she just introduce me?

"Hn…" I can't talk. My lips won't move, my legs are locked tight and I think a bead of sweat just froze somewhere at the back of my head. The man's eyes are scary. Really-really scary! You can put them in a haunted house and they'll scare the ghost away no problem.

_"Come now Wilfried, be nice to the young man"_ Sigel continued offering her C.O. a seat at our table.

…

The man stared intently into my eyes without a hint of any kind of emotion on his face. I felt like a mouse being eyed by a giant hawk that was waiting to see if I'd stand and fight or run and hide. Right now… I don't think I have the strength or courage to do either one.

I have to say something quick or else this would look really suspicious.

"Umm… potato?" I offered him the only thing I had in my hand at the moment. It was stupid… but what else was I supposed to say? I bet that guy is thinking that I'm some kind of weirdo.

…

_"I'll meet you back at the barracks. Don't go wandering off alone next time"_

_"Jawohl, herr Major" _And without even a moment's pause, the big tanned skinned man left but not before giving me one last glance from the doorway. It wasn't until he was completely out of sight that I realized I've been holding back my breath this whole time.

"Pwhooo…" I recycled oxygen in my body and let my nerves calm down a bit. Out of everything that has happened these past few days that has probably got to be the scariest thing I've even experienced. "Wh… who was that?"

"That was my Commander. Please don't take his looks the wrong way. He simply has little experience when dealing with others. A lot of people have the same reaction as you"

"I thought I was going to die. I didn't exactly have a lot to say" And saying potato to someone on the first meeting was pretty embarrassing.

"I think he's taken a liking for you, Shirogane san" Sigel gave me a soft laugh which only made me sigh even more.

"I think I made a bad first impression" I was finally able to speak with a long and tiring sigh.

"Don't take his stare to mean much. Deep down, he's really a very kind and gentle person. He's just doesn't know how to react to new acquaintances"

"It's… hard to tell with that expression"

"Ahuhuhuhu… you're not the first person to say that. He was probably hungry too"

"Really? He didn't look it"

"Why else would anyone come to the PX?" Oh… she does have a point there. "Well… it's getting late. I should probably follow him before he gets lonely. It was a pleasure meeting you, 1st Lt. Shirogane"

"Ah… you too 1st Lt… umm…"

"Sigel will do. You can learn to pronounce my name another time. (Ah… yeah…) I hope to see you tomorrow before the match"

"Yeah… me too…"

_"…Danke…"_

And… she's gone. What a lovely girl. Crap, I'm really losing it. I can't seem to stop smiling when I think about her. The way she speaks, the way she moves. Everything she does just gives me this… feeling in my stomach. Uwa… maybe this is how people feel when they get their first crush. I don't even feel that hungry anymore.

Sigel san…

Uuuuuuu… just thinking of her is making my cheeks turn red. It's hard to imagine someone as pretty as her is paired up with a scary guy like that. I wonder if I can ask Suzumiya to tell me which unit she's with. At least then I'd know which TSF to look at when the match starts.

Ahu~~ At this rate I might just become a fan.

"AHA!" Eh? Who—? "There you are Shirogane sempai! I finally found you!" Oh crap… not him again. Tatsunami, I'm too tired for anymore lectures! "You're not getting away from me!"

Thwack!

Goooh! My stomach…!

**(January 16, 2002 Wednesday) (Soviet Hanger bay) (10:23 AM)**

Natassja stood at attention along with 4 of her subordinates in front of their TSFs that morning. Each and every one of them was barely past their teens but each of them had physical and mental battle scars that would make even the saltiest veteran flinch in fear. It was an early morning and the smell of iron and blood was already thick in the air.

Their Commander, Budomir Rogofsky was inspecting them with a proud and patriotic face. Though it was commonly frowned to use children as soldiers, people didn't seem to mind it as long as they brought results. As long as young soldiers like them perform exemplary in their duties, then the critics can be silent as the dead, for all they could care.

"Excellent work assembling your team on such short notice, Major" Rogofsky praised the Major who nodded plainly without emotions.

"Thank you sir…"

"I'm sure you all know why you were brought here: Today is the start of the Training Exercise proposed by the United Nations. Our first opponents will be from their army and I expect you to show no quarters. Understood? (Yes sir!) I expect great performance from you all…"

"Hand… salute!" The team raised their hands in unison at their C.O's command. "All of you, report to your units and arm up. The match will begin in a few minutes!"

The team quickly scattered to their TSFs, matching pace with their mechanics. But just as Natassja was about to join them, she was stopped by her commander's voice.

"Ah… that's right. Major Ivanova. (Yes sir?) I want you to be out on the field today. (Me sir?) Yes. Your presence out there would be more intimidating to the enemy"

The girl agreed without hesitation. "Understood. I will pilot one of my men's TSF"

"No need. (Eh?) We have a machine that would suit your needs… better than those old rusty buckets" And with a wave of his hand, the hanger doors opened, revealing a black clad TSF in its presence.

"Th… that's…"

"I believe you are familiar with our nation's mighty Su-47 Berkut. (…!) This shall be your weapon from now on, Major. I'm sure you will find no difficulties in managing it to suit your needs"

"…" Natassja was speechless and she wasn't sure if it was in a good or bad way. The towering presence of the black clad machine was intimidating on its own. She's seen only pictures of the machine but never in person. It looked almost like a demon from one of the old European legends back in the days. Anyone would be frightened just by gazing in its eyes.

But despite her personal feelings she raised a brow in puzzlement. "Are you asking me to be the test pilot of this new model, Comrade Commander?"

"Yes. It will not disappoint you… I promise"

"I understand. I will pilot the machine as you order"

**(Takeru's POV) (January 16, 2002 Wednesday) (Briefing room) (10:40 AM)**

Tick… tick… tick… tick… tick… tick… tick…

The sound of the digital clock on the monitor was all I could hear that morning. After breakfast, the Captain called the entire team in the briefing room for the official opening ceremony of the Training Exercise. Obviously, we didn't attend the ceremony. Instead we were all grouped here to wait for the upcoming match that was soon to be broadcast on the giant screen.

It was exciting. I felt like I was in a VIP seat for the Olympics. I've seen plenty of TSF matches back in Yokohama Base but those were mostly done by cadets and rookies that are still having a hard time find the trigger. This match will be between 2 professional teams from different countries around the world. Their TSFs are different and so are their technique and style.

I can already see that everyone here is already anticipating the upcoming fight, especially Hayase. She can barely contain herself in her seat. If the Captain wasn't here she'd probably be chewing on her T-shirt about now.

Let's see here. Looking at the report forms they've given us upon entry, the morning exercise will consist of a match between the regulars from the U.N. 6th Pacific Army from Kyushu and the Soviets. Hmmm… the 211th Tactical Armored Battalion. There are five of them in total. But seeing that this will be a 4 vs 4 match, one of them will have to sit it out. (Shuffle) Eh? Hey wait a minute.

"Hey, Captain" I called out. "Is this information accurate?"

"They were sorted out by our staff. Why? Is something wrong?"

"Well… these pilots on the roster. Aren't they a bit young? I mean… these guys don't even look older than me"

"The Soviets draft recruits younger than most countries" Munakata answered, her eyes darting to the same page I was addressing. "They believe that training from an earlier age can make better and more dedicated soldiers. Most of the recruits here aren't even Russian. You may call this a refugee army, to say the least. (…?) People who lost their countries. The only way to earn food and shelter is to either join the army or provide workforce"

"This isn't uncommon" Touko continued. "Japan, America and even the E.U. have the same problems. You're bound to encounter one or two people from different countries that no longer exist on the map of today. Those who are strong and able are often placed in service to ensure their families receive treatment"

(Flash) Ugh… the face of the officer I met during the 12/5 incident came into mind. She was a citizen from Finland, and she joined the U.S. Army for her family to earn their citizenship. I guess people like them come in all ages.

"Keep your opinions of other nations to yourselves" Cpt. Isumi ordered. "I don't want you to cause any international incidents out there. Regardless of what you may think, we have no say in what happens to how other countries pick their recruits. As young as they are, remember that these people were chosen to represent their individual countries. The Soviets wouldn't bother to send kids into something as big as this if they weren't confident about their abilities. Don't let their age or appearance fool you. (Yes ma'am) I want you to observe and think about the upcoming match. With things happening as they are now… there's a good chance you might have to pilot one of their machines in advance"

"Heeh? I wouldn't mind that" Hayase spoke up after a long pause on her side. "Piloting a new TSF can be pretty handy. To be honest, I'm getting a little tired with the old Shiranui. If we can new and better TSFs in the future, I want mine to be powerful"

"That's easy for you to say, seeing as how your TSF is one of three we have left standing, Hayase" The Captain added with a grin. We laughed a bit at the small humor. But still… Hayase is right. I wouldn't mind piloting a different TSF if the opportunity presents itself. "Alright. That's enough chitchat for now. Keep your eyes on the screen and try to analyze as much information as possible. I'll have one of the staff members give a lecture next time we—eh? Hey wait a minute. Is there someone missing? There are some empty seats out there"

…?

"Ah… Mitsurugi isn't here" Akane announced out. That's weird. Didn't we just see each other earlier in the hallway? She looked pretty tired the last time I saw her.

"She was in the PX the last time I saw her" Mikoto recalled just like I did. "We had breakfast together"

"Where could that girl have gone to?" And just as the Captain ask, the door slammed open revealing the missing girl altogether.

"Haaa… sorry I'm late"

"2nd Lt. Mitsurugi. I hope you have a good reason for being tardy"

"Forgive me ma'am. I… I was… out…"

"We'll discuss the nature of your punishment later. Take your seat. (Yes ma'am)"

"Yo Meiya, over here" The poor girl must've had a lack of sleep. Well… it's nothing a little cheer can't… fix?

"…"

Hey… did she just ignore me? There's a perfectly good seat right next to me but she decided to take the one at the back.

"Suzumiya, can you tell me the status of the two teams that are fighting now?"

"Yes Captain. They've just arrived at the ruined city of Gose. They should begin momentarily"

**(Ruined City of Gose)**

On one of side of the training ground, surrounded by tall ruined buildings of an old empire, the U.N. Pilots were discussing their battle strategy against their Russian opponents. All four veteran members of the team seemed assure of themselves. With their customized Eagles, they were indeed a group to be reckoned with.

"This is Rhino 1 to all units. Do a final systems check. I don't want anyone breaking down in the middle of the fight"

"Rhino 3, all green…"

"Rhino 2, no errors so far"

"Rhino 4, I'm good. Not like we need to fret about anything. It's just a bunch of commies playing soldier"

"Don't get cocky Rhino 4. These commies are young but they've seen more action than you. Keep your heads down and your guns loaded"

"Ah, don't be stiff, Captain. We'll slap a few wrists; send a few of them home. It's all in a day's work for people like us"

"How would you know? You've never worked a day in your life"

The rest of the crew gave a hint of agreement in their tone but they quickly dialed down when the radio sparked. "This is HQ to Rhino Squad. 120 seconds remaining until the match starts. Complete final weapons' check. Remember, you guys will be using a new version of JIVES so the feedback and reaction time will be more realistic. Report any errors should you find any"

"Rhino Leader, roger that. We'll put your little toys to work. Over"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

On the Soviet end of the field, Major Natassja was finalizing her systems check with her team. All the members of her squad were below 18 which made them far younger than most of the soldiers here. But she was used to this. Being in the frontline and seeing grunts far younger than her had become a normal occurrence for someone like her. After all… she would be considered young too by most of the officers here in this base.

"Major…" One of her colleagues radioed in. "This is Zhar 2. Final weapons' check has been completed. We're ready to go on your signal"

"Excellent. Stay in formation and don't wander too far off. Remember how we were taught. (Yes ma'am) Sorry you had to sit this one out, Burlak"

"No problem ma'am. It's a pleasure to act as your com officer today" The person on the other line replied. A large measure of honor swelled in the boy's voice. "50 seconds remaining until the match starts"

Natassja nodded and quickly turned on her screen, gazing at the ruined city before her. "Hmph… what's so special about this place? It's no different from home. The sun doesn't shine and the cities are wastelands just like ours"

"But you have to admit: Their women are more feminine than those back at Kamchatka" The other three members of the team shared a small chuckle with one another but not a smirk appeared on their leader's lips.

"Comrade Major…"

"Yes, Commander Rogofsky?" Her tone changed when she recognized the voice contacting her.

"Remember why you are here. Demonstrating our military superiority against the rabble is our highest priority. Show them how regular soldiers no longer have a place in this world"

"Understood. This Berkut should be more tha—(No…) Huh?"

"Let your comrades in arms take care of these little ones. Your unit is to remain where it is. (But sir…) The best strength is one that is kept until the right moment, Major. Besides… this will be a good time to gather more accurate data for the next field test. You will be the chain that link the others together"

"Comrade Commander. You asked me to be the test pilot of this new machine. If I do not perform, how can we gather accurate data?"

"The data for that weapon cannot be gauged from such mongrel opponents. You will wait until more… suitable candidates show up…"

It took Natassja a moment's pause before she answered. "I understand. I will stand down as ordered" She didn't like it, but she had no choice in that matter.

"Very good. Now… go and show them. Show the world that it is the U.S.S.R that will be the one who will lead humanity to victory over the aliens"

"As you wish, sir. For the glory of the Motherland"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Budomir Rogofsky let out a vile smirk as he cast his gaze to the operating crew next to him. There were wires and plugs of all manners that would make an evil scientist make a run for his money. The base they were in could be described well as a lab than a com room.

"Activate mind link…"

"Yes comrade. Activating mind link… now. Initiating hypnosis. All brainwave patterns are holding green. Connecting mindset in 3… 2… 1… linked!"

And with the sound of the whistle, the match began.

**(Takeru's POV) (Kyoto Base)**

"Here they go here they go!" Mikoto yelled out the moment the signal came out. This is so far out cool. Both sides started out in the same speed without so much of an error. I can see their formation and fight plan through the mini-screen on my table and I can follow up with the fight on the big screen by the blackboard.

Both teams are going in aggressively with their tactics. Our side appears to be staying as a 4-man flight group while the other team spread out thinly. This will be interesting.

…

Alright. The U.N. group seems to be targeting that lone scout. They're probably gonna try and surround him and finish him off quickly before he joins up with the rest. Military strategy isn't one of my strongest points but you don't hang out with the Valkyries without picking up a few things along the way.

Hmm… let's see here. Our side seems to be using the standard F-15 Eagles. They're mostly armed for long to medium range battles. With that kind of firepower, getting close to them will be almost impossible.

The other team is using Su-27s. There isn't a lot of information on those units except the specs. From the looks of it, their primary strength comes from their max speed and operating time. It seems like these units can last longer on the field than most. So in short, they have the upper hand in long term battles.

Both sides are using the same equipments so the TSF and the pilot will be the deciding factors in this fight.

Hmm? Wait… the team leader of the Soviet group is using a different TSF. Hmm… let's see here. An… Su-47? Huh… I think I heard about this unit back in my world. I think it was one of the finest fighter jets out there. It looks far different from the others but I'll have to see it work before I can judge.

"Whoa…! That's awesome!" I heard Mikoto say out loud. "Their speed is totally greater than ours"

I have to agree. But with too much speed, you lose your maneuverability. It doesn't matter how fast you are. You have to adapt to any situation if you want to survive. That's probably the first lesson the others taught me when I was just a rookie.

…

Hooo? Looks like I was right. They're isolating the long scout from the rest.

**(Ruined City of Gose)**

It was a hot pursuit. The U.N. Eagles were ferociously trying to nail one of the isolated units, making it a pack hunt of sorts. Bullets flailed out endlessly like a never ending rain. It was only thanks to the JIVES that the battle looked so real.

"This is Rhino 4. I'm reading three units on the field. The fourth one seems to be sitting still in the starting line"

"Is it trying to snipe us?"

"Negative. It's just standing there sir"

"Heh… it seems like these youngsters are too cocky. Let's whiff'em out before they regroup"

"Right. All units, Arrowhead 2 formation. We'll take this one out and then we'll go the leader! (Roger that!)"

But just as they were catching up with the stray scout, a volley of bullets sudden halted their tracks.

"What the? Where did that come from? (Bang!) A sniper shot? (Gahh!) What the? Rhino 2!"

"HQ here. Rhino 2—damage to cockpit block. Fatal damage sustained. Unit destroyed"

"What the hell? Where did that shot come from?"

"I see it! it's coming from over there!" Rhino 3 pointed in the direction of a tall building far away from the streets.

"From that distance? That's impossible! (Bang!) All units take cover! Rhino 4, take care of that sniper"

"Roger that sir. These youngsters won't even know what hit—huh?" But the motormouth man quickly screeched to a halt when he noted a motor blade slicing down at this direction. "Holy! Where the hell did you come from? (Whirrr!) Gahhh! Why you sticking son of a…"

"Rhino 4. Damage to right arm. Right arm disabled"

"Tch! Don't get cocky just because you got a lucky shot kid! At this range, I can't miss!" Rhino 4 fired a volley of his rifle but to his amazement, his opponent simply dodged them all like they were stones being thrown at him. "What the? That's just… not possible! (Whirr!) Haaa… haaaaaaaaaa!"

WHAM!

**(Soviet team command post)**

"Rhino 4 has been disabled. 2 more targets remaining"

Rogofsky let out a small satisfied grin as he saw two of his opponents drop down like flies. As he knew the results already he focused his attention on the data his scientists were handling. "How are they performing, Professor?"

"All members are holding at a rate of above 50%. But Major Natassja is exquisite as always sir. Her brainwave patterns are reading almost above 90. Out of all the members we've performed, she's the only person ever to hold such high rating without losing her mind"

"That should come as no surprise, doctor. (Eh?) After all… most of the data we've received here came from that girl. (Yes sir… I understand) Boost the signal of her receptors. Let's see how far we can push her today"

"Sir? Are you sure that's wise? Sandek did not authorize us to increase it more than necessary. If we boost the signal now… it might exceed what the brain can do"

"Sandek isn't here, comrade Lieutenant. I am in command of this research expedition. Besides… I'm sure that girl can handle something like this"

"Uh… y… yes sir. Boosting receptors to 200. Putting on emergency shutdown sequence just in case"

**(Ruined City of Gose)**

The Rhino Squad was not having a good time. Having lost two of their members just barely 10 minutes into the fight will probably make them the laughing stock of the army for sure. To be beaten by such a small and reckless group was almost like being shot in boot-camp. Now that they've lost their momentum, the remaining two were now pinned down on all sides by the Zhar team.

"Damn it! They've got us pinned!"

"This isn't looking good Rhino Leader. Maybe we should fallback and regroup. We're too exposed here"

"Yeah… I think we can agree on that. We'll use a smoke screen to cover our escape. Get ready to go on my mark. (Aye sir)" But right when the remaining two soldiers were about to make their retreat, the hail of bullets suddenly stopped. For a moment, the captain thought that the enemy was just reloading but that didn't seem like the case. "Eh? What's going on? Why did they stop attacking?"

…

"Sir?"

"I don't know what they're planning but let's not waste it. We'll use this opportunity fallback and—(Look out!) Huh?"

"They're charging in!" And just like the man said, the three Soviet fighters were rushing in head-on with nothing but their motor blades to fight with.

"Idiots. Attacking in a tight street like this in a group? Don't get ahead of yourselves you little—(Thwack!) Arghh!"

"C… captain?" The last of the Rhino team gritted with fear. "Damn it all! I won't fall for that cheap trick!" He quickly boosted above the sky, keeping a distance from his opponents. "Deploying smoke screen!"

A thick fog covered the darkened sky. But despite the man's attempts to escape and regroup, he quickly realized that the Zhar team came to him all at once. Feeling cornered despite being in the sky, the man unleashed his volley hoping to get a lucky strike somewhere.

"What the hell is this? How the hell can they see me so… (WHAM!) Gahh!" His mech was simulated-ly sliced into 12 separate pieces falling straight into the ground like a broken comet.

**(Takeru's POV) (Kyoto Base)**

"Rhino 3, disabled. All units in Rhino Squad are immobilized. Zhar Battalion is victorious. The Exercise is complete. Time: 18 minutes 34 seconds" The speaker announced clearly on the radio as we saw the match end with a grand finale. Those three were amazing. Despite their age, they were clearly superior fighters in this match. The Eagles didn't stand a chance against them.

Though I'm supposed to root for our team, I have to say that the Soviet TSFs are incredible. This is probably the first time I've ever seen retractable motor blades in action. Most of our battle-groups rely on swords and combat knives for melee and the Takemikazuchi has its own retractable arm-blade… but those close combat weapons are most certainly just as deadly as any other weapons in the same category.

"That's it for this morning's match" The Captain declared before dismissing us.

**(PX)**

"Uwaaaa… that was so cool!" Tama was the first to squeal out loud, her mouth half full from the food. "Those pilots were really something"

It was probably an over-exaggerated praise coming from her but I can roughly agree. Those Soviets really were something. They were so good that the other side had no chance to defend. A clear cut victory with no losses is practically a clean record in my book.

"They were strong… really strong" Misae agreed. "Their attack methods were aggressive and they seem to know when and where their opponents will go next"

"Their commander… didn't move" Ayamine added to which Hayase quickly joined in.

"That's right. That last one in the big TSF didn't even lift a finger and let her goons do all the fighting. They must've been pretty confident about their own abilities… or just plain reckless"

"You sound rather disappointed, 1st Lt. Hayase" Touko noted the tone that she was using. "Usually you'd be more excited when you see a strong opponent"

"I would be thrilled—if it weren't for the fact that it was our team that lost horribly to them. (Oh?) Those punks are supposed to be the ones representing us. I'd wish that last guy would take one of them down at least. Tch… and they call themselves veterans. They looked down on their opponents and got their ass handed to them just as they deserved"

"If you were the one fighting, it wouldn't have turned out like that, right? (THAT's RIGHT!)" Ahehehe… Misae really knows which buttons to push to get that girl pumped up again.

"If we were the ones out there, we'd show those lazy ass morons who the biggest-badest, Eishis on this hemisphere of the world is!" This hemisphere? Is she talking about half way of the planet or ¼ of it?

"Not this again. Mitsuki san" Suzumiya whined. "The Captain already told us that the members can't be changed once they're picked"

"Yeah yeah I know. But if something were to happen with them… (Mitsuki!) Kidding, kidding! I won't do anything. But I was impressed. If those guys are just the opening act, I'd like to see the main course. This week will be thrilling, I just know it" Heh… Hayase is grinning like a girl who has a lineup of movies that she wants to go to. If only we were allowed to eat while we watch then that would make it a worthwhile moment.

"Neh, nee chan who will be fighting later this afternoon?"

Suzumiya tilted her head for a moment before answering. "Hmm… if I remember correctly, the representatives of the Kawazaki Company will be partaking in the afternoon match"

"Hooo? Big wigs from major corporations?" Misae inquired finding some measure of interest. "Handpicked test pilots. I'm impressed"

"Che… just a bunch of brownnosers if you ask me" Hayase mocked back taking a bite off her bread. "Those guys have a clue what to expect on the frontlines. So who are they fighting?"

"The 44th Tactical Armored Battalion from the Republic of Germany… Cerberus"

…!

The whole table went quiet the moment Suzumiya announced that name. Hayase nearly choked on her bread, Misae and Touko eyes were widened in their sockets and the rest of my team gasped in unison. Eh? Where's Meiya?

"No way!" Hayase was the first to break the silence. "Are you sure about this?"

"Yes. I read the schedule in the report" Suzumiya nodded with strong confidence in her answer.

"When did they arrive?" Misae inquired, recovering from her shock. "I didn't know hear anything from the announcement this morning"

"They arrived late last night. I don't think anyone was awake by then. (Which members?) Umm… from what I heard, two head members were dispatched"

"So… one of the 7 Heroes of Britain is here. Cerberus…"

Cerberus? Isn't that the unit that we were talking about a few days back? And from the Republic of Germany. Then that means Sigel san is with them. Hmm… Heroes of Britain. I don't think I've heard that title before. Who would've imagined I would meet someone as important as that? Still… I wouldn't miss an opportunity to see her match. I'd like to see how they fight… at least once.

Its times like these that remind me of how ignorant I am of this world. The general knowledge of this place is still oblivious to me. I spent so much time in this world yet I know so little about it. Maybe I should spend more time reading at the history of this place rather than just laze around. But then again, I wouldn't have so much time to spend it with everyone.

Haaaa… in the end, my laziness beats my resolve.

**(Zhar Battalion Hanger)**

"Keh!" Natassja let out a silent groan as she exited the cockpit block of her unscathed Berkut. She counted her fortunes of the TSF's auto-pilot system when the match was over. Ever since the fight ended, her mind has been feeling a bit wobbly from start. She thought that it was just a minor setback but it seemed clear that her head was processing too much in so little time.

By the time her mech was cleared at the berthing chamber, she quickly got back out for some fresh air. The smell of oil, metal and dust was a great replacement to the pure oxygen that was stored inside the machine. Nowadays… this was the air that soldiers breathe on a daily basis.

"Major?" One of her subordinates came along with a worried look on his face. "Are you alright ma'am?"

"I'm fine" She forced herself up from the railing, trying to put on a strong façade in front of her men. "Just a little winded. What of the others?"

"All fine ma'am. Thanks to you we were able to respond better than before. This victory is all due to your efforts"

"Don't flatter" She gave out a small and rare smile off her lips. "I just stood back while the rest of you did the work"

"But the mind link… (Don't…) Ah… sorry ma'am. But even so… your ability to adapt is amazing. But I supposed that's natural coming from the developer herself. (Hmph) I still think you're amazing ma'am"

"Enough. I don't need more praises than I already have"

But then another voice interrupted. "And why not?" The Soviet Commander, Rogofsky, asked in person. "The boy speaks truth. It was only thanks to you that they were able to return with their heads held high"

"Commander…" The team stood at attention and saluted in unison. "Thank you for your words but they are wasted on me"

"I will be the judge of that, comrade Major. You ability to adapt within the higher levels of the mind link was extraordinary. You should accept a compliment once in awhile. (Sir…) In any case, you performed splendidly. Your predecessor would be beaming with pride if she saw you now"

…!

"My… predecessor?" Natassja expression visibly cringe back but she hid it well beneath her façade. "I thank you for those words… comrade Commander"

**(Flashback) (Kamchatka)**

Natassja remembered those last moments well.

Back at the skies of the Old Russian lands, her, and the last remaining members of Zhar Battalion were facing against the BETA. But everything went south the moment the BETA struck from the rear, destroying what was left of central command.

She remembered her former commander well. Everyone who was ever in this battalion probably does. But no one in the group knew about the Commander better than her.

In some cases, the commander was more of a mother to the team than a military officer. She cared for them, looked after them like they were her children and took them under her wing when no one else would.

At the very least… she wanted to honor her in what little way she could, like the way she honored them…

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"This is Zhar 2 to all units. The Laser Class is on the other side of that ridge" Natassja announced as she looked at the direction of the beams that were flashing through the hilltop. "Attacking directly will be suicidal and there doesn't seem to be any way around it. Ivanovic, do you have a scan of the area?"

"Yes ma'am. There appears to be 8 Laser Class hiding in the woods. Numerous Grappler and Tank Class are blocking the sides. No Destroyers or Fort Class anywhere"

"Can you find me the thinnest part in their formation?"

"Negative. All sides seem to be equally strong. The larger Class also seems to be covering the heat signature of the smaller ones so either side can be easily overpowered by the other"

"These must be the ones that are trying to catch up to the main force" Natassja deduced. "Very well. We'll take them out in one strike. There's too many for us to handle and we don't have enough firepower to match them. Dimitri and Kaleena will come with me. We'll draw the BETA on the left side near the beachhead. Nadean will lead 3rd Platoon and punch through the enemy's right to keep them from flanking us. Misha and the rest will hit the Laser Class directly once an opening has been made. Is that clear? (Roger that!)"

"Captain. What about the Colonel? Shouldn't we ask for support?

"The Commander is acting as our rearguard on this matter. Focus on your mission! No matter what happens we have to destroy those Laser Class at all cost! (But…!) Don't turn your backs on the enemy. The Colonel assigned this mission to us. We must fulfill it no matter what! Nash… ura!"

"Nash ura!"

**(End Flashback)**

"Colonel… Latrova…" Natassja muttered silently to herself, her mind wandering as she pretended to listen to her commander's petty praise.

"Is something the matter, Major? You don't look so well?"

The girl quickly brushed her thoughts away and returned to her former self. "No sir. Just winded. If you'll excuse me. I wish to prepare myself for the formal meeting later tonight. There are things that I wish to do for myself…"

"Ah… of course… of course. By all means" Rogofsky allowed it, making way for the girl. "As long as you continue to produce results, I have no objection. But… do refrain from leaving the perimeter. We don't need any incident at this time. (Yes sir…)"

When the girl and her team departed, the scientist that followed Rogofsky whispered closely to his ear. "Are you sure it's alright sir? We should do a close analysis just in case. The mind link may have caused unnecessary damage to her brain. I'd recommend that she gets a full checkup for the worst case scenario"

"That doesn't seem necessary"

"Sir. If she breaks down now, we may be seeing repercussions later"

"You already have a tracker on her receptors don't you? If anything goes wrong we will know immediately. The data we've gathered on that last battle is far more important right now. (But sir…) Don't throw away your life just because you're too careful… professor"

"Ah… y… yes sir. I understand. But just in case, I'll have one of my men watch over her"

"Che… persistent, aren't you? Fine… do what you want…"

**(Takeru's POV) (PX)**

Our conversation drew on with nothing interesting happening for awhile. The latecomers for lunch are already here so it's expected to see the whole kiosk packed from head to toe. I remember being part of that heard when I was just a rookie. The pressure of being squeezed between people was like storming the gates of the cafeteria for the last piece of Yakisoba Bread. Back then I'd consider that small endeavor of pushing and nudging to be a war all on its own. But now… just looking at those guys from here, it feels childish. I guess that just goes to show how much I've grown.

"Takeru san, it's your turn" Tama called out to me. We were playing Shogi to pass the time. With the captain still out and no other assignments being given to us, we pretty much had the whole afternoon to ourselves. The reason why we're all here is because this is the warmest place in the entire base. The cold winter was still on us and I'm pretty sure it'll be this way for a few more weeks.

Mikoto and Misae were watching us play while the rest of the team was playing with a bunch of cards.

"Yosh… I'll move my silver general here and… done… (Check…) Ah! How'd you do that?"

"Takeru san. You're paying too close attention to the center. Your sides are completely open"

Damn it. I thought I had her beat with my 'all center' push but she's hitting me on both my left flank. At this rate, everyone I have up at the middle will be surrounded. I'll have to move my gold general to support and—

"Takeru… you're not planning to use the gold general strategy again, are you" Geh! How'd Mikoto guess that? "Your expression says it all. Your strategy seems to be a bit too obvious from here"

"Sh… shut up! I wasn't going to do that! And you're just saying those things because you're a third person observer!"

"Really? I thought you were gonna do that too" Geh! Tama! Not you too! "You used the gold general strategy on the last game when you were fighting with Munakata sempai. And the game before that with Kazama sempai too"

"And both times, you were crushed far too easily" Goh! Misae san! "After you realize that you put all your focus on one piece, it's easy to nibble down to the rest"

Guuu… they're picking on me. I just know it. Damn it… I have no other choice. I'll just pull the rest of my troops back and draw in the battle line.

Tap…

"Checkmate"

"Wh… wh… WHAAAAAAT!-?"

"Ah… what a pity, Takeru. If you only went with the golden general strategy, you would've won easily" Gah! Mikoto!

"But… but you said…"

"It was such an easy victory too" Misae added insult to injury. "When a General doesn't trust his own strategy, he is doomed to make an error"

"Guuuuuuu! Damn it! I demand a rematch! (Uwa!)"

"No way…" Gehgeh! "That's three consecutive losses for you. It's our turn to play with the Shogi board. Play something else" And without even waiting for my reply, Misae took the board from under my hands and set it up on a different table. "Besides, I wanted to test my skill against someone with a little more challenge" Damn itttttt! I'm being bombarded with insults and there's nothing I can do to counter it!

"Neh neh, don't worry Takeru san. You can still play with me" Ah… Tama. You're the only one who understands me right now. "We can play Cat's Cradle while we wait"

Cat's Cradle? Haaaa… I guess it can't hurt to play a bit. I haven't done this for awhile now but I'm pretty sure I haven't lost touch with it.

…

…

…

Wiggle… wiggle wiggle wiggle…

Whomp… wiggle…

Ok… maybe I was putting it too bluntly, but this is just terrible! I can't even do a single shape anymore! (Wiggle!) Damn it! One more time!

"Takeru san? You've been on that for quite awhile now"

"Ugh… give me a minute. I'm almost done with this one!"

"Just give it up. You've been lacking practice with the game for a long time now" Class rep pouted at me.

"Grrr! Just give me one more shot!"

"A man who doesn't know when to give up is a stubborn man. (Grrr!) Haaa… whatever. Just try not to embarrass yourself too much"

"Ahahaha. But I guess being stubborn is one of Shirogane's better traits" Kashiwagi added which didn't exactly help me feel any better. (Wiggle) Ah! Not again.

"They say that third time's the charm. But I guess it doesn't apply here"

"Oh shut up!" I groaned as I tried again.

"Oooooh!" Hmm? What's with that noise by the kiosk? Is there something going on over there?

"A hunger strike?" Misae joked around, her eyes also casting a gaze over by the crowd. It seems like something has really riled the people up.

Touko then noted a presence behind the crowd. "No… I believe that one of the foreigners has just arrived"

"So what? It's just another soldier from out of town" Hayase pretended not to be interested, but I'm sure that deep down she probably wants to meet with a soldier from another country altogether. "Those guys should really learn to pipe it down. There are bound to be more of them sooner or later around here" I supposed she's right.

With the Training Exercise, we're going to be seeing a lot of foreigners. But still… we don't exactly get to see a lot of people from another country entirely. You could say that this is a rare chance.

A foreigner huh? (Flash) That girl's face came to mind. She left quite an impression on me. Despite the fact that we've only met for a few minutes, it was enough to get me to remember her face. A princess from a fairytale. That's probably the best description I can make for her.

"Shi… ro… ga…ne"

"BWAHH!" Damn it she scared me! "Wh… what is it, Hayase… san?"

"I don't really understand why, but that grin you have on your face is really annoying. (Huh?) It makes me want to punch you"

"H… hey what's with that reasoning? Just because I'm having happy thoughts doesn't make it a crime!"

"Oh? If you're so innocent, I supposed you won't mind sharing your thoughts with us. (Eh!-?)"

"It's natural for a boy his age to have active hormones" Misae added only to put fuel in the fire. "Are you embarrassed that he might be thinking of you, 1st Lt. Hayase?"

"Of… of course not!" Oh… she's blushing. "It's just obvious that he's thinking of something"

"Ara ara. It seems like 1st Lt. Hayase may have taken a fancy for Shirogane san. (Ka-za-ma…) Ahuhuhu"

"There's only one way to prove of love" And before I knew it, Misae suddenly approached me from behind and hugged me with her long slender arms.

"Wh… what are you doing, Misae san?"

"Shhh… be quiet Shirogane. We're trying to get a reaction"

Boing…

"M… Misae san. Y… your chest. It's… touching… (Squeeze) Ahhhh…" Damn it. Her breasts are… so close… to my face. I can feel them at the back of my head. They're soft. Really soft, like melons.

"Don't be shy. As the Alpha Male, you should be used to a woman's touch by now, Shirogane" my body is feeling light. Her fingers were working all the way down to my collarbone. "How does it feel, Shirogane sama…?"

"Wow… 1st Lt. Munakata sempai is so bold…" Tama… this has nothing to do with boldness. This is just her way of getting a reaction off of me.

"Uuuuuuh!" This is pathetic. I'm getting worked up by Misae's teasing again. I should probably get her to stop before this gets out of hand.

"Well, Hayase san? How do you feel?" Misae directed her voice at Hayase who seemed to be holding some kind of urge behind her.

"I have no idea what you're trying to pull but it's not going to work" She said with a frown curling down her lips.

"Hoooo? What a strong face. As expected of the Team's Storm Vanguard One. Then… I'll just have to do this. (Chomp)" WHAAAAA! She's… she's nibbling at my ear!

Stareeeeeee…

Wh… what is this? What's with this dreadful killing intent I'm feeling? It's not coming from just the girls but… from the entire room! Wh… why is everyone looking at me like that?

"M… Misae san. Please stop. We're disturbing everyone in the room!" I pleaded with my life on the line.

"That's what your mouth says but your body is saying otherwise. (Geh!) Ara ara, Shirogane. Perhaps a more… intimate touch would be needed. (Flash)" Huh? What was that? I saw a vision of Munakata. She was… smiling. Oh… hey wait a minute! Where is her hand going? Don't tell me she's going to reach for my— "Shhhh… be quiet and let the nurse take care of everything. (Flash!)" She took a sip of the orange juice that I ordered earlier and slowly placed her face close to mine. "Now… open wide…"

Flash

"M… M… M… ma ma ma ma ma…!"

"This won't hurt a bit…"

"STOP!-!-!-!-!"

Crash!

BWAHHHHH! What the hell!-?

"Ara…? What a waste"

**(Hallway) (Much later)**

Damn it. That was disgraceful. I played right into Misae's hands hook line and sinker. All that teasing got the whole crew to gang up against me. I was only able to crawl out of that chaos because of sheer willpower and a bit of luck.

But still… the way Misae was portraying herself. (Flash) It felt… familiar somehow. It's probably nothing but I don't think I can convince myself that easily. There was something there. A spark, maybe. It was feint but I felt it. Heh… no that's not possible. After all, this is Munakata Misae we're talking about. There's no way she could fall for me.

But… then again… there was the reaction from Hayase. I don't suppose she's any different. Haaaa… why do women have to be so complicated?

…

…

Ah… crud. Thinking about love… really brought Sumika's face back to me.

Damn. I guess I've been too aloof after being separated for so long. This distance between us really makes me forget what the important things are in my life.

I wonder what she's doing right now. Yuuko said that she put her on sleep mode and have people watching over her but that isn't enough to satisfy me. The last time I saw her was… about a month ago. She was in her bed, exhausted, like an elderly lady. After Sadogashima, that's where she's been resting for the last few days. Her weakened state was enough to make me flinch.

I know that the damage to Yokohama Base was heavy after the last coup but Yuuko sensei assured me that all basement levels were safe. I hope we won't be staying here too long. I'm not saying that I hate Kyoto or anything. It's just that. Sometimes… I'd like to see home once in awhile… to make sure that everything I'm fighting for is still there. I want to see Sumika… more than anything right now…

Clang!

Hmm? What's that noise? It sounds like a trashcan being thrown over. (Ruffle) Hmm? There's a girl there. I don't recognize the uniform. She must be a foreigner. It looks like she fumbled on the wall and hit the trash bin by accident.

"Hey? Are you ok? (…) Oi… you there" Oh… wait a minute. She's a foreigner. Of course she wouldn't understand what I'm saying. Hmm… I supposed I can use my English. If there's anything I've learned in school, it would be saying hello and goodbye… in English! Yosh! Let's go Shirogane!

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Natassja recovered from her fall, just barely. Her mind was wobbling and her eyes were becoming more and more unfocused. She had just returned from her room and was planning to meet with her superior as quickly as possible. It was going so well that her headache didn't even bother her.

It was going perfectly until her breathing started to shorten with each step she took. That was when she realized that the ground started to move on its own. The walls started to wobble as if they were waves in the ocean. The lights dimmed and shined repeatedly and before she knew it, she was falling onto the ground like someone was pulling and pushing at the same time in the same direction.

The girl bit her lip sharply to recover from the shock and was fortunate enough to find a large trash bin to lean on. Unfortunately the bin was empty and the weight could not support her for long.

Natassja groaned for awhile before she was finally able to get a decent standing on the wall where she leaned with her good arm. But now the pain was getting worse. Her brain felt like it was melting and her breathing became erratic. If she didn't know better, she'd probably fall. But she couldn't allow it. If she fell now… it will be a disgrace to her team. She was to be the symbol of strength in her group just like her predecessor. She could not show weakness to anyone, not even to her own subordinates.

But right now. She was wishing there was someone or something out there, that could give her a hand.

_"Exkuse meee!"_

'What the hell was that?' She thought to herself as she was forced to hear that terrible excuse of pronunciation of the English language. She turned her head to her right and saw a childish face looking at her with wide weirded eyes. It was probably her headache doing to weird face but she couldn't help but laugh a bit at that clown's expression.

_"Arrrr u… okey?"_ He must've been the one who was bastardizing the English language. The boy's way of dragging the last letter was like the sound of a hyena in heat. _"Heyyyyyy… is your fuut, okeyyyy?"_

Natassja was opted to ask for some measure of assistance to the boy. It was the right thing to do in this situation. But the moment her eyes locked to the crest on the boy's uniform, her mood changed. _"What do you want?"_ She lashed out trying to get herself up. The boy jerked back surprised at her reprisal in English.

**(Takeru's POV)**

Oh! She responded… and in English too. Maybe I'm getting to her. _"Caaaan… I halp yuuu?"_

_"Go… away ugh…!"_ Whoa! She almost fell there. She doesn't look so good. Her shirt is already drenched in sweat and her face looks kind of pale. Damn… I wish I brought my translator with me. I left it in my suit with the rest of my gear. It's not like I expected to use it in these kinds of situations.

"Hey, you don't look so good. Maybe you should go see a nurse before you collapse. (…) Hey, are you listening? Young lady?"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The kid was like a wobbling jelly to Natassja. His face and body were shaking like everything else in her vision. He was talking to her but the words didn't seem to reach her anymore. Her sense of hearing was slowly drowning out as the rest of her body. Her mind was slowly losing its cool and before she knew it… she was slowly returning to her limping self.

**(Flashback) (Kamchatka)**

It was a suicide run…

That was the phrase that was lingering on every member of Zhar as they charged against the hordes of BETA. Their numbers covered the entire plain like snow on a mountain. The woods were packed with aliens like a horror flick from the 1980s. Grapplers and Tanks littered the battlefield, all looked battle ready for the next charge into the Motherland. And the only ones that stood between them and total destruction was the Zhar Battalion.

Nash ura…

Those were the words they shouted when the boys and girls charged into the horde with their iron giants. It was a war cry shared by many soldiers. But now… that phrase seemed almost… irrelevant.

Natassja led the charge, putting her whole heart into the fight like a woman possessed, shooting, kicking and slicing like it would actually make a difference in the vast ocean of BETA. No matter how many she killed, a few dozen more would come to take its place. They were like a plague that eat and eat and eat until there was nothing left but dust and sand.

"This is Dimitri! I'm down to my last mag. We won't be able to hold them off for much longer!"

"Take my spare" Natassja tossed her last clip before resuming her attack. "Switch to your motor blade if you have to. We simply need to open a path for the others to strike the Laser Class behind!"

"This is Ivanovic! I just lost two units. Lieutenant Nadean is down. Requesting permission to withdraw"

"Denied! We need to open the gap just a little more! Focus on the Grapplers. Use your 120mm on clusters of Tanks! Be efficient with your ammunitions!"

"W… we'll try—(Clang!) Ahh! Get it off of me! Get it off of me! (Clang!) Ahhh… ahhhhhhh! It's trying to get inside! S… someone! Help me! AHHHHHH!" A muffled scream followed by static was all that remain of that voice.

"This is Freya. I'm taking over command. Captain, we're down to our last group. We need to make an opening now or we'll be surrounded!"

Natassja clicked her tongue in response. "Alright then. Change of plans. 3rd Platoon. We'll use all of our 120mm rounds to blow a hole in their formation. When you get in, eliminate the Laser Class and clear out as soon as possible! Once we're clear, we'll meet up at point 325, the hilltop near the beach. Don't wait for anything! (Roger that!) Dimitri, fight and withdraw. We'll… ah!"

The man she was speaking with earlier was under a horde of Tank Class BETA.

"Dimitri!" Her companion tried to rescue him but the commander barred her from doing so.

"Don't! You'll be swarmed just like him if you do. Don't let his death burden you. Dimitri's spirit lives on inside all of us! Focus on the mission. On my mark, unleash everything you have on the right flank of the BETA! (Y… yes ma'am)"

"This is 3rd Platoon, all weapons primed, ma'am!"

"This is 4th Platoon. We're on standby!"

"Fire!"

Explosion after explosion ripped the BETA like a hot knife through butter. Their numbers thinned in a matter of seconds. It was a welcome thing to see an enemy to be easily torn… but then the team was quickly reminded that in this kind of battle, the number of BETA far exceeds their own.

"It worked! The way is open! Misha, go!"

"Yes ma'am! 4th Platoon, attack!"

A formation of TSFs quickly flew overhead leading their last desperate attack against the alien invaders. Natassja spoke a prayer in her head and wish those children all the luck in the world. But even with that amount of prayer… it seemed inevitable that they perish.

"Alright! They're through! This is Zhar 2 to 3rd Platoon. Regroup on my position. We'll hold this gap open for as long as possible. Let's make sure that our comrades have somewhere to return to!"

**(End Flashback)**

Natassja kept moving herself from the wall, but it was no use. Her mind was getting weaker and weaker and the visions were getting stronger with every moment. She was reliving her nightmare despite the fact that she was still awake.

"Oi! Listen to me" The boy was still there and somehow his words were starting to irritate her. "I don't know if you can understand me, but you're not well. We should get you to an infirmary"

_"Shut… up!"_

She swung her free arm towards him but obviously that slow punch could barely hit him. The boy was now convinced that she was not well and was in dire need of medical attention.

"Look. The infirmary is this way. I'll take you there and we can have one of the nurses take a look at you. You can even lie down on one of the beds if you want. (…) Come on now. Hey… are you listening? Hey?"

Tap…

…!

**(Takeru's POV)**

Thud…

"Wha? H… hey! Get a grip!" This isn't good. She collapsed. The girl collapsed! (Tap) She's burning up too. Screw the language barrier here. I need a doctor!


	73. An Honest Hand Part 3

**Chapter 73: An Honest Hand (Part 3)**

**(Takeru's POV) (Kyoto Base) (Infirmary) (01:20 PM)**

I brought the unconscious girl to the infirmary as fast as my legs could take me. It's a good thing that it was located on the second floor; otherwise it'll be impossible for me to find it at this large complex. I never really liked this place. The smell of medicine and disinfectant can really bring in some bad memories. But this really wasn't the time for me to be reminiscing about that. I was fortunate enough to actually find a nurse during lunch period.

She was quite surprise when I barged into the place carrying a girl in my arms. After I placed her on the bed, she quickly began analyzing what was wrong with her. I have some experience with basic first-aid but nowhere near Mikoto or any of the professionals.

The nurse told me to sit quietly in the corner and wait for their examination to end. Waiting was never really my thing. I'd rather not sit around and wait for things to happen. My uniform was soaked at the time so I had to put it on the hanger before I cooled down.

That girl though. I'm pretty sure she's a foreigner. She spoke in rather fluent English but she had a different kind of accent. Her uniform gave half of her identity away so I'm pretty sure someone is bound to notice her disappearance.

It was rather strange. The girl was sweating in buckets and her breathing is erratic too. All the time I was carrying her here, she was muttering something in her sleep like she was living some kind of dream. I don't think I've seen those kinds of symptoms before in my life.

"Excuse me, Lieutenant?" The nurse called out to me from the dividers. "I'm done with the examinations"

"Is she alright?"

"She's fine" The nurse waved it off with a carefree smile. "It's nothing serious. The patient appears to be suffering from hypoxia, a sudden lack of oxygen in her blood and organs, which is caused by anemia. I'm sure you already know what that is?"

"Yeah, I know" Anemia a form of sickness from decreased in number of red blood cells. Mikoto taught me this and how to prevent it on our first lesson. "But what about her? Will she be alright?"

"Yes. I gave her a dosage of sleeping pills so that she'll pass through the pain though she does appear to be suffering other injuries. (…?) They appear to be mostly focused on the head but I lack the equipment to do such procedures myself. I'll probably get a better understanding if we can get an MRI scan"

"Does it also have anything to do with her muttering?"

"Maybe…" She adjusted her glasses in distress. "But like I said: I do not have the proper equipments with me to perform any kind of diagnosis. If it were a wound, cut or broken bones, then I could probably help you there. (I see…) Ah but don't worry. The doctor should be returning from lunch any time soon. I'm sure he'll be able tell you more"

"Does she need anything? Maybe we can call someone from her department instead?"

"Ah… that does seem like a logical step" The nurse agreed with me. "Judging from her uniform and the language she's muttering, she appears to be from the Soviet Army. (Soviet?) Yes. I'll notify them that we have one of their soldiers. They're probably worried about their own comrades. Ah… but before we do that, do you mind answering a few questions for me, Lieutenant?"

"Questions? What for?"

"I need to document all events that happen here so I can file this to the authorities. If it was one of ours, then I would've simply released you. But having a foreign soldier in our sickbed will spring a lot of questions for both you and myself, Lieutenant"

"Oh… ok then. I'll answer as best I can"

We quickly took our seats as she began writing on her notepad. "So… what is your relationship with Lieutenant Ivanova? (Iva-wha?) Ah… that is her name written on her ID. I found it in her pocket while I was diagnosing her. Her full name appears to be Major Natassja Ivanova"

"A Major? A young girl like her is actually a high ranking officer?"

"It seems so. Anyway… can you define your relationship with this person?"

"Ah… no. Well to be honest, I kinda just saw her in the hallway between the PX and track field. She wasn't looking well so I thought I would talk to her. When she fainted, I brought her up here"

"I see. So you have no direct relation with her prior to your first meeting here? (No…) Alright. That is satisfactory. Next question…"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

But as Shirogane's interrogation went on, Natassja's eyes suddenly began to move under their lids. The girl was stable but her mind was still conscious. She could hear voices on the other side of the divider and was certain that someone was talking about her. She wanted to move but her body failed to do so.

The only thing she could do now was sleep and allowed the nightmares to swarm into her mind.

**(Flashback) (Kamchatka)**

Blood… it was everywhere.

The blood of the aliens stained the soil on the land, painting it in a whole new color. Natassja and her men were now fighting for their dear lives against the BETA. What little remained of their resources was unleashed against their enemies. The corpses of the BETA piled up into mountains only to be toppled down by their own comrades.

6 against a thousand. It was a common thing these days to be outnumbered by the enemy. But never before had the human race been outmatched so easily. Natassja kept her resolve, putting her whole heart into the fight. But despite all of her valiant attempts, there was little she could do to turn the tide of the xenos.

"This is Zhar 8. I'm out of ammo. Switching to motor blades!"

"This is Zhar 5, I'm out too. Captain, we can hold them any longer!"

"Just a little bit longer!" She ordered. "We can't allow the BETA to close the gap between our comrades. Misha, what's your status?"

"This is 4th Platoon. We just broke through the enemy formation and heading towards the Laser Class now. Just give us a few more minutes"

"Roger that. You'd better hurry. Otherwise, the door will close behind you"

"Understood ma'am. We'll… what the? (Beep beep beep!) Everyone, evade!"

One could hear the explosion happening in the distance. "Misha? What happened?"

"Th… that's impossible! We're flying below minimal altitude. Why are the Laser Class still targeting our… (AHHH!) Georgio! No! That can't be!"

"Misha! Calm down and explain! What the hell is going on over there? Respond!"

"Th… the Laser Class are still shooting us despite our low altitude. (What!-?) Jaques, look out!"

Another explosion followed, and another… and another…

It was like the call of death to see balls of fire in the distance.

"Captain! The BETA are renewing their attack! We're gonna be overwhelmed at this point!"

"Tch! Everyone, abort the mission!" Natassja ordered. "We can't fight in this situation. We have to fall back and regroup! Head for point 325 and await further orders! (Roger that!) There should be some supplies remaining on shore from the previous fight. Scavenge whatever you can and hold that hill. Misha, gather your team and get out of there! We'll cover your escape (…) Misha? Misha! Answer me!"

"Th… they're all… gone" The girl on the other line responded. Her voice strained as if she was holding back tears. "Frank, Jaques, Georgio, Teresa, Leo. They're all… gone. I'm… I'm the only one left…"

The commander gritted her teeth in frustration. "We'll give them a proper prayer later. Right now you have to focus on getting out of there. (No!) Misha!"

"I will kill them… I will avenge them! I will kill them all!"

"Misha! Get a hold of yourself! (UWAAAAAAA! DIEEEEEE!) Misha!"

And like a girl possessed, Misha dove her TSF into the fray of Laser Class hiding in the woods, screaming with nothing but her hatred an anger to fuel her mind. She fired her gun until the clip was empty.

The BETA returned fire and her legs were fried.

"Go on! I don't need my legs to get to you!"

Her head was burned to a crisp.

"I don't need my eyes to find you!"

Her weapons were gone.

"I don't need a gun to kill you!" And with a last desperate plunge she forced her machine to slam against the small Laser Class. "UWAAAAAAAAAAA!"

"MISHA!"

A blip in Natassja's screen vanished followed by a loud explosion that wiped out the Laser Class in the process.

"She did it…" Another of the Zhar team stated, their eyes still gazing at the blaze. "She really… did it"

"Misha…"

"Captain! The BETA are now diverting their attention on us! Orders?"

Natassja wanted to scream. She wanted to kill the BETA, all of them, just her like comrade. But she knew that doing so would only spell out their demise. She buried her emotions down but just barely before she answered. "Retreat. All units… retreat! Our mission is accomplished. There's nothing left for us here. Freya, you're our rearguard. (Understood!) We're regrouping back to Zhar 1's location at the supply base. Everyone… follow me!"

**(End of Flashback)**

"Misha… Dimitri… Freya… everyone" Natassja muttered the names of her late comrade in her sleeps. Even though her body would not cooperate… they could not stop the tears from flowing down her cheeks.

**(Ruined city of Gose)**

Wilfried, the commanding officer of the Cerberus Battalion took a deep breath as he listened to the timer on his headpiece. His team had just arrived at the designated training ground 10 minutes ahead of schedule and was now waiting for their opponents to arrive. Being on time was a good thing but being ahead was always better. Being early or late could make a very big difference in battle.

"This is HQ to Cerberus 1" The tanned skin man listen intensively as the line opened up. "5 minutes remaining until combat begins. Please initiate final safety checks on all parameters before proceeding"

"Cerberus 1, roger that. Commencing final safety check. Time… 4 minutes. (Understood) Cerberus 1 to all units. Remember, we'll be fighting with test pilots of the Eagles. Do not underestimate your opponents. Cerberus 3 and 4 will come with me. Cerberus 2 will provide firing and intelligence report. (Roger that…) (Beep beep) Hmm?"

"Major…" Sigel's face appeared on the man's screen.

"Sigel?" The commander raised a questioning brow as he saw his second in command appear on his headset. But he could already tell from that expression what she was thinking about. "Using an encrypted channel like this? Don't you know that doing something like this is considered suspicious?"

"Don't be like that" She cooed him. "You contacted me like this when we first sorted. Don't you remember? (…) Besides, we're not in the E.U. borders anymore so standard regulation doesn't apply"

"I can only assume that you're talking to me regarding Ilfriede, isn't it?" Wilfriede inquired which he seemed to be spot on.

"Yes. I still don't think that it's wise to bring her here. She should be back at Dover assisting with the defense line"

"… but she's being unusually stubborn about this. She insisted on coming to this Training Exercise no matter what reason I gave her"

"Gerard also insisted that she stayed behind in Dover. I believe everyone is trying to be considerate for her sake"

Wilfried nodded remembering his comrades back at home. "But in the end, High Command approved of her request. Her skills and training go far beyond others. We have no say in it now. (…) But I wouldn't worry too much, Sigel. She didn't earn her stripes just because of her lineage. (I know…) Isn't this the reason why you brought Helga along?"

"I asked her to keep her out of trouble… but I still worry…"

"You're starting to sound like a den mother. (…?) If you worry too much about others, you leave yourself exposed"

Sigel only chuckled back on the other line. "Are you speaking through experience? (…) Ahuhuhu… that's so like you, Commander. But put your mind at ease. I'll be watching your back no matter what"

"Don't get too soft on me…"

"Is it wrong to be worried about others?"

"No" The Major gave out a small grin. "But in this situation, the best thing you can do now… is wait. Giving too much time and effort to one person will only tire you out. (…) Consider your health too, Sigel, otherwise you'll make me worry. (W… Wilfried?) The match will be starting soon. I'm ending this transmission"

**(Takeru's POV) (Infirmary)**

The sound of a hysteric crowd echoed through the hallway as I answered the last question the nurse gave me. The match must've started. I can't believe I've been here for about 40 minutes now. Damn… if I go now, I'm sure to get yelled at by Captain Isumi and the others. They were pretty brutal about an hour ago, and who knows how much they'll do after this. I guess I'll have to face the music eventually.

"It seems like the match is starting" The nurse stated what I was thinking earlier. "I'm sorry this took so long, Lieutenant. I guess the questioning took a lot more time than I thought"

"No, it's alright. I'm glad to follow procedures. Will she be alright here alone?"

"Yes. I'm sure the doctor will be back shortly. I'll also give the authorities a call to let them know that we have a patient here. They'll probably send someone to pick her up. I'm sure you have other duties to attend to but it is refreshing to know that someone is still looking out for strangers"

"Alright. Then if there's nothing else, I'll be heading off. Please take care of her for me"

"Of course. That's why I'm here" I waved the nurse goodbye and parted off.

…

…

I sighed outward as I brought myself out of the infirmary. The smell of medicine was finally gone and I can breathe properly without worries. That foreign girl should be fine. If it was just anemia then a few hours of rest should do the trick. It was a stroke of luck that I was there at the time otherwise she may have fallen in the middle of the snow.

"Ooooohh!"

Another round of appeasing gasps could be heard around the rooms next to me. Damn it. The match is already starting. I have to hurry or else I'll miss the whole show. I promised Sigel that I would watch her match at least. She's probably out there right now fighting. Hmm… if the crowd is this excited, then maybe there's a chance for me to sneak in undetected. The team will probably be too busy watching the match to notice me. I'll be a ninja for a day and… ara?

Ah… crud. My uniform. I must've been in such a hurry that I left it back in the infirmary. I really need to be more conscious of my own surrounding otherwise it'll be the end of me.

**(Marimo's POV) (Briefing room)**

The afternoon match proceeded smoothly for both teams. I watched from the side of the door gazing at the giant screen that highlighted the points of combat. There was no doubt that this was a match between two ace teams. The Kawazaki test pilots was one of the finest pilots in the Japanese coast. The company worked with close ties to the American corporations manufacturing pre-war tools before finally becoming a manufacturer for weapons.

They worked in conjunction with the American government as a close liaison to the Prime Minister before the war. Now, they're one of the largest groups to produce TSFs at the cheapest price. Their models are the famed F-15J mass produced units armed with a large variety of weapons.

The opposing team is the representatives of the Federal Republic of Germany. One of the most renowned and famed combat units ever to grace the Euro Front during our long war with the BETA: The 44th Tactical Armored Battalion, Cerberus. There isn't a veteran Eishi alive that doesn't know of their reputation.

Back in the early days, they were supposedly the Poster Children for the E.U's propaganda campaign to raise recruits. Most of their members come from highly prominent families throughout Europe. You can trace their history back to the beginning of the war with the BETA. At times, this company is assigned to combat groups in various campaigns throughout France and Norway working in conjunction with the U.N. 1st Army but their lone standing role is to be the first and strongest line of defense against the BETA in the English Channel.

For almost 10 years now, this company alone has kept the BETA off the shores of Britain, becoming the very wall that stood between the people of the E.U. and the alien invaders.

The team had their eyes plastered to the screen, not taking a second off of it. Even 1st Lt. Hayase seemed strangely intense for a moment.

I looked at the files that were handed to us and checked the members on the Cerberus Company. Usually I wouldn't be surprised in seeing veteran Eishis appear on the roster, but with the faces that I'm seeing now… it feels like I'm holding a guest lists for a very expensive restaurant.

Maj. Wilfried von Aichberger. The Commanding Officer of the Cerberus Company and one of the renowned 'Seven Heroes of Britain', also widely known by his colleagues and peers as the Black Wolf King. His battle record alone stands out as one of the most highly regarded in the German Republic. He was a Captain for the Company before becoming Major in the year 2000. Succeeding his predecessor, he led the Cerberus Team into various battles, returning with outstanding results. He pilots a jet-black personally-customized/modified EF-2000 Typhoon and has been wildly known as the strongest pilot in the battalion.

The 2nd in Command of the Company, following the Major himself, is none other than Lieutenant Sigelinde von Fahrenhorst. Also known as one of the 'Seven Heroes of Britain', she has been Cerberus's number 2 since Wilfried became commander. Her record too is extremely regarded by the soldiers in the E.U. They say that her sharpshooting skills and hand to hand combat are second to none. Despite being so young… her abilities are truly beyond her years. She also pilots a white color-schemed personally-customized EF-2000 Typhoon.

"Cobra 4, damage on cockpit and sensors. Unit destroyed" The speaker announced with the result of one kill.

The third member of this expedition is 2nd von Valkenmayer. She joined up with Cerberus about a year ago so she's not as well known like the other two. Judging from her history, she was a replacement for one of the soldiers that were relieved of duty. She acts as a Storm Vanguard for her team and has an above average performance on duty.

The fourth member was also the same. 2nd' Lt. Ilfriede von Feulner. She joined in at the same time as Helgarose to replace another member. There isn't anything out of the ordinary in her records but she obviously has more field experience than most of my cadets. Her combat history states her as a Gun-Sweeper position.

Hmm… Two prominent members and two new members. I wonder what kind of selection they performed to get this roster.

Cobra 3 and 1, damage to cockpit. Units destroyed"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

**(Infirmary)**

"Ugh…" Natassja squirmed in pain as her dream went on. The noise she made from behind the curtains attracted the attention of the nurse who was caring for her.

"Ma'am? Are you awake?" All the nurse got in reply was a groaning noise from the patient. "Oh dear. You're burning up. Did you catch a fever? Umm… ah that's right, ice packs. I should have some here"

**(Flashback) (Kamchatka)**

It was a slow road home. Natassja and what was left of the Zhar Battalion hovered lifelessly above the skies of Kamchatka looking down at the ruins below. There was no word from High Command and no word from the rest of the army. With their spirit and strength on an all time low… some of them weren't even sure that they would even make it back home for supper.

It was the same feeling of hopelessness that was spread throughout the world during its first years against the alien invaders. Despite all the casualties they've inflicted, none of them felt like they were any closer to victory at all. It was like an eternal stalemate with every lost on their side being a thorn in their daily meal.

"This is Zhar 2 to Kamchatka control. Please respond" Natassja hailed again on the radio. But like always, there was nothing but static and meaningless noise on the other line. "To any units operating in this area: This is Zhar 2 of the 211th Batallion. If you can hear this, please respond"

Bzzzzztt…

"There's still no response" The other five of the survivors grunted, feeling low already after their last clash with the BETA. "Could they have all been killed?"

"No way. There are at least 5 Battalions in reserve in case of an emergency. This is one of the strongest battle positions in the frontlines"

"But… High Command has always relied on the bombers. Without them they could…"

"There's no point discussing speculations at this point" Natassja reasoned with them. "Kamchatka is the most important areas in the war against the BETA. High Command won't abandon it without a good reason. They need this area if they want to maintain the Far East Defense Line. We'll keep trying to make contact. Maintain your altitudes and keep your eyes and ears open"

"But Captain. Most of us are already low on fuel. We can't make it to the original rendezvous point at this rate"

Natassja saw it as well. Their fuel meters were already down to ¼ of the tank. They were practically running on fumes and luck at this point. She couldn't risk her engines dying out in the middle of a BETA infested territory, but if they land now… they could be exposed to scattered remnants of the aliens.

"Alright…" She made her decision. "We'll regroup at Zhar 1's position as planned. There should still be some supplies lying around. Scavenge what you can but prioritize weapons and ammunitions first. Some of the enemy may have survived the bombing run. Keep your eyes on your seismic sensors. (Roger!) We'll use the old com tower as a temporary shelter. Alex, Freya, you two scour the lower areas for whatever we can use. Kaleena and I will search the—(Beep beep!) Hmm?"

"Alex? What's wrong? You're losing altitude"

"Ah… sorry. It looks like I couldn't hold myself long enough. (What?) I was hoping to get somewhere safe before I tell you guys"

"Alex, you're injured!" Freya announced as she noticed a deep rent in her compatriots TSF.

"It's nothing I can't handle. I can go on just a little bit longer"

"No. You're resting" Natassja ordered which the others quickly agreed. "Alright. Changed of plans. Freya, you land in the com center and look after Alex. Kaleena and I will stand watch. The rest of you, search the warehouses and watch each others' backs. If we can make it through here then we can meet up with the reserve force at the rear base. But if worse comes to worse, we'll split our fuel supply to two units and we'll travel back in groups of 3s. (Understood!)"

But just as the party landed in the ruins of their old homes, one of the soldiers noted an emergency broadcast coming from her console. "Captain. I'm receiving an SOS signal coming from the base? (…?) It's feint… but it's definitely coming from the ruins"

"Is it close?"

"I'm not sure… but it's… it's one of ours! Ma'am, the signal is… Zhar 1!"

…!

An echo of hopeful sighs came from the team. Even Natassja was barely containing her joy to find her commander still alive. But she hid her feelings and quickly got her men back to attention. "Can you make contact?"

"Negative. The signal is weak. The Colonel's transmitters could be damaged"

"Alright. We stick with the plan. Freya, you take Alex to the com tower and get him patched up. Helen will provide cover. (Roger!) Gabriel, Kaleena and I will go and rendezvous with the Colonel. Once we've done that we'll begin scavenging for supplies. (Copy that!)"

But as the group parted, Natassja could feel the weight down her throat. Everyone's probably feeling it as well. It was only a few hours since they left this place and already it has changed so much. Not only because of the BETA but because of the politicians who thought of nothing but power. This was the result of such greed. Natassja wanted to punish those responsible but she knew too well how the world worked. Reality has always been the first thing taught to a soldier. People die and whatever dream and hope you had back when you were a child are nothing more but fairy tales in this world.

After a few minutes of traversing the ruins, the trio finally came to a stop at the old warehouse areas where the first signs of battle started.

"Captain, the signal is getting stronger here"

"Can you triangulate the signal?"

"I can try but… there's a lot of interference here. (Beep beep) Got it! It's coming from that warehouse up ahead" It was a giant building that was situated at the very end of the base. Natassja took a closer look but she still couldn't pinpoint the location of her commander's machine. She was wondering if this was a joke. Some kind of trap laid out for them. If it was a trap then it was brilliantly planned, with the proper bait to lure them out.

"What do we do, Captain? Should we go and investigate?"

"Negative…" She blocked them. "It could be a trap. Open a communication line"

…

"There's no response. Her com systems may be damaged. (…) Captain, we should at least take a look inside"

"Alright…" Natassja finally submitted feeling that there was little point in arguing. After all, she too was anxious to meet with the commander again. "Gabriel, cover us. (Yes ma'am)"

Slowly, the two mechs advanced. They showed resilience in their training and made sure that there was nothing in the immediate surroundings that could threaten them.

The warehouse was dark. The windows were closed and only a few beams of light were visible from the dotted rooftop that was made by stray shots that made it through here. The two flashed their lights inside but still it was too dark to make of any shape in there.

"Anything?"

"Negative. I can't see anything" Kaleena groaned to herself. "I'm going in for a closer look. Please watch my back"

Something was definitely wrong. Natassja could feel it in her bones. She wanted to stop her friend from going but a part of her still wanted to confirm her mentor's fate. A part of her wanted to pray that her mentor was fine but something at the bottom of her gut was telling her otherwise.

"Captain…"

"What is it Freya? Did you encounter an enemy?"

"No… I'm… I'm getting another signal from the base's perimeters. It's… it's one of ours! (…!)" A round of relieving sighs came from the team. "It's heading towards us. We should have a visual of it in a few seconds. (…) I see it! I'm hailing it now"

"It's about time those guys at home sent a rescue party" Alex grunted on the coms. "A few more minutes and I'd be toast"

"Just hold on a little longer Alex. We'll get you patched up the moment we land"

"Don't worry about me. This is nothing compared to what Nikolai gave me back in training camp" He cast a chuckle at the team to relieve them of their worries. But just as they stopped on their track to meet their new contact, the boy noticed that the opposing TSF was not slowing down. "Hey… isn't that guy coming in a little too fast? (…?) Is his engine damaged or someth—(Whirrr!) What the!-?"

WHAM!

The boy barely got the chance to scream when his machine burst into flames by a quick cut from a motor-blade that was unleashed by the new assailant.

"ALEX!"

"Freya? What's going on? (Scarlet Tw-!) Freya? Freya! Respond!" Natassja's sweat froze the moment she realized that they fell into a spider's web. She turned to her friend who was inside the building and yelled out. "It's a trap! Get out of there Kaleena!"

"Huh?" But again… the poor girl didn't even know what happened when the whole building exploded, toppling the weakened roof right down on top of her.

"KALEENA!" Natassja wanted to leap in to save her but she was stopped by the remaining member of her team.

"It's too late for her Captain! We need to regroup and find someplace to hide!"

"Keh!" Natassja slammed her fist on her consoles, cursing every waking moment like it was her last. "Damn it…! Damn it all!" She held back her tears but was failing to do so. Her entire family was being slaughtered right before her eyes. The friends that she made, the comrades that spent her time with. All of it was just smitten down like they were dust.

How can someone stand after seeing everything that she's been fighting for, be reduced to nothing? Without a reason to fight, without something to push her on, Natassja couldn't even lift her hands up to move her frame.

Whirrrr!

Gabriel then noted a blip on his radar followed by a roar of engines coming from a distance. He cursed the timing of the attacker and knew that there was little chance for either one of them to escape. A part of him wanted to ditch the captain and make a break for it. But his childish self came in and he quickly tossed Natssja's mech forward to give her some distance.

"Run away Captain! (Gabriel?) I'll try to bait it away from here! Use this opportunity to escape. You should have enough fuel to reach the rendezvous point on your own. (…!) I'll hold them off here and buy as much time as I can. (But…!) There's no time to argue! You have to go, now! (…) No matter what happens, you must carry on the will of our family. Please… you must live, you have to live for the Colonel's honor as well! (…!) Go!" The man quickly charged against the oncoming fighter, firing his gun on the move.

"…" Natassja could only sit and stare as the boy's futile attempt to hold off the enemy. He attempted every maneuver in the book but none seemed to be working.

"Damn it! Why don't you die already you son of a—(WHAM!)" The kid was gutted like a fish before he could escape.

"G… Gabriel…" Seeing the last of her comrades die in such a gruesome death, Natassja felt nothing anymore. All of her emotions, her thoughts, her pain. They were all just… gone. She had no more will to fight. She didn't care what happened now. She wouldn't even care if a BETA should eat her up here and now.

As her TSF kneeled on the ground, heartbroken, she saw the giant purple colored mech approach her with ease. The motor blade that the pilot used to murder her companions was still stained with their blood, dripping red drops on the concrete below.

She wasn't afraid of it. In all truth, she actually welcomed it. If that blade was going to end her pain here and now, she was going to welcome it to her bosom with open arms. She closed her eyes, waiting for the next blow to come.

And it did…

**(End of flashback)**

"Gahh!" The girl's eyes shot open from the end of her nightmares which notably startled the nurse that was checking up on her.

The nurse flinched back, surprised by the sudden awareness of her patient. But she quickly recovered to reassure herself. "Goodness, you gave me quite a scare back there. For a moment, I thought I had to give you some anesthetic. (…) Oh… I don't suppose you understand what I'm saying. Anyway, please don't worry. I've already contacted someone from intelligence. They'll be sending someone here shortly. Now, if you don't mind. I would like to give you one final check—ah!"

Right before the nurse could reach for her tools, the young Russian quickly flipped, tackling the girl down with almost inhumane speed.

"WH… what are you doing? (Rarrh!) Please calm down. You're in an infirmary! Th… this is just…" But the girl would not listen to the pleas of the nurse. "S… security!"

"Arghhh!" Natassja quickly tossed the girl aside, pushing her down to the ground with her hand over her neck, choking her to submission.

"Ahh… ah… ack! Gahhh…"

_"Scarlet… Twin!"_

But just before the nurse passed out, another voice suddenly boomed from the doorway, causing the assailant to cease in her attack.

"Hey! Get off of her!"

**(Takeru's POV)**

"Get off of her!" I charged in head first without thinking. The moment I walked into the room, the first thing I saw as the huge mess and a nurse being pinned to the floor with the attacker on top. My instincts kicked in hard and before I knew it, I was tackling the same person that I rescued earlier. That was a pretty hard tackle but I was able to get her off the nurse before she did any damage. "Are you alright?"

"Y… yes… don't mind me…" She coughed a few times before answering.

"What happened here?"

"I… I'm not sure myself. I was giving her a thorough checkup when she woke but then she started attacking me all of a sudden"

She just attacked? That doesn't make much sense. Why would she attack at first sight? Bah! Now's not the time to think of such things. I have more important issues to worry about.

Cough cough!

…!

Oh, that girl I tackled earlier, recovered. She must be a lot stronger than she looks.

"Hey, are you alright?" I asked. "Have you calmed down yet? (Ughhhh!) Hey? Are you hurt anywhere? Let's get you to a doctor before you do anything reckless"

…!

_"Y… you!"_ Her eyes locked on to me when she darted them upward. I… don't like that look on her face. _"Yuuya… Bridges!"_ Huh? What'd she call me? _"I will… kill you!"_ Whoa! Damn… she picked up a surgical knife from the table. This could be dangerous.

"Oi! Stop this. I don't want to hurt you! (Raaaaaarghhhh!)" Damn it. She's not listening. Of all the time for something like this to happen. "Ohhh!" I quickly grabbed her wrists and held them tight. Even if it is a knife, it's useless if you can't swing it. After I made sure that I got her controlled I turned my attention to the nurse and yelled out. "You there. Go and get help, quickly! (But…!) It's not safe for you to stay here. I'll deal with her"

Thud! Pow! Crunch!

Goh! A triple attack combination? She's good. It's clear to see that she has adequate training in hand to hand combat. She's using all the bones in her body to deliver hits that maximizes damage. It's very different from the training I've had but it's just as good. (WHAM!) This isn't looking well for me. All I can do is defend myself from her knife while her free hand and feet pound me to the wall.

Pow! WHAM!

Not good. I was able to take on Ayamine, Meiya and Misae san all together during our practice session one time but this girl is pushing me back to a corner. She's truly on a different level than them.

_"What's the matter!-? Why aren't you fighting back!-?"_ Ah crap! She cut my forearm. This is bad. She's seriously trying to kill me. If I don't do something quick, it'll be all over for me. But what?

I could try going in head on but it's obvious now that her CQC abilities are just as good as Tsukuyomi. I got the crap beaten out of me when I tried to take her down back in Tokyo. The same could happen here too, just a little more lethal.

That knife is the only thing giving her an advantage. One wrong move and she could slit my throat, gouge one of my eyes or stab one of my vital organs. If only I had something to null one of her moves without using my arms.

…!

My uniform! Of course! It's hard enough to soften the blow. Right. I only have one shot at this. I can't break my timing.

_"Yuuya Bridges!"_

Now!

I dodged her attack and reached for my uniform on the cloth-hanger.

As I expected, she followed up on her attack using the knife as the first strike. I wrapped her knife hand with my uniform and pulled her in, causing the girl to recoil forward opening her up for all other attacks.

_"Arrrrrrhhhh! Yuuya!"_

Take this! A special move taught to me by one of my friends! Space Ayamine Throw!

…!

Thud!

…

…

…

Out like a light. I didn't want to hit her like that but she really left me no choice. That throw should've rendered her unconscious for awhile and if not, she should still be feeling the aftershock of being thrown. I really have to thank my stars I paid attention to my CQC training. I never expected to use it myself until now. I'll have to remember to thank Ayamine later for teaching that to me.

"Don't move!" I turned my head back up and noted four security guards entering the room with their weapons in hand. Ah… the nurse must've called for them when I was fighting. The guards turned their attention to me and quickly holstered their weapons away. "Is this the one that's been causing trouble?"

"Yes sir. The girl was in a deranged state" The nurse confirmed to which they quickly took action in response.

"We'll take it from here. Excuse us, Lieutenant" The sergeant addressed to me which I complied.

"Ah… alright then…" I gently took my hand off the girl and let the guards inspect her uniform. I reeled back to the wall, recovering from the sudden burst of actions. Despite the fact that I have no wounds, I still took a lot of damage from those blows she delivered. She's one heck of a soldier, that much I'm sure.

"These stripes… they're… Eishi designs" The sergeant declared with a frown forming under his lips. "She's an officer of the Soviet Union. (…) May I ask what she was doing here?"

"The Lieutenant brought her in" The nurse quickly answered before I could make a breath. "She was suffering from anemia so I placed her on the bed. But when she woke up… she began attacking all of a sudden"

The guards looked at one another not really sure what was happening but they complied either way. "Cuff her. (Yes sir)" The other three guards quickly took over, cuffing the pinned officer with plastic handcuffs. Two of them had their weapons trained at the unconscious girl in the mean while. "Are you alright, 1st Lieutenant?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just a few scratches" I waved it off. "Will she be alright?"

"You knocked her out good, sir. We'll wait for her to recover until we can get a thorough investigation. (I… I see…) In any case. It may be complicated, seeing as how she's a foreign pilot. You were right to knock her out"

"It wasn't my intention…"

"Either way, we'll take her to the detention center for questioning. There may be some procedures we'll have to go through first. I'll file in a report on this incident to the higher-ups. They can decide on the charges later, though that means that you may be called in for questioning too, Lieutenant. (I understand…) I'll send for someone to help clean this mess up. Excuse me…"

And with a final salute, the guards departed carrying the unconscious girl with them. I'm not entirely sure how to feel right now. That fight was pretty much one-sided. I supposed a real live fight is nothing like piloting a TSF

Still there was something familiar about that fight. That girl kept shouting and cursing like deranged soldier. She almost seemed feral, and uncontrolled, like a wild animal. It's scary to say this but she actually reminds me of… (Flash)… that fight I had with Tsukuyomi…

The maddening fight stance and her uncaring state of welfare. She looked as if she wanted to throw her life away just to kill me. She knew what she was doing and she was definitely aiming at me with the intention to kill. If I had prolonged that fight, things would've turned out differently for sure.

"Ano…" Hmm? Oh… it's her. The nurse that was here earlier.

"Are you alright?" I beat her to the question which she jolted upward shyly in reply.

"Um… yes. Thank you very much, sir. I… don't really know what happened back there but I'm thankful that you came. (It's alright) I never expected one of my patients to actually attack me outright. This is quite a shock"

"Well, there's a first for everything. But do you know why she attacked you?"

She shook her head in reply. "No. I'm afraid not. When she woke up she was spouting something to me in Russian but I couldn't make sense of it. She did show some symptoms of trauma. But… then again I could be wrong. (…) I'm sorry. I'm just a nurse, not a psychiatrist"

"I see. Well, as long as you're ok then that's fine with me. I… guess I should probably help clean up this mess"

"Ah, that's alright. I can handle this. (You sure?) Of course. You've already saved my life today, 1st Lt. Shirogane. I'm sure you have other duties to attend to" Ah… that's true. I still have to report back to the briefing room for the fight. The match is probably over by now. I'll definitely be hearing a sermon from the Captain and Marimo chan later on.

**(Yuuko's lab)**

Paul Radhabinod, the CO of Yokohama Base and the highest ranking officer of the U.N. 11th Pacific Army let out a groan as he entered the lab of the mad scientist. The mess was pretty much the same as her office Yokohama. The woman who lived here had no sense of decency or any thought of hygiene but that was pretty much the common trait for many geniuses in the world.

Looking at all the alien-like equipments and the bizarre equipments scattered around, the man would've been more convinced if he was inside an extraterrestrial spaceship in one of those sci-fi movies.

But right now the General did not come to complain on such trivial things. Doing so would simply be a waste of time and breath. At this moment he was here to discuss a rather important subject with the mad scientist herself.

And speaking of the devil…

"General?" Yuuko herself made her appearance, her face marring a surprised expression at her unexpected guest. "This is a surprise. Don't tell me you came here to say goodbye personally"

"On the contrary, Professor, I came to ask you the opposite. (…?) I hear that you'll be attending a meeting with Undersecretary Genjousai in the borders. (That's correct) Why wasn't I notified of this?"

"Ah… so you've heard? It's just a small gathering. Nothing too serious"

"If it's not serious then I'd suggest you stay put here in Kyoto"

"Ara… don't be like that, General. It might not be as serious as any of the other meetings out there but it's no less important either. (…) What's the matter? You're unusually jumpy today, General…"

"There's something strange about all of this" The man admitted with an uncomfortable face. "The timing of everything is just too… convenient. The Training Exercise, the arrival of ace pilots, the stir in America and the E.U. and now this meeting. There's just something about all of this that is making me feel… unnerving"

"Are you sure you're not just overreacting because 'that' man is here?"

Radhabinod scoffed at her attempt of a taunt. "Commander Rogofsky's presence here irks me, that much is true. But my real concern is with the U.N. 6th Pacific Army. Their CO is too aligned with the Soviets for my liking. If you go, you will be out of the reach of my aid. Even the staff here is being replaced with those from the 6th Army itself"

"You're really preachy today" Yuuko raised a curious face to the man, a bit surprised to see him make such claims openly. "Didn't the council agree since the 11th Army suffered immense casualties these last few months?"

"I'm serious, Professor! (…) I implore you. You should bring the A-01 Special Taskforce with you for your own safety. They're currently not assigned in mission so it I can have them placed under you. Besides, they are your guards, are they not? It won't arouse any suspicion why they are present there. If not, then at the very least, allow Shirogane tag along. I'm certain he alone should suffice. (No…) Why not?"

"The A-01 group is talented and you're correct that they are my personal forces, but at the moment, more than half of that company is unfit for duty. You saw them yourself. They'll be more of a hindrance than guards in the meeting. Besides, their TSFs are also still under repair or awaiting replacement. (…) And as for Shirogane. He'll be needed here. (May I ask why?) I have a few tasks left for him to do"

"…" Radhabinod wasn't satisfied with the answer but considering the person he was talking to, he knew that he wasn't getting anything more than that.

"Don't give me that look. You know as well as the next person what that boy is capable of"

Radhabinod sighed again, feeling like he's been having this conversation for over an hour. "Very well. Then I suppose you'd want to know that I received a request from the Chairman of the R&D Department this morning. (Oh?) She was requesting for the A-01 to directly participate in the Exercise"

"Is that so?" Yuuko sighed, her eyes continuously darting towards her documents. "I guess it was only a matter of time. She really was persistent about getting him to participate in the exercise. That woman can be very demanding when it comes to something she wants. I wouldn't be surprised if he already seduced the kid"

"Should I have someone watch over him?"

"Shirogane can look after himself" Yuuko answered with the same expressionless face she performs in all of her meetings. "It's the other one I'm worried about. At this rate, I might just have to put these two together. (…?) Anyway, let my sister do what she wants for now. I'll permit it. I'm leaving Lt. Piatif behind to transfer all the data I've collected here back to Yokohama Base. Once everything here has been cleared, I'll resume my research back in my lab. After the Training Exercise has been dealt with, we can finally continue our war with the BETA"

"I do hope you know what you're doing, Professor. The future can be uncertain…"

"Yes… the future is uncertain. But for mankind… our end has already been set in stone"

**(PX) (07:10 PM) (Takeru's POV)**

Ah… dinner. The sweet pleasure of food on a platter. Ever since that incident in the infirmary, time passed pretty quickly. The afternoon match ended in the span of just 15 minutes with Cerberus Battalion being the victors or so I've heard. It's a shame that I wasn't able to watch it in person. I would've loved to see Sigel again, even just for a short while.

The scars that I received have fully healed too. The cut that the girl inflicted on me are barely visible now. Despite being small, that little girl had excellent form. Her CQC skills were top notched, almost rivaling Hayase on a good day. I wonder if all soldiers of the Soviet army receive that kind of training. I hope she's ok. I didn't hurt her too much but with that last blow I delivered, she should be out of commission for at least a few hours.

"Ah! Takeru! Over here!" Hmm? Oh… Mikoto, Kashiwagi and… Hayase? That's an odd group.

"Hey guys. Where's… everyone else?"

"They finished dinner already" Kashiwagi answered. "Since the match ended early, we had the rest of the evening off"

"The others are probably in the barracks getting some rest" Hayase added before turning to her serious tone. "The more important question is… where have you been? You never came back to the briefing room since lunch. Cpt. Isumi has been looking for you"

"Ah… well… it's a really long story" Not that I can explain it. I can exactly go telling people that I tried to help someone only to get myself cut and beaten up by the same person I was trying to help.

"Well, I hope it's a good one. The best you'll come off is cleaning the latrines for a week. (Guh!)" Does she really have to add that?

"Hey hey, Takeru. You really should've seen the afternoon match" Mikoto nibbled at my side. "It was so cool. I never thought that watching a competition match would be so much fun!"

"Ah that's right. You weren't there at the time" Kashiwagi added with a hint of joy coming from her smile. "You should've seen it, Takeru. The whole match was completely one-sided from the get go like the Zhar Battalion this morning. The Cerberus team simply creamed their opposition without even giving them a chance to fight back" Without a chance to fight back? They must've been really good to earn a compliment from Kashiwagi. Being an Impact Guard does force her to watch things from a distance. If I didn't know better, Kashiwagi here might actually be commander material. Unlike me, she's in a position that makes her think about things from the whole unit's perspective. She looks at it like a coach for a team.

"Hmm… indeed. They were good" Hayase too? If she's praising them here then they really have to be good. A praise from her actually meant something more than just a compliment. "Their execution was flawless. Three of them went straight in while one of them stood back and support from a distance. A perfect cooperation of Gun-Sweeper, Storm Vanguard and Impact Guard. Their strategy is almost well timed"

"Now now, don't be so sentimental, 1st Lt. Hayase. Didn't you almost shed a tear when you watching? (Ka-Shi-Wa-Gi) Ahahahaha. But it was fun to watch. This is probably the first time I've seen an exercise like this up close. Maybe one day in the future when we defeat the BETA, we might actually use TSFs for sport instead"

Heh… I had the same idea as her. When the BETA are gone, the TSFs might actually hold more value as a competitive fight. It would be like Valgernon but in real life. Simulator battles are fun and all but having real live giant mechs duking it off in the skies will beat 2D graphics any day. People will pilot these machines and face off in a duel to the skies. Huuuuuuuu! That would be so cool. We might actually be going somewhere with this little game.

"Oi… Shirogane? What's with that face of yours?" Ah crud, Hayase noticed my grin.

"Ahahaha… sorry. I was just thinking of what Haruko said. (…?) I mean… she's right. With the BETA gone, the TSFs might actually have new purpose like participating in the Olympics. (Olympics?) It's like a major sports event that teams from all around the world compete in. It's like the Training Exercise of today but with more sport activities"

"Hooo! That sounds like fun!" Mikoto agreed. "What if they decide to use TSFs as sports instead? We can Gekishin basketball, Shiranui soccer, maybe even Shiranui baseball!" Huh? Wait… is he talking about using TSFs to do those things?

"No, that's not what I meant. I mean that people would be playing those…"

"Uwaa! We'll even have Eagle do hockey in snow days!" Could you at least let me finish first, damn it!

"Hmm… as much fun as Mikoto's idea might sound, I think I can get the gist of what you're saying, Shirogane" Hayase nodded in approval. "A competition like that is certainly something worth watching. I wonder if there'll be a competition for swimming too"

"Huh? Well, it is an Olympics so pretty much all official sports are involved"

"Hooo. That does sound like fun. It must've been exciting to live overseas all this time" Kashiwagi finished having taking the last bite off her tray. I guess she must be talking about my false background. I don't suppose, Yuuko wanted to elaborate where I've been before I became a cadet. "Maybe one of these days we can have an Olympic again"

One of these days. That's what people say nowadays. Despite what we plan for the bright future ahead, we're still getting ahead of ourselves. None of the things we say now will mean anything unless our greatest concern is dealt with. With the BETA still here, it'll be impossible to do any of those. All we can do about it is look forward to a world without this alien threat.

Hmm… the future. I haven't had the chance to think of it until now. I know that defeating the BETA is my primary goal, but what happens after that? (Flash) Oh wait… duh, I go home. What else is there for me to do in this place when the BETA are gone? I'll probably just be an ordinary civilian coming back home to my friends and family and enjoy the rest of high-school. It'll be tough to readjust back to my old self. What was it they said again? Once a soldier, always a soldier? I supposed that can be true considering the circumstances.

"Oh by the way, Shirogane…"

"Hmm? What is it Hayase san?"

"I've been meaning to ask this but… did something happen between you and Mitsurugi? (Huh?) Don't give me that look. It was obvious that there was something going on between you two. (There is?) Don't tell me you haven't noticed" Not really. With everything that's been happening, I can barely keep up with all the news that's been going around.

"Ah, now that you mentioned it, I did notice something odd about Mitsurugi too" Kashiwagi added in agreement. "She seems… distracted for some reason, like she's not even here"

"She wasn't even paying attention to the match up that afternoon" Mikoto forwarded to me with news. "Maybe she's not feeling well? Ah… or maybe it's that time of the month"

"Well… she's not talking to me or anyone so I can't do anything about it" Hayase finished, putting her tea cup aside. "Did you two have an argument or something?"

"No, not that I know of" As a matter of fact, I think Meiya and I have been getting along swimmingly. We went to the small arcade one time and had a blast. I can't think of anything that would make her despise me.

"I know that she doesn't put her personal problems with the unit but I don't want this to affect her performance. Maybe she's just having a bad day or maybe it's her time of the month. Either way, you have to sort it out, Shirogane. (Eh? Me?) Who else? She's your squad mate and you're closer to her than anyone else in this team. It's obvious that you should be the one to get her back on her feet. I'm not taking no for an answer"

Sheesh… talk about a tyrant. But I have to admit that she does have a point.

**(Barracks) (An hour later)**

I got sent to the barracks immediately after dinner. Hayase really is a slave driver when it comes to work. In combat, she's the top of her class but when it comes to desk jobs she's as lazy as I am. I'll admit that I have great respect for her but seriously, she can be a kid sometimes. Isn't it her job as platoon leader to take care of her subordinates?

Haa… but then again… she's not completely wrong. Out of everyone in the team, I'm probably the only person who can actually get close to Meiya. Being a secret relative of the Shogun really puts an invisible barrier around her. Even though they're all warming up to her, they probably can't get used to the face of royalty.

She hasn't said anything to me yet but I just brushed it off as another thing entirely. She might just be having one of those off-days like everybody else.

Oh? The lights in her room are on. She's probably still awake. I can just knock and talk like bef—

"Going to a girl's room so late at night? That doesn't seem to befit you, Son in Law. (…!)" Th… that voice, that funny demeanor, that coat!

"Y… Yoroi!-?" I quickly recognized the man the moment I turned my eyes towards him.

"Hello again. It's been awhile, Shirogane kun" That calm collected and happy-go-lucky face—that's definitely Yoroi. It's hard to forget someone who makes a strange impression on you.

"Yoroi! What are you doing here? Ah! Wait. Before that, why are you even here? People can see you from the barracks!"

"Ahaha… have no fear. I'm here as a guest today. (A guest?) Yes. It's amazing what a single piece of plastic can do for you. I just put this on my coat and the guards just let me roam around freely" He dangled his guest ID playfully in front of me before returning it to his pocket. "It's a nice change of pace instead of the usual 'avoiding all the guards' routine. Oh… by the way. I got you something"

He tossed me a small box which barely fit the palm of my hand. From the size and shape, it looks like one of my mom's earring boxes. "What's this?"

"It's your engagement ring. (Pfffffft!)"

"Wh… what!-?"

"I heard of your unfortunate amount of your salary of late so I thought I'd give you a head start with your proposal. My daughter had a thing for dolphins when she was a child so I thought I'd get both you and her, a pair"

"Take it back! I don't want it!"

"Ora… don't be shy, Shirogane kun. Popping the question isn't that hard. There are a variety of ways to do it"

"I'm not proposing to your daughter!"

"Aha… she'd be sad if she heard that. But if you want, you can always give it to her as a gift"

"Then why don't you give it to her then!-?"

"That kind of act would be frowned upon in so many levels" Damn it! This guy is just… "But she and I are already family. I'm sure that both of us would be happy to have you in our addition, Shirogane kun. (NO!) Ahaha… how inconsiderate of you. Are you worried what you wish to offer as dowry in return for her hand?"

"Why don't you try being considerate to my feelings for a change!-?"

"Ah… how scary. People might get the wrong impression if you put on such a scary face, Shirogane kun" Can you blame me? "If you're irritated then allow me to lighten your mood with a joke. Yesterday in Kamakura there was a shop selling styling bamboo chopsticks. My friend asked if I bought any and…"

"Please stop…"

"Ahahahaha… forgive me. It's just been so long to see someone react to my jokes. I needed the incentive from you" Damn it. He's totally playing with me. "But jokes aside, let us get down to business, shall we?"

"How the hell can I get serious with you after all the nonsense you've been spouting!-?"

"Ahahaha… I just wanted to lighten the mood before bringing out the more serious topics. Isn't it better to have a relaxing conversation than a stiff briefing?"

I gave out a defeated sigh in return. There was no way… just no way for me to match up to his idiocy. If I did, then I would've been talking with Mikoto to a lesser extent. I doubt there'll be a time where I could actually be like him. "Alright, so what is it you want? If you want to know where Yuuko is, I don't know. You can always try her lab"

"My business with her has been… concluded" He answered with a tired smile. "I've come to you on my own accord, Shirogane kun. (Me?) Yes. To be more precise… I require your help with something personal…"

"Help?" I repeated. "Help with what?"

"A delicate matter that I can only entrust to you. (…?) But before we get to that, were you approached by a stranger by any chance? (Huh?) Has someone made contact with you recently? Someone… out of place?"

"What are you getting at?"

"No? That's fine then" This guy isn't making sense. Well, he never made much sense to begin with but right now he's even weirder. "What's the matter Shirogane kun? You look worn out"

"You're the reason why I'm in this state in the first place!"

"Is that so? Well… I supposed my daughter is good in several ways. I hope you weren't too rough on her"

"I'm leaving!"

"Ahahaha, it was just a joke, Shirogane kun. There's no need for you to be so angry" If it wasn't for the fact that this guy was Mikoto's old man, I would've given him a piece of my mind a long time ago. Even now I feel like giving him a whack on the face for no apparent reason. "But jokes aside, let us have this talk elsewhere less we attract unwanted attention from your team. Come, I have a perfect spot"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Yoroi took me to the far side of the base to an alley between an unused hanger and the runway. With the Training Exercise going on, it's not surprising to see the area still being used despite being so late at night. There were a few planes coming in and out which pretty much muffled our noise and with such an open space around us, no one can sneak up on us or eavesdrop without one of us knowing.

Yoroi was silent the whole trip. Even though he kept it hidden, I can tell from the way he darts his eyes that he was scanning his surroundings. Despite being a guest, I supposed old habits are hard to die. The guy wasn't a superspy without a good reason. Heck… if he had a more serious personality I'd probably compare him to Jane Bond, the British spy 006. If he wasn't such an airhead like his daughter sometimes, I would've thought of him as an assassin instead.

"Alright, this seems like a good spot" I stopped on my track after he led me far enough. "So what did you want to talk to me about?"

"…"

"Oi… why are you going silent? You called me out here for a reason, right?"

"Indeed… I have" Huh? What's he blabbering now? "Forgive me. I'm not used to doing something like this in such a private moment. (…?) You could say that I need time to write a script in my head. This is perhaps the first time I've ever asked anyone something so personal"

Eh? Wait… something's not right. Where's that usual happy-go-lucky attitude a minute ago? He said that it was a personal favor so… I guess it must be important.

"So what is it?" I asked feeling impatient. "If this is another one of your ridiculous joke, I'm leaving…"

"Please… take care of Mikoto for me…"

…

…

…

"Huh?"

"This is my one and only favor to you, 1st Lt. Shiro—no… that is improper. I would like you to grant me this request, Shirogane dono, Chosen of her Imperial Highness, Kobuin Yuuhi"

-d… dono? Why did he…?

"Yoroi…?"

"Ahaha… it seems like I can't do it after all" He suddenly lowered his hat to block that shameful look on his face. "I never was one to put on a straight face before. (…?) Sorry about that. That was perhaps the first time I've taken anything so seriously before that my face cracked. What an embarrassing first performance"

"Never mind that! What's with that bizarre request?"

"I want you to take care of my daughter for me. (Huh?) Right now, there are only a few people… no… you're the only one I can entrust with this request, Shirogane dono. I asked that you… protect Mikoto in any way that you are able. Knowing for certain, that if you are the one watching over her… I can rest easy"

"Yoroi?" This feels… odd. He's back to his charming self but in that short moment when he asked his favor… I get a strange sense of desperation in him. "What brought this on?"

"I came upon a conclusion a week ago when I decided to follow up on your advice, Shirogane dono. (…?) After the battle at Tokyo… I went to visit Mikoto in the hospital. She was… not in the best of state back then" He visited her? I guess this was when I was under house arrest.

Yoroi paused in his sentence, again, darting his eyes, scanning his surroundings. He slowly leaned on the nearby wall, taking the weights off his shoulder.

"I know for a fact that I'm not the best father in this world. A person like me doesn't really deserve that title. (…) But it was only then did I realize how badly I've failed in that role. The world can be cruel… especially at this time and age where every soldier must contribute something for the greater good of mankind. Even I am not immune to it. (…) My daughter and I submitted to this role knowing well what could happen. But now… after hearing some idiot, prattling of a better future… I was hoping you could grant me this wish"

"Yoroi…" This isn't the first time he made me speechless. Right now… I don't even think I have anything to say to him.

"Ahahaha… please don't make that face, Shirogane dono. It doesn't befit you. (…) Ah… this is quite embarrassing. I never imagined that I would actually get serious with someone like you. Now I'm wishing I never made this conversation to begin with… ahahahaha"

His laugh was shallow and dry but he was still trying to force them out like he was trying to convince himself that everything was going to be fine. It felt… strange… coming from someone like him.

"Is this why you gave me this?" I gestured to the engagement ring that he tossed out earlier.

"That part was simply wishful thinking. But then again… should you ever decide to go for it, you already have my permission. (…) Besides, I get the feeling that she's already head over heels for you"

"But… why now? (…?) Is something happening?"

"Oh? What makes you say that?"

"Because you look like… you're about to go somewhere… very far. (…) What's going on, Yoroi?"

"Ahahaha… it seems like you've grown a sixth sense in listening to people, Shirogane dono"

"And stop calling me that" I insisted. "You never called me with that honorific before, why start now? What's with this Chosen stuff anyway?"

"Ahahaha… I keep forgetting that you were overseas. But that does not matter. Your ignorance may yet be your greatest weapon, Shirogane kun. (Huh?) Ah… after saying all of this, I feel as if a great weight has lifted off my chest. Perhaps this is exactly what the doctor ordered. I'm glad I had this conversation. Oh… but look at the time. It seems like time is not on our side today. I leave you now, Shirogane kun. I doubt you and I will ever meet again"

"Hey wait a second!" I barked. "Don't just run away when it's convenient for you! You haven't answered any of my questions! And what's with this final goodbye! This isn't like you. (Ahahahaha…) Don't laugh!"

"Ahahaha, forgive me. It's just that… you truly are… unique, Shirogane. (Huh?) Even though we met only a few months ago… you have not changed at all. Regardless of what people throw at you, you still remain steadfast in your ideals. Ahahaha… I'm glad to have met you. It is… quite refreshing"

"Don't go changing the subject!"

"Ahahaha… it seems like you've gotten better in this game too. But it seems like one of your friends has been eavesdropping on us too"

…!

What!-? Someone is here? That's impossible. I thought I had a good sense but someone was able to sneak up on us? Who could've…? Eh? Wait… I don't see anyone. There's no one there.

"There's no one… eh? Yoroi?" That's strange. He was just here a second ago. Ah! He tricked me! That no good liar tricked me! I can't believe I fell for the oldest trick in the book.

…

…

…

Yoroi… just where are you going?

**(Soviet Quarters) (Officer's room)**

Commander Budomir Rogofsky groaned as he sat in his office that night. Ever since he received word on what happened with Natassja, the scientists have been hounding at his back non-stop. Luckily the man was able to keep the officials quiet about this incident and hid it as a misunderstanding of some sort. That should keep the higher-ups off his back while he recovers from this little mishap.

Reading through the girl's profile again, it was difficult to imagine that this soldier would actually be the sole survivor of the Infamous Zhar Battalion. You'd think that someone of her age would be a soldier, much less part of one of the biggest research project in the Russian Front.

It was only due to the fact that she was able to last more than 5 minutes against the Scarlet Twins that made her a target of interest. Later when she was brought in, the girl was found to possess latent Psychic abilities. This made a certain Commander very interested in her which prompted her position here.

But the Commander was suddenly interrupted when he noted someone knocking on the other side of the door. "Come in…" He gestured only to frown to see one of the head scientists entering. "Well Professor? What's her status?"

"She stable at the moment" The scientist answered adjusting his glasses up his nose. "As we suspected, the increase of stress was caused by the neural link of the mind. Boosting the receptors took her above her limits. Her body is fine sir. It's just that her brain is working way passed her capacity at the moment. I've already given her the proper medical checkups and sedated her for the time being. She'll probably wake up tomorrow feeling sore but that's about as much as we can do for the moment"

"Tch… what a waste of resources"

"I'd recommend that she skip tomorrow's battle sir. With her condition as it is, it'll be unwise to allow her to sortie"

"What's the point of bringing an 'original' like her when she can't even get perfect results? (Sir?) We'll use her team on the next battle. The results are the only thing that matters at this point"

"Yes sir. I'll inform the team to move Major Natassja to a stasis room. We'll handle things from there on. What will we do about the incident that she caused?"

"We'll submit a formal apology. That should get them off our backs for the moment" Budomir sighed heavily to himself. "Find out what caused her mental state and—(Beep beep) Hmm?" The man noted an incoming call on his computer. "What is it?"

"Sorry to interrupt sir, but you have a call" The officer on the other line stated.

"I'm busy at the moment. Tell them to call back in the morning"

"But sir… the call is from Colonel Sandek. (…!)" The blood on both listeners froze at the call of the name.

Jerzy Sandek. A man so cold you'd think the arctic was a tropical beach. He was famous for being a ruthless calculus. Always thinking of the battlefield as a place where numbers meant everything. And he wasn't wrong either. As much as people wanted to deny it, the man was correct in every strategic and tactical way. As long as the results justified the means, any amount of sacrifice was worth it. For the 'Greater Good of man'. That was the slogan used to describe his methods. Though it was an unpopular idea for many, it was something no one could deny.

Taking a brief pause, Rogofsky quickly returned the call. "Very well… patch it through. (Yes sir)"

…

…

…

"Commander Rogofsky…" A familiar face appeared on screen.

"Colonel Sandek. This is a surprise. To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"I heard that there was an incident caused by one of my subjects. Is this true?"

Rogofsky quickly brushed it off, forcing a smile from his face. "It was a minor thing. It shouldn't warrant your attention at all. Surely you don't need to hear every minor detail of this operation"

"I will be the one to decide whether that detail is minor or not, Lt. Colonel. (…) Your job is to inform me of every ongoing in that region. Remember: You are on thin ice as it is with the Party and it is thanks to me that you are not pushing gravel in the coal mines of Alaska. (…) Professor…"

"Y… yes Colonel?" The scientist in the room stood at attention at the call of the man's voice.

"Will Natassja's absence delay the research?"

"N… not at all sir" The man's glasses nearly fell off his nose when he replied. "Though the Major does bring out outstanding results, the other four that we brought along should be more than sufficient for us to give us headway on the project. We already have permission from the U.N. Chairman to link all training exosuits to our computers. Should any of them have any potential for being candidates for the project we might be able to form a pattern to how this phenomenon is done. We can start as early as tomorrow"

"I see…" Sandek replied with an emotionless tone. "See to it personally that it's done. I don't want any more interference. (Yes sir) With the Scarlet Twins still out of commission and the Prafka, damaged, we need a suitable replacement to continue the Polnoye Zatmeniye Plan. Monitor the current members and find out what caused the Major to act in such a way"

"Sir. I think I may have an answer to that" The scientist interrupted.

"We believe that the Major may have suffered from some kind of mental backlash. The memories that we've suppressed seemed to have found a way to resurface. (…?) We don't know what caused it. But whatever it is, it caused the Major to relapse some of the memories that we suppressed in her"

"Find out the cause and erase her memories of today's event"

"Is that really necessary?" Budomir interrupted. "Worrying so much over a girl who can't even get decent results when they're needed?"

"That girl is far more important than you, Commander" Sandek replied only to earn grit from Rogofsky's teeth. "Unless you've forgotten, I was the one who gave you that post so I expect you to follow my orders from here on. The Parliament back at home is still filing a case against you. (…!) If you want to avoid any further downfall… you'll do as you're told. Follow the mission as planned. Now… what of the second objective? Have you made any progress on that at least?" "Y… yes of course"

Rogofsky quickly uploaded a picture of a certain bunny-haired girl on screen which Sandek quickly recognize. "We have visual confirmation that Subject 29 is indeed here. My men spotted her walking around the base doing nothing suspicious"

"Trista Sestina…" Sandek recalled the girl's name with a hint of malice. "Good. She may be the catalyst we need to spark 2nd Lt. Inia. Recover her with all haste"

"There's… just one problem with that. (Hmm?) It appears that she has become the pet of the famed Professor Yuuko Kouzuki. As far as we've observed, she's untouchable. She also appears to be guarded by her Guard Dog, Shirogane Takeru"

"Shirogane… Takeru. I know that name…" Sandek paused for a moment before recalling. "Ah… the Ace of the U.N. This is unexpected"

"Nonetheless, we cannot touch her or the boy without causing a major incident. How should we proceed?"

"Keep a close eye on both targets. Play along with their game for now. I will send some aid from home to deal with… any annoyance. I will contact you again" Once the man's face was gone from the monitor, Rogofsky gave his superior a disgruntled face.

"Don't get cocky just because you're their favorite at the moment, Sandek. One wrong move and they'll chew you up and spit you back out like a useless trash. (…)"

**(Takeru's POV) (January 17, 2002 Thursday) (Barracks) (Takeru's room) (06:55 AM)**

I can't sleep… Last night's endeavor kept me up all night long. Ever since I had that conversation with Yoroi, I've been having this horrible feeling at the back my neck. I know that he doesn't make a lot of sense sometimes but that night he seemed… different, like he was going somewhere far away and he wanted to say one final piece with me. His goodbye seemed so… final… like he wasn't planning on coming back.

_"Please… take care of Mikoto for me…"_

What could he be thinking? He's not acting like any dad I know. He's practically throwing Mikoto right at me. Handing me his daughter just like that. He's the pinnacle of irresponsibility. And to top it all off, he gave me this…

Pop…

The engagement ring. I don't know whether I should take it seriously or this is just another one of his jokes. For all I know he's just messing with me again. I thought I would've gotten used to his strange antics but I just realize now that no matter how hard I try, I'll never be able to get used to him.

...

Ah… it's already 7 o'clock. I should probably get some breakfast before roll call. I'm sure that Cpt. Isumi got wind of what happened already and she'll probably lecture me when we meet. I'm certainly not looking forward to that. But… at the very least I'll have a chance to see another fight match before we head back for Yokohama Base. It's a shame I wasn't able to watch the Cerberus team. I heard that it was a one sided slaughter for them.

Click…

Hmm?

"Good morning…" Oh it's her. I forgot about this.

"Hey there Kasumi. Came to wake me up again? (Nod) Sorry but I got up early today. (Hmm…)" She threw a glare at me. It almost reminds me of Sumika. "Alright, how about I make it up to you by getting breakfast together? (…) The PX shouldn't be crowded right now, so how about it? (Nod) Good. Just give me a minute to get change" … "Hmm?" "Kasumi chan… you know I can't change while you're still in here. (…!) WHAM! Ow… that must've hurt.

"Agaaaaaaa…" Ahehehehe… how nostalgic. I almost feel bad for laughing. I guess Kasumi is more inclined with Sumika than I am. They're so similar they could almost be sisters.

Thud…

Hmm? What's this? Oh…

Yuuhi's sword. That's odd. I thought I kept this in my closet. I guess it must've slipped out when I was changing.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The base was quiet. I guess it's no surprise seeing as how early it was. I spotted only a few soldiers and officers passing by so there should be no one interrupting us. Kasumi walked beside me, holding onto the sleeves of my uniform like she was being led. I think people have already gotten used to seeing us like this. After all, with the exception of Yuuko, I'm probably one of the only people she hangs out with.

I wonder why Yuuko allows her to walk freely here. This base is pretty huge and it's quite easy to get lost unless you know where you're going. Yuuko said that she was keeping track of her through GPS but… could that mean that she planted a device on her? (…?) Hmmm… those bunny ears of hers look pretty suspicious as it is. No… if I was her I'd probably put it on her uniform. But she probably changes every day so maybe… the bunny? Yeah… the stuffed toy she brings with her seems the most logical choice.

Ruffle…

"Hmm? What is it Kasumi chan? (Hnn…) Huh? Oh… you want to eat at the takoyaki place?" She nodded childishly at me. "Heeh. That does sound like a good idea but I can't leave the base while the Training Exercise is still on. If I do I'll probably get myself in trouble. (…) Come on, don't give me that look. (Hnnn!) Haaa… alright how about this? Once the Training Exercise is over, I'll buy you two sets on me. How does that sound?"

"…" She paused for a moment as if she was deep in thought. "Three… (Huh?) Three sets…"

"Three? Hey… aren't you asking a bit much? I know that they taste great but having them again and again can be bad for you. (Three sets…) No. Two sets. That's the limit. (Three sets!) No. (Thud thud!)" Ahehehe… now she's pounding me with her stuffed rabbit. She's such a spoiled kid. I guess testing her with food was too much.

"Three sets…"

"Ahehehe… alright fine. You win. Three sets after the exercise is over, alright? But don't blame me if you get fat"

She stopped in her attacks and nodded. "Negotiation successful…"

Heh… what an easy going girl. I wonder if I was like her when I was her age. Not that I can remember any of course. My childhood isn't really that memorable to begin with after all. Everything that I've known back then is probably replaced with all my other memories from the other loops. The last thing I need is to remember what happened before I came here.

"Excuse me…" Huh? Who…? "Are you a soldier of the U.N?"

"Ah… yeah, I am. Can I… eh? (Hmm?) Meiya?"

"Meiya?" Eh? Wait… no. That's not her. For a moment there I thought I was looking at Meiya but after a closer look she's nothing like her. Her hair, her face and even her uniform was different.

"Sorry, I mistook you for someone else" I scratched the back of my head as I replied embarrassingly. "Can I help you with something?"

"I'm looking for someone" She answered instantly without hesitation. "You wouldn't happen to cross paths with a tall blonde girl my age with a giant red ribbon?" A tall girl with long blonde hair? Those sound foreign features. I haven't seen anyone blonde since I woke up.

"No, sorry. I don't think I've seen anyone with those features. I… pretty much just woke up a few minutes ago"

"Oh… I see. I apologize. I was unaware of that. Damn it Ilfriede, where can you be?" She cursed under breath.

"Umm… did you two split up by any chance?"

"Huh? Oh… not really. I was supposed to be keeping an eye on her but I trailed off her for one second and she's gone. That girl is often an airhead in these situations. She didn't even finish her rations this morning. This is probably her first time being in such a faraway land. (…?) Ah… I apologize. I should not be making you wait like this. Were you in a hurry?"

"Not at all. I was going to the PX myself, maybe your friend went there too. (Hmm?) It is rather early and you said that she didn't finish her ration. She might've gone there for breakfast like everyone else. The food is a lot more delicious there than what they give out in boxes"

"Hmm… that does seem logical. She does have a strange taste in things" Wait… this pattern of speech. Why does this girl remind me a lot about Meiya? She's definitely not Japanese but her accent is spot on. She even has that samurai like feel to her words. The uniform she's wearing is familiar too. "Would you kindly show me where the PX is? (Huh?) I have not traversed this base for too long. Can you point me to where it is?"

"Ah… well if you want, I can just show you. I was planning to go there myself"

"Your offer is most generous. I appreciate it. (No problem) …? That girl behind you…"

Ruffle…

Oh right, Kasumi. I almost forgot about her. The little tike was hiding behind my back while she was eyeing the foreigner in front of me. "Don't mind her. She's always been shy around others"

"I… I see…"

**(PX)**

Yup… just I thought, the PX was empty. Only the chefs were up in the kitchen cooking up a meal for us. If I was any earlier, you'd think a ghost would be haunting this place. The design of this structure was pretty much the same as ours back at Yokohama Base. The smell of freshly baked bread, the scent of fish and chicken, and even the lovely aroma of the soup reminded me of Kyozuka's cooking

And right in the middle of the kiosk, standing with a golden lock of hair, was a single woman roughly older than me… or at least my projected age.

"Ilfriede!" The blue haired girl who followed me, yelled out.

"Hmm? Ah! Helga! Over here!" The blonde waved back happily like a child. "You have to try this out. The chef here says I can have as much I want"

"Idiot. You're not supposed to be here in the first place. I already told you that the military is providing all of our rations for our daily needs"

"Ehh? But I don't like the food in the box. I'd prefer well cooked meals than what they give. Bleh! (Ilfriede!) Come on. Try one of these mackerel? They're delicious"

"Get a grip! Don't you understand the position you're in right now? You're representing our country back at home. If people caught you here, it could prove disastrous for us!"

"Ha? But Sigel and the Commander came here too the other night. I don't see what the problem is!"

"That's because your common sense doesn't exist! We're returning to our quarters"

"Ehhh! But I just got here! I also wanted to try out their yakisoba noodles!"

"You can try all that you like after the exercise! Come on! (No!) Don't be a pain. Come on! (No!)"

"Ara, Ojou san, please. There's no need to fight" The chef manning the kiosk pleaded the two girls to stop but it was failing. Even I can tell that there was no stopping them.

"Ilfriede! This is not the way, an aristocrat is supposed to… act!"

"Well we're not at home right now so I can act in whatever way I want!"

"Give that tray! (No!) Ilfriede! Stop being such a baby give it! (NO!) If you keep this up I'll tell you to the commander and… (Clang!) Ah!"

"AH! My miso soup!"

Splat!

…

…

…

Why did I get the feeling something like that was going to happen? Maybe it was inevitable seeing as how strange things happen to me. Well… there goes another one of my uniforms.

I supposed this is one way to start your day…


	74. An Honest Hand Final Part

**Chapter 74: An Honest Hand (Final Part)**

**(Takeru's POV) (PX) (January 17, 2002 Thursday) (07:30 AM)**

My suit was ruined…

That was probably the beginning of an understatement. I was hoping to keep this one clean until I can get a new batch from the supply order but I doubt that'll be coming anytime soon. The first one I had was ripped beyond all reason and the second one is stained with miso soup. And right now, I was sitting on the opposite side of the two perpetrators of the incident.

They introduced themselves as members of the same unit as Sigel san. The one who I helped earlier was named Helgarose Fal—something. Her name alone is difficult to pronounce as it is. Her partner who she was looking for is Ilfriede Feulner.

Apparently, the story of this incident was due to the fact that Ilfriede had a bit of a dissatisfaction with the food they were provided and decided to come out and find more on her own. Helga of course came to take her back and from there on, things spiraled out due to my interference. Now I had soup over my uniform and my hair smells like miso.

"I apologize, Lieutenant. After all you've done to help me—word alone cannot express how ashamed I am for putting you in such position"

"It's alright" I waved it off. "This isn't the first time I've had something spilled on me"

"Then… at the very least, allow me to take your uniform to the cleaners"

"I said its fine. I can do that myself. It's not that big of a stain either" I was only fortunate that I wore my workout uniform inside so I can at least be presentable in public. "I should be getting a new batch of uniforms later today so it's not that big of a deal. (I'm sorry) You already said that. Please don't apologize every five seconds. (Forgive me…) Ugh…"

"Neh relax Helga. He already said that it's fine, so don't worry too much about it" Ilfriede, her partner intervened all the while taking a bite off her meal. "The guy already forgave us so it's water under the bridge"

"You…" Helga's aura fumed with fire. "Don't go pretending that none of this is your fault! (Eeeep!) And it's not 'this guy'. You are speaking with a Lieutenant of the U.N. Show some reserve and respect, will you? (Ehh! For real!-?) Just how slow can you be? His patch clearly states this. Be more attentive to your surroundings"

"But he doesn't even older than me. (Whack!) Ow!"

"Age has nothing to do with it! You were the cause for this whole incident in the first place. Now apologize"

"Uuuuu… Helga, you're so mean today"

"I may be strict but I am fair. I only punish those who deserve it. Now apologize"

"Huuuu… I'm sorry Lieutenant" She bowed down lowly to me with comical tears filling her eyes.

Again I waved it off. "It's fine, really. Though I'm actually surprised. I didn't think I would see other members of the Cerberus team here. (Others?) Yeah, I actually met with Lt. Sigel and that other scary guy…"

"Scary? Ah, you must mean the Major. (Major?) Yup. He's our Commanding Officer. He might look scary on the outside but he's actually quite nice once you get to know him. I actually thought him to be a big meanie when I first met him too" I guess everyone would get that kind of impression. That tanned skin guy I met the other night was more frightening than Tsukuyomi's death stare. I was so scared my whole body went stiff and my feet were glued to the floor. I even went as far as saying 'Potato' on our first encounter.

"Ilfriede. Don't go calling our CO that. (Ahehehe) He is only trying to keep his image like you should be doing. A noble lady like yourself should be an example amongst your peers" Noble? Oh that's right. I remember some of my teammates saying that the Cerberus group consisted of nobles from prominent families. I guess they weren't lying about that. "Ah… sorry Lieutenant. We were being rude in front of you again"

"No, it's fine. My Captain also loosens regulation unless we're in public areas" As a matter of fact, I think I'm actually closer to the Captain than any of the other members in the squad. She can be strict as the General but also as free as Mikoto when no one else is around. I should know about that because she sometimes sneaks into the PX to get leftovers.

"Neh neh, Lieutenant" Ilfriede called out to me. "I've been meaning to ask. But is that little girl next to you, your sister?"

My sister? Ah! Kasumi! I completely forgot about her. "…!" Geh… she looks mad. I guess I must've been unintentionally ignoring her when we got here.

"Uh… no… she's not. She's a good friend of mine" I answered embarrassingly. "Ora, Kasumi, say hi. (…) Ahehe… sorry about that. She's a little shy with new people"

"Isn't she a bit young to be a cadet here?" Helga inquired which I quickly denied it.

"Ah no she's not a soldier. She's… here on a special case. (Special?) Ah… I don't think I can talk about it"

"I see… so it's classified. Forgive me for intruding. (It's fine) Anyway, we have spent too much time here as it is. We will be going now. Let's go Ilfriede"

"Ehhh! But I haven't even finished my meal"

"You can stay if you want. But I will not be responsible what happens when Lieutenant Sigel finds out about this. (Geh! That's mean!) It is only the truth. If she finds out about this, I cannot guarantee your safety"

"Oooh? And what might I do after that, I wonder?" Another voice suddenly interrupted our conversation. I turned around and saw an angel standing right behind me. "Pray tell. What is it do you think I would do, Helga san. (L… Lieutenant!)" The two stooges quickly stood at attention with a raised up salute. "It almost sounded like you were suggesting something there, 2nd Lt. Helgarose. (Umm…) I was worried about you two, wandering off like that. The Major and I have been looking all over for you two and here I find you two ladies flirting with a young dashing man" Dashing? Me?

"No! Lieutenant, I… I can explain! Th… this is all just a misunderstanding!"

"I expected Ilfriede to be susceptible to something like this, but I never imagined you would, Helga. (Hauu!) Has your feminine instincts finally reveal themselves?"

"M… my feminine instincts?"

"It seems that our group truly does have late bloomers after all" Sigel gave out a sigh which only made the two groan altogether. "But I supposed I can forgive you two this one time. (Haa?) Ilfriede, can you fetch me some juice from the counter as well? All this running so early in the morning has really gotten me dry"

"Ah… yes ma'am" The blonde girl in question then took off to the kiosk to purchase her drink order. There were a few soldiers coming in now. I guess role call wasn't far off.

"I'm sorry, Lieutenant" Helga apologized when her partner was out of earshot. "I was keeping an eye on her as you ordered but…"

"It's alright, Helga" Sigel waved it off. "I knew that this task was too much for one person to handle. With an energetic person like her, it's difficult to keep track of her as it is. You are in no fault here. (Thank you… ma'am) But to think you two would meet this person of all people. Fate really does have a strange way of bringing people together. (…?) I hope my subordinates haven't been too rough on you, Lt. Shirogane"

"Ah no, not at all" Other than ruining my suit those two have been behaving properly, so to speak.

"Shirogane?" Helga inquired.

"Oh, right. I never got the chance to introduce myself" How embarrassing of me. "I'm Shirogane Takeru and this here is my friend Kasumi. Please to meet you. (…!)" Eh? What's with that reaction?

"Sh… Shirogane… Takeru? (…?) Then you're… (Helga…) Ah… s… sorry Lieutenant"

"Uh… did I… say something wrong?"

"No, you're not to blame, 1st Lt. Shirogane" Sigel smiled back at me in reply. "It's just that your reputation precedes you. (Huh?) Helga san is just having a hard time discerning that she has just been talking with the Legendary Rookie of Yokohama Base" Legendary Rookie? Is that title really famous? "Not to mention, the same person is the co-creator of the new OS that the world has been using as of late" Oh yeah, I forgot about that. Yuuko apparently put my name on that project to get some influence from me. I guess that little-bit got me known internationally.

"Is… is that so?"

"And to be the same Ace who defeated the Royal Honor Guards alone. You are a person of great interest, 1st Lt. Shirogane" Geh! I guess she must've heard of that too.

I then noted Helga motioning her head before inquiring to her superior. "Lieutenant. Is he truly… the same person?"

"Indeed. Though I must admit that his face is quite charming up close. The photo that the magazine published truly did you no justice at all, 1st Lieutenant" I laughed shyly in reply. Uwa… damn. Why the heck am I blushing? The way she compliments me is just so… genuine that I can't help but feel embarrassed. "If you take the hair into account, he actually looks a lot more dashing than most of the men back home" My hair? Oh that's right. I haven't had the time to visit the barber lately. With everything that's been happening, it seems only natural that it would grow through such length.

"Indeed… it's no wonder why I didn't recognize him at first glance" Helga added looking at me with a sharp gaze. "Anyway, I should be off. Good day… Lieutenants" And just like that, the purple haired girl walked off with a disgruntled face.

"Ara ara… and there she goes again" Sigel sighed looking lonely after having the seat next to her emptied. "She always had the habit of leaving off a good conversation"

"D… did I do something wrong?" I asked.

"Don't be alarmed, Shirogane san. She's merely conflicted with her emotions. (Huh?) She doesn't know how to react in front the one man who singlehandedly took on the Japanese Royal Guards. (…) You could say that she's… unaware on what to do"

"Ah… so… I guess you heard about that too huh?"

"The whole world knows of it" She corrected without even breaking her smile. "Though I can only imagine that half of that populace considers the whole story to be mere propaganda. I don't suppose you can tell me if it's true or false. (…) Ahuhuhu, forgive me. I was being rude. But please don't mind my subordinates. Their reason for their confliction is merely personal. I'm sure that they will see you in new light despite knowing your identity, Shirogane san. (…) Well, I've overstayed my time here. Let us meet again, 1st Lieutenant"

And just like that, Sigel left the PX before I could even say another word. There wasn't really anything I could say.

I guess I've been holding in me but there's really no hiding it. My reputation for defeating the Household Honor Guard alone has been something of a legend here. I've tried my best to block it out but no matter where I go I keep getting these weird looks from soldiers and officers around the block. I supposed subconsciously, this is probably the reason why I decided to have breakfast early too.

Defeating one or two hundred BETA , or a couple of TSFs alone is a rare record alone. But to defeat a whole company of Takemikazuchis and not to mention to XG-70… those are different matters entirely. Still… that doesn't mean I should be treated any differently from the rest of the crowd.

"Hnn…"

"Huh? Oh sorry Kasumi chan. I guess I was a little deep in thought. (It's ok…) Ahehehe… anyway, we should probably hurry with our meal. I don't want to be late for the morning match"

"Yo! Lieutenant! I got your juice~~eh?" Ilfriede showed herself dramatically with the juice box in hand only to find that her CO was gone. "Wh… where'd they go!-?"

"Uh… if you're looking for your friend… they kinda left a few minutes ago"

"Ah! They left me? That's not fair! I was just about to have some delicious yakisoba too! (Ano…) Scheiße! They'll definitely rat me to the commander. I have to beat them to the barracks! I'll get you back for this Helga!" I'm not really sure what to say at this point. "Ah, here, you can have this Lieutenant" She quickly handed me the orange juice she bought. H… hey wait a second! Not this again! "Take it as payment for ruining your suit. Later!"

And like her teammates, the girl was gone before I could say another word. Are all girls like this—or just the ones I know?

**(Hallway) (A few minutes later)**

Haaa… man… a lot of things happened this morning. So much went on so quickly that there wasn't enough time for me to process them all in my head. Though I don't necessarily hate what happened this morning, I still got the chance to meet with Sigel again.

"Hnn…" Kasumi is still tailing me from behind. It's still early too. Maybe if I head back now, I can grab myself another uniform before we meet at the briefing room to watch the next match. The barracks shouldn't be too far and there shouldn't be anyone walking around at this time of day. They're probably still sleeping or in the PX gorging on breakfast.

"1st Lt. Shirogane" Hmm?

"Ah… Isumi san…"

"Address me as Captain when I address you in rank…"

Oh, that's right. "Sorry ma'am. I was tardy"

"Don't give me that lame excuse. Kazama could've thought of a better one than that. (Geh…)" Oh crud. The Captain looks pretty serious. I guess it was only a matter of time before she found out. "Judging by your face, I think you already know why I'm talking to you in person, don't you? (Ma'am) Didn't Hayase tell you to come meet me after dinner last night?"

"Ah… she did say something about that but there were… some reasons that I couldn't meet up" To be honest, I was actually planning to talk with Meiya but instead got to meet with Mikoto's dad.

"I see. Then I guess I don't have to give you much of a lecture. To be honest, I was actually surprised when I heard of what happened. (…) At first I was quite upset that you didn't show up for the afternoon match in the meeting room. But after hearing your little brawl, I supposed that was punishment enough" Punishment? Was she going to do something to me before this? "Well… no matter what I say, you know exactly what you did, so I won't breathe down your neck and make you uncomfortable"

"Huh?" I raised my eyebrow a bit, surprised by her reaction.

"I received a formal apology from the Lt. Colonel commanding the Zhar Battalion Test Flight. It was pretty well written so I have to accept it. They even added compensation to the Armed Force to make up for the damage" A formal apology? I didn't hear anything about that until now. "And on my way to the PX, I was ambushed by the nurse from the infirmary. She regaled me of the epic of your courageous deed" The nurse? (Flash) That girl. Geez… I hope she didn't say anything ridiculous about me. I have enough rumors floating about as it is. "She even went ahead and gave me this assorted fruit-basket as an amnesty gift. It seems like you have a strange habit of saving damsels in distress, Shirogane. You're starting to sound like one of those Knights in Shining Armor"

"Ahehehe…" Knights in Shining Armor? I'm not that impressive.

"In any case, I'm glad to see you unharmed. Having more than half the squad out of commission for a few weeks is bad enough. If we get deployed, I might only bring you and Kashiwagi along. (…) Hmm? What's the matter? Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Uh… sorry ma'am. It's just that… I guess I was expecting some kind of punishment from you, since I did assault a foreign officer"

"Oh? But the reports say that your opponent struck first, didn't she? (Well, yeah…) Then there's no problem. But to tell you the truth, I was planning to throw you to Hayase for a sparring match that she's been itching so badly" Please don't. Anything but that. "But after what happened in the infirmary, that should be punishment enough. (Ahehe) Speaking of that… how are you injuries? You didn't get too badly beaten, did you?"

"Ah no. Not at all. Just a bruise here and there but nothing worth mentioning"

"Good. That's a relief. But just to be on the safe side, I requested Professor Kouzuki to give you a thorough examination for any injuries"

"Eh? Yuuko? But why?"

"She asked to meet you later this afternoon in her labs at 13:30. (…?) She says that she has a special mission for you to do. Besides, according to her orders, she's the only person allowed to give you any medical treatment" My only doctor? Wait… did she tell me about this already? Ah… I guess she has a point. With my regenerative powers and my abilities behind the TSF she probably doesn't want little secrets getting out of her reach.

"I see… I guess I'll do that…"

"I don't know why the Professor would go this far just to get you in her reach but I won't question her methods" The Captain must also be worried. Being ordered to stay in the sidelines isn't exactly comfortable with anyone. I probably have to explain this power to them sooner or later. "Well, it's none of my business so I'll leave you be. You're exempted from the afternoon match but come to briefing room in the morning, alright?"

"Yes ma'am"

…

…

"Hey… Shirogane. (Yes Captain?) Don't go pushing yourself alone, alright? This world still need someone with your strength. (…?) The others might not show it willingly, but they're really grateful to have you in the team. So don't go betraying their trust in you, alright? (…) Besides, who else am I gonna ask to go risking his life for me. (Captain?) Ah! N… nothing! Anyway, don't forget to meet with the Professor this afternoon. Repeat!"

"Ma'am. I am to meet with Professor Yuuko in her laboratory in 13:30 today"

"Good. Dismissed"

…

Heh… it's funny. For a moment there I actually felt like I was being lectured by Marimo chan all over again. But I supposed something like this is natural. I mean… the Captain was taught by Marimo chan too back in her days.

"Hnn…" Kasumi is tugging my shirt again.

"What? You want to play some more? (Nod) Geez. Alright, I guess we have enough time for one more round. What do you want to do? (…) H… hey where are you going? You want to go in there? (Nod)" The simulator room? What's so interesting about that place? There shouldn't be anyone using it at this time.

"Hnn…"

"Alright alright, we'll go"

**(Simulator room)**

Uwaa… it's been awhile since I've seen one of these. After being out from Yokohama Base for so long, there's been nothing but fighting 24/7. I haven't used them since our first training regime with the Captain and the 1st Lieutenants. Man… just looking at these little pods makes me realize just how green I was when I first rode on them. Though they didn't affect me directly, it was the birthing place for Eishis to hone their skills over and over. Some might even call it a cocoon where true pilots are born.

But as expected, the place was pretty much empty. The only people that were here were the engineers that hold training sessions. There's nothing much to do here.

"Hey Kasumi. Come on let's get you back to the lab. There's nothing for us here. (…) I didn't bring my exosuit along so I can't use these simulator pods. Maybe another time when we get back to Yokohama Base, ok?"

Whirrrr!

Hmm? What's that noise?

"Unit 01 and 05, disabled. Training Course: G, failed. Pilots may now exit their units" Oh? There were people here? Training at this hour?

"Eeeya… that was horrible" Hmm? That voice. I know that voice. "We were so close to the finish line too"

"Things would've gotten smoothly if you didn't try to pull something that ridiculous" Oh… it's Tatsunami and Asagi. They're training pretty hard for a pair of rookies. "Seriously now. What in the world were you trying to prove by doing something that stupid?"

"Ahehehe. Sorry. I just wanted to try out something cool for once. I was thinking of finishing with one of those nice-guy-hero pose, but I guess that ended badly"

"And instead you had to crash onto me which ended the course… haaa…" The boy's partner let out a sigh to herself. I guess having a reckless partner makes it difficult for others to support you. "That's already the third time you tried to do something like that. It doesn't matter how well you finish the course as long as you finish it. You may be better than all of us when it comes down to piloting a TSF but in the long run, it'll be the team that wins. (Hai hai) Haaa… I really want to pinch your cheeks right now, but I'm so tired, I couldn't even care"

"Hmph!" Tasunami raised his hands up to face as if blocking out of reflex. "A… Asagi. Please not the face. If you keep doing that, my skin will peel off"

"Just treat me for breakfast and I'll consider letting this slide. Now come on. Let's get changed and head to the PX before the line fills up. (Yes ma'am!) Haaaa… hmm? Who's there?" Ah… crud. I've been discovered. My stealthiness isn't up to par, it would seem. "You're… Shirogane?"

"Ahehehe… hi there"

"Sorry. 1st Lt. Shirogane" She corrected herself. "Are you here for somethi—"

"Shirogane sempai~~~~! (Yoink!) Yeow! My chweek!"

"Address the officer by rank, idiot. (Hai hai!)It's pretty early. I didn't think anyone would be coming here so early, especially in this weather, 1st Lieutenant. Are you here for any particular reason sir?"

"Ah well, not really. I was just…"

"The reason should be obvious!" Tatsunami interrupted with his blatant ego. "The only reason why sempai would come to this room so early morning is because he sensed my desire to improve myself! He wished to witness the growth of his pupil himself and re—(Yoink) Ow! Ow! Ow!"

"Quit kidding yourself for a minute" I think that hurts him a lot more than she realizes.

"Ahehe… you guys are up pretty early to be training" I stated looking at the wear and tear of their suits. "I wasn't expecting anyone to be using the simulator room at this time"

"It's a bad habit, sir" Asagi answered. "Our training school back in Hokkaido isn't as well supplied as most of the forward bases here. Since our post is the farthest from the frontlines, equipment to our base isn't prioritized. We barely have any functioning simulator pods to work with ourselves and most of the time they would be used by another group entirely. (…?) The only time people like us can get to use them is during independent training in the early morning or late at night"

It's that bad? I guess frontline soldiers really do get priority when it comes to equipments but I supposed that doesn't count for us. The Valkyries are at the top of the line 'Special Task Force' and as an elite group, we usually get the 'First-Pick' privilege for all manner of supplies. It was no big wonder why I was able to get another Shiranui after I wrecked mine at Sadogashima. I supposed it's a different story for the people at the back.

"Well, I supposed it's not that bad" Tatsunami added after he recovered from his earlier pinch. "Now that we're commissioned officers, we get to use the simulator pods whenever we like. Our uniforms are totally different too, way cooler than what we used to wear"

"You're just saying that because you like it when other cadets salute to you. (Ahehehe) Why don't you try focusing on your piloting rather than your cheap talk? (Hey!)"

"Ahehe… you guys get along well" I mentioned, hiding my laugh.

"It's not like I have much of a choice. He's the best Eishi in the Training School but his other skills are lacking. I only wish I could pound more sense into him. (Ahehehe)" Hoo? So he wasn't joking about being the best pilot in his class. "The only problem is that his skills are too good that the rest of the team can't keep up with him"

"Ahaha… it just goes to show that they all still have room for improvement"

"It's because of your reckless movements, the others are having a hard time adjusting. (Geh) Seriously, I don't think there's anyone more reckless than you, Hibiki"

"Ahehehe. Being reckless just means that I have potential. Ah! That's right. How about you, Shirogane sempai? (Eh?) Why don't you pilot with me? You can teach me a few of those cool stunts you pulled off like what you did in Tokyo. What better way to teach an apprentice than by hand-holding sessions?" Is he going on about that? "Come on, sempai! Show me the power of the Legendary Ace first hand!"

"Ah… I'd love to but I didn't bring my exosuit with me"

"That's fine. You can borrow mine. (Eh!-?)"

"Then what will you be using?"

"Oh… that's right. Then you can borrow Asagi san. (Huh?) Come on, Asagi, take it off"

"H… hey wait a second! Oi! Hibiki! Wh… what the hell are you doi—No! Keep your hands off me! (Come on Asagi!) No! Wh… where the hell do you think you're touching! Stop that!"

"Wait one minute sempai. We'll be right back~"

…

…

…

Like hell I'm waiting! I'll run away. I'm not sticking around for more than that!

**(Hallway)**

Phew… that was a bit crazy even for me. That Hibiki was just asking for a hit. I wouldn't be surprised if his partner pinched him by the cheeks by now.

Oh well, not that it matters to me. I'm just glad to be out of there before things got hectic.

I still have time before I'm needed at the meeting room. Maybe I can grab a little snack from the PX. I'm sure the Captain wouldn't mind if I have something to eat while I watch the match. Besides… something as entertaining as a fight between two teams of TSF isn't something you see every day.

I wonder if I can get one of my drinks from my room. It'll be a nice beverage for the afternoon too. I can probably get a sandwich from the PX so long as the chef is feeling generous. Haaa… looking at that old guy, I'm beginning to actually miss Kyozuka san's cooking.

Tap… tap…

Hmm? Hey… I recognize that hairstyle. That's Meiya. What good fortunes. I was planning to meet with her ever since last night but thanks to Yoroi's interruption I had to settle it for today. She appears to be talking with Kashiwagi. In a normal day I would've considered that a strange pair but after seeing those two playing in the same team during the Lacrosse match during our school festival, they pretty much look like decent friends.

"Ah! Hey, Takeru!" Kashiwagi waved in my direction. "I see you're not planning to skip the meeting this time"

"It wasn't voluntary"

"The Captain was pretty mad when you didn't show up yesterday. I almost thought that she was gonna feed you to the hounds"

"Yeah. She lectured me about it too" I admitted. "But it was all just a big misunderstanding. We're fine now"

"Is that so? Well if everything's alright then I guess she won't be feeding you to Hayase anymore. (Geh…)"

"You don't have to tell me that. Just thinking about it scares me. I wouldn't want her on m—"

"Kashiwagi. I'll be heading back to the meeting now" Meiya interrupted me. "Please don't be late"

"Huh? Ah… yeah, sure. I'll do that"

"Well then. Excuse me"

"Ah! Wait, Meiya" I quickly caught up with her before she could leave us.

"What do you want?"

"Ah… well…" What's wrong with her? She looks… angry for some reason. "I wanted to talk with you for a bit"

"The morning match will be starting soon. Can it wait for later? (Eh? Umm… well…) If it is an urgent matter then speak"

Whoa? What's grinding her gears? "Hey what's with that snippy attitude? You're not being your usual self"

"I am worried that I will not make it to the briefing room in time. What is this matter which you wish to discuss? Be quick or you will make all three of us late"

Her tone is definitely not normal. This is probably the first time I've seen Meiya this angry. Even when we were together in both worlds she never reacted like this. Something must be really bothering her. "A… are you mad about something? (I am not…)" That was a pure lie right there. "Then why are you being so snippy?"

"I am not snippy!" Whoa! I think I hit a nerve there. "If you do not have anything else to say, then we are done here. Good day"

"Hey wait a second! Meiya. (…!)" I grabbed her shoulder before she could run off. "What's the matter? This isn't like you. If there's something bothering you, you know you can always talk to me, right? (…) I might not be as reliable but I'd like to help if I c—(Quiet!) Yeow!" Ow… that actually hurt. She smacked my hand really rough.

"I have no need of your pity. Neither you, your empty words nor your false promises! (Wha?) Don't think light of me… Shirogane…"

"Meiya…? What are you saying?"

"Nothing. (Eh?) Please do not go touching people without their consent. I'm leaving now"

"Ah! Wait… Mei…ya?" And right before I could recover, the girl was already long gone. "What the?"

"Wh… what just happened?" Kashiwagi asked from my side and to be honest, I really have no clue. "Oi, Takeru. What did you do this time?"

"I don't know. I don't understand what could've made her that mad"

"You didn't do something to upset her, did you?"

"No… at least… none that I can think of" But it was plainly obvious that her source of anger was directed at me. I know that I'm not exactly the best when it comes to women but she didn't have to go that far when I was just offering my help.

"You sure? She seemed normal when she was talking to me earlier. (…) You sure you don't remember doing something horrible? Like forgetting a date or something"

"No of course not! I wouldn't forget something that important" Hayase said that Meiya has been avoiding me for the last few days but I've only just noticed now. Was it something I did or something I said?

"Well, whatever you did, it seems like you got her madder than the Captain. (…) You should fix it as a soon as possible. I won't tell anyone what happened here. Scout's honor. (Thanks… Kashiwagi) Any time. But I expect you two to settle your problems before it escalates. Otherwise it might affect the rest of the team. (I'll do that) Good. I'm counting on you, Takeru. Ah… and look at the time. We're about to be late. Come on!"

"Yeah I'll be… right there" My hand still hurts though. Meiya really wasn't holding back when she slapped me. What could I have done to make her so mad? The only time we hung out together was during the arcade and that was it. I even gave her one of the stuffed toys that I won from the crane machine. She couldn't possibly be mad at something so simple, could she? Nah… it must be something bigger, but what?

"Hnnnnnn!"

"Hmmm? Kasumi… chan?" Wait… didn't I leave her at the simulator room earlier?

Thwack!

Yeow!

**(U.N. Kyoto Base) (Yuuko's lab) (01:20 PM)**

Haaaa… this sucks. I couldn't enjoy the morning match at all. Ever since my little scuffle with Meiya, I could barely watch the show as it was. When I got to the briefing room, I kept glancing at her trying to figure out what made her so angry at me. She didn't pay attention to any of my stares of course and kept her focus on her documents or the screen in front of us.

The fight was a good one but not that I could enjoy it. I was just too bothered by the events that led to this.

In the end, I couldn't find the chance to speak with her privately or publicly. Even during lunchtime, she ate her share and darted off before I even got to my seat. It seems like what Hayase said was correct. She really is deliberately avoiding me whenever possible. I still can't figure out what I did wrong. I'm trying really hard to think back to all of our conversations but nothing comes to mind.

Haaa… it seems like this will have to be a problem to be dealt with on another day. Right now I'll have to see what assignment Yuuko has in store for me.

"Hnnn…"

Kasumi was pulling my sleeves again. She's been following me around since this morning. "Sorry Kasumi chan, but I can't play right now. Yuuko has something for me to do. (Hnnn!) Geez, you're beginning to act like a spoiled brat, you know that? (Thwack!) Hey! Stop that!" She's smacked me with her creepy bunny rabbit.

"Takoyaki…"

"You're still going on about that?" Geez… I guess she really is just a kid inside. "Alright alright. After I meet with Yuuko, I'll get you one box from the shop. (Smirk) Eh? D… did you just smirk at me? (…)" I must be seeing things. I guess it can't be helped. After leaving her in the simulator room when I dashed off like that, it was only natural that she'd be mad at me. I should consider myself lucky to be able to resolve that with just a box of snacks.

Now the only problem is how to get out of the base. As far as I know, the Captain said that there will be a strict lockdown until the Training Exercise was done. I don't want to get myself in trouble but I supposed there's always a loophole somewhere.

"1st Lt. Shirogane…"

"Hmm? Oh… 1st Lt. Piatif" I saluted at her when she came out of the lab room.

"Good to see you in good health. The Professor will be here shortly. Please wait a moment. (Ah… sure) I can assume that she already told you the details of your escort mission? (Escort?) Oh? She didn't explain?"

"No. I just heard from Cpt. Isumi that she had a mission for me"

"Odd. I thought the Captain was already briefed with the details. Perhaps she forgot to mention it" Hmm… now that she mentioned it, the Captain did look like she was in a bit of a hurry. I guess she didn't have time to explain the whole thing. "Anyway, your mission is as follows. You will be providing protection to a certain VIP here in Kyoto Base"

"An escort? For who?"

"A certain individual that the Professor has keen interest in. (Eh?) You can get more information from her yourself. Ah… but before you do that, here" She handed me a small envelope which was small enough to fit in my pockets.

"What's this?"

"It's your money card. (…?) Lt. Suzumiya informed me that your paycheck was delayed. Something like this is a common thing to happen with soldiers who have been deployed for a long while. I was able to finalize it with the financial department and got your account open. Inside you'll find your bankbook and your card" Oh right. They did say something about my money. Suzumiya handed me a fat wad of cash as compensation earlier but holding something like that made me feel like I had a giant bull's eye painted at my back that only muggers can see. "You shouldn't have any problems with it. I'm sure you've already used one of these before"

"Ah… yeah"

"Then you should have no problem with your next paycheck"

Whoosh

"Haaaa… good morning… ahh" Yuuko yawned out loud when she exited from her lab. Morning? It's already way past noon. Has she been sleeping this whole time?

"Professor. It's already noon" Piatif corrected which she obviously ignored.

"Haaaaa… who in the world can tell the time in this dark and gloomy weather?" She does have a point there. Without the sun, moon or the stars, the only way to tell the time is by looking at the clocks we have. "Ara? Shirogane? What are you doing here? Did you come for something?"

"You asked me to meet you"

"I did? Eh… what was it for again?" Is she playing with me? She does look a lot more exhausted than usual.

"Ma'am. You requested 1st Lt. Shirogane to escort a VIP"

"Ah that's right. I knew I was forgetting something. That thing. It's good that you came early. I was about to leave without telling you"

"Eh? Are you going somewhere, sensei?"

"Just another boring meeting in Kyushu. I stayed up all night preparing for a conference. Haaaaa… keeping my eyes open is starting to get unpleasant. Well, good luck with the job. I'll see you in a few weeks"

Eh? That's it? "Wait a minute. (What?) What about the VIP? Weren't you gonna assign me to some special mission"

"That's correct. (…?) What's with that face? Didn't Isumi fill you in already?"

"No… she just told me to come here"

Yuuko raised her brow with an unexpected expression. "Is that so? I thought she'd tell you the details herself and save myself the trouble"

"So… who's the VIP?"

"She's standing right next to you. (Eh?) Haaaa… I guess an idiot will always be an idiot. Look, Yashiro might cry if you start treating her as just another regular bystander. (Ha?) Do I really need to say it?"

"Wait. Are you saying that Kasumi chan is the VIP I'm supposed to be escorting?"

She clapped her hands thrice in mockery of me before answering in a sarcastic tone. It looked as if she was trying to play innocent to the conversation. "Did it take you that long to figure that out? I guess you weren't playing stupid but you really are stupid after all. (Hey!) Ahh… I'm starting to feel bad for Yashiro. Not to be treated like VIP"

"Wait wait wait a minute! You're making me watch over her?" I barked.

"You're the one who was worried about her, weren't you? (But why me?) Why not? Yashiro doesn't have any close attachment with anyone other than you and besides, you're more than perfect for the role of her bodyguard. It saves me time and money along the way. But if it were my choice I would've preferred to have Silvio do it. (Silvio?) An old acquaintance. No one you need to know. But in any case, this is the mission I have for you. Are you going to take it or not?"

"What kind of a request is that? Well… I'll take it if I'm ordered but…"

"Good, then we have no problems then. (Hey wait!) What is it now?"

"How long am I supposed to watch over her for?"

"I don't know. I guess until I get back from Kyushu. She'll be staying with you until then. So walk, talk and sleep with each other. Keep yourselves busy anyway you can"

"Huh? Sleep with each… other?"

"That's right" Yuuko waved her hand playfully like she was just brushing my expression as dust in the air. "I already sent her stuff to your room so you shouldn't have any problem"

"There's a big problem right there!" I screamed. "I can't have Kasumi sleep in the same room as me! People might get the wrong idea!"

"Shirogane… you're being such a bore. Just tell them that it's part of your bodyguard duties. People will just pass it as another assignment"

"That's because your commonsense is weirder than all of us!"

"Haaaa… really now. This is just time consuming. The point of being a bodyguard is to be able to protect the target 24/7. How can you protect someone if you can't even see the person? (But still!) Don't be so stubborn. Besides, aren't you free right now as it is? (…?) If you have time to dawdle around and save princesses from assassins, then you have time to do some work around here"

"Save princesses? Ah… so… you heard about yesterday?"

"Of course. I received a formal apology from the Soviet Union Commander, himself. Fighting with a foreign soldier on your first encounter. I'm actually surprised this didn't cause an international incident. (Geh!) But in either case, protecting Yashiro will be your duty from here on end. Just don't go doing anything to her like you did back in Yokohama"

"That was accident! An accident, I tell you!" Damn it woman! Why is she always trying to grind my gears whenever she can?

"Vice Commander" Piatif interrupted us. "Your escorts have arrived. They're waiting for you"

"Hai hai. Tell them to hold the flight for a little bit longer. (Yes ma'am) Haaa… those old coots are always getting impatient. It's not like the answers will change just because we got there early. Anyway, let's get down to business, Shirogane. (Huh?) What's with that look? You didn't think I called you here just because I wanted you to watch over Yashiro, did you?" Eh? Wait… is she saying all of that for just a build-up? Well… that does makes sense. I mean… if she wanted me to look after Kasumi chan she could've just sent Piatif san with a message instead. It would've saved her a lot of time rather than talking to me directly. "Looks like you really are simple-minded after all"

"Hey… that's rude" I whined.

"Anyway, come into my office. This isn't something I want to discuss in the open.

…

…

…

The lab was about half-empty when I got in. It looked as if the lab was missing half of its components already. Yuuko must be in a hurry to leave if she wanted all of these equipments taken out in such a rush.

"So… what did you want to talk about?" I asked, feeling a bit unnerved from all this cloak and dagger movement.

Yuuko turned around to face me and scanned my body from head to toe like she was looking for some kind of sign. "I'll be direct about this so I want you to answer me honestly, 1st Lt. Shirogane" I flinched back a bit as if struck by lightning. That was probably the first time Yuuko ever addressed me by rank. She has always been a casual person and never allowed regulations to obstruct her. My body snapped at attention, feeling almost like a hypnotic hold was cast upon me. "My sister, Motoko. Did you talk to her recently?"

Motoko? (Flash) Oh… that girl who looked a lot like Yuuko sensei. The R&D department chairman. She must've heard something about the other night.

"Yes… I did…"

"What did you talk about? Answer me straight…"

"She… asked me to participate in the Training Exercise. (…) She 'requested' that I become a test pilot for the new series of Type-00 Takemikazuchi"

"I see. So she's bringing in those. And what did you say to her?"

"I… said that I'd think about it. But I also asked her to consult with you or Cpt. Isumi before anything else"

"Is that so? Well I guess that does explain this" Yuuko then handed me a small folder that had the U.N. seal stamped on its face. "It's an official request from the CO of the 6th U.N. Pacific Army. They're asking me to put you and the rest of the A-01 in the Training Exercise. (…!)" A request from that high up? Yuuko's sister must have some big connections if she could make the CO write a request like this. "I wasn't the only one who got it. Radhabinod and a few other staffs received the same thing. It seems like she's trying to create a commotion with the higher ups just to pressure me into agreeing"

"Pressure?"

"The request doesn't really state you by name but it's obvious that she wants you to be in this exercise more than anything"

"Hey… Yuuko sensei. Can I ask you something? (What is it?) This… Training Exercise. Isn't this supposed to be something good for mankind? (…?) I mean: Bringing pilots and resources from around the world to create better weapons and strategies to fight the BETA. Isn't this what this what it's all about?"

"That's what they say" She answered without a hint of hesitation. "Though the whole thing might sound like one big farce, people can't argue with the results it has given. Multinational exercise like the Blue Flag has yielded excellent progress in developing new equipments for many companies"

"Then don't you think I should support it? (…?) I mean, if everyone benefits from seeing me pilot then shouldn't I help them too?"

"Ora… if you had this kind of thoughts in mind, then why didn't you agree with her from the start? (Ah… well…) But you're right. If you did fight, there's no doubt that the results would be spectacular. But there's one tiny flaw in your equation. (Flaw?) Your pattern of thinking is conceptualized through human standards. Have you already forgotten how your body is different from the rest of the world? (…!)"

M… my body…

"You heal from wounds faster than anyone, you can withstand force greater than any ordinary person and you survive battles that not just anyone could. It should more than clear by now that your body is not the byproduct of man but something else entirely. (…) If you keep thinking that you're in the same league as any other man you may end up killing someone unintentionally"

…

Damn.

It's hard to admit but she's right. Yuuko is mostly right when it comes to something like this.

My body heals faster and I'm admittedly stronger than your average soldier. If I'm not careful, I might actually hurt someone. (Flash) Those two bullies back in Yokohama Base were a prime example of my strength. Even though they were wearing their exosuits inside their uniforms, I was still able to wound them. Badly enough that they needed to see stay in bed for a whole day. If they weren't wearing their suits then, their injuries could've been a lot worse.

"But I supposed it does sound rather interesting… (Eh?)" Yuuko added suddenly breaking me from my train of thought. "To see how long humans would last against you would be a rather intriguing. Don't you think?"

"Wha? What are you talking about? Weren't you against this from the start?"

"Against it? When did I say that? (…?) I only stated that you were thinking of yourself as a human and nothing more. I never said anything about you not joining"

"But wouldn't it be dangerous for me to fight other people?"

"I said that if you fought a person man-to-man" She answered as if it the obvious thing. "You're stronger than the average soldier but in a TSF the only differences you'll have is experience and skill. You don't think those people would just let you go out there to kill each other, do you?"

Of course! In a TSF, there's really no difference in strength. Only your skill can make a difference between the two sides. Besides, we won't be using live bullets but paintballs instead. The sword we use will also be equipped with training sheathes to blunt our blows and react solely to the JIVES program. That's why the battle looks so realistic on the screen.

"So… does that mean you'll allow me to compete in the Exercise?"

"I don't see why not. Besides… it would be good practice for you before the real fight. (Real fight?) Just make sure you don't overdo it. And don't forget to keep an eye on Yashiro. She's your responsibility from here on end. Understand? (Yes ma'am) Alright then. Put on a good show for me. I'll be very disappointed if you lose even just once" Yuuko then turned to her secretary and gave me one final wave before leaving through the doors. Though she might be bizarre from time to time, I guess she makes a lot of good points in the end. I should know… I've always been beaten by her logic plenty of times already.

**(An hour later) (TSF Hanger)**

I saw Yuuko's plane go off a few minutes after she left the lab. Lt. Piatif returned to her duties and quickly dismissed me. I didn't feel like returning to the afternoon match. Doing so would be pointless. Besides, I can't fully enjoy it knowing that Meiya is still angry with me.

I'm still trying to understand what I did to make her so mad. Everything was fine in the last few days we've been having but other than that, her attitude towards me just made a complete 180. I wonder if it really had anything to do with that crane game we did earlier.

Haaa… I can't think of anything. And sitting here in the cold breeze wasn't helping either. I thought that looking at TSFs would calm me down at least but it wasn't. Back then—whenever I looked at my good old war-machine, all my doubts become really small and practically pointless. But now… it seems like my machine was sent to the scrap yard already. Apparently the mechanics thought that getting a new one would be far cheaper than the one I've wrecked in both Sadogashima and Kyoto. And the Takemikazuchi that I destroyed in Tokyo didn't exactly come back in one piece either.

…!

Wait… could that be it? That Takemikazuchi. It was given to Meiya by her sister, the Shogun but back then she was unconscious. When things were heading south I took it upon myself to use it but I didn't exactly ask for her permission.

But… she wouldn't be angry about that… would she?

Nah… that wouldn't be the case.

"Zzzz…" Kasumi fell asleep by the time we got here. I guess her stamina isn't up to par. Not only that but I also left her in the simulator room when I dashed off into the blues. I keep forgetting that my strength is higher than a normal civilian. The poor girl must be exhausted just trying to keep up with me.

"Ara? Shirogane and… Yashiro?"

"Hmm? Oh… Marimo… sensei?"

"What are you doing here? If you're here to find your TSF, you won't find it"

"Ah… no it's not that. I thought I'd come by to clear my head around here. Why are you here?"

"I'm managing the supply rosters. They're shorthanded right now so I decided to volunteer for the extra work. (Ah… I see…) The afternoon match ended half an hour ago. The others were looking for you. (…) Is something wrong? It's unusual to see you depressed like this. Did something happen you're your meeting with Yuuko?"

"No… it's nothing like that. I was just thinking about something…"

"…" Ah… this is embarrassing. I didn't really wanna spill anything to anyone right now. "Do you want to talk about it? (Eh?) Whenever you are troubled with something, it's always best to have someone to talk to. Isn't this what you've been telling others? (…) Since you've listen to all their problems, maybe I can return the favor. You can't hold all that pent up emotions in your heart forever. Sometimes, you need someone to hear you out. And besides, saying things out loud can really help clear your mind"

…

…

Heh…

This woman is just so… She's saying all the same things I've been telling my teammates. Why am so stupid to forget things I've been preaching to others?

Laughing my words down, I scooted away, making room for her to sit. "I guess I must look pretty bad if you can notice it, Marimo sensei"

"Just because my job description has changed doesn't mean I can use my old skills to help others" Heh that's true. But saying something like that makes her sound old—I think I'll keep that thought to myself. "So… what's troubling you? Considering what you've gone through I'm thinking that it has to be pretty serious if it was able to make the Legendary Rookie, depressed"

"Please don't call me that. I hate that title" People have been calling me that left and right. Even that rookie, Hibiki has been pronouncing it like he was some kind of preacher. "Besides, I'm not a rookie anymore. I'm a fully commissioned officer now. I should already have a new title"

"Old nicknames are hard to die. If it was easy to erase I would've changed mine a long time ago"

Her old nickname? "Do you mean the 'Mad Dog'? (Pffft!) Whoa!" She spat out her tea when I mentioned it.

"Who told you about that!-? (Ah…) Was it Isumi, Hayase?"

"Ah… Y… Yuuko sensei mentioned something about that. (…!) Sh… she called you that when we were talking about you" It wasn't a total lie. Back in my world, Yuuko called her the 'Mad Dog' because of her wild powers when she intoxicated.

…

She calmed down a bit after I mentioned my source. "Ah… I see. I guess Yuuko would know something like that. Sorry… that was a little unsightly. (…) I guess I'm a little sensitive with that nickname. I haven't heard that for a long while now. To be honest, I got that title when I was still an instructor. It was long before you and the rest of Squad 207 came in"

"Why did they call you that?"

"Because of my teaching methods. (…?) I wasn't always this nice when I first became an instructor, Shirogane. Back then I used to be very harsh in the way I taught my cadets" Harsh? I don't think I can imagine Marimo chan being harsh. In both my worlds, she was always the sweet caring woman that I've known, the person who was there when I needed her the most. "What's with that look? Are you surprised?"

"Well… a little bit" I admitted. "I mean… ever since I've known you, you've been very kind. Not just to me but to everyone. It's hard to imagine you harsh at all"

"Ara ara. That still means you have a lot to learn about women, Shirogane kun. We're a lot more complex than that. We show on the outside what we want to show and hide all the little secrets inside" Hey… where have I heard that before? "Sorry but I'd rather not talk about it"

"Hey now. What happened to 'Whenever you are troubled with something, it's always best to have someone to talk to'?"

"This is this. That is that. They're totally different matters!" Ahehehe… I got her again. "Shirogane… that smile of yours says that you're intentionally trying to irritate me. (Ahehe, sorry) Geez. I went all this way to help you out. The very least you could do is cooperate"

"Ahehehe… sorry ma'am. I'll try to be more considerate. But… I'm feeling a lot better now that I got to talk to you"

"You sure?" She inquired. "We haven't even talked about your problem yet"

"It's nothing serious" I waved her worries off. "I'm sure it'll resolve itself soon enough. Besides… there are just some problems you really need to do by yourself. If we can't overcome it, then it'll feel like you haven't grown at all"

…

"Ahuhuhu…" Oh? She laughed. "You know, Shirogane. That was a really mature thing to say. (Eh?) I have no doubt in my mind you'll make someone very happy in the future" Huh? What's that supposed to mean?

Whirrr!

Hmm? The hanger doors are opening. Is another squad coming in?

"Ah… it's finally here" Marimo lifted from her seat and approached the railing, turning her attention to the newly incoming mech. "It took them awhile to get it out. I supposed you can't transfer something that big especially in this weather"

And then I saw it.

The black and white painted TSF. It entered the hanger, hauled in by four freight trucks like a giant being towed at sea. A large thin fabric was the only thing that protected it from the weather. But I can make up the shapes that weren't covered too well.

"Isn't that…?"

"That's the TSF that you piloted back in Yokohama Base" Marimo confirmed it for me with a hint of a smile on her lips. "The XFJ-01a Shiranui Second Phase 2"


	75. Back to the Fight

**Chapter 75: Back to the Fight**

**(January 18, 2002 Friday) (Takeru's POV) (10:15 AM) (Briefing room)**

The announcement came in faster than I imagined it. By the next morning, everyone knew that the Valkyries were to be participating in the match. The whole team was excited and you wouldn't imagine how happy Hayase was when she heard the news from Cpt. Isumi herself. She was so happy that her smile looked like a kid who just got her Birthday presents a day early.

By dinner last night, the Captain had to pick four of us to participate in the match ups. Hayase was in the lead since she wanted to be there the most. I was recommended afterwards with my Platoon Leader agreeing wholeheartedly. Seeing as how we were the only two who were not as severely injured from the previous battle, it was natural to have us fight.

Kashiwagi was next to volunteer. She was only one dismissed from the hospital with a legal dismissal charge from a certified doctor. The others were simply here because of their own circumstances. It was good to have someone as support. With Hayase and I being Storm Vanguards, we'll probably go in an all out battle like there was no tomorrow. Rushing in head first can be good, especially against the BETA but against humans… it's another matter entirely. With someone supporting us from long range our backs and flanks can be covered.

But it was the fourth member of our strike team that took me by surprised.

With the other team members still injured and Cpt. Isumi restricted with her duties, we were left with only one who was uninjured and had the Eishi skill to match up with us.

"Sorry I'm late…" Marimo chan said out loud as she entered the room garbed in her exosuit. This is probably the second time I've seen this outfit. The first time was during the 12/5 incident. Back then I was probably nervous during our first sortie but now that we're in a cool environment, I never knew that she could be so… curvaceous. "There was a delay in the supply requisition"

"It's alright. We're just about to begin" Cpt. Isumi nodded it off and signaled Marimo to join the rest of the team. The others were already in the meeting room watching the morning matches so it's natural for us to be briefed while they're doing that. "As you may have already heard, the A-01 9th Squadron is being ordered to replace a unit that decided to back out of the fight in the last minute. This message came directly from the top with Vice Commander Yuuko's approval so I want every last one of you to perform their best"

"No problem about that" Hayase replied with a snobby grin. "I always do my best when we're I'm in a fight. It's those other guys you have to be worrying about"

"Do your best but try to go easy on them, Hayase" Isumi cooed sarcastically. "I don't want the match to end too early. (Hehehe) Remember, this Training Exercise was designed to improve the combat effectiveness of the TSF. Pushing your units to their limits is the key so don't forget that. (Ma'am!)"

"Ah… Captain…" Kashiwagi interrupted. "Will we be using the same TSFs as before? Cuz… if I remember… mine didn't make it back in one piece" She's right. Ever since the Battle of Kyoto and Tokyo, most of our TSFs never made it back in one piece and I broke three of them in those battles alone. (Flash) But… then again… we might get a chance to use those Takemikazuchis that the Chairman showed me.

"Correct. We'll be using the Type-94 Shiranui as always" Oh? So it's not the Takemikazuchi? "I've already requisitioned replacements for the ones we lost but it'll still take them time to get hers. You can use Munakata's unit for the meantime. The setting on both your units should be similar to one another, correct? (Yes ma'am) As for Hayase—Mitsurugi already gave permission that you could use hers for the moment" Meiya's? Oh that's right. She left hers in Yokohama Base. She used her Takemikazuchi in the fight on Tokyo. Geez… talk about a random string of events.

"Yosh, no problem there. I've seen Mitsurugi handle her TSF. It'll take a minute to get used to the controls"

"As for Shirogane, you'll be using the prototype unit XFJ-01a. (Eh?) Yuuko requested that you pilot it during the exercise. She said that you've already piloted it once before, correct?"

"Ah… yes ma'am. I have. But only once. The specs on that machine are way different" Besides, I only tested the maneuvering capabilities. Everything else was broken during that time.

"Then it will suffice. Remember, this is not a competition" She reminded us. "This is an exercise to improve the capabilities of our weapons. Nothing more—nothing less. If the XFJ unit can prove itself superior to the regular Shiranuis then we'll most like mass produce it to replace our old ones. Understand? (Ma'am!) As for 1st Lt. Jinguuji… you can use mine"

…?

"Ma'am. Are you certain?"

"The control logs should be similar to back then so you shouldn't have any difficulties managing it. (…) Is that going to be a problem?"

"No ma'am" Marimo chan answered quickly and with a straight face. "No problem at all"

"Good. Then the four of you can prepare. Your match starts in the afternoon"

…!

In the afternoon? Already?

"Isn't that a bit early?" Kashiwagi questioned just like the rest of us. "We haven't even adjusted our suits to our TSFs yet"

"I told you that this was a last minute thing. The team that was supposed be fighting got reassigned to the East. I already have the TSFs stored in the sortie hanger so you can finalize their performance before lunch. Hayase will brief the rest of you of your opponents and their machines. Report to hanger 9 a 12:30 for launch. That is all. Dismissed"

"Salute!"

…

…

…

I don't believe this. A match up, right off the bat? Even I find that a little bizarre. It's like we were being sent from the freezer and into the frying pan without giving a moment to thaw. But I supposed there's nothing that could be done about it. She says that it was a last minute decision but I'm sure that someone else was pulling the strings in this situation. (Flash) The Chairman probably had a hand in it somehow. After all, she was the one who wanted me to test flight the new toys.

"Wah… my heart really is racing after all" Kashiwagi said out loud after the briefing was done. I guess she was also surprised to be piloting after so long. "I've been out of the hospital for barely a week and I'm already taking part in something big"

"Are you excited about the upcoming match?" I asked with a small chuckle.

"Of course! If this was just a simple training regime like before, I wouldn't be nervous. But knowing that this is a live match with Aces from around the world, it makes your blood pump just thinking about it" Heh… I supposed I can relate to that. This match will be watched by pilots from every country around the globe. People will be analyzing, judging our skill like hawks. Knowing that excellent pilots like Sigel san and that scary man in her squad watching me, is enough to get my skin to crawl. "Oi, Shirogane. What are you looking at?"

"Huh? Ah… sorry. I was just thinking what you said about being watched"

"Ahehe… I guess even someone like you can get nervous in the right situation"

WHAM!

"Alright, listen up!" Hayase roared as she took the stage by force. "Just because we've been out of practice for awhile doesn't give us an excuse to slack off! Our enemies are veterans, elites. They're the best of the best of the best. That means we'll have to give them more than they bargained for and show them that we mean business!"

Uwa… looks like she's really fired up. She's acting like a pumped up commander giving her men some inspirational speech.

"Our opponents this afternoon are the Lightning Squadron from the 31st Tactical Armored Unit from the Imperial Army" Imperial soldiers? That's unexpected. I knew that they were taking part in this exercise but I never thought I'd have to face them personally. "They've only been commissioned for a few months but don't look down on them. These soldiers took part in the Battle for Sadogashima last year so you know what you can expect from them. (…) These guys will be piloting the Type-89 F-15J Kangerou, a 2nd Generation TSF Fighter"

The Kangerou. Another variant of the F-15 reversed engineered by the Imperial Army, Ministry of Defense. I've heard of them. People merely refer to them as the same as the F-15 Eagles seeing as how similar the outer appearance looks. I think I saw a few of them during the defense of Kyoto and Sadogashima as well.

"These TSFs specialize in reliability. They're all-rounder fighters capable in various combat situations and roles so our enemies will probably use that to their advantage. To counter their speed, maneuverability and their strength, we're going to focus on one area solely to beat them in a game they can't win! Shirogane! (Yes ma'am!)" I stood at attention at the call of my name like it was reflex. "You and I will be armed with Storm Vanguard equipments like before. We're gonna be at the forefront of the fight! Kashiwagi, you'll go with Blast Guard equipments. (Yes ma'am) We'll need to use heavy artilleries to pound them into submission. 1st Lt. Jinguuji will be on the role of Gun Interceptor. (Ma'am)"

Gun interceptor? (Flash) I guess that role does suit Marimo just fine. Being an interceptor she can act as support while at the same time, act as an offensive unit if need be. A Multi-role class.

"Our starting formation will be as follows" Hayase continued, turning to the big screen projector. "Remember that our enemies are humans but that doesn't mean that they're any less dangerous than the BETA. Should the situation change, we'll adapt with a new formation on the field. Understood? (Yes ma'am!) Shirogane and I will take the front, scouting the enemy's position. Jinguuji will be guarding our rear to make sure the enemy doesn't take us from behind. Kashiwgi. You'll act independently from our group keeping a fixed distance so we won't get separated. If either one of us engages the enemy we'll combine our firepower together to knock them off balance. You got that? (Yes ma'am) Right then. If there are no more questions then let's head to the hangers"

"Eh? But… 1st Lt. Hayase" I called to her. "Shouldn't we get lunch first?"

"Skip it! (Eh!) This is a once in a lifetime opportunity. We can't afford to waste time on silly meals and stupid protein! (…) The heart pounding of your blood should be giving you more than enough power to keep your body going to the next 10 years! Don't diss it with weakling food!"

Wow… I think the Lieutenant just lost it…

**(Hanger 9) (11:15 AM)**

Hayase rushed off towards her TSF the moment she came in. The mechanics were already busying themselves putting in the final touches on our machines. Most of them were already fixed and were battle ready. The only thing they were missing was fresh paintwork to add to the aesthetics.

But unlike the others, I wasn't particularly happy to see my new TSF. (Clink) Walking towards the black and white giant, I began to feel a great unease creep up behind my neck. There was no doubt in my mind that this was the machine I saw in my dream. It was the same machine that literally killed me in my sleep.

Even from this distance, I can feel that aura radiating from it. No one seems to notice it except for myself. I kept telling myself that this TSF was just like any other and it can't do me any harm unless someone is piloting it. But still… with that dream from the other day still fresh in my mind, I feel like I'm slowly walking towards my own executioner.

My palms are already sweaty just looking at it and my bones are shaking like they were being rattled from within.

Something about this TSF just screams terror at me and it's not just because of its visor sensors. The machine's whole being is weighing heavily down like it was possessed by some kind of evil spirit. I know that I don't believe in such things but that's just how I feel whenever I look at it. I wonder if Mikoto was right that I can actually sense ghosts.

The cockpit is another thing too. Though it looked like the standard universal cockpit block, something about it is also giving me the goosebumps. I know that it doesn't make sense but this is really how I feel about it. Maybe I should ask them to replace the central unit with a new one. I don't wanna end up being possessed or anything.

"Good morning…"

"Huh? Oh… Kasumi? What are you doing here? I thought I told you to wait for me at the briefing room. (…) Did you come to see me off? Well you shouldn't linger here for too long. This place isn't exactly safe for someone without the proper protection and I'm still responsible for your safety. (…) Tell you what. After this match, I'll play with you all evening, ok? (Nod) Good. Now, off you go. Stay close to Suzumiya while you're there and don't disturb everyone, ok?"

"Ok…" Heh… she looks pretty cute when she smiles like that. "Take care of her… (Huh?) Don't press her too much…" Her? Who's her? The TSF? "She said that she'll protect you… for me…"

"Who are you talking ab—ah hey!" Dang it. Why does she keep going on halfway? Oh well. Not that it matters. I should probably adjust my TSF to my old settings. I'll ignore my feelings for now.

"Oh… there you are 1st Lt. Shirogane" The head mechanic called out to me. "I was wondering when you'd show up. We adjusted the machine to your specification. (Eh?) The Vice Commander wanted us to tune this weapon up just as you wanted it so we made some modifications. Please sign here"

"Wait, you already tuned it up for me? (Yes sir)" Yuuko sensei. She must've really wanted me to test this thing out. I guess I have her to thank for the time saver.

Hmm… all the limbs are tightly screwed. The status parameter adjustment error is within 1% so I won't have to reset the systems over and over. It seems like she got the data off my wrecked Shiranui like before. "Everything seems to be fine. What about the OS?"

"We were able to get your XM3 unit from your previous TSF. All the combat data and battle logs have already been added to the system so it should just like your old one. It might feel a little rusty at first but once the data has been inserted, your unit should adapt to it once it's in the field"

So I guess it needs a startup just like before. I supposed that'll work once we're in the field. Hmm… I still got time before that. I should see the others and check if they're ok. "Alright. Keep up the good work. Have the unit fueled up and ready to go by the afternoon"

"As you wish, sir"

…

…

…

Hmm I'm a little conflicted at the moment. Yuuko seems to be hell bent on getting me to pilot that machine and her sister seems intent on getting me to take part in this exercise. Yet somehow, I get the feeling that their agendas are completely different. I know I shouldn't poke my nose into such things but I didn't even know that Yuuko had a sister at all until recently. Their behaviors are quite similar too but yet… I get the feeling that they're not looking at the same page on the same book.

"Shirogane?" Marimo chan? "Are you wandering around again? Have you finished recalibrating your new unit? Hayase will be mad if she sees you walking around aimlessly"

Heh… that's probably true. "The mechanics already had everything ready for me. Yuuko made sure that it was set to my old style so there wasn't really much for me to do. (I see) What about you?"

"Ah… it's the same. There really isn't much for me to change at all. Though to be honest, this will be my first time piloting a Type-94 Shiranui. (…?) I've only piloted Fubukis and the F-4 during my days so you could say that this is a whole new level for me" Hmm… she's not wrong there. In my loops, I've only seen Marimo chan pilot those two types of units and nothing more. I guess anyone would be a little overwhelmed being transferred to an offensive type TSF on the spot. "But I must say… the controls are just like Isumi…"

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"Haven't I told you this before? Isumi used to be my student when she was a cadet" Oh right… I think I remember hearing that once. "I was the one who taught her how to control a TSF. Even till now she hasn't changed that much but she really has developed her controls to a whole new level. I can only assume that it has something to do with the new OS"

"Marimo… sensei?"

"Ah sorry. I guess I was feeling a bit nostalgic about all this. But you really shouldn't linger here. If Hayase finds you, she might take away your dinner too. (Ahehehe yeah) I'll finalize my tuning for a bit. And maybe after the match you and I can catch a meal together. We might even double our rations. The chef here seems to give me a large portion every time I come to him" Geh! Wait… the chef? (Flash) She's not talking about that sexist perverted guy in the PX, is she? That guy is a jerk when it comes to guys.

"Marimo sensei. Are you talking about the new guy in the PX?"

"Yeah. He's really sweet. Yesterday he even gave Kazama and me extra portions. I think he might even give you some if you're nice to him" No… it's about being nice to that guy. He's a complete sexist who's only nice to girls. To us guys he's like public enemy #1. Even that time with Sigel made it clear what he was like.

"Ara? Well this is unexpected, 1st Lt. Shirogane san" Huh? Ah!

"Y… you're… Sigel san!"

"What a coincidence to meet you here of all places"

"I… it's… it's great to… see you… too" Whoa! This is totally unexpected. I'm seeing Sigel again and she's in her exosuit. It was spotless white and gray that covered her from neck to toe. Her body was everything a man of my caliber could dream of. Her face featured something very different from the other girls I've met so far. She's… different, like an Angel from Europe. Her long silver hair was neatly tied like it was done by a professional stylist. Her face was soft like it was a doll; her dark blue eyes were so deep that it looked like it could suck my soul. And her curves and voluptuous breast emanated a gravity of their own that I felt my gaze drawn to them.

"Shirogane…"

…!

Whoa! What was that? My mind was suddenly snapped back to attention when I noted a strong killing intent creeping behind me. My hands rose up in defense preparing to deflect whatever attack that came.

"Eh? M… Marimo chan?"

"Ahuhuhuhu… please don't be mad at him. He's just showing traits of a healthy young man after all" Geh! Damn it. Was I that obvious? "Though I wasn't expecting to see you here, Shirogane san"

"Ah… same here" I replied, slowly dropping my guard. "D… did you just come back from your match?"

"Hai… it was a splendid fight. Our opponents were quite competent in their abilities. Fortunately we were victorious. (Oh…) And I see you've donned an exosuit yourself. Does this mean that you will be participating in the exercise as well?"

"Oh this? This was a last minute thing. The other team had something else to do so we're standing in for them. Ahehe…hehehe…"

"Is that so? Fate must really be playing with you if it brought you here, Shirogane san. I supposed that this will a wonderful opportunity to see the Legendary Rookie in action. (Ahehehe…) Ahuhuhu. Your opponents will definitely be of no match against your team. I'll be rooting for you, Lieutenant"

"Ah… yeah… definitely…"

Ahe…ahehehehe…aheeheehee…

Ah… what a sweet woman. Knowing that someone like her is cheering me from the sidelines makes me feel like I could take on the whole army myself. I could really get used to having someone cheer for me. Heh…hehehe…

Aw man… look at me. My face is all red again.

"SHI-RO-GA-NE… kun"

"Ah? Y… yes Marimo… sensei?" And… what's with the –kun honorific? And… what's with that deadly aura behind her?

"GET BACK TO YOUR UNIT AND GET READY FOR LAUNCH ALREADY!"

"Hai! Yes ma'am! Understood ma'am!"

**(Marimo's POV)**

The boy blasted off faster than a jet engine when I barked at him at full tone. It was only then till I realized that my fists were balled up as if it was waiting for me to punch someone. That boy is truly irritating to no end. He hasn't changed even back when he was a cadet he constantly gave me headaches because of his presence.

I always prized myself for being a fair and strict instructor but whenever I'm dealing with that boy in particular my temper shortens to a small fuse and my muscles tighten like they're secreting the very air around me.

It's his fault to begin with for acting all lovey-dovey with that woman. Seriously, his little love-struck atmosphere could distract him from the mission and ultimately cost him his life. That boy should really put his priorities straight.

It seems like I'll have to keep a closer eye on him to make sure he doesn't deviate from his course. As his former instructor, it is my duty to ensure that this boy doesn't get distracted for anything.

**(Takeru's POV)**

Geez… what's up with that? For a minute there, Marimo chan was happy as a puppy, the next thing I know, she's snapping at my heels like a shark. Are all women this short-tempered, or just the ones I know? Well… not that it matters now. It's already 12:15. The match will be starting soon. I was hoping to talk with Sigel san a bit bore but I guess that'd be asking a lot.

"Yo, Takeru!"

"Huh? Oh hey, Kashiwagi"

"What's with that half-hearted reply?" She noted my tone with a dejected voice. "Did you hit yourself in the head or something?"

"I wish I did. How's it going with your unit?"

"I might've been out of duty for the last few weeks but that doesn't mean I've gotten rusty" She patted the cockpit of her new Shiranui a few times to confirm this. "But I supposed you could say it's a little weird"

"Weird? How so?"

"Well… the controls are pretty much the same. Munakata and I have been on supporting roles since the beginning so there really isn't much to change. But there's a smell inside that reminds me a lot of her. (A smell?) Yeah. Like a sweet lemony kind of smell. I've been looking for the source but I supposed it's just how Eishis are when they're in their TSF"

"Well, I supposed only you'd know since you wrecked your TSF already"

"Heeeeh. I don't want to hear that from someone who broke more TSFs than all of us. (Geh! You know?) You'd be surprised what people gossip about in the hallways. Besides, the head mechanic back in Yokohama Base constantly complains how badly you treat your machines. (Uuuu…) But I supposed doing all that insane stunt of yours must take its toll on you. They say that a horse and its rider must match their strength in order to form perfection. But I supposed in this case, the rider himself is a lot more powerful than the horse so you could say that you need someone to match you in terms of strength. (Huh?) It's like having an expert swordsman holding a rusty blade. If the blade isn't as strong as the wielder then it will obviously snap"

"That sounded really confusing and really meaningful at the same time. (Ahehehe) But wouldn't a dull sword snap regardless who the wielder is?"

"It's just a metaphor. It's just something to relate with" Oh? I seem to have annoyed her. "Anyway, just take that into account for now. Really now. I'm trying to help you here but all you do is make fun of us"

"Ahaha… sorry about that"

Whirrr…

"Hmm? What's that? Another batch of TSFs?" Kashiwagi noticed when we heard the gate opening. "Oh… aren't those…"

One of America's most advanced 3rd Generation TSFs. The F-22A… Raptors.

Even though I've only seen this unit a few times, I'd recognize them anywhere. Painted in jet-black colors, equipped with shoulder mounted thrusters for maneuverability boost, large bipedal legs and that gaze that can make even the saltiest Eishi freeze for a split second were all too familiar with me.

There wasn't an Eishi alive who doesn't know of the incredible performance made by the F-22. With a strong kill ratio of 7 to 1, they're probably one of the most respected and equally feared out of all the TSFs. They're not scary just because of their speed but their special ability not to be detected on radar makes them all the more difficult to fight them. Honestly, when I saw Major Walken pilot one of these, he could probably match up to my XM3 OS unit without a problem.

Still… I can't believe that we might actually have to fight one of those.

"The 65th Combat Training Battalion: Infinities" I turned my attention back to Kashiwagi as she muttered something just within my hearing range. "The name of the group. They're a non-frontline unit that's brought in for the sole purpose of developing better weapons. Each and every one of those pilots must've seen combat at least once or twice. It's hard to imagine that we might actually have to face such an opponent"

"You seem to know awfully a lot of them" I noted with a smirk on my lips.

"Ahehe. I hang out with Suzumiya and Akane chan a lot these days so I guess I picked up a few things from them. (That's true) Haaaa… but you know… after being on holiday for so long, you kinda feel down when you realize that you have work coming later. Huaaaa… I need a vacation to get over my vacation"

"Hopefully you'll get over it once the match starts" Still… to fight against the F-22. That has to mean something. With that stealth technology, taking on one of them would be a challenge already. I wonder if I'd win, if I go up against something like that.

"What's the matter? Getting scared already, Shirogane?"

"N… no of course not!" I denied forcefully. "I was just thinking of how tough it is to face something like that"

"Ahehehe… that's just an excuse. But if it's you, I wouldn't worry too much about it. (…?) The Raptor might be intimidating at first but it's no different than anyone of us. Sure it's stronger, faster and maybe it has the stealth system to boot but at the end of the day, no matter how much you try to sugarcoat it, it's just another big machine with a human inside"

"That's a rather naïve way of looking at things"

"Ahehehe. If you want, I can always sing you a lullaby before you go to bed. (Hey!)"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

But little did Shirogane know, that he too was being watched by the pilots of the fearsome Raptors.

Standing by the guardrails, clad in their own exosuits, stood four mighty figures, each with different sizes and different agendas in the fight.

The first one was a burly man, nearly twice the size of the average person. His muscles shown across his stomach like that of a wrestler that tackles people for the entertainment of spectators. You could also see a giant tribal tattoo snaking around his left shoulder that differentiated him from the rest.

The second was a brown skin man who looked like the leader of the group. His feature was smaller than the first but his size left little to matter. But despite his lack of unique features, the other three around him didn't seem at keen to disobey his command.

The third was another man that was smaller than the other two men. His dark blue hair matched with his eyes as he darted them towards the boy on the other side of the railing.

"So that's him?" The leader of the team stated to no one directly. It was more of an inquiry that he already had the answer to. "The Ace of the U.N. we've been hearing so much about? Takeru… Shirogane. He's rather young for a soldier, much less a Pilot at this point"

"He's smaller than I expected" The burly man added, placing his hands on his hips as he analyzed the kid from afar. "They said that he was a monster but all I see is a boy flirting with his girlfriend"

"Don't let appearances fool you. Kids nowadays can be just as fierce as any well-bred marine on field duty. Though I'm surprised that there wasn't any announcement to the boy's participation until now. What's your opinion, Leon?"

"What's there to discern?" The third man of the team replied, his face looking away from the sight. "He's a kid. That's all there is to it"

"Oh? Come now. Surely you can do better than that—" But the leader stopped as he came to realization. "Ah… you're not angry at the fact that he's piloting that machine, are you? (…) Heh. Still can't get over what happened in Yukon? It's been five months already. (Hmph…) Haaa… you're a hard one to deal with. Seriously…"

"Well I think he's pretty cute" The trio turned to the fourth member of the group who gave her comment. A curvaceous lady with brightly pink hair and pale skin walked up to them with a folder in hand. "He looks a lot different from the picture they sent us"

"That information was recorded months ago so it's no surprise that he'd look different now" The tanned skin man corrected, taking the folder from the girl, reading the details in his head. "The CIA didn't even take notice of him until last December. They say that he's the personal guard of Professor Yuuko Kouzuki, the witch of Yokohama Base. Nothing about him has been confirmed either"

"Confirmed?" The man known as Leon raised his brow at this new bit of information. "What do you mean?"

"Well, as of three months ago… this boy didn't even exist. (…?)"

"What about his personal background?" The burly man questioned, also remembering reading about the boy in question.

"They were all fabricated" Was their leader's answer. "Central intelligence may be a jerk from time to time but they're smart enough know how to tell which information is false and which is truth. As a matter of fact, the only information they've been able to gather about the boy was of the rumors around him. (Rumors?)" The team turned their heads to him. "Some say he's a human super-soldier bred in a test tube"

"That would explain why he's so young…" Leon muttered with a disgusted tone.

"But I heard another group saying that he's a robot" The female of the team added not taking her eyes off the mark.

"Cybernetics? Like the ones in London?" The burly man followed.

"Could be. But like he Keith says: They're just rumors"

"Has the intelligence agency stooped so low to rely on such things?" Leon remarked, a hint of a smirk crawling up his lips. "They're certainly losing their touch"

"Either that or the people who's hiding him knows what they're doing. Not that it matters right now"

But their conversation was suddenly interrupted by the speaker announcing the competition. "Attention all pilots. Please make final safety checks on your units and prepare to depart. The next match will begin in thirty minutes. All technicians and non-essential personnel are to evacuate the hanger area immediately. I repeat, the match will begin in thirty minutes…"

**(Takeru's POV) (20 minutes later) (Ruins of Kobe City)**

Haaaa… this again. This tightening squeeze around my chest and thighs. I've almost forgotten how it feels like to be in one of these things. I guess the Captain was right about one thing. This long extended period of rest has made my senses rusty. I'll have to reacquaint myself to combat through this exercise.

Click…

Just trying to remember the basic controls was staggering but I'm sure it'll all come back to me once I get the hang of this unit.

"Valkyrie Mum to team" Suzumiya appeared on my screen. "8 minutes remaining until the beginning of the match. I'm sending you the recent data of the city layouts to your computers. This should help you find your way around easier. I've also marked the combat zone around your training ground. Please note the limit zone of the training area. Combat and training is not permitted outside of the yellow line. If you happen to cross the red line by any circumstances, the match will be cancelled and person who disobeys this rule will forfeit the match along with the rest of the team"

A limit huh? I guess that's natural. There are other matches going on around us too so it's only natural they use small portions of the city as our battlefield. Still this should be more than enough to hold a large scale TSF battle.

"Shirogane san…"

"Hmm? What is it Suzumiya?"

"I would like to ask if there are any problems with the unit you're piloting. Though the Shiranui Second has already passed all of its tests, there are still a few unknown variables that have not been confirmed. The specs of the XFJ are very different from what you're used and not to mention that there may be some peculiarities left from its previous pilot so please don't be afraid to report in if it malfunctions in any way"

"I see. Roger that. I'll make sure to update my suit with the unit. Thanks Suzumiya"

"It is my job to ensure the unit acts efficiently"

"Alright every one. Quit the chitchat and listen up!" Hayase's voice boomed over my ear interrupting our conversation. "Our enemy today is from the Imperial Army Mainland Defense Force. Whatever happens, do not underestimate them and at the same time, you are to show them no mercy!" Uwa… looks like she's really pumped up for this. "This fight is to prove our do or die strategy above all else! I will accept nothing here but complete and total victory, you hear me? ABSOLUTE VICTORY at any cost! I don't care how you achieve it so don't be afraid to play dirty!" Whatever happened to the calm and coolheaded Hayase that I knew? Is she really that eager to fight?

"Uwa… she really is pumped about all this" Kashiwagi muttered in my direction. "It's almost scary"

"Well, you can say that judging from her personality" I agreed almost wholeheartedly. The girl was simply craving for a fight since we got here. I was actually afraid of what might happen if she didn't get the chance to let off some steam.

"Shi-ro-ga-ne. You got something to say?"

I snapped myself back at attention. "No ma'am! Nothing at all"

"Heeeeh. You seem pretty confident after your big encounter in Tokyo. In that case then I have a special condition for you. (Special… wha?) If you get hit even once, you lose two meals…"

"Wha? Wait! Why me!-?"

"If you can handle a hundred of Honor Guards on your own, four of these punks should be no problem! (Geh!) Hooo? Not satisfied? Wanna add something else to the pot?"

"No ma'am! I agree!"

"Good. Remember… if I see a single stain of paint on your unit, its game over for you. Got that? (Yes ma'am!) Good then let's get this show started!" Ugh… this is gonna suck.

"Valkyrie Mum to team. The Training Exercise has begun. Deploy at your discretion. I repeat, the match has begun, deploy at your discretion"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Quickly, the Valkyries launched from their position in unison, each of them pumping fuel into their thrusters, lifting the metallic titans into the air. The four hovered a few feet above ground, making use of the tall buildings that surrounded them. Hayase and Shirogane took the front, each of them holding their shields to make a wall in the tightly confined spaces between buildings.

Marimo followed not far behind. Her unit keeping watch over the two at the front while at the same time making sure to keep her eyes and ears open for any ambush.

And even farther back, stood Kashiwagi. Her Type-94 Shiranui armed to the teeth with heavy payloads of missiles and bullets made her the reification of a mobile-artillery unit. Just by looking at the massive assortment of weapons made any static defense brace its teeth together if it had any.

In a long and grueling match like this, both parties were expected to fight a battle of psyche which tested their mental fortitude in combat. The eerie silence that explicitly comes after a rage of gunfire was enough to make any soldier stand on their toes. Knowing that the enemy was out there somewhere just out of sight and knowing that they were out there to find and kill you was something done plentiful in a battle against elites.

But this was not such a battle.

Right after the Valkyries left their starting point they immediately noted three blips appearing on their radar approaching them at high speed.

"What the? A head on attack!-?" Even Hayase who was so thrilled earlier could not help but be surprised of her opponents' actions. "Everyone scatter!"

The trio roared out in separate direction, avoiding the hail of gunfire from the air. The JIVES program made it look like real live fire but in truth they were only large paintballs that simulated live ammunition. Despite knowing this, the Valkyries found themselves at odds with the programming.

The opposing team expected to pin their opponents down with gunfire, hoping to slowly crush them into a pulp by unleashing hail from all direction. But instead of cowering like cornered dogs, Hayase only found their strategy to be more enticing to her appetite.

"Don't let them surround us! We're going on the offensive! Shirogane, with me!"

"Yes ma'am!" The boy answered with just as much enthusiasm as her. Perhaps the semi-hypnotic suggestion of losing his meal played a part in that. The two Storm Vanguards roared from their cover raising their shields up to form a shell that reminded the viewers of the Roman Legion Testudo formation that covered all sides with a mighty wall.

The opposing team quickly realized their enemy's attack and slowly fell back trying to hit them from behind. But they soon fell to a covering fire from Marimo's gun which strafed the skylines.

"They're falling back! Kashiwagi, nail them!"

"Roger that!" The said person then unleashed a hail of her missiles, trailing the competitors by the sky. She expected the shots to hit but the opposing players quickly withdrew towards the lower ground using the buildings as cover. "Damn. They're using the buildings as cover. My rockets won't work in this terrain"

"Good…" Came Hayase's surprising comment. "This will be a fight on the ground. We're gonna push back. Shirogane, with me! We'll take the enemy head on. Kashiwagi, act as support. If any of them tries to escape, destroy them! Jinguuji will cover our rear. Go!"

**(Imperial Army briefing room)**

Hibiki was grinning ear to ear as he watched that match. His excitement was beyond what he had hoped for and his muffled cheers were beginning to annoy his commanding officer and comrades alike.

"Yosha! Go get them sempai! This is just too cool! Did you see that, Matsukaze? Didn't I tell you that he'd be awesome?"

"Yeah, yeah. I got it already. You don't have to tell me twice" His close friend answered with a disgruntled expression marring his face. "But… you do know that you're supposed to be rooting for the other team, don't you? After all, those are our real sempais"

"I'm always at Shirogane's side no matter what. Just because we're on different teams doesn't mean I can't bet on the other horse"

"That metaphor of yours makes little sense" Matsukaze replied feeling that he was being affronted by a desperate fan. "But I have to say that your idol has some style. He flies around all over the place. The camera can barely track him as it is. His resilience against the G-Force is impressive. A regular pilot would've had a difficult time just maneuvering like that"

"Really?" Hibiki raised a curious brow. "Those look pretty standard. But you should've seen him back in Tokyo. He pulled some really insane maneuvers that were—(WHACK!) Ow!" The boy felt a palm smacked against his lips.

"Oi… watch what you blurt out" His close friend warned. "We've already been told that bit of information isn't to be spread around. You really need to watch what you say or you'll end up—(WHAM!) Yeoww! That hurt!"

"You're the one who hit me first you idiot! You don't interrupt people while they're talking, Matsu!"

"What was that!-? Why I ought to…! (Pinch!) Ite!"

Their childish argument was quickly put on hold when a hair of hands suddenly appeared from behind and nib them by the ear. Asagi looked at the two like a mother who was scolding her children and warning them to behave before they got into any more trouble.

"Alright you two, stop right there. The Lieutenant is glaring at you" She then gently released them and returned the two to their seats with their ears buzzing red.

"He started it!" Hibiki accused.

"You were the one who was being an idiot!"

"I'll show you who's dumber! (Yoink!) Bweee! My chweeeks!"

"Asagi! Keep your team under control…"

"Yes sir… sorry about that sir" The girl quickly let go of her partner's face and returned to her seat. "Now both of you, shut up. If I hear another peep from any of you, you'll be doing latrine duties for a week…"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Back on the battlefield, the members of Lightning Squad were now huddled together in the ruins of the city. One of them kept watch over the area while the rest were prioritizing their battle plans.

"Looks like the first-strike maneuver didn't work" The leader of the group in a woman's voice reminded their failed attack with a chuckle. "I guess old tricks like that won't work on veterans like them"

"What do we do then?" The second voice inquired, sounding more panicked than the rest. "Should we flank them as planned?"

"No. There are too many buildings here and the moment we get to the sky, their artillery supporter would pick us off with its rockets"

"Damn. Using heavy weapons like those. This isn't fair!"

"Keep your wits about you Genji. War is never fair to anyone. We'll have to make do with what we have. (…) The enemy has the advantage on this one so we have to play smart. We'll lure their frontline units out on the kill zone. From there, we can pin them down while a second unit takes out their heavy support from the rear. That way we can develop a pincer maneuver"

"That won't work" Another voice interrupted them.

"Akira? What do you mean?"

"They're Storm Vanguards. They won't stop for anything. They might just use brute force to smite their way through. So we'll have to answer their force with a stronger force of our own"

"Oi, you want us to take those guys on toe to toe? They have the advantage at Close Combat!"

"Shut up Genji!" The team leader scolded. "Do you have a plan?"

The one known as Akira nodded in reply. "We'll charge right at them guns blazing. Since they're using a tight formation, it'll cause a minor panic and throw them off balance. We'll split up forcing them to do the same. Leave the prototype model to me and you guys can handle the rest"

"Are you sure? The pilot of that unit is the Legendary Rookie of Yokohama Base. You think you can handle something like that?"

"Don't worry ma'am" Akira reassured her squad mates with a hefty smile. "I think I can hold my own with someone like him. I've seen his style personally in Sadogashima. (…) Don't worry. I'll make sure to bring a piece of him back"

But their meeting was quickly interrupted by their lookout who cried out when he noted their opponents approaching. "They're here! I see three of them! They're coming at high speed!"

The leader clicked her tongue, expecting to have a few more seconds to set up a defensive formation. But against Hayase, speed was everything. "Alright fallback for now. We'll follow with Akira's plan. Diamond 2 Formation, now! We'll cut the enemy off one at the time! I'll take point. Akira. You wait behind us until I give the signal. (Roger!) Genji will go as bait. (Eh? Me!-?) Get going! (Y… yes ma'am!) Lightning 4 and I will bombard the enemy from afar. When I give the word, unleash everything you have on them. Splitting them up takes top priority! (Roger!)"

**(Takeru's POV)**

This is amazing. The speed and mobility of this machine is nothing like the original Shiranui I've piloted before. The shoulder and waist thrusters allow for quick turning and the light weight engine makes it easier to jump boost with less time between leaps. I can fly longer and consume less fuel than the average TSF.

The combat ability is also heightened with the long range power-scanner. I can see enemy units ahead of everyone which makes me ideal for a scout. I think there was a saying: 'Information is the key to winning war' written somewhere. I supposed that makes sense in this fight.

Hayase is on the offensive as usual. She hasn't changed and I think that's a good thing. As long as she lets out her pent up frustration against them, she'll win hands down. I've yet to see anyone who could beat her in melee or hand to hand combat. Well, I supposed Tsukuyomi or I could be on par with her. After all… those two were the ones who taught me CQC to begin with.

Haruko is also matching pace with us. Her adaptability and sharpshooting skills are really amazing. Being the point-guard of the basketball team in my world must have something to do with it but still… despite her injuries she can still perform moves like those.

But what surprises me more is that Marimo sensei. Even though she says that this is her first time piloting a Shiranui, she's maneuvering it like a pro. She's actually keeping up with us without holding us down. Perhaps all those training and mock-simulator battles have polished her abilities to the top. If she was on the fighting team, she'd make an excellent pilot.

"Shirogane! Eyes up front!" Ah crud, I lost focus for a second there. "You're skipping five meals if you get hit even once!"

"Yes ma'am!" Damn. I have to concentrate. No more screwing around. (Whirr!) Huh? What the? A barrage at this distance?

"Everyone scatter!" Whoa! A hail of bullets literally rained down on us. What the hell are they up to? If they keep firing blindly, they'll finish up all their ammunitions before we even get close. "Shirogane! We're going in! I'll take the ones on the left and you split to the right! (Roger!) Don't let them pin you. Kashiwagi, Jinguuji, smash them at the front and don't let them get away! (Understood!)"

Hayase doesn't want to waste time, does she? Splitting up like this means that they'll have to split their firepower into a wider spread making more room for us to maneuver. They can't pin us down if we keep moving.

Whirrr…

Hmm? Whoa! What the? A blade just passed by me. That was close. I guess you can't rely on the radar forever.

Still… if she's this far from the group then that means she's the scout. Then that means… she's my opponent!

Yosh. Time to test this guy out. My shield is gone but I still have two blades to compensate. How will he react to—(WHAM!) Gahh! What the? Sh… she's ramming me? At that distance?

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"What's the matter!-? Is that all the Legendary Rookie got?" Akira taunted as she ploughed her shoulder onto Takeru's frame sending both of them into a speedy maneuver. With the boy locked in with her, there was no chance for him to escape. "It doesn't matter how good you are! You're a sitting duck if you can't move squat! Teeeh!"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

This guy…

Is he trying to pin me to a building? If that's the case then I'll be dead for sure. Pushing against this velocity is useless so I'll just have to… go along for the ride. You're good, but not good enough!

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

To everyone's surprise, Shirogane quickly fired his thrusters backwards causing him to disengage with his opponent in a near freefall. Had he been a few seconds slower, his match would've ended in his defeat.

But Akira didn't mind. She was actually delighted the boy escaped. It engrossed her to no end to see an opponent who was willing to stand up instead of just surrendering without a fight.

She noted that her rifle was empty and dropped it to favor her sword. "Come on. Come on already. Show me what you got already, Mr. Impossible!"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Goh! That was a hard hit. This guy is really trying to press me into a corner. He's not even giving me a chance to use my gun. Heh… then so be it. If it's a close quarter combat you want, then you'll have it. Come and get me!

Clang!

Those blows are strong and accurate. They almost remind me of Sagiri. Whoever he is, he's definitely well trained. As expected for someone who's representing the Imperial Army.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

But while Shirogane was dancing with his opponent, Hayase was having a grand time facing with hers. She was dashing from building to building dodging bullets left and right like a hamster. Her face was riddled with excitement and her body was intoxicated with the smell of battle that she longed for.

"Damn it! What the hell is with this monster?" The Leader of the opposition grunted irritatingly as she continued her barrage only to find her shot hitting concrete and air. "Are these guys pros or something?"

"Captain. She's coming! We're running out of space to withdraw. At this rate, we'll be pushed back to the yellow line!"

"Tch! Alright listen up. We'll do it this way. I'll hold that guy off here. You regroup with Genji. The both of us can't risk getting taken out on the first strike! (Yes ma'am!) Come at me you freak! Don't underestimate soldiers of the Imperial Army!" But just as the Leader was about to make her last stand, she noted that her mark was gone. "What the? Where did she…?"

"Gotcha…"

WHAM!

Before she knew it, Hayase slashed her blade from behind, cutting the Leader's TSF in simulation.

"C… Captain!" Lightning 4 was shocked at how fast her commander was taken out. She opted to defend herself. But before she could even raise a finger against her aggressor, she was cut down like a fish.

"Lightning 1 and 4, damage to cockpits, torso and arms" The announcer's voice called in on their coms. "The damage has destroyed both units. Cease all functions immediately"

"Damn… we lost? Already?"

**(Takeru's POV)**

That announcement. Two units were already taken out? That must've been Hayase's handy work. She really is scary when she's serious.

Still… this fighter I'm facing is no joke. She's not showing any weak spots and every time I go on the offensive she huddles down like a turtle. She uses the sword like a shield like how I would when facing various close combat strikes.

Clang!

But if that's how you want to play it then fine. Even though you have an absolute defense around you, there's still one thing you can't do. Even though you can block from almost any angle instantly, when you face against someone who strikes with everything he has… it'll be the end for you!

Whirrr!

Oooooooh! Take this! Something that Hayase taught me back in time! If you find a shell with no soft spot! Then just break it anyway with all your might! Teeeeeh!

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"What the hell!-?" Akira raised her blade up in defense hoping to block the incoming strike. She relied on her sword like a shield expecting her opponent to keep probing her for a weak point but instead, the boy came in head on swinging his blade without a single hint of a feint. She expected him to pull off some kind of crazy maneuver to pick her off but this alone proved even more insane. "Crap! I can't…!"

"Try and block this then!" Shirogane's blade slammed against hers in an arc going downward. The weight of the sword combined with gravity earned him favors in this attack slicing his opponent's arm in a single blow.

"Lightning 2. Massive damage sustained to the right arm"

"Damn it! I'm not through yet!" Akira tried to get her combat knife out but before she could turn to face her opponent for a second chance, a multitude of slashes caught her off guard. "N… no way!"

"Lightning 2. Left arm, leg and right leg have been disabled. The damage has rendered you incapable of operations, cease all functions immediately"

Akira could only grunt down as the speaker announced her damage in a sport-like manner. She looked at her status bar and noted all the red flashes appearing on her unit. The boy had cut her down to ribbons leaving only her cockpit intact. If it was another opponent she probably would've been pissed on the spot. But since she knew what kind of adversary she was facing, she expected the same kind of result.

"Lightning 3. Damage to cockpit and radar. The damage has destroyed the unit, cease all functions immediately. (…) All Lightning Squad members have been disabled. Time: 10 minutes 20 seconds. The exercise is complete. Valkyrie Squad is victorious. All units, return to your starting point and return to base. Command out"

**(Takeru's POV) (Hanger bay)**

Ugh… that sucked big time. It's the first time to be in a cockpit after a long while. I expected to adjust myself back to the G-force and vibration but I guess exposure to that kind of thing can be brutal to anyone. If it wasn't for the suit I'm wearing I'm sure I'd probably puke right in the middle of the fight.

But that clearly was an unfair battle to begin with. Despite the fact that both sides were using the new OS, the optimal performance was way too different. Our Shiranuis were superior in terms of combat abilities and the F-4 variants were used for defensive battles only. If you decided the match only on specs of our machines, we clearly had the upper hand. But even so… those guys were clearly not holding back on us.

The guy I fought with was especially reckless to come at me head on. Cutting down her defenses like that was pretty ruthless myself but hey… like Hayase would say it: A win is a win.

"Oh? This is rare. I don't get to see you this tired this often"

"Ah… Kashiwagi. Congrats on your victory" I replied exhaustingly as I held myself on the guardrail.

"Ahahahahaha. I guess even someone like you can get tired after something like that"

"I'm just having a hard time adjusting back to my old self. All that maneuvering takes a lot out of me. Not to mention that this is also a new model. The speed and combat performances are slightly better than the Shiranui"

"Hooo? So the new model wasn't just for show?" She knocked on the cockpit a few times to judge the weight of the armor. "I guess they must've spent all their time removing all the kinks on this thing"

"Well if there weren't any obvious improvements they wouldn't have had this developed in the first place"

"Ahahaha. I guess you have a point there" She laughed off my explanation but stopped midway when she noted something at the corner of her eye.

A new formation of TSFs entered the hanger. Immediately I recognized them as those belonging to the Soviet Army. Three of them were blue coated models called the Su-27. Marimo said something about them being outdated machines but still in service in some areas around the world. They were way different from those that I've seen in the last few months and their specs must be something totally new. The only thing I can take pride on is the fact that it's also equipped with the same OS unit as ours.

But the one at the back most is the one I don't recognize. Painted in pitched black and red colors, it stood taller than the three with its shoulder wings towering over us. I saw it during the first mock battle a few days back. This one didn't even lift a finger to help the team. It just stood there, watching like it didn't even need to fight.

"The Su-47 Berkut…"

"Eh? Marimo sensei?" I noted another voice that spoke behind me.

"Good work on the exercise" She complimented us. "The Captain sends her regards on a job well done. She expects us to perform just like this in the next battle tomorrow"

"Ahehe… thank you ma'am. But I only destroyed one target. Hayase destroyed two of them in a row. I just tied up with you"

"Oh? I wasn't the one who took out the last target. (…?) 2nd Lt. Kashiwagi was the one who took out the last enemy who was trying to flee" Kashiwagi did?

"Ahehehehehe… I guess you could say it was an easy kill" The girl in question replied embarrassingly. "That guy didn't have the will to fight anymore so it was not difficult to track him down"

"Don't sell yourself short" Marimo urged. "That shot you took disabled his machine almost immediately. Even the Captain said that it was one of your best shootings. She's glad that your time in the hospital hasn't dulled your skills"

"Uwa… now that's just embarrassing" The blue haired girl rubbed the back of her head shyly. "But back to the matters at hand. You know about this unit, Jinguuji san?" She quickly changed the subject to avoid her embarrassment.

"Only from what I've read" She answered. "It's a high cost machine made by the Soviet last year. They built her out the modern Su-37 to become the fastest combat machine in existence. It's the Soviets first take in developing a 3rd Generation Hive Infiltration Fighter capable of holding its own against a horde of BETA"

I raised my brow to that last sentence. "Hive Infiltration… so it's built specifically to combat BETA?"

"That's what they say. With high mobility and a huge boost in its close combat powers, it can be considered one of the best anti-BETA weapons the Soviet has. (…) But the only problem is the construction value. The parts needed to make them are so expensive that there's just no way to mass produce them. But some people might say that the machine might even match than the American's Raptor in terms of combat prowess" Better than the Raptor? I supposed anything can be possible. I mean… even a mere Shiranui is enough to stand up to one of them. When Sagiri fought against Major Walken, he narrowly defeated him by a quick draw. Sagiri must've been using the Shiranui to the maximum capacity and that was without the XM3 OS. Still… something that can match a Raptor on its own…

"I last statement is a lie…" A voice interrupted us. "Say what you will, but in the end, it's the Raptor that will triumph in the end"

"Ah… you're…" Who's that? Blue hair? Ah! Those markings. "You're one of the Americans, training unit"

"Don't compare the Raptor with something as a crumbling piece of relic. If you have no knowledge of something specific then you'd best not talk about it at all. (…?) Pardon the intrusion. I am Ensign Leon Kuze of the U.S. 65th Combat Training Battalion. A pleasure"

Kashiwagi and I quickly saluted in return. "2nd Lt. Kashiwagi Haruko of the A-01, Special Task Force, 9th Squadron"

"1st Lt. Jinguuji Marimo of the same unit"

"1st Lt. Shirogane Takeru. Same unit as theirs"

"Shirogane?" The man darted his eyes at me when I addressed myself.

"Is there something wrong?"

He shook his head in reply. "No. It's nothing. You just remind me of an old friend with that hairstyle. I guess a rotten apple like him is still part of the same tree as me. (Huh?) Sorry. Just an old metaphor. Try not to think too much about it. But to be honest. I wasn't expecting the 'Ace' of the U.N. to be a little kid. You're pretty famous even back in America. You must be pretty good behind a TSF to have been able to take down the whole Honor Guard by yourself. (…!) I'd like to see if that rumor was true"

"I'm afraid you'll have to find out another way, 2nd Lieutenant" Marimo covered for me before I could speak. "1st Lt. Shirogane is inclined not to disclose that information to outsiders"

"Why try to hide something that everyone already knows about? (…) Don't you know that a secret that is kept by two people is a secret everyone knows? But what really puzzles me is that: If this boy could handle such a large army alone… why did you take your time with one? Were you just playing around with your food before you eat them?"

"Leon!" Our attention was quickly caught on when a bigger man with the same apparel as Leon appeared from behind. "Keith is calling. Don't meddle with things that doesn't concern you"

"Tch… fine…" The guy looked like he wanted to say something more but was convinced to back away. "Later then—Mr. Ace"

…

…

…

By the time they were out of earshot, my vocal cords came back. "Who was that?" I asked openly which Marimo answered.

"The 65th Battalion. They're America's top experimental pilots. I'm not surprised that you haven't heard of them. (…) Don't worry. As much as he pushes, that man doesn't have any authority in this base. He wouldn't dare try something outrageous"

"But… those questions he asked…"

"He doesn't seem to bear any hostile intentions. He was simply probing you for information that you might slip up. (…?) Kashiwagi. Do you mind giving Shirogane and me a few minutes?"

"Huh? Ah… sure. I'll go help Hayase. She's probably nagging her accomplishments with the others already. Later then, Shirogane"

"Sure… later" I waved my goodbyes before seeing the girl off towards the stairs leading below.

By the time she was gone, Marimo approached me, trying to soften her voice so no one else would hear. "Are you alright, Shirogane?"

"Yeah… I'm fine. It's just that. The guy caught me by complete surprise earlier. I wasn't expecting that"

"Don't mind him. You shouldn't be bothered by something as simple as a small conversation. He wouldn't approach you unless he was ordered to. I know it must be difficult keeping something like that a secret but remember that you're under the strictest of orders to never spill any detail no matter how irrelevant it may be"

"Don't worry ma'am. I'm good at keeping secrets"

"I know you are. If you weren't then Yuuko wouldn't trust you with anything at all. (Hey…!) Ahuhuhu. Now come on. The mechanics will do the work here. If we hurry, we might be able to catch an early dinner for once. I hear the chef is making nabe tonight. I wonder if I can get an extra portion"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Leon felt an unbridled unease creeping up his back as he made his way back to his teams briefing room. He knew immediately that the source was coming from his big burly friend who was staring at his back. He knew that talking to the boy directly and without someone watching him would earn some measure of suspicion but he was used to it.

After awhile, the blue haired half-breed stopped on his tracks and turned to his blonde teammate. "Don't you know that it's rude to stare at others, Guylos?" The man responded with silence and rough breathing. "If you have something you want to say to me then say it. You've always been the one to give lectures"

"…" Guylos stared at his partner with a straight face, unmoving, unflinching, like a true poker-master. "I just wanted to ask… why? (Why?) You approached him without any idea of communication. I thought that you were probing him for information, but it seems to be like you wanted something more. (Hmph…) I thought only your friend in Yukon could bother you this much"

"What's wrong with poking around for information?"

"Usually you'd take your time in your investigation. And you'd never directly make contact without something to back you up"

"I was curious to see if the rumors about that boy were true"

"Oh? Then what did you find out in that short conversation?" Guylos challenged meeting the man face to face.

"Nothing" Leon replied bitterly. "You interrupted us before I could find out more"

"Then I apologize for interrupting. But don't expect me to bail you out when you have another heated discussion"

**(PX) (Takeru's POV)**

"Here's to our grand victory and a total annihilation! Kampai!" Those were the drunken words 1st Lt. Hayase yelled out as she handed us our juice boxes that evening. When somebody says kampai, it's usually followed by a chug of alcohol down the party's throat. But seeing as this is still a military base, juice is probably the closest thing we have to such beverages. "Haaaa! I'm done!"

"This is probably the first time I've ever seen anyone get drunk just by drinking juice" Kazama noted as we all watch Hayase make a complete fool of herself as she continued cheering like a girl who was on a drinking spree with no one to stop her.

"When a woman is this happy, it could only mean that someone has satisfied her" Misae added expecting her prey to bite but instead, Hayase simply laughed it off.

"Munakata. I'd pound you right now if I weren't so gitty. But this is the time to celebrate! Another round! Kampai!" I'm not sure if juice counted in this situation but I supposed if Hayase is happy then she won't be bothering me anymore for a rematch. So this is a win-win situation for me.

"Ara ara, Shirogane san…" Misae turned her attention to me. "You're not smiling because Hayase isn't going to chase you around again, are you?" Geh! Damn. I forgot how sharp this girl is. She practically read my mind.

"Shi-ro-ga-ne~~" Crap. Now Hayase's out to get me. "Don't you worry. You'll… you'll get your turn after, after the matches. One of these… one of these days we'll definitely, definitely have our… rematch! But today… we toast for our victory! Kampai!" How the hell does one even get drunk with juice? That isn't even logically possible!

"But you four were really amazing" Suzumiya spoke her thoughts. "It's good to know that our team has a pair of excellent Storm Vanguards we can rely on"

"I don't think Shirogane did that much" Akane added to my irritation. "He only took down one target in close combat. Hayase was the one who did all the work taking out two and baiting the third one out into the open. (Akane!)"

"It's alright" I calmed Haruka down. "She's not wrong. My opponent seemed to be adept in close quarter combat. I didn't take him seriously enough because of the difference in terms of our machines. She nearly had me too"

"You should never let your guard down no matter what kind of an opponent you face" Class rep lectured me. "That was the first thing Instructor Jinguuji taught us in training school. Just because you're good at something doesn't mean you can go lax on your adversary"

"Speaking from experience…"

"Ayamine… what are you implying with that? (Who knows?) Why you little…!"

"Come on, calm down Chizuru chan" Mikoto interrupted standing between the two bickering hyenas. "In the end, Takeru won, didn't he? Shouldn't we be celebrating that our comrades won?" Class rep gave out a huffed noise, darting her eyes to Ayamine who simply ignored her glare. As much as she wanted to fight she had to surrender back to her seat. "Alright then! Let's give a toast to Takeru, Hayase, Kashiwagi and Jinguuji san for their first official victory. (Cheers!)"

"Kampai!" Will someone shut that woman up with her kampai!-? This isn't a drinking contest!

"Here, Takeru san. (Hmm? Tama?) I brought you a slice of cake I got from the bakery the other day"

"Oh? Wait… that special cake you were saving?"

"No. I'm saving the special one for the party later. I bought a few more slices before the base closed up. I gave one to Hayase san, Jinguuji san and Kashiwagi san too. I thought all of you earned something for a job well done" Ooooh… Tama. You're such a sweet girl. Don't ever change. "Try it. I bought a carrot flavor"

"Ah yeah, sure. Eh… and speaking of carrots. Why is your plate full of them?"

"Hmm? Ah. I traded them with Yashiro san. (Kasumi?) That's right. I traded all my meat for all her vegetables" I darted my eyes to the rabbit in question and true enough, Kasumi's plate was overflowing with mackerel and synthetic pork while Tama's had enough veggies to make you think that she was a vegetarian.

"Hnnn…" And as if acting like she was discovered, Kasumi instinctively hid her plate and moved two seats away from me. Haaaa… I feel like I should say something to her but I think I'll let it slide for today.

Fwup!

Gwoah! Something just came over me. "H… Hayase san?"

"Neh neh, Shirogane. Drink with me! Come on~"

"Please stop! How are you even drunk!-? It's not even logical!"

"Awww don't be like that. Here~ have some juice ahahaha…"

"No! I have my own! H… Hayase! Girls? A little help?" I pleaded to the gang but they don't seem to be interested in getting in Hayase's way.

"I think it'll be better for our health not to interfere" Kazama declared which was slowly followed by the others nodding in agreement. "Just let her get over her happy state for now, 1st Lt. Shirogane"

"See Shirogane? Even they… even they agree" Hayase? Why the hell does she reek of alcohol? What the hell is in that juice anyway? "Here, have a bit! It's on me!" Bwahh!

Chug, chug, chug!

Pfffft!

What the hell!-? That taste. Something… there's something in the juice. It's bitter!

"Ahahaha! Weak stomach for a little drink, Shirogane!-? Don't worry. You're still a few years behind to be able to drink like I do! Ahahahaha!"

"Sake? Did you put sake in that juice!-?"

"Ora… I was found out…" Hayase drunkenly admitted, shuffling her hand in her pocket producing a small see-through flask that contained the supposed toxic drink. "I was saving this for a special occasion. Ahahaha. Don't tell the Captain"

"Give me that…" I demanded.

"Ehh? Why?"

"Alcohol drinks are forbidden inside the military base. If one of the higher ranking officers found this, we'll all be in big trouble!"

"Shi-ro-ga-ne. You're being a real spoil sport, you know that?"

"I don't care. Please, Hayase san. You're already drunk enough for all of us"

"I don't wanna"

"1st Lt. Hayase! Give it!"

"You just want to drink it all to yourself!"

"No I don't!" Geez! Now she's just being childish. "Please give me the bottle"

"You want it? (Boing) You're gonna have to get it…" Geh! That's cheating! She placed the bottle in her fatigues, right between her breasts. How's a man supposed to get that with some dignity intact? "What's the matter, Shirogane? You're getting red now"

"That's petty, Hayase san! You know I can't reach for that! (Bleh!) This is getting ridiculous. C… can someone get her for me?"

"I'm afraid I have to agree with Shirogane on this. This is indeed getting childish" Oh? Misae san! "If the Captain finds out we have a forbidden item in our arsenal, it would only look bad for the rest of us. Something must be done about this"

"Ehh? You trying to take it away too?"

"I'm only acting according to the rule set up by the higher authority. My actions are merely reflected on those" This isn't something I expected Munakata to do. I thought she'd just sit back and let me take in all the flames, but she can be surprisingly helpful when needed.

"Ooooh? This is interesting. 2 against 1? I guess I can handle both of you"

"Actually, I intended to end this without bloodshed" Misae added. "Seeing as how most of the soldiers here have already seen this, it would only be a matter of time before we are discovered. (…?) Therefore… the only thing we can do at the moment is to eliminate the evidence entirely" Eh? What does she mean by that?

"Hooo? So you intend to do it by force regardless?"

"Of course… I wouldn't have it any other way" What are they… talking about? "Shirogane. The three of us will now commence to eliminate the evidence of this drink ever existing"

"Eh?" And in a breath of a second, I found myself in a chokehold. "H… hey! What are you doing!-?"

"You must participate in destroying the evidence" What the hell does that even mean!-? "Hayase! Now!"

"Yosha!"

"Ehhh!-? Wait a minute! What's going on…?"

"Drink it all in now~"

Gluck gluck gluck…

Bwahhhh!

**A/N: Ah it's good to be back. So much foreshadowing that it's difficult to understand anymore. But it'll all blow over sooner or later. Anyway I'm still going strong and hopefully I'll grow stronger by the end of the week. So many things to do and not a lot of time to do them. I'm primarily gonna focus on Kashiwagi for the mean time and give the other gals some screen time here and there. Too many characters can be overwhelming for me. That's exactly what happened when I did my Pokemon fanfic (Final Journey) Ah... good times. Anywho, hopefully I'll be able to update weekly like before so until then you know what to keep fighting for!**


	76. What Lies Buried Under the Masks

**Chapter 76: What Lies Buried Under the Masks  
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**(Dream)**

Ugh… crud. It's morning already? Damn it. I don't wanna wake up yet. Come on. Somebody tell the sun to go back down and give me ten more minutes. I had a long night so at the very least give me a break.

… knock knock…

The door? Who could be knocking this early on a Saturday? Ah… wait… scratch that. It's probably Sumika again, trying to pull me out of bed and spend the next 12 hours shopping with her. Maybe if I ignore her long enough she'll just go away.

Yeah… another hour of sleep will do my body some good. Just ignore it and go back to my peaceful slumber. Huaa…

Knock knock…

Knock knock!

Ignore… just ignore and she'll go away. She's bound to give up sooner or later. Even someone of her caliber will get tired of knocking eventually.

…

Yup, that did it. She finally let up and left. Saturday free, check. Now to catch up on my sleep.

Click…

Eh? Ah crap. Did I forget to leave the door unlock again? Oh no. She's gonna pull my sheets again for sure. I should hold on tight and hopefully she'll just go away. (…) What am I thinking? She's not a freaking predator for crying out loud. This is Sumika we're talking about. She's as persistent as nature is when the seasons change. But still… I want to stay in bed just a little bit longer.

"Huaa… staying late in bed on a Sunday? That's so like you, Narumi kun" Eh? Narumi? "Ora, come on. Get up. You have cram school today so you'd better get up" Who's that? That voice… sounds so familiar yet… it's not Sumika. And… why do I feel like I know this Narumi person? "Come on… wake up. Oi… Takayuki? I know you're awake. You can't pretend to sleep forever. (…)" My voice remained silent as I can feel the other person approaching my bed. "Staaaarrrreeeeeee…"

"Alright alright! I'm up already!" Eh? What the? Was that… me? Did I just say that?

"Really now. This is same routine we've had for the last month. Can't you change that habit of yours?" That voice… that face. It… it can't be. I recognize them. Though she may look so different, the little features that defined her were there.

It's… 1st Lt. Hayase. She wearing some civilian attire and she looks so much younger than I recognize. The blue hair and matching eyes. I'd recognize her in a heartbeat. But… why is she talking to me and calling me… Narumi?

"Why do you have to wake me up so early?" My unconscious body replied against my will. "Classes don't even start until one in the afternoon"

"That's because you have a habit of sleeping way past noon. Besides, you haven't been showing up in school these past few weeks. The teachers are getting worried"

"They should just mind their own business and let me do what I want" I replied cockily.

"Don't say that. Come on. It's a beautiful day. It should be considered a crime to waste it in bed"

"Don't push your overzealous training with my religious napping. It should be considered a sin to work up a sweat on such beautiful day"

Hayase made a pouty face. "Bleh! If you keep that, you'll grow big and fat like Shinji!"

"Shinji isn't fat you know? (Bleh!) Stop doing that. What are you? Twelve? And speaking of which. How did you get into my apartment anyway? I changed the lock on the door"

The answer came in a key appearing from Hayase's pocket. "Haruka chan lend me the spare key you gave her. (Geh!) Heeeh. Giving a spare key to someone like her. It's almost like saying that I'm giving you the key to my heart, neh?"

"Shut up. Don't test my brain so early in the morning" My hand moved to my head and rubbed it achingly. "Last night was brutal. I only had four hours of sleep since the late night show"

"You're watching that reality show junk again? Really now. Who's the immature one around here?" Hayase teased again before placing an apron around her chest and moving towards the kitchen of the room. As I stood up to stretch, I quickly realize that I was no longer in my room. The place I was in, was an apartment of sorts with a skyline view of the city.

"Don't call them junk" I said to her before moving towards a working desk. My body seems to have a mind of its own and everything I do was contradicting my thoughts.

…

Am I… dreaming?

My hands ruffled through the table, sorting all the papers that were messed up. From the looks of it, they appear to be test papers and I seem to have done poorly in every subject. I guess this really is a dream.

"Hey, Takayuki. Just sit there and watch TV. I'll have breakfast ready in a few minutes"

"Yeah, take your time" This is odd. Why do I feel like all of this is just… natural? I don't feel tingly or anything at all. It feels like I'm just riding on a wave that's taking me somewhere. "Uwa… my bed head. Where's my comb?"

…!

Ah! Wait… that's… that's not… me. That's not, my face. Why am I seeing someone who's… not me? This man… is a complete stranger to me yet… this face… why do I feel like I should know him? Is he someone I met a long time ago?

"Yosh, that should do it" The man in the mirror said with a happy smile after fixing his doable hair. "Nothing beats a bed head better than water and a comb. Mankind's greatest triumph"

"That's not something you should be proud of" I heard Hayase replied behind me. "Hurry up and eat. Haruka chan is meeting up with us at Hiiragi-chou station and she doesn't want us to be late. (Huh?) Did you forget already? Geez. You're so simple minded. Tomorrow's Akane chan's birthday. We all promised to get her presents from each of us. (Ah… the cocky brat) She's just looking after her sister. I don't expect a single child to understand"

"Aren't you being a little harsh here?"

"Yeah yeah, go ahead and weep. Now eat before your food gets cold. (Yes mom) Keep that up and I'll stop cooking for you"

"Hai hai. I understand. Thank you, ojou sama"

"Why you cocky little…" She raised her hand up to a ball which I quickly returned in defense.

"Bwah! Don't hit me! I'm against violence! (Ruffle) Eh? Ah!" My body suddenly went limp when I noted a small envelope falling out of my pocket.

"What's this?" Hayase picked it up which only added to my body's stress.

"Give it back!" I demanded. "That's personal!"

"Hooo? What's in it I wonder?" Hayase gave me a mischievous grin. "Could it be your monthly paycheck? A restraining order, perhaps?"

"It doesn't concern you, now give it back. (No…) Hayase! I'm serious here. Don't make me do something rash!"

"Hooo? I'd like to see you try" She taunted me. "You've never once beat me in a fair fight. What makes you think this will be any different?"

"When a man is at his most serious moment, he can overcome any challenge no matter how difficult it may be. Just like n—" Before I could finish, I suddenly found myself flat on the floor with my butt pointing upwards.

"Yosh. Now that we have that out of the way, I can read this in peace. (Wait! Hayase! Don't!) Oh come on. It can't be more embarrassing with the situation you're in now. Now just be quiet while I…"

…

…

…

What's wrong? Why did it go quiet all of a sudden? What was in that envelope?

"Narumi…" Hayase's tone changed as she called up to the boy I was in. "… what is… what is this?"

I slowly got back on my feet as I turned to Hayase who was looking at the letter in the envelope. I breathed in and answered. "What do you think it is?"

"By the authority of the… U.N. Armed Forces? This… this is… a draft paper!"

"Yeah…" My nod confirmed her worries. "I wasn't planning to tell you guys about it until after the birthday party but it looks like I've been selected to be part of a new group"

"But I thought you were exempted from the draft? Wasn't your father working with them already?"

"Circumstances changed that. (Don't give me that nonsense!) Hayase?"

"This is serious. Surely they're joking about recruiting youngsters. You're not even 18!"

"They lowered the drafting age 3 months ago. (…!) You probably didn't hear about it since you don't really watch TV that often. I didn't want any of you to find out this way either"

I noticed Hayase tightly gripping the drafting slip. Her mouth opened but she closed them to bite the words hiding under her lips. She seems to understand that no matter what she say… there's no way to decline the draft.

After a brief grip with pain she spoke. "Is this why you've been skipping school these last few weeks? (Yeah…) How long… do you have?"

"Three days" He answered. "Right after Akane's birthday, a military bus will be picking me up from the military office at Tachibana. We'll be shipped off to Niigata and then to Kyoto training center later on. (…) Shinji received the same orders too. (Shinji?) Yeah. We'll be traveling together. Though I can't say how long I'll be able to withstand all that rambling of his. He's been looking forward to getting drafted a long time ago…"

"B… but why? Why does it have to be… you? (Hayase) It's… just not fair. If I had known about this earlier then I would've… (Would've?) Narumi…"

Hayase… san? Is she…? Is she crying? (Tug!) Arghh! My head! No… not this again!

Tug!

**(January 19, 2002 Saturday) (Takeru's POV) (06:20 AM) (Shirogane's Room)**

Ugh… what the heck? Where… am I? This is… my room. Ugh… it's barely 6:30. Was that all a dream I just saw? Was I mentally conscious in my dream? There are so many questions in such an early morning and right now this headache isn't making me feel any better.

I should probably get a few more hours of rest. Our match doesn't start until the afternoon and if I remember correctly, Cpt. Isumi exempted those participating in the match from roll call duties. In other words, I get to lie here all day until the afternoon without any disturbance. Huaa… maybe if I drift to sleep again I might get a different dream.

Wiggle…

"Hnnn…!" Eh? That voice again. Am I still dreaming? And… what's this soft thing I'm holding? It feels like jelly and… roundish. "N… no… that's…"

My eyes are weary. Everything's a blur but there's… there's a face right in front of me, next to my bed. Is that… Meiya? Ah… I guess I must still be dreaming. She wouldn't… be here on my bed… in this world…

"N… Narumi…!"

…!

Naru…mi?

Wait… my vision is coming into focus. Wait… that's not… Meiya. It's… "H… Hayase san!-?" My brain instantly recoiled from the shock and before I knew it I found myself at the edge of my bed, my head down on the floor.

Ow… now that surge of pain got my head wringing again. That little thump woke me up completely. Wait… if I can feel pain here then… this must really be the real world! But… if that's the case then what the hell is with this scenario? Why am I in bed with… no… correction: Why is she in my bed!? Why is she half naked and using my uniform as a blanket?

This scenario is giving me a sense of déjà vu. But that's not important! What in the hell happened last night? I remember… I remember… nothing. Wait wait… let me think.

Flash!

Oh that's right. Hayase had a bottle of sake with her that time. I tried to get it off of her but then… Munakata and her surprised me with a grip lock and chugged down the rest of the bottle in me. Afterwards… afterwards… what happened? Everything that happened after that is a complete blank, like a chunk of my life simply whisked away. Ugh… and to top it all, I have this terrible hangover in my head. I guess that explains the headaches.

Anyway, I should probably wake her up and diffuse the situation before it gets any worse.

"H… hey, Hayase… san? It's time to wake up. (Uhmm…) Hayase. You can't sleep here forever"

"Ah… Narumi…"

…!

Tug!

Arghh! What the? What was that feeling just now? My heart… it feels as if it was just about to burst. (Flash) Hayase… what am I doing? (Flash) What are these… pictures I'm seeing in my head? I see… Hayase… but younger. She's… wearing my school uniform… no… should it be… a cadet uniform? She's… smiling at me but at the same time, it's not being directed at me at all. It feels like she's trying to express something.

Eh? Water? Am I… crying? Why am I… crying? Why is my heart aching so badly when I look at her face? Is my mind unconsciously falling for her? No! That's impossible. I can't fall in l… love… with…

"Taka…yuki…"

Hayase san… she's… crying in her sleep.

…

…

…

Click…

**(PX)**

I quickly changed and made my way towards the PX to get an early meal. My head still aches but nothing cures a hangover better than food. It was still pretty early so it's no surprised I only found a few people running around the cafeteria. Only those assigned for guard duty and morning tasks would wake up at this time.

It seems cold to leave Hayase there alone but… I don't think she'd like it if she knew I caught her at such a moment.

She looked so… lonely for some reason. Like a pup that just lost its mother. I tried to forget it but that dream I had brings me back to it every time. This isn't the first time I've had a weird dream. In fact, I'm actually beginning to get used to them. At first I thought that these dreams were the result of my memories being put together thanks to Kasumi's handiwork. After all… having the memories of all my lives put together in one body can't be good. But now… it seems like there's a whole new factor entirely.

That last dream I had was clear. No… to be more specific it was more like someone else's memories being played back in my head. The face I saw… and that person's name. Narumi Takayuki. I can't explain why, but I'm sure that he's important to me somehow. I remember mentioning this name to Akane once but we didn't exactly discuss it when Misae interrupted us. The same thing happened with Cpt. Isumi too back in Kyoto. There was a name that I mentioned but again… it was all just a muttering of the moment. Could all of this just be some kind of coincidence?

Usually I'd discuss something like this with Yuuko but she's off to a meeting in Kyushu right now and there's no way for me to contact her. I wonder if I can ask Lt. Piatif to contact her for me.

"No…"

"Eh? Ah! Kasumi chan? When did you… (Good morning) Oh… good morning" That reminds me. I was supposed to be Kasumi's bodyguard but I completely forgot about it. I didn't see her in my room this morning. "Did you wake up before I did? (Yes…) Oh… what… did you do?"

"Talking…" Talking? Talk to who? I didn't think Kasumi spoke with anyone other than myself in this base. "To your unit…"

My unit? What does she mean by that?

"Ara? 1st Lt. Shirogane? This is a surprise" Hmm? Oh… Suzumiya. "Good morning. I never expected you to be up so early. May I join you?"

"Ah yeah, sure" I offered her a seat opposite of mine. "Are you doing your routine jobs again?"

"I am. It's necessary for operators like myself to wake up early to prepare all documents for our commanding officers. Since I don't go to the battlefield, I have to work double hard to keep up with the rest of the squad"

"Sounds rather troublesome" I replied honestly. I can't imagine myself waking up so early every day to work. You need dedication and discipline to reach her level. "Don't you get tired at all?"

"It's not as bothersome as it sounds. 1st Lt. Jinguuji also helps me out. We take turns providing morning reports so we don't stress ourselves. (Really?) Yes. She has been a tremendous help since she arrived. Though I keep my weight to myself" I see. I guess with the two of them helping out, the workload should be split evenly.

"Still… it must've been tough before we came along" I laughed at her dedication to her work. "I can't imagine myself doing all of that and still be awake"

"Ahuhuhu. Everyone has their strengths and weaknesses, 1st Lt. Shirogane"

"Well, I can't deny that. (Ahuhuhu) Oh… speaking of which. Suzumiya san. (Haruka is fine…) Ah… ok, Haruka san. You've been friends with Hayase for a long time, right?"

"Mitsuki san? Well, I supposed you could say that we've known each other longer than most. We've been friends even before we were enlisted into the army a few years ago. We went to the same school together. (The same school?) Yes. It's quite a coincidence that we would actually end up in the same unit. I should consider myself lucky to be with someone I know"

Coincidence?

With everything that's been happening around me, I can hardly think of it as coincidence. Was it a coincidence to have all the girls I know to be in the same training squad I was assigned to? Was it a coincidence that my old homeroom teacher and my physics teacher are also part of my life here? Was it a coincidence that my school became the military base where I was brought? Was it a coincidence that my childhood friend became the 00-unit?

No… there are too many coincidences already to be considered a coincidence. If anything, everything that has happened in my life since I was brought to this world has been anything but a coincidence.

"Yeah… coincidence…"

"Why do you ask, Shirogane san? Are you having problems with Mitsuki san?"

"Ah… no… not exactly. It's just that—do you happen to know anyone named Narumi Takayuki? (…!)" Haruka's face went stern the moment I mentioned that name. Her momentum stopped entirely. Maybe I shouldn't have asked?

"Narumi…"

"Eh? You know him?" I inquired noticing her slipping the name from her mouth.

"He is… an old acquaintance. (…?) May I know how you came by this name?"

Crap. I can't tell her about that dream. Who the hell dreams about people they don't even know? "Uh… well. I heard Hayase slip up on the name one time but I didn't really care about it until now. (…) Uh… maybe I shouldn't have asked?"

"I see…" Haruka's face saddened. Maybe that name is a sore subject. "Ah… I apologize. I'm afraid this isn't something I'm used to discussing"

"Y… you don't have to answer if you don't want to" I raised my hand up in panic. "It's just something that I brought up that's all"

"No. It's alright. If Mitsuki san said his name to you then perhaps she trusts you well enough to part with something like this. She would not say that name so openly. (Huh?) Narumi san was once… a good friend of ours. We all used to live together in the same town before the war. He was really close to Mitsuki san and me so we were often together"

"Was he… drafted into the army?"

"Yes…" Came her quick response. "It was before the BETA invaded the mainland. (Is he…?) He was reported KIA during the invasion. I cannot tell which battle…"

…!

"I'm… sorry" I lowered my head in shame. Maybe it really wasn't such a good idea to talk about something I don't know about.

"I don't mind. It is something that happened a long time ago. Sometimes it feels strange to be thinking about him"

"You were… close to him? (Yes) I see. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have asked"

"It's alright, really. I made my peace with it long ago. But to be honest, Shirogane san. Your behavior really reminds me of him. (Eh?) I don't know how to say this but your character is quite similar to Narumi san. So much so that it's scary sometimes. (I'm like him?) Yes. Though you two look completely different, the feeling I get from you is the same as his" He's the same as me? Now I'm more curious to whom this guy is. "Ah… I apologize. I shouldn't be comparing the two of you together. Please don't misunderstand. I meant no offense"

"No, it's fine. I'm the one who should be apologizing. I guess I shouldn't pry"

Still… was it strange for me to have that dream?

"Oh? Haruka and… Takeru? And Yashiro too? This is rare" Hmm? Kashiwagi? "I never expected to see you three in the same group"

"Good morning Kashiwagi san" Haruka greeted with her same caring smile.

"Good morning…" Yashiro followed waving her left hand up while right hand placed a bread in her mouth.

"Haaa. The young are once again one step ahead of me. Seeing you two eating alone together would make people think that you two are going out" How can people come up with that kind of answer at first glance?

"Kashiwagi san. Could you refrain from saying things that might cause misunderstanding?" Haruka urged back with her childish face which kind of looks cute from where I'm sitting. "Misae san does enough of that without you adding to her charms"

"Ahahaha, sorry. It's just that you two looked so cute together. But it is unusual to see Shirogane up this early. I expected him to be hung over after what happened last night. Uwa… that was so much fun" Hey… you know I'm sitting right here, right? "Hayase and Munakata got him good. I never thought you'd be such a light drinker"

Geh!

Crap. Last night. I totally forgot about that.

That's right. Misae and Hayase got me drunk last night. They chugged down a whole bottle of sake in me without a minute's rest and therefore I blacked out.

"Isumi san was really mad too" Haruka continued which only made me raise a brow in question. Was the Captain there? I don't remember. "After the chef complained about the noise our table was making, she was given an earful about regulations" Ugh… why do I get the feeling that the Captain will be gunning for me later today? As if today couldn't get any worse.

"But you have to admit that it was fun" Kashiwagi added with a big smile marring her face. "I've never seen Hayase san so happy before. It's a shame they had to end early"

"H… hey guys" I quickly interrupted hoping to get something out of them. "Did… anything happen last night? (Hmm?) Other than me and Hayase getting drunk, did we do… anything out of the ordinary? (What do you mean?) Like something unusual? Anything?"

"Not that I remember" Haruko answered much to my relief. "After Kazama and Yoroi brought you back to your rooms, everything was quiet. Why?" So nothing happened? I half expected Misae to be the perpetrator of this prank but that didn't seem to be the case. "Why? Did something else happen?"

"N… no! Not at all" I waved that thought away quickly. "I was just wondering if I did anything weird. I would've looked bad to the rest of the squad. (…?)" I don't think they bought that excuse. "Ah… anyway. I should probably head to the hanger and prep my unit. Our battle will be coming soon and I don't want to—(Clang!) Ow!"

Boing!

Oh… I landed on… something soft… again. Something… that has a very familiar texture.

"Shi-ro-ga-ne… kun…"

"M… Marimo chan?"

"Just when the hell are you going to get rid of that habit! This is the second time this week alone! Can't you find any manner of decency in you, you outrageous pervert!"

"Wait! Marimo chan! Please calm down. There's no reason for you to…"

WHAPACK!

**(Local Store)**

Tsukuyomi Mana walked let out a small yawn as she removed the chain-lock from the door of the store. It has already been a few weeks since she arrived here. She thought that she would get used to it but after living in the battlefield for so long, it's difficult to readjust herself back to civilian life. To trade her sword, her guns for peace and solitude from combat was just… not something she thought of.

Perhaps this is how the warriors of old felt like. To trade in their swords and shields for a shovel and sack. Simply thinking about it made her chuckle inwardly.

The life she had now wasn't exactly bad. She would bet that a lot of people out there would kill to have an ordinary job like this. But it wasn't exactly in her plan to be in such predicament. Circumstances forced her into this position and now she can't seem to find a way out of it.

The only thing she can do is simply go with where the flow was taking her.

The former Honor Guard did her usual routine, checking the storage, the products that were on display and the items that were short on supply. All the regular things a shopkeeper would do on a normal day.

She was amazed that her parent's old friend can still maintain such a shop despite the ongoing war and despite the fact that Kyoto was leveled down by the BETA invasion many years ago.

The former capital of Japan used to be a dozen times larger than this and there were perhaps more inhabitants in those days. But after the war, a lot of things have changed.

"Yo! Tsukuyomi chan" The emerald haired soldier turned her attention to the door where a giant burly man called out her name. She recognized him as the Takoyaki store owner a few blocks from the shop. Apparently, the man was an old acquaintance of her caretaker and have been visiting once every while when he was not attending his stand. She never got his name but decided to go with his title as 'Pops'.

"Good morning, oyaji. You're quite early today"

The burly man laughed back at her over-polite manners. "Ahahaha! It's nothing. I saw the lights open so I thought I'd drop by and give some good luck presents" He raised a basket of oranges from the other side of the door and gave the lady a toothy grin.

"Oba san will be happy to have this. Thank you"

"Still as well mannered as before, aren't ya? Speaking of which… where's the old lady? I thought she'd be the one out here managing the things"

"She is still in bed" Tsukuyomi answered. "The cold weather has not been doing well for her health these days"

"Eh? And here I thought I could have a nice chat with that lady. Hehehehe. If she were a few younger, I would've shown her my charming points"

"I'm sure she would be delighted to have you visit"

"Ha! That would be the day" But their pleasant conversation was quickly interrupted when a roar of engines echoed from the outside. Tsukuyomi recognized it. She's been around TSFs long enough to familiarize herself with the sound of boosters turning on and off. "There have been a lot of them coming in and out these days"

"It cannot be helped" The red clad woman replied. "The Exercise they're doing has them performing sorties for quite awhile. I do not think it will end soon"

"Well whatever they're doing, I won't be able to get used to it. The sight of giant metallic monsters… (…) Ah sorry, I guess I shouldn't be saying that. Still there is awfully a lot of them. You'd think they're preparing for war"

"War is what they're trained for" Tsukuyomi corrected as she busied herself counting the money in the cash register. "It will be difficult for them to do anything else"

"Heh, you sound like you know about being a soldier. (…) You have someone you know in the U.N Army?"

"I know… a few…"

"Hoooo?" Pops raised a brow with a curious look. "Is it a man? (…?) It's a man, isn't it? Wah… that's a surprise. But I supposed this is a common story. To have a man fight for you in the front lines"

"You are mistaken. It is nothing of that sort"

But the old man simply laughed it off. "Bwahahaha! I wonder what kind of a man would be a match for someone like you! I'd really want to meet him!"

**(Takeru's POV) (Track-field)**

Ow…

My face… it's swollen. Can this day get any worse? I find myself with a girl in my bed and now I got a handprint marking my face.

That slap Marimo chan delivered was so hard that it may have loosened my jaw. She didn't even give me a moment to explain. Ha… I guess it's true. Women really are difficult to understand.

…

…

Hmm? What's that? That hairstyle.

"Tama and… Touko?" What are those two doing at that corner near a bunch of crates? And who's that other person with them?

"Hmm? Ah! Takeru san! Over here!" The pink haired girl waved up to me. "Look at what we found"

"What is it? (Meow…) A… cat?" It's a little black furry cat hiding in one of the empty crates. Is it using this place as a home?

"This lady found it a few minutes ago. Come look" It was a small cat. Probably a kitten from my point of view. I wonder how it got in.

"Is that synthetic bread you gave her?" I noted the small loaf on the ground that the cat was nibbling on.

"It was trying to break one of the food crates with its claws so I thought it was hungry" Break a crate? That's one tough cat to be able to break wood with its bare-claws. "It looks like it's nothing more but skin and bones"

"Yoroi san went to get some milk for her" Kazama added pointing in the direction of the PX. Milk? I supposed that's logical. Even a cat like that would appreciate some synthetic milk for a change. "It's not often you get to see an urban animal like this. I haven't seen a cat or a dog in a long while"

She's right. With most of Earth's population wiped out by the BETA, it's obvious that other animals would also be targeted. The only animals I've seen these past few months was the dog living outside of Yokohama Base.

But that's odd. Why do I feel a strange sense of déjà-vu here? Finding a cat in the middle of the track field. I feel like I'm forgetting one of Yuuko's bizarre experiments again. It's probably nothing serious.

"How is she looking?" Tama asked the lady who was tending to the kitten. "Is she going to be alright?"

"She'll be fine" The lady answered keeping her back to us. "She's a bit malnourished. But if she keeps a balanced meal for a few days I'm sure her health will return"

…!

That girl!

"Haaa… what a relief" Tama sighed feeling some weight off her chest. "I was worried for a moment there"

"I'd recommend a balanced diet of milk and fish. Maybe a saury or two. She's still small so she doesn't need to eat that much. Keeping her warm might also help. Can you do that? (Hai!)"

"You!" They all turned their attention to me when I spoke out in a loud tone. But my shock was a bit justified.

That girl helping with the cat. There's no mistaking it. It's the same girl that gave me a beating the other day in the infirmary. The same one that I helped out and knocked out in the same afternoon.

"Eh? Do you know her, Shirogane san?" It's hard to forget after all the aches and pain she gave me.

"You were there! In the hallway!"

I expected her to lash out again but instead, she simply raised her brow, puzzled of my actions. "I do not understand what you're saying. Have we met before, 1st Lieutenant?"

"In the infirmary. How could you not remember that? (Infirmary?) Yes! Remember the incident back then?"

"I'm afraid you've mistaken me for someone else. (Eh?) I have not had a tour of this base yet and I have yet to familiarize myself with the layout. I also had personal contact with anyone other than the three I met here. (Huh?) Perhaps you mistook me for another girl my age"

…? Wait… this is odd. She doesn't even look like she recognizes me. Was I mistaken?

"Ah! Natassja san!" Mikoto's voice regaled me from her. She was carrying a small ceramic bowl with her and holding it like a cup. "I brought milk like you asked. There wasn't a lot left so they gave the leftovers. Is it enough?"

Milk?

"Ah… yes, that should be sufficient" The woman answered back before cradling the cat in her arms. "It's best not to give him too much or her body will suffer recoils"

"Ah… that's a big relief" Mikoto heaved out a sigh. "I was worried for a moment. I've only treated people before. I never had a chance to care for an animal"

"Humans and animals aren't that different other than our body structure" The woman replied, taking the cup and placing it right about the cat's mouth. She looks like a mother feeding her baby in that pose. Maybe I got the wrong person. "They can suffer the same illness we do. This one should be fine after a few days rest. Please feed it well. (Hai!)" The two squealed like pair of preschoolers saying yes to their teacher. "In any case, I should be going now. My matchup is coming later this afternoon. Good day"

"H… hey wait a minute!"

She turned back to me with a puzzled look. Even for a soldier, I have to say that she's pretty young. I didn't get a good look at my attacker that time but she clearly resembles her.

"What is it, 1st Lieutenant? Do you want something?"

Maybe I was mistaken…

"…No… never mind" Maybe it's best not to press it. If she doesn't know what I'm talking about then maybe I have the wrong person in mind. "I guess… it's… nice to meet you umm…"

"Ah… that's right. I have yet to introduce myself" She stood at attention and saluted properly as if she was standing in front of her commanding officer. "Major Natassja Ivanova, Commander of the 211 TSF Battalion of the Far East Soviet Army. Pleasure to meet you, 1st Lt. Shirogane Takeru. It seems that I have been given the honor of meeting you in person. (You… know me?) There isn't a soul alive that doesn't know you. It should be considered common knowledge at this point" Common knowledge? Is that what I've become now? An exposed secret? I guess this is what Yuuko meant when she said that I should be expecting changes.

"Takeru san really is famous" Tama agreed while she petted the kitten with Mikoto by her side. "I saw you on TV yesterday after the match. The news reporter was talking about you non-stop"

"Even though Hayase got most of the kills, you were the center of attention" Kazama added. "Misae san was complaining how they kept focusing on you rather than the rest of the team" That's right. I forgot that the media covers the match-ups too. I guess keeping hidden from exposure is impossible with them around.

"In any case, I should be going" Natassja said, turning her back on us. "Let us meet again on better terms, Lieutenant" And just like that, the girl was gone.

I really couldn't tell if it was the same girl that I fought in the infirmary. Remembering her mad face distorted much of her facial features that I couldn't really tell.

_"Yuuya… Bridges!"_

I remember her yelling out at me. But I couldn't really tell if it was a name or just some mad blabbering. Either way… I just hope I don't meet her out on the battlefield.

"Wha… so cute…" I turned back towards the trio. Looks like they're enjoying themselves with the cat. It's hard to imagine that they were in a fight for their lives a couple of weeks ago. "Neh, Takeru san. Do you want to pet it too?"

"No, I'm good" I waved my hands up defensively. "I don't work well with animals" It's true. I have absolutely no experience in raising one. I even remember the goldfish I won in a festival. It didn't even last a week before I had to flush it down the drain. Haaa… but then again… I was just a kid after all"

"Eh? But the dog back at the base seemed to like you" Mikoto recalled. She must be talking about that mutt that I found in the city when I met Yuuhi. It somehow found its way to the guardhouse near the main entrance and has been there ever since.

"That one is just unnatural"

"I don't think that's true. I think you'd be good with animals, Takeru. You have that demeanor that makes people want to hug you. (Please don't…) Ahaha. But what do you think we should do with this one?" She gestured to the kitten in Tama's arms. "Do you think they'll allow animals in the compound?"

"I don't think that's a good idea" Kazama interrupted. "The guard captain in charge of morning shifts hates cats" Seriously? Of all the things to hate in the world he had to hate cats. "If you leave it to the guards, they'll probably just toss him out in the cold agian"

"Uwa… I don't like that" Tama quivered, holding the kitten even tighter.

"Then… maybe we should keep it?" Mikoto suggested. "We can't exactly just leave it here out in the cold. It'll die"

"That's true" I muttered. I know that animals aren't as important as before but considering that it's also part of this planet, you have to ensure that everything survives. "Do you think the Captain will allow it?"

"I don't think she'll mind" Touko guessed out loud. "As long as it doesn't interfere with the unit directly, she'll allow it"

"That's pretty convenient. So which one of you will be adopting this little guy?"

"Hai! Miki san will do it!" Tama gestured to herself as the cat began to lick her face. "Nyahahaha. That tickles"

"I think the cat already decided who it wants to go with"

Mikoto laughed in agreement to Touko. I guess cats have a good sense of its own kind. "Miki chan is more suitable with animals. I guess that's just a natural habit for her"

"Well, I supposed cats take care of each other"

"Hmm?" Tama simply looked back at us, missing the joke.

It didn't take long for Mikoto to suddenly suggest an outrageous act. "Ah! That's right. Now that you're keeping it, we should name it too. (Name it?) Yeah. It's only proper to give someone a name once they're adopted neh? I mean—even if it an animal, it deserves that much"

"Hooo? Good idea" Kazama gave an approving nod. "It'll be nice to have an extra mascot around here. Who knows? It might bring some cheer around the base. How about… Nachi?"

Nachi? Is that like a spin-off from Hachiko?

"I was thinking we named him something strong" Mikoto added. "How about, Ieyasu?" That's too strong! "No? Then how about… Nobunaga? (No!) Shingen? (No…) Tadakatsu? (Absolutely not!) Yukimura?"

Is this guy just spouting random names or is he deliberately basing all of them from the Sengoku period?

"Alexander?" Touko… not you too. "Joan of Meow? (NO!)" Seriously; who'd name their cat Joan of Meow? "Edward the Little Lion. (Please stop that…)"

"Eh? But I thought that Hideyoshi would make for a strong-refined name"

"Takeru san…"

I immediately turned my attention back to the little girl who was taking in her newly adopted feline. I couldn't stand listening to those two suggesting their awkward names. "What is it? (Hmm?) Tama?"

"I was thinking of calling it, Takeru san. (Huh?) (Meow…)" Wait… she's gonna name a cat after… me?

"Hooo! That's a good one!" The other two quickly agreed before I could voice my protest. "Miki chan, you're so clever. I never would've thought of that on the get-go. (Oi…) (Meow…) Ahehehe. Lookie, his fur is so soft. Ah and she's licking my fingers. Ahaha. That tickles Takeru"

"Hey… don't you guy…"

"Oh! You're right, she is soft" Kazama? "Ahuhuhu. Such a cute little face, Takeru"

Th… this is bad. I can't allow this bill to pass. If they agree to name it after me, it will be used as ammunition for Misae to hit me over and over again.

"We'll have a great time together, neh, Takeru san? (Meow…)"

…

Damn it…

**(Hallway)**

I couldn't resist it. Seeing Tama's happy cute and childish face drove away all resistance against that proposal. There's just no way a sane man like me can fight against such an adorable thing. And thanks to that, we now have a cat named, Takeru…

Sheesh. I really am too soft hearted for these kinds of things. I just hope nothing more will happen.

"Hang in there…" Kasumi tried to cheer me up from behind. She's been by my side since breakfast and hasn't left my sight.

"Thanks Kasumi"

Haa… I wish I had the carefree lifestyle of this girl. As the days go by, my list of problems just seem to pile on over and over. For once I'd like to see my day go my way.

Thud!

Ah! Crap! Not again. I hit someone. Seriously—when am I going to learn to watch where I walk?

"Sorry! I wasn't looking—eh?"

"No it was my fau—ah!"

"Hayase/Shirogane!-?" We said each other's names out loud.

We both stared at one another in a deadlock in that hallway. I felt myself recoil a bit but that was only because my subconscious reacted upon it. After being her lackey for god-knows how long, I've developed a sixth sense of fear from her.

…

…

…

This awkward silence is killing both of us. We really should break it or people would get suspicious.

"H… hi there…" I raised my arm upward in a gesture of a wave. "Goo… good morning…"

…!

"Huh? Oi! Wait a minute! Hayase!" She bolted off faster than my feet could react. What the hell was with that facial reaction? Her mouth was drooping and her cheeks were as red as tomatoes. I expected her to beat me up or yell at some point, or even threaten me. But I never expected her to run away.

Geez… that girl must've just woken up from my bed. I guess the shock of being in someone else's room must've got to her. I can imagine her reaction. Mine was pretty much the same when Meiya snuck into my bed that night long ago. But at least she was clothed. Hayase on the other hand barely had her underwear on.

But for Hayase it must've been different. I mean, it definitely wasn't intentional. After getting information of last night, I can speculate that both of us were too drunk to even know what we were doing. And for her to wake up on someone else's bed, half naked and with a drooly face, you'd imagine that the first thing she thought that she may have done something that she'd regret. But still… that expression… even though it was just for a few seconds, I had to admit that she looked… adorable. Cute even…

Hey wait a second! This isn't the time for that! I have to chase after her!

"Wait! Hayase san!"

Tap tap tap tap tap tap tap

Damn it. Where'd she go? Hayase has always been fast but I've always caught up to her in both speed and agility. Even in training I've always had the upper hand. It's only because of her fierce fighting spirit that I become overwhelmed in fear.

No…

Not here…

Nope.

Not here either…

The only exit from this wing of the building is through the track field so… she must be heading towards the PX. I can cut her off from the next intersection.

…?

Hmm? That face.

"Morn…"

"Ayamine? What are you doing here? (Breakfast…)" Oh… duh of course. It's still early in the morning. I guess everyone has their own time table. "A… anyway. Have you seen Hayase come through here? (1st Lieutenant?) Yeah her? Did she come by?"

"You in trouble? (…?) No surprise. Last night was fun"

Guuu. She's talking about last night's dinner. "Please don't talk about that. I'm about to get lectured by the Captain later this afternoon. I don't need this right now. (Shirogane. You're boring when sober) I never liked being drunk in the first place and it wasn't intentional either! Don't categorize me with our sempais!"

"Shirogane is a light drinker but can still wake up in the morning. You're odd" You're the last person I want to hear that from. "Oddity…"

"Don't go there" I warned. Damn it. I got caught up in this mix. I shouldn't be dallying here. I need to find Hayase.

"Hmmhmm…"

"What are you smiling about this time?"

"Hu… that's good. (Eh?) Shirogane. You look much better now. (I do?) You're not pale… anymore" Pale? When was I… ah! (Flash) She must be talking about that time when I fainted on her lap. "You look strong. Won't collapse anymore. That's very good…"

"Ayamine…"

"Hayase never came here" That was a quick change of subjects. "You looking for her?"

"Uh… yeah. Do you know where she went?"

"No. But this is odder" Odder? Is that even a word? "Usually 1st Lt. Hayase would be looking for you—not the other way around. (Hey…) Is today opposite day?"

"If you're gonna keep talking to yourself, I'm leaving"

Fwup.

"Bwah! Hey! Don't pull someone's shirt so abruptly! I could've fallen on you!"

"Want help? (Eh?) Need help?"

"Huh? Ah… yeah. Sure. Can you help me find her? (No…) What!-? (Offer expired) What the hell!-? Are you trying to help me or get on my nerves, I can't really tell!"

"Heh… much better. (Eh?) You look better… (What do you mean?) Here…" She handed me another one of her famed experimental Yakisoba Bread. "Congratulatory gift for getting better. Congratulations. (Ayamine?) Experiment number 845—guanranteed success. You won't be disappointed. (Huh?) Later…"

"Ah… later…"

**(Kobuin Residence) (Slopes of Mt. Fuji) (Shogun's Room)**

Yuuhi Kobuin, the Grand Shogun of Japan and its spiritual leader was sitting in her room that morning, with her caretaker and her personal doctor by her side.

It was the time of her usual checkup which she adhered to follow. Though it was plainly obvious that she had fully recovered from her injuries, her body was still far from its former self. Even with the best medical equipment and medicine the country had to offer, there was no way to speed up the healing process of the more, damaging injuries.

Even before the incident in Tokyo, Her Highness has been subjugated by weekly checkups from doctors to ensure that she was in perfect health. It was a tedious and often useless event but she welcomed the respite from her daily work.

"Well, you certainly are recovering, your highness" The doctor declared, putting his equipments away as a sign of his completed task. "It should take a few more weeks before you fully recover but at the moment you appear to be in perfect health. I would not recommend anything but daily exercise to strengthen your body"

"Thank you Doctor. I apologize for troubling you to drive all the way here for such a short visit" The Shogun responded with a courteous smile to send him off.

"It was no trouble at all, your highness. Though I do recommend you eat a little more. You iron is a bit low but other than that, you're in perfect shape… metaphorically speaking of course"

"Yes, thank you doctor. I will be sure to follow your instructions to the letter"

With a final low bow, the doctor exited the room with Tomoe escorting him out.

"Really now. Must they send for that man every week just for show?" The Grand Chamberlain scuffed with an annoying tone after knowing that the visitor was out of earshot. "As if we need some professor to know how Her Highness's conditions are"

"Please don't be so harsh. He is merely performing what he has been asked. You cannot blame him from doing so"

"Still… this is far too much. The only medication you need at the moment is rest. Surely they can understand this"

"The Honor Guards are also just being thorough in their work. After what their reputation went through in Tokyo… I believe this is something they must do as their status demands"

The old lady sighed. She hated it when Yuuhi followed the conduct of her status. It has been like that since the nobility was born. Stiff and rigid, unable to change. There were times she wished that she would loosen up a bit even in front of her. She always thought that the Shogun could be herself when she was with her. But alas, that was not to be. Even as her Guardian, that invisible wall that she built around herself diverted every manner of personal approach. It was a foundation that was meant only for those of rank.

It's always lonely at the top…

That was probably the phrase she was thinking now. Even now… the old lady wished that she could reach that top of the mountain somehow.

"Reputation and honor and be thrown out the window for all I care. Disturbing Her Highness when she requires her rest is no excuse"

This of course only made the Shogun chuckle at her resolve. "You sound like an overprotective doting mother, oba san"

"I am merely stating what's in my mind. It is the privilege of the elderly. Youngsters and grownups should mind their manners and consider other people's feelings for a change. If I were just a few years younger I would've given those men a piece of my mind!"

"I fear that the Honor Guards would not know how to react if you were the one to yell at them. Please forgive them"

"Hmph! All this talk about those ruffians is putting a sour taste in my mouth. I need to cleanse it with tea to sate my anger. Please wait here a moment" The old lady then quickly tap two cups from the drawers and poured hot water for their snack. But while she did that, she noticed the young girl's face drifting again towards the window.

It has been happening for a few days now since that boy came to visit. The Grand Chamberlain recalled what happened that day like it was engraved in her memories.

Shirogane Takeru.

What is it about that boy that makes him so special? What manner of ploy did he perform to make Yuuhi trust him so, to gaze at him, to look at him with such emotions that even she had not seen?

Nothing came to mind. Other than the boy's ridiculous strength, courage and reckless willpower, he looked like an ordinary teenage boy with growing hormones.

The moment the elder laid eyes on him when he came to visit she immediately disliked him. She always disliked strangers, especially youngsters like him. Every visitor was like a test of endurance for the Shogun. Being the spiritual military leader of the people, many come to pay respect just to earn her favor. It has become a game of politics with never-ending signs of cloaks and daggers.

But with every test that came, the Shogun proved herself to be exceptional in each of their ploy. Her tutors taught her well in every manner of diplomacy and she made quick work of all manners of wordplay that they came up with. In the long run, Yuuhi has become one of the greatest leaders that Japan could ever ask for. The only thing she regrets is that she had to bear it at such a young age.

And now this boy has appeared. A person born of unknown origins came to her like a knight in shining armor. No one knew who he was or where he came from, not even the Grand Shogun herself, not even the Grand Chamberlain. But one thing was for sure.

Yuuhi trusted him, and care for him… more so than the nation that she was charged to protect.

Though the girl will not openly admit it, the old lady knew that he was the constant subject of her thoughts. So much so that even just the mere mention of his name would make her turn her head like a fish caught by a cheap and lousy bait.

But the old lady's train of thoughts was quickly interrupted when a figure appeared from the doorway with a familiar voice in tow. "Your Highness. It is I, Ebisu. Forgive the interruption but I require a moment of your time"

The Shogun ignored her caretaker's scruff and answered. "Yes, you may enter" The blonde member of the former Three Idiots came in with a folder in hand. "You may rise. (Thank you, Your Majesty) You bring news, Ebisu?"

"Yes. I have just received the report from the foreman in charge of the Food Plant" Yuuhi's face stiffened at the mention of her master plan. "The supplies and aid from the U.N. have arrived at Fukushima docks. The construction of the Plant has resumed. Roughly 60% of the plans have already been completed. All future predictions say that the facility may be done earlier than the settled deadline"

"That is excellent news…" Yuuhi said with a sincere tone. "I am glad that the Professor came through with her promise. Then the time for its announcement is almost upon us"

"Should I send a report to the media?"

"No. It is still too soon. I would like the confirmation from the Foreman to see if it will work before making any notification. I do not wish the people to cling onto false hope. (Understood…) But I do feel better hearing this. Thank you, Ebisu"

"Nay. I am merely performing my duties, Your Highness"

Yuuhi flashed a rare smile towards her bodyguard but quickly noticed the frown on the young soldier's face. "There is something else you wish to report?"

Reluctantly, Ebisu answered with a depressed sigh. "The Royal Families have sent word. (…!) They wish to discuss the topic regarding Your Highness's successor"

The Grand Chamberlain's face twisted with all the rage she could muster. Of all the time to ask, they had to call after a complete and thorough checkup. If she was in the military right now she'd probably say that it was all a conspiracy.

"I see… very well then. I shall go. (Your Highness!) It is alright, oba san. I am merely discussing with my family. Nothing more. Besides… I cannot hold them all forever on such a delicate matter. Ebisu, please fetch me my garments. (Yes, Your Highness)"

The Grand Chamberlain gripped the handle of her teacup tightly, relieving all of her stress on the poor ceramic object. It was like this world was moving against her now. Though she knew that Shogun had her duties, there just had to be a line to be crossed. There had to be a limit to what one person can do in such short period of time without rest.

Sometimes the old lady wondered if that madman Ikaruga was right all along about this country.

But right now… all she could do was watch and wait and hopefully help bear her Shogun's burden as best she can.


	77. Premonition

**Chapter 77: Premonitions**

**(Shogun Residence) (Audience room)**

The Shogun sat in a stanza form on the stage, garbed in her royal attire and crown. A beam of elegance and nobility radiated from her presence. To all the people of Japan, this face was the face of their Grand Shogun, their spiritual and military leader. With that face, she became a closer presence than any deity has ever come to pass.

Surrounding her front were four giant screens that had been placed there in such an occasion when members of visitors could not come in person.

But now two of those screens were on and each side had a different face, all which Yuuhi recognized as the newly appointed heads of the royal families directly related to the late emperor of Japan.

"My greetings to you all" Yuuhi began with a soft tone. "I apologize for my late response. I was not expecting any calls today"

"Nay, it is we who should be apologizing for calling you on such short notice, Your Highness" The elderly faces with gray hair and a sharp beard on one of the lines bowed lowly in response. "It was not our intentions but we thought that it would be best to settle the matter as quickly as possible"

Yuuhi turned her attention towards the man who spoke and gently lowered her head back in respect. "Lord Saionji. I welcome you. My condolences to the loss of your son. I understand that there was not enough time for you to hold a ceremony for his passing. The nation still mourn his loss"

"Your Highness, you are too kind. Your thoughts on it alone is more than enough"

"We understand that you have only just recovered from your injuries, Your Highness. But with the situation as it is, we cannot delay this matter much longer" A young female voice intervened showing a hint of bitterness in her tone.

"Lady Takatsukasa" Yuuhi recognized her. A woman garbed in blue, the same color of an Honor Guard regiment. She was young but you can see that the blood of a fierce warrior runs in her veins. "I see you have been newly appointed to your new station. My condolences to your sister"

"Think nothing of it" The woman replied hiding a part of her shame. "She died protecting our people. No one can ask anymore than that from her. But I thank you for your thoughts, Your Highness"

After a quick greeting, the Shogun hastily noticed that one member of their council was not present. "Will Lord Kujou be attending this meeting as well?"

"He has gone to Eastern Kyushu I'm afraid" The old man answered from his post. "He fears that the military defense there is far too sparse and wishes to thicken it with his own. Though he did send his regards"

"I see. Then I suppose we cannot postpone" Yuuhi braced herself for what was to come. She had been expecting this call for some time now but never this early.

"Have you come with your answer, Your Highness?" Lady Takatsukasa inquired raising a brow from her screen.

…

…

"No… I have not. (…!) I do not yet possess an answer to your question"

The two faces on the monitors quickly twisted with confusion. Lord Saionji opted to speak first but the young lady beat it to him. "Why not!-? (…) Your Highness. You cannot leave this matter open forever. His Imperial Majesty is gone and none of his heirs remain. If we cannot choose a successor for the throne, it would only be a matter of time before the people begin to panic. Surely you'd understand that we—(Setsuna…) …! F… forgive me. I forget my place"

Lord Saionji gently waved her temper off in reply. "No. Your reaction is understandable. All of us here have been on edge lately. After what happened at Tokyo, the nobility is no longer what it once were. Nothing like this has ever occurred before in our history before so there is little we can do to respond. (…) After losing His Majesty in Saitama along with his sons and family, the task of ruling this nation falls to us, the royal family, until a successor is named"

Yuuhi looked at them and knew well that these two spoke true. Their points and reasoning was spot on.

"Your Highness…" The old man continued. "I understand that this is not a difficult decision to make but be that as it may, you are still the legitimate successor to the throne. You are the closest to all of us to his late majesty"

"I know…" Yuuhi returned his gaze and soften her stature. "But to choose among hundreds…"

"I never said that it would be an easy choice. But you must understand… without a legitimate emperor… the people's favor will ultimately go towards the Provincial Government. We must maintain the balance of power at all cost"

"As the five household related to His Majesty, we cannot participate in your choosing of your spouse" Lady Takatsukasa added after she calmed herself down. "If we wait any longer…"

"I am fully aware of the consequences. (Then why…?)"

"Wait…" The old man interrupted to prevent bickering. "Before we deduce anything, let us hear Her Highness's reasoning for her decision, Takatsukasa. Surely she understands our position better than anyone. She would not do so without a good reason. (…) Your Highness?"

"Thank you, Saionji dono" The nodded back in respect. "I apologize for placing all of you in such a difficult position. I know that I have a duty to the royal throne but as the Grand Shogun of Japan, I also have my obligations to the people I was charged to protect. (…) I have been neglecting the matter regarding the empty throne to the higher matter of our citizens. Please bear with my decision until you hear of it"

"Are you speaking of the Food Plant that the Ministry of Technology offered?" Saionji inquired which the Shogun answered with a nod. "I thought the plans for that facility were delayed?"

"They were. But I have procured aid from the United Nations in constructing it. (…!) With their assistance, the plans have moved ahead of schedule"

"Wait! What are you saying Your Highness? How can you—?"

"Let her finish, Takatsukasa. (Gorou?) Your Highness. Please elaborate your actions"

"I came to a decision to prioritize the people before the crown. At this moment, the people suffer while we bicker on position and stations. I understand well that this nation requires a sovereign to lead them but such time will never come less we take action. (…) His late Imperial Majesty charged us with the protection of the people. If we cannot provide them even the basics of necessities, then they will riot and panic. Our people will turn to banditry and theft if left uncheck. I simply wish to resolve the more immediate issue than the latter. I meant no disrespect in your wishes"

The two heads of the noble families paused to take her word into mind. Yuuhi demonstrated her diplomatic powers well and showed no hint of any malice nor weakness on her face. She just sat there, taking their powered gaze like a statue that spoke with conscious.

"Still… to ask the U.N. for support is rather unbefitting"

"I support you on this…" Lord Saionji replied with an understanding nod. "The needs of the people outweigh the needs of the few. That is a logical assumption. (Gorou san…?) Setsuna. Her Highness has a point in this matter. Though it is logical for us to focus on our diplomatic matters, remember that we are still under orders from His Majesty to serve and protect the people to the best of our abilities. Her Highness, Lady Kobuin is simply deferring to that order. Surely you can understand that"

Seeing that both parties have taken a side, the lady in blue sighed in defeat. "It seems that both of you have already picked sides on this fence. Anything I say would only mark me as the villain. (…) Very well. I shall support you on this. Though I must ask that you to consult with us before making any decision regarding the plant. You are not the only one with stakes on this"

"Yes, it was my mistake for acting so reckless" Yuuhi returned an apologetic nod easing the tension in the room.

"Then we shall adjourn this meeting for today" Gorou quickly announce. "We shall continue meeting again once every week to discuss the happenings of our country. Be safe… both of you"

"And you as well, Lord Saionji" The monitor portraying the old man then turned blank. And just when Setsuna was about to do the same, Yuuhi raised her hand up for one last discussion. "Wait, Takatsukasa san. (…?) Before we part… there is something I wish to discuss with you… if you have time"

"Me?" The lady in blue raised a brow. "What do you wish to discuss, Your Highness?"

"It has come to my understanding that the remainder of the Household Honor Guards has been placed under your care, correct?"

Setsuna nodded in confirmation of her words. "Yes, that is true. After Tokyo, the families voted me to interrogate the guards. I've merged them with my own military force so that such incident like Tokyo will never occur again. Why do you ask?"

"I have a favor that I need of you. (A favor?) Yes. Though it is selfish of me, I require your assistance in a delicate matter. (…) I ask that you place 1/3 of your forces at the edge of Fukushima. (1/3!?) Yes…"

"May I ask why? Fukushima is too far back from the frontlines. Stationing troops there would only jeopardize our positions up in Shimane and Yamaguchi. Besides, stationing the Guards there would only discomfort the mainland defense force. The Honor Guards have been seen with distrust as of late. The people will only react untrusting towards us"

"I understand that this is a selfish request… but I wish it done"

…

Setsuna paused in her words trying to figure out Yuuhi's intentions but she could not see any malicious thoughts appearing on her face. "Will you at least tell me the reason for this transfer? I do not wish to send valuable men and resources to the rear. (I'm afraid I can't…) Then I cannot do as you ask. Without a vital reason to move soldiers—sending troops and such large numbers that far back may only threaten our relation with the Imperial Army"

"If that is the limit of what you can do in such constraints then I shall not ask for more" Yuuhi replied not showing a hint of a frown.

Again, the lady in blue gritted her tongue. Even with a negative answer, the Shogun refuses to bend any manner of emotions on her face, but a smile and softened eyes. She tried reverse psychology but that simply backfired on her. It was like staring at a wall, which refuses to back down no matter what.

In the end, Lady Takatsukasa submitted. "I will… station some of my personal guards at the old fort near Showa village. I have friends and contacts there which can be of use. It is all I can spare without alarming the mainland defense force. (I thank you…) You place too much trust in me, Your Highness"

"I place trust in your honor more than anything, Setsuna. Your sister once did the same. (…) I thank you for your compliance"

"Nay… think nothing of it, Your Highness. I am simply following your orders. (…) Now if you'll excuse me. I have some matters to settle in Niigata. Let us meet again on better terms, Your Highness"

And with the final screen shut off, Yuuhi released the tension from her shoulders dropping down with a nervous sigh. Not a lot of families around the world would tremble at the gaze of their own flesh and blood.

**(Takeru's POV) (Hallway)**

Damn it… I lost her. I knew that Hayase was slick but this time she's as slippery as a snake. The moment I thought I had her cornered, she pulls off some ridiculous stunt to avoid me. She even jumped off the window and hid her footprints on the snow to keep me from tracking her. Now I'll never find out where she went.

She can't hide from me forever. We'll have to meet eventually for the match later this afternoon. As much as she wants to avoid me there's just no way she'd want to miss a chance to fight another strong opponent.

"Haaa… I guess I have no choice but to wait for her to appear then. I should probably head back to the PX and have an early lunch. All this running around has made me hungry again, neh, Kasumi? (…) Kasumi?" AHH! Crap! I ditched her again! Damn me and my instant reflexes. I must've left her back at the intersection. Ugh… if Yuuko knew about how bad I am in being a bodyguard she'd be laughing her ass off insulting me with endless hurtful comments.

"Can you tell me why?"

Hmm? Who's that?

Oh… its Class Rep. I almost didn't recognize her. We haven't seen each other for awhile and with our duties on separate schedules, we're pretty much losing contact with one another.

"Yo! Class Rep!"

…!

"Sh… Shirogane?" What's with that reaction? Oh… she seems to be with someone. "Um… th… this is…"

"It seems like we're caught" It was an officer of the same rank as Class Rep. I don't recognize him but I quickly noted his rank patch on his uniform. "Anyway, please give me your answer at your convenience, Sakaki san"

"Ah! W… wait! Please wait a minute" Sakaki tried to call him back but he kept walking in the opposite direction. Class rep had a somewhat solemn expression. I get the feeling I interrupted on something delicate. "Geez… that guy…"

"Umm… did I… interrupt something?"

"No… it's nothing" Her mouth says that but her face says otherwise. She looked somewhat unnerved.

"Who was that guy?"

"I said it's nothing!" Yipes! I raised my hand in defense. It seems like I stepped on a land-mine. "Don't poke your nose in other people's business"

"Ah… y… yeah… sorry…" I bowed my head lowly at her. Maybe I shouldn't have called out. "I… didn't know you were talking with someone else"

"Forget it. Now what do you want? (Eh?) You called me out already so I'm guessing there's something you want from me?"

"Huh? Ah… that's right. You wouldn't happen to see Kasumi walking by here, would you? (Kasumi?) We… kind of got separated from each other"

"Aren't you supposed to be the one guarding her? That's your job, isn't it? (Yeah…) To lose your charge—that's the first and last sign of a terrible bodyguard" Do you have to be blunt about it? "But no… I haven't seen her. She didn't come through here so you might want to try somewhere else. (Sure…) If that's all then later"

"Ah! C… Class rep?" She's gone. Geez. I didn't drop by her conversation on purpose. This hallway is public space so anyone can use it. And why is everyone getting angry at me all at once? First Akane, Meiya, Hayase, The Captain, Marimo and now Class Rep? The world must be conspiring against me. Even half of those hatred are made by accidents too.

Still… I have to set my priorities. Find Kasumi and get her to the observation room. Ugh… and if that takes too long I can skip lunch altogether.

"Umm… exscuse meh" Huh? Who is it this time? "Ah… wait… that's not right. Is it, excuse me? Sorry. My Japanese isn't that fluent as before"

A big tall woman with long fluffy shaded pink hair greeted me. I explicitly added the 'big' part because of the gravitation pull my eyes made the moment I got a fix of her shape. Her chest bulged from her overalls and her slender body was somewhat visibly apparent from my point of view. It wouldn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that she was a foreigner.

"Me?" I dumbly said with my index finger pointing at my chin.

"Hai. You wouldn't happen to be looking for this girl now, would you?"

"Girl? Ah! Kasumi chan!" She was holding onto the woman's pants with one hand while her other hand held her big pink rabbit. "Thank you for finding her"

"It's no problem at all" The woman airily waved off my gratitude. "It's always been my nature to help people in need, especially when they're this cute. She was a proper lady the whole time"

"Hnn…" Uwa… I don't like that glare. Kasumi chan must be thinking that I'm a terrible parent or something. "The worst… (Geh!) Increase debt to four sets. (Eh?) Tako…yaki"

Oh… she's talking about Takoyaki… again? "Fine. I'll buy you four sets the moment we get a chance"

"Negotiation successful fufufufu…" Ugh… this really sucks.

But my train of thoughts was interrupted when I noted the pink haired lady chuckling at our little act. "My my. That's quite a strange relationship you have there. Your sister is quite the charmer"

"Huh? Ah… no. She's not my sister. (Oh?) She's just… someone in my responsibility"

"Hooo? So you're a babysitter? (Pretty much) I see. I guess I should've seen that since you two don't look alike at all. (Ahehehe…) But after seeing how close you two looked, some people might jump to that conclusion"

"I'll keep that in mind, miss"

"Miss?" Her eyes glittered expressing her realization. "Ah… come now. Do I look that old to you? I don't think I've earned that title just yet? (Huh?) Calling a lady 'Miss' is almost the same as calling them old, you know that?"

I flinched back at the thought. "I… I'm sorry. I didn't realize. I didn't mean to"

"Relax. You don't have to take everything I say so seriously, Shirogane kun"

"Sorry. It's just that—I've been having a bad day with women lately so I'm a bit… eh?" I paused on my word when I realized she mentioned me by name. "You know me?"

"Of course. There's hardly anyone alive who doesn't know you, 1st Lieutenant. You're quite the celebrity from where I came from. (I… I see…) Ah but where are my manners?" The woman returned a rare smile at me with her hand extended. "2nd Lt. Sharon Heim of the U.S. 65th Combat Training Battalion. Pleasure to meet you"

"Ah… the pleasure is all mine, ma'am" I unconsciously took her hand. "But… you're with the Infinities too?"

"Ara ara. It seems like our reputation does precedes us" She commented jokingly to my inquiry.

"No it's just that I… met one of your teammates the other day. (My teammate?) A thin guy with blue hair"

"Blue hair?" Sharon's eyes widened after a brief thought. "Ora… you met Leon?" Leon? Was that his name? I somewhat forgot. "Eyayaya~ I hope he didn't do anything weird. He may be an excellent pilot but he certainly has issues"

"Well… I supposed he was a little strange when we first met"

Sharon sighed at this and bowed at me with her hands clasped together in apology. "I'm really sorry about him. Please ignore whatever comments he may have made on your meeting. That man has a really bad habit of making people judge him on first impressions. It's really not his fault. (I see…) I'll be sure to give him an earful next time"

"I don't really mind"

"I appreciate that. It's just that… he's kind of obsessed with fighting strong pilots like yourself. Though I supposed 'he' had that influence on him. (…?) The previous pilot of that machine was once a good friend of his. I guess you could say that he's trying to settle a score with him by beating that TSF personally. (Previous pilot?) But please don't mind him. He usually has an obsession with fighting. I guess you could say that he wants to prove to himself that he is strong. It's… complicated"

"No it's alright" I waved off her apology. "I have a teammate who's just the same. She also wants to fight me… constantly"

"I supposed the more the merrier. Though I can't say the same for you, Shirogane san. (Ahehehe) Ahuhuhu. Well, I supposed this is where we part ways. Good luck on your next match, Shirogane san. I'll definitely be rooting for you"

Heh… what a nice lady. Even though she's in the same unit as that guy there really are still good people out there. I guess the world really has a way of balancing things out.

I guess there's no other choice but to head back to the hanger and prep for the next match. Hayase will eventually have to go there. Even though our situation may be a little awkward, there's no way in hell she'll pass up a good fight with another team.

Ah… I'll also have to drop by the briefing room later. I can drop Kasumi chan with Haruka until I'm done with the match.

"Kasumi chan, come on let's go. I don't want to be late. (…) Kasumi chan?" She seems to be looking at something out the window. "What are you looking at?" She pointed towards the barrel over the armory. "The water tower? What about it?"

"There's… someone…"

"Someone?" I looked over from the window. It's pretty far away to see but no one in their right mind would walk on top of a water tower in this weather. You'd probably get a good view of the complex and the runway but that's pretty much it. "I don't see anyone. It's probably just snow playing tricks on you. Come on. I only have a few minutes left before we're ordered to sortie. (…)" She's not budging. I'll have to hurry this up. "Alright Kasumi, you leave me no choice. Hup!"

…!

I quickly placed the girl on my shoulders and made sure she sticks on tight. "Ooooh!" Her eyes sparkled with bewilderment. Looking at things from new heights always made youngsters happy for some reason. I supposed the sense of being taller gets them all the time.

"Yosh! We're running at full speed!"

**(Kyushu) (Ruins of Fukuoka City) (U.N. Forward Military Base)**

Kouzuki Yuuko sat in the waiting room that afternoon waiting for the delegates to finally arrive. After being brought here from Kyoto, people expected her to be placed on the meeting table to discuss the future operation against the BETA. But instead, she was given word that the other delegates haven't arrived and were delayed by some other reason that she could care less about.

Some of the staff expected her to whine but to their surprise, the woman didn't even feel a nudge. She simply shrugged it off like another dust on her shoulder and took her time reading a magazine in the lobby. The staff even provided her with a complimentary drink to help her pass the time.

The woman seemed… bored, if that was the most likely of expression the staff can get a reading on her. The meeting that was about to occur was perhaps one of the most important talks the superpowers had in mind but Yuuko looked as if none of it even mattered to her. It felt more like she was expecting it from a far off time.

The staff members gave the young professor her privacy and left her at the lobby if she required anything. But nothing came to mind.

But just as the woman was about call it a day, she turned her attention from the magazine she was reading towards the clock on the wall.

"I guess it's just about time" She muttered quietly to herself before picking up the phone placed in front of her. "It's me. Connect me to Kyoto Base, Hanger 15"

"I'm sorry Professor but our communication is currently unstable at the moment" The operator on the other line answered with an almost apologetic tone. "We won't be able to communicate outside of Kyushu until we get a satellite signal directly above us"

"That's fine. Just leave a message to Lt. Piatif for me"

"Of course ma'am. What do you wish to say?"

"Tell her that I forgot to give Shirogane a package at my lab. Tell her to deliver it for me"

"Of course ma'am. Will that be all?"

"Yes that's all" And right when she placed the phone back on its handle, the door behind her opened up revealing two officers with high-ranking patches on their uniforms.

"Professor Kouzuki. Sorry to keep you waiting ma'am but the other delegates have arrived"

The Professor nodded at their presence and took another look at her watch. With a quick glance, a smirk appeared on her lips. "The timing is so accurate that it's scary… (Ma'am?) Nothing. Let's go. We'd best not keep them waiting"

"Of course ma'am. Please follow us"

**(Kyoto Base) (TSF Hanger) (Takeru's POV) (04:20 PM)**

Huaaa… it's finally over. The match with the other team ended rather smoothly for us. It was a 4 vs 5 match this time with our opponent being the one with the advantage. But their superior numbers didn't matter since we still took them down with barely much of a scratch.

Marimo actually took down two of them this time without even batting an eyelash. I took down the third while Hayase and Kashiwagi bagged the fourth and fifth simultaneously.

It was pretty awesome for all of us to be working together. Even though I'm using a different unit, our effectiveness as a team hasn't dwindled one bit.

Hayase kept herself professionally at all times during the match. She must've put a lot of concentration in the fight not to freak out like she did back in the hallway. I know that we haven't discussed it but it's refreshing to have a sense of normalcy back in my life.

"Good work as always, 1st Lt. Shirogane"

"Huh? Oh… Misae san? What are you doing here?" I asked her as she tossed me a towel. I didn't even know my face was sweating. "Don't tell me you're ditching the Captain again"

"Ahahaha, I wish that was the case" She answered in her usual coy tone. "Watching people fight on screen can be such a bore after awhile. I prefer to watch it in person. But in truth I came here to do the opposite. (Eh?) Cpt. Isumi wanted to lecture you and Hayase and wanted to make sure none of you leave the hanger until she arrived"

"Guh…! Is it about last night? (Most likely) Damn…"

"Don't worry" She reassured me. "Things like that happen all the time in the army. She's probably just following regulations. The best she could do is giving you latrine duties for a week. (Haa…) Relax. If it makes you feel any better, the rest of us had a wonderful time watching the two of you drunk"

"That's not helping…"

"Well… I did say 'If' after all" Grrr… this woman is just so… "Ah and speak of the devil…"

Hayase stopped on her track when she noticed both me and Misae standing between her and the exit. I could almost hear her click her tongue as approached.

"Yo, good work, Hayase chan" Misae passed a towel in her direction which she hesitantly accepted.

"Munakata. If you're here… that must mean… (Yup)" Hayase immediately got the gist of the situation without even completing her sentence. "Haaa… this sucks big time"

"Now now, Hayase. You have to take responsibility of what transpired. A good officer must show example to her subordinate"

"That's not exactly making me happy" Hayase returned with a groan after wiping the sweat off her brow. "And you're partially responsible for what happened in the first place!"

"I was trying to eliminate the evidence" That's your excuse? Even a child would see the sarcasm behind that tone! "But I must say… you two were quite a pair—to fall asleep like that. (…!)" WH… wha!?

"Wh… what are you talking about?" Hayase's face nearly turned beat-red while she passed a glance in my direction.

"You two practically sang together in the PX and fell asleep on the table. (…?) It took us ten minutes to pry you two off. (O… oh…!) Hmm? What's the matter? You look red, Hayase"

"N… nothing! It's nothing! I was just, umm…" Don't look at me! You'll give us away!

"Hmmmm…?" Misae turned at me with a curious eye. "Shirogane… did something happen after what happened last night?"

"No! Nothing at all!" I replied with a panicky voice. She didn't buy it. Damn it all! At this rate, she'll probably connect the dots before long.

"Hooo? Could it be…?" Is she suspecting something? "It can't be. Can it?" What is she blabbering about this time?

Boing…

"Oi! Munakata! Where do you think you're touching?" Before I knew it, Misae suddenly reached out and grab Hayase's breast.

"It's an experiment" She answered without any hint of embarrassment. What kind of experiment involves touching someone's breasts? And… why do I feel a bit aroused when she did that? "Hmm… a standard reaction. (Huh?)"

"Hey, what are you guys doing?" Kashiwagi appeared from behind me.

"Ah… Kashiwagi. Excellent timing" Munakata then suddenly yanked the new arrival to her side. And before Haruko could ask anything, Misae placed her hand onto Hayase's breast.

Boing…

"Wh… what are you doing!?" Mitsuki nearly roared and again, my manhood felt a nudge from the inside.

"Ho? Another standard reaction" Misae concluded much to Kashiwagi's confusion.

"Wh wh… wha? What are you doing?"

I gestured Kashiwagi to just go with it. After all, this is Munakata we were talking about.

"Mu-na-ka-ta. Just what the hell do you think you're…?"

"Experiment number 3" She interrupted the Lieutenant before she could finish. "1st Lt. Shirogane. May I have that towel back?"

"Huh? Ah… sure…"

"Most grateful…" And right then and there, I fell for her trick like a rookie. The moment I put my hand out she grabbed it and forcibly placed onto Hayase's chest.

Boing!

If there was a word that would describe the feeling I had in my hand… I would say… jelly. Yes, jelly. That single liquid object frozen in place that wobbles without end. That was the word I would use. The jingly sensation you'd get when you poke it with your spoon was astounding and the shape that molded perfectly in my fingers confirmed that.

My mind processed every millisecond like it was trying to imbed that shape into my memories forever. The softness, the sudden hardening of the nips and how easily my hand can squeeze it.

I don't know whether to feel bliss or feel threatened by this new development. I don't understand any of Munakata's experiments and they're probably beyond human logic to begin with.

"Just. How. Long. Are. You. Going. To. Hold. That!?"

Huh?

WHAPACK!

It's not my fault~~!

My whole body spun around like a yoyo running on a diesel engine. My head twirled and before I knew it, I was staring at the ceiling with another red mark on my cheek. This is officially the second time I've been slapped today with Marimo being the first.

"Ow…" I groaned out loud feeling my cheeks ache with a familiar sensation.

"Hoooo? Now there's an interesting reaction…" Misae's irritating face was the first thing I saw when my eyes returned their focus. What the hell was that all about anyway? "So there really is a chink in your armor after all, 1st Lt. Hayase. (Tsk…)" I heard my CO clicked her tongue as she gave Munakata the angry eyes. "This was a wonderful experiment"

"What are you doing down there, 1st Lt. Shirogane?" Hmm? That voice.

"Salute!" I quickly got back on my feet when Munakata gave the order. We all raised our hands in proper etiquette but I was still feeling sore from that slap.

"At ease" The Captain gestured to us with her hand. "Thanks for keeping them, Munakata. (No problem ma'am) Kashiwagi. The match is finished and this problem doesn't concern you. Report to the office and give your control logs to the foreman before you leave"

"Ah… yes ma'am. I'll see ya later, everyone"

With Kashiwagi gone, Cpt. Isumi turned her eyes towards Hayase and myself. The look on her face already says more than what her lecture could. After our behavior last night, it was only natural that it would come to this.

"I supposed you both know why I'm here, don't you? (Yes ma'am…)" We answered dejectedly. "Do you have any idea how terribly embarrassing it was to be scolded by a junior officer? A chef no less? If it wasn't for the fact we're in a Training Exercise, I would've become the laughing stock of this entire base!" Guuu… she really is pissed. "Out of all the things you two could've done… it just had to be in front of everyone, didn't it? Your drunken and disorderly behavior may have very well stained the Valkyrie's name forever. (…) I don't supposed you two have anything to say in your defense"

"No… ma'am… sorry"

"In my long career as a CO I never had one incident like this happen. I must've been too soft for you. You guys have caused me a lot of trouble… and that goes for you too, 1st Lt. Munakata. (Haaa…)" Wait… Misae san's getting punished too? "I heard from eyewitnesses of what transpired. Your method of 'Destroying' the evidence lacked a lot of subtlety. (Ahehehe) On Shirogane's case I would lighten your punishment but since you three caused a lot more ruckus than necessary I'll have no other choice but to punish you. (Uuu…) For the next three weeks, the 1st Lt. Hayase and Munakata of A-01 will be performing latrine duties"

Wah… it really is Munakata's worst-case-scenario after all. But wait… the Captain only mentioned two of them. What about me?

"As for 1st Lt. Shirogane" She mentioned me by rank. "Seeing as eyewitnesses petitioned your innocence, you'll be assisting with maintenance work. (Maintenance?) You'll be helping out with mechanics. Since you've been wrecking more TSFs than most of us, it seems only appropriate that you fix a few of them back to working conditions. (Geh!) Since the Training Exercise is ongoing, your punishment will be suspended until we return to Yokohama Base. That will be all. Dismissed"

"Salute!" We returned one last hand up salute before the Captain departed leaving a final sigh in return.

"Uwa… she really is mad" Mitsuki whispered just enough for us to hear. "I haven't seen her that angry since we joined up"

"No doubt" I added. I haven't seen her that mad since I rescued her from that lab in Sadogashima. She even hit me once.

"Well you're lucky you only get to do maintenance work. I'd rather be doing that than washing someone else's filth down the toilet" She makes me sound so bad. But I supposed I can understand her point. Latrine duties aren't exactly the most hygienic job in the army. People would probably want to go on patrol or help with construction rather than cleaning the tub.

"Now now, Hayase san" Misae cooed to her cleaning partner. "At the very least we'll have the whole place to ourselves. We can just pretend to be cleaning and have fun"

"Your face will be the first thing that I clean down in one of toilet seats, Munakata!" Oh boy, not this again.

"Arara… that sounded dirty. Perhaps too dirty for my taste"

"Come over here and I'll give you something to taste!"

I really should stop them before these two get into even more trouble. "Oi oi, Hayase san, Misae san. Please stop this or else the Captain will extend our punishment forever"

"Excuse me" A voice interrupted before I could intervene. "Are you… 1st Lt. Shirogane?" An officer that I don't recognize approached me. He looked like that guy in our graduation ceremony but I wasn't sure.

I saluted as I noticed his rank patch. "Yes sir"

"At ease" He gestured down at me. "Sorry to interrupt but your visitor is waiting for you at the meeting room"

Huh?

"A visitor… sir?"

"Yes. She's been waiting for you in the guests' reception area for awhile now. She asks that you come and meet her immediately"

A visitor? I don't know anyone who would want to visit me. (Flash) Wait… could it be… Yuuhi again?

"May I know who it is?"

"I don't know" He answered. "But she made it a point to meet you at the earliest convenience. Please follow me"

"Uh… can I at least change first?" I can't exactly welcome anyone wearing an exosuit. "I also need to submit my control logs to the office and…"

"I supposed it can't be helped" The Captain returned a disappointed sigh. "Very well. But make it quick. Your guest will be waiting for you at room 4. Don't be late"

After a brief salute, the man quickly returned to his duties. This is really odd.

**(Guests reception area)**

After quickly changing into my uniform and having Haruka take care of Kasumi for awhile, I darted my way to the guests' area near the main entrance. It was a place where all civilians, family or friends from the outside meet with those who are inside the base. There wasn't one in Yokohama Base seeing as it was in the middle of nowhere. The guards out front thought of me as a spy before I could even petition for something else.

Let's see. The guy said Room number 4. Oh… I guess this must be it.

Knock knock…

"Excuse me" I pardoned myself as I entered. "Sorry I'm late. I wasn't expecting anyone to visit me at this time" Whoa. The whole room was pitched black. Someone had rolled down the windows blocking what little ray the sun was shining.

I don't really know why they designed this place like this. It almost feels like I'm back in the interrogation room all over again. Two chairs, one table and a single lamp to brighten the place up. It feels roughly and uncomfortably nostalgic.

…

There was no reply to my entrance. In fact… there was no one there at all. The room was empty. Did I get the wrong room? No. The Captain specifically said Room 4. Maybe he was the one who got the room wrong.

…

…

…

Maybe it was all just a misunderstanding. Yuuhi wouldn't come here personally and I don't exactly know a lot of people outside of the military either. It doesn't seem like anyone's been here for awhile. The dust of this place says that plainly.

Well… if there's no one here, I shouldn't be here either. I don't like dark rooms. I have really bad memories about dark places and rather not relive it whenever I can.

Clink…

Hmm? (Clink clank) Odd. The door is stuck.

Clink…

That's… not a good sign.

"Please don't be alarmed…" A voice crept up to me from behind. Instantly my reflex kicked in, forcing my hand to move onto my holster and pull up my sidearm in self-defense.

"Who's there!-?" I demanded clocking my pistol. "Show yourself!"

It was then I noted a figure standing at the dark end corner of the room. It was a woman. Tall, slender and that voice… I know I've heard it somewhere before.

"Don't be afraid, 1st Lt. Shirogane. I haven't come to arrest you"

"Yayoi… san?"

"It's been awhile, hasn't it, Shirogane san" I remember her like I just met her yesterday. The older sister of Cpt. Isumi and the eldest of the Isumi sisters, Yayoi Isumi. We both first met during the 2nd coup in Tokyo. She was supposedly my second operator during my assignment there but we broke contact ever since.

After confirming her identity I holstered my weapon and eased my shoulders. "What are you doing here, Yayoi san? Are you… the visitor who came to meet me?"

"Ahuhuhu. Isn't it obvious?" She gave a soft cute chuckle in reply to my question.

"Why all the secrecy?"

"I apologize for that. We had to make sure that it was really you and not some random stranger. (We?) Yes. My colleagues outside" Outside? I guess that explains the locked door. "But please don't be alarmed. I assure you that you are in no danger, Shirogane san… ah… wait… shouldn't it be… Shirogane… sama?"

"Just Takeru is fine" I corrected her. "The last thing I need is people calling me differently and I have enough of that with my friends inside the base"

"I see. Then I shall indulge on that, Takeru san" Her smile reminded me a lot of the Captain. Though they may look totally different in terms of figure, I can tell that she really is her sister.

But I shook away my thoughts and got down to business. "Alright, so where is he? (Hmm?) Yoroi. If you're here that must mean he wants to talk to me again. (Again?) Haaa… that guy is a pain in the neck. First he acts all weird and then throws his daughter at me without a word. And here I was thinking that he was planning something big. Seriously Yayoi san. How do you ever put up with someone like him?"

"When did this conversation take place? (Eh?)" Her tone suddenly changed as she approached me with a stern gaze. "By the way you spoke, your conversation must've been held very recently. Do you mind telling me when?"

"Huh?" I looked back at her with a puzzled face.

Her expression softened a bit when she realized that she was intruding on my personal space. "I apologize. Perhaps we should have this conversation on the table rather than standing. Please… join me" She quickly took her seat by the table provided for the guest rooms which I quickly joined. "I'm sorry. I did not mean to act so forceful. It's just that… we have been having some problems lately. With all that has happened, work has been piling up on our tables. I haven't been able to pry myself from my duties for awhile now"

"Uh… ok…" I responded slowly.

"Perhaps we should start from the beginning" She faked a cough noise before procuring two teacups from the next table. "Would you like some tea? I have some delicious Oolong that I procured from overseas a few days back"

I relaxed my muscles at last when she reverted back to her sweet self. "Ah… yeah… sure" Oolong tea. It tastes way different than the cheap bancha that Kyozuka san gives us. Maybe my tongue has gotten used to it.

"It's been awhile since we first met at Saitama. I'm glad that you are well. After that incident in Tokyo, things look a lot different lately. (Yeah…) Your accomplishments and your strength have been on the topics of many conversations. Some are curious to know if any of them are true"

"Yeah… people have been saying the same thing to me for awhile now" I laughed at her comment. "So why did you ask for me?" I inquired out loud.

"Hmm?"

"You were the one who set up this meeting without me knowing so that means you wanted something from me. And before that… where's Yoroi? I thought he'd be here with you or trying to get me again with his usual antics"

"I came to ask that very same question myself. (Huh?) Though it might not seem so for you—Section Chief Yoroi Sakon has been missing from his office for over a week now. (Missing?) Yes. I've been trying to get back in contact with him but he seems to have dropped out of my radar. Judging by the way your spoke earlier, it seems that the Chief has visited you very recently, did he not?"

"Well, he did but that was about two or three days ago"

"Three days…" Yayoi's expression changed from worried to a detective. "… that's four days earlier than our last source. So it wasn't a waste after all. (…?) May I indulge in the nature of your conversation? (Huh?) What did the two of you talked about, specifically?"

"What we talked about?"

"Yes. Please tell me everything"

"Why do you want that? Is… is he in trouble or something?" Considering that guy's job, that does seem like the case.

"That remains to be seen. (Huh?) This may seem crude, but I would like you to answer my questions with some measure of honesty, 1st Lt. Shirogane. Though we've only known each other for a few days, I ask that you remain truthful to your words"

"Hey, wait a minute" I protested. "Yayoi san. Is this… is this an interrogation?"

"In a manner of speaking… yes" She answered with a determined look in her eyes. "But to be honest, I am simply asking for your help. (Eh?) I know that as an officer of the United Nations, you have no obligations whatsoever to answer anything that I have to ask. So I implore you to at least consider helping me in this regard. (…huh?) I am willing to compensate anything you ask for if it is within my power to give"

"H… hold on a second" I stopped her from going on radically. "So you're saying you that the Ministry of Intelligence didn't send you here?"

"No…" Her face mellowed a bit with her answer. "I am merely here because you are only one of the few people I know that have had contact with Yoroi san. So I would be grateful if you could provide answers"

…

I paused for a moment, taking all the new information into my head and process it in alphabetical order. From what I'm getting, Mikoto's dad has been missing from the Ministry of Intelligence for over a week now and Yayoi san is looking for him. But in that week, he decided to visit me instead of his daughter.

He was acting pretty weird too. Well… he's always been weird before, but that day he was especially bizarre. I thought it was just some act he was trying to pull on me but now that I think about it… that guy was really trying to be sincere.

"Alright…" I answered finally after a brief respite. "I don't know how much I can help but I'll try my best. (… thank you) But… are you sure you want to discuss sensitive information here? I mean, this room is being monitored and…"

"Oh you don't need to worry about that. I already hacked the security feeds of the monitor. The officer in charge will simply be watching reruns of a normal conversation for about ten minutes or so, so we need not worry about such trivial things" Hacked the security feeds? What is this a Spy Movie? "Is something wrong, Takeru san?"

"No… it's nothing. Please continue"

"Of course" She quickly got a folder out from her side of the table and laid its contents out to see. "About three weeks ago, after the events of New Year's Day, Section Chief Yoroi was given an assignment by the highest echelon of the Ministry of Intelligence. He was to investigate a smuggling ring of contraband weapons that were being sold in this region. (Contrabands?) Yes. Normally we would leave this sort of things to the security department to handle but after the rebellions that occurred one after another, we cannot take any chances"

I nodded back, signaling her to continue.

"The investigation was going smoothly until Section Chief discovered a potential lead directing us to a special cache. That is when he dropped out of contact"

"And this happened… about a week ago?"

"Yes. And this is where I need your help, Takeru san. (…?) In our earlier conversation you stated that Yoroi san came to visit you not long ago. Is that true? (Y… yeah) What was the nature of your discussion?"

"The nature?" I gave a puzzled look. It's not like I don't understand what she's asking, but I only thought Meiya would be the only one who would talk like that. "Well… he was acting like his usual self. Our conversation didn't really go anywhere when he's around"

"Please don't leave out anything" Yayoi added, inching closer to me as she listened intently. "Any minor detail that you think is irrelevant can be of importance"

The minor details?

_"Has someone made contact with you recently? Someone… out of place?"_

"Well… he asked me if someone contacted me. (Contacted you?) Yeah, he asked if a stranger approached me or something like that. He wasn't making a lot of sense so I didn't really know he meant to begin with"

"I see…" I don't know how she can use that bit of information but I supposed it's better than nothing. "What else?"

"Then he… well…" I paused for a moment trying to recall that conversation. Yoroi was acting like his usual self until we got a private moment to ourselves. "He began to act… a little weird—well… weirder than usual"

"What did he say to you?"

"He asked me…"

_"Please… take care of Mikoto for me…"_

"He asked me to look after his daughter, Mikoto. (…) I know it doesn't really sound like him but… that's what he asked…"

"I believe you… (Eh?) I've worked under his command for over three years now. Though others would not believe it because of their impression of him, I know for a fact that the Chief would risk a lot—simply to deliver something as trivial as this. (Yayoi… san?) I apologize. That was improper of me. Please continue. What else did he say?"

"That's just about it. (Huh?) He just came to ask me to take care of Mikoto. Oh… and he gave me this too" The engagement ring that he left behind. I know I didn't want it near me but I'd feel insecure if I didn't have it in my pockets"

…!

"Th… this is…!" Yayoi's face paled when she saw the ring. Before I could even ask what was wrong, she stood up from her chair and walked up to the door but stopped midway. "An engagement ring…"

"Yeah, I know he was bizarre but really now… who in their right mind would give their daughters away like this?" I tried to lighten the mood but failed.

"No… that's not it. (Eh?) It's just that… Those are… those rings belonged to him and his late wife. (…!)"

"His late… wife?" Yayoi nodded confirming my fears. I was shocked. I thought for a moment that these were something that the old man would buy from a jewelry store but it turns out to be something more. This is… or at least was… his wedding ring.

"I've seen them before" My interrogator leaned quietly on the wall, looking at the small box I laid in front of her. "But there's no doubt about it. Those rings are one and the same" She then pulled out a small photo from the folder and placed it in front of me. "This was found in his office…"

It was an old photograph taken by an old camera with no color but black and white. The ink was already fading but you can still make out the faces of those in the photo.

It was Yoroi… or at least a 20-30 year younger version of himself. I could tell that man apart from a crowd. I can only speculate that the woman sitting beside him was the fact… Mikoto's mother. I never bothered to ask since I never really met her but… I guess she must've passed away some time ago. But what really caught my attention were the rings they both had in each of their left hands.

They were a set of rings with a dolphin as the centerpiece encrusted in gold. The very same rings that now stand before me in a tiny box.

"They're… the same" I muttered out in disbelief. No surprise. The rings that guy gave me wasn't just some expensive stones… but a bond that he and his wife shared. "What does this mean?"

I looked at Yayoi san for answers which she could only mutter back in vague phrases. "It means… he doesn't intend to come back…"

Come back? Come back from where?

"Yayoi san. What are you saying? What has Yoroi gotten himself into?"

She turned her face back to me, her mood clouded. "I'm not sure myself. But it's quite clear why he would leave something so precious behind. (…) This is really unnerving. But… is there anything else he may have said to you? Something bizarre?"

"No… not that I can think of. (I see…) Ah! I might not have the answers but maybe Yuuko sensei does! (Yuuko sensei?) That's right. Before he came to visit me, Yoroi said that he concluded something with Yuuko. Maybe she'll know what's going on. Ah… wait… that won't work either since she's out on a meeting today"

"Meeting?" Yayoi's face twisted with a puzzled expression.

"Yeah. She said that she was going to meet the Prime Minister and some bigwigs in Kyushu later this week so she might not be back for awhile"

WHAM!

Whoa! What the heck? She suddenly slammed her hand on the table.

"That's impossible! (…?) A meeting with Prime Minister Sakaki? I wasn't informed of such a thing. (Yayoi san?) The Prime Minister is scheduled to inspect a new factory later today and will remain in the capital to discuss with foreign dignitaries about opening trade with the French Republic which could take weeks"

"Wh… wha?"

"Sorry…" She calmed down a bit after her sudden lash out. "I shouldn't have yelled. This is simply not what I expected to find. I came here looking for answers but instead I'm bombarded with even more questions. I thank you for your time, Takeru san"

"O… oi wait a minute Yayoi san" I stopped her. "You still haven't told me what's going on"

"I'm afraid I've already told you too much. I thought to find some clue with your information but it seems the riddle has only grown bigger. (…) I'm not certain if we will meet again but should I ever need your help I will be sure to send you a message. Good day"

"O… oi!" And just like that, the girl left. I tried to follow her but two large brutes blocked my path by the doorway.

What the hell is going on Yoroi? Why in the world would you leave such precious treasures with me? And… why wouldn't you at least say goodbye to Mikoto?

My head is filled with so many questions right now…


	78. Stars and Stripes

**Chapter 78: Stars and Stripes**

**(Takeru's POV) (Barracks) (January 20 2002, Sunday) (05:40 AM)**

I couldn't sleep.

Not that I really needed it. I wasn't even tired. My mind was too preoccupied that I skipped dinner entirely. After my meeting with Yayoi san, I just couldn't calm down. What she said to me and the information I've been taking in makes absolutely no sense at all. It's almost as if there's a big jigsaw puzzle right in front of me and someone had scattered the pieces all over the place. I've never been a user of brains but more of brawns.

I know that Yoroi can be weird sometimes—well… all the time really but he never acted that way before in any of my loops—or… at least any that I remember. He was always suave and calm like a true spy and he always had an answer for everything regardless of the question. But now… he seems like he's going somewhere and he's leaving everything he's ever cared about behind.

His daughter, Mikoto was one thing and now… this…

The rings that he gave me. I thought they were just some jewelry that he bought off a shop but instead it was something he treasured. They were rings that he used during his wedding and married life. To be honest, it would probably make more sense if he gave this to his daughter in person but instead he gave them to me to use as I see fit. I could've just pawned this somewhere for a price and he wouldn't even know it. Does he have that much faith in me or is he really expecting me to propose to Mikoto just like that?

Arghh! Damn it! Why the hell did the Captain's sister have to be a member of the Ministry of Intelligence? And why the hell did she have to be so damn cryptic? It's just some smuggling contrabands, not some evil organization like in the movies!

Ugh… it's already morning. I'd best get changed and have an early breakfast. We don't have any battles today but that doesn't mean Hayase is gonna let me off easily. Ugh… and to make matters worse I also have to deal with Meiya and Class rep not to mention Marimo chan. Ugh… can today get any worse.

"Don't give up…"

"Hmm? Ah… Kasumi chan. Sorry. Did I wake you up?" I forgot that Kasumi has officially moved in with me today. She slept on the mattress on the floor while I took the bed. "You can go back to sleep. It's still pretty early"

"Are you going out?"

"Huh? Ah… well maybe a quick breakfast. I don't feel that tired. (I'll join you) Eh? Are you sure?" She nodded back in reply. "Alright then. Go wash up and get changed. Your clothes are in the bathroom"

After a quick nod she gently picked up her freaky rabbit from her pillow and walked up to the bathroom closing the door behind her.

My mind still raced after yesterday's events. Yoroi san. I know that I can't really call you a friend right now but please be safe.

**(Barracks hallway)**

The snow is really piling up. It's practically above my knees now. It's been three weeks now since I last saw the sun. The environmental damage done by the G-Bombs really left a mark on the planet. Was it this bad when they decided to use the G-Bombs back in Yokohama two years ago? I can only imagine the scale of what the farmers will have to go through without sunlight.

Crops will probably dry and drying your clothes out will be practically impossible. Right now, wearing our exosuits would probably be a better heater than our jackets. At this rate we might all catch a cold one way or another.

"Good morning Takeru" Hmm? Someone called me? "Are you hungry yet?"

"Mikoto?" I turned around but saw no one.

"Brrrrr… it really is freezing now with this weather. I should probably get you more blankets to keep you warm neh?"

It's coming from downstairs.

Tip… tap… tip… tap…

"Mikoto?" I called out to the girl sitting by the door to her room.

"Hmm? Ah! Takeru! Good morning" Her happy go lucky attitude perked up. "Are you taking a morning stroll too?"

"No I was actually—wait, weren't you talking to me earlier? (Me?) Yeah, you said good morning earlier. Did you see me or something?"

"Oh that. No. I was talking to Takeru II" Takeru the 2nd? Did I have a son? "Here, say good morning Takeru. (Meow) Ahaha!" It's that cat! The cat that Tama took in the other day. Mikoto was holding in her arms while feeding it a piece of bread.

"Y… you guys really went with that name?"

"Yeah! She's really cool. (She?) Yeah, it's a girl. I asked Miki chan if I could take care of it for the night. She's really soft and cuddly like a little fur ball that snuggles in your blanket ahehehe"

Mikoto. I can't believe this girl. She really is amazing. Even though she knows of her old man's real occupation she can still force a smile off her face. That perky personality that she inherited from her father must be unique in more ways than one. Seeing her happy like this and knowing what was happening behind the scenes really makes me feel guilty inside.

But still… if Mikoto knew of what her old man was going through right now, I get the feeling that her personality might change… drastically. I guess I can understand why Yoroi would avoid her. Still… running away from the problem doesn't exactly make it go away.

"Takeru? (Hmm?) What's wrong? You look really serious"

"Sorry. I just… had something in mind. (…?) Hey, you wanna get something to eat? An early breakfast, my treat"

"Really? Can I bring Takeru II with me?" Takeru II. Really now?

"Sure. I think those guys won't mind a little feline inside"

"Alright! Ah… but before we go. Don't you think you should be helping her?" Mikoto pointed behind me which quickly drew my head.

Behind me stood… a sunken Kasumi who was practically swimming just above the snow. Her head and shoulder were barely sticking out of the ground.

"Wah! Kasumi chan!"

**(PX)**

I pried the little girl out of the snow and latched onto my shoulder to make the rest of the way to the PX. As usual, the chef there was a complete sexist and gave me the cold shoulders when I came in.

It was expected to see the cafeteria this empty. No one but the maintenance crew would be awake unless they had a morning match so we pretty much had the whole place to ourselves. The only bad thing is that the seats were cold.

"Wah… this is nice" Mikoto said out loud comparing the portion of her food to mine. "That chef was so generous and gave me extra today. I feel like I'm being treated like royalty" No, it's just the chef who treats all women like that. He gives guys like me just standard or below. If he wasn't the chef, I would've reported him long ago. I'm sure the other men noticed it too. Even Kasumi got a bigger portion of rice than me. He even gave the cat—THE CAT a bigger bowl than me just because it was female! I think… "It reminds me of how Kyozuka used to give me when I was just a cadet back in Yokohama"

"Yeah…" I agreed. Oba san was like that—always giving the hard-working souls the portion they deserve. "She always was observant like that"

"But what I really miss is her miso soup. It might be synthetic but you totally get use to the taste after awhile neh?" I nodded back in agreement. Just hearing her perky one-sided conversation already makes me feel like I'm home. "By the way Takeru. (Hmm?) I saw your match yesterday. You were really awesome"

"Oh yeah… the match"

"Even though you took out only one, the way you fight always keeps me gasping for more. You're like a hero in those cartoons. Always doing things no one else can. (Yeah…) The XM3 you developed is really an accomplishment"

The XM3. I guess you could say that was my biggest contribution to mankind. The new OS that supposedly increase performance and saves lives in more ways than one. It doesn't restrict movement like the old system and it's perhaps an OS way ahead of its time. One might say that it's a miracle work. Even I might say so if I lived in this world.

Still… even so… it's not good enough. The XM3 was a good theory but I can also see its limitation. Though the combination of attacks it develops is near endless, the controls are still limited to what the machine can do. I noticed that when I fought in Tokyo during the New Year's incident. The programming that Meiya set up was derived from her own combat skill. The attacks, defensive stance and everything all came from her. But that's all it can do.

The OS simply makes the TSF move more humanlike. To put it short, it's like handling another with a joystick but a human made out of steel rather than flesh and bones. The limits of the TSF combined with this OS will obviously see its highest potential sooner or later but that's probably the best it can do. A human can't exactly go beyond their own limits unless they evolve somehow.

"Whopa! (Hmm?) Ahahaha. You have rice stuck on your face, Takeru" Huh? Ah crud. I was so deep in thought again that I ate unconsciously. That was embarrassing. "What's the matter? You look a little down there"

"Sorry. I was just… thinking"

"Were you thinking of home? (Eh?) Whenever a man goes into deep thought, the first thing he should be thinking of is home. (Home?) Yeah. It's more a psychological thing. People don't think of buildings or houses as homes but the people living there. Like a sibling or parent or love one or maybe even close friends. Like everyone says 'Home is where the heart is' neh?"

"That sounds like a child's idiom"

"They teach those to children so they would be attached to people rather than buildings. (…) What was your home like, Takeru? (…?) Ah… well… if you don't want to tell me then that's fine. But they say that if people talk about their homes to other people, they can actually describe it better than most"

"My home?" Well… now that she mentioned it, I haven't really thought about home for awhile. My mind has been kept solely here. "Well… I guess I haven't thought about it"

"It's always good to think of home every once in awhile. When you're traveling somewhere far, your journey always end when you get home"

"Is that another idiom?"

"Come on. Just try it" Mikoto insisted with a pouty face. "Try talking about home for once"

"Fine…" I sighed in defeat. "Hmm… let's see. I guess… my home is just normal"

"It's better if you close your eyes and visualize it"

"Oi, what is this, some kind of game? (Just do it!) Alright alright…" I closed my eyes as instructed and visualized my home as I remember it.

It was a simple two story house in a small neighborhood situated between Tachibana and Fugoku. The community was small but dense either way. It was a small light green house near the center of the city. It was luckily within walking distance to Hakuryo High which made it easy for me to come and go as I please. There was also a convenience store nearby so I can get snacks there whenever I want.

"Can you picture it?"

I groaned in reply. "Well, it's not like I can't…" It's really difficult to forget something that you've had your whole life. I remember my home but I haven't seen it for quite awhile now. The last time I saw that place was when I returned there using Yuuko's crazy machine. Even if it was just for a few hours… I really got a lot out of my chest.

Those were… happy times. Times I wished that could last forever. But in the end, my ties to this world made brought me back. Knowing how screwed up this universe was… I couldn't let it slide. My conscious wouldn't let me do it.

"Now try to picture the last time you were there"

"Is this really going anywhere? (Just go with it) Alright, fine" Hmm… the last time.

(Flash) When I first returned to my world during my last loop, I was back at my school. I was so happy that I cried my eyes out. All I could do there was merely business bringing Yuuko the necessary papers so she could give me the 100 page equation. I also saw my past self too. It was weird. Almost like looking at myself in a mirror that had a mind of its own. But it wasn't all bad. I got to meet Sumika. She was just as ditzy as I remember. Always meddling with my business, always pretending that she was my girlfriend—which eventually became true. Who would've thought that girl had that kind of determination to make me fall for her?

But it was over in a flash… literally. By the time I got to say hi and goodbye, I came back to this world.

I returned a few more times… and that… that was when… (Flash)… things turned south. When Marimo died… I just lost it. I wanted to run away, be rid of myself from all the responsibilities of this world. I thought I could escape to the safety and comfort of my home but instead… I just made things worse than before. The Marimo chan in my world got killed because of me. Meiya forgot about me and Sumika… (Flash!)

Ugh!

WHAM!

"Eeep!" Ah crud. I unconsciously slammed my hands on the table. I must've scared her off. "T… Takeru? What's the matter?"

"Nothing" I lied. "It's just… thinking of home brought back some… bad memories"

"Uwa… sorry. I didn't mean that to happen. I thought that you would…"

"No. It's ok" I forced a smile out to ease her worries. "It's just there are just some things I'd rather forget back then. (Sorry) Don't be. I'm actually glad I can still remember home. I guess we all want to get back to our roots. Thanks Mikoto…"

"Ahehe. They say that a cub will always find its way home eventually. As long as it still remembers how it looks"

"Is that another one of your idioms? They're getting longer now"

"Ahahaha. But I'm glad. (Eh?) You've really changed, Takeru" Changed? Me?

"In what way?"

"Well… in… everything" Everything? How does one change in everything? "And it's not just your hair either. When we first met you, you had this really… tough wall around you. I mean… it was easy to approach you but there was always this uneasiness that you resonate. (Resonate?) It's a figure of speech"

"Ahehe, of course. Sorry" I have to remember that this is Mikoto I'm talking to.

"Anyway. Everyone thought the same thing. You sometimes had this serious look on your face whenever you look into the distance… like you had a mission or a purpose. (…?) But now… you look more… relaxed… like everything that's been worrying you is gone"

Worries? What did I have to worry about? Well… I guess I was a little stiff whenever I was on duty but not to the point that I'd let it all out. I sometimes speak my mind unconsciously but that's pretty much it.

"Ah! Not that it's a bad thing!" Mikoto added in a panicky response. "I mean. I like you better now that you're less tense! Not that you were really tense back then but I supposed you had a hard rock face now and then… but in a really good way, honest!" Wha? I couldn't even make sense of half of what she was trying to say anymore. Was I really that tense when I arrived here? But then again, I did have a lot on my plate when I came back and with everything that's been happening, the beginning of the story hardly seems relevant.

"Oh… so this is where you were, 1st Lt. Shirogane" A soft voice called me by rank which prompted my head towards the direction it resonated.

"Ah! Haruka san. Good morning" Mikoto greeted her first.

"Good morning Yoroi san, Yashiro chan"

"Haruka… san?" Akane's elder sister greeted with me with her soft caring smile. "Good morning. You doin more work early again today?" Being the operator meant that she had to wake up extra early to meet up with everyone's standard.

"Indeed I am" She answered before taking her seat beside me. "With the Training Exercise hurling down on us, there has been a lot of paper works to be done. Not to mention that there are also many translations that I need to do. (Translations?) Yes. Translating Japanese to English or vice versa has been one of the fewer things that I have difficulties doing" I guess even Haruka has something she's not good in. "But it is rare to see you up this early, Yoroi san, Shirogane san. Did something happen? You don't have any match ups for today"

"Nah. I just wanted to get breakfast before everyone else" To be honest I couldn't even sleep last night. After my conversation with Yayoi san, it would be difficult just to close my eyes. "It can get really hectic out here"

"Well I supposed that's true. Mitsuki san was looking for you. (Eh? Hayase?) Yes. She said that all members of participating team should report to the briefing room around 8 o'clock. I already told Jinguuji san and Haruko san about it"

"A meeting? For what?" I inquired but I didn't really expect an answer.

"She did not say. She only stated that she wants everyone there by 8 in the morning" At 8? Is she serious? That's barely enough time to catch breakfast at all!

"Judging by her personality, I'm sure it has something to do with the matches" Mikoto deduced. It's not like that girl could think of doing anything else other than fighting.

**(Briefing room)**

I arrived at the briefing room not long after breakfast. By the time I got there, the rest of the team had already arrived.

"You're late!" Hayase scolded me even though I was still about 10 minutes early than her scheduled appointment. "What were you doing? Taking a dump or something? (N… no ma'am) Forget it. Since all of you are here. We can start our strategy meeting!"

"Strategy meeting?" I inquired with a puzzled expression just like the rest of the team. "I thought we didn't have a match today"

"1st Lt. Hayase. Aren't you being a little too serious?" Haruko added with a hint of humor in her voice. "We defeated all of our opponents with the formation we used. I don't think there's any reason to change it"

"I agree" Marimo nodded. "Our opponents have been very resourceful as of late but we continue to adapt as the situation arises. Planning a beginning strategy doesn't exactly sound necessary" Oh Marimo chan has a point. Combat is about adapting to the situation regardless of what your opponent does. This is one of the things that Hayase taught us when we were recruited into the Valkyries.

WHAM!

"Naïve!" Hayase yelled out loud smacking her hand onto the blackboard. "Don't you know that in times of peace we must prepare for war!-? Just because we have no match today doesn't mean we're allowed to take it easy! Take things slow and you'll soon fall behind in the fight! We must always keep improving, advancing regardless of what others may say!" Wow… she seems really hyped for some reason. It's not like this will be the first time we fought against human opponents. We've already beaten 4 teams without a single casualty. That should be considered an amazing fear already.

"But do we really need a strategy meeting?" Kashiwagi added with a fake laugh. But then her comedic stopped when she came to a sudden realization. "I mean… we're already good the way we are. (Hehehehehe…) Wait… could it be because…?"

"Hehehehe… it looks like you finally got it, Kashiwagi" Our Squad Leader gave a mischievous grin in return. "The reason why I'm holding this meeting at such time is because our next opponent… is none than the infamous training unit from America. The 65th Combat Training Battalion. The Infinities themselves!"

…!

A round of gasps echoed in the room. The Infinities? Is she for real? We're going to be facing off with the Americans on our next battle? They didn't even announce it.

"I thought we were going against the Axe Squadron from Okinawa" Marimo recalled which Hayase quickly clarified.

"Our opponents retired. Apparently one of their men got injured during their last sortie so they're pitching us against their opponents. (…) This is why I brought everyone here. You of all people should know well that the Infinities have also a perfect record of never losing a teammate in any of their trials. That pitches them as equal to us in terms of skill. This gives us a prime opportunity to find a weakness of their state of the art weapon, the F-22 Raptors"

Beep!

The Lieutenant quickly turned on the projector showing the basic blue-print design of the F-22. Back in my world, this thing would be a jet-fighter of America. Being known as one of the finest fighters in the sky, they pretty much contain air-superiority singlehandedly.

In this world, it's known as one of the best TSF in the world. Famed not only because of its stealth capabilities but also because of its maneuverability and speed that rivals even the fastest TSF today. They're pretty much anti-TSF-TSF. Weapons meant to fight humans. In terms of the arms race, America can probably conquer the world if they were given the choice.

"You're all probably aware of the F-22's stealth capabilities already so I won't go over that little detail but do note that other than that, it's just like any other TSF" Hayase continued as she prattled the parts of the weapon on screen. "They're faster, stronger and hard to pinpoint even with the strongest radar. So fighting them in urban terrain will undoubtedly be difficult since debris and noisemakers will be playing a part in the JIVES"

She's right. The Raptor is fast and strong just like any 3rd Generation TSF. Take away its stealth capabilities and it's just another advance weapon. But still… if I remember correctly, the kill ratio of a Raptor is a solid 7:1. I remember seeing them in action back in the 12/5 incident. They took out an entire squad of enemies suffering only minimal losses on their side.

But then again… there was Naoya. Even though he was in a Type-94 Shiranui, he was able to defeat Major Walken in a one on one duel. However… if you add the whole battle directly, the Major was probably exhausted from fighting others already. If both of them should meet on equal terms like what we're doing now, the Major would've won hands down.

If only there was a machine that can match the Raptor one on one like… (Flash) The Takemikazuchi. Yeah. If we had those then maybe we might stand a better chance. I remember piloting Meiya's unit back in Tokyo. The performance and reaction time was way superior to the Shiranui, the Fubuki and the Gekishin. It read my movements and almost handled me at 75%. But I guess I must've put too much strain on it. The unit itself began to lag behind when I decided to test its full capabilities.

"As you might've heard as well. These units are equipped with the latest version of the XM3, the OS that we developed so they'll be equal on us in all terms. The only advantage we have over them is experience. These training units have sparsely seen real time combat since they've been hiding in the rear lines. So take advantage of their naivety. Is that understood? (Yes ma'am) And so… before any of us leave this room, we're gonna watch a rerun of each of their matches until we can come up with a strategy plan against them!"

Hayase then laid out a large pile of papers on our tables including tapes and charts.

"These are the control logs of the Infinities and their opponents. I was able to get a copy of all their matches and their readings on every second. The three of you are staying with me in this room to find a weakness! (Eh!?) Is there a problem, Shirogane?"

"B… but what about lunch? (Skip it) Eh? But I have to watch over Kasumi and…"

"I already asked Haruka to look after her for you. (Ha?) Now shut up and get to reading! I expect an ace pilot like you to find out at least something we can use against them! Is that clear!-?"

"Y… yes ma'am"

"Give it up, Takeru" Kashiwagi comforted me from her seat. "You can't argue against Hayase when she's in the mood. It's best to just go with the flow"

Huaa… so much for the idea of a relaxing afternoon.

**(Fukuoka) (U.N. Base) (Meeting room)**

Tamase Genjousai, the Undersecretary of the United Nations, tapped impatiently on his watch as he tried to compare the time with the military clock on the wall. He was sitting in an oval room that was designated by the higher council to be meeting place of the various representatives around the world.

Genjousai had been in many meetings before this. High ranking diplomatic talks was something of a pastime for someone of his occupation. Hell, if someone had put a gun on his head, he'd still be able to talk like he was just having a pleasant conversation so why was he bothered?

It wasn't for the fact that the meeting room was small or the fact that the meeting was taking place so close to the frontline of the war with the BETA. The man has been in battle before and a meeting so near the trenches made sure that whatever spy came their way would have a difficult time tracking their conversations.

But no, it wasn't that, nor the refreshments. Not the lightning of the room or the guards. Not the number of chairs—but to pinpoint the old man's worries was the fact that… he was the only person in the room.

There were a total of six chairs here and he was already sitting in one of them. The other diplomats that he was supposed to be meeting weren't even there. Diplomats are meant to be punctual, especially when it came to time. Tardiness could result in many damaging situations which could break negotiations. Any hard boiled diplomat should know that by now.

But alas. No matter how many times the man stated his complaints, there was just nothing he could do about it. All he could do at that point was simply sit and wait for the other delegates to arrive.

In Genjousai's opinion, he would've preferred if the U.N. council sent someone else for a change. It's true that he was perhaps one of the best spokesperson they had to offer in the region but the only reason he was forced to agree to this was because some important people were taking part in this discussion. In truth, the man wanted to be back in Kyoto to oversee the Training Exercise in person. It was a lot safer inland and further away from the BETA than most people realize. But most of all, he would be closer to his precious daughter whom he cares for all too much.

Remembering his daughter's face prompted him to take out the locket that he was given back during the hospital visit. The little trinket was such a small piece in this world yet so significant to his life. The old man wondered what his wife would be saying now if she saw how their daughter was doing in the military force.

"Ara ara, well this is a surprise" His train of thoughts was quickly shattered when a voluptuous voice echoed from the mechanical sliding door behind him. "I wasn't expecting to see you here, Undersecretary General"

"Professor Kouzuki?" The old man raised a brow with a puzzled expression following not far behind. "What are you doing here?"

"Probably the same reasons as you are" She answered playfully waving her hands off to her escorts. "Though I was expecting them to send a diplomat instead"

"It was a last minute change" Genjousai replied with a disgruntled tone hinting that he was not pleased with the situation. "The tension between the U.N. and Japan has been strenuous at best. They require someone who has a close relation to this country to prevent any unwanted situations"

"And so they decided to send you…" The witch laughed softly, a weary humor on her lips. "I thought you would be covering the E.U sipping tea with the bluebloods"

"I would prefer to be doing that than being in these boring sessions. (Ahahaha…) But that still doesn't explain why you're here, Professor"

"We'll just have to wait and see, don't we?"

**(Marimo's POV) (Briefing room) (02:30 PM)**

Huaaa… I'm tired.

It's been four hours now since 1st Lt. Hayase locked us in this room with her in her harsh Spartan strategy meeting. We've been brainstorming over formations, strategies and even weapon condition to counter the F-22 Raptors but so far we've only found one minor weakness.

After reviewing the control logs of the previous pilots that went against the Infinities these past few days, it seems certain that their stealth system has one flaw. Though it seems like most of our long range scanners can't detect it, powerful short burst ECM created by our radar has just enough power to punch against the stealth making just visible enough to be a dot on screen. But even so, it also means that our opponent has to be only a few meters away to be detected. You'd practically have to be almost right next to them to be seen on radar.

Other than that, our group was facing a major roadblock.

Hayase herself was watching reruns of the battle on her personal monitor. Watching the fight from a 3rd person's perspective makes it easier to spot flaws and weak points on both sides.

As for Shirogane and Kashiwagi, the two of them have been reviewing the control logs of the pilots and trying to see if the American pilots have a pattern in their behavior as they respond to different situations.

"Hmm… so in the end, the stealth system is the only major obstacle" I heard Kashiwagi said out to the boy, which he agreed.

"Yeah. We can handle fast mobility and weapons but if we can't see where they are, it'll be difficult to fight them. It's like trying to fight them in the dark"

"Maybe we can ask the other pilots of their opinions. It says here that the third team was the only squad that lasted more than ten minutes against the Infinities thanks to their high mobility Eagles. But then again… they were barely able to make any kind of offensive move"

"Then why don't we ask the maintenance crew?" Shirogane added. "They might know more about the F-22 than any of us"

"The American pit crew won't disclose something that's classified" Kashiwagi pointed out which the boy simply sulked in reply. "They might even consider it espionage if you tried something like that. (Ahehehehe) What about you, Jinguuji san?" She turned her attention to me. "Did you find anything worthwhile?"

"No. I haven't found much either" It was true. Other than that one weakness we found with the stealth systems, everything else was a block. I've reviewed the notes and patterns of their control and I have to admit that they're pretty standard.

The Infinities are just like any other pilots in the army. They adapt as the situation changes. The only thing that differentiates us from them is the fact that we can't see them on radar therefore making it difficult for us to adapt against any kind of attack they deliver. Say what you want about the Americans, they really know how to make some impressive weapons.

"Huaa… and to think we've been brainstorming for hours now and we haven't thought of anything" Shirogane whined, lying on his table like a cow in the meadow.

"Shi-ro-ga-ne. If you have time to complain then use that time more efficiently!"

"Eeep! Y… yes ma'am!" I muffled a laugh as I watched Shirgoane jolt back to his seat after Hayase gave him her death glare.

"Ahahaha. I guess even our Legendary Rookie requires fuel to work" Kashiwagi poked the boy's nose teasingly. "Well I've prepared for such an occasion so… ja-jan!" With a swift move she produced two fresh juice boxes from her jacket like she was displaying some kind of magic trick.

"Oh? You came prepared?" Shirogane looked at her, amazed.

"This isn't the first time I've been trapped under 1st Lt. Hayase. One time during an exercise in Niigata, she made me and Kazama stay with her all night until we learned the basic plan from heart. Haaaa… it feels like yesterday we were doing it. (Heeeh…?) Ugh… I remember almost passing out from starvation. I was actually planning to eat Kazama if I didn't get out soon. (Geh!) Ah but don't worry. I just had breakfast so I should be good for a few more hours"

"Th… that doesn't exactly makes me feel any better, Kashiwagi"

The girl simply laughed at her partner's dismay. "Ahahaha! Just kidding. There's no way I'd eat someone as handsome as you. It would be a great lost to humanity if you would be eaten by another human. But… if you'd like, I'd happily let you eat me…"

Pfft!

I choked on my spit when Kashiwagi let out that little tease. I turned my attention to Shirogane whose expression was about as red as a ripe tomato.

"Wh… wha?"

"Neh… Takeru. Do you want to take a bite off me? I wouldn't mind… at all…" Kashiwagi rolled up her sleeves showing off her colorful skin to her prey as if she was trying to entice him.

"K… Kashiwagi… san…?"

"Call me Haruko…"

As Kashiwagi inched closer to Shirogane, the boy's face got brighter and brighter going from tomato to a heated pot ready to burn. My mouthed tried to stop them but I just couldn't find the words. I know that relationships between co-workers can increase morale but isn't this a little too much?

Besides, I don't think Shirogane is the type who would fall for such things. Despite being an ace behind the sticks of a TSF, his relationship skills are almost none. The boy is practically dense whenever it came to those of the opposite sex.

"Buhahahaha! Gotcha" Haruko flicked the boy's nose catching off guard. As I suspected, she was just toying with him just like what 1st Lt. Munakata would do to get his reaction. "You're so easy to read, Takeru"

"Geez. Please don't do that. I already have enough problems with Misae san getting on my nerves"

"It's just fun to watch your mind go off like a lost puppy" I heaved out a sigh unconsciously when Kashiwagi's act came to an end. It's not like I don't understand her feelings. As much as it embarrasses as his former teacher, I have to admit that Shirogane does look cuter when his composure is broken. The way his hair goes up, the way his eyes well in comical tears and how he stutters to make a comeback.

"Ka-shi-wa-gi…" As I expected, Hayase turned her attention to the two with menacing eyes. "Keep your flirting outside. This place is for soldiers. If you're going to be a couple then do it outside"

"Uwa, don't say that Lt. Hayase" Kashiwagi replied in an overly acting girly tone. "We don't really look like a couple, do we? (Eh?) Neh? Takeru? Ah… wait… a-na-ta…"

"BWAHH!"

Thud…!

And just as Haruko inched closer to Shirogane's face, his body instantly recoiled backwards tipping his already wobby chair to the floor. The documents he had on his table flipped along with him scattering around the room like someone had left the window open during a sudden gust of wind.

"Uwa… that was a magnificent fall" Kashiwagi added with a final laugh.

"Kashiwagi!"

"Hai hai. Sorry to interrupt" Haruko returned to her normal state leaving the poor boy alone with his back practically glued to the wall. Shirogane has enough to deal with without the Lieutenant messing up his complicated life.

**(Takeru's POV) (PX) (Much much later…) (Evening)**

Thud…

My face hit the table the moment I got to the PX. After four… no—five hours of brainstorming in that room I was beginning to think that we would be locked in that place forever. From morning to afternoon, Hayase had us watching reruns of previous matches with the Infinities trying to figure out their fighting patterns to heart. We studied everything from the Raptor's speed, acceleration and even maneuverability to the control logs of each individual pilot. It felt like school all over again except without lunchtime breaks in-between.

And if that wasn't enough, after we were done watching the vids a millionth times over, Hayase had us strapped to the simulation cockpits which she 'reserved' for us personally. She even brought the Raptor test flight with A.I. opponents—and to make the whole thing even more realistic she disabled all of our radars to better simulate how to defeat them.

The training lasted 9 hours and this is probably just my subconscious playing on me, but I'm pretty sure that Hayase was pointing her gun at me the whole time. Fortunately the 'Friendly Fire' option was left untouched which means that she can't shoot me from behind.

I know that Hayase's training routine can be brutal especially to me but this was even more so than before. Back in my last loop she was hard on me too but this time she seemed even more enthusiastic of getting me to my fullest potential.

But in the end… the results were the same. The Raptor's stealth system was still our biggest obstacle. Even if could match them in terms of strength, it'll be useless unless we can find a way to see them. The only time they appear on radar is when they're already close enough for a dagger to reach you. And by that time, it'll be too late for any of us to react.

Another thing I have to worry is the fact that these units are also equipped with the XM3-OS unit that I developed. So in terms of tech… they're pretty much in advantage in that field.

Ugh… but right now… I can't think of anything other than my growling stomach. I guess what they say is true. A man can't think when his stomach is empty.

"Ora ora… if you're going to starve to death, do it someplace else where we can't see you"

"Huh? Oh… Munakata… san…"

"I guess your training must've been especially brutal if you're in this state. Was Hayase that 'hard' on you?"

"She's been hard on me ever since she heard of me" I answered groaning all the way. "If it wasn't for the human rights factor, we probably would've been in there for a few more hours"

"Ahuhuhu… I guess that's to be expected. Your opponents won't be some half-baked test pilot from a corporation after all. Having to fight one of the Infinities at their best is like a dream come true for Hayase. I wouldn't be surprised if she was wet inside just thinking about it"

"Haaaa… your teases are so one sided that I don't care anymore"

She made a grumbling noise before turning back at me. "Hmph. You're no fun when you're hungry. (Heh…heh… heh) But I supposed there's another reason why she's so worked up about this. (…?) It would go well with her ego if she wins. (Her ego?) Forget it. It's a girl thing" Eh? What's that supposed to mean. Now I want to know.

"Is our match really something to look forward to?"

"Of course…" Misae gave me a coy smile before darting her eyes to the next table. "Look there. The bookmakers are already swamped with bets"

And true to her words the guys on the other table looked as busy as a beehive. From where I'm sitting they looked more like a bunch of accountants than soldiers. They've been pinning in numbers and listing down names and odds like it was their side job.

"Is it alright for people to gamble so much?" I asked with my face still flat on the table.

"As long as they keep it low profile, the higher ups won't complain. But the odds really aren't in their favor this time. (Hmm?) From what I've heard, the odds of your match are pretty much 55:45, in favor of the Infinities"

"By 5 points? Are they that good?"

"Like I said before. They're nothing like the half-baked pilots you and Hayase have been bullying around. Unlike most of the Test Pilots you see around here, the Infinities have a rather formidable reputation. They took part in the defense of Yukon Base back in America and have fought against the BETA at least once without a single casualty. They never suffered any losses since they came in service. Even without the Raptors, those feats alone are enough to get make professionals hold-on to their money"

I heard about Yukon Base. It was a terrorist incident back in America. I've seen it a few times on the news channel whenever I get the chance.

"But then again… the Valkyries do have more field experience than those guys. (Eh?) Not to mention you're there. (…) The dark horse of Sadogashima—the ace of the U.N—the secret weapon—the Legendary Rookie of Yokohama Base"

"Please don't call me that" The last thing I want to be called is that ridiculous nickname. I already have enough attention on me as it is.

"What about the others? I thought they'd be with you for dinner"

"Kashiwagi and Marimo sensei went back to the barracks. Hayase decided to stay behind to do more 'research' for her fight. (Grumble) Ugh…"

"Ah~~~~ you're no fun. Alright just sit tight while I get you something to eat. I can't have the ace member of our team wither away like a branch"

My stomach groaned again as she walked off towards the long line of patrons. Though Misae can be a tease, it was pretty nice of her to get my food for me. I guess even Munakata can show a hint of her gentler side every once in awhile. Maybe I should take her advise and just sit back and relax after a long day's work.

…

…

Hmm? What was that? For a moment there I thought I felt a tinge of killing intent. The hairs on my back are standing stiff.

Maybe having that training regime with Hayase for a full day has made my subconscious paranoid.

Haaa… I really need to get back to my easy life.

"Did you wait long?" Huh? Munakata? "What's with that face? You looked like you just saw a ghost"

"Huh? Ah… wait. How'd you get back so fast? I thought the line was still…"

"Hmm? Oh that…" Her expression softened as she realized the reason for my puzzled face. She was only gone for about half-a-minute before she returned with a tray of synthetic dongpo pork. "The chef allowed me to cut through the line. He was quite the gentleman saying that ladies come first"

Ah… that explains it. I should've remembered that new sexist head chef. It's no surprise why Munakata would get her share so quickly. That guy would give a lady more than us men even if the world ended tomorrow. He's been doing that ever since I knew him.

"That sexist son of a…"

"Hmm? What's the matter?"

I quickly bit my lip shutting off my insult. I didn't feel like wasting my energy on something so trivial anyway. "Nothing. I just should've… seen that coming"

"Oh stop groveling and eat" She shoved the tray up to me in return. "I don't want people to say that our Top Gun was sloppy in battle just because he didn't have enough to eat last night. We all have high expectations of you, Shirogane"

"That's a lot of pressure, ma'am"

"Can you blame people for it? Your name has already become legend around these parts. After what you did in Tokyo, we—ah… I guess you can neither confirm nor deny that you were there on that very day, can you, Shirogane?"

"Well… no…"

"I guess that's fine. I guess I could state what you did in Kyoto or Sadogashima instead"

I raised my hand in protest. "Please don't. Those two incidents were merely something I did out of a whim, nothing more"

"Shirogane~~ You should know that too much modesty is simply another way of expressing arrogance. You really should understand what it means to be a true Storm Vanguard. (…?) You should take Hayase as a prime example. Becoming a Storm Vanguard is a mark saying that they are the strongest amongst the group. Everyone who becomes one has every right to pretend to be a little strong-willed or confident in their own achievements or abilities"

"Pretending?" I don't know if Hayase would be that good of an actor.

"Hayase is like that. She acts strong but inside… she's cowardly and very delicate. If you would compare who is stronger than her… than my money would go straight to 1st Lt. Suzumiya"

Eh? Suzumiya? As in Haruka? But why would she… (Flash) That dream… the other night.

"Ahuhuhu… didn't I say before that women like to hide their true selves inside?"

"Wait… does this have anything to do with Narumi Takayuki?"

…!

Munakata's eyes widened in shock as I mentioned that name. "How… did you come across that name?"

"Ah… well… I talked about it with 1st Lt. Suzumiya. (Suzumiya?) Yeah… it was… a long story"

She closed her eyes for a moment trying to decipher our conversation before replying. "I see. If Suzumiya told you about him then I guess there's no reason for me to explain anymore. Sorry about that"

"You're being unusually nice today, Misae san"

"Oi… that last sentence implies that I'm always mean, Shirogane"

"No, I mean… it's just that… this is the first time I've ever heard you speak highly of Hayase san. I'm not really used to it"

"I see. So that's your impression of me" Her serious frown returned to a caring smile. "I supposed you're right. I don't openly praise people like this but when it comes to her… I'd be more than happy to accommodate her. (Geh) I'm joking. But I must say that I'm a little surprised. I never thought Suzumiya would have the courage to talk about 'him' again. Heh… she's a lot stronger than people give her credit for. She must really like you if you managed to get her to talk about such a sore subject"

"Misae san. Do you… do you know this Narumi person?"

"I'm not obligated to tell you about him" She answered plainly with a serious voice. "Only those two are allowed to share that kind of information. (Oh…) But I will say this though. That boy… was… special… to Suzumiya and Hayase. It would be best to let ghosts rest where they are"

"I… I see…"

"Don't look so glum. Everyone has at least one thing they don't want others to find out"

"Oh? And what's yours, Misae san?" I returned coyly which she countered with a cocky grin.

"Ara… are you trying to pry me for secrets to blackmail me, Lieutenant? (Maybe) Oh… that's a bold answer coming from a genius. Keep this up and I might just fall for you"

"Maybe that's my whole plan from the start. (Oh?) You did say I should start acting like a Storm Vanguard, right? I should try to look more strong-willed and confident. So how do I look now?"

"Very impressive. But if I were to compare you with Hayase then you'd be a mouse paired with a lion"

"Ow… talk about harsh. (Ahahaha!) Hehehehe" We laughed that night in pure bliss. Even though my company was a strange girl with a strange attitude, Munakata really does have a soft side she saves just for such an occasion. Maybe I was wrong about her and maybe's right about earlier. People have a tendency to hide what they truly are. Heh… women really are… puzzling. It's a miracle how I've been able to maintain my relationship with them all these years.

Flash!

Hmm? What was that? (Flash!) I sense… something… someone. An attack? From behind!

Splat!

Instantaneously my hand reacted by instinct. I reached out and felt a slimy object splatter across my arm. This texture… it's… yakisoba? I recognize the shape and smell. Someone had clumped this delicious meal into a ball and threw it like a water balloon that exploded upon impact. But who would've-

"Who did that!?" Munakata demanded before I could voice out. We darted our eyes around only for it to fall short on the table behind me where a group of young officers were staring at us. Just by looking at the content of their plates, it's safe to say that they were the perpetrators of this little food fight. They weren't even trying to hide it. "You there. I do hope you have an explanation for this"

The youngster who threw the yakisoba ball quickly got up with a wide arrogant smirk. "Uwa~ sorry about that Lieutenant. My hand kinda slipped there for a moment, hehehe" What the hell kind of excuse was that? Even a kid could tell that he was lying. People don't just ball up food and throw it not caring where it lands.

"I don't like people wasting precious food, 2nd Lieutenant" Munakata san replied with a nervously threatening tone. "If you want to hold a fight I'd prefer if you don't use precious resources as weapons. There's plenty of snow outside if you want to play games"

"Ahahaha. Sorry about that Lieutenant. It wasn't my intention to aim at you. I was actually trying to hit the guy between us" The guy between? Does he mean me?

"So you confess that you purposely threw this at a superior officer?"

"Munakata san, please calm down" I pushed her back a bit hoping to get her to back down. "There's no need to get worked up over this"

"Sorry. I just got annoyed at your little lovey-dovey talk that I acted out of emotions. Hearing how you two can have such a lively chat, pisses me off"

"Huh? You… are…" I recognize him. Though we met only briefly, I recognize this guy's face. "You were talking with Class rep the other day"

"Oi oi… who the hell are you calling Class rep?" He snarled at me with a cocky tone. From this point, he seems like one of those biker gangsters you'd see on the streets. "Just because you know someone better doesn't give you the right to go on making up nicknames!" What the hell is this guy's problem? He snapping back at me like a dog that I just stepped on in the middle of the sidewalk.

"Did I… do something wrong, 2nd Lieutenant?" I inquired peacefully not wanting to provoke him any further.

"Wrong? Are you trying to pretend like you don't even know?" He snarled again before spitting out on his plate. "I expected the Legendary Rookie to look a bit tougher but even if you are Legendary, a rookie is still a rookie. I don't see what's so special about you. You look more like a kid that just came out of wedlock"

Slowly but surely, the whole room turned silent. This little scene we were making was slowly attracting more attention.

"Oi, what's your problem?" I asked again. "What the heck did I do to make you so angry?"

"It's not what you did. It's what you are that pisses me off!" He replied snappily. What I am? What is that suppose to even mean? "What the hell does Sakaki see in you anyway? I don't see why she could have any fascination with a 'Dead Man'."

…!

_"What would a Dead Man like you know anything!? You don't even exist!"_

"What did… you… call me?"

"Shirogane?"

Dead Man…

Dead Man…

Dead Man…!

"Well aren't you a noisy bunch" A voice suddenly interrupted making us turn towards the source. "If you guys don't mind—some of us are actually trying to eat here" This guy. I recognize him. He's one of the Infinities. I recognize his face from the documents Hayase had us read. I can't remember his name though. He was a big tall blonde man with muscles that could rival the top bodybuilders, piercings across his ear and a jet black tribal tattoo on his left arm.

"Step aside American! This isn't any of your business!" My attacker barked back.

But the man calmly stood between us blocking my attacker's path. "Oh by all means, I have nothing to argue regarding one's personal affairs. But you see—I like my meal time just as much as everyone else in this room. However, the problem resides is that I cannot enjoy my food when someone is out here making a scene. The atmosphere of a room adds to the flavor"

"Shut up! Who the hell ask you for your opinion!? This is between me and that bloke! (Bloke?) Now get the hell out of my way!"

"Hoo? Between you and him?" The American pointed out turning a glance in my direction. I could almost see a hint of a smirk on his lips there. "Then I supposed it's safe to say that your friends behind you won't be adding to that remark?"

"Do you Americans like meddle into other people's business like this?"

"Meddling is such a bad word. I'd prefer to call it… a more… direct diplomatic solution. I am merely here because you are interrupting other people's meal time"

I calmed down after a brief respite from the man's earlier comment. "Please stop" I reached out for the guy before he taunted them any further. "This doesn't concern you. You don't have to take this for my sake"

"Your sake? I think you're mistaken" He replied playfully like he wasn't even the least bit concerned about the situation or the consequences. "I'm just doing this because I want to get back to eating. Japanese food isn't up to my standard but they're a lot better than the rations they serve at the barracks"

"Oi! Coward! Are you gonna let someone else handle your problem!?"

"Coward?" The American noted raising his brow. "That's rich, coming from someone who has six men covering his back. At least this boy here has the guts to face you himself"

"Please stop. There's no need to do this" I protested once again only for it to be brushed away by my assailants.

"Oi gorilla! Are you looking for beating!?"

"Oooooh~~ now there's an idea" The big man replied to them in an almost agreeing tone. "What better way to resolve things than by doing it in the oldest fashion way? That way we can get back to our business without wasting another breath" What the hell is wrong with this guy? Is he actually gonna pick a fight under these conditions? If we start throwing punches now, it could start an international incident!

"D… don't screw around!" The man who threatened stepped back knowing well that he was bring the fight to a man who was literally twice his size. "Don't you understand what'll happen if you start a fight with us!?"

"I don't really like to think too hard" The giant blonde man waved off his threat. I knew it. This guy really doesn't care what happens here. "It's a waste of my limited brain cells and you're not worth the waste…"

"G… give it up old man! There are seven of us and only two of you!"

"Hmm… true. This hardly looks like a fair fight. Perhaps my partner and I should fight with our eyes closed? That would seem fair. Don't you think?" Ha? Wait… since when did I become your partner? "But before you boys start throwing punches—you have to ask yourselves: Are you sure your tiny bodies can handle someone like me? (Grr…!)" And with one quick move, the blonde man's muscles flexed up like it was being inflated from the inside. His skin hardened and in my point of view, he actually grew… bigger if that was even humanly possible.

The men up front had beads of sweat falling down their faces. They're probably intimidated by his body. There wasn't even a need to compare who was the stronger one. The big guy here looked as if he could take on a small army on his own.

His size and muscles alone were intimidating as they were. Even I would hate to have him as an opponent in hand to hand combat. And I wasn't the only one who thought of that. The companions of my assailant were slowly backing away showing a hint of anxiety and worry in their eyes.

"O… oi! What the hell are you guys doing!? There are just two of them!"

"B… but… we can't just…"

"What's the matter? Let's start already" The American soldier added stepping forward making the whole line of Eishis take two steps back. They were easily faltering and I don't blame them. "I'll even let you guys have the first punch. I'll even close my eyes"

What is wrong with this guy? He's seriously asking for a fight! Things can only get worse from here on!

"Tch! Forget this. Let's go. (Huh?) This isn't worth the trouble" And just then, to everyone's surprise the men behind my assailant suddenly began to withdraw, heading to the doorway.

"Yeah this is stupid"

"What a waste of my time"

One by one, they left the table leaving their comrade alone to face the hulking ogre head-on. "O… oi! Where are you guys going!? Come back!" But his plea for help was ignored. The men didn't even glance back at him. I think they were too intimidated to even risk this fight.

The blonde man who came to my aid earlier then cracked his knuckles accompanying his wide grin up his face to further scare his prey. "It seems like your friends have abandoned you. So much for camaraderie. (Geh!) Well then. Shall we continue? (Crack!) A real man wouldn't back down from a fight, would they?"

"Kuhhhhh!"

"That's enough" Munakata declared as she quickly stood between them. "You lost. Your reason of staying is gone. If you leave now, we can simply put this as a small incident and lighten your punishment at the very least"

"Grrr!"

"Oi oi, young lady…" The blonde burly soldiers called out in annoyance. "You should know that it's dangerous to stand between two men especially when they're about to fight"

"And you should learn to back down" She countered, holding her ground. "This situation is getting bad enough as it is. The last thing we want is to cause an international incident. (Hoo?) I've seen your kind before. You're a man who only barks and would only bite back. If you keep taunting him… it would sour the name of your team"

"Ohohoho. It seems like this lady has spunk. I thought there were only a few ladies who can show such dangerous fangs. I'm glad I was wrong" The American then slowly lowered his fists settling my nerves down, but his cocky smile still remained, annoyingly on his face. "Very well then… I shall back off for today. I was just here because I couldn't enjoy my food. I'd hate to see it cold before I finish"

Phew… it looks like I got myself worried for nothing. I'm glad no one had to pull any punches. Otherwise this story would've ended with one or two of us in the detention center for the night.

…!

What the? Is that guy gonna use that fork? AH CRUD!

And just when I thought my assailant was going to back off and let this transgression go, I noticed his hand reaching out for one of his dining utensils using it as an improvised weapon.

"Misae san!" Quickly my body reacted blocking his attack using my arm as a shield. But I miscalculated and instead, the guy stabbed the back of my hand. The fork's sharp end pierced my skin like a rusty dagger and not surprisingly it hurt like hell. The guy was strong and his attack dug deep. It wasn't surprising that everyone would be shocked. Having a soldier attack a superior officer was an automatic fault. Something like this can condemn you or even demote you for sure.

"Shirogane!"

"Ha! Got ya you little piece of tr—(WHAM!) Goh!" I smacked the guy's face before he could finish his sentence. Like a baseball being smacked right across the field, the man swung off high into the ceiling before falling straight down to the floor. His body smacked right dab at where the dirty trays were stacked, the leftovers and uneaten fruits spilled all over his head and his shoulders. The man must've lost conscious the moment he hit the ground because right after that, he never came back up again. He just stayed there… limped and probably injured as well.

…

…

…

The room came to an abrupt silence. The officers there didn't speak, no one did. Not the American, not Misae, not the sexist chef, not even me. It was as if they thought that something else was about to happen afterwards.

I felt everyone's eyes looking at the injured soldier and then looking at me. Right now I probably look pretty pathetic. Here I was trying to resolve the fight through peaceful negotiations, this big guy butted in out of nowhere and soon enough I was the one handing down haymakers. But to be technical, the guy used a fork against me so that should prove something.

Surprisingly enough, it was Munakata san that broke the silence. "What are you idiots standing around for!? Get security! Now! (Y… yes ma'am!) Shirogane, are you alright?"

It took me a full ten seconds to recover from my standstill moment. "Huh? Ah… yeah…" My body apparently reacted on its own… or… maybe that's something I just wanted to say to myself but I can't. The moment the guy lifted his weapon up, my instincts kicked in and before I knew it, I was already punching that guy to oblivion. My knuckles are still quaking after hitting his jawbones.

"Your hand… you're bleeding" She's right. There was a short trail of blood dripping from my hand. (…) No one could see it but my eyes didn't deceive. The moment I brought my hand up to my face, the wound that was inflicted upon me closed up like magic. "Wait here. I'll get some bandages"

"No that's alright" I stopped her. "It's just a flesh wound. I should… probably report this incident…"

**(U.N. Fukuoka Base) (Private meeting room)**

How long has it been? Two? Three hours? Yuuko lost track of time. It was difficult to keep track of the day when you're inside an enclosed room with no communication from the outside. She and the Undersecretary have been sitting here waiting for the other delegates to arrive but it seems like they're having some difficulties finding the place.

But unlike Genjousai, who was anxiously looking at his watch every 5 minutes, the Professor seemed… bored for some reason. Her eyes drifted off to the wall, the light bulbs, heck even the little doodle that the guards drew on the wall caught her attention. It almost felt as if she had no care in the world why she was here or why their supposed delegates were late.

"This is an outrage!" The Undersecretary snapped almost to the point that his hair was going fall off. "How much longer do these delegates intend to keep us waiting here? The better part of the day is already gone!"

"Be careful, Tamase san…" Yuuko warned him coyly, a sly smirk growing on her lips. "If you keep rubbing your head like that you might lose what's left of your hair. Relax and rest a bit. The world isn't going anywhere"

"It feels more like the world is moving ahead without me! This is preposterous! If they expect me to sit here and wither away then they have another thing coming!"

"My my, aren't we short tempered today" Yuuko teased, her facial expression remain unchanged.

But just when Genjousai was about to call for security and demand an explanation, they were suddenly interrupted by the presence from the door on the opposite side of the room.

Two elderly gentlemen entered the room, both looking wise in their own rights.

"Ara… sorry for the delay. We seem to have been sidetracked"

The Undersecretary recognized one of them with just a glance. "Ohh? Amanohara san?"

"Ah! Genjousai. This is a surprise. I wasn't expecting to see you here"

"Same with you, old friend" Genjousai offered his hand, the old man looking at his companion, his earlier rage immediately quelled. "I'm glad they brought someone with some sense. I almost thought you weren't going to show"

"With the events that happened in Shikoku, traveling by air has become dangerous" Amanohara explained feeling somewhat glad that he was dealing with someone familiar. "Just trying to fly around the mainland is considered a daring approach in itself. I apologize for my long absence. Ah but where are my manners. Allow me to introduce to you, an old acquaintance of mine, Frank Heinemann. He is the technical advisor of Boening, one of the largest TSF manufacturers in the U.S."

The white haired elderly man moved forward in response to his introduction. "A pleasure to meet you, Undersecretary General. I've heard much of you from Amanohara san"

"The honor is all mine" Genjousai returned his greeting. It didn't take them long before the three of them got to a small friendly diplomatic chat.

Yuuko simply stared at them from her seat, not even caring to greet or meet them. She simply sighed and wondered if all old men were like this. Chatty and obnoxious. Perhaps placing those categories wasn't fair to people like them. After all, talking was in their job descriptions. Being diplomats and delegates and all meant that they had to speak in order to get things done.

But still… she wished they could've talked less and simply got into the action. All this wasteful time and resources spent on meetings was like throwing money in a bonfire just wanting to see it burn.

She eavesdropped on their conversation but not than a few seconds per turn. Apparently, Genjousai was again giving his usual deliverance of U.N. achievements both military and economics.

The man she recognized as the new representative of the Japanese Provincial Government, was Amanohara Jingorou. Apparently, he is an old friend of the Undersecretary and during the BETA invasion on the mainland Japan a few years back he lost all of his assets and estates. If it wasn't for Genjousai discovering him and his daughter in a refugee camp, they probably would be living in a lesser lifestyle than this.

The third of course was the (in)famous Frank Heinemann, one of the key backers and technical expert of several Tactical Surface Fighters in America. Being an acquaintance with him alone meant you were someone of importance. Most of his works could easily be traced by the news network and his connections run deep even amongst the Japanese Army and the Honor Guards. But the last headline Yuuko heard was that the man had joined up with the XFJ project to enhance the weapon standards of the Japanese Army.

They were all interesting and highly educated people. In regular times, Yuuko would've been grateful to make the first move and create some kind of platonic relationship between them. But now… all she wanted to do was lie there. It almost seemed like she had little to no interest in whatever talks they had.

But as she was about to laze on her chair all evening like a baby sloth, she was immediately alerted to the sound of her watch which beeped signaling an event that she had been preparing for some time now.

Immediately her posture changed and slowly she drowned out the noise from the old men in the room and listened intently to the door behind her.

An echo of large footsteps could be heard. They were heavy and not the regular ones that staff officers would be using especially when inside the comfort of their base.

Again the woman looked at her watch eerily waiting as the seconds ticked by like water. If one would keep a constant gaze at her, you'd actually think she was following some kind of script that was set to her by someone.

"Well I supposed we should get started" Genjousai offered to his two welcomed delegates. "Amanohara san. How long until the Prime Minister arrive?"

"The Prime Minister?" The bespectacled man quirk his expression, confused. "Whatever do you mean Tamase san?"

"Eh? I thought the Prime Minister called out this meeting to discuss the lowering of the drafting age"

"That cannot be" Amanohara protested with his hands raised in defense. "I was called in because the U.N. wanted to discuss about the future restoration plan of Sadogashima"

"Restoration plan? I never heard of such a thing"

Frank quickly brought up his reason which… as expected, was different from the other two as well. "I was given word that the U.N. had a security business regarding our products"

It was a trap. Even Yuuko would've seen that by now. Though she must admit—if she didn't know about this trap before, she would've easily been snared in as well. The reason for her arrival in this meeting was also different from the other three elderly men. It was obvious that whoever orchestrated this little meeting of theirs was a true professional. He or she attracted these men to gather on this meeting using false enticing yet realistic information.

Yuuko could only picture a certain annoying spy to be the mastermind of this plot. And despite all of its flaws… she must admit that even she would've been fooled as well…

"This argument will get us nowhere. Perhaps we should confirm this with our own authorities"

"Yes… that does seem like the most logical course of action" Genjousai agreed quickly pulling out his personal phone to clear things up. The tone of his voice was already shaking and even he could tell that the U.N. wouldn't slip up this badly on a very important meeting especially when delegates from different factions were taking part in it. He quickly speed-dialed his secretary expecting a quick response, and she did.

"Yes Undersecretary?" A female voice responded on the other line with a responsive tone.

"Tachibana san. Can you confirm with the council on this meeting. There appears to be a mix-up. (A mix up?) Yes. You said that there was a meeting in Fukuoka today"

"Fukuoka? That… that can't be sir. (…?) There's no mention of any meeting for you today. You asked me to clear you schedule for the following week. (WHAT!?) You sent me a message two days ago that you wanted time to spend at home. I thought you'd be in Hokkaido"

"I never sent such a mail!" Genjousai controlled his voice but just barely above a yell. "Connect me with the security department at once. I want to know who brought us all here and—(Bzzt!) Hmm!?" His outburst was quickly silenced by a loud static sound that drowned out all other noise from the other line. "Hello? Hello!? Tachibana? What the hell is going on around here?"

"Ora? I can't seem to connect to my superiors either" Amanohara announced as he continued to press the call button on his phone.

"Same here" Frank followed with his phone, also dead.

Sensing danger from this, the Undersecretary quickly moved to the buzzer that connected to the security room outside. "Hello? This is Undersecretary Genjousai. Security, please respond. (Bzzt) Is anyone out there?" Again, the only reply he received was a static noise on the other end. "Something's not right…"

"Wh… what's going on, Tamase san?"

"I don't know, old friend. But I do know that it's not safe to stay here. We should evacuate this place until we get a sense of what's really happening here"

"Th… that's true" The old friend nodded in agreement. "We shouldn't linger here when we have no idea why we're here in the first place"

"It'll be better if we leave separately. I'll go with Professor Kouzuki. You and Mr. Heinemann, go back the same way you came in. (Agreed) Hopefully this fiasco is just my imagination and we can all just laugh at it when get back"

"I don't think that's possible, Undersecretary" Yuuko adjusted herself from her seat, swirling her chair to face the panicking delegates. "Because each and every one of us has been ensnared in a trap since we entered this room"

Genjousai quirked a brow at the women's cryptic words. "What are you saying Professor? What do you mean by—no! That's impossible!" His eyes widened as if he came to a sudden realization. Quickly he reached towards the doorknob leading to the hallway but came to an immediate stop when the knob refused to twist any further. "We're locked in!"

WHAM!

The old man tried kicking the door down but he wasn't as strong as he was before this.

"Damn it all!" He cursed. "This was a trap!"

"H… hey, Tamase! Can't you call for help? This is supposed to be one of your installations, isn't it?"

"I don't know what's happening myself but this is obviously not normal. We need to… ugh…"

Amanohara flinched back as he caught his friend struggling downwards. "Oi! Tamase? What's the matter? Wake up! Oi! Hang in there. Heinemann san, give me a hand here and…" But he noted that the other elderly delegate he brought was stricken with the same incapacitated illness. "Wh… what is… happening…?"

When the last of the delegates fell to the floor, unconscious, Yuuko made herself comfortable in her seat. She was expecting this. From the moment she left Yokohama Base, from the moment she left Sumika, she had been expecting this. Everything that was happening felt like a show being performed around her and each character that acted out were playing out of a script that had been poorly written by a novice writer.

But regardless of her distaste in being a chess-piece in someone else's game, as a mastermind of many plots; she couldn't help but admire the execution of this grand scheme.

As she slowly drifted off to sleep, she couldn't but wonder how Shirogane would get through the rest of the fight. Knowing the way these last few months, she could already tell that he would probably just plough through it like everything else he has done. After all… he wasn't really much of a thinker in the first place.

But then again… being a reckless, hardheaded idiot wasn't entirely bad…

When the last of the delegates fell to a deep sleep, the door that had been locked suddenly swung open revealing men in uniform equipped with gasmasks to protect themselves from the dangerous substance in the air.

"This is Falco Leader. The third phase of the plan is complete" The man who seemed like the leader, announced to his portable radio. "We have the main complex. All equipment and personnel have been dealt with"

"Very good…" A suave calm voice on the other line responded with a content mood. "And what of the delegates?"

"They are here as expected but there are only four. (Four?) Yes sir, and I recognize only three of them. The Undersecretary, the Technical Advisor from Boening and Professor Kouzuki. There's one man here I don't know but he seems to be Japanese. I thought you said that the Prime Minister would be here"

"Plans never go in a straight line, my friend" The voice responded. "In either case, having the two from the U.N. party should be sufficient. We will use them as hostage as planned. That should buy you and your companions plenty of time. What about the G-Bomb? Is it ready?"

"We're stowing it in the tanker just like you asked. But it might take awhile. I'm sure our enemy knows we're here"

"Then take extra precaution. A lot of our resources is riding on this"

"I'll be sure to do my part, sir" The soldier replied tapping his chest for morale. "But what if the enemy tries to stop us, Master?

"Kill anyone who gives you trouble… there can be no room for error in this crucial time. I will be joining the rest of you after you've completed your side of the plan"

"Yes… of course. It will be done… sir"

**(U.N. Kyoto Base) (Takeru's POV) (Longue)**

Yeow!

Damn, even after the wound closed it still stings. Thankfully I was able to get some band-aid from the infirmary to keep it covered. Again, this mysterious ability proved itself to me. Sometimes I forget that this power exists within me. Though it sometime freaks me out on rare occasions, I have to admit if it wasn't for this ability, I would've died six or ten times over already. It was only thanks to this ability I've been able to endure countless injuries that would've rendered a normal man hospitalized for the rest of his days.

Yuuko has been very insistent that I kept this unique ability to myself and no other because people might find it bizarre—and I wouldn't blame them. Even I don't know how I came to acquire this power to begin with. The only 'somewhat-logical' explanation would be Sumika. If she brought me back through this time loop over and over, there's a possibility that she could've changed me in a different manner.

Still… I guess I should be grateful. I still have a lot to do in this world after all. Having this power simply increases my chance of survival.

"Hey, you there… (Hmm?) Catch…"

Tap…

I unconsciously stuck out my hand and grab the object thrown at me. Synthetic melon bread?

"You're… that American…" I said out loud when I saw my visitor's face.

"Yo. I thought you might be hungry since you didn't get to finish your meal with your girlfriend"

Girlfriend? Does he mean Munakata. "Oh, she's not my girlfriend"

He raised a surprised brow. "She's not? Strange. I thought for sure you two had something going on in that conversation. Oh well. Not that it matters" He slowly took his seat opposite of me. He was big… as in really-big for a normal person. Looking at his physique alone, it made me feel like a toothpick being compared to him.

"Do… you want something from me, Mr…?"

"Ah. Where are my manners? Sorry. I guess we weren't really acquainted back then. 2nd Lt. Guylos McCloud of the 65th Combat Training Battalion, Infinities. A pleasure to finally meet you in person, 1st Lt. Shirogane. (…) You don't seem surprised"

"Well, I guess I got used to the fact that everyone knows my name"

"Ahaha… well a man of your reputation hardly needs an introduction. I supposed that's how people would say that 'Their reputation precedes them' don't you agree?"

Heh, I guess he's got that right. "I supposed so… but you didn't answer my question"

"Hmm? Ah, I guess I didn't. Well… to be honest, I just wanted to talk" He shifted on his chair, maintaining that same smirk like he did back in the PX. "To be able to hold a conversation with the Legendary Rookie is supposed to be quite an honor"

"Please don't call me that" I raised my hand in protest. "I hate that name. Don't you think it's odd to be legendary and still a rookie at the same time?"

"Ahahahaha! It does sound strange. Names and titles make no difference when you're fighting against the BETA"

"Eh? You've fought the BETA before?" I asked. As far as I know, only the division in the Philippines has fought against the BETA.

"Once or twice" He answered with the same grin. He felt more like an old man than a soldier. "But I don't think I can weigh the same combat experience with someone who has been fighting in the frontlines. If we compared field time, you would outdo me by a significant margin. So to be precise, I would be the rookie and you're the veteran. Hahahaha!"

I stifled a small laugh myself. I understand why he was laughing but if he knew how old I really was he'd be surprised.

After a brief pause, Guylos returned to his old posture on the chair. "I saw your battles these last few days. I must say that they're pretty impressive. (Huh?) Both your movement and combat techniques. From one soldier to another I must say that I've never seen anything like it"

"Uh… thank you, but to be honest, the new OS also played a part in those moves"

"The new OS?" He inquired. "Ah… the XM3, I remember. Quite the device. We've only had those units installed in the F-22 Raptors recently. I completely forgot that you were also the co-developer. My bad. (Oi…) I'll be blunt, I did have my doubts in those things. After all, the old OS were developed through the blood, sweat and tears hundreds of soldiers long past. Many of us could hardly accept the fact that a kid could actually make something just as powerful through a computer. (Ahehehe) The greenhorns back in Seattle are all waiting for a crack at it. Hopefully we'll see less of our pilots dying out there thanks to you"

"You're praising me too much" I blushed. Even though his praises were worth their money, it still felt embarrassing to be complimented by a foreigner. "I just wanted to do my part. Besides, the new OS is nothing compared to some of the things you have, 2nd Lieutenant"

"Guylos is fine" He replied, crossing his arms together. "I don't like being addressed by rank unless it was from my commander. (I see…) But to inquire about your last statement—are you perhaps referring to the F-22 Raptor's stealth system? (…) Aha… I seem to have hit a bulls-eye. You wouldn't be the first to try to extract information in such a way. (Sorry) Don't be. I was the one who engaged this conversation so I should've seen that coming. To be honest, I'm not really sure how it works. (Huh?) The eggheads back home developed it. They lectured us through it but I never really put what they said to heart. All I need to know is that it makes us invisible on radar. Everything else is a blur"

"That's… kind of irresponsible"

The blonde man threw a fitting laugh. "AHAHAHAHA! Quite true. But as a soldier, my brain cells are quite limited to what I do on the battlefield. I try not to waste them on matters that are beyond my comprehension. (…) But… since we're in the subject of our match, do you mind if I asked you a question? (Sure…) On tomorrow's match. When the time comes when our teams cross—do you think you have a chance of winning? (Eh?) I'm asking you, as a soldier. Do you really believe that you have a chance to win against us? I've seen your record. Ever since you became a commissioned officer, you haven't suffered a single loss. (…) My commander once told me to never believe in the idea of an undefeatable enemy. That anyone can be beaten if given the right situation and if their opponent is desperate enough. But after looking at your performance in Kyoto and in Sadogashima… I'm beginning to think that he might be wrong"

"What are you trying to say, Guylos san?"

"I've heard rumors about what happened in Tokyo—about a pilot who singlehandedly defeated the Imperial Honor Guards. My friend has an acquaintance who is a member of that particular group. It's not quite the popular subject seeing as how much of the story seems too… surreal. But after seeing you in action… they might also be wrong. (…) They say that truth is stranger than fiction and I believe that is true in this scenario, don't you agree?"

"I… can't really answer that question with all of that riding behind it"

He quickly brushed his head as if he wanted to change the subject. "Ah… I supposed you can't talk about something classified. My bad. Allow me to make it up to you. I'll share you one little detail of our F-22 Raptors. (Eh?) The stealth system is perfect. There's no backdrop to it"

"W… wait a minute! Are you sure you want to discuss something like that with me? I mean… won't it be dangerous since I might be fighting you tomorrow?"

"I don't see the harm" He had this bored look on his face when he replied to me. It felt like he didn't even care or bothered to care about the situation we were in. "Take it as another form of gloating. (…) As I was saying, the stealth system is perfect. You can't go around it no matter what. There's no fine-tuning your sensors to pick up a trace. The F-22 was designed to completely erase itself on radar regardless of weather-conditions. So don't bother looking at your readings"

"So there's no way to pick up your unit on screen no matter what? (Precisely) I guess we really are fighting invisible enemies"

"Invisible?" He looked at me with a 'what?' expression. "I think you're mistaken. (…?) Just because you can't see us on radar doesn't mean we're invisible. If you see us on your camera then that would be a different story. It's true that we excel on an urban environment but if you can see us, then the stealth system will be useless. There's no such thing as an invisible enemy… at least… not that I know of. (…) Ah… but look at the time. Looks like I have to get back. It was nice talking with you, 1st Lt. Shirogane"

"Wait!" I stopped him moments after he left his seat. "Why are you telling me this?"

He tilted his head slightly in my direction with his back still facing me. "Take it as an apology. I provoked that man too much. You could say that it's partially my fault that you got stabbed. (…?) Well… I supposed that's too good as an excuse. To be honest—well—I was just wondering why my friend was fussing over you…" His friend? "I guess we'll find out tomorrow. See ya… and try not to put up a fight. Otherwise my friend might just chew you off"

And just like that, Guylos wandered off, leaving me behind with a clue. I don't really know what he was planning but I didn't sense any hostile intent from him. It was more like we were just having a conversation between soldiers. He was either offering me advice or he was just trying to derail my mind. Either way, he seems like a nice guy. Maybe not all of them are bad.

Ugh… and it's getting pretty late too. I guess I'll pick up Kasumi and head straight to bed. I don't want to get into any more trouble than I already am.


	79. Game Set Match

**Chapter 79: Game Set Match**

**(January 21, 2002 Monday) (08:40 AM)(U.N. Kyoto base)**

The whole base was a buzz.

If people outside would see what was truly happening at the U.N. base that morning, they'd actually think that they were preparing to a BETA invasion of sorts. With all their equipments being moved and with all the shady discussions happening around the dark corners, you'd think something big was about to happen.

But something big was about to happen and sadly enough, the truth was less serious than a BETA invasion.

The upcoming between the (in)famous Infinities and the equally reputable Valkyries, was the talk of the morning. Even now, cadets were hurriedly discussing the odds of victory and were already wondering what kind of stunt each side would pull to achieve total dominance.

Even the veterans who had seen countless battles on the field also wanted part of the action. Side bets of money, favors, ration cards and even wristwatches were being held down for the fight. The odds were in no one's favor but one could tell that people had high expectations of the fight.

Tatsunami Hibiki however, was one such people who had those high expectations.

"Look at all of them" Asagi grumbled watching as her own comrades' gamble away their hard-earned money at the bookmaker. They were throwing money, ration cards, heck even one of them threw out a bracelet as collateral in the whole joint. "Throwing out like this is some kind of game"

"Well I supposed it can't be helped" Matsukaze reasoned also a bit perplexed to see some of his friends wasting away their youth in such wasteful activities. "They did say that it was gonna be one of the biggest fights of the century. You can't blame them for taking some measure of risk"

"But to waste everything they've earned their first month… is just…"

"Think of it as a life lesson. At least they'll learn something out of it either if they win or lose"

"Is that supposed to be some kind of idiom? Because I don't think there's a saying that gambling is entirely a bad thing"

"Ahehehe…" The boy laughed weakly seeing how he was easily seen. "Well at least you and I aren't dumb enough to bet on it. Hmm? Oh! Yo Tatsunami"

"Huaaa… good mornin…" The newly arrived replied yawningly.

"Oi oi, did you spend all night in the simulator room again?" Asagi quickly offered the boy a glass of water which he accepted with a glance. Knowing the boy's obsessive training disorder, it was a likely possibility that he spent the last nine hours in the simulator room. "You really need to take it easy"

"What's wrong with spending my free time to better my skills in combat? Huaaa~…" The boy returned again with another yawn.

"If you can show at least half of that dedication in your studies, then maybe I would have a different opinion in you" The girl gave her subordinate a sigh. The boy was tough and one of the best pilots she knows and his strength and speed can give even the top athletes a run for their money, but when it came to academics or technical engineering, he was as helpful as a tact of nails. Not that he didn't know to fix an engine. It's just that he doesn't really remember how to put two and two together.

"Everyone has their strong points and weak points!" He declared puffing his chest with pride. "And the instructor did say that we always need to hone our skills in case of any emergencies"

"You probably just stayed up all night trying to beat your idol's records again. (Geh!) Aha… bingo…" Ryouichi grinned menacingly feeling like he just shot a bulls-eye in target practice. "How many tries did you make this time?"

"Ugh… fifty…"

"Fifty tries? Uwahahaha! You must be sore to your bones!"

The boy sulked feeling the soreness on his back. "Ugh… the best I got is the top 2nd. It's just impossible to mimic those moves. Shirogane sempai really is on a level of his own. It feels like I'm trying to fight and change the laws of gravity at the same time. (Hehehe) But I guess this only goes to show that there is still room for improvement! I only reached the maximum output of what the simulator can give me. The only way for me to catch up to his level is to have real combat experience myself!"

"Be careful what you wish for" Asagi warned him. "You might just regret it"

"Speaking of your idol—how much did you bet on the Valkyries?" Ryouichi inquired only to be struck by a puzzled look from his compatriot. "Oi… don't tell me you didn't bet. (Bet?) That's a surprise. I was sure you'd bet at least half of your savings on your idol's team"

"Hmph. Matsukaze. What do you think of me? A child?" Tatsunami stated proudly folding his arms together with a distinct grin on his face. "I would never be as irresponsible as to put half of my money on something as complex as a bet. On the battlefield, anything can happen and there's no such thing as a sure plan! Only a fool would be a dumb as to rely on luck and statistics alone"

"Hooo? That sounds really mature of—"

"Because facing against Shirogane sempai is already considered a death warrant! When you look at that alone, putting money on such a match isn't considered gambling, but rather an 'investment'! So I decided to place all of my savings on the match!"

"Ah… I should've figured you'd say something like that…"

The two mature figures simply tilted their head with a giant bead of sweat dropping from their cheeks.

**(Private Meeting room)**

General Radhabinod, one of the most respectable officers in the U.N. Army, sat in the meeting room that morning surrounded by his closest advisors and entourage. They formed a circle around a table, with each of them reading a message that had been brought to their attention earlier that day. Once the General was finished, his face bore a frown that his men were familiar with. Each and every one of his cabinet knew that frown well. They've been with the man long enough to familiarize themselves with that expression, and know well that it was best to remain silent and let him speak first.

The General had just received word of the hostage situation in Fukuoka Base. The base which was supposedly the first line of defense against the BETA from the mainland was now under siege not by the alien force… but rather a terrorist group made of radicals and extremists.

Never, has the General been so close to yelling in his life. But he knew better. Pointing fingers at each other would get them nowhere.

After a brief respite, he spoke. "Give me details of the situation…"

One of his favored advisors nodded before placing a short stack of photos on the table. "Yes sir. The terrorist group appears to have disguised themselves as our own soldiers. They struck our security first and hit all critical areas simultaneously. They now control 1/3 of the base and have barricaded themselves at the main compound. We've confirmed that they've captured at least 30 TSF units and multiple vehicles as well"

"And the hostages?"

"We've confirmed that all VIPs are safe and accounted for in the main complex. Professor Kouzuki and Undersecretary Genjousai are believed to be… here… in the longue along with the other delegates. So far the terrorists have covered all entrances to the building and have barricaded the main entrances with hijacked vehicles. They even blocked the sewer entrance with hardeners making it impossible to enter the base in any way but the front"

"This is a complete disaster" The General muttered barely containing his anger. "How could something like this have happened, and in the frontlines no less. (Sir…) What about the CO of the 9th Army?" The old war-hero inquired, not looking any bit pleased with the information he was receiving. "What's his plan of rescue?"

"Uh… he says that… they're formulating a plan at this moment"

WHAM!

The soldiers in the room flinched back when they heard the General's fist on the table. "The commander had over 12 hours already! The longer we wait, the bolder these fanatics become! (Yes sir…) He should've resolved this situation before it gets any worse. Issue a general alert. Have all units on standby and wait for my command. We'll postpone this training exercise in the meantime"

But another of the advisors quickly raised his hand in protest. "Uh… sir. The council doesn't want that. (Hmm?) I received orders from the high council earlier regarding the situation. They want the situation resolved as quietly as possible without alerting the presence of the media"

"How can they possibly say that at a time like this!-?"

The man flinched back at the directed bark of his CO. "They said that… they do not wish to alarm the other factions of this. Doing so would only make us look bad in the eyes of the people. They do not wish to sway public support more so than it has. Not to mention that there are also delegates from the E.U. arriving today. If they hear of this, it would make us appear weak in the international table"

"Are those idiots still trying to fool themselves with such ridiculous ideals!?" The General nearly burst out a fit rage but he contained it just enough to feel the recoil. "We've already played a part in destroying Tokyo. How much more can we sink on their bad side? (…) Are they seriously asking us to wait while our frontline is being threatened like this?"

"Sir… if I may. The council does have a point" The rest of the group turned to the last member of the General's inner circle. "If we allow this incident to escalate, other military factions may take this as an armed aggression against one of their own giving them a viable excuse to intervene. They will undoubtedly try to muscle their way in like they did during the 12/5 incident. And knowing the commander of the 9th Pacific Army, the Soviets will most likely be the first to enter. Perhaps we should wait things out a bit… at least for a little bit longer. Besides… there was no way anyone could've predict that there would be a terrorist attack in such a location especially in the frontlines"

"No… there is one" The General muttered to himself earning the attention of his subordinates. "She would've known… I'm sure of it. Even she wouldn't be that foolish to let herself get caught without a good reason. (Sir?) What about the A-01 Special Task Force? (…?)" The men looked amongst themselves, perplexed of his question. "From what I know, the A-01 team has special access regardless of the diplomatic situation, correct?"

"Yes sir. But why…?"

"How long can you prep the whole squad for launch?"

"Ah… well the squad itself isn't exactly in full strength at the moment. Most of the team is still recovering from their last assignment in Tokyo not to mention that most of their equipments were lost in battle. Replacements are still being shipped from our factories in the U.S. and they won't be here until next week"

"Who among the squad are still fit for active duty?"

The Captain quickly shifted through his folder again and placed out a list of names. "Cpt. Isumi Michiru the squad leader, 1st Lt. Munakata Misae, 1st Lt. Hayase Mitsuki, 2nd Lt. Kashiwagi Haruko and 1st Lt. Shirogane Takeru. Their operators are still available for action but the rest will need to sit out for the duration. They only have 4 working TSFs at the moment so we don't know when…"

"Replace their losses with Gekishins and Eagles. I want the whole squad combat ready by next week" The General interrupted with a stern commanding tone. "What is the A-01 doing now?"

"Umm… they'll be having a match with the American 65th Tactical Training unit, the Infinities. They should be having their match soon"

"Get me Cpt. Isumi. I'll brief her personally on her mission. We will do this discreetly just as the council asks. Take units from other teams if you have to and replace their losses. (Yes sir) That will be all for today. Dismissed"

**(Infinities standby room)**

The sound of the ticking clock was annoying—or at least it was to Leon.

He was sitting patiently in the standby room already dressed in his Eishi suit preparing for the upcoming battle with the Valkyries. He had been here for over an hour now, ahead of the others who were still busy prepping themselves in the adjacent room.

Though people wouldn't really see it on his face, deep inside, Leon was feeling a bit anxious. He didn't know why. It could be because he wanted to prove that the F-22 was the best TSF there is. It could be because he was facing off a unit that his rival once piloted—or it could be the fact that the one who was piloting it looked very similar to his rival. He couldn't tell. The only thing he could tell was that he was anxious to get out there. Anxious to fight and prove to the world that there wasn't a TSF out there that could match against the stealth system.

But again he was forced to wait. The technicians called in and said that they needed more time to set up the conditions on the field. It was a ridiculous excuse. They probably just wanted more time for people to pile up their money on the bookmakers. But he could tolerate that. They could delay it as long as they wanted as long as they get to fight.

It would only take a moment to decide the match entirely. All he needed was just one clear shot and they'd end the fight.

"Oh? Leon? You're here already?" Keith, the commander of the squad stated as he entered the room along with the rest of the team. "You're pretty early"

"You're the ones that are late. I was here hours ago…" The blue haired 'ace' replied arrogantly.

"You could've at least joined us for breakfast" Sharon cooed. "The chef was pretty generous with us today"

"Really? I wonder about that" Guylos giggled from his side of the room. "It felt more like he was prepared to grope you from where I was looking"

"If he gave me a bigger portion, I might just let him"

Leon grumbled at his girlfriend's teasing tone. "Oi… was it that big chef again? Tch… I should've known"

"I always did think he was giving Sharon a little too much" The squad leader recalled but quickly brushed it away. "I guess that does answer some questions"

"Ara ara, don't be jealous commander. (Sharon…) Oh don't be shy, Leon. You should've gotten used to my personality by now"

"You weren't like this when you were with Yuuya…" The blue haired soldier stated earning an 'oh' tone from his girlfriend.

"Are you envious that I was better-behaved when I was with him? (…) Yuuya has a shorter tolerance than you, that's why I made it a point to keep my flirting low. You're not like him, are you? (Hmph…) Ara ara, it seems like I got you mad again. I thought you'd be happier when you knew that you'd get to fight 'him'."

"Leon isn't the type to show emotions" Guylos added with a hidden laugh underneath his words. "He prefers to keep it to himself. I think the Japanese called his kind a… 'Tsundara'? Ah… no… 'Tsunage'? No… maybe 'Tsun-tsun'?"

"Shut up!" Leon countered bitterly which was only returned with a laugh from his teammates.

"In any case, this can be considered a part of our mission" Keith suddenly pointed out earning his team's attention. "From what I've seen so far, there doesn't seem to be anything special about this, Shirogane"

"He's a kid after all. What's there to look for?" Leon parted tilting his head away.

Sharon came next. "He seems like a nice boy. Plenty handsome and very soft on the eyes. He's also very sweet and gentle. He actually reminds me of Yuuya but without the dark-avenger outlook. I wouldn't mind beings friends with him"

"Sounds like you had a field time with him. You didn't flirt with him, did you?" Guylos guessed which she returned with a very suggestive wink. "Are you serious?"

The pinkette laughed. "Just kidding. (Haa?) The boy didn't seem all that interested. Besides, he surrounds himself with girls. I think he may have developed an immune system to our natural charms"

"Hoo? Or maybe he's just not interested in… 'older' women? (Thwack!) Ahahaha!" Guylos brushed off the empty carton of orange juice from his forehead.

But Keith quickly cut off their friendly moment with a forced cough. "Ahem. That's enough joking around. Save it for your free time. (Yes sir) I've also viewed the boy's battle profile. Other than his unique moves, there doesn't appear to be any anomalies in them. I supposed we can conclude that the rumors about him beating the Honor Guards are just rumors. (…) Well I guess we can't trust every bias thing we hear. After today we'll just let things go as they are and return to Nellis Base next week. Any objections?" The team remained silent in response. "Very well. I'll message this to command and-(Wait…) Hmm? What is it Leon?"

"Everything that has happened is simply based off his fight with others. I think we need to do one more check before we conclude anything. (Oh?) One last test just to make sure that those rumors are just that. Rumors"

"You're just looking for an excuse to fight him one on one, aren't you?" Guylos suggested turning a wider grin.

"I just want to be thorough before we make any kind of report. We wouldn't want our information to the CIA to be half-baked, right, Lieutenant?"

Keith paused but maintained his hold. "Hmm… I supposed so. What do you suggest?"

"Let me take him on, one on one. (…) I'd like to test that 'Perfect' record of his and see if he has any merit whatsoever"

"Ara ara… Leon, I'm hurt" Sharon sighed feigning being stabbed. "Choosing a man over me… I'm immensely insulted"

"You really do have a bone to pick with him, don't you?" Keith returned not really expecting a reply. "Haaa… sorry but I can't allow that. (Wha?) As interesting as your suggestion sounds, this exercise is based on our cooperation. I'm not letting you go Maverick just because of some personal intangible grudge. (But sir!) That's that, 2nd Lieutenant. The F-22 Raptor may have a powerful arsenal and a unique stealth system but when it comes down to it, teamwork is the key. I thought they'd teach you that in Nellis"

Before Leon could protest further, he was interrupted by the speaker. "Attention all training teams, please report to your designated units. Your match will be starting in 30 minutes. I repeat: the morning match will soon begin. All training teams please report to your units"

"That's our cue, let's go" Keith ordered which they quickly followed.

Leon balled his fists in response to this. He was just about to punch the wall but Sharon stopped him from hurting himself.

"You know he's just looking after you, right? Keith wouldn't want you going solo again. Remember: You're not like Yuuya"

"Tch… don't compare me to that moron"

"Come on. We don't want to keep the others waiting. And try not to disobey orders this time. We want to make a good impression to them, not a lasting scar"

"Hmph. Believe me. When I'm done with him, he won't be able to forget me"

**(Takeru's POV) (Hanger)**

Hachoo!

Brrrrr… why the hell did it get cold all of a sudden? Did the temperature drop again? It's already way below freezing point. Anymore than this then the new Ice-Age won't be that far off. Brrrr…

Hopefully it'll get warmer once I seal the cockpit. The suit's temperature adjustments are supposed to work in any given condition but I supposed this weather will have to be an exception. I just hope I won't have to wear a blanket everywhere I go.

Everyone seems to be pumped up for the upcoming match. By the time I woke up this morning with Kasumi, Hayase practically wanted me to get to my unit for standby. I had to start grabbing food directly from the counter. The chef yelled at me for cutting in line but I was pretty much desperate—and hungry. There's no way I could win with an empty stomach. I'd prefer to lose intentionally than to starve to death. I went on without food once already, there's no way I'm doing that again.

Click…

Hmm… everything seems to be in order. All systems are green and engine output appears to be within standard parameters. I won't have to worry about my boosters exploding in mid-air.

Beep beep…

As for the OS… it's good.

…

…

…

Hmmmm… this is odd. I know that the OS is supposed to be my masterpiece, but somehow I get the feeling I can achieve better than this. I'm not complaining about the XM3 or anything. It's a wonderful piece of tech and from what I've seen so far in the feedbacks everyone seems to be coping with it pretty well. But still I feel like I can go farther, make it even better than before. If Yuuko was here I'd probably give her another lecture on making a better OS but I suppose that will have to wait until she gets back. Maybe I can relay this to Lt. Piatif in the lab. It would be productive.

As for the TSF itself, I must say that it's not bad. It definitely feels lighter than the standard Shiranui everyone else is using. With a lighter engine I'm able to place in more payloads than the regular TSF. If I play my cards right, I can pretty much perform two roles at once. I can be a Gun-Sweeper and a Blast Guard at the same time or an Impact Guard and a Gun-interceptor. I supposed this is what you call a multipurpose-fighter like the real planes back home.

As for the extra pair of thrusters, they make turning way easier. I can pretty much bank a sharp turn while still maintaining the same speed and chasing an opponent. It's a pretty neat trick to pull without the jump booster.

If you look at it through these performances only, I'd say that the XFJ unit is an accomplished successor of the original version. But… there is only one downside to the whole unit.

Not really a downside but more of a personal opinion. There's just something wrong about this unit. Ever since I had that dream the other day being killed by it, I get this gut wrenching feeling in my chest whenever I sit inside. I've probably explained this feeling a dozen times over but my body just can't seem to get used to it. I'd feel a lot better if I could get a monk to perform some sort exorcism on it. That would at least give me some sense of comfort.

Knock knock!

"1st Lt. Shirogane… come out of there" Hmm? That voice. Captain? "1st Lt. Shirogane, I need a word with you" She's knocking on the cockpit door. And she has a serious face. I can already tell what this visit is about.

Swish…

"Captain, ma'am" I saluted in response.

"At ease. We're alone right now so you don't have to be formal with me. (Yes ma'am) I assume you already know why I'm here. It's regarding the incident in the PX last night" I thought as much. "You really aren't making things easier for yourself. Even after that drunken behavior you pulled with Hayase, you just had to make things worse for yourself"

"Sorry ma'am"

"Well in either case, I can let this one slide at least. (…?) Munakata came and petitioned me to be lenient to you since she was the one that was targeted" Munakata? She did that? "Several officers as well as the chef said that you didn't attack until you were struck first. Besides, attacking a superior officer is a grave offense on its own. That man will be seeing the insides of the detention cell for quite awhile" Detention? That seems kinda harsh. But then again I was stabbed. That should merit at least minimal punishment. "Oi, Shirogane. Pay attention when I'm talking to you"

"Sorry ma'am. I was just… thinking"

"At least try to focus on the situation at hand. I know that Hayase has been hard on you yesterday but that only means she has high expectations of you. (Heh…) Or maybe she just wants you at your best the moment she gets a rematch with you" Geh! I didn't think of that. "Ahuhuhu. Either way, it seems like you're not that badly injured. I'm glad. Losing you will hurt the squad badly"

She then unconsciously reached out for my supposedly 'injured' hand caressing it gently.

"Isumi… san?"

"A wound made out of jealousy. I supposed you might be getting more of that soon enough. (Eh?) Just be more careful from here on. If you keep throwing yourself in the face of danger, I might start thinking that you have a death wish in that hard-head of yours. The last thing I want is to lose you—again… (Again?) Ah! N… nothing. Sorry. Anyway, I won't add this to your punishment. I just came to tell you that. (Huh?)"

"Captain Isumi…" Before I could mouth another word, Lt. Piatif called out to her appearing from the corner of my eye.

"Oh… you're Lt. Piatif. Yes, what is it?" The Captain quickly let go of my hand returning to her professional posture.

"Sorry to interrupt, but your presence is requested at the meeting room at the west complex. (The meeting room?) Yes ma'am. General Radhabinod ordered it personally"

General Radhabinod? The CO of Yokohama Base? What could he want with the Captain? If he's calling the leader of the A-01 Special Task Force, it must be something big.

"Is that so? Alright. I'll be there. Sorry I have to leave here Shirogane. I'll be cheering for you. (Yes ma'am)" And after giving her last wave, she was gone. This isn't the first time the Captain was summoned by the General. The last time she was called in we were facing a large BETA invasion from the mainland with three Carriers. I hope we wouldn't have to face something like that for awhile.

Still… the BETA has been quiet these past few days. I guess they did lose a lot of their numbers in that last attack. Both sides will need time to lick their wounds before they start punching each other again.

"1st Lt. Shirogane…" Hmm? Oh… Piatif. She's still here? "Here, please take this"

She handed me a medium size brown envelope. "What's this?" I inquired.

"It's a package from Professor Kouzuki. (Yuuko sensei?) Yes, she asked me to deliver it to you"

"What's inside?"

"I do not know. But she specifically ordered that I deliver it to you at this specific time. She asked that you keep the contents with you at all time"

At all time? Is it some kind of important document? There was a 'Classified' seal stamped on top of it so I guess it must be something that Yuuko wanted kept hidden at all times. I supposed I can open it if I'm to know what I'm protecting.

Rip…

Ruffle…

Hmm? That's odd. There's a bunch of stuff here clumped together. (Ruffle) Are these… ID passes? Two of them. These are the passes we use to access restricted areas. They're unmarked and they don't look like the ones that the Army issues to its members. And they certainly don't look like the one that Yuuko gave me to freely move into lower floors of her lab. They don't have names either. Maybe these are for another place entirely.

Ruffle…

The next items on the agenda were the documents regarding the Food Plant. I recognized them immediately because I was the one who brought them to Yuuko in the first place. Blueprints, designs, everything regarding that facility were in here. I supposed she doesn't want anyone reading this. Yuuhi would probably want the same until they're sure it'll work.

"I should be going now. Take care of yourself 1st Lieutenant" Piatif walked off following the Captain in tow. I supposed I shouldn't keep her. If the General asked for the Captain directly then it must be big. Even I would be nervous meeting with him. It's almost like meeting with the guidance counselor back in school. Brrr… just thinking about it reminds me of that day when I was in love with Class Rep.

Still… it's kinda weird that Yuuko would leave these things with me. I supposed she wants them kept safe until she comes back to collect.

"Hooo? Top secret documents? How suspicious…"

"Bwah! Who? Misae san?" Where did she come from? I didn't even feel her coming close.

"Yo. It's been awhile" She ignored my surprised reaction waving it off as she approached me. "How you feeling? (Feeling?) I just saw the Captain giving you the usual sermon. She wasn't too hard on you, I hope"

"Ah, you mean that" I returned my composure. "No. She just came to give me fair warning. It's not like I did anything wrong but I supposed I put too much force when I punched the man off"

"Is that so? Then I supposed he should consider himself lucky to be alive. He should know what to expect when facing off the Legendary Rookie in a fistfight"

"I thought I told to stop using that nickname"

"Hai hai… that's the last time, I promise" Somehow I don't believe her in saying that. "So I guess this is the big fight. I don't suppose all that training and simulation you did with Hayase paid off"

"We'll try our best" It was the best answer I could give. "We don't know how to counter their stealth without special equipments but at least we know that they're still humans"

"Hooo… such confidence. I guess I shouldn't be surprised if you won by default" I quickly noticed her eyes glancing over to my hand as she spoke.

"It wouldn't be a fair fight if it was an easy fight"

"True. But in all seriousness, you should be wary. These are not your typical test pilots. They're proven veterans. Soldiers that have seen combat just as you have"

"We've already met pilots like them in the XM3 trial. These guys shouldn't be any different" Again I caught her eyes moving downwards towards my hand. She must be trying to avert my attention from it and buying excuses to continue this conversation.

"Ah… that's right. I actually forgot about that" Don't forget something like that! "With everything that's been happening these past few weeks you tend to forget some of your sorties. You've already clashed swords with veteran pilots from our side as well, haven't you? But I doubt they'll be anything like the ones you're about to cross with"

"Well… I guess you have a point there. (…) Don't worry. It's not that bad. (…?) You've been gawking at my arm for awhile now"

She gave me a sigh, flashing a soft smile as she dropped her act of being lucky-go-happy. "Was I that obvious?"

"More so than usual. You were barely hiding it"

"Heh… my acting skills must be getting dull if you could see it… or it could be the fact that you've gotten better at this, Shirogane"

"I highly doubt that" I replied cockily with a triumphant smirk. "Besides, I've been through worse injuries than this"

"Ahuhuhu… if you can come out of a BETA Carrier without so much of a scratch, then I should believe you" Misae returned to her usual posture but not before taking my supposedly 'injured' hand up to her face. "If you were seriously injured, I'd probably feel guilty for not being so attentive"

"You worry too much. I'm not gonna die just because someone stabbed me. It'll take a lot more than what the BETA could offer to take me down"

"Is that genuine gloating or are you just being considerate to make me feel better. (Both!) Ahahaha… a compliment and a sincere answer. I'm flattered"

"Well a person like yourself wouldn't visit someone like me if it was something so trivial, Munakata san. So I should be the one who's flattered"

"Ah… I supposed that's true. You should be honored that you have me looking after you. (Ahehehehe) Ahuhuhu… you've gotten really good in this game, Shirogane"

"I learned from the best of us, ma'am. And call me Takeru. I'd prefer that name over my surname any day"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Mitsurugi Meiya, the sister of the Shogun, and the third member of Valkyrie Squad B-Platoon, gave out a pathetic sigh that morning as she walked around the hanger bay. She stood quietly, watching a certain chestnut haired boy on the far end of the room having a seemingly pleasant conversation with a fellow companion.

How long has it been when she last laughed like those two? Awhile? She can't really remember. The only thing she does remember is that she really did enjoy it. The laughing bit at least.

It's not like she couldn't talk to the other members of her team the same way—it's just that none of them had the same feel of kindness that Takeru projects in his voice. The way he speaks, the way he scratches his head whenever he was confused, the way his facial expressions morphs uncontrollably whenever his thoughts derail from its course, it never failed to make her laugh inside. Takeru was special to her in that simple way. He made her feel unique whenever he wanted to and he could make her feel like an ordinary girl with a quick joke here and there.

It was as if he had the magic touch of his own deep inside his brain.

Meiya would probably deny it openly. She'd probably reject all claims for such affection or the need for such a simple conversation with the boy. But deep down, she truly longed for it.

A simple talk with just a few words, in a span of no more than two minutes would've been more than enough. But yet somehow… a part of her conscious rejected her from doing so. There was just something she could not understand.

The sword she discovered miraculously in his room… awoken so many things in her mind that she could not tell truth from fiction. She ran scenarios after scenarios in her head but none of them made any sense. She wanted to know the truth… badly—but her heart was still not ready to accept the truth.

"Oi… Mitsurugi!"

The samurai girl was startled when she heard her commander yelling near her ears. Quickly she stood at attention saluting in proper military manner. "1st Lt. Hayase! How may I be of service?"

The woman who yelled out gave out a quizzical look in reply. "Huh? What are you talking about? You were the one who wanted to talk to me"

"I… I did?" Meiya stuttered flushed from her embarrassment.

"Yeah. You said that Suzumiya wanted something from me"

The girl immediately snapped her head in remembrance. "Ah… yes of course. I apologize for that. 1st Lt. Suzumiya said that she noted only a 0.8 seconds delay in your unit's left leg. She confirms that it is caused due to long term exposure of the extreme cold after battle and that it can be remedied automatically when you use the thrusters. It shouldn't cause any damage or error in your unit upon the exercise"

"Good. I'd hate to have the maintenance do a full checkup just before sortie. Those guys can be a pain to deal with when you point out an error in their work. Neh? (…) Mitsurugi?"

"Huh? Ah… yes… of course"

"You didn't hear a thing I said, did you? (… no… ma'am) This isn't the first time you've been dozing off. I noticed you've been out of the loop in more than one instance and it's starting to affect your performance. (…) I know that everyone's still out because of their injuries but when the time comes, I need you focus. (Yes ma'am… I understand) I really wonder about that. And it seems plainly obvious that Shirogane is part of that problem, isn't he?"

"Huh? What? No… I mean…"

The CO quickly cut her off her see-through excuse. "I've already noticed it for some time now. You've been deliberately avoiding him ever since the Training Exercise started. The others are starting to take notice of it too and it's bothering both me and him directly. (…) What's the matter? The two of you were so close. You always looked up to one another for advice. Did he do something to you?"

Meiya shook her head in response. "No… he did nothing of the sorts"

"Good. Because I can hardly imagine that kid doing something perverted. I was afraid that his good-guy behavior was just an act to lower our guard. (…) I don't know what happened between you two but some of the team members are starting to notice how you guys are behaving. If this keeps up, there might be tension between you two and it'll affect the whole group's performance"

"I understand, 1st Lieutenant"

"Then hurry up and make up already. If it'll help solve the issue I can ask Cpt. Isumi to arrange a private meeting session with you two"

"N… no, that won't be necessary" Meiya quickly declined knowing well that a meeting would be too formal for either of them to relax. "I assure that it is a temporary thing and that 1st Lt. Shirogane and I can discuss the matter informally on our own"

"Then do so" Hayase urged her. "You have 24 hours to resolve this. If neither of this can be done by today then I'm getting you two in that private meeting whether you like it or not. (Yes ma'am) And I'll only be convinced that it's handled when the two of you tell me straight that the matter has been settled. Is that understood?"

"Yes ma'am. I understand…" Meiya felt horrible to lie like that but she quickly flinched back when Hayase gave her a pat on the back.

"Hey. I don't really know what happened between you two, but whatever it is I'm sure Shirogane has a good explanation for it. (…?) I haven't known him as long as any of your old teammates but I've known him long enough to understand his traits. I don't think he would do something bad to someone, at least not intentionally. Sure—he has a naïve side but he makes up for it for character. I'm sure if you two sat down and talked for awhile, you'll find out that he has enough heart for everyone. (Lieutenant…) Don't be so glum. It's sad to see friends fight, especially when no one knows the real reason. Talk to him, ok? That's an order"

"But… 1st Lieutenant… I don't know if…"

"2nd Lt. Mitsurugi. State your last orders!"

The girl stood at attention and saluted in a formal pose. "Ma'am, I am to resolve my problematic issues with 1st Lt. Shirogane within 24 hours"

"Very good. If you understood that then you should have no problem fixing your relationship. Well… later then. Our fight is about to start"

"Ma'am. I wish you fortunes in your battle" And just like that, Hayase entered her cockpit, prepping for the coming fight.

Meiya was left alone to contemplate on what the Lieutenant had to say. Her words rung true. Everything she has accused Shirogane of was merely speculations that her imaginations conjured and there was only one object in those scenarios to support it. She never once asked the boy himself or gave him a chance to explain at all. Her distrust and wild imagination simply accused him of crimes he may never have even committed.

Thinking back on it now, Meiya seemed to remember how harshly she treated Shirogane when he tried to approach her. Perhaps she acted too rashly and lashed out at him unjustly. She took a mental note to apologize to him later.

As she returned towards the door, she noted the boy in question making last adjustments to his new experimental unit. Munakata must've finished her conversation with him already and left for the briefing room where she was supposed to be right now.

There was no one else in the hanger. The mechanics have left already and most of the pilots were already in their units preparing for the exercise. There wouldn't be a better time to speak with him in private than this.

A resolution to this misunderstanding would be a nice break—but before Meiya could even open her mouth her mind began to process. What would she say to him? How should she act? For the past few days she had done nothing but scorning him. She gave him the cold shoulders, the ignoring act, the silent treatment and even avoidance if that was possible. To speak with him after all that treatment would be… sending a strange message.

And before her mouth could open again, the speaker in the hanger spoke up. "Attention, all pilots. The morning exercise will begin in 20 minutes. All squads are to report to their designated rally points and await further orders"

Takeru boarded his machine upon first notice and sealed the hatch behind him. The moment was gone before Meiya even had a chance to reach out for it.

One by one, the units of Valkyrie team began to depart with Takeru following last in line. Meiya could only walk back in silence and wait for the next opportunity to arise.

**(Training field) (Gose City ruins) (Takeru's POV)**

We arrived at our designated training field about ten minutes later. The snow has dug deep even as far as this place. Not surprising since we were closer to Ground-Zero of where the G-Bombs were dropped. If I had a bird's eye view of the place I'd probably see what's left of Shikoku Island from here.

Not only is it messing with our transmissions but this weather will make it almost impossible to differentiate targets with thermal. I just hope we can make it through the first round from here.

The layout of our equipments weren't any different from our last few sorties. Me and Hayase got our standard Storm Vanguard set. A shield, gun and two swords for close to medium range combat.

Marimo chan was fitted with gun-sweeper armaments. Enough firepower to mow a small herd of BETA to the ground.

And as for Kashiwagi, she changed her gear to an Impact Guard. Though she's expected to support us with her sniper rifle, if she engages an opponent close combat, she'll at least have a chance to use her sword to keep her opponent at a distance.

"This is HQ to Valkyrie team. Five minutes until the exercise begins. Please confirm final safety checks before proceeding" Haruka stated on the radio which Hayase replied.

"Valkyrie 1B, roger that. Alright you heard her. Commence final weapon's check" There was a sense of excitement in Hayase's voice. I think everyone could hear it. Even she had to be a little anxious about facing one of the best teams America has to offer. Even my hands were feeling kind of sweaty just thinking about it. I've met three of those people and two of them seemed nice enough to talk to me without pushing me over.

We spent the whole day yesterday examining their fight patterns. As far as we know, their teamwork is flawless. Those guys trust one another like they were family. Each element covers the other and no one fighter is ever too far from another to support or be supported. Though it does limit their range of detection, I don't think they have to worry about that since their stealth system keeps them from enemy radar. They were pretty much a well oiled machine.

"Alright everyone, remember the plan" Hayase called out to all of us. "We're going to up against the Top-Guns of America. Even if they have a big advantage over us we're not gonna make it easy for them! (Yes ma'am) We'll split in pairs to cover more ground. Jinguuji, you're with me. (Copy that) Kashiwagi, you'll go with Shirogane. Support him afar but keep your eyes on your surroundings too. (Understood) Our radar is gonna be useless from here on out so make sure you have your motion tracker set to maximum sensitivity. Radio-in once you've made contact with the enemy. No showing off—that means you, Shirogane"

"Huh? Wait… me?"

"You've been having one-on-one duels far too many times lately. There's no telling if they're gonna pull the same thing on this one so make sure you rely on your partner too. Got that? (Uh…) Shirogane! Confirm your last order!"

"Yes ma'am! I am not to engage in a one-on-one duel and rely more on my partner, ma'am!"

"Good. You're not the only one fighting this war. Prepare yourselves!" Wow, she really is pumped. I think she's more enthusiastic about fighting the Infinities than I am.

"Yo, Takeru" Kashiwagi opened coms to me. "Looks like we'll be partners again. It almost looks like fate is playing with us neh?"

"Don't tell me you actually believe in that nonsense"

"Ara? Don't believe in destiny, Takeru?" She asked with a very suggestive tone.

"Not really. I believe in cause and effect" It's been the only thing I believe in since I learned that I was a Casualty Conductor. "Besides, after being with Yuuko sensei for so long, her belief starts to rub off on you. It's illogical rely everything on the universe itself"

"Hoo? That's deep. It sounds so logical yet mystical at the same time. Like a cute mystery puzzle"

"Is that supposed to be a flattering example?"

"Maybe~~ You'll have to find out"

"Ka-shi-wa-gi…" Hayase's cold voice slipped in through our coms. "Could you save your flirting until after the match? It's unbecoming of you…"

"Uwa, that's so embarrassing 1st Lieutenant. I was just giving Shirogane some encouragement after all. There's no reason to call it flattery or flirting"

"Shut up! No passing blames! And you, Shirogane… I expect you to focus on the match! If you slip up I'll shoot you myself!" Eeeep! What the hell is with her? Why is everyone gunning for me now?

"HQ to Valkyrie Team. 20 seconds until the match begins. Prepare to deploy on my mark"

"Alright team, you heard her!" Hayase quickly changed tones dialing it up on our eardrums. "Gear up and get ready to fly! Let's show these Yankees what the best of Yokohama Base has to offer!"

"Deploy…"

**(Valkyrie Briefing room)**

When the horn sounded the beginning of the match, the members of Valkyrie Squad gripped tightly on their seats. In the darkly lit room, you can see everyone watching the match like they were watching the finals of the Olympics.

Meow…

"Shhh… be quiet Takeru san or everyone will hear you" Miki hushed softly to her newly found pet as she brought the feline up to her table to watch the match with her.

"Go get'em Takeru" Mikoto was the next person to mutter a silent her team though mostly it was directed to the only male member of the squad.

"I can't believe I'm actually getting excited to a match" Kazama Touko stated out looking at her documents. "This must be how the bookmakers must be feeling too"

"Ara, Touko chan. Don't tell me that the sight of combat is getting you… wet" Misae teased which only earned a grunt from her partner.

"Misae san. You should already know that I've become immune to your teasing. It will have no effect on me no matter how hard you try"

"Ahuhuhu. That's true. But you have to admit, seeing him go off like that really does get your heart racing. You really get restless when two titans are duking it off without any restraints. Just thinking of their battle is enough to get me thirsty"

"Ara, Misae san. I never thought you would actually sing praises to Shirogane san"

"Even I'm obligated to cheer for my favorite pilot" She returned with a wink.

"Still… they're opponents are the Infinities" Chizuru added reminding them of how formidable their opponents were. "As powerful as our team is, they'll be facing off against aces from America"

"Worried?" Ayamine hinted which she quickly brushed off.

"I'm just concerned" She corrected. "Their enemies are a lot stronger than before. There's no way this can be easy. Even we would have difficulties just trying to keep up"

"That's true" Mikoto agreed from her seat. "With Hayase san, Kashiwagi san and Jinguuji san alone, they make a formidable trio. But Takeru san is amazing after all. Even though we've been training roughly the same time, he never fails to pull off a big trick or two to catch us off guard"

"Hmph. Just because you have different moves doesn't make you a better pilot" Akane stated putting her foot down. "I'm sure 1st Lt. Hayase can do just the same"

"Now now, Akane chan. Let's not argue over that" Munakata quickly stopped them from bickering though Mikoto looked like she didn't want to fight anyway. "Yoroi and the rest of her team simply have a better opinion of Shirogane than Hayase. After all, they've been with him longer than most of us. (Hmph!) Besides, even the best of us thinks that Shirogane might be a better pilot. Don't you agree, Mitsurugi? (…) Mitsurugi?"

The gang turned their heads to the back where the girl in question was sitting quietly in her corner.

"Mitsurugi?"

"Mitsurugi san?"

The cerulean haired samurai quickly brought herself out of her daze realizing that all the team's attention was focused on her. "Huh? Ah… I'm… I'm sorry. What did you say, Tamase?" She quickly recovered from her stuttering tone.

"You seem to be dazing off a lot lately, Mitsurugi" Misae stated taking note of the girl inattentive behavior. "Is something bothering you?"

"No…" Her answer was unconvincing. "I just… have… a lot on my mind"

"Did you eat something bad, Meiya chan? I have a cake in my room. You can have some if you want"

"No, it is not a stomach concern. I appreciate the offer, Tamase" Before Munakata could say anything else they were immediately alerted to the screen where new development was happening. Meiya turned her attention to the screen as well and saw as a White-color-schemed TSF soared through the sky with little effort. A slight tinge of unease crept up Meiya's heart. Her mind and heart were confused, puzzled to what to make out of everything that has happened.

She wanted to believe that Takeru had unwavering faith. Hayase even stated this as well but still… she could not bring herself to trust the boy. After seeing that blade in his room… a complex train of thoughts has been occupying her mind. The meaning of a sword was endless… yet… somehow it made her heart grieve with a strange sense of sadness.

"Valkyrie 4. Damage to left arm, leg and power supply. The damage has destroyed your unit. Cease all activity immediately"

"Eh? A casualty already?" The whole room erupted in distraught, looking at the screen with a panic expression.

**(Takeru's POV) (Gose City ruins)**

What the!? Are you kidding me? It hasn't been 5 minutes yet! How the hell did we lose one already?

"Shirogane, Kashiwagi! Get out of the air immediately!" Hmm? Hayase? (Bang!) WHOA!

"Takeru, get out of there!" Immediately Haruko and I dropped from the sky landing on the ruined suburbs below. A hail of bullets followed afterwards missing us only by a few seconds. Quickly following our instincts, we got to cover, turning our seismic sensors to full. "You ok?"

"Yeah, they didn't get me" I answered. "What happened?"

"I don't know" Haruko answered back covering my back. "I couldn't tell where the shot was taken from. I just know that it came from the surface"

That's insane. The distance between both teams should be at least 10 kilometers. At our max speed we should've encountered our opponents roughly 4 or 5 minutes after the match began. And to shoot at such a distance in the sky… is just… crazy.

"Shirogane, Haruko, report!" Hayase's voice boomed on our radios.

"Valkyrie 2 and 3 here, no damage" I answered. "What happened to Marimo san?"

"They took a pot-shot from a distance" A sniper? It must be them. I guess even those guys would have a sharpshooter in their ranks. "She's down but I don't think she's injured. (…) There are at least two of them on my side. I guess those guys have the same idea of splitting their team up. Keep your heads down and your ears open"

"Should we fall back?" Haruko asked. "If they saw us then our positions are probably compromised as well. They'll know exactly where we are"

"No…" Hayase san? "If we try to regroup it'll just make us a bigger target. Continue as you are"

"But Hayase san" I opened up. "Wouldn't it be safer in numbers? We can cover each other's blindside if we have more of us together"

"If we move they'll see right through our plan…" Ugh… I supposed she has a point. They can see us on their radar but we can't see them through ours. Their stealth is impossible to tackle head-on. "Press the attack. Don't let up!"

Yosh. I guess there's nowhere to go but forward!

"You ready for this, Haruko?"

"I wasn't chosen to be your partner because of my good looks. Lead on"

Oooooh!

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

But as the two pilot charged in, two of the Infinities pilots were up ahead waiting for them.

"This is Keith. We have two units moving up on our position. Sharon—how's it going on your end?"

"This is 04. We were able to take down one of them but we lost our second target. She seem to have taken in to the urban territory"

"Continue to pursue" The commander ordered. "Once you've finished up there, regroup to our position. Don't underestimate them. They probably know we're here too"

"Roger that"

Shirogane was the first to arrive at their position and much to his surprise he saw two jet-black Raptors flanking both his sides.

"White paint? That must be… him" Guylos muttered lowly recognizing the frame of his opponent.

"Did you see that Guylos?"

"Yeah. It's definitely him. The U.N. Ace"

"Don't treat him any differently from the others. He's a target like everything else you've faced"

"Don't worry about that. I'm just afraid what Leon might do to me if I stole his prey"

"He can sulk and complain for all I care. He wanted this test but I'll conduct it myself. You have your orders. Go. (Roger that!)"

With some hesitation, Guylos gave chase leaving the other opponent for Keith to handle. It wasn't every day the Infinities had an opponent to fight. Back in Nellis, they probably would've been subjugated to endless rounds of trial runs and troubleshooting through simulators. On the rare chance they would be pitched with a Maverick squad that would come once in a blue moon. But of course it wouldn't be any surprise to them.

The types of fighters they encountered were too common and predictable for their taste. Only when facing an opponent with a more unique, was when their lust for combat ever sated. Yukon Base was an excellent example for their basis but after that, the best thing they could get was a drill here and there.

It wasn't like the F-22 needed any improvement. At least not since the introduction of the XM3.

But now once more, the members of the (in)famous group had a chance to prove their mettle.

"No way!" Haruko yelled out when she the Infinity Leader blocked her path cutting her off from Shirogane. Immediately she opened fire but Keith simply vanished from her scope like a fog. "Damn. He's fast. (Beep!) What the? From behind already?" She dodged the paintballs just mere milliseconds before impact.

"Hooo… that's quite a feat" Keith said to himself with some measure of pride. "Your reaction time is impressive. Not a lot of people would be able to dodge that in the last second. Looks like we have our work cut out for ourselves"

Keith gave chase but like a snake slithering through the bushes, Kashiwagi continued to slip away from his grasp just by a hairline.

On another end, Guylos was pursuing Shirogane with all haste. Seeing his white and red tinted machine made it look like he had a giant bulls-eye target plastered all over his back. Relying on speed and agility, he finally caught up and brought the XFJ unit within firing range.

"Alright kiddo. Let's see how good you really are…"

**(Takeru's POV)**

Beep beep!

Damn! He's got a lock on me! Tch! But you won't get me that easily! You'll have to work for it!

Speed boost reverse and turn! Yosh! A complete 90 degrees turn with only a 0.5 miscalculation in speed. That's impressive even in my book. Still… this is probably the only thing I can do. Avoiding his lock-on is pretty much the only offensive move any of us can do.

They're like shadows… always trailing you wherever you go and you can't tell where they'll shoot from.

"This is Valkyrie 2. I evaded my target. Haruko, where are you?"

"This is Valkyrie 3. I'm a little busy right now! I can't shake him!"

"Roger that. I'm on way to support you. Be right th—(Bang!) Whoa!" Another pot-shot? But where? From above!?

Ratatatatat!

Crap!

I rushed over to the nearby building, taking cover from his attacks. It was the only method possible to defend against someone you can't see. Burn the bridges behind you and put your backs to the wall so that there are no blind spots. That way there'll be limited ways for him to attack me.

Still… there's no telling where he'll come. The stealth system really is a frightening power. Not knowing where your opponent will come from makes a big difference in terms of maneuverability. They can see us but we can't see them.

(Flash!) Huh? What the? What was that? The Raptor? But where is coming fr—(Flash!) Above!?

Whirr!

Tch! Oh no you don't!

Ratatatat!

I quickly moved my TSF away dodging the enemy's barrage of bullets and returned fire in his general direction. That guy was clever. He jumped over the building where my back was pressed on to attack me on an unknowing-blind-spot. He would've taken out my arms if I was a few seconds late. Even with my supplementary shield, it would've just struck my joints altogether.

You have to admit… they're good… as in really-really good.

But there's one good thing that came out of that skirmish. I now have a visual of my opponent. He seems to know that I can see him from here but isn't moving. He's probably trying to wait it out while the rest of his squad arrives. I'll have to deal with him quickly.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Guylos let out a smirk as he cautiously approach his prey from a distance. It wasn't every day that he met someone who could actually avoid a Raptor's sneak attack. A preemptive strike meant that the attacker had the element of surprise in his hand to catch his opponent off guard and vulnerable. Unfortunately his prey was slippery, cunning and skilled in the arts of piloting these weapons. Getting to him was obviously not going to be an easy feat.

"It looks like Leon's reasoning might have some merits. But why don't we put your 'Legendary' skills to the test?"

Pushing his controller forward, he decided to meet with his prey head-on.

**(Takeru's POV)**

He's coming at me directly? Alright. I'll do just that. Tossing my shield aside to make way for my sword, I charged in.

Clang!

We both met on a rather large open field. His armaments—he's… carrying only guns. I don't see any close combat weaponry at all. Is he supposed to be a gun-sweeper?

Either way, I have the advantage here!

I swung my sword a few times in close proximity. He kept shooting at me but I was able to evade all of his bullets. He was firing wildly, cutting my escape routes off but I can outmaneuver him by jumping out of his line of sight. It gives me at least 0.4 seconds which makes ample time to attack him from any directions.

Without those tall buildings in the way, I can fight him evenly just fine! I can't let him retreat or this will be a wasted opportunity.

Again I swung my sword and fired a few rounds at his general direction but I can't seem to get a clean hit. He's definitely a pro to be able to move like that without any hitches. He must've practiced a lot with the XM3 alone. Still… that won't save you from this!

Oooohh!

**(Valkyrie Briefing room)**

"Infinity 3, minimal damage sustained or left joint. Valkyrie 2's remaining ammo is 200 and decreasing steadily" The speaker announced. "Valkyrie 1, damage sustained to left boosters. Valkyrie 3, medium damage sustained on left arm. The damage has rendered your arm inoperable"

The room was quiet for the last two minutes. Everyone was so focused on the screen that they could barely even notice Miki's pet cat playing around her owner's hair.

"1st Lt. Hayase…" Akane gripped the edges of her seat as she watched how her idol fought back against two aggressive opponents. She was cut off from the rest of her team which made her vulnerable to rear attacks.

"The Infinities aren't playing around" Touko muttered as she analyzed the situation on her personal monitor. "They're really pushing them to a corner"

Munakata agreed hesitantly. "Yeah… I've never seen Hayase or Shirogane pushed back before either. The enemy was fast and made their position before they even made eye contact. They stand no chance fighting them head on. They'll have to regroup somehow"

"Valkyrie 1, ammo count is at 120. Supplement armor damage is now at 78% and climbing. Valkyrie 2, ammo count depleted"

**(Takeru's POV) (Gose City ruins)**

Damn… out of ammo already? Looks like I'll have to do this the old fashion way.

Whoosh!

Damn it! This guy is slick. I can't touch him at all. Their maneuverability patterns are changing rapidly. Even at this close range I can't seem to hit him with my sword. But at the same time, he can't use his guns at me either.

"Damn it… this is getting us nowhere. Haruko, where are you now?"

"This is Valkyrie 3. I just shook off my chaser. I'm moving in to provide support! Watch your left!" Alright… a pincer maneuver it is then! If I can just get one clean blow! (Beep beep!) Now!

Clang!

Yes! A strike! And then Kashiwagi…

Bang bang!

Two close shot whistled through my screen but it missed my enemy just by a hairline. He wasn't making it easy on us. But then… neither am I!

BAM!

Oh… that's not good. I accidentally smacked the building behind him and it came down between us blocking our paths. I guess even with the sheath, the sword can still be very dangerous in these parts.

Damn… it looks like the building made a mess of the open field. I can't get across without exposing myself and he can't attack me without getting shot. The only logical thing for both of us to do now is withdraw.

Whirrr…

He followed my instincts and retreated to safer grounds. I did the same, heading back to sturdier covers. That little accident made it hard for us to continue fighting in this area. But… that's odd. Why did he travel through the streets rather than jumping over the buildings? He could've easily withdrawn from the area if he had taken off… unless…

"Takeru! You ok?" Kashiwagi voiced her concern as she rushed to my side.

I took a deep breath to calm my nerves before answering. "Yeah. I fended him off somehow. He didn't damage me. How about you?"

"My chaser was a bit hasty. I wasn't able to fight back. Other than losing my left-arm, my other functions are fine"

Getting damaged this early in the match already? Misae san was right about these guys. They're nothing like the corporate pilots that we've been dealing with these past few days. They're strong, fast, smart and not to mention outrageously scary when you can't see them on radar. The title of Raptor really suits their units well.

"Valkyrie 1 to Valkyrie 2 and 3. Do you read?" Hayase's face reappeared on my screen.

"This is Valkyrie 2, we read you. Where are you, Hayase san?"

"I'm near the ruins of Gose Technology High-School. The enemy seems to have let up their attack. I've driven mine off but they managed to get a few good shots on me. It won't be long before they try another hit and run strike" Even Hayase is having a hard time dealing with them. They must be insanely strong if they were able to wound even her. We'll have to play it smart from here on end if we want to outmaneuver them.

Kashiwagi then voiced up in reply. "Lieutenant. I think we should regroup for now and get some distance between our enemies and them. They're too tough for us to handle head on"

"Yeah… though I hate to admit it, they really bloodied our noses. We'll be fighting blind at this point and continuing now will just be wasting our resources. Listen up. I'm sending you the enemy's general coordinates. They're somewhere in the old construction yard. It seems like they want to keep a fixed distance between themselves so they don't get separated. So we'll do the only thing they won't expect us to do" Do something they won't expect? What would… wait… is she thinking what I think she's… "We'll attack!"

I knew it.

"Shirogane. You and I will charge at the front on two sides. They won't be expecting us to move in recklessly but that's how we'll fool them. A surprise and quick paced attack is the job of the Storm Vanguards so we hit them fast but just enough to scatter them. That way we'll at least have some breathing room. Kashiwagi. 12 seconds after we attack, you'll provide firing support to further break their formation. Try to get a good firing angle while you're at it. (Yes ma'am!) From there on we'll regroup at the Gose Station separately. Time is of the essence. Let's go, Shirogane!"

Somehow I knew that she would propose an attack. Only someone as headstrong as Hayase would be brave enough to mount an attack against an opponent she just had a hard time beating. But I guess I should've expected that. After her duel with me, she's be hounding at my back non-stop. She won't lie down like a dog. She'll bite back when someone bites her. That's exactly how Hayase has been and always be—and I wouldn't have it any other way.

"I'm right behind you, 1st Lieutenant!"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

But while the Valkyries were preparing for their strike, the Infinities were gathered around in result of their first skirmish.

"Sharon, Leon, report" Keith inquired to his late arrivals.

"No damage" The two of them answered in unison.

"Looks like we have the advantage in this battle but don't let up. Rearm and prepare for the next assault. They'll most likely try to regroup and reorganize their formation so our next surprise attack won't work on them. Sharon, you keep providing sniper support. (Roger) Leon, you're with me on the next attack. Guylos will be our rearguard from here on"

Leon then noted that Guylos's unit had some orange paint plastered on its arms. "Oi, what's the matter Guylos? Don't tell me you're getting sloppy"

The musclehead man answered with a chuckle. "Your prey was a lot stronger than I anticipated. (…!) I can see now why command was so interested in him. Don't let your guard down even for a minute when you're with him"

"Hmph. That's what you get when you try to show off, idiot"

"Cut it you two" Keith ordered which they quickly followed. "We're still in the battle zone. Save your arguments and disagreements after we've annihilated the enemy. Now, switch to Arrowhead-1 formation. We'll rush at the enemy and then split up to—(Commander!) Hmm? What is it Sharon? (Enemy attack!) What? They're attacking!?"

And like the Storm Vanguards they were named, Shirogane and Hayase stormed through the Infinities with nothing but their swords in tow.

"Go get'em!" Hayase yelled out her battle-cry charging like the hard-headed soldier that she was.

But Keith quickly got over his shock to order his men away. "Everyone, scatter!" They rushed off in every direction, taking cover behind buildings to hide themselves from their opponents. "An attack at such a time? That's just reckless. All units, status report"

"This is Infinity 2, no damage" Leon answered.

"Infinity 4, none here"

Guylos was last. "Infinity 3. Other than the damage I already sustained, I received none. It didn't seem like they were trying to attack us"

"They scattered us to buy more time for themselves" Keith deduced realizing his enemy's ploy. "A very effective retreat strategy. They attack so they can withdraw properly. But not enough. (Click) We're switching to a wide-range reverse wedge formation. We'll lure them into our net and snatch both of them at the same time. Let's make them think that their plan worked. Infinity 4, keep a watch on our back. They most likely have a sniper somewhere out there to support their retreat. (Roger that) Leon you'll be the bait and take the center. Guylos and I will be the trap. (Understood…) Let's see what these girls can really do in a fight"

**(Takeru's POV)**

I can't believe that actually worked. Tricking them into a defensive move the Infinities scattered themselves throughout the battlefield making it easy for us to pick them off. A feint attack was really the best move we could do when dealing with a nearly invisible opponent. It almost felt like we were hitting them with their own medicine—well at least in a sense.

Still… that worked better than I'd hope. We now at least two minutes before they organize themselves and counterattack. They might've taken out Marimo chan but we still have a chance of beating them. Leave it to Hayase to come up with this strategy.

"Looks like they've scattered" Hayase announced to me. "We can't let this opportunity go to waste. Shirogane, we're pulling back. Kashiwagi, we're coming back. Cover us! (You got it!) I'll take point. Don't fall behind, Shirogane"

"You don't need to worry about that!" There's no way I'd get left behind by Hayase. She's fast but I know all her moves. We've been drilling this longer than I'd give to count. And that only includes my last loop into this timeline.

Now all we need to do is fall back to Gose station. From there we might be able to put up a fighting chance against the Infinities. We can do this… we can still win this…!

Beep beep!

Eh? What the? An enemy up front?

"Shirogane. Do you see it?"

"Yeah" It's on my radar and on my visual range. That means we're extremely close to it. The unit must've been trying to regroup but got isolated through the tall buildings. "Should we avoid it?"

"No. We'll punch right through him. (EH!?) This is our prime chance to even up the odds. We have to get him now while they're still trying to regroup. I'll flank left. You chase him down the middle! Go!"

Chase him down? W… wait! "1st Lt. Hayase!" Damn she's already gone. Still she's not wrong. If we can get one it'll make this whole fight a whole lot easier. I guess there's no other choice but to do what she says. "Kashiwagi. Hayase and I will be going after a straggler. Cover me! (Roger!)"

The lone Raptor flew through the narrow streets like a jungle-cat. He twists and turned through sharp corners and fired a few round at me. He's definitely trying to lose me through the maze. A standard Shiranui would have a difficult time keeping up with a 3rd Generation TSF, but this isn't a standard unit. I field tested this machine back in Yokohama Base and it came out with near top-marks on my scale.

Its extra thrusters and lighter engine made it easier for me to use those sharp turns without decreasing my speed and the new sensors can provide your exact location to my squad mates as well.

Bang!

Tch! But I'll admit, he's not making it easy. I just need to get closer. As long as he keeps his focus on me he won't notice Hayase moving in from the front. We'll hit him from both sides and withdraw as planned. (Flash!) Hmm? Whoa!

Ratatatat!

The hell? Where did he come from? That guy was trailing right behind me appearing literally out of nowhere! We should've had at least 2 minutes before we sighted another one of them.

"Hayase! It's too dangerous. We have to fall back!"

"We can't let this chance slip! Keep pursuing Shirogane!"

"But Lieutenant! If we keep chasing this target, we'll be cut off!"

"Not if we cut his legs first!" Damn it! What happened to that speech about no bravados and one-on-one duels?

Beep beep!

Huh? Another one? Damn! He's close! At this rate, we won't be able to make it to Kashiwagi. "Hayase! Wait for me!"

"Keep up Shirogane!"

"You're the one overusing your boosters! Don't strain them or they'll burnout!"

Ratatatatat!

What the?

"Scatter!" Damn it! This is getting worse by the second. "Hayase san! There are two of them right behind you! This isn't going well. We need to regroup now"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

But Hayase didn't listen. She focused all her attention on her target believing that she could take down at least one. But her thoughts were taken in when she noted two markers appearing behind in her in pursuit formation.

"Three against one eh? Interesting. Let's go, yankee boys!" She then noted that her mark was approaching a small open area which was perfect for attacking a pursuit force. A grin crept up her lips. "Yosh… this is perfect!"

Leon noted the open space and knew immediately what his chaser would do next. "This is Leon. Prepare for Counter Maneuver C"

And just like that, Hayase ran her thrusters again reaching out for the building pushing her physical body and mental fortitude to the limit. She mentally marked the two separate buildings on opposite ends of the open field and quickly leaped from one to the other doing a complete 180 barely even decreasing her speed. It was a favored maneuver by many veterans.

**(Valkyrie Briefing room)**

"An Albright Turn?" Chizuru stood from her seat in surprise as well as the others. "With that speed!?"

"Amazing!" Touko praised.

"Go Hayase sempai!" Akane cheered from her seat again her faith in her sempai revived with such a difficult maneuver.

Even the other subordinates were shocked that the girl could pull something as amazing an Albright Turn in such a difficult spot. It marveled them and showed them just how different they were in terms of skill and experience alone.

**(City ruins)**

Keith and Sharon appeared from the street corner and saw Hayase dropping down on them like a hammer on anvil. From that position, it seemed almost impossible for either one of them to dodge the quick-blade attack.

"Too slow!" Hayase yelled out, but before the tip of her sword could meet its mark, a shot from her back caused her to stumble.

"How predictable…" Leon muttered boringly to himself as he watched the blue Shiranui fall to the ground in a crude manner. Hayase's frame dropped like a rock, releasing her grip on the sword in the process.

"Valkyrie 1. Heavy damage sustained to both thrusters. Medium damage sustained on body, legs and right arm" The speaker announced.

"Wh… wha?" Hayase tried to get back up trying to get back to the fight. But when her monitors came back to her face, she noted a gun barrel pointed directly at her. "No. Th… there's no way… this could possibly… happen…"

"An admirable performance…" Keith praised her. "… but it's nothing we haven't seen before"

"No…!" Hayase gritted her teeth and seethed in anger before

Bang!

**(Valkyrie Briefing room)**

"Valkyrie 1. Heavy damage sustained on cockpit, sensors and power-supply. The damage has destroyed your unit. Cease all actions and prepare for temporary shutdown"

The whole room was quiet. Some were shocked and some were downright mesmerized by the news that unfolded. Hayase, the supposedly indomitable pillar of strength that they've known was… defeated. Everyone looked at the screen wondering if there was some kind of mistake but there was no denying it. Hayase was beaten, cornered on all sides and pummeled to oblivion with a hail of paintballs. Even the most experienced pilot in the squad knew well how good Hayase could be and how strong she could be when she was on a streak.

But when they all saw her put down to the ground like some 'wild animal' they became… astounded.

"I… I don't believe it" Touko muttered softly just above a whisper for everyone to hear. She noted how Munakata was perking her lips as if she was trying to find the words to describe how she was feeling.

"It… can't be" Akane was the 2nd to break out of the trance. To see her idol getting toppled down like that made her faith waver all so slightly. "1st Lt. Hayase… I can't believe this"

"This isn't going well" Misae said finally after a brief pause causing the eyes in the room to turn their attention to her. "It's two against four now. I never expected to see them take out Hayase so quickly in the match. The odds of victory are dropping faster than I thought. Kashiwagi and Shirogane will be having it rough from this point on"

"D… do you think they have a chance of winning, 1st Lt. Munakata?" Miki asked holding on to her cat.

"Honestly… I don't know. Even with Shirogane's abilities—fighting against these monsters will be difficult. The only thing we can do now is… hope the guy still has some tricks hiding under his sleeves"

**(Takeru's POV)**

I… I can't believe it. I don't want to believe it.

They got her. They got… Hayase.

Hayase who is supposedly indomitable. Hayase who I once believed to be the bravest and most invincible woman I've ever known is… down. I kept trying to correct that phrase in my head but I still couldn't believe it.

My hand contracted and my ears buzzed with the error noise. That's two of us now… and they still have a full combat strength.

…gane

My hands are shaking. I can't tell if they were shaking from terror or excitement that I was able to get out of there alive. Those Raptors really are something else. To be able to defeat Hayase… my role model of a soldier… is really… a feat.

Shi…ne…

The alarm noises. Did I get hit?

"Oi Shirogane!" Kashiwagi's voice boomed over my headset. "Snap out of it! (Haruko?) We're still in this fight. Don't go sinking out of the battle zone just yet! (Y… yeah…) Listen. I know that this will be a first for you but you have to take command. You're the next ranking officer so you have to tell me what to do" Me? Giving orders? I've never given orders in my life. I'm more of a guy who takes orders rather than giving them. Even I'll be the first to admit that Kashiwagi is more capable than I am with managing a squad.

…

But she's right. I'm overreacting to all of this. This isn't real. None of this is. It's just the JIVES simulation playing with my head. Hayase is still alive and probably pissed inside of her unit. If this was a real fight I would've gone back to my PTSD problem. But no more. I promised myself I wouldn't run away.

I have to… fight. Even if I can't see my enemy, I have to fight. Even if…

Wait…

That's it! Unless I see my opponent… I can't fight them. Yes… that's it!

"Alright. Kashiwagi, listen up. (Huh?) How much ammo do you have left?"

"Me? Well… 23 rounds, and 1 extra clip. Why?"

"I need you to buy me some time. (Time?) Yeah. About 3 minutes if you can. I have an idea. It's stupid and crazy… but I think it just might work. So… please buy me as much time as possible and regroup with me at Gose Station"

The girl flashed me a sigh and cocky smile. "You really want that to be your first round of orders?"

"I'm not good at how to give them so… just go with it, ok?"

"Heh. Well if I get to see something awesome again then I'll forgive you. Alright. I don't know how long I can hold them but I'll do what I can. So whatever it is you're planning to do, you'd better do it quick"

"Roger that! Thanks Haruko!"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

As Shirogane withdrew to follow his crazy plan, Kashiwagi couldn't help but let out a relieved sigh. She was afraid that the JIVES simulation may have gotten to the boy. He wouldn't be the first. The exercise was made to look as realistically as possible to verify authenticity in combat. People often forget that they're in an exercise and go all the way to take it to the next level.

But she was glad that Shirogane did not. Her heart was worried over him for a moment. But seeing the boy now, she was sure that there was nothing to be afraid of. The only thing she had to worry about now… was trying to stop the four overpowering Raptors with an almost literal term of 'with one hand tied behind her back'.

"Alright. Listen up ghosts! This is Kashiwagi Haruko of the Valkyries! It's time I showed you what a real pilot is made of! Come and get me if you dare!"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

And with a loud battle cry, Kashiwagi braced herself between the enemy and her partner barring the path like the Gates of Gibraltar.

Sharon noted the figure in the distance and confirmed it with her radar. "This is 04. Enemy detected. Just 1. Directly ahead of our formation"

"01, copy that. Let's make this quick. Spread out and surround him. 02, 03, you two take the north side. (Roger) Sharon, you're with me. (Understood)"

The four Raptors then spread out from the path going in separate direction. But Haruko didn't flinch. Using her single-shot rifle she fired round after round professionally trying to keep the enemy at a fixed distance.

Seeing that they were going to try and attack her from all end, the girl quickly boosted backward preventing the Infinities from encircling her position.

"Don't think you guys will get me that easily!" She yelled out to her coms before firing over and over. But to no surprise, the buildings that were in the area hindered her area of attack making it difficult for her to mark her targets from any angle. "Damn it. Looks like we'll have to do this the hard way" She returned her rifle to her holster drawing her spare blade from her back. "Alright boys. Come and get me!"

"This is 03. Targeting enemy TSF" Guylos rushed in from behind expecting a quick kill but to his surprise Haruko blocked his shots with her blade acting as a shield. "What the? Damn! My attack failed!"

"This is 02, I'll cover you" Leon offered forcing the opposing mech to withhold her attack. "01, 04, she's coming your way"

"Roger that"

Haruko paused for a moment before shifting her stick sideways avoiding the barrage of paintballs strafing across the buildings around her. She had to admit that if they used that maneuver at her for the last few weeks, it probably would've worked. But thankfully Cpt. Isumi's training improved her reaction time to return fire at long range.

Being constantly paired on the left side of the formation meant that she not only had to play the supporting role for many of the team but it also meant that she had to be constantly paired with Takeru to act as his backup.

Normally the girl wouldn't do much for him with the exception of some support fire from time to time. But being the observant type, she was constantly awed by how the boy was able to move his machine at such a pace. Most pilots who performed such maneuvers would feel the recoil or feel nauseous every time their tension was released. But not Shirogane. He would jump across chasms, leap through tall buildings at blinding speed, and do 360 spins and would walk out of the room like it was just in a day's work.

Because she was one of the few people who could actually keep up to his movements, the Captain made it sure that Haruko was always there to provide what little support she could give. And thanks to all the training regimes, Kashiwagi adjusted her pace to match what the boy would do and hope to be of some help when she was needed. And thankfully… it improved to how fast she could react to when enemies appear on screen.

It was time like this that Kashiwagi was glad that she played basketball as a hobby. Hand-eye coordination was everything when it came to a fight like this. Being able to recall what buttons to press and what moves to pull in an instant made all the difference on the field.

As she dodged shot after shot, the girl was beginning to feel some measure of fatigue kicking in. It was plain to see that she wouldn't be able to keep up this diversion for very long.

Bang!

"Ah crud!" She cursed mentally when she saw her blade smacked between the joints. Though it was only a virtual simulation, she had to admit that it was still very dangerous to be shot so close to her last remaining arm.

But right when she was about to give in to her enemies, Takeru's face appeared on her monitor.

"Haruko, fall back!" He cried. "Come to G-7 immediately"

"Roger that" She didn't know what the boy was planning but knowing what Takeru has done for the last few weeks, she'd probably know that it was something amazing. He hasn't failed to let down her expectations yet.

Using what little strength she had, she moved her thrusters forward, taking cover while keeping her enemies in her sights.

Takeru's unit marker appeared on her radar which made her glad that her partner was close by. She was hoping that they would stand together, but when she arrived at his position, her eyes widened.

"Sh… Shirogane…? What did you…?" Her expression was baffling to say the least. She opened her mouth to question the boy's plans but he beat her to it.

"Go! I'll take care of this!" He ordered out which brought her back to attention. Again the girl moved her thrusters forward leaving the boy behind to face the Infinities head on.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"This is 01" Keith called to his men. "Primary target identified. He's dead ahead. All units, move in Arrowhead 2 formation. Looks like you'll have your wish granted after all, Leon"

The blue haired soldier simply scoffed on the coms in reply.

But Sharon's voice suddenly entered the dialogue. "Lieutenant, something's wrong. (Hmm?) He's just standing there. It could be a trap. I don't see the fourth one either"

"It's probably an ambush" Guylos deduced. "You think they have a chance?"

"We're about to find out" Keith added before speeding up. "All units. Keep your sensors on full and report anything sus—what the hell!? All units full stop!"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The moment the Infinities rode in, they expected to greet another friendly urban environment with plenty of cover to aid on their technological superiority. But instead, what greeted them was an open, empty flatland where their stealth capabilities were halved to the near point of uselessness.

Every structure that was supposedly directed on the map was destroyed, toppled down leaving only rubble in its wake. Everywhere the Infinities looked the building that was supposed to provide them cover no longer existed. A field of empty ruins stretched for about 10-12 blocks making a perfect rectangle from a bird's eye-view.

Every road that exited that area with the exception of the one they came through was blocked by rubbles and wreck. It was plain to see that whoever made this place designed it for having only one exit and entrance.

And right dab in the middle of the arena, a white mech stood proudly with its blades drawn like a warrior waiting for its next challenger.

"No way" Keith broke out of his trance but just barely. "He leveled the entire area down to…"

"Commander! Enemy sniper"

"What!?"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Haruko's damaged TSF came into view the moment Keith was warned. Hiding between two buildings and lifting her rifle to bear, the girl licked her lips in a toying manner as she brought her crosshair to her mark. "This is for payback for Hayase…"

Bang!

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Splat!

"Son of a…" Keith barely had the chance to dodge when a ball of paint splashed against his cockpit's shielding coating his unit with a bright shade of orange.

**(Valkyrie Briefing room)**

"Infinity 1. Heavy damage sustained on your cockpit. The damage has destroyed your unit completely. Cease all combat operations"

"Ooooooohhh!"

The whole base erupted in a single roar as every soldier on and off duty saw the first Raptor fall to the ground, the tension and defeatism that the Valkyries were expressing was lifted in blink of an eye replaced with that of excitement.

"They did it!" Miki was the first to cheer amongst her comrades. "They were able to take down one!"

"Awesome!" Mikoto followed almost to the point of dancing. "Kashiwagi san was able to shoot one down from afar! She's really amazing!"

Touko too was beaming with excitement as she turned to her partner. "But to level an entire area down to the ground—it must be his plan, neh, Misae san?"

"Isn't it obvious?" The woman answered with a knowing grin.

All around the room, everyone could tell the perpetrator of this ploy. Chizuru muttered something about an outrageous soldier, Ayamine simply flashed a smirk at her screen, Meiya nodded quietly in agreement and even Akane couldn't help but admit that it would take someone as mentally challenged like the boy to make an arena out of a city.

**(Takeru's POV)**

That worked out better than I thought. It was a gamble but it seems my speculations and instincts proved right for once.

I realized this when I watched the Infinities' fighting pattern. They never make themselves visible no matter what the cost as their stealth was supposedly their strongest weapon against their opponents. They always remained within the urban terrain or in good cover so that they would never reveal themselves against the enemy head on.

As I thought back on the 12/5 incident, I saw how Major Walken and his men fought against overwhelming odds. They always stayed behind cover and would only fight an opponent head on when absolutely necessary.

In the end, the Raptors are just another variant of TSFs that's just faster and stronger like the Type-00 Takemikazuchi. I've piloted them before and defeated them even with just a Fubuki mind you so I know their strengths and weaknesses. As soldiers who have only fought the BETA once, they know that fighting in high-altitude is risky especially dealing with Laser Class. Only those who engage in high altitude combat would risk something like that. That's why pilots prefer to remain close to the surface, where they can fight their opponents head on with the ground close to their feet.

The Raptors are the same. They're just TSFs piloted by humans who enjoy the benefits of a technological advantage. But the moment you remove that… they're just another weapon that can be beaten.

So… without any buildings to hide, the sky covered by Kashiwagi and enclosed in a tight space, this battle… I have the advantage!

"Nice work, Haruko" I cheered to my companion on screen.

"It's the least I could do Hayase. (Heh…) But I only have 8 shots left in my rifle so I won't be able to support you for long. It's difficult to reload with just one hand so you'd better finish them fast"

"Roger that! Alright you guys… here I come!"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Shirogane charged in with his swords held high, rushing at the scattered Infinities with an almost devilish speed.

But Leon did not back down. In fact, he was practically brimming with excitement. "Yes. That's it. I've been waiting for this! Come at me, boy! Let's see how good you really are!"

Guylos's face appeared on his screen. "Leon. We should withdraw for now. We're at a disadvantage here"

"Shut up! Like hell we'll turn tails after this! I'll take him on myself!" The blue haired man went forward, engaging the white mech in his own way. He pulled up his guns together and let out a volley against Shirogane. "Take this!" But miraculously, the boy dodged them all. "What the? That's just not possible! He couldn't have…!"

"Ooooohhhh!" Shirogane swung his blade in an arch going downward, only to miss by a few centimeters. "Damn it!"

"Leon!" Sharon yelled out to provide support but she quickly pull to a stop when a holographic bullet whistled past her screen. "What the?"

"Sharon, put your back to the wall now!" Guylos ordered which she quickly followed. She tugged her unit's back against the wall finding what little cover she could. "There's a sniper out there. If you lose your focus for a moment and you'll end up like the commander"

"But what about Leon? We have to support him!"

"If we go out there we'll be done in! We have to find that sniper and eliminate before we can provide any kind of assistance. Can you get anything on your long range scanners?"

"No. It seems like the target is firing from a distance beyond our sensors. He probably knows that we can't go anywhere other than this confined space without jumping over the buildings"

Guylos clicked his tongue irritatingly. "The only way out is the same way we came in—and the commander's unit is blocking that route too. (…) It looks like we'll have to stand and fight. Try to find out where he is. I'll draw his fire. (Roger that)"

Sharon followed his orders and quickly peeked through her secondary cameras trying to spot any good covering positions on the ruins above. There were plenty of buildings where a sniper could hide and nest. Some of them were even too far for her to see. But luckily, her prey wasn't all that far. Kashiwagi's damaged arm made it difficult to aim therefore she had to pick a closer location to support her partner.

"Found him!" Sharon readied her rifle and aimed…

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Oh no you don't!" But Kashiwagi's trigger finger was just a little faster. Cocking her rifle to bear, she pulled the lever, firing an almost lethal shot at her opponent.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Wham!

The bullet smacked right at Sharon's primary weapon forcing her to drop it as the announcer declared. "Infinity 4. Damage sustained to your right hand weapon. It has been destroyed"

"She got me good…" The pinkette returned to her cover with a measure of praise to her foe.

"Infinity 2. Light damage sustained to your left arm and booster. Your primary weapon has been destroyed"

"Leon…!" Worried over her boyfriend, Sharon rushed off breaking formation from her comrade.

"Wait! Sharon! Stop!" Guylos tried to follow but was quickly put to a stop when two shots whistled near his cameras. "Damn it!"

**(Takeru's POV)**

Yes! I can do it! As long as I put the distance between us at close range, his attacks are useless! I was able to scrape his armor and booster and cut off one of his weapons but he's still trying to break off my pursuit. But it's only a matter of time before he slips. I just need to get closer.

Beep beep!

Kashiwagi?

"Shirogane! Another one of them is heading straight towards you!" Damn! I was hoping for more time but I have to end this quickly.

"Roger that! Keep them off me just a little bit longer!" I need to finish this. Just one blow is all I need.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Get away, damn you!" Leon cursed as he let out one volley after another. He barely even noticed that his weapon was already empty until the warning icon appeared on his screen. "Out of ammo? No! Not now! I almost had him! Tch! If it comes down to this then I'll have to beat you at your own game!"

Quickly, the man switched to his daggers drawing into a combat stance halting in his retreat. Surprisingly he was able to parry Shirogane's attack, protecting his head from a clean shave.

"I'm not gonna be beaten here, especially by you! Yuuya!"

"Leon! Fall back! You can't beat him in his area of expertise" Sharon tried to warn him but he simply ignored it. "You'll only end up getting beaten!"

"I can't retreat now! He's right there! If I get beaten by him, it won't be any different than losing to that idiot back home! (Leon!) Oryaaaaaa!"

The two sides traded blow after blows for a short moment testing each other's mental focus but in terms of stamina, Shirogane had the advantage.

After wearing himself out fighting against two members of the Valkyries in the previous skirmishes, Leon had pretty much used up much of his reserves and having seen the miraculous speed the boy was capable of, it was certain to bring a bead of sweat down his spine.

But still the man refused to give in. He continued to play in Shirogane's game of close combat but it was clear to see who had the upper hand in terms of skill. Unlike Leon, Takeru's talent with the blade was honed to near perfection. Many of his comrades contributed to where the boy was now and if those who trained him during the last few loops that he had gone by could see him now, they would be pushing their chest up and raising their heads so high you'd be forever looking down.

Takeru continued his attack scratching his opponent only by a millimeter.

"Damn you!" Leon cursed over and over trying to gain foothold on his boosters but Shirogane gave him no opportunity to do so.

"Infinity 2. Damage sustained on both arms. Boosters 1 and 2 have overheated and—"

"Shut up! I can see that on my own!" Leon smashed onto his console urking the speaker to silence herself. "Grrrr! If it comes down to this then I'll just have to take you with me!"

But his melee skills were not up to par with the boy who spent centuries perfecting the arts. Easily, Takeru cut through the daggers launching another barrage of blows onto his opponent when an opening showed itself.

Leon's Raptor was sliced and cut in a virtual manner sending the pilot inside on a rollercoaster-recoil. "Gaaahhhhh!"

Catching momentum, Shirogane lifted his blade to deliver the finishing blow. But right before he could smite his opponent down, another unit interfered.

Sharon jumped in pushing Leon away, forcing herself into Shirogane's crosshair making the boy flinch. He paused for a millisecond before switching his blade and cutting his opponent's savior down to size.

The mech of the pinkette slugged down to the ground like a large chunk of metal hitting the pavement below. A long and dry pause followed leaving a spoiled aftertaste in the mouths of many soldiers.

"Sh… Sharon…" Leon gasped as he saw his girlfriend's unit drop to the ground. He gapped open his mouth but nothing else seemed to come through. And then… just as the silence died down, the announcer quickly reported the event on the speaker

"Infinity 4. Damage sustained on sensors, arms, legs and transmissions. The damage has rendered your unit inoperable. Cease all combat activities immediately"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"OOOOOOOOOOOOOOHHHHH!"

The whole base erupted to a second choir of gasps and yells as the speaker finished her announcement. Everywhere, you can see soldiers and officers alike yelling out with excitement of the second fall of the Infinities.

In the Valkyrie's briefing room, the girls broke out to a full blown cheer celebrating like it was New Year's Eve all over again. Misae was practically off her seat pumping one fist into the air yelling nonchalantly like she just won the freaking lottery (Which she probably did). Touko and Akane and Chizuru raised their heads up smiling like children expecting their birthday gifts around the corner.

Miki and Mikoto were hugging each other swinging their pet cat like it was supposed to understand why they were happy—and even Ayamine who showed little reaction was grabbing onto her seat nearly ripping a portion of it out with excitement.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Takeru recovered himself from that barrage of swings and turned to face Leon's damaged unit.

The blue haired man gritted his teeth in a fit of rage. As if it wasn't enough insult to injury that the boy left the cockpit undamaged itself. "Damn you! You'll pay for that you little…!" Leon was about to lash out again with his knives until Guylos appeared from the side to stop him.

"Don't…" The muscleman warned, pushing his partner back.

"Out of my way Guylos!"

"If you go out now, you'll lose" The big man reminded him.

Kashiwagi saw the two of them and was prepare to take the shot for another kill but her trigger-happy moment was instantly ruined by the sound of the empty cartridge warning on her monitor. "Out of ammo? Of all the times…!"

Guylos didn't understand why the sniper didn't take the shot but he could care less for the moment. Right now, he had to make sure that their team wouldn't suffer anymore losses. "Right now we're at a disadvantage and your unit has suffered enough. (Grrr…) Growl all you want but it doesn't change the fact that we're in a bad shape. There's a difference between a fight and a slaughter"

_"A lost battle is different from an unwinnable battle"_

_-Kyoshiro Tohdoh from Code Geass-_

Leon gritted his teeth in a fit of rage but knew deep down that Guylos was right. With all the damage he took just by dodging Shirogane's attacks, it would be a miracle if he could just block another strike. His legs were barely usable as they are now and going again with only result in a more humiliating defeat. So… against all his irritation, Leon slowly withdrew from the field, with Guylos guarding his back.

The moment of silence that flew by after the Infinities' withdrawal could be easily described as an intoxicating feeling. Nobody knew what to do or what to say…

The only thing they knew is that from that point on, neither side made another move against the other team.


	80. At the Peak

**Chapter 80: At the Peak**

_"__What is at the peak is certain to decline. He who shows his hand will surely be defeated. He who can prevail in battle by taking advantage of his enemy's doubts is invincible"_

_-Cao Cao-_

**(Cerberus Briefing room) (12: 02 PM)**

"The morning match is concluded. All teams please return to your respective hangers. The scoreboard tally will be announced shortly after" The announcer declared before signing off.

The members of the Cerberus team were all present in that single room, their faces glued to the main screen in front of them.

The match between the Infinities and the Valkyries just came to an indecisive conclusion with no one being able to tell who won and who lost. With the damage both teams have taken at the start and middle of the fight, it was difficult to see who truly held the advantage.

But there was one thing everyone seemed to agree on. It was indeed a good fight that kept even the most experienced soldier glued to their seats.

"Ahuhuhu… it seems like they weren't kidding when they said that he was good" Sigelinde, the second in command of the squad gave a soft chuckle as she watched a recorded video of the last few seconds of the skirmish on her private monitor.

"Indeed…" Helga agreed following the feed on her monitor as well. "As much as his reckless behavior demerits his scores, you cannot deny his abilities. His movements and fighting style are obviously honed for some time now and his skill with a blade makes him a formidable opponent especially up close"

"Ara, that's probably one first time I heard you praise someone else's skills so highly, Helga"

"I am merely stating what I see, ma'am" Helga corrected not affected by the woman's tease. "It would appear that the rumors of him defeating 500 TSF of the Royal Honor Guards singlehandedly may hold some merit but I'm not convinced"

"We'll just have to see how he reacts when we're the ones facing him next" The silver haired lady chuckled. "What about you, Ilfriede? (Eh?) Anything you want to add?"

"Ah… well… no… I um…"

"You were dozing off again, weren't you?" Helga said boringly as if she already knew her friend's particular behavior.

"No! I was just… um… I agree with what Helga said!"

"Hmph. Cheap answer…"

"What was that!?"

But while the two were off to their own steaming feud, Sigel noted her commanding officer staring at the same recording she was. He was looking at the fight records intently like he was trying to find out something that was invisible to most.

"What's the matter, her Major? Do you have an opinion about him too?"

The scarred veteran glanced to her and quickly glanced back to the monitor. "I do…" He said out loud earning a quizzical look from his subordinates. "I'm a bit… disappointed. (Eh?) The pilot is fast, his maneuvers are uncanny and his blows and shots are accurate. However… this boy appears to have one weakness"

"A weakness?" Sigel inquired sounding interested.

Again, the man clicked on his computer screen showing the image of Takeru's white TSF delivering a non-lethal blow to his opponent. "He can't kill…"

**(Takeru's POV) (Kyoto U.N. Base Hanger) (01:20 PM)**

We arrived home about an hour after the fight. If I was to describe how I was feeling right now, 'exhausted' would only be at the tip of the iceberg. It wasn't as bad as when I was in Tokyo but this can easily come to a close 2nd. The battle with the Infinities took a lot more out of me than I imagined. Facing off against invisible enemies, and leveling a whole city block to my specification might've been going a bit overboard. But considering the circumstances, I supposed it was the only thing I could think of when facing those guys.

If I had Meiya's Takemikazuchi with me, the story might've ended a little differently but… I supposed I can't always have a fully upgraded machine for myself.

"Shirogane san. Please dock your unit at the rear berthing ground" Suzumiya instructed me.

"Understood. Thanks Suzumiya" I replied sighing all the way. "It's been such a long day"

"If you're tired, maybe you can skip the afternoon match and spend the rest of the day free. I don't think the Captain will mind since all participants are exempted from watching the matches. (Yeah…) Thank you for your hard work"

Hard work. Yeah I guess you could call it that. After beating up a sweat, I think I earned that little rest.

Pssssst…

By the time my TSF wheezed its coolant valves, all my monitors dropped off signaling a complete shutdown of all systems. My shoulders dropped and so did my body. I think all the laidback behavior I've been having before the exercise has been making me pretty lazy. I supposed this is the first real workout I've had since Tokyo.

As I exited my cockpit, the cool weather inside the base flushed to my face. Combined with my fatigue, it made me drowsy, to the point that I actually thought that I could actually sleep in my cockpit for awhile and no one would even notice.

"Shirogane?" I turned my eyes leftward and saw Kashiwagi standing there with a worried look on her face. "A… are you alright? You look pretty pale"

I shook my fatigue off and placed my back against the railings. For some reason, I feel really-really tired. "Ah… do I look that bad?"

"Do you want to go to the infirmary? You could use a checkup and…"

"It's fine, really" I waved her worries off trying to look upbeat but my exhaustion was catching up on me. "I'm just tired after the match. I guess I was a lot more nervous than I thought I was. (Are you sure?) Yeah. Just give me a minute and I should be back up on my feet. (Ah… ok) How's Hayase and Marimo sensei?"

"They're fine. Hayase is still pretty annoyed that she couldn't get a kill but she'll probably get over it soon enough. Jinguuji san was taken out on the first five minutes so she's just stiff around the shoulders. (I see… that's good) But really now… I should say you were amazing—even more so than usual today, Takeru. (Huh?) Making the whole city an arena. I should say that it's very 'Takeru' of you"

"Please don't start using my name as a reference of crazy stunts" I pleaded softly, a sigh escaping at the end. "I don't want people calling me insane just because I pulled something ridiculous"

"Ahehehe. But you have to admit that it was pretty crazy" Kashiwagi crossed her legs as she replied. From my point of view, she looked very feminine, like a girl who was in a bright and cheerful mood. "There's just no one that can come close to your way of thinking" Before I could make a comment on that, we were interrupted by the beeping of the scoreboards. "Ah! It's here! The performance rating"

Ah… I almost forgot about that. Since we've always been winning by complete wipeout we never really got to see the scoreboard working much. They still record your score despite total annihilation but to be honest, it seemed like biased ratings to me.

The only times the scoreboard was ever useful was during a draw session like the one we had now.

"Oooh! Take a look at that, Takeru!" Kashiwagi urged me to see and I have to admit I wasn't surprised.

Both Haruko and I scored A+ markings. I'm not really sure how they judge us based on our performance but at least I'm glad that I'm still in the lead.

Hayase scored a B- while Marimo chan goes to a D average. No surprise since she was taken out by a sniper shot on the first five minutes.

As for the Infinities, their scores matched their standings though I couldn't really tell who was who during our combat exercise.

"Attention. Scoreboard tally has been completed. The match between the A-01, Special Task Force, Valkyrie and the 65th Combat Training Battalion, Infinities has been declared… a draw"

So I guess its official. Our fight with the Infinities was a tie. I had a slim hope in my head that we'd come out on top but I supposed that's too much to ask for with the damage they've done to us.

"Uwa… I guess a draw is better than a loss, neh?" Kashiwagi inquired which I couldn't care less to agree. To be honest, I'm actually surprised that we were able to make a comeback. The Raptors were strong. Unbelievably strong. Only by taking away their stealth system were we able to match them in terms of strength. They were just as fragile as any TSF. A strike here and there and they were down for the count.

…

Ugh… I must be more exhausted than I thought. My visions are getting blurry. I should probably…

Ruffle…

Hmm?

"Welcome back…"

"Ah… Kasumi?" The white haired doll appeared as she caught me by the hand. "Did you come to pick me up yourself? (…nod) Thanks. That makes me happy. But you shouldn't wander around all by yourself. It can get cold out here if you're not properly covered. We don't want you sinking into the snow again like last time. (Ok…) Good"

"Finally taking your job seriously for once?" A voice interrupted us.

"Ah… Marimo ch—sensei" I paused on my slipup. "Are you alright?"

"Were you expecting me to be wounded in a training exercise?" She replied with a soft chuckle. "The suit provided me with all the protection I need. Besides… I wasn't on the field long enough to do anything to endanger myself. (I see…) Haa… I supposed the scoreboard is accurate enough. I never thought I'd end up getting shot by a sniper. And so early in the match too"

"Don't be so hard on yourself. Nobody could've expected that. Not even Hayase or Kashiwagi saw it coming"

"That's kind of you to say but it doesn't change the fact that I got knocked out in less than five minutes. If I was a bit more careful, the match may have ended up differently. (…) Ah… but who am I to talk about what ifs? The end result is what matters. A draw is a draw. We can't change that now. (Yeah…) But I do have one complain. (Eh?) Destroying an entire field like that? That's insane even for you, Shirogane. You can't possibly imagine the amount of damage you did there. You really should be a little more considerate of the engineering team. They're the ones who'll have to reconstruct those areas from scratch"

"Hey, it was in the spur of the moment!" I reasoned. "I thought you said the end result is all that matters?"

"You could've at least made the extent of your work a bit smaller. Just imagine if the engineers will have to pull an all-nighter because of your exotic strategies"

"Aw, don't be so hard on him, 1st Lt. Jinguuji" Haruko defended me with a playful tone. "It's not like Takeru wants to do it all the time. Besides, you should've gotten used to how he does things. You can call it the Takeru Special Surprise" Don't go making up names out of whim. "Hmm? Ah! 1st Lt. Hayase!"

I darted my eyes towards the lady who finally joined us last. I saw her sigh a bit before she approached us. She probably didn't like the fact that she was shot down by the enemy. The enemy used a diversionary tactic making it look like they were ones being chased when in reality we were being reeled into their trap. I supposed anyone would feel a bit irritated if they were taken out in such a manner.

"Hayase?" I stated her name as she approached me. Ugh… somehow I get the feeling she'll lecture me again for being reckless.

Pat…

Hmm?

"Good job, Shirogane. As expected of my subordinate!" Oh? She's praising me? "What's with that expression? Did you get hit in the head?"

"No, of course not" I waved her worries off. I was actually expecting her to lash out or be depressed but she's pretty perky about it. "Just tired…"

"Well after that little stunt you pulled, I'm not surprised" She gave me a cocky smirk before darting her eyes to the rest of the team. "Everyone here did your best. There's nothing greater than that which I can ask as your CO. Though this battle may have been a draw, I can safely count it as a victory. Take pride of what you've done here because it will definitely reflect on how you perform on the field. (Yes ma'am!) As your commanding officer, I'm glad to have led such fine troops. Celebrate it as you see fit. Dismissed!"

"Ma'am, thank you ma'am!" The three of us saluted in unison.

"Oh and don't forget to submit your control logs to the mechanics. They'll want a complete detail on our performance. Enjoy your lunch"

"Eh? You're not joining us 1st Lieutenant?" I asked which she gave out a boring sigh in return.

"The head mechanic wants to talk with me for awhile" She explained. "It seems like I messed up something when I tried to do an Albright Turn at such a ridiculous speed. I'll probably get another earful later but you guys can go on without me. Later"

"Ah… wait…" I reached out but Hayase left before I could protest. Was she really ok with all that? It just… doesn't seem like her to go away without saying something about my performance. Is it just my imagination or… am I just trying to convince myself that there was something about Hayase that was different?

"Ora, Takeru. Come on or you'll miss the leftovers!" Haruko's voice called out to me. I opted to follow the Lieutenant or at least stay with her… but I guess something in me decided to leave it alone for now.

**(Infinities Hanger)**

Keith Blazer, the Commanding Officer of the Infinities let out a long extended sigh as he exited his unit. His shoulders clicked a few times along with his neck which verified his exhaustion. It wasn't every day he would actually work up a sweat like this especially in his Exosuit but there was a very good reason why today was different.

He and his unit were beaten down to the last man. Every member of his squad did not come out unscathed from that match. It was a rather embarrassing sight to see his proud company of Elite Raptors scratched and painted by the opposing team. Something like this never happened before especially in the last exercise. But then again… his opponents didn't come from the usual rabble.

They were fierce, especially the one that piloted the white Shiranui. Though his strategy was outstandingly insane, he could not deny the result it brought. Taking away their advantage of stealth and forcing them to go into Close-Quarter-Combat made them into easy target practice. And with the sniper pinning them from afar in that arena he could describe it as far as 'Like Fish in a Barrel'.

"Looks like this is our lost…" The tanned man's thoughts were caught up by his subordinate who joined him in solemn. "I hate to admit it, but it seems like we're beaten"

"Oh? Guylos. Good work taking charge back there. You were able to squeeze a draw on them after all"

"You're seriously taking in that biased scoreboard? (Oh?) It didn't look like a draw to me. Leon already lost most of his equipment back there and I was low on ammo. In my opinion, if those guys attacked, we would've lost even more"

"Is that so? I supposed I can take a soldier's word for it" Keith folded his arms in reply. "How's Leon handling it?"

"We're about to find out"

And just as they were finishing up, Leon appeared from his unit with a irritated expression marking his face. The mechanics knew him well enough to leave him alone whenever he came back with that particular look.

Filled with anger and pent up irritation, the blue haired soldier quickly found an object he could vent his wrath upon which so happens to be the railing in front of him.

He smacked the metal bars with his hands until they were numb—or in this case until Guylos stopped him.

"Oi, if you're gonna injure yourself, take it somewhere else. You're bothering the people"

"Shut up!" The man barked in spite. "I had him… I almost had him!"

"Stop kidding yourself. None of us could've won in those conditions and you know it. It was foolhardy of you to even try to challenge him in melee combat. (Tch!) You saw those moves didn't you? How he easily dodged your shots? It should be plenty obvious for someone like you to see how advance his skills are. (…) Why… he might even be better than that kid back in Yukon Base"

"What did you say!-?"

"I'm just stating what I see" Guylos responded calmly to Leon's barking behavior. "Even you should admit that he was good, right Lieutenant?"

"Hmm… Guylos does have a point" Keith agreed placing his hand up to his chin. "He did things even I wouldn't have thought of. I have to say that even I'm actually impressed"

"How can you two just stand there knowing that we were just beaten!? Don't you two have any sense of pride!?"

"Murphy's Law: It is impossible to make anything foolproof because fools are so ingenious" The CO recited with a smile raised. "We all knew that the Raptors had its flaws. Nothing can be the best forever. Eventually, somehow, someday, somewhere, someone will develop a method to defeat the system. You should know that better than anyone, right, Leon?"

"Tch…!" The man clicked his tongue holding back the urge to pound the metal bars again. He hated to admit it but deep down he knew that he didn't stand a chance when his prey chose to come at him at close quarters.

"Hey, don't be a sore loser and try to at least accept that you lost with some dignity"

"I said shut the—bwhmmm!" He stopped mid-sentence of his irritated tone when two long stretched arms reached out and suddenly plunged him into a pair of soft cushions that silenced him.

"Aww, don't be like that, dear" Sharon's teasing voice cooed over to the man squeezed between her breasts. "Just because you got stepped on the tail doesn't mean you have to be grumpy about it"

"Let go, woman!" The man forced his way out, a mad blush forming around his cheeks. "It's nothing like that! (Oh?) I'm not grumpy! Stop looking at me like that!"

"Alright, alright. I believe you" The pinkette waved his embarrassed-anger off. "But if you're still in a bad mood, I know of a few ways to make it go away. (Stop it!) Ahahaha! A true Tsun-tsun after all"

"Stop calling me that!" Again Leon lashed back but with a more controlled tone. He sounded more like he was an aggressive shy-boy rather than an angry man who just lost a fight.

But their little flirting came to an abrupt end when Keith cleared his throat to gather their attention. "Alright you two, leave the flirting for later. Let's report to Command before they start looking for us"

"I doubt they'll like what we have to report" Guylos sighed knowing well that those up-top won't appreciate their performance in the recent match.

**(PX) (Takeru's POV)**

Food… the third most basic need of a sentient life-form. By the time we got to the PX, the place was practically a ghost town. Everyone else was probably getting ready for the afternoon match so they probably finished their meals before we arrived.

"Uwa~~" Kashiwagi stretched herself and rolled her shoulders a few times as she let out a long exhausting yawn. "I'm so tired I think I must've shaved ten years off my life"

"I know how you feel" Even if the fight was just over half an hour long… it felt like it went on forever. I think I must've pulled a muscle or two when I was fighting those guys.

"Haaa… I want to go lie down in the infirmary" Don't go saying some cheesy line. That sounded like something a student would say when he wants to ditch class and sleep in. I should know, I've been a high-schooler longer than the ordinary person and… wait… that sounded a lot more like a self-portrayed insult than a compliment.

"Don't do that. You'll bother the nurse" My former Instructor argued. "You can relax in your room after we grab something to eat. Participants aren't required to watch the fights after all" She's right about that last part. At least we have some time to ourselves.

Grabbing whatever was left from the lunch-rush; we slowly made our way to our table and the fatigue sink in. We all just wanted to rest. Maybe it would've been better if we just skipped lunch and went straight back to the barracks. This weather and temperature made it almost perfect for a sleep-in and I don't think we'll be needed until our next match.

"Hnn…!" Kasumi seems to be happy. Luckily there was a bar of candy left on the counter that no one else bought.

"I'm tired…" Haruko had the same idea as me. We both slouched on our seats by the time we placed our food on the table. "I don't think I've ever been this tired before. That last fight took so much out of me, I can't take another step"

"Same here…" I agreed.

Marimo noted our slouching positions and groaned at our childish behavior. "Ora, you two. Sit up straight. We're in a public place now, try to show some dignity"

"It's too tiring~~" Kashiwagi sighed weakly. "I just want to rest for the rest of the day. Being lazy is the privilege of the young"

"Oi… what happened to 'It's good to be young' you keep saying? Have you submitted to the fact that you're young too?"

"Hai hai, I submit…"

"Come on. Shirogane. Try to set an example of yourself to the junior officer" Marimo can urge all she wants but there's just no way I'm gonna budge. It feels like those times when I was back in high-school again. But of course, it'd be Class Rep or Tama or Sumika who'd catch me sleeping in class.

...

Hmm?

My eyes suddenly darted towards the PX's television which was showing one of the famous news channels. It was pretty much the only channel that the officer in charge allows us to watch. Though I hardly put much mind into it—on the occasion I would catch glimpse of the news' titles and that would be it.

However… today, the reason why my eyes were attached to the TV was because the person on screen at the moment was someone that I recognize.

That scarred face man that I met with Yuuko the other day—the Colonel Iwa… Iwaya Eiji, I think that was his name. He was the guy that showed us the video of that super-weapon they were developing. I don't remember what it was called but it was pretty impressive.

"In last week's news. Lt. Col Iwaya Eiji, representative of the Ministry of Technology, Research and Development announced of the construction of a mass Food Plant today. Though much speculation is still hanging over the Imperial Army of the happenings around Tokyo, the Colonel assures the people that the Food Plant is being done for the benefit of the people. The estimation of the supplies that the Food Plant will give is reaching above the 25% margin. However, much of the Provincial Government and the U.N. are also expressing concerns with the vast amount of resources needed to construct such a massive structure. However… should this project succeed in meeting its quota, it could trigger a chain of events that might grant other countries to follow in their footsteps and hopefully, bring the world one step closer to end or World Hunger. This is Endou Koji, reporting live in Fukushima"

So… the Food Plant is finally being announced. Yuuhi did say that the Ministry of Technology played a part in making that thing so it's no surprise why they're the ones making the announcement. Still… it's a little weird that the man who's in charge of making those weapons is also the one telling the world about the Food Plant. But who can complain?

"Shirogane?" Marimo called out to my attention. "What's the matter?"

"Ah… sorry" I rubbed my head, embarrassed from my dazing off skills. "I was looking at the news"

"The news?" She darted her eyes towards the TV. "Oh that. I guess it should be said that the Imperial Army is trying to buy its way back to the people's good graces. With everything that's been happening, I supposed making a big show like that would make them more welcome to the public"

"Isn't the Royal family supposedly the ones backing this plan?" Kashiwagi added.

"It's just a rumor" Marimo corrected. "It hasn't been announced or confirmed yet"

So there are rumors already. I guess I'm the only one who really knows the truth behind that Project. They probably don't even know that Yuuko is also providing aid to the plants. Speaking of which, I still have those files that she passed on to Elena. I should remember to hide it in my room later on.

"Hey, what do you think, Shirogane? (Hmm?)" I turned to Kashiwagi. "About the Food Plant. They say that it will provide food for the whole country but don't you think it's a little farfetched?"

I stuttered for a moment before answering. "If it can do at least half of what they claim it can do, then it's a start. If it can keep the people fed, I don't see why we should vote against it. (Hoo?) I mean… don't we eat synthetic food every day? If we can survive with this stuff on a daily basis, don't you think others can too? I mean, they're prioritizing survival over luxury, right?"

"Hmm… good point. I never really put much thought into it. I'd still prefer farming over technological ingenuity but I see your point. We have to focus on living first before we start moving towards taste. A good answer"

"Though I wouldn't mind having a good steak every once in awhile"

"Ahahaha! That would be the day, neh?" We laughed for a moment. But I was honest. I really wouldn't mind for one piece of T-Bone grilled to the marrows, steaming hot on a platter. "Ah, Jinguuji san. (Hmm?) If you could have one special meal treat, what would it be?"

"What kind of a question is that?" Marimo chan looked at us with a quizzical expression. "Are you asking what I would want to eat the most?"

"Yup. Takeru would like to have steak. As for me—I'd definitely want to try out Okinawa soba one more time. It would make life worth living even just a little bit longer knowing that there's still good food around"

"Ha… I see" Marimo contemplated on the girl's words before putting some thought into her answer. "Well… if I had a choice then I'd probably pick… spaghetti alla carbonara. (…?) It's an Italian cuisine made with pasta and other ingredients. Back when I was still studying in high-school, I always dreamed of one day going to Europe, especially Italy. I wanted to see all the exotic places around the countryside. (Oh?) It's kind of embarrassing to say this, but I supposed I was influenced by a movie I watched back in the day. It showed all the landmarks. The Roman Forum, the Leaning Tower of Pisa, the canals of Venice. There were just too many things that I wanted to see. The food there was just a bonus"

Wow… I never knew that. I always thought of Marimo chan to be a domesticated person but she's pretty outgoing. I never imagined myself traveling around the world… but then again… I never really expected myself to travel into space or China for that matter.

"Hooo? Such a classy meal. As expected from someone with experience. I should consider something beyond Japan"

"I heard that there's still one restaurant in London that still serves that meal" Marimo chan added with a hint of hope in her voice. "Though it might not come close to what they originally have in Italy… I'm sure that it would definitely put my mind at ease knowing I could taste it once. (…?) Because the moment I get the chance to be shipped to the Western Front, that will be the first place I go to"

…

Heh… I guess even big girls like Marimo chan have dreams of their own. Such a small and childish dream which can't even begin to compare with anyone I've seen.

I wonder if Marimo chan in my world also has the same dream. If she did then I would've loved to take her on that cruise ship that Meiya loaned to us.

Pffft!

Crap, I almost laughed. Thinking of that cruise ship really brought back some good memories. I could've ordered anything in the world but instead I ordered a giant Beef Bowl and fried eggs. Thinking back on it now, it does seem like some kind of cruel and unusual prank. Maybe I should've taken that opportunity to order something unique for once but then again… if Sumika wasn't there with me, it would've turned out to a whole different story.

…

…

Sumika… I wonder how she's doing. It's been so long since I last saw her. Before we were called in to the Defense of Kyoto. She's probably alone there in that dark room all by herself. Yuuko says that she's fine and resting but I'm still a bit skeptic. I'd probably feel better if Kasumi was there with her.

"Pfft…!" Huh? Kasumi? "Ha…"

"Oi! Kasumi? Don't tell me you ate that candy first" Ah crud. She's coughing up. "Geez. Here, drink this. I don't want you choking just because you ate too much"

"… thank you…"

"And try to eat properly. You got sauce all over your mouth" Where's a tissue when you need one?

"Hnn…"

"Hmm? Ah! Hey! Don't go using my uniform as a napkin! I still haven't had my other one dry-cleaned! (Ahahaha!) Don't laugh! And get me some tissue!"

"I guess even Yashiro san can really be a kid if you spoil her too much Takeru" Haruko gave me a soft chuckle in reply. "I think that's just one way she expresses affection"

"I'd prefer if people expression doesn't involve messing up my clothes. (Hnn…) Ugh… I'll be right back"

…

…

Haaa… that's my third and last uniform. I just sent the other two to the shop and I don't know when I'll even get a replacement for the one I tore back in the infirmary. They always say that I have to keep my own clothes in check but with everything that's been happening I can't seem to keep any of them in decent condition at the very least.

Ugh… and now this stain won't come off. Don't tell me I have to send this one back too. It's like I don't have enough problems as it is. And to top it all off, I haven't had the chance to talk with Meiya because Hayase keeps pushing these ridiculous training regimes over and over again.

"Takeru…!"

"Eh?" As I finished wiping the stain from my uniform, I noted a voice calling out to me. My immediately darted and for a moment, I actually felt my heart leap to my lungs. "M… Meiya?" The blue haired girl jumped at my reaction. "Geez, you scared me for a second there"

"I… I apologize. I didn't mean to call you unannounced. Did I startle you?"

I quickly recovered trying to make myself look proper. "No, it's fine. I just… wasn't expecting to see you. Aren't you supposed to be in the briefing room with the others?"

"Worry not. The Captain was called in for a meeting and I already asked Yoroi to cover for me should she return" Wow, playing hooky. That's something you wouldn't expect from a girl like Meiya. Unless some earth-shattering matter comes to the door, she wouldn't budge an inch from her schedule. "I should have a good 8 minutes at the very least. That should grant me plenty of time to get back before anyone notices"

Oi, you didn't have to go all the way to make those calculations. "So what do you come here for? (Hmm?) Did you make all that planning just to grab a snack?"

"You describe me as if I were a glutton" She resisted, folding her arms in a rigged response. "I do not eat more than the average person—though… I do admit that the chef here has been generous with his portions" Ugh… not that sexist chef again. "But that is not the reason why I came. I… I wanted to…" She darted away, avoiding eye contact with me.

"You wanted to…?"

"D… do not rush me. I still have 7 minutes and 36 seconds left!" Is she actually keeping track? A blush formed around her face as well as a mixture of emotions. It was like she was having a one-man-mime-performance that nobody could see. All she needed was some makeup and she'd be good to go. "I was wondering if you… if you have…"

"Have…?"

Another torrent of emotions mixed with her mood as she desperately tried to explain herself. Finally after a brief sigh she allowed herself to let go. "I wanted to… apologize. (Apologize?) Yes, that's correct. I wanted to apologize for the way I have been… treating you these last few days. You certainly did not deserve it. I was just being… unfair. I should've at least given you a chance to explain rather than to have you put up with my behavior"

"Well… you have been acting a little weird" I should know because both times were hard to forget. "You were practically avoiding me for quite awhile. I was worried that I might've done something wrong"

Again she avoided eye contact. "My reaction to you was just my cautiousness speaking out. Forgive me"

"It's fine. I'm just glad we have the chance to talk it out. Maybe we can find a table…"

"No. It will not take too long" Her tone changed as she returned her gaze me, this time with a more determined spark in her eyes. "I cannot run away now that I've come this far. (Huh?) I shall swallow my pride and ask it plain. (…?) Takeru… what is your relation with…"

"Oi, Takeru. What's taking you?" Ah crud! Haruko! Why now? "You can't remove a stain like that with water. You need something stron—oh, Mitsurugi? Why are you here? Aren't you supposed to be in the briefing room with the others?"

Damn it woman. We're trying to have a serious conversation here.

" Kashiwagi…?" Meiya was somewhat surprised by the girl's appearance. I guess she's not comfortable with someone listening in on our conversation either.

"Ora, you shouldn't be wandering around here. If the Captain finds out that you snuck out of the briefing room you'll get into some serious trouble"

"Ah… y… yeah…"

I quickly called out to our intrusion. "Haruko. (Hmm?) Sorry but can you give us a moment? I need to talk with Meiya for a minute"

"No, she's right. (Huh?) I shouldn't be taking my break too long. Perhaps another time, Takeru. Good day to both of you…"

"W… wait! Meiya!" Ah dang. She's gone and I'm too tired to chase after her. Damn it. And here I thought we could finally resolve what's been bothering her.

"D… did I come at a bad time?" Haruko quietly asked shaking a bit. "Or… did I interrupt something that I shouldn't have? Sorry"

"Don't be. It was something personal. I'm sure we'll have it resolved soon. Come on. Let's head back before our food gets cold"

"Ah… y… yeah…"

**(Rooftop)**

He was better…

That was the single train of thought that ran through Hayase's head as she sat near the water tower atop the main complex. It would've been nice to enjoy the snowy weather if it wasn't for the fact of the lousy scenery of the dark clouds that practically covered the city.

Ever since she returned, she didn't feel like joining her teammates for a celebration. It would've felt awkward on her side to be enjoying a victory she had no part in playing. But that was probably just an excuse.

The true reason she didn't want to join them, is probably the same reason she didn't want to be near 'him'. Thinking about it now, Hayase felt a bit foolish lecturing Meiya about keeping their relations close to one another but then again… she didn't exactly know the reason why they were apart to begin with.

He was stronger…

It sounded odd no matter how many times she said it in her head. Admitting that someone else was stronger than her made her sound like a secondary character that was developing in a light novel. She repeated it over and over again and said it out loud a few times but it only gave her goose bumps in return and the liquor she had on hand that she was able to hide from the Captain wasn't exactly making it easy on the ears either.

But as weird as it may sound to her, she can't help but admit it. Shirogane… the boy who was the greatest hurdle in her life truly bested her in more ways than one. She didn't even need to have a rematch to their duel to be able to tell who was stronger. Just looking at him from any angle and people would probably say the same thing. That kid was strong.

He was talented, quick-thinking and unbelievably strong.

Hayase kept telling herself that they were equal, but it was a lie. Takeru stood at the top no matter how you tried to butter it. Hayase felt foolish trying to compare herself to someone like him. She kept thinking that the boy was just like any other trainee that came out of the training school but it was also a lie. If anything, that boy was probably strong even before he became a cadet. It was silly to think that someone that good would simply come out of training for a few days.

How the boy came to be that strong, she'll probably never know—and she probably wouldn't want to know either if she knew.

"I knew I'd find you here…" Hayase's downtime was then interrupted by a soft cooing voice she knew all too well.

"Ah… M… Munakata?" The blue haired veteran fumbled on her bottle as she desperately tried to hide her drink under her buttoned up suit.

"Drinking again already? The Captain will probably double our punishment if she finds out"

"Geh!" Hayase groaned irritatingly. "Are you here to make my life miserable again?"

But Misae simply waved off her failed attempt locking the door behind her. "Don't worry. I won't rat you out. Scouts honor"

"Somehow I have a hard time believing that"

The girl then took her seat beside the sulking veteran giving out a friendly chuckle. "I can be nice when I want to, you know?"

Again, Hayase gave her long time partner a suspicious look trying to figure out her real reason for being here. "What do you want?" She asked.

"Nothing. You looked like you needed company. (…) You're not the only one in this team who can read people, 1st Lt. Hayase"

Quickly, the sulking girl shoved her drink into her pocket like protective bear. "I'm not sharing this…"

"That's fine. I never said I wanted any" Munakata returned sounding all the more cocky. "It's bad for you anyway" Hayase secretly took a sip from her bottle, but kept one eye gazing at the suspicious woman like she was preparing to strike at any second. There was a rather uncomfortable silence in the air and it seems like she can't even enjoy the drink she has with her. But as the moment went by, Misae spoke up. "Do you want to talk about it?"

Hayase turned to her. "Talk about what?"

"Oh I don't know… the weather?" Sarcasm was deep in her tone. "It hasn't shined for the last few days. I forgot how the sun looked from here. And this snow storm is getting worse by the day. If this keeps up, all of Kyoto will be buried under a ton of snow, don't you think? (…) Ahh… this cold really isn't good for a young maiden's health. Sometimes I wish I was a cadet again. That way I'd have a chance to go through the Comprehensive Combat Skill Evaluation again and enjoy the beach of the Southern Islands. (…) Maybe if we're lucky we can ask the Vice Commander to grant us a long extended vacation, neh?"

…

…

"Ah… but since its still winter, we might as well postpone it when the weather clears up. Don't you agree? (…) Maybe I can order some takoyaki from Pops while we're at it. Ah… but I supposed I should also watch my figure. I can't afford to lose my greatest weapon against men. But then I supposed there's no need to worry… since I have the best figure amongst all the squad"

"What the hell kind of judgment is that!?" Hayase barked out. "And stop trying to change the subject! If you came here to talk about Shirogane then talk about him already!"

"Ara? You mean 1st Lt. Shirogane? What-ever could you possibly mean?"

A vein began to throb on Mitsuki's head. "You're really asking for a punch in the face, you know that? (Ahuhuhuhu)" A momentary pause slipped by as the snowfall lessened above their heads. Hayase snuck another drink up her lips savoring what little of the favored drink she had left. In truth deep down, she probably did need someone to talk to. Someone to listen to her babbling at the very least. She guessed that if anyone was to listen to her, it may as well be 'her'. After a brief sigh, she submitted. "He really strong… isn't he?"

Munakata relaxed herself by the water tower, nodding in reply. "You mean, Takeru? (Who else!?) Aha, just kidding. (Grrr!) But you're right—he is… very strong. Stronger than you are. You know that… right?"

"It doesn't take a scientist to figure that one out" The blue haired girl returned taking another sip. "I guess he was strong from the start. I just… had a hard time accepting it. (Really?) No… I guess that's just an excuse. If it were me… I'd say… he was strong even before we met. Kind of like a freaking superhuman. (…) He really has surpassed me, hasn't he?"

"I think you're giving yourself too much credit. You were never anywhere near his level"

"Can you at least **pretend** to **try** to **attempt** to cheer me up?"

"My bad. I shall try to indulge your humor to the best of my abilities"

Hayase groaned frustratingly before returning to her bottle. "And here I thought I was the strongest. Now this new kid shows up and takes the stage before I knew it. (…) It must be nice… to be standing at the top"

"Nobody stays the best forever" Misae reminded.

"I know. It's just that… I kinda forgot how it feels like to be standing there" Hayase looked back down, gazing at their respective hanger in the distance making out the silhouette of Takeru's new experimental TSF. "I was standing at the mountaintop for such a long time only to find out that there's another mountain waiting to be climbed—and surprisingly enough… it's a hard place to climb"

"Are you trying to make some kind of metaphor with these mountains or are you feeling drunk already?"

"Shut up. I'm trying to be serious here. (My bad…)" Hayase snuck another drink before continuing. "I guess… maybe I just wanted to test myself again. Maybe after seeing him do all those cool stunts… I wanted to stand where he stood. To see myself as his equal"

"Ahuhuhu… that's adorable…"

"YOU REALLY DID COME HERE TO MAKE FUN OF ME, DIDN'T YOU!?"

But Misae barely flinch to her bark and waved it off. "Your argument sounds like an adult version of comparing one's height to another. There's really no point to it. (Guuuuu!) But don't you think your aim is a little… too high? Shirogane is in his own league. I won't beat around the push and guess how he became that strong… and to be honest… I don't want to know. How someone came to acquire such strength… may only mean that he had to give something in return. (…?) You gave up a lot of things to be as strong as you are now, Mitsuki. If you gave up anymore, you'll give up the person that you are now. (Ha?) Takeru is strong because he is Takeru and you are strong because you are you. Would it be any different if your roles were switched?"

"What the hell are you blabbering about?"

"I don't know honestly. I just want to keep spouting random things until you get over your dilemma"

"WHAT KIND OF HELP IS THAT!?"

Misae raised a brow. "Help? I never said anything about helping you. I just want you to snap out of it so you can join us for dinner. The chef here gives double portions to females so we have the advantage"

Hayase wanted to yell out more but found herself defeated again for some reason. There was just no way to beat this woman in a battle of words. Even if she could beat the living daylights out of her, it wouldn't feel like much of a victory anyway. She sighed once more and turned her head towards the hanger again before taking another deep gulp from her bottle.

"Here…" She then offered her liquor to the woman beside her which made her raise a quizzical look. "If I give you what's left… you won't say a word to anyone about this?"

Greatly, Misae accepted the bottle laughing inwardly to herself. "My lips are sealed" She added before chugging the contents down like a pro. But before the last drop touched her lips, she noted Hayase standing up and walking towards the railing with a determined look in her eyes. Softly the blue haired girl inhaled a chunk of cold air in her lungs… holding it in like she was trying to suffocate her voice box. She held it in for only a moment, picturing a face in her mind, focusing all the power she had before finally letting it out with all her might.

"SHIROGANE! GO OUT WITH ME!

Munakata spat…

**(Soviet Quarters) (Rogofky's Office)**

"A terrorist attack?" Rogofsky's voice nearly boomed out of control when he heard the news. He was in his office with two of his staff when a third party entered the room to give the same report that was given to Radhabinod a few hours earlier. "Are you sure of this?"

The officer who brought them the news nodded with confidence of the report he placed on the table. "Yes sir. It was reported by our contacts from the 6th U.N. Pacific Army. There's no doubt about. It's definitely the RLF"

"The RLF…" Rogofsky rubbed the side of his head recalling his past encounter with the militant group. It was not the first time he had encountered the Refugee Liberation Front and he had the wounds to prove it too. "To think those bastards would show up here again of all time. What does the U.N. plan to do with them?"

"Negotiations are being handled at the moment but so far the U.N. Armed Forces are keeping this event out of public eyes. It appears they do not wish to cause another mass panic amongst the people. All rescue operations are being put on hold for the moment due to the hostage situation"

"Heh. So much for U.N. security" One of the staff officers voiced out with a mocking tone. "This is the second time the terrorist took them by surprise. Wasn't losing Yukon Base humiliating enough for them?"

"Quiet…" Rogofsky ordered before returning his attention to the messenger. "What else? Does Radhabinod plan to take charge of this?"

"So far the U.N. Council is ordering him to stand down. Most of the 11th Pacific Army were lost during the last few campaigns around Kyoto and the rebellion in Tokyo. But it seems that he's preparing to deploy the A-01 Special Task Force to the region to assist in whatever operation stands there"

"Hmm… the A-01 has special privileges regarding their deployment" Another of the staff officer recalled. "They don't require proper channels to operate as per agreement with the ALTERNATIVE Plans so it's only logical that they could be used for such methods"

"Heh… so his hands are tied" Rogofsky muttered feeling a grin creep up his lips. "Whoever thought that those Robinhood wanabes would actually prove useful for once? (Sir?) Yes… this could work in our favor… and with the exercise still going, the man will be powerless to move so recklessly. Hehehehehe… yes… this is good. Very good"

"Sir?" The staff officer inquired. "Is there something wrong?"

"No. This is an opportunity. A grand one at that. (…?) Tell me. Has Sandek's special forces arrive yet?"

"Yes sir. Three assault teams have just arrived today. They were disguised as mechanics from the homeland and cleared with the proper channels"

"Have the men disguise as U.N. security. We'll make it look like the RLF are the ones plotting against them and even if we're discovered, we can place the blame saying that they were soldiers aligned with the terrorist"

The officers in the room glanced at one another looking at the laid out plan and nodded in agreement. "It sounds solid sir" The staff officer agreed hesitantly to it. "I'll draw up a plan and brief the men. Capturing Sestinia will be our top priority. But what should we do about her bodyguard? The one they call, Shirogane Takeru? As a close attendant to the Head of the ALTERNATIVE plans, the U.N. may have to launch an investigation if we eliminate him"

"Leave that boy to me. I'll make sure he's kept occupied…"


	81. Casting the Die

**Chapter 81: Casting the Die**

**(Takeru's POV) (January 22, 2002 Tuesday) (03:20 AM)**

Shake shake…

Hmm? What's that?

Shake shake…

An earthquake? My whole body is shaking.

"Takeru… chan…" Huh? Who's there? I see… someone. I hear someone… calling me. "Takeru chan… wake up" That aroma. That sweet smell. That annoyingly gentle tone. They all feel so… familiar… like something I should know. Ah… but I'm too tired to get up. My whole body feels like lead at the moment. I can hardly even recall what happened last night either.

"Takeru chan… wake up" Who is… calling me? Who…? "Takeru chan…" That crimson colored hair… why do I…? "Wake up…"

S… Sumika?

Shake shake…

"Ugh… wha?"

"Wake up…" My visions then began to focus on the figure in front of me. The scenery changed from Sumika's red hair to the silver strings of Kasumi's face.

"Kasumi… chan?" I quickly rubbed the sand off my eyes trying to adjust myself. A few seconds later, it was clear that the girl in front of me was indeed Kasumi. I guess I must still be somewhere between dream and reality again. "Sorry… did I oversleep again? Just let me… eh?" I looked at the clock at the counter.

3:20?

"Good morning…" Morning? This can actually still be called night! Why the hell did you wake me up so early!? "Bye-bye…"

"Eh? Bye? Why are you…? Ah! Hey! Where are you going?" She suddenly left the room even though she's supposed to be by my side at all times. "Hey! Wait! Come back here Kasumi chan! Ooof!" I slipped from my bed hitting my face on the floor. "Kasumi! Wait!" Grabbing my overalls from my computer table (which I never used) and my winter jacket, I quickly followed her outside feeling the chill on the my face the moment I sprung from the door.

The weather outside was just as bad as it was yesterday. The snow was still piling up but nothing that couldn't be outdone by a few hours of heat.

The lights in the barracks were still closed. Everyone is probably still asleep right now. Who in their right mind would wake up at 3 in the morning?

Ah no time to think about that now! I have to follow her! "Kasumi chan!"

Plop…

…

…

…

Well she didn't get far. I was expecting her to be out of my sight but instead she barely had the chance to make it even two feet out of the barracks. I found her right outside the exit, once more, buried under a ton of snow. The poor girl was practically trying to dig her way out of the ground with her stuffed toy rabbit acting as a shovel.

I had the urge to pull her out of there by the rabbit ears on her head but decided to go against my better judgment and pulled her out the normal way.

Plop…

The little girl was covered with snow from the chin down—like a cheap and poor imitation of a snowman. If only I had a camera to treasure this moment but I was too tired to even think of find one.

"Geez. What's gotten into you?" I scolded her. "I'm supposed to be your bodyguard but you're not exactly making this easy for me. (…) Come on. Let's go back to bed. I still have a few hours before breakfast. (No…) Eh?"

"Sumika would want us to go…" Huh? Did she just say Sumika?

"What do you mean about Sumi—Ah! Hey wait! At least let me finish my sentence!" The girl then quickly darted off the moment I placed her back on solid ground. "Come back! Kasumi chan!"

Tug!

Whoa…! My visions got blurry all of a sudden. Maybe waking up so early was bad for my mental health too. "Kasumi! Get back here!"

I gave chase to the girl running through the old park by our barracks. She seems to be heading towards the front gate. "Wait! Kasumi, don't go there!"

But I was too late. She passed through the guard post a few minutes later not even caring if there was someone watching. Damn it girl. Didn't I tell her that there was a strict curfew around these times? Not to mention the fact that everyone is prohibited from leaving the base until the exercise was complete.

Damn it. I couldn't catch her. She's already on the other side of the street waving at me like she wanted me to follow. Dang… where's a guard when you need one? Speaking of which… where are the guards? Weren't there supposed to be two of them guarding main entrance 24/7? I hope they're not lazing on their security.

…

…

Ah… found him. There's a guard here alright. He right there in his guard post, sitting on a chair with his back pressed against the wall, and his feet tucked up nicely on his table. The night security must be really lax if he was like this but I don't blame him either. With the weather as it was, I'd probably want to just sleep in for the night and wait for my shift to blow over.

I'll have to report this to the head of security… but… if I did leave the premises, I can place the whole blame on this guy since he wasn't doing a very good job to begin with.

Looking both left and right, making sure that there weren't any other guards around, I quickly bolted off ensuring that I wasn't leaving any footprints behind.

…

…

…

I didn't need to look far to find Kasumi. With her size and knowing stamina, she couldn't have gone far. The only place she could reach in such a short distance was the Takoyaki store that was right outside of the base. That's where I found her, sitting on one of the stools like a regular customer.

"Kasumi chan…" I sighed out loud as I called her name. "I finally caught up to you. Come on. Let's go home. (…) Pops isn't here right now. You can't expect to have takoyaki any time of the day. Besides, I already promised you four sets remember? (Hnn…) Let's go. Please? If we don't get back soon you'll get me in trouble!"

But Kasumi didn't budge from her chair. She just sat there starring at the empty kitchen like she was expecting it magically produce the said food on the sign. If this was an anime about magic, I probably would've wanted to see that myself… but I guess that's too much to ask for in these times.

"Hmm? Oh… it's you two again?" A voice interrupted before I could scold Kasumi again. I turned around and noted Pops standing behind me with a box on his shoulders. "What are you doing here this early? It's barely past morning"

"Ah… sorry Oyaji. Kasumi just couldn't help coming here"

"Don't apologize. I always have time for my customers. But I'm closed today. (Closed?) Yeah. I have to prepare a large batch later this afternoon. One of the guys inside the base made a hefty order for 20 large specials" Twenty? Who in the world eats that many takoyaki in one sitting? Not unless they have some kind of party. It might be a bookmaker.

"Wait, you take orders?"

"Hehehe. Even a simple chef like me has connections inside. A regular customer called me yesterday said that he won big on some bet and was going to treat his entire group for some good old squid" Ah, my guess was right. It must've been a bookmaker after all.

"Wait… then how can he pick them up out here?"

"Probably the same way you did. (Geh…) Ahahaha! Just kidding. I just deliver it to the guard at the gate. I collect my money from there on. Even with all these strict rules, those guys never fail to find a loophole somewhere" Ha… I guess even soldiers need to have some vice to get them on their feet. "Anyway, I'm gonna have to ask you and your little princess to leave. You'll get in trouble if they catch you wandering outside the premises. If you want, I can make you a batch this afternoon once I get the grill started"

"Yeah, I'll take that offer" I agreed. I'm already in deep trouble with the alcohol business with Hayase the other night. The last thing I want is to add another bad mark on my permanent record. "Come on Kasumi chan. Let Pops do his work and we can eat later. (Hnn…) Come on. Don't be stingy. I already promise to get you AFTER the exercise, remember?"

"…five sets…" Ugh… this girl's reasoning and bargaining charisma is way too low… but for some reason, I just can't bring myself to resist. Maybe Misae san was right, I am too nice for my own good.

"Fine" I answered in defeat. "I'll buy you five sets—but only after the exercise" Right now I'd do pretty much anything just to get back to my room and catch another 3 hours of sleep. My mind is still boggy and this weather is perfect for a cozy afternoon in bed. If I exert any extreme force, I'd probably fall on the ground and freeze to death.

"Now now, that will not do at all, Old Man…" Huh? Who said that? "It's rather rude to turn away such potential customers especially when one is a popular celebrity"

I turned around towards the voice. A man about my size stood a few feet away from me, dressed in a three piece casual suit. His complexion was fair and his face reminded me of a few foreigners that I've seen around the base. His spiky dark flaming red hair fell just between his collarbone and an almost invisible jade earring droop from his right ear. From where I'm standing, this guy looked like some kind of rich TV star.

"Y… you're…!" I noted Pop's reaction. Do they know each other?

"Greetings, Shirogane Takeru dono. It is a pleasure to finally meet you"

"Eh? You… you know me?" I clenched up a bit reacting to my name.

The man laughed off my combat stance. "Why of course. Everybody in Japan should have at least some courtesy of knowing the name of the great hero of the Battle of Tokyo. Only those who have lived under a rock would be ignorant of such a thing. Besides… it's my job to know these things. (Your job?) Ah… of course. Where are my manners? The name is Theo Edel, at your service. I'm a journalist working for Euro Central News Channel or ECNC" He fluidly pulled out a business card from his breast pocket at the same time bowing to me like an aristocrat.

"A journalist?" I inquired which he gladly answered.

"Yes, I've been sent here by my organization to monitor the situation in Japan. Never in my life would I ever expect to meet a living hero like yourself in person"

"Me? A hero?"

He waved his hands around in quick gestures to match his casual speech pattern. "Why of course. Many organizations have been tracing your steps for some time now. Ever since your heroic-exploits in the reclamation of Sadogashima, the defense of Kyoto against the BETA, your grand achievement in Tokyo… and who could forget the most recent: Being one of the few to be able to take on the American's fearsome Raptor and live to tell the tale. I'm actually surprised that they haven't made a statue in your honor yet"

"A statue?"

"Ahahaha. My bad. I guess my compliments are getting too farfetched. Anyway, I would be honored to treat a hero like yourself to a little snack, if you'll allow me"

I scratched the back of my head refusing. "Ah, thanks but I need to get back soon otherwise my CO will yell at me for breaking the rules. (Special…) Oi Kasumi. Don't be rude. (Special order)"

"It would be my pleasure. (Wait! No!)" Theo then turned his eyes to Pops for a brief moment. "Oyaji… two sets of your finest takoyaki… if you please"

"Of course!" Pops belched to the top of his lunges. "Just let me heat up the grill right away. (Huh?) Having an old regular visiting my stall must be a sign from the gods. Just take a seat and I'll have them ready" Ugh, crud. Why do I feel like I've just been shackled into something I shouldn't have?

I wanted to refuse, but Kasumi doesn't look like she'll budge an inch even if I did tell her otherwise. This morning couldn't get any worse than it already has. Submissively, I took my seat next to her with Theo joining one seat apart. The heat coming from the grill was fresh on my face up. It kept the upper half of my body warm leaving the cold outside where it belonged.

"Sorry about that" I apologized to the stranger. "Self restraint isn't one of her strong points"

"I don't mind" The journalist replied waving my apology off. "I was the one who offered it after all. Besides—expressing one's self without any reserve is the privilege of the young. And also… I wanted to have a taste of this before I return to London. (London?) It's where I work… or at least where my work it's based. I'm part of the Foreign Relations Department. Thanks to my talent in speaking fluently in Japanese, they decided to send me here to cover some of the stories that catch their interest"

"So you're like a reporter I see on TV?"

"Ahahaha! That's one way to call us. But no, I'm nothing like them. I simply write articles and send them back home. I don't do stuff like those extremists that cover the frontlines. (Oh?) And right now, I'm being asked to cover the supposed Training Exercise that's been happening here" So he's covering the whole story here? I guess that explains all the news crew I've been seeing the past few days. I often see a person with a giant camera somewhere near the hangers and I even notice a few civilians taking notes outside of the main complex.

"So you're covering this story on your own?" I asked out of curiosity's sake.

"Of course not" He corrected, gesturing with his hands. "A story like this is too big to be covered by just one person. I have some friends working inside too. Information and contacts can be useful when you play your cards right. (Oh…) Oyaji. Do you still have some of that old sake from the last delivery?"

"Indeed I do!" Quickly and without question, Pops produced the said sake bottle from his shelves and poured both of us a cup to drink. "Have one too boyo"

I immediately waved my hands up in defense. "No thank you. It's way too early for me to drink and I'll be in trouble if my CO finds out that I've been drinking on the job!"

"Heh, why hesitate?" Theo questioned, raising his glass up like he was proposing a challenge. "If you're risking your life on the frontlines on a daily basis, the least they can do is to let you enjoy your lives to the fullest, no? (Uh…) One sip wouldn't hurt, neh?"

"I… I supposed so" I hesitantly went against my better judgment and drank. The alcohol content went straight down my throat burning me inside. It reminded me of that sake drink that Yuuko gave me after the XM3 trial. It should still be half full back in my room.

"Heh… judging by your face, you must be a professional drinker, Shirogane san"

"Huh? Ah… no not really. I just drink them whenever I get the chance"

"Is that so?" He popped another piece of takoyaki into his mouth before continuing. "Well I supposed even something like this should be pretty rare. It must be tough having to live in a country standing at the forefront of the BETA. (…) But a person of your status shouldn't have any trouble procuring such things"

"You seem to know a lot about me" I eyed the man suspiciously. He seems to know me generally at the very least but nothing worth mentioning.

He laughed off my attempt of interrogation. "Well there is a reason for that. I was asked by my employers to look into the man who led the defense of Kyoto a month ago. Your name has been constantly springing up ever since Sadogashima so… it's only natural that people would be curious about a rising star like yourself. Especially with all the radical rumors about you. (Rumors?) People have been speculating that you are a top-secret government experimental soldier—or a cyborg"

My face fell to the table with a loud thud. Ugh… I should've known. This wasn't the first time such ridiculous rumors came to light. Ever since I came back to this loop people have been looking at me like a freak. Even my fellow teammates thought that I was a genetically altered superhuman. Even Yoroi once thought about it.

"Please don't bother with such rumors" I replied to the guy. "None of them are true"

"Ahahaha, I never intended to follow such ridiculous rumors" The redhead quickly replied defensively. "But there are more truthful rumors that I hear. (More of them?) Yes—like that you're the only male member in your squad and that you're making a harem out of all of them"

"What kind of a rumor is that?"

"Well the thing people love more about their celebrities is their status. Like say… do you have a girlfriend already? (A girlfriend?) Yes. Just like movie-stars, people will want to follow up on them like everything else about them" I guess he does have a point. With my name constantly being broadcast on television it's only natural people to follow me. Haaa… this must be how stars feel when they know that every step is being tracked.

"Does that mean people will be asking me of what I'm doing, what I'm eating and stuff?"

"Well that's one way to put it but not as much as regular celebrities. The rumors about your exploits vary from many things. (Ahehe…) But it's plain to see that people tend to focus on something as juicy as gossip"

"Please don't listen to those bizarre rumors" I pleaded to him. The last thing I needed was more attention and I have enough of that with my squad. "Whatever they say, you can assume that I deny it"

"Is that so? That's disappointing. I was at least hoping that one of my theories of you being part animal would be true" Don't go making assumptions of your own too, damn it! "But I supposed we can't all have our wishes come true. (Ugh…) Let's change the subject then. Something other than a political view. You wouldn't have heard about the new Massive Food Plant now, would you?"

The food plant? Is he talking about the one I saw on TV the other day?

"You mean the one the Imperial Army is building in Fukushima?"

"The very same" Theo confirmed it bobbing his head to me. "What are you opinions about it? As a soldier of the United Nations who has faced against the Imperial Army before, do you think that it's just a cheap way of them to get back in good favor?"

Good favor? Marimo chan said the same thing. She said that the Imperial Army was just trying to get its way back into the public eyes and nothing more.

"I… I'm not really sure how to answer that question" I rubbed my head embarrassed.

"Ah… I see. I apologize. Perhaps I should change the question. (…?) What is your opinion about the Food Plant?"

"Well, I guess if it can feed the people, I'm all for it. (Oh?) Yeah. Since it can create synthetic food on a larger scale, it would give people some measure of hope. I mean, food is a really expensive commodity and if that thing can help us ease some tension, it'll be good for everyone, right? (I supposed so) And if we can build more of these, wouldn't we really be closer to ending one big problem in this world?"

"You mean, World Hunger? (Yeah!)" He let out a smirk in my direction. "My my, your goal seems to coincide with that of the people. Perhaps you really are a hero after all, Shirogane san. (Ahehehehe) But still… many people are still speculating about this operation. To create foodstuff out of nothing… it seems almost like a dream come true. It would make quite the profit too"

"Profit or not, I'm sure the whole world would benefit from it" I raised my head up to meet the man's gaze. I had to show that I was in support of Yuuhi's plans. "Wouldn't it be better even for those back in Europe to have this too?"

"Hmph. You have such a simplistic view of the world. I'm jealous. (Huh?) But you're right. If this plan does work… people around the world will definitely prosper. That's probably how Her Highness views this plan. (…?) Haven't you heard? The Royal Family is supporting this operation as well. I hear that even The Shogun herself has been providing them with a substantial amount of funds"

"I thought that was just a rumor" I feigned ignorance.

"Tsk tsk…" He waved his hand at me in a mocking tone. "Never underestimate the abilities of a journalist my young friend. I didn't spend the last few months in this country to simply idle around. My sources can be pretty reliable especially when it comes to paparazzi. Her Royal Highness, Lady Kobuin has been aiding such endeavor. As it should be expected of her, she knows how to play politics very well. You don't see such rare talents like that these days. (…) Even after what happened in Tokyo, she can still bear a strong face. I've seen her a few times on television. She almost looks like a doll"

"Please don't call her that. (Hmm?)" Ah crap. I think I strained my tone a bit too aggressive. "I mean… she's just doing what she think is best for the people. Even if she is the military leader of this country, I just can't go by if others think of her as that…"

The man paused for a moment, a bit perplexed of my sudden reaction. I guess I must've surprised him with that tone. But he quickly recovered bowing apologetically. "Ah, sorry about that. I supposed I shouldn't be calling names of such an important figure to a local. My bad. But I wasn't lying, you know? (…) With Japan as it is now, I doubt they can feed themselves. They have to rely on the U.N. to provide for their people and continue to strain more and more resources. Japan is in a bad shape, there's no denying that. With all the manpower it drained in the last few months, you'd think this country would've lost all of its fighting spirit. It makes you question why people try to live in such a world"

"Why do you think that?" I asked.

"Tell me something, Shirogane san. Why do you think people continue to live despite everything that's been done to them? What keeps them moving forward? What drives them?"

"Its hope… isn't it?"

He stifled a laugh to my answer. "Ahahaha! A somewhat common answer I supposed. But in reality… it's because people still dream. (Dream?) They dream of the world in their minds—or at the very least, we adults still do. The children of today hardly know of a world without BETA since they were born in this time and age. But for us adults, it is more than that"

"What do you mean?"

"It means that we adults have more to lose than what the children have today. (…?) It will be difficult for someone of your age to comprehend. But to put it in a more simple term: There are people here who would do anything to relive the past all over again"

Clang!

Hmm? Pops? He dropped his spatula.

"Ah… s… sorry about that. My hands slipped. Aha… ahahaha…"

"Be careful with yourself, old man. You're not as young as you used to be" Pops didn't respond to his words. He simply went back to his grill with the same cheery smile. "As I was saying. It is that dream of the old world. A world without BETA, is what everyone is fighting for. Hehehe… only the adults would know such a place. (Eh?) Ahaha… forgive me. It seems I'm getting caught in my own babbling nonsense again. I interviewed an old soldier a few days back and it seems like his words got caught up in my head. These veterans maybe old but their words of wisdom are truly something to be amazed. Perhaps that's just their way of passing on their knowledge to the next generation, neh?"

"Ah… y… yeah"

"But I wasn't lying about what I said earlier. Hopes and dreams can only take one so far. Unless some measure of meaning is taken behind them, I doubt they'll be able to get far with their fight. Such is the weakness of adults"

"Then what do you propose we do then?" I asked out loud which caught his attention. "If you think that people keep dreaming of this future, what do you suggest they should do?"

"The future?" He corrected. "Who said I was talking about the future? (Eh?) Ahehehe. Such innocence. I envy you, Shirogane san. But to answer your question… I would say they should just… roll over and die…" Huh? What does he mean by that? "Ara… it looks like my time is up. I was really hoping to enjoy a good pre-breakfast with the legendary Ace of the United Nations, but it seems like my duties tend to me elsewhere. This has been quite an insightful meeting, Shirogane san. I hope to hear more of you in the news to come"

"Huh? Ah… wait!" I tried to reach out to him but by the time I notice that he still had a couple of takoyaki left on his plate, he was gone. For a small guy he sure runs fast. He was weird too. He simply came to me and started spouting things before I even had the chance to reply to any of it.

Still… a dream huh… I guess I can understand that. People will always be dreaming of a world without BETA. When that happens… well… I'm sure things will start to go smoothly from there on.

"Yosh. Here ya go, kiddo" Pops said suddenly, placing two sets of takoyaki in front of me. "Two sets"

"Eh? But I didn't order any…"

"Don't sweat it. It's on the house this time as celebration for having one of my oldest customers back"

"I can't have that. At the very least let me pay for—(Glomp!) BWAH! Kasumi!" She immediately got to eating the other two orders before I had the chance to whip out my money.

"Bwahahaha! You gotta love these young'ns. They follow their hearts to the very end. The privilege of youth, I tell ya!"

**(Rogofsky's Office)**

It's almost time.

That was the thought running through Bodomir's head as he looked out the window gazing out the window in his office that morning. He was looking at the clock, checking the time constantly like he was counting the seconds pass by.

His chief of staff had already dropped the plan to retrieve their primary target. He agreed with it without a doubt.

It was a simple snatch and grab mission. Have his men disguised as guards, snatch the girl, make a loud noise and blame the whole thing on terrorists. It was such a simple operation and for once the man had to thank the RLF for making the whole situation so much simpler for him.

With the word of a terrorist attack in Fukuoka, even the U.N. council wouldn't be able to scrap that reasoning out the waste bin. And even if they could somehow prove that they were behind the whole scheme, Rogofsky would've probably be half-way to Alaska before then.

It was such a simple plan yet the man was not satisfied. If there was anything he learned during his time in the political party, is that it is always important to have ambition. A man of his caliber wouldn't want to be at the bottom forever. Heck… even before he came to this place, he was once a highly decorated officer that was both respected and feared by his peers. He loved the feeling—the feeling of being on top of people, the feeling of power at the palm of his hands.

But all of that changed since the 'incident' in Yukon. He remembered it well… and thanks to that, he was thrown off the tower, towards the near-bottom of the food chain.

He knew that his time working for Sandek would come to an end eventually. It would either be because he became a threat, or the fact that he was no longer of use to him. Being a subordinate to a person like Sandek would mean retiring one way or another. But Rogofsky had no intention of dying without a fight. He was going to get back on top, or at the very least die trying.

"Commander Rogofsky" A voice from the intercom called out which the man recognized as the professor from the research team. "Zhar Team is prepping for the morning exercise. Are you sure you don't want to observe the project yourself?"

"There's no need for such close observation when we've already got the initial readings" Bodomir replied. "Maintain the usual procedures and keep that 'girl' out of the fight. The last thing we need is another breakdown like last time"

"Understood sir. But shouldn't we at least test out the SU-47 Berkut? The Colonel insisted that we get the initial feel for the machine"

"The true strength of that machine cannot be gauged from a pathetic battle like this. Sandek should be satisfied with the results of the Mind-Linking project. (Understood sir) Also… once the exercise has been completed; return all the candidates to their adjustment tanks. (Huh?) We're going back to Alaska afterwards"

The scientist on the other end raised a question. "Go back? But we're barely through the first half of the exercise"

"I already made preparations for our transfer. Sandek wouldn't mind. Besides… this farce exercise is simply nothing more but a way for each side to release some tension between them. (Yes sir…) And give them a complete memory wipe of this mess"

"A complete memory wipe, sir? Wouldn't it be better to keep them as they are?"

"They don't need such stupid lessons muddling with their programming. All these dolls are required to do is follow orders, nothing more. Make it happen"

"Understood sir" Even thought you couldn't see the man's face. You can already tell that he was sighing on the other line of intercom. "I'll… make sure to load the adjustment tanks onto the plane and do the memory wipe on our way back"

But the moment they finished their conversation, one of Rogofsky's soldiers entered the office standing in salute in front of the commander's table. "You called for me, sir?"

"Ah, Captain. Very good. You're just in time. I wanted to talk with you in private. How are your preparations for the task at hand?"

"Sir. All is well and accounted for" The soldier responded in his strict military manner. One can already see the many battle-scars that the man had earned from various campaigns made by both humans and BETA alike. The only reason why anyone wouldn't see it would be because of the killer sideburns that connected to his half-shaved beard. "We've made replicas of MP uniforms and distribute them amongst the squads. My men will deploy as soon as the afternoon exercise begins. (Oh?) And I've handed out tranquilizers to each one of them. We can have the primary target sedated and stuffed away in roughly 20 seconds"

"I see. Very impressive. I can see why Sandek would send your team to such a delicate operation"

"Thank you sir. Though… there is still the matter of the operative that's keeping watch over her. How do propose to get rid of the bodyguard?"

"I already have that matter settled" The chubby Commander grunted directing the soldier's attention to the papers on his desk. "He'll be scheduled for a long dull interview with the presses later this afternoon. That should keep him occupied until evening. But that isn't why I brought you here, Captain" The man walked in a strict motion, weighing himself on the floor like he was doing an act. He directed himself towards his private stash of whisky bringing two shot glasses suggesting a bitter topic.

"It's not… sir?" The Captain inquired, only to be put on guard when he noted the commanding officer pouring gently onto both glasses.

Rogofsky brought the glasses up, offering one to the captain which he accepted—hesitantly. "You've worked for Colonel Sandek for a long time now, haven't you, Captain Romanov?"

"Yes sir" The Captain answered cautiously. "Ever since the insurrection in Alaska"

"How was he like? (Sir?) How was the man like back then? Was he any different then what he has become today?"

"I never got to meet with the Colonel personally until he became a staff officer. We were in different divisions. I worked with the Spetsnaz forces. The Colonel was a TSF Pilot. He seemed like a decent officer"

"And as a person? (Well…)" It was then, Rogofsky noted a slight change in the soldier's expression. "I see. So you've known him long enough to know how he operates. As a former KGB agent, I can safely say that he is quite talented, don't you agree?"

"Yes sir…"

The burly commander slowly took a quick sip from his glass before continuing. "Tell me something Captain. Do you know about the incident in Yukon Base?"

"Yukon? You mean the RLF attack that almost caused the Red Shift? (The same…) I only heard about it on the news. It was a staged terrorist attack that released a multitude of BETA that were being kept for research at the bottom of the base. It was only due to the interference of the United States that it was foiled"

"True… but there was also another thing there… (Another thing, sir?) Such a simplistic place this world has become. Back in my days, people sold weapons through the black market like they were made out of gold. But thanks to the BETA, weapons seem to be more abundant than anything we have these days. (Huh?) Nowadays you can get a gun by simply walking into a store with money in your pockets"

"Uh… sir?"

"Do you know what the highest rating goods right now, Captain? It's not food, not weapons, not minerals or uranium—but rather something not of this Earth. (…?) G-Element…"

"I know that. It's the newly discovered resource done by Doctor William Gray. Everyone knows about him, sir. We were taught about this during cadet training. G-Element is worth twice their weight in gold"

Rogofsky nodded again with a sinister smile creeping up his chin. "And were you aware of the fact that the Red Army had a G-Element research base stationed in Yukon as well? (…?) It was destroyed by the BETA in all the chaos thus ruining much of our development in the process. And thanks to that little fiasco, America has bypassed us in terms of development alone"

"Yes… this has all been detailed in the report, sir"

"The Party is obviously trying to regain its momentum again but they lack sufficient resources to return to such a state. (…) Do you know how much the Party will pay for just a small pint of such mineral?"

"I… don't understand" The Captain responded, a hint on his face noting what his CO was offering. "Why are you asking me things I can easily find out on my own?"

"It is because this very base we're stand on… has at least 4 tons worth of those precious elements. (…!) About a month ago, Kyoto came under threat of a BETA incursion. After their victory over Hive 21, the U.N. Armed Forces rearranged many of their defenses to adapt to their new positions. This ruined city is supposed to be their last ditch defense line should they fail. A stash of G-Element was kept here in case of a BETA breach destroying everything within a 20 mile radius. Think of what the Party will do, if we should be the ones to deliver them such large amounts?"

"I… I still don't understand, sir. I thought our mission was to bring the girl alone"

"If there's one thing I've learned when it comes to politics, Captain, is that you need to be ambitious. And just like yourself, I am easily discarded. (…) How long do you think we'll last on this battlefield? It won't take long before Sandek decides that we are no longer of any use to him… and knowing that man personally, we'd be lucky serving in the coal mines for the next 40 years"

The soldier flinched at his words. He was right. Soldiers like him, despite all of his service to both the CO and the Party itself would eventually have little use. Those who are too old or sickly would be immediately declared as a burden and cast off like an unwanted glove. And a man of Sandek's reputation wouldn't hesitate to discard those who are of no use to him.

"But sir… what you're asking here is stealing from the United Nations itself. You're risking an international incident"

"They won't find anything linking to us. With the amount of chaos we'll be causing today we'll we can simply blame it on the RLF saying they stole it. (…) Come now Captain. I thought a soldier like yourself would know that every decision we make runs with some measure of risk. Nothing ventured, nothing gained"

"But still… to turn on Colonel Sandek's back…"

Rogofsky simply scoffed at his fears. "Working for that madman would only result in our eventual deaths either way. And besides… when we deliver this pile to the Party… he won't be able to touch us, much less reach us. (…) Come now Captain. Do you want to be under that man's thumb for the rest of your life? Or… do you want to rule your life as your own?"

…

…

…

"…what do you want me to do?"

**(Takeru's POV) (Near the PX) (08:12 AM)**

Phew… that was a close one. After our little respite in the takoyaki stand, I was able to sneak back into the base without anyone noticing. The security at the front gate is a total joke. Even a kid would be able to get in if the guards weren't keeping watch. I should really report this to the security but then again… I was the one who took advantage of the guards so I'll probably leave it at that.

Right now, I should probably drop these takoyakis in my room or people would suspect where I got them.

Hmm?

Sniff sniff…

What's that? I can smell something familiar in the air. It smells good—and it's coming from over by the yard. That scent is really familiar. Like… french-fries or something crisping over the grill.

Unconsciously I trailed the smell walking over by the corner expecting someone having something to spare but that thought quickly came to a halt when I stumbled onto one of the last people I wanted to meet both in and out of the battlefield.

…

…

…

Munch…

Sitting alone there over by the bench in the snowy weather was a familiar silver haired soldier that I had the unfortunately opportunity of meeting. The scariest soldier of the century clad in jet black uniform, tanned skin and a mean look to boot. The Leader of the E.U. Ace TSF Battalion, Cerberus, Major Wilfen… or Winfield, or… Wil… something. Their names are hard to pronounce even in my head.

If there was such a thing as an award of scariest faces in this universe, he would probably win it without even trying. He can play in our school festival's haunted house as our main attraction just by standing there and people would run out screaming like they saw a ghost. Heck… I even thought that if this guy goes into a haunted house alone he'll be the one scaring the ghosts out of there.

"Hmm?"

Ah… crap… this is bad. We made eye contact. What do I do? What do I say? I'm not even sure if he can understand my language, much less communicate through thoughts. I froze up like a frog being sized up by a snake. He was scary, no one can deny that. He's actually scarier than Tsukuyomi when we first met and coming from me, that's saying a lot.

Maybe I should just walk away and pretend that I didn't see him. The morning match will be starting soon but thankfully we're exempted. I'll probably be able to snooze in for the rest of the day if Hayase can keep us from her Spartan training regime.

"Come on Kasumi chan. Let's… go?"

"Trade?" I wanted to plant my face on the table when I saw realized Kasumi was gone from my side and was now standing in front of the scary officer with her takoyaki in hand. "Trade?" She echoed. Is she offering that guy a trade for that potato in his hand? That must be what smelled so good earlier. Those fried potatoes.

"…?" The guy looked somewhat unfazed by Kasumi's approach. He scanned the contents of the takoyaki box as if he was looking at something foreign, and perhaps it was.

"It's good…" Kasumi insisted offering the box closer to him. I was tempted to scream out and shout 'Stop! He's a mass murderer!' but it fell short when the scary officer popped one of the balls in his mouth.

There was a slight change in his expression. For a moment I thought I saw a smile but I couldn't tell. He then brought one of the wrapped potatoes from his basket and handed it to her.

"K… Kasumi chan?"

"Double… or nothing…" What the hell? Where the heck did she learn that line?

"You're a hard bargainer…" I heard the scary officer mutter before hesitantly presenting Kasumi with a second potato from his batch. I felt like I was watching a literal anime form of beauty and the beast. Without wasting time, Kasumi accepted the two before placing her deal on the seat next to him.

"Negotiation… successful…"

…!

(Flash)_ "Negotiation, successful!"_

Sumika…

…

Heh… of course. What else would a girl like that learn from an idiot like her? Kasumi must've picked up a lot of things from her when I wasn't looking. Idiot. What in the world are doing giving her such stupid memories such as haggling? The only time we ever had such negotiations is when we were stuck doing a surprise math quiz.

"Takeru… (Hmm?) Want some?" Kasumi offered me the second potato which I unconsciously took. "It's good…"

I already know it's good. I had this with Sigel san a few days back. But coming from that guy… I…

"You are… Shirogane Takeru… are you not?" Bwah! When the hell did he get so close?

"Ah… y… yes sir!" I stuttered on my salute. "1st Lt. Shirogane Takeru of the U.N. Army, sir!"

He paused for a moment before he followed suit saluting at me in a dignified military manner. "Major Wilfried von Aichberger, Commander of the E.U. Military force 64th Tactical Surface Fighter Battalion, Cerberus. A pleasure to finally meet you again, 1st Lieutenant. I can't say that this is the first time we've met"

"N… no sir!"

"You don't need to be so formal. (Eh?) This exercise was meant to improve the relationship between the various countries around the world, is it not? A casual conversation would be sufficient. (Ah… y… yeah) Will you join me for a bit?"

"Of course sir!" Ah… crap. I answered without thinking again. I was supposed to avoid him but having eye-contact with such a scary person made me flinch on my reaction.

…

Before I knew it, we were sitting on opposite ends of an outdoor table with fried potatoes in our hands. It was weird and somewhat awkward from my point of view.

"Salt? (Eh?) It may taste a bit bland for someone like you" He produced a packet of salt from his coat offering it to me, which again—I accepted without thinking.

Glomp… glomp…

What is with this weird scenario? I'm sitting here with one of the aces of the E.U. and all Kasumi can do is just sit on her chair and eat that fried potato without any worries.

"What's the matter? Does it not suit you?"

"Ah! N… no sir. It's just that…" I gave a weak smile in reply. "… I just had a big breakfast myself and I'm not really feeling that hungry"

"Is that so? Well then you can simply save that for later. Potatoes are quite durable even in the harshest weather. They're excellent sources of vitamins and minerals. (Really?) Yes. That's why we grow them abundantly in Scotland but sadly… much of it has been put in decline lately. (Decline?) Only true food can be grown and harvested. The synthetic version of this doesn't possess the enrichment it deserves. (Hnn) But I see that even youths find old taste easy to enjoy" He gestured towards Kasumi offering her another one from his stack. "You look like you want to say something… 1st Lieutenant"

"Ah… sorry. It's just that, the morning matches will be starting soon and…"

"Participants are not required to observe the match" Geh! Damn it… of course he'd know about that. "Besides, I don't think this next fight will be much of interest to you. A fight between two corporate teams is nothing more but a boxing match to see which machine is better. Even amateurs wouldn't learn a thing from such a fight"

"I… I see…"

"Speaking of which, we saw your match against the Infinities yesterday. It was… well played. (Th… thank you sir!)" Crud. I raised my voice for a moment there. For some reason, getting praise out of an ace like him felt really enthusiastic. "Sigelinde also spoke highly of your strategy. Though they were… unorthodox, they were quite affective against your opponents"

"Sigel san?"

"Yes. She said that she saw nothing like it and my subordinates agree. You must've dedicated much of yourself to achieve such skill"

"Well… I wouldn't call it dedication. It's just that… I had a lot of good teachers"

"Hoo? I would very much like to meet them" He casually folded his arms together leaning his back on the bench. "Truly your skills are impressive. Even I would have difficulties should we ever fight. (Ahehehe)" What the hell am I doing? Why am I getting embarrassed from all his compliments? "As a person I would find that your talents are quite something… but as a soldier… I find them lacking. (Eh?) I noticed an anomaly during your fights. For some reason you always avoid hitting the cockpit and aiming for the vitals instead. Even when the situation seemed most dire, you never resort for a fatal blow. Even the fight against the Infinities was of no exception. You had ample opportunities to destroy your target yet you ignore them, only to break down their defenses in brute force"

"But… isn't that a good thing?"

"I never said it was a bad thing. (…?) But you must remember: There are those who will not surrender just because you gave them no option. Some would rather die than to live a life of shame. But I suppose… someone like you would already know that. (…) Is there a reason why would refuse to shed blood even at the cost of your own life?"

"Well… no. I don't have a particular reason. It's just that… I don't want to spill people's blood if it can be avoided. Besides… I came here to fight the BETA not other people"

"Such a strong sense of duty. It's no great wonder why Sigelinde is so infatuated with you. You came to fight BETA yet somehow, fate seems to force you to bear your weapons against your fellow man. It is indeed a cruel world we live in" His expression softened a bit as he turned his gaze upward to the skies. "But despite all our efforts, our past grudges continue to haunt us. (Huh?) We cannot escape our past no matter how much we try. Eventually it will catch up to you and you will be forced to face it either way. I commend you on your ideals, 1st Lt. Shirogane. Were it another time, I would've agreed with you… but in the world we live in, such ideals are unneeded"

"What do you mean?"

"There are so few of us left since the war with BETA began. Much sacrifice has been given to achieve where we are now and more will be needed when we are to drive the invaders out of our home. I understand your feelings of never harming another human but before this war is done… many of us will give up things we hold dear to return the world to what it once was"

"Major…"

"I can see in your eyes that you have given much, Shirogane dono. I will not ask what you have given but know that if you maintain your current state of ideals… it may in turn be your only weakness"

"My… weakness?"

"If you cannot meet the prerequisites of the battlefield then you may end up dead sooner or later"

…

…

…

"But… there is still time" He quickly finished up his meal, lowering his head back to me. "When the time comes for you to give a part of yourself for humanity's benefit, I am certain you will make the right decision, 1st Lieutenant. (…) Now… if you'll excuse me—I have to other business to take care of. I hope that the next time we meet will be in better circumstances"

He was gone. Just like that.

I didn't really get everything he said back there but I can tell that he was trying to relate to me in some way. That guy really is on a class of his own. The way he talks, the way he moves… they all feel like familiar. Though I wouldn't say that he and I were acquaintances, he doesn't seem that much scary as before.

In fact… he somewhat reminds me of Naoya in some way. He was dedicated and dutiful and was willing to do anything, give anything to achieve his goals. But… that was probably it. The method in which they achieve their goals don't sit well with me.

I understand that sacrifices are to be made… but… if I started giving up pieces of myself like I did before… what will be left?

**(PX)**

Asagi and Matsukaze were sitting in a reserved corner of the PX that morning with the rest of their squad. It was a normal morning with the PX buzzing with activities and soldiers getting their daily breakfast. It would've been a normal morning until they realized that a few of them had only a cup of rice on their trays.

"Oi, what are you guys doing?" Matsukaze asked to which all members quickly darted their heads away in shame. "Are you really gonna be fine eating with just that? I mean… there's plenty for everyone out there if you…"

"Ryouichi…" Asagi called out to him urging the 2nd in command to sit beside her. "Don't bother with those guys. They're not gonna answer no matter how many times you ask. (…?) But if you're looking for the cause… he's sitting right over there"

The man turned his head around and immediately drew a bead of sweat from his forehead. Sitting at the very end of the table was none other than Tatsunami Hibiki who seemed to be feasting like a king and laughing at how his lowly subjects were subjugated to such poverty. All he needed was a sloppily made crown and the picture would be worth a fortune.

"Wait… don't tell me…"

"Remember yesterday's bet?" Asagi reminded. "Apparently, Tatsunami made bets with everyone other than the bookmakers. Thanks to him, the rest of our squad will be fasting for the next two weeks"

"But… didn't they call the match a draw?"

"He bet on his idol NOT getting shot down and since some of them couldn't pay… they decided to go with their meal tickets instead. (Bwahahaha!) Hua… sometimes I wonder how I was able to get paired with an idiot like him"

"Tell me about it…"

"And I can't believe how you two can remain friends after all these years. You really need to start picking your friends better Matsukaze"

"And you really to pick out who to fall for. I'm not the one who fell head over heels for him just because of what happened in the Comprehensive Combat Skill Evaluation~"

Asagi's mouth burst out in respond as a mad blush appeared on face. "H… how could you possibly know that!? We weren't even in the same teams!"

"It's actually a very popular story amongst the cadets in Hokkaido" Matsukaze added with an evil grin on his face. "The tale of a damsel being trapped inside a tank under fire from an automatic machine-gun and the famous white knight riding in to save her. (Bwahhh!) Despite having his ankles twisted and bruises all over his body, he carried the fair-maiden through the bridge and back to safety. (AWAHH!) And from there, while the brave knight was sleeping, the damsel ushered closer to him, whispering softly in his ears…"

"DON'T SAY IT! I'll die of embarrassment! That was supposed to be a secret kept by all of us!"

**(Marimo's POV) (Barracks)**

Huaaa…

I let out a long exhausting yawn as I exited my room. After cracking my neck and doing my usual stretching routine, I was finally able to rid myself of yesterday's fatigue.

Yesterday was quite the embarrassment for me. To be the first one shot down without even having the chance to fight was humiliating. I thought I would be good enough to pilot a TSF but it seems like better pilots have been popping up all over the place. I guess I can be, what the new generation would normally called, an old school Eishi.

I never really had much operation time. Even back during my days in the Imperial Army I was only sent to one sortie which pretty much ended my career. I never even have time to familiarize myself with the new OS unit which was supposedly the masterpiece in Shirogane's life.

Hua… but I supposed I'm just trying to make excuses for myself. In the end, I was still shot down in the first five minutes of the match and no one can forget that. Maybe I should just resign myself to my fate and accept the fact that I belong in the desk rather than out there on the field.

"Oh? Good morning 1st Lt. Jinguuji" I turned my attention to the voice that called out my name. "Did you go back to sleep after breakfast?"

"Ah… good morning 1st Lt. Munakata, 1st Lt. Hayase. I didn't expect to see two you here. No. I just came to change my clothes. I haven't had a decent bath since yesterday's training exercise"

"I guess that's to be expected. With the way Hayase keeps pounding all three of you in the simulators, I'm surprised anyone can still remain standing or sane"

"Oi… what's that supposed to mean?" Hayase quirked at her partner.

"Nothing. I was just stating that your methods are slightly barbaric"

I stifled a laugh. For some reason, these two reminds me a lot about Ayamine and Sakaki. Though their fights are a little more personnel, my seniors take their tease to a friendlier pace. I wonder if those two could learn by their example.

"I wouldn't go that far. But I have to admit that 1st Lieutenant Hayase is quite harsh when it comes to training" I answered callously. "However, it is to be expected for the Special Task Force to receive such treatment. They are expected to be the best, after all"

"See that, Munakata? I'm not overdoing at all" Hayase puffed her chest up as if she was just showered with praise. "Even Jinguuji san here says so. We are the 'Best' after all"

"I never said you were" Munakata countered. "I'm surprised that no one has filed a complaint about how you run your team. If I was under you, I would tell you to… that you were running your subordinates ragged. (What? I never…)" Again I stifled a laugh. Watching these two bicker really does bring me back.

"Hmm… Munakata san does have a point" I said out loud which immediately shocked the Lieutenant still. "1st Lt. Hayase does have a habit of running every even to the point of exhaustion. Especially with members of the Storm Guard" I recalled some of the training regime back in Yokohama Base. Even when the Captain was done with the mock battles, Hayase would often give her platoon another 15 minutes of extra routine management. On normal circumstances, I would be against it, but I supposed that extra training that she gave them surely paid on in the last few campaigns that they've been on for the last few months.

"Ah… is that so?" I suddenly noted Munakata darted a grin at her comrade who backed off with a worried look.

"Wh… what are you looking at? (Who knows?) H… hey! I thought you promised to keep that thing quiet!"

The brunette let out a small chuckle in reply as if she was resisting urge to tease the girl back. "Don't worry. I'll keep your love life a secret. (Pfft!)" Huh? A love life? What does she mean by that?

"You already broke it you idiot!"

"Ah, did I?" Misae feigned innocence. "Ah… I guess I did. Sorry. But discretion isn't exactly one of my strong points"

"Ugh… I knew I shouldn't have shouted that thing out loud. You're the worst person to have heard that"

"Ora? I take offense in that, Hayase. If we're talking about the order of worst possible person to hear such words from you, I think your subordinates would easily rate as the worst, no? (Guuuu!) But you shouldn't worry. I'm not dastardly enough to blackmail someone into submission. I'm much better than that"

"Guuuu!" Hayase seemed irritated, but I can't seem to tell what they're talking about.

"Ah but there is one thing you can do for me. Maybe if you got me two orders from Pops, I might let this slide. Oh?" Hayase quickly dodged a grab attack from Hayase just as she was finishing her taunt. "My my. How barbaric"

"Stay still! I'm gonna beat the living crap out of you as a precaution!" Hayase threatened. "If I'm lucky, I might just induce amnesia in that rotting brain of yours!"

"Such a crude woman. You won't earn any points with the heart if you continue with how you are now. (Shut up!) Ara, good morning Shirogane"

"Bwahh!" Hayase suddenly ducked and cover like her mind had just derailed from its previous thought. She turned around expecting to see the boy there.

"Hey you three" But instead, it was 2nd Lt. Kashiwagi Haruko who was standing behind them. "What are you three doing up here together?"

"Wh… what the hell!?" Hayase yelled out in embarrassment. "Mu-na-ka-ta!"

"Ah my bad. I seemed to mistake her for Shirogane. They looked so similar. Even Jinguuji san would have difficulties differentiating the two them, right, Jinguuji san?"

Huh? Wait… was she passing this to me?

"No shifting blames!" Hayase interrupted before I could even mouth a reply. "How in the world can you mistake those two!? They don't even have the slightest similarities, you idiot!"

"Well sorry for not being Takeru" Kashiwagi replied with an annoyed tone. "But you guys could be a little nicer to my presence. Did he do something again?"

I shook my head in reply. "It's a long story" For some reason we've gone from training to talking about Shirogane.

"Hoo? I guess he isn't here either?"

"Hmm? Are you looking for 1st Lt. Shirogane, Kashiwagi san?" I asked.

"Ah… well… not really" Hmm? Is she… blushing? "Mitsurugi san was looking for him this morning. I… kinda butted in their conversation yesterday so I thought I'd make it up to her. (Mitsurugi?) Yeah. But I guess he's not here. Tch. He's never around when you need him. Even Suzumiya san was looking for him too"

"Suzumiya?" I inquired. "You mean 1st Lt. Suzumiya?"

"Yeah. It seems like she has something important to tell him. Huaa… it must be tough being popular with the girls"

In some way… I actually agreed with that last statement.

**(Takeru's POV) (TSF Hanger) (11:35 AM)**

After my conversation with Wilfred, I somehow ended up back in the TSF hanger. My mind was adrift which made my body wander from place to place and eventually found myself here in our TSF hanger.

I was looking at the replays of several matches on the big screen near the longue. Soldiers on both sides were tackling each other like they did in every war. None showed any hesitation in cutting their opponents down to size. No quarters were shown. It's a simulation battle so no real injuries are expected but still…

Still… I shouldn't let what the Major said bother me. I might not be a killing machine like most soldiers but at least I have my own achievements to boot. Besides… it's not like I've…

"Ah… Shirogane san, there you are" Hmm? Oh… it's 1st Lt. Suzumiya. "We've been looking everywhere for you. (Me?) Yes. I'm glad I bumped into you here. You never showed up for breakfast this morning. I was worried that you might still be asleep in the barracks"

"Oh, sorry about that. I was just… thinking of something. I thought I might take a walk. (I see…) So why are you looking for me? Did you need something?"

"Huh? Oh… nothing of the sort. It's just that the Captain came by earlier and ordered all members of the Valkyrie Squad to report to the briefing room later at 1300 hours"

"Eh? But I thought that participants are exempted from watching other matches"

She shook her head briefly in response. "No. I believe this is another matter entirely. (…?) I believe that the A-01 Special Task Force will be doing sortie very soon. (Sortie?) Yes. As of today, our participation in the Training Exercise has ended. It may be a mission"

"Are we being deployed somewhere?"

"The Captain didn't say. She said that she will explain everything in our briefing" That sounds pretty shady. Even Suzumiya doesn't know where we're going and she's supposed to be the information officer. Does it have to do with that time when the General called her in? I didn't really thought about it till now. "However, Shirogane san. Your new assignment seems to be conflictive with this briefing"

"My new assignment?"

"It's an unusual case but you've been requested by high command to be interviewed by the news channel later this afternoon. (News?) Yes. They requested for you personally"

"Wait. Are you talking like, TV news or… (TV news?) Never mind" I keep forgetting that lingos from my world are nonexistent here. "But you're saying that I have to be questioned by a bunch of TV stars? Don't we have spokespersons for that?"

"On the occasion, the A-01 Special Task Force would be exempted from such things due to the sensitive information they possess, however technically we're still part of the 11th U.N. Pacific Army. With that occasion, it still states that we are soldiers of the U.N. Armed Force. You have to undergo their interview later at 1200"

"At 12? That's… 25 minutes from now. Barely half an hour for me to prepare. (Correct) But… why me?"

"I'm afraid… I don't know" She bowed apologetically which I quickly waved off. "In any case, the Captain agreed to it. You will be given a separate briefing after your interview is done"

"Isn't this a bit sudden? I mean… they should've given me a heads-up first, don't you think?"

"Like I said, it is an unusual case" She echoed. "The interview shouldn't be difficult. All you need to do is simply answer a few questions to the best of your abilities. (Ugh…) Please don't be sad, 1st Lieutenant. I'm sure you'll do fine. Besides, there will be inspectors there to watch over your interview so you need not worry about saying something out of place"

"That… doesn't exactly make me feel better" I groaned. This was unusual. Without Yuuko around I feel like a lost puppy that was doing what everybody told them. I really feel like I was just being told to go here and do that, no questions asked, period.

But I supposed I can't complain with that. At least with a mission I won't have to endure another one of Hayase's Spartan training regime.

"Ahuhuhu… Hayase is simply doing that because she expects a lot out of all of you, 1st Lt. Shirogane" Gack! Dang it. Was I speaking my thoughts out loud again? "You have an honest feel, Shirogane san. Please don't think of it as a weakness"

"Ah… y… yeah. Please don't tell Hayase I said that"

"These lips are sealed. You have my word" She happily passed me a smile before turning her attention to her watch. "Oh my… is that the time already? I apologize, Shirogane san but I have to deliver something to headquarters. I'll see you soon"

"Yeah… sure. Thanks Suzumiya" What a sweet girl. I can't believe someone as kindhearted as Haruka can be closely related to that beast of a girl, Akane. They're complete opposites with almost no similarities whatsoever with the exception of their hair color. But I supposed anything is possible in this world. Heck… I don't think I've even met Haruka back in the other world either so who am I to blame?

Anyway, I have my orders. Though it's unusual, I should follow them. Otherwise the Captain will be having my hide for breakfast and I can do with less trouble as it is.

"Alright Kasumi. Let's go and get lunch be…fore…?" Huh? Wait. Where'd she go? She was here just a second ago! "Kasumi!?"

"Are you looking for the little girl?" The Head mechanic of the hanger inquired which I quickly answered with a nod. "She left about ten minutes ago while you were talking with that lady. (WHA!) She left through the backdoor. She couldn't have gone far if you—"

I bolted off before he could finish his sentence.

…

…

…

Rushing out the door, I franticly searched the ground for the said girl screaming her name out loud. "Kasumi! Where are you!?"

"…?" There she is! She couldn't get far because of the snow. It's not so deep around here but she can't walk properly either. "Ha!"

"Wait! Why are you running away!?" She immediately rushed off the moment she caught sight of me. "Wait! Kasumi chan! Come back! Darn it. You're not making this bodyguard job any easier for me, are you!? Get back… (Thwup!) Gwoh!" What the hell!? I tripped on something. Who the hell leaves empty fuel barrels right in the middle of the road!? Somebody's got to clean this up!

Ah! Crud! No time for that! "Kasumi chan! WAIT!" I quickly ran after her towards the hanger next door. How did she even get in? EH? What the heck? The handle on this door is frozen stiff. The ice has seeped in so much that the lock won't even click into place. What a weird breach of security.

…

…

…

Darn it. Where could she be this time? She waltzed right into a restricted area. This hanger supposedly belongs to the Soviet team. The… Zhar team or something like that. They just finished their morning match about an hour ago. I didn't watch it but knowing every match they went through they pretty much return unscathed.

There are still people working diligently around the hanger working on the TSFs. I supposed they're no different from our team who work around the clock to keep our machines intact.

…

Whirr…

Hoo? So those are the Soviet TSFs. They really are different from the Shiranui and I'm not just talking about their color schemes. They had a totally different feel like comparing a set of Samurai Armor to a westernized Knight full metal plate.

The Su-27, I think that's what Marimo chan called them. They're a 2nd Generation Multi-purpose-Fighter, with the ability to perform in almost any kind of roles given on the battlefield. In terms of specs alone it can match the F-15 Eagles with some arguments. I've seen plenty of TSFs in action before but I never recalled seeing anything like this before. At least… not that I can remember.

Looking through the files that we were given, they said that this was one of the first mass-produced TSF in the world. So simply looking at that, I can guess that pilots still use them because of their reliability. Heck even the old outdated 1st Generation Gekishins are still being used today by veteran pilots.

_"Alright! Load that unit in!" _Oh crud!

I ducked off immediately when I heard someone shout out. For a moment I thought they were yelling at me but instead they were calling that machine.

Being loaded into a cargo plane, painted in jet black colors with red tints on the limbs and body was a TSF I've only seen twice.

The Su-47 Berkut, one of the most advanced TSF recently developed last year by the Soviet Army. On record, it was dubbed as an Anti-Hive Infiltration Fighter but looking at it from this angle I think it was built more than just that. The thing looked intimidating enough to rival a Takemikazuchi in looks alone and its armaments are nothing to joke about either. The only thing that kept it from being the best is the fact that it can't be mass-produced like many other TSFs.

But of course… everything I heard about it is simply coming from reports and other people's wild guesses. In truth… I've never seen this machine in action once, even during the Training Exercise. The machine just stood there, watching like a boss character in a game while its minions dealt with the heroes that came to slay it.

They seem to be loading the black one onto the plane. Are they moving it somewhere?

"Hnn…"

Hn? Ah! Kasumi! There she is! What the heck is she doing standing around in that area? She's looking down on the machines below. If I stay quiet enough, I can sneak up behind her and…

"You there, halt!" Uwa… crud… I've been found. "Put your hands up and turn around, slowly" I did what I was ordered to and turned my head very slowly. From there I noted a gun barrel directed to my face. "What are you doing here? This hanger is restricted to members of Zhar Battalion alone. State your name and… huh? You…?"

Eh? It's her again… (Flash) The girl I met with Tama's new cat… the other day. Nata… or something and she's in her Exosuit too.

"You are… Shirogane Takeru…?" I supposed I shouldn't be surprised with people knowing my name anymore. "What is your purpose here? Answer immediately. This area is supposed to be off limits to staff-personnel only"

"Ah… there's really a good explanation for that" The said reason then suddenly came behind me poking its head out from the back of my waist.

"A child?" She lowered her sidearm in response to the problem. "What is a child doing out here in… Hmm!?" Her face suddenly formed a frown as she glared intently at Kasumi.

Tug!

Huh? What the? What was that? I suddenly felt my head throbbing.

"I see… so that's why…"

"Uh… look, I can explain, really" I quickly recovered from my headache and pleaded with my hands still raised. "This isn't what it looks like"

"I understand. (Huh?) You're supposedly this child's bodyguard. She wandered into this base and you came in looking for her, am I right?"

"Huh? How did you know that?"

She raised a puzzled look at me. "Kasumi told me" Huh? When was that? I didn't even hear a word. "In any regard, your reasoning seems valid. I'll let this infraction slide this once but I will have to escort you out myself. Please hurry and follow me before the others see you"

…?

I didn't know what happened but I gladly followed the girl out of the hanger with Kasumi sticking behind me. About a minute later we were out of that place and back into the snowy field.

"I see…" The girl stated as we exited the hanger. "The lock on this door has been frozen solid making it impossible to close properly. I will have to inform security of this problem later" After a brief analysis of the door she quickly brought her attention back to us. "As for you two, this is as far as I can take you. I can assume that this won't happen again?"

"Y… yeah. Thanks for understanding Ms… umm"

"Nastassja…" She answered. "Major Natassja Ivanova, Commander of Zhar Battalion. (Oh…) We met with 2nd Lt. Tamase a while back, did we not? I supposed this is the first formal introduction though I would've preferred we met somewhere less inconspicuous. If people saw us in such a place they might think we're plotting behind their backs"

"Y… yeah"

"Hmm? What's the matter? You don't have to be so cautious around me. I already told you that I acquitted you of all suspicions"

"No, it's not that. It's just that…" I can't exactly tell her that I got beaten to a pulp by someone who looks exactly like her. She doesn't seem to know about it so I probably got the wrong person. "I'm just a little nervous meeting other people. I've been meeting with a lot of foreigners these last few hours so I'm a bit overwhelmed"

"Is that so?" She accepted my reasoning. "I guess that shouldn't be a surprise seeing as how popular you are since your battle with the Infinities. You've earned that attention" Ugh… she doesn't have to remind me twice. "Now be on your way. Do not let me catch you coming here again"

"Ah y… yes ma'am. Thanks again for your help. Ora, Kasumi. Say thank you to the lady"

…

…

Kasumi chan?

"See you…" Kasumi said finally after a brief pause. She waved bye-bye but kept that same 'see you next time' look on her face.

"Hmph…" The officer gave a grunting noise before parting ways. She looked pretty scary. Almost reminding me of the commander of Cerberus. Do all foreign officers have the same aura as those two or just the ones I know? Either way, I'm glad I was able to avoid making more trouble in that situation.

"Huaaa… that was close" I sighed with relief after realizing that the danger has passed. It's barely half the day and already I feel like I want to lie down and snooze the rest of the day off. But it looks like our rest period has come to an end. Not that it was much of a rest in the first place. Too many things have been going on since we came to this base I can't keep track of them all. And not to mention I still have to solve that problem with Meiya. Huaa… there really is no rest for us Eishis, is there?

"Ah crud… now I'm starting to sound like Kashiwagi. I'm starting to think like an old man. Ugh… being around veterans and fighter pilots after awhile you start to forget the finer things in life. I really need a new perspective in things or at the very least… get my old perspective back. Haa… I really miss the old days"

"If you miss the old days so much then why don't you simply need to take a time machine and relive the past?"

"Huh? Ah… oh it's only Kashiwagi" It's her. Speak the devil's name and he or she will appear.

"Ora, what's with that weak reaction?" She pouted childishly at me. "And what do you mean it's just me? What am I? A side character in a realistic-survival-horror-action/comedy/romance series?"

"I'd probably put you in the role of extras" And what the hell was with that earlier comment? "… or better yet, you can be a random character that dies abruptly off-screen with a fading sound"

"Bwa! That's horrible! At least give me one cool line before I fade into nothingness!"

"Nope. Your fate is sealed. Goodbye random character number 4…"

"I'm not even ranked 1 in the random character!?" Haruko feigned a heart attack falling softly on the snow beneath her. "Such cruelty… sob sob…"

"So? What are you doing here, Haruko? I thought you went to watch the other match"

She quickly recovered from her overreacting drama and returned to her natural posture. "I should be the one asking you that question. Everyone was looking for you during breakfast"

"Yeah, I know. Suzumiya already told me of my new assignment. (Assignment?) I got an interview with someone in the briefing room. Apparently it was a rushed thing"

"An interview!?" She exclaimed. "No way! Does that mean you'll be on TV? Uwaa~ that's amazing, Takeru! (Really?) Of course! It's like a selling point in your career. Ah… I guess this is where I'm supposed to say 'As expected of the Legen—"

"Don't even say it!" I raised my hand up, silencing her almost immediately. "I hate that nickname! And I've already been through my trial by fire! I shouldn't be a called a rookie anymore"

She laughed at my attempt to gain some self worth. "I guess people got used to it. It does have a nice ring when you say it out loud. Like something you'd say out of a movie… like… 'I am Shirogane Takeru, Legendary Rookie of the Valkyries.' or maybe… 'My name is Shirogane Takeru… Densetsu no ruki of the Northern Kingdom! If you value your lives and be gone from my sight! ' or something like that, neh?"

Did she just strike a pose? She did. That was definitely a pose

"Are you out of your mind? In what universe would I actually do that?"

"Che… you're no fun. I guess you just want to play with Yashiro san all day long"

"I wish I was playing. She's been nothing but trouble since the day started. (Oh?) I don't know what's gotten into her. She's been getting me into almost all kinds of trouble since this morning and she's been active like an energetic rabbit that's jumping without a care in the world"

"Hoo? Hmm" Why are you looking at her like that? "Maybe it's that time of month again?"

"She's not menstruating" I answered instantly to her somewhat joking suggestion. "Besides… I don't think she's old enough to have them—and even if she did, she probably wouldn't be jumping around like an animal. (Hmm…) Women wouldn't be doing something like that during their period"

"Hooo? That sounds like a last comment had a suggestive tone. So what do you think women do when they're menstruating, Shi-ro-ga-ne~~? (W… well…) A person who doesn't have woman parts shouldn't have such extensive knowledge on women, much less comment on what they feel during their periods. Unless of course…" She turned a sly grin at me. "… you have extensive experience with women. Are you saying that you really are an Alpha Male after all?"

"Please don't call me that" I groaned.

"Hai hai. Ah… hey, quick question. Between all the members of the squad, who would you want to sleep with first?"

"WHAT KIND OF A QUESTION IS THAT!?"

"I need to see where who stands. A lot of us have been wondering what would turn you on" Turn me… on? What the hell? Do people really wonder about other people's fetishes? "I think some of us are afraid that you might even be abstinent"

"And why is that a bad thing?"

"All the men I've met so far have been sexually active. (Huh?) Even those guys from the Infinities looked like they've done it with plenty of girls before coming here" Oi… what's with her? I know that Kashiwagi can be observant but isn't that a little too much information to get out of them just by looking at people? "And that woman with the pink hair… just looking at her figure alone can make a man weak on his knees. It makes me jealous just picturing her in my head. Hua… sometimes I wonder if the gods are being fair. (Fair?) Women like me have to work hard to get a man but I bet all she needs to do is show her cleavage and guys will be lining up with flowers and chocolate in hand"

"Flowers and chocolate? How old are you? This isn't high school. I don't think people do that anymore"

She gave me a pouting face in reply. "Well excuse me for being a classic girl. I guess I watched too many old style movies and books that I grew accustomed to such simple romantic lines. So what about you, Takeru? (Huh?) What would you say or do to get a girl?"

"Why would I want to answer that?"

"Seeing as you said that people don't do stuff like that anymore, I thought you might enlighten me with how you would do things to a girl that you like" Ugh… well she does have a point there. Usually I would boast about my methods in getting women but… now that I think about it—most of my relationships were pretty much one-sided to begin with and they were mostly on the girl's side.

Back in my other loops both this world and the other… I had plenty of experience with women but they're not the same thing.

I never did much to get their attention—I wasn't really into relationships to begin with. Maybe it's because I was surrounded with women all the time that my interest in them dropped significantly.

"Well?"

"Argh… w… well… umm… flowers and… chocolate?"

"Heeeh~~Flowers and chocolates huh? What is this, high school? I don't think people do that anymore, Takeru kun" Ugh… struck by my own words. I'm getting worse in a game of words.

"Alright alright, I give. So I'm not good with relationships" I raised my hands up in defeat and protecting myself from further shame. "It's just that I don't really think about that stuff anymore"

"Hoo? So you used to think about that stuff constantly, huuu?" What the hell is she trying to pull? She's starting to sound like someone I used to know. "But who would you pick out of all the girls? Hmm let's see" She curved up a grin before inspecting my face. "What kind of girl would a man of your caliber would be interested in? Being a top soldier, you have to set your standards pretty high"

"Oi, you seem to be keen on labeling me as a womanizer"

"Well it is kind of weird for a young and healthy man like yourself to not have a girlfriend already"

"I didn't know that having a girlfriend was mandatory" I countered folding my arms together.

"Ah! Is it because you're already in a secret relationship with Jinguuji san? (No) Lt. Piatif? (Never talked to her) Professor Kouzuki? (I'll die) Hmmm… a man with no relationship. Ah… don't tell me… THAT YOU'RE INTO MEN TOO!?"

"Give me a break!"

"Really? For a moment there, I thought that being surrounded by women all the time you would've developed immunity to them" Ha… this is going nowhere. We're just spouting one random conversation after another. I should probably take this time to leave. "Ah! Crap I totally forgot!"

"Forgot what?" I noted her suddenly change of expression and quickly inquired.

"I was supposed to tell you that Mitsurugi san was looking for you! (Meiya?) Yeah. She said that she wanted to talk to you about something" Talk about something? Maybe it was about yesterday's conversation that Kashiwagi interrupted. "She said that it's urgent and wants to speak with you as soon as possible. Sorry. I guess I should've said that first"

"Yes you should. I wish I had time… but Kasumi has been keeping me busy all morning with her outright behavior. I'm already tired just chasing her around. Eh?"

Kasumi? Wait a second. She was standing right next to me a few seconds ago!

"Ah! Over there!" Haruko pointed out. And right there, sneaking behind an old truck was Kasumi, who immediately bolted off the moment she realized that she's been caught.

"Kasumi! Wait! Come back here!"

**(Radhabinod's office)**

Paul Radhabinod gave out another gruff noise as his attention was currently dug in on the report in front of him. He never liked the feeling of being bound to rules but as a soldier, it was natural for him to be that way. He always thought that he had control over his own operations but yet somehow, the bigwigs up top kept finding ways to keep him on their leash. Thanks to the wisdom of the council and the loss of much of his army's assets, he was bound to follow codes of conduct regardless of what happens.

"General? Sir?"

The man's attention was brought up to one of his staff officers who stood in front of his desk. Eight of his closest commanders and entourage were in the office that morning discussing the latest developments of the hostage situation in Fukuoka and what they were preparing to do.

"Ah, right… sorry" The General apologized. "What were you saying again?"

"The… mission report from the Korean Peninsula you asked for, sir" The officer reminded pointing at the documents on the large table. "As expected. The scout units didn't encounter any resistance upon landing. BETA activity around the Cheorwon Hive is just right above average. Satellite updates from the Orbital Fleet also confirms this. As far as we can tell, the BETA defensive line only stretches about 15 kilometers around the Hive. As it is still a Phase 4 Hive, we can assume that the gates to the Drift of the Hive are located somewhere in between the thicket of them"

"Have there been any signs of hostility?" The General asked.

"None sir. As far as the scouts can report… the BETA appears to be dormant at best"

"They may still be reeling after we beat them back in Kyoto" Another officer concluded earning a round of agreements from his side. "Not only did they suffer a loss of a Hive but they also got themselves wounded from constant battles. They might be trying to tighten their defenses thinking that we might strike again"

"What about news from the Western Front?" A third member asked. "How's England doing?"

"The same…" The officer that was reporting answered. "The BETA have not moved an inch since Kyoto. The same can be said of Kamchatka. It's the longest time the BETA have been idle but the Soviet forces continue to maintain their grounds. We have no control over the reconnaissance team since they're under the 6th Pacific Army's direct command but we still have several networks still available from the HSST Fleet. Should we continue monitoring, sir? (…)"

"Hmm…" The officers in the room glanced in the General's direction only to see the man's blank stare in return.

"General? Sir?"

"Hm? What is it?" Radhabinod dosed out of his trance.

"Sir. Perhaps you should take a break" The second officer suggested. "You haven't slept for two days. It would do you some good to rest even for a little bit"

"We'll have plenty of sleep after we're dead" The old war hero answered. "What's the status of the Valkyries?"

The officers looked at one another wishing that the General would take it easy even for a moment but they knew better than that. After being with him for so long, they tend to know everything there is to know about him.

"Cpt. Isumi will be briefing the team of the mission later this afternoon. Other than everyone in this room, only she and Lt. Elena Piatif knows about the situation in Fukuoka. We kept the situation hidden as you ordered but it wouldn't be long before the media figures out that something is amiss"

The fourth member then stood up to continue. "We've also displaced four F-22s and two Gekishins from the security detail to replenish their losses. The remaining two will have to make do with Fubuki Training Units. The best we can do now is: update their OS to XM3 and putting their units to the best shape we possibly can. We've also come up with an excuse to both the U.N. Council and the media stating that the Valkyries are conducting a forward reconnaissance operation later on. That should at least buy us some time before there are any leaks"

"We've also set up a route leading from Okayama to Yamaguchi. The western part of Honshu is still being affected by the Delinger caused by the G-Bombs that imploded on Shikoku Island so transmissions can be sketchy"

"What of the engineering corp?" The General inquired. "Haven't thy finished setting up the countermeasures?"

"They're a bit behind schedule" The officer answered. "The lack of proper communications, terrain and not to mention the harsh weather condition is hampering with the construction of our new satellite dish. We also received report that six mechanics have been injured due to unnatural landslides by the road. The CO isn't risking sending more until the area has become stable"

The General sighed with some measure of relief and irritation mixed together. Gently he returned to his seat and rubbed the bone between his eyes to ease the headache he was having. "I supposed that's the best we can do in such short notice. (…) How's the situation in Fukuoka base? Have they made any progress?"

"None sir" The woman answered. "There have been no demands from the terrorist group and no word from the base's CO either. They're simply hold up in the main complex. As far as we know the situation is still in a standstill"

"Then we've waited long enough" The General announced. "After the briefing with the Valkyries, we'll immediately secure a clear exit so that they won't encounter any obstacles along the way. The path from here to Fukuoka will undoubtedly be disturbed by the Delinger Effect from Shikoku Island. I want flight plans and the runway cleared for use as soon as possible. Understand? (Understood sir) I know that it is highly unusual for officers of our stature to be making such work ourselves"

But one of the younger officers simply waved the CO's worries off. "Don't get too worked up about it General. Everyone here knew what to expect when we first came under your command"

Another one agreed. "That's right. Besides—officers like us shouldn't be afraid to do a little grunt work every once in awhile" A small lightening laugh followed in the room, releasing some tension around the men.

The General gave his old comrades a genuine smirk as well thinking of how long he had been leading these men onto the battlefield. "Heh… I supposed so"

But their little moment was interrupted by a voice on the intercom that rung on the General's table. "General Radhabinod, sir…" The old war veteran recognized it as Yuuko's secretary.

"What is it, Lt. Piatif?"

"Sorry to disturb you sir, but your 10 o'clock appointment is here to see you"

Radhabinod quickly glanced at his documents before recognizing his appointment. "Ah… the delegates from the E.U? Sorry but we're quite busy at the moment. Can you please tell them that I'll have to reschedule our meeting to a later date? (…) Hmm? Lt. Piatif? Are you there?"

But his little question would be answered when half a dozen armed MPs entered the room unannounced.

"Sergeant?" One of Radhabinod's advisors raised his brow to their presence. "What are you doing he—(Click…) Wh—what are you doing!?" The entourage was alarmed when the guards pointed their weapons at them.

Even Radhabinod stood from his seat, outraged by this act. He was about to ask the men what was the meaning of this when the answer came to him on its own.

"Now that's quite rude, General Radhabinod" Bodomir Rogofsky entered the room, followed by two other guards who were holding onto Elena Piatif with a gun directed at her head. "Turning away honored guests even though they came from so far. Your Indian hospitality is clearly deteriorating with each day in the military"

"Rogofsky! You…! (Click)" Radhabinod snapped out preparing to dish out his sidearm under his desk, heedless of the situation, only to pause as the turncoat guardsmen cocked their rifles. "Damn! I should've expected this from a snake like you"

"Please Radhabinod, name calling? Is that REALLY a way for an officer of your stature to behave?"

The General gritted his teeth, his hand tempted to reach out for his gun and just blaze through. But he decided to restrain his inner demon and raised his hands up in surrender along with his troupe. "What do you want?"

"Straight to the point as always. And here I thought you'd try to stall and buy time"

"I don't have time to waste for the likes of you!"

"AHAHAHA!" Rogofsky burst out laughing. "Still the cruel lion as always, aren't you? But if you're looking to trade names, why don't you and I go and take a walk together. I'm sure you wouldn't mind sparing some time for an old friend"

"And what makes you think I would cooperate with you?" The General had his answer in the form of a gunfire directed at one of his men's legs.

"Arghh!" The others quickly gathered around the injured officer trying their best to ease his pain

"Anymore questions, Radhabinod? (You bastard!) Ah ah ahh…" The shooter clocked his pistol pointing it at another hostage. "That's the problem with geezers like you, General. You keep forgetting that you are not the only person here with a life to lose" The General was mentally forcing all the urge to draw out his sidearm and place two good rounds on the man's skull just to wipe that smirk off his ace. But he digressed and hesitantly admitted his hands up.

"I'll… go with you…"

"Very good" Rogofsky replied happily before turning to his guards. "You two, stay with the prisoners. Throw that girl in with the lot. The rest of you, with me. We're going for a walk…"

"Yes sir!"

**(Takeru's POV) (Track field)**

"Kasumi!" I yelled out to the top of my lunges as I chased the little girl through the track field. "Kasumi! Wait! Where are you going? You're gonna get me trouble again!"

"Hnn…"

Damn it! This is ridiculous! I should've been able to reach her by now but the snow is so deep that my fee literally just sinks into the floor below. Kashiwagi and I can't catch her like this. I don't know what that girl is thinking running off like that. I know that I haven't had the time to play with her but this is just ridiculous. She used to be so domesticated but today she's been especially troublesome. Ever since this morning she's been wandering off endlessly like she was on a mission. I don't really know if getting takoyaki early in the morning could be counted as a mission but it sure hell felt like she was determined to get it. I've been bumping onto people non-stop too thanks to her. If Yuuko hadn't assigned me to be her bodyguard I probably would've just left her alone and let her do her own thing. But… knowing that she would be going through places like this, I'd probably be even more worried if I wasn't…

"Kasumi! Please stop! This isn't the time to be playing games. I'm really busy right now and I can't afford to be late for this interview! (Hn…) Kasumi!" I turned to the large clock by the entrance and noted the time. Crap! It's already 12:06! I'm already late for my interview! "KASUMI! Stop!"

Wiggle wiggle…

That little… she's definitely taunting me. As she traveled deeper into the field, her whole body began to sink as well. Right now, only her head seemed to be present where she was and even though she didn't show it, I can tell that she was smirking inside. That little devil in disguise. Is she doing this out of spite or is she really just bored that she doesn't mind annoying me? Either way, I have to get her back to the base otherwise the Captain will definitely nag me till the end of my days!

Wiggle wiggle…

Damn you little rabbit! Stop moving for just one second and I'll… (Whup!) Dang it! I missed her! For a girl who's unfit, she's surprisingly nimble. If I could just have an edge closer to her I can grab her by the ear and bring this little embarrassment to a close.

Wiggle…

"Dang it! S… stop moving for second!"

"I don't think she'll stop just because you tell her, Takeru" Kashiwagi pointed out the obvious. "Was she always this fast before?"

"No… for some reason she's got all this pumped up energy. She's never been this energetic in Yokohama Base. Huaa… maybe it's the fact this is her first time out"

"Or maybe she's just going through a phase"

"Will you stop it with the nonsense and help me catch her!?" I barked out in panic. "I'm already late for my interview as it is!"

"Hai hai… no need to cry over spilled milk. (I'm not crying!) Yashiro san. Chi chi chi chi…" Why the hell are you doing that? She's not a dog. "Ora, Takeru. You need to learn how to treat a little girl with a bit more respect. A fragile lady like Yashiro can be really hard to handle, especially when a man is the one watching over her. In these certain times, you need to be patient with children and let them learn to trust you"

I don't think she understands our relationship. Kasumi is the type of girl who wouldn't let anyone get near her unless she absolutely has to. In terms of trust… I think I come to a close third with Sumika and Yuuko being first and second.

"Come on now. Be good and come over here or Takeru will get in trouble. You wouldn't want to cause trouble for Takeru san now, would you? (…) Now be a good girl and come over and I'll give you a candy as a reward" Bribing? Really? "Come on, Yashiro. That's a good girl. Come on—(Thwack!)"

…

…

…

A snowball landed straight on her face just as she trying to inch closer to the girl. I darted my eyes to Kasumi immediately noticing a cocky smirk on her lips.

"Hnn hnn…" That face, that grin. That's the look of a cocky person taunting us in the oldest manner.

"Ya-shi-ro-san…" Kashiwagi looks as if she was resisting the urge to shout out something. "You shouldn't throw snowball at people randomly unless they really want to play. Now come here and we can—(Thwack!) Umhff!" Oh… a straight shot right on the fake smile. I must say, even Tama would've been impressed on that throw.

"Loser~~"

"Ho… ho… ho~" Haruko's face flashed an evil grin. "So that's how you want to play it eh? Then fine by me! Uwoooo!" H… hey wait a minute! What is she doing making so many snowballs? "Don't come crying when you lose! Doryaaaa!"

"Don't get absorbed into the game you idi—(Thwack!) Goh!" A snowball landed flat on my head as the two sides suddenly began trading fire with one another. How the hell did this suddenly turn from a chase to abrupt game?

Thwack! Whack! Whump!

Ugo! Three shots on the stomach? Are you serious? I'm barely in the line of fire!

"Oi, Takeru! What are you doing? Flank her right! I'll cover you from the left!" Ugh… now she's starting to treat this as a military operation? What happened to the 'Be patient with children' thing she was lecturing me with earlier?

In the end, I decided to follow and chased Kasumi from the right. We continued to chase her through the track field but from my point of view, it was starting to resemble somewhat of an old classic cartoon involving two animals that kept chasing one another. I followed the trail of Kasumi's bunny ears which were sticking out of the snow while she continued to trade shots with Haruko with her arsenal of snowballs.

It felt on for minutes with neither side gaining the upper hand. When in the world did Kasumi become so athletic? She could barely get up to the hill behind the main complex in Yokohama Base without going half-way to the afterlife. But now… it seems like she got a bundle of limitless energy riding behind her. Is she really so happy that it's making her forget the coldness and her fatigue?

Huaa… either way, I have to catch her and reach my interview.

…

…

…

"Oryaa!"

"Hnn…!"

"Yoooosh!"

"Hnn…"

"Osuuuu!"

"Hnnnn…!"

"Hyaaaa!"

"Hnnn!"

"Genghis Khan!"

…

I feel like a chaperon in a nursery school watching two kids duke out in an epic snowball battle. For over 10 minutes, Kashiwagi and Kasumi have been running around the field, throwing snowballs at each other like they were in a duel to the death. Haruko's sharpshooting ability gives her an edge when aiming. She landed a few good shots at her opponent yelling out battle-cries and apparently, the name of a fairly well known warlord.

"Haaa… huaaa… not bad Yashiro" I heard Kashiwagi give out a praise to her enemy. The two of them were situated right below a tree thick with snow and were daring one another to make the first move. "No one has ever been able to keep up with me this long before. I underestimated you. (Hmph…) Now you and I will settle this once and for all using our ultimate techniques!" There's an ultimate technique in a snowball fight? "Ready Yashiro? Because after I do this… there's no guarantee you'll survive! (Hnn!) There's nowhere for you to run this time!"

…!

Kasumi seemed to have bought her bluff and seemed to be on the verge of panicking.

Thwack!

And in a desperate attempt to escape, Kasumi threw her last snowball in only for it to hit the tree between them. I guess this fight is about to come to an end.

"Haha! There's no escape! Taste my ultimate technique! Snowball in he—(Eh?) Bwahhh!"

…

"You've got to be kidding me…" I don't know whether to call that move intentional or simply dumb luck. Just when Kashiwagi was about to unveil her super-move… the snow that the tree was holding on its branches fell off landing right above the said girl burying her under a thick white sheet. All I could do at that point was stare and wonder if that shot was actually part of some grand scheme. But considering Kasumi's late reaction, I guess it wasn't.

Kashiwagi's face then plopped up from the snow looking more like a mole that just dug its way from Africa. "Uga~~ It's cold~"

"That's what you get for playing around too long" I scolded her. "If you're going to be a pain then at least do it with someone else"

"Ugh… yes sir. Please get me out…"

"Huaa… really now. Which one of you is the kid around here?"

"Hai hai, sorry for disturbing you. I just thought that you might need a little relaxation time. (Eh?) You looked like you were being stressed out of your mind so I thought I could help you ease that brain of yours"

"Thanks… but I think you're adding more stress instead of distressing me. Thanks to you two… I'm not officially… 'very' late for my interview" One hour to be precise. Hua… Marimo chan will be chewing my ears off for sure. Hmm?

"Excuse me, 1st Lieutenant" Military Police? When did they get here? I didn't even notice them. "But this area is off limits for the duration of the Training Exercise"

"Ah, is that so? Sorry" I bowed my head apologetically to them. "I wasn't aware of that. It's just that my friends were busy playing around so we were kinda lost inside. We'll be taking our leave now"

One of the guards approached me, shaking his head in reply. "I'm afraid that's not possible. (Eh?) Our Commanding Officer ordered us to apprehend anyone who violates this rule. I'm afraid you'll have to answer to him if you wish to be acquitted of these charges"

Huh? Just because we walked into a restricted area? That's weird.

"I never heard of the Track Field being a restricted" Kashiwagi noted finding this to be somewhat odd. "Why is it restricted in the first place? There's barely anything here"

"I'm afraid I can't answer that" The guard responded. I noted him clutching his weapon tightly. "I am under orders, so I'm afraid that you three will have to accompany me to the station"

"Eh? But just for walking in?" I agree with Haruko. That's a bit unnatural. They should at least give a warning but I supposed the military run things differently with a stricter set of rules.

"Then can you give me your justification for entering this area?" The guard inquired which left up a bit embarrassed to say. I wanted to point my fingers at the two girls behind me but that would just be passing blame that was already on us. "Then please follow me"

I sighed out loud and decided not to go against it. It was already too late for any kind of explanation so it would be best to just submit myself to the penalties before me. "I understand. Come on, Haruko. (Huh?) You two were the caused for this so it's only right that you share some of the blame"

"Ah… yeah… I guess you're right…" Ugh… why do I get the feeling that the Captain will be the one getting us out of the detention center this time?

I quickly tugged Kasumi along holding onto her hand as we followed the guards back through the track field. I haven't been escorted by MPs since I first arrived at Yokohama Base a few months back. It feels somewhat nostalgic but not in a good way. (Flash) Hmm? What the? (Flash) I see… someone… hiding under the snow with… a knife? (Flash) The two guards in front of us are clocking their weapons. But why would they need to…?

…!

"Kashiwagi! Behind you! (Eh?)" And right when I warned her, another MP who was hiding himself under the snow burst out from the ground with a large combat knife in hand.

"Teeeh!" Quickly jumping the gun, Haruko grabbed the assailant's arms and did a complete judo one arm shoulder throw, tossing the guy a feet up in the air and landing precisely on his back.

"Gahh!"

"What the hell!?" And as if reacting to the attacker's failed attempt, the two guards in front of us clocked their rifles at us. I responded in kind by kicking snow up their faces. "Bwah! Damn you!"

"Kashiwagi! Kasumi! Run!" Not wanting to waste time, I yelled out and bolted off with Kasumi tugging not far behind me.

"Damn them all to hell! They're on to us! All units, pursue!"

**(Front Gate)**

"Huaaaaaa~~" The guard who stood watch at the front gate of the U.N. Base let out a bored yawn as he sat on his chair comfortably in his tiny little guardhouse. It was another calm and quiet afternoon of doing absolutely nothing. The guy didn't even know why they even bothered putting a guardhouse here. With all the security cameras they had stationed around the base, they couldn't bother placing one out here at the main entrance.

He thought of the budget the U.N. had to spare with all the military equipments. They couldn't even bother putting one of them here to ease up his work. He wondered if being placed out here was another form of punishment especially in this weather.

With all the snow that's been piling outside, he wouldn't be surprised if the guardhouse itself was buried under it. Right now, staying inside this little cramped space was fine for him. I mean with this temperature, staying inside this tiny spot was pretty cozy. And with a hot cup of coffee, you expected it to be a mini-paradise in a desert of snow.

The guardsman yawned again before checking on the clock he hung on the wall of his little space. The evening shift wasn't due for another 2 hours which meant he had another two hours of doing absolutely nothing.

What was the point of having someone guard the place from the start? It's not like anyone would want to attack the U.N. base directly now, is there? Besides, no one comes through here, especially in this time of year. The only way people could actually come through was through plane and that alone was more than enough.

Knock knock…

But just as the guard was about to make another snooze on his work, he was awakened by a knock on his screen door. At first he thought that it was his CO which prompted him to stand up and salute. This wouldn't be the first time he was caught sleeping on the job. But his tension quickly eased up when he recognized the face on the other side.

"Hey there"

"Pops?" The Guard mentioned his name. Being a regular guard here in Kyoto Base meant that he had plenty of opportunity to try out the famed takoyaki stand that was placed at the front of the gate. Every guard that was ever stationed in this boring hole knew Pops and his famed reputation of being generous with his food. "What are you doing here?"

"I brought a package for one of your officers" The old man raised up a bunch of boxes on his hands which the guard recognized as his packaging advertisement. "He said to leave them at the gate and you'll have my payment"

This wasn't the first time the guard heard of something like this. With Pop's place being so popular from the start, people had often placed orders when they weren't allowed to leave the compound. He too was one such customer.

"Another one?" He groaned. "That's the third one this month. You sure are making a lot nowadays"

"Heh! If it puts food on the table then I have no right to complain, BWAHAHAHA!"

"Alright. Who placed the order this time?"

"Hmm… some Lieutenant Roku. He said that he was having some kind of celebration for winning some kind of bet"

"Heh. That lucky slick. He bet everything he had on the dark horse and now he's spending it like crazy. Alright wait here. I'll get someone to fetch the Lieutenant. It shouldn't take too long"

"I appreciate that. Ah and here. I brought you something on the house. It might be good to have something in the stomach to keep you awake"

"Oooh! Thanks Oyaji. I could really use that" The guard gladly accepted the small pack given to him and immediately popped a squid ball in his mouth. Warm food and good flavor was probably what he needed to keep himself from falling asleep in this cold weather. "Hmm? Eh? This tastes different. Not like your usual Special"

"Ah, I was actually experimenting with some new recipes from a friend. They're supposed to be added with mayonnaise filling. You could call them similar to cream filled inside. What do you think?"

"Oi, I'm not your personal taste tester" The guard complained but that didn't stop him from popping another two in his mouth in quick succession. "But they're not that bad. I don't think they'll suit with me though. I prefer… the… regular… eh?"

"You ok there, young man?"

"Ah… sorry… Pops. My head just feels woozy all… of a sudden"

"Maybe you should sit down and rest for a bit. You look pale"

"Yeah… yeah maybe I'll do just… that. W… wait here while I call for… someone to… to pick… to pick up the… oh…" The guardsman barely had the chance to reach for his radio when he lost conscious, falling onto his chair and drifting to sleep.

"Yeah… you do that" Pops stated plainly as if he was following a script. Slowly he scanned his surroundings making sure no one was around to see him pick up the radio and switching the frequency to one he memorized to heart. He clicked the receiver a few times before speaking on the mic. "It's me. The gate has been cleared. Move in…"

And as if sounded by his signal, a large cargo truck suddenly drove through the newly opened gate, and like the Trojan-Horse of old, began unloading a cohort of armed assailants in disguise.

"Reporting for duty, sir" The one who seemed like the leader of the group stated to Pops.

"Is this everyone?"

"We have four other teams inserting in other locations. Another two teams have already been planted disguised as news crew. We're the last ones in"

Pops nodded in motion before handpicking a number of weapons from the unconscious guardsman. "Then it should be starting shortly…" He then noted a static from the radio. "This is team nine. We're in…"

"Excellent work" The voice on the other line replied. "Fast execution as always, old man"

"It was nothing, Master. Just years of practice and planning"

"Of course…" The voice recalled. "In any case, the plan is now set in motion. You all know your mission. The objective of this Operation is not destruction… but theft. Your target is the ALTERNATIVE IV Laboratory in Hanger 15. Capturing any research data from there will be a great victory for us. Your other target… is the ALTERNATIVE Plan Officer, Shirogane Takeru. He should have all the plans that we need for our next mission. Bring him to me… alive. Team three will begin jamming their all their radio channels. Begin…"

"Understood. We'll clear out the remaining security checkpoints. Go…!"

**(Yokohama Base) (Sumika's room)**

Inside the isolated quarters of the base, a certain red head sat in a corner. Sumika was her name… or at least that's what she thought, though most people here preferred to call her by her designated number the '00-Unit'. It felt inhumane but it seemed only professional to do so.

Sumika was sitting in that particular corner that afternoon, he arms snaking up to a pillow she placed between her legs, her body covered in an array of blankets and her hands clutching tightly on a toy Santa rabbit that she was given for a present a few weeks back. She was buried deep underground yet for some bizarre reason the chill on the surface can still make its way here.

Her eyes darted to the single lamp the lit her room. There was no particular reason why she was looking at it. Perhaps it was because that was the only piece of furniture that was present in the room.

She was tired of the bed, so she moved to this corner. She was bored of the chair so she moved it. But the light… the light continued to flicker, as if it was lulling her to sleep.

She waited in that very room, not caring, not even listening to the sound of silence that echoed deeply in the walls. Everything that echoed or emanated through these walls… meant nothing to her.

If one would enter this room, they would think of her as a marionette, a lifeless creepy doll waiting to be played with an equally creepy puppeteer.

Sumika had already lost count how long she had been there. It wasn't like there was a clock anywhere around to keep track of time. She remained there, in that particular corner, clutching on the Santa rabbit, surrounded by blankets, with a pillow between her legs and her eyes gazing at the lamp that lit her room.

…

…

…

But then suddenly… the light flickered again, this time with an urgent rumbling.

Sumika noted this… and for the first time in god knows how long, she lifted her head up, a smile forming around her lips.

With a tight, weak and raspy voice, she spoke out to the lamp saying… "It's finally time…" She began. "… I'll leave the rest to you, Kasumi chan…"

And then, as if fatigue had suddenly taken over, the girl shut her eyes, drifting her mind to sleep.


	82. Fall from Grace Part 1

**Chapter 82: Fall from Grace (Part 1)**

**(Takeru's POV) (January 22, 2002 Tuesday) (12:30 PM)**

We ran…

I don't know where, I don't really know why but my feet told me to run as fast as they could.

Kashiwagi and I were running through the back of the base like a couple of convicts while being chased by dozens of armed guards. There wasn't time to think or understand what was going on but we knew full well that if we stopped, we would be riddled with bullet holes for sure. Already, the guards have begun discharging their weapons directing their attacks at us.

"Keep going, Takeru!" Haruko yelled a few feet behind me as bullets whistled past my ears. She pulled out her sidearm and returned fire covering our backs.

"Why the hell are they shooting at us for!?"

"I don't know but if don't keep moving now we'll be finished!" She fired another three rounds before ducking behind cover.

"Ok, give me a second!" We're gonna have to move fast if we want to escape. "Kasumi. Hang onto my uniform as tight as you can, ok?" I quickly carried Kasumi bridal style not even waiting for her response before bolting off in increasing speed. "We have to get help!"

"There should be a security checkpoint at the next intersection! We can get help from there!"

The checkpoint? Oh right. That's usually where patrols change shift every hour. There should be someone there to help us.

_"Don't let them escape! Cut them off!" _I can hear our pursuers screaming right behind us. They were now speaking in a foreign language. _"Blast them!"_

_"Nyet! You'll hit the girl too! We need to bring her alive! Hold your fire!"_

"Give it up already!" Kashiwagi fired another two rounds at them but she couldn't hit anything in these conditions. "Tch! I can't get a clear shot from here" It was a good thing that the place was riddled with crates heavy machineries. Suzumiya did say that they were going to use the track field for something for the Training Exercise so that would explain why there are so many things we could use for cover.

Come on. Just a few more feet. The guard post is just right there! The small rectangle building in the middle of this snowy field was just a few feet away from us.

…

WHAM!

I kicked the door open and entered like my life literally depended on it. I quickly placed Kasumi by the corner making sure she was away from any stray gunshots. "Kashiwagi! Get in!" My partner followed soon after and quickly enough I locked the door in and barricaded it with a nearby chair. "There. That should buy us some time. It'll take some time to get through that"

"Takeru!"

"What is it? Did you find some… help…?"

Oh no…

The moment I spun my head back to talk with the two, I noted Kashiwagi covering her mouth pointing in the general direction of the guard's longue.

Sitting there in one corner of the room were the supposed guards. About four of them were there, each with a bullet hole on their heads. Blood splattered all around the floor signaling how badly they were struck. From this side, it looked a lot like a scene from a horror movie I saw a long time ago.

"What… happened here?"

Kashiwagi recovered from her minor throw-up and quickly checked on the bodies for pulse. She shook her head back at me in reply. "They're gone. It looks like this was done not long ago. Their bodies are still warm"

"Warm? You mean… this was done recently?"

"Most likely, considering the temperature outside" She gently closed their eyelids before returning to my side. "Quick. The outpost should have a wired phone connected straight to the base. We can call for help!" She's right. This is no time for dallying.

WHAM!

…!

_"They've barricaded the door!"_ Damn. They caught up to us already!? They're gonna break down the door? _"You two, cover the other exit, surround them!"_

"Takeru, hurry! I'll cover the door!"

"Right!" We quickly sprung ourselves into action. Any hesitation at this point will most likely get us killed. "Kasumi, stay close to me" Phone, phone… where's the… aha! There it is!

Click!

"Hello? Hello!?"

Click click click!

"Hello!? Is there anyone there!? Please respond! Over!" There was no buzz, not even a dial tone. I was hoping for help but I guess that was too much to ask for. Is this their doing too?

WHAM!

I heard another strike against the door. They were going to break in.

_"Sookyn syn! Get the tear gas! We'll flush them out of there!"_

"Takeru! Any luck?"

I smashed the phone right back to the receiver out of irritation. "No good. The phone isn't even connecting. I think they may have cut the line off! Do you have a wireless radio on you?"

"Why would you think I have something like that with—(Crash!) What the?" Something came smashing through the window.

Pssssshh…

What the hell? Gas? It's tear gas! They're trying to suffocate us out! "Kasumi, cover your nose and mouth! (Crash!)" Another object flew in and began spouting gas, filling the room in white fog. "We have to get out of here!"

"Take the back door! If we can outrun them to the main complex we can probably get help from there!"

"But that means we'll have to go through the hangers! We'll be in the open!"

"Anything's better than sitting here right now!"

Ugh! This day just keeps getting better!

WHAM!

Again, I kicked the door open leading the back and incidentally, two of our pursuers were out there waiting for us!

"Freeze! Put your hands where I can see th—(Whump!)" I smacked his face in while Kashiwagi took out the other one in synch.

"Go! I'll cover you!" I quickly carried Kasumi back in my arms and made a mad dash for the complex. From there I could even more armed guards coming to get us…

I never ran so fast before in my life.

**(Hallway main complex)**

Radhabinod grunted irritatingly as he walked down the corridor with his hands tied. Never in his life did he ever think that he would be walking in the comfort of his own military base under the guise of a prisoner. As he casually stroll down the base four guards at his flanks, a certain acquaintance of his kept his pistol directed at his back at all times.

They walked passed a few staff members already and they did nothing but salute and went on their business without even suspecting a thing. No one even thought for a second that the General himself was made prisoner.

"Do you really think you'll get away with this?" The man asked threateningly.

"Of course I do…" Rogofsky answered with a degree of certainty. "I intend to make it out of here with everything that's worth taking"

"And what do intend to do with the G-Element? Do you think you can just eliminate all the witnesses and pray that nobody will come after you? If so… then you truly underestimate the U.N. Army"

"Don't get full of yourself, Radhabinod. Just because you managed to win the hearts and minds of the people during your days in Africa, doesn't make you a hero here. (Hmph…) But if you're that worried about your image, then you need not worry. I already fabricated a perfect cover story for you. I'm certain you'll be pleased with the role you'll be playing in this little act"

"And what happens when the BETA attack? Your insurmountable greed may cause the defense line to collapse. (Click!) Grr!"

"I've heard plenty of that before. But don't worry. I'm sure your successor will find a way to cut your losses. But right now… I intend to make the most of this opportunity" Rogofsky quietly reached for his radio and tuned in. "Captain Romanov. How are we doing?"

"We're just about finished here, sir" The voice on the other line answered. "The scientists are loading the units onto the planes. However the control tower stated that weather is expected to worsen later this afternoon but it shouldn't affect us in the mean time. We'll be ready to fly off in an hour"

"Good… very good. I'm on my way to secure our prize. Have everyone pack up by then. (Yes sir) And try to keep a low profile. We don't want people to get—(Th… this is team one to Captain Romanov!) Hmm?" The static on the radio suddenly sparked up before a voice cracked in.

"Team 1, report" The Captain inquired on the other end. "Have you secured the primary target?"

"N… no sir. She got away! H… her bodyguard, that Shirogane and an unknown companion are with her!"

_"Shirogane?"_ Radhabinod noted the familiar name in his head.

"What!? How is that possible!? Wasn't he supposed to be in an interview right now?" Rogofsky almost broke his act together when he yelled at the radio.

"He never went! The guy was playing with the kid the whole time and he wouldn't budge! We're pursuing them down now but they already took down two of my men! I think they're trying to get help!"

"Then take care of it!" Rogofsky raised his voice on the small object feeling the urge to squish it to pieces. "Kill them if you have to! Just remember that we need that girl alive! (Y… yes sir!)" But then his attention was quickly up when he noted an explosion coming from outside. "What the? What the hell is wrong with you people!? Which part about discreet don't you understand!? I told you, no explosives!"

"Sir… I don't think that was us" The Captain reported.

"What? Then who could be…?"

"Commander. There appears to be a firefight coming from the barracks. I don't think it's one of ours"

"Damn it" Rogofsky cursed under his breath. "Captain, meet up with team one and deal with the U.N. Ace. We leave the moment we have both the girl and the prize stowed"

"Yes sir. On our way "

**(Takeru's POV)**

What the hell was that? An explosion?

"Keep running!" Kashiwagi kept yelling the same thing twice now as we dashed our way through the riddled track fields. We passed through a few buildings already but there was no one in sight. Everyone must be busy watching the afternoon matches to even bother coming out.

Bullets continued to whistle pass the field, and each time I hear them, it feels as if they were getting closer with each particular shot. Slowly but surely, this whole fight was becoming more and more like an action movie.

I could see the main complex on the other end of the hangers. My team is probably there right now in the PX. If we can just get through this field, I can reach them and find out what the heck is going on.

Bang!

_"There they are!"_

Ah crap! More of them!? We're being hit on both sides!

"Takeru! In here, hurry!" A jeep? But… ah screw it! There's no other choice. I quickly got in on the driver's seat, placing Kasumi on the adjacent one. All the while, Haruko continued to trade gunfire with our attackers before finally finishing her ammo. "Damn it. I'm out!"

"Take mine" I handed her my sidearm before starting the engine. The keys were luckily still in the ignition. Thank god for simplicity. I punched pedal the moment everyone was on board. "Where to now?"

"Head straight for control tower. If we can't reach the main complex, that's probably the next best place to look for help. We should also try the hanger. Maybe the mechanics there can give us a clue on what's happening"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Just as Takeru and his companions drove off in flight, the pursuers behind them cursed under their breaths as they felt a tinge of humiliation in their veins. To be outdone by kids of all people. It put their training to shame.

_"Don't just stand there you idiots! Get onto those vehicles and go after them! Don't let them get away!"_

_"Yes sir!"_

**(Marimo's POV) (Main building)**

Hmm?

"What's the matter Jinguuji san?"

"I thought I heard gunfire a second ago"

"Gunfire? Is the afternoon matches starting already?" Suzumiya darted her attention to her watch. "It's barely passed lunch time. An emergency drill maybe?"

"No. They would've announced it earlier if they had something like that" I couldn't have misheard it. As a former instructor, I recall every weapon's particular noise to heart. I would know if they were firing blanks too because they also have a distinguished clicker that makes them all ever so slightly different. What I heard just now was definitely live-rounds being fired.

Is there something going on or… is it just my imagination working up on me? Maybe this long period of peace and silence is making me paranoid.

"Should I make a call to security to confirm the situation?"

"Ah… yeah, please do. Thanks Suzumiya"

"Don't mention it. I'm more than happy to help" Heh… that's a good kid. Despite being a soldier she still retains that cheerful personality. "Hello, headquarters. This is 1st Lt. Suzumiya. Please respond"

Looking at these soldiers of today, it makes me look like a complete loser back then. These girls have been through so much more than me yet they manage to maintain their sense of humanity. I on the other hand, handled my losses poorly. If you look at it from my perspective, I feel more like the child than these children. I would've been a terrible example for all of them had they met me a few years back.

"Headquarters? Command, please respond. (Hmm?) That's odd…"

"What's the matter, Suzumiya?"

"I can't seem to reach Command on the wired connection line. The phone line doesn't have any tone"

"Maybe the line has been cut again" It wouldn't be the first time the phone lines went dead. On poor weather such as this, it's normal for our communication to be cut. "Have you tried the wireless network?"

"Ah… no, not yet. One moment please" She quickly procured a radio from her uniform and began tuning in on the emergency frequencies. "Hello? Headquarters? This is 1st Lt. Suzumiya. Please respond. (Bzzt) Hello? Command. This is 1st Lt. Suzumiya of the A-01 Special Task Force broadcasting on all frequencies. Please respond" All I could from the other end was static noise. Suzumiya gave it another shot before finally giving up. "This is most unusual. I can't seem to reach anyone on the coms"

"That's never happened before. (Indeed) Does this mean that the whole base is completely isolated from one another?"

"That does appear to be the case" Suzumiya answered with a hint of worry marking her face. "Military regulation states that a facility must always have an open communication with one another. No matter what the situation is, communication is the only lifeline between soldiers and their commanding officers"

"Let's try heading towards the security room" I suggested. "Maybe we can get some answers from some people there. (Agreed) (Click) Eh? 1st Lt. Suzumiya?" She drew out her sidearm all of a sudden.

"This is just a precaution. (…?) In the event that communication should breakdown for whatever reason, all personnel staff should assume that the base itself is under attack. I'm simply following standard procedures"

I supposed that's a good point. Seeing as how the whole base is now isolated into smaller sections, the attacker can safely take them out one by one without alerting the adjacent forces. Suddenly I'm getting a bad feeling about this. I really do hope that it's just my imagination playing tricks on me. I really do. The last thing we need right now is an incident during a military trai—.

Boom!

…!

That was… an explosion!?

Whirrrr!

The alarm!

"Attention all personnel! Red alert! The base is under attack. This is not a drill. I repeat: The base is under attack. All personnel, report to your designated units and await further orders. Defense Alpha and Bravo, deploy immediately and repel attackers!"

My suspicions were confirmed with that explosion. This was no drill.

**(Takeru's POV)**

Damn it. I should've known that this was a bad idea.

Right after we commandeered this jeep I thought we could get headway from our attackers. But we didn't even get that far when we were hounded by our pursuers using similar vehicles. Our little slow but steady firefight had become a high-speed chase scene in a blink of an eye.

Our attackers were firing at us blindly. They hit one of our wheels and we were slowing down thanks to the snow on the road. They were in better vehicles too. We were on a jeep and they're riding on two armed hummers. We're at a complete disadvantage.

"Four rounds left!" Haruko declared. "Takeru, you got an extra?"

"I only keep one. I didn't think we'd need more"

"Damn. Check the front storage! They might have something we can use!"

"Damn it. Fine" I cursed out loud before reaching for the glove compartment. "Sorry Kasumi chan. Please move a bit and keep your head down. (Ruffle) Hmm? What's this?"

Bang bang!

"Did you find anything?"

"Nothing useful. Just a flare gun! (A flare gun!?) Yeah. This isn't exactly a military vehicle to begin with"

"Give it here. (Huh? Why?) Just give it!" I quickly handed her the said tool from the compartment while keeping my eyes on the road. "Try to keep the car steady. I'm gonna try something!" Something? What is this something? "I have to time this just right…"

Screeech!

Fuck! Debris on the road!

"Oi! I said keep her steady!"

It's a lot easier said than done! "I would keep it steady if people weren't shooting at us!"

"Just keep her straight for a few seconds. I can't mess this up…" What is she doing suddenly standing on the seat? Does she have a death wish?

"Haruko!"

"Just trust me…" And with a blink, she pulled out my sidearm and fired her two remaining bullets onto one of the vehicles only for it to bounce off the windshield.

"You missed?"

"I never miss…" With one fluid motion she pulled up the flare gun, firing it directly where the two bullets contacted. The windshield broke and the smoke flare burned inside blinding the driver and the passengers. Soon enough, the driver steered off course smashing against a truck parked nearby. "Yosh! I got one! How's that for an insane move?"

I have to admit, that was pretty crazy. But I don't see anyone other than Kashiwagi or Tama pulling something like that off in a hinge.

Ratatatatat!

Clang!

Whoa! Son of a…

Our last attacker was using the heavy machinegun mounted the hummer. It broke my left side mirror. "We still got one right on our tail!"

"Do you have another flare I could use?"

I rummage through the compartment again and felt a lump at the very back. There was one round left for the flare gun. "We still have one left. But how are you gonna hit them?" She already used up all our ammo fighting them and she spent the last two rounds taking out the first hummer.

"I don't know. But this is better than nothing. (Clang!) Bwah!" Ah crap! Did we lose another tire? I can't keep the car balanced this way. "They're coming up behind us!"

WHAM!

Gah! What the hell? They're ramming us now?

Whirrr

…!

Wha…? We're speeding up? Oh fu—are they trying to crash us onto that wall!? Crap!

"Kasumi, hold on!" I quickly grabbed the girl next to me and hugged her tightly in my arms. "Haruko! Jump left! (What?) Just do it!"

And with some hesitation, we jumped off the jeep landing on the snow below rolling sideways to break our fall. It was times like these that I was grateful for all of the military training I've kept till now. If I had done that in the old world, I would've broke a bone or graze a wound or two in the process.

Our jeep crashed onto the wall of one of the hangers tilting upward in an almost impossible manner before landing on its head. It took us a few moments to recover from that leap. I felt my shoulders clicked during my landing. I guess I was too focused on protecting Kasumi that I neglected my own body. But it's nothing a good night's sleep wouldn't cure.

Our attackers came out of their vehicles the moment they realized we were defenseless and immediately pointed their weapons at us. "Don't move!" Their leader threatened us. "Hands where I can see them. You've caused us enough problems"

Ugh… crud. I can't do anything from here. We're on an open field with nothing but an empty gun and one flare shot.

"Who are you? What do you want!?" I demanded.

"Quiet! (Tch!)" He pulled out a radio from his uniform and spoke up. _"Captain. We've secured the target. What should we do about the two? (Bzzzt) Hmm? This is Team 1 to Captain Romanov, do you copy? Over"_ Again the answer he received was static. _"Something's not right. I can get a hold of the Captain or the commander. What should we do?"_

_"We finish the mission" _The leader of the group answered. _"We'll take the girl and meet up with the others at the rendezvous point"_

_"What about the other two?"_

_"Kill them. They've seen our faces so keeping them alive will only get us in_—(BOOM!) _What the!?"_ An explosion occurred right during the middle of his sentence causing the man and his subordinate to duck and cover in a nearby building. The explosion originated very close by. In one of the hangers. _"What the hell? Who the hell is causing all these…? _(Run!)_ D… damn it!"_

_"Fire!"_

_"No you idiot! We can't risk hurting the girl!"_

**(Control Tower)**

Inside one of the many facilities in the base, the officers in the control tower were staring blankly at the runway where an explosion occurred in the nearby hanger.

"What the hell was that?" The CO inquired. "Contact security. I want to know what the hell is going on!"

"It's no good sir. I can't seem to reach security… or any other sections for that matter"

"What!? Have you tried the emergency channel?"

"Yes sir. I've tried using an open frequency too but there's no response. Something's jamming our transmissions"

"Keep trying. Do we still have control of the security cameras?"

The officer in charge quickly looked through the many screens on his station and nodded. "Yes sir. The security cameras are linked to a separate section of the security detail. They won't be able to hack it unless they do it from here"

"Good. What can you tell me?"

"We have explosions in multiple areas along the main complex and hangers, there are a few crashed vehicles on the runway and a firefight occurring inside the PX. We also have a number of unidentified trucks at the main gate. I think this is how they entered the base"

"They came in through the front gate without us even knowing? This is… a full scale attack. (Sir?) We can't even contact the planes landing on our runway either. Focus all our efforts in reestablishing contacts with our forces. Send runners if you have to. We can now assume that the base is under attack. Go! (Yes sir!)"

**(Takeru's POV) (Hanger area)**

_"Where'd they go!?"_

_"They couldn't have gone far. Split into groups and search the area. No matter what happens, we cannot allow those three to reach the main complex!"_

…

Phew. That was a close one. Who would've thought that hiding in empty fuel barrels would actually trick a team of soldiers like them? Effective immediately, I take back of all the bad things I said and about to say to the engineers leaving empty fuel barrels out in the middle of the hangers.

"Alright. It's clear"

"Huaa… now that was tight" Kashiwagi sighed out loud. "I was almost ready to discharge this last shot at them"

"You're still holding onto that flare gun? I thought you tossed it. You only have one shot after all"

"A single grain of rice can tip the scale. One bullet can make the difference between victory and defeat. Besides, what other weapons do we have?"

"Good point" Other than that flare gun, we have two empty pistols that we can barely use as clubs. "Maybe I should've thought about packing a spare"

"Don't sweat it" She reassured me. "No one could've anticipated something like this. But the bigger question right now is… who were those guys?"

Ugh… that was the same question that's been running through my mind since this chase began. Who were those guys? They definitely weren't MPs. They were too strong, too well trained and they weren't speaking any language I recognize either. For all I know they could be foreigners.

"They don't look like guards and they definitely don't sound like regular soldiers. Foreigners?" Kashiwagi assumed with the same idea and mine. "Well—whoever they are, it seems obvious what they want. (…?) Haven't you noticed? Every time you had Yashiro chan with you, they seem to stop their attacks. Even though they had a clear shot at us they freeze up every time you showed her"

She's right. Kashiwagi has always been the observant type. There were several times those guys could've just riddled us with holes but they seem to be very careful on who they shoot. They've only been focusing on Haruko and me but never at Kasumi. For a moment I thought they were just being cautious not to hit a child but it seems plainly clear that they were after Kasumi.

But… what would they want with her? She's harmless… with the exception of her psychic powers. She can barely even outrun those goons much less avoid a firefight.

"Hnn…"

"Kasumi chan" I knelt down to her height to speak with her face to face. "Do you know those people? Can you tell me what they want? (…) Kasumi?" Ah… she's not talking. She looks a bit frightened. Maybe all that running and shooting was too much for a girl like her.

"I… can't…"

"Hm? Kasumi chan?"

"I can't… walk…" She's shivering. Poor girl must be terrified. She's never been this close to so much action. Even back in my last loop, she's never been in front of a firefight.

"Ah. Ok. Maybe we can discuss about this later. Right now we need to get some help"

"Yeah, you're probably right" Haruko agreed. "The hangers are probably swarming with these guys. We'll have to take the long way around through the barracks. It'll be a lot safer too. I'd rather not tangle with those guys again until we get some better equipment"

Boom!

…!

What the? More explosions? It's coming from the main complex and… the barracks!

Everyone!

"Takeru! Let's go!"

**(Marimo's POV) (Main complex exterior)**

This is… insane. In a few short minutes the base itself erupted in battle frenzy. Guards and MPs were shooting one another and everyone in uniform was both the assailants and targets at the same time. Suzumiya and I were lucky that we haven't encountered anyone hostile but at this current situation it was difficult to differentiate friend from foe.

Several explosions triggered one after another starting from the runway all the main complex itself and the warehouses on the outer edge. The blasts caused severe structural damage creating debris and blockading several corridors and hallways leading towards the briefing rooms. Even the PX itself wasn't left unscathed.

All around, I can see soldiers and officers panicking. Some were even dragging off the injured towards the infirmary where the doctor was already having his hands full with the first wave of patients.

Suzumiya and I needed to regroup with the rest of our squad but a direct path to the barracks or briefing room was blocked by both firefight and rubble. We had to take the long way out going through the front gate and coming back through the courtyard.

"Clear…" Suzumiya announced as she took a peek at the open field between us. "1st Lt. Jinguuji. There doesn't appear to be anyone outside. There are a few parked vehicles but nothing that would hinder us. We can switch from one truck to another making our way towards the west wing"

"Right. But there's a rather large open field between us and the trucks. We'll be perfect targets for a sniper to pick out"

"There's a guard post just over by the gate. I can see a rifle inside. If I can get in, I can use it to cover you while we make our way towards the trucks"

"Ah… no… wait Suzumiya. (Hmm?) Why don't I go? I can get a better angle from there. (But…) I understand that you're a good shooter in your class. But considering your…"

I didn't want to bring it up but both our eyes immediately darted to her prosthetic leg on reflex. I know that she can be a runner when times are tough but right now, neither of us could take that risk.

"I understand…" She answered after a brief pause. "I'll cover you from here. (Sorry) Don't be. I know well that I can't match my friends when it comes to athletic skills. But at the very least I can help them in my own way" Heh… what a strong girl. You wouldn't think that on first impressions. "Please hurry. The situation will worsen if we don't move quickly"

"Right. Cover me!" I immediately bolted towards the guard post pushing energy into my legs. I was expecting it to be a clean run until…

Bang!

A bullet whistled between my legs. I felt its hot lead grazing against my skin.

"Look out!" Suzumiya blind-fired out drawing our attacker's attention. Taking advantage of that momentum, I took cover behind the guard post breathing a sigh of relief that it missed me by a millimeter. "Jinguuji san! Are you alright?"

"Y… yeah…" I answered barely above a whisper. "I'm not hurt. Was that a sniper?"

"I'm certain it is. The attacker appears to be using a standard military rifle. I can't find his position though" Damn. Of all the rotten luck, we have to deal with an enemy sniper. "I'll try to draw his fire!"

"No wait!" I stopped her. "He might be a friendly. We should at least try to negotiate. (…) You there! Sniper! Hold you fire! This is 1st Lt. Jinguuji Marimo of the A-01. We're just trying to get back to our unit. Come out if you're friendly!"

…

…

…

Bang!

Son of a…!

That guy shot again! He nearly blew my eyes out if it wasn't for this guard post. I guess that rules out the possibility of that sniper to be an ally. He's using 7.62mm rounds… standard bullets for a rifle. The hole he made with his last shot confirmed this.

Suzumiya and I returned fire again but to no avail. We couldn't tell where he was shooting from and the heavy snow that was starting to pick up was messing with our visions. We're at a complete disadvantage at this point. Not to mention that our opponent's weapon has a far longer range than our measly sidearm. It's like trying to compare a long bow with a slingshot.

If only we had another weapon to match rackets with him.

…!

The rifle. Suzumiya said that she saw a rifle inside the guard post. Maybe I can use that.

"Suzumiya. Can you draw his fire for a moment? (Eh?) I'm gonna grab the weapon inside. Keep me covered. (Roger that!)" She immediately unleashed a volley of rounds from her pistol firing wildly in every direction. Even a sniper of great skill would huddle against such an attack. Though the attack was rather ineffective, it was able to buy me precious seconds to finish my task.

I opened the door the guard post and noted the body of the guard who was stationed here fall on the ground with his hands clutched together. I was shaken for a moment before I reached out for his weapon…

**(Halfway Home Store)**

Tsukuyomi Mana's ears twitched upward when she heard an explosion echoing in the distance. She was stacking up some of the boxes of drinks when she suddenly noted the familiar sound of battle coming not so far.

Being a soldier for a long time, she recognized the sound of a firefight whenever it occurred and knew promptly well that somewhere… someone is going to die. The small lit flashes and puffing smoke from the nearby U.N. base made her suspicious at first but it was the speedy traveling of several armored vehicles that confirmed her suspicions.

A number of APCs, light tanks and mechanized infantries would not mobilize so quickly unless something urgent was happening. A small tinge in her heart worried for her former mistress who now reside in that base and yet… another part of her worries lay with another man who was probably somewhere nearby.

"Goodness. That's a lot of them" Tsukuyomi's elderly guardian stated looking quite baffled to see so many soldiers moving up to one area so quickly. "What in the world is going on?"

"Oba san. Perhaps it would be best we closed early today" Tsukuyomi recommended with a serious tone in her voice.

"Huh? Ah… y… yeah. You're probably right" The old lady reluctantly agreed. "Bring everything in. Be careful, Mana chan"

"You need not worry about me, oba san. I've been trained to handle such situations. For now, please go somewhere safe. I will close the grate" She turned towards the base one more time before slowly locking the door behind her. "Meiya sama… Shirogane…"

**(Takeru's POV) (Barracks)**

N… no way…

The barracks… our barracks! It's a total wreck. The explosion occurred on the second floor. In my room…

We made our way slowly towards the building, keeping a close eye on our surroundings. I had a dreaded feeling deep in my gut. Something was really wrong here.

"Wasn't that… you're room?" I nodded to Haruko's question. "Good thing you didn't sleep in today"

"It's a shame. I was actually planning to take the rest of the afternoon off"

"Hey don't sweat it. If you want, you can always share a bunk with me" I wanted to laugh but my body was too intoxicated with this fight to even force a chuckle.

We slowly made our way towards the building, our backs hugging the wall the whole way. We could hear gunfire in the distance and noted several burnt vehicles and bodies lying on the ground. I covered Kasumi's eyes trying to keep her away from such violence but my mind was more focused on our supposed home. My heart was praying and hoping no one was in there when the explosion went off. I really hoped…

"It's clear…" Kashiwagi announced putting the flare gun away. "There doesn't seem to be anyone here"

"That's a relief" I breathed out. "Let's move on to the main complex. (Wait…) Huh?"

"There's no telling what we'll encounter from here on. We might as well stock up on weapons just to be safe. (Weapons?) The Captain always keeps a spare sidearm in her room for emergencies. We can at least use that to defend ourselves. You two wait here"

Kashiwagi went in before I could even voice my protest. She's taking this a lot better than I thought. For a moment I was actually worried about my team being trapped here during the explosion but I guess I need to calm myself and get my head out of the gutter. I should probably try and look for a weapon too. But the only one I have is my sidearm and I don't keep an extra clip lying around in my room.

…

…

Ah! Wait! Of course! The sword! How could I forget? The sword that Yuuhi gave me. It's still in my room, I think. It might not be the most conventional weapon but like Kashiwagi said: It's better than nothing.

"Kasumi chan. Follow me for a bit. (…?) I'm gonna get something from my room. Don't worry. I won't take long, I promise"

…

…

…

Ugh… the 2nd floor was a mess. Even though it was just a small explosion, it took down the wall separating Kashiwagi's room and my own. I guess her earlier joke is now invalid. Still… what the hell happened?

The explosion seems to have come from my room. Judging from the damage, it appears to be a lot more powerful than an ordinary grenade. C4? No… that would've taken the whole building down. Perhaps something smaller. But whatever it is, I'm glad it wasn't powerful enough to hit the emergency sprinkler systems. The button at the very corner of the hallway seems to be unharmed.

Ruffle…

Man, the explosion really tore up the place. I feel like the whole world just turned upside down, shaken then stirred altogether. My bed is in pieces, my computer (Which I barely used) is destroyed and the collection of drinks that I bought for the upcoming party was splattered to the wind.

Ruffle…

I immediately checked my closet and found the object that I was looking for. The sword was stuck deep at the back trapped under a pile of my used clothes. Surprisingly, there wasn't a single scratch on the blade.

The scabbard too was unscathed. Whoever made this must've been quite the expert in his crafts. But… to be honest, this sword looks a lot more like an antique or an ornament. The decors on the hilt alone made it look like a family heirloom than an actual weapon.

Still… I can't be picky at this point. Even if it is an antique, this is the only viable weapon that I can use properly. I hope she doesn't mind if I break it.

Click…

Hmm?

"Kashiwagi? Is that you? (…!)" No… it's not her. "Who's there!?"

"Oya? Shirogane?" What the? That voice. It can't be. "Ohhh! It is you!"

"Pops!?" The takoyaki store owner? "Wha… what are you doing here? No… more importantly… how did you get here!?"

"I should be the one asking you that question. I was out delivering my order this morning, the next thing I knew I was dodging bullets left and right"

"Delivery? At a time like this?" Well he did say that he does make deliveries but only to the front gate. I supposed it's no surprise to—Argh! No time. "This is the worst possible time for you to make a surprise appearance, Oyaji"

"If I knew there was going to be a fight I would've taken the day off"

Ugh. Why now of all times? As if this day couldn't get any weirder. But I supposed it's nice to see a friendly face for a change.

"It's not safe right now, Pops. You'd better keep your head down until we get the situation under control. Stay here for now. My friends and I will go to the main complex. You shouldn't have any trouble hiding here. (Really?) Yeah. Right now the whole base is a mess. Try to keep out of sight and if you get caught I'll make sure to vouch for you"

"Why don't I help? I can be pretty handy in a fight"

"No way. I can't let a civilian fight, especially you. I can't let you get hurt until you introduce me to your wife, remember?"

"Ha. Hmm… I guess I'll take you up on that offer. I'm not as young as I used to be. Thanks kiddo"

"Don't mention it. Come on Kasumi chan. Let's hurry up and join the others. (…!) Hmm? Kasumi chan?" She's pulling my arm. "Ora… come on now. We don't have time for this. We need to meet up with Captain and the others, remember? (Hnn…!) Kasumi? What's wrong? (Hnn!) Ow. Hey, stop pulling so damn hard. Jeez. This really isn't the time"

"Takeru!"

…!

That voice… Kashiwagi!?

I rushed out the moment I heard her voice.

"Haruko! What's wrong? Ah!" I ducked for cover behind my broken door. From there I took a quick peek and saw the whole scene.

There was a group of four armed MPs there… and one of them was holding Kashiwagi with a gun directed at the back of her head.

"1st Lt. Shirogane! Come out this instant! We have this whole building surrounded! There's nowhere for you to escape" They knew me by name and rank. These guys must be the real deal and they were serious about their procedures. Damn it. What do I do? I can't help her from here and all I have is this pistol with no bullets. "Didn't you hear me? Come out 1st Lieutenant or your friend will suffer the consequences"

"Don't listen to them Takeru! They're not MPs! They'll kill me either way if you come out!"

"Quiet you!"

WHAM!

The guard smacked her head with the stock of his gun. Damn. I can't just run away and I can't just sit here and do nothing. If I charge out there I'll be shot on sight and if what she says is true… then these guys must be the same people that have been chasing us from the track field.

"Takeru! Run! Just take Yashiro and get out of here!"

"I said quiet!"

WHACK!

A second blow. That was a valued suggestion but I don't think I would take it. Besides… there was no place for us to run. The room was a wreck and the only way I can go is jump off the balcony and down to the first floor. And by then they'll probably gun me down like everyone else.

…

There's no other choice. I'll have to charge in and slash my way through them. If I'm lucky, my regenerative powers might actually be put into some good use for once.

"Wait…" I was about to draw out my sword when Pops stopped me. "Before you go out there guns blazing, why don't you look at your other options first? (…?) I'll draw their attention while you sneak around through the other room"

"Wha? No way. I can't let you risk your life out there"

"Boy. If there's anything I know, that would be talking. Talking is how people get information across, one way or another. (But…) Don't worry. I know everyone on this base. I can keep them talking like I'm their new best friend"

"But it'll be dangerous"

"Boy… this is Kyoto. We're as close as we can be in the mainland. Every day of my life has been dangerous. Besides… you have a better chance hitting them from behind. Going head on against men with guns is asking for a death wish"

…

…

I hate to say it, but the old guy has a point. Rushing in head on is suicidal. Besides, I'm not even sure if my regenerative powers can even let me live that kind of attack. I already got stabbed, shot and beaten half to death and there's no telling if it'll help me now. Better to play it safe.

"Alright. But don't do anything crazy. Misae san would be sad if you passed away under my watch"

"Ha! That girl worries too much. It'll take more than bullets to stop this belly of lard" He smacked his chess loudly.

"Heh… alright. Be safe. Thanks… Oyaji"

"Oh there's no need to thank me. **After all… we wouldn't want to hurt you too much…**"

Huh?

Bzzzt!

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Kasumi's face contorted in fear as she heard a short but powerful electric noise buzzing around Takeru. The boy's body fell flat on the ground, his mouth muffling a painful scream.

The old man who was kindly offering assistance held a short portable taser gun that buzzed with an almost horrifying noise.

"Argh… arghh!"

"Takeru!" Kasumi heard Kashiwagi screamed as she saw the boy's figure drop like a sack of unwanted meat. She pushed some of her strength forward but her captors overpowered her back.

"Urghhh! Arghhh!" Takeru struggled through the pain, pushing himself upward trying to get a bearing of his surroundings.

"Oh? That's quite impressive. Not a lot of people can actually still move after being shot by a stun gun. 50,000 volts of electricity should be enough to cause stimulation your sensory and motor nerves to contract your muscles. That's enough to take down an ordinary person. But… I supposed the Legendary Rookies deserves a special treatment"

"Garghhh! Arghh!"

"Don't worry. We won't kill you" The former shopkeeper whispered before turning to the armed guards. "Tie him down and put him in one of the trucks. The Master wants him alive. (Yes sir!)"

** (Hallway intersection)**

"Those… idiots!" Rogofsky cursed loudly his voice almost reaching its peak. If it weren't for all the gunfire and explosions happening around the place, everyone would've heard him by now. "What the hell are they doing messing up the place!? I asked for a simple distraction not destruction! Sandek chose poorly when he sent me those men!"

Radhabinod couldn't help but chuckle to himself as he watched the scene unfold. To watch his enemy's mind derail and his plan fall apart because of the work of a single kid. It felt like watching a standup comedy with him as both the comedian and the joke.

"Romanov! Romanov, report! What the hell is going on now!? I told you to keep it down! (Bzzzt!) Romanov! What the hell!?"

"You seem troubled, Bodomir" The General taunted. "Don't tell me that your entire plan failed because of just one boy. You never were such a great strategists to begin with. All your tactics were always so fragile and easily read"

"Grrr! Quiet! I can still make do with you! I just need your access codes. Now hurry it up! And stop delaying! All I need is your password and I'll be leaving this bodiless pit of a base to a rich man!"


	83. Fall from Grace Part 2

**Chapter 83: Fall from Grace (Part 2)**

**(Marimo's POV) (Front gate)**

Bang!

This is bad. We've been pinned down here for almost 30 minutes now. It's impossible to move forward or backward without the risk of getting shot. We have no means of communication and we're only sparsely armed. The rifle from that guard wasn't making the situation any better either.

I was hoping for a scope but all I got was a standard assault rifle. Our attack range can't even properly hit our opponent. Besides, even if we were in range, I wouldn't be able to shoot back because I don't even know where he is.

He's been firing round after at us but there's no way to tell where he's firing from. It's just too loud too tell if it's a stray fire or his.

Bang!

But we can't stay here forever either. That sniper doesn't look like he's going to run out of bullets soon.

"Jinguuji san…" Suzumiya whispered to me from her hiding spot. "Can you see him?"

"No. He must be firing from a far off distance. I won't be able to shoot him from here. (Bang!) And this rifle isn't exactly meant for long range either. What about you?"

"I can see the east wing block from here. I'm going to try and get closer"

"No. That's suicide!" I warned her. "The moment you leave cover, you'll be a target"

"Don't worry. These trucks will cover me. Please wait one moment"

"Wait…! Suzumiya…!" Damn it. I should've known that girl would have something in common with her sister.

**(Takeru's POV) (Barracks)**

Pain…

I'm in… so much pain. Every fiber of my body was throbbing like they were being stung from the inside out. Wha… what happened? I can't… I can't think straight either.

I… I was in the barracks with Kashiwagi when… when something happened.

"Tie him down and put him in one of the trucks" My eye lids struggled to open. I can see… blurry shapes and voices. Who? "The Master wants him alive" Master? What Master? What is he talking about?

Pops… why is he… why is he talking with those guards? Wait… was he… was he the one who attacked me? But… why?

Ughh…!

"Captain. What do we do with the other two?" The other two? Ah… Kashiwagi… Kasumi chan.

"Kill them. Leave no witnesses. (…!)" Kill? Did he just say kill? NO! I can't let that happen…! "But make it look like they were killed in the room. Place another explosive here. (Yes sir)"

I have to… save them. I'm the only one who can…

WHACK!

Gahh!

"Oi, this kid can still move" Ugh… my stomach. Who the hell kicks a man while he's down? "Tch… so this is the Legendary Rookie amounts to? What a load of bull. (Wham!) Look at him squirm. He can't even fight back. Hehehe"

WHAM!

Grahhhh!

"Takeru!"

"Hey dumbass! Quit screwing around. I told you: The Master wants him alive"

"Yeah, we got it. But he never said we couldn't rough him up just in case. (Gahh!) Hehe. And here I thought that the infamous 'Dead Man' was to be big and scary. He's hardly putting up a fight. (WHACK!)"

"Gahh!"

"Enough! Tie him down"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The guardsmen obeyed but not before delivering another kick at the boy's stomach sending him flat on his back. Slowly but surely, the men strapped his hands with plastic handcuffs pulling him up barely on his feet.

"Oi, stand up straight, scum. It's the least you could do" The guard laid another throw at the boy's face expecting him to punch a tooth out but instead he felt his knuckles throb with pain. "Agiii! What the hell!? This bastard feels like his skull is made out of steel!"

"Isn't that because you're just weak inside?"

"Oh shut up and carry him. We'll have more fun on our way back to our hideout"

"Hahahaha!"

But just as the guards were busy roughing Shirogane up to a pulp, Kashiwagi noted the taser hanging on the holster of Pop's belt. Like the observant one she was trained to be, the girl turned to her surroundings, taking in every little detail in the corridor. She was handcuffed like Shirogane, making it difficult for her to use her hands while they were tied up behind her. Obviously, she was outnumbered, outgunned and can easily be outmatched by her opponents. However… it has been known that overconfident is one of the greatest creators of all screw-ups. Quickly, her mind formulated a plan that may as well be risky in its own accord.

However… with her life on the line, she was willing to take that risk either way.

When the false-guards relaxed their muscles on the situation, she smacked her head right onto her captor's chin making him recoil. With one fluid motion, she hopped up from the ground, bringing her hands up to the front and grabbed Pops taser from his holster before he could even react. The next thing she did was smack the fire alarm next to the stairs causing the emergency sprinklers to activate.

"Bwah! That's cold!" The guards shivered at the cold water pausing for two seconds, giving Haruko enough time to grab Kasumi. "G… get her!"

"Yashiro, hold onto me!" Kashiwagi pulled the little girl up to her neck and did a complete split placing both her feet on the wall and railing lifting herself above the floor. "Sorry about this, Takeru. It'll hurt only for a moment"

Click

Haruko pressed the button on the taser and released it from her hand. Like in slow motion, the taser fell and the soldiers there tried to run but to no avail. With a loud ringing electrical noise, the men felt a surge go through their bodies.

"Gaaaahhh!" They screamed in agony for only a moment before they simultaneously fall to the soaked floor, Shirogane included.

…

After a brief pause and making sure that the taser was no longer effective, Kashiwagi rushed to the boy's side checking his pulse. To be electrocuted twice would undoubtedly severe some of his nerves. Just by standing next to him she could already smell some of his flesh burning from that shock.

"Come on Takeru. Get up! I need you to stay focus just for a little bit longer. (… ugh…) Come on soldier! Up and at'em! We just need to get over to the main complex. (Ugh…) Yashiro. Carry his left side. I'll handle the right. (Hnn) Ready? 1, 2, 3! Uuuu!" The two of them carried the drowsy boy up to his feet and towards the stairs.

"Oh no you don't!" Then suddenly to their surprise, Pops pulled out of his shocking state and grabbed the nearest rifle he could find. He fired a full volley at them, with one of the shots piercing Kashiwagi's shoulder.

"Grahhh!" The girl fell on her knees before quickly responding by grabbing a guard's sidearm and firing back. Pops withdrew back into the neighboring room avoiding the shots.

Knowing that there was no time to fight, Kashiwagi dropped her weapon and put all her effort in carrying her partner through the field.

"Damn it…" Pops muttered under his breath before pulling out his radio from his pocket. "Team 6. Our primary target is heading towards the main complex. Stop them. Kill the other two but we want the boy alive. (Yes sir!)"

**(Valkyrie meeting area)**

"Gwahh!" That was the sound of a soldier screaming after getting shot in the torso.

Cpt. Isumi and the other members of the Valkyrie Squad were outside of their meeting room with a group of armed guards as their enemies launched a pincer assault hitting them on both sides of the hallway. None of them knew what was going on or why the guards were shooting one another but the Captain knew that her comrades came first. It didn't take her long to order her girls to discharge their weapons and treat any armed assailants as hostiles.

"Damn it. Yoroi!" Misae called out to the team medic. "Get him inside and patch him up"

"Roger that!" The aqua haired girl quickly pulled the injured man into the meeting room tending to his wounds. "Don't worry. It's an open wound. The bullet isn't lodged inside. Kazama san. Please hand me some ointment and bandages"

"Understood. Cover me!"

"Who the hell are these guys!?" Akane yelled out. "And why are they shooting at us!?"

"How should I know!?" Chizuru answered with another question.

"You can go ask them…" Kei followed earning a glare from her rival but they stopped when Hayase ordered them.

"Quit it you two! This isn't the time. Chizuru, you grab that man's rifle and start popping rounds back at them! (Yes ma'am!) Ayamine, Suzumiya, you two cover those three on the left. Tamase, can you take them out with just one hand?"

"I… I can try" The pinkette answered revealing her still wounded arm from the previous battle. "But without a specialized rifle, I'm not sure if I can hit anything"

"Damn. Alright. Chizuru. Hand her that rifle. (Yes ma'am) Munakata, you'll act as her spotter. (You got it) Chizuru, you'll cover her. Suzumiya and Ayamine are to follow the plan! (Understood!)" Hayase then turned to the guardsman next to her who was holding on to the only radio they had. "Hey you. What's the word on those reinforcements?"

He shook his head in reply. "No good. I can't seem to reach the security section or any other units for that matter. It seems like someone is jamming our transmissions"

"Tch! Just great. We're cut off from the rest of the base and we don't even know who we're fighting. This day just keeps getting better and better. (Click) Ah… crap. I'm out! Anyone got a spare?"

"1st Lt. Hayase! Catch!" Meiya tossed her an extra clip and with a fluid motion she reloaded her sidearm and began firing back. "Please try to conserve them. That's my last one"

"Damn. Help better get here soon or otherwise, we're not gonna last long" It didn't take long for Hayase to note one of her targets throwing a familiar object in her direction. "Wha? Grenade!? (Clink!) Tch!" She quickly rushed towards the oval object grabbing it and tossing it back with a yell. "Don't go throwing your trash anywhere you want, you bastards!"

The grenade exploded near their enemies, taking a number of them down.

"Hayase sempai!" Akane caught her just by a hairpin. "That was dangerous!"

"Heh. Better than the alternative" The young soldier smirked. "Now where the hell is Shirogane and the others? Shouldn't they be here by now!?"

"We don't know" Chizuru answered. "Takeru is supposed to be on the other building for his interview. Jinguuji san was with 1st Lt. Suzumiya and I have no idea where Kashiwagi san is!"

"Well I hope those four are having a better day than us, cuz we're in deep now"

**(Main complex exterior)**

It was a horror scene…

As Kashiwagi pulled Takeru's body up to her shoulder, she found herself constantly tripping on debris and bodies that literally littered amongst the place. Everywhere she looked she it was the same scenery playing over and over again. Dead bodies, blood and fire burning everything in its wake.

It was as if a violent event flew by without them even knowing it was there. She recognized some of the faces on the snow and some not. It was impossible to tell who was in league with those that were trying to capture them.

"Grrr…" She grunted once more before readjusting her partner back to her side. But with the wound on her shoulder and her hands still tied together, it was impossible to provide any kind of aid to herself or her friends. "Come on Takeru. I need you to work with me for a bit. J… just try to move your feet at least. I can't… I can't carry you like this forever! (Uhhh…) Takeru? Come on, we're almost there. Just a few more feet. Please! You have to work with me!"

"Hnn!"

"Yashiro chan! Come on. We have to hurry or—(There they are!) Ah crap! Let's go! In here!"

Putting all her energy in her feet, the girl pushed her wounded self upward, rushing towards the door with all might. She could hear the guards behind her yelling, shouting, cursing, but still she couldn't understand a single word they said.

A smile almost grew on her lips when she finally made it to the door. But it quickly went away when she realized the door wouldn't open.

"What the? Oh come on! You've gotta be kidding me! The knob is frozen!? Of all time!"

_"Over there! Get them!"_

"Son of a bitch!" Knowing well that it was impossible to outrun or fight their pursuers, Kashiwagi began kicking the door, hoping, praying that she could break it open. "Come on you stupid rusty piece of shit! Why do you have to be frozen today of all days!? Don't people use you all the time!? Doesn't the maintenance crew keep you clean and fixed!? Come on! Open! (Wham!) I swear… I am definitely not dying here! I'm not gonna die just because a stupid door like you! COME ON!"

She kicked over and over but there was no sign of it budging until Kasumi pulled out a familiar sword from her back.

"Y… Yashiro?" Kashiwagi stepped back, surprised that such a delicate girl would be holding onto something so… exotic. "Where'd you get that? No. Never mind. Can you get it open? (Hnn!)" And with a quick inexperienced swing, Kasumi swung the sword down but it simply bounced off its metal plate and recoiled back. "Damn it! Come on you stupid door!"

Clink…

But just as she was about to give in to despair, an extra hand suddenly reached out towards the blade and quickly held it in an arch position.

"Takeru?"

"When you use a sword… you gotta be… precise…" The boy was able to squeeze some of his conscious back to his body and with a good swing, he cut the knob, chipping the ice down to smaller pieces. "Gah! My stomach… really… hurts. (Takeru! Hang on!) H… hurry. Go… get us… out of here…"

"No need to tell me twice! DORYAAA!" With a last burst of energy, Kashiwagi gave the stubborn door one last kick nearly blowing it off its hinges. She rushed in with Kasumi in tow and with the faintest of strength, she pushed the door back, locking it with a definite click.

BAM!

It was only moments until the sound of constant pounding could be heard from the other side. Kashiwagi could hear screams and curses of a different language coming from the opposite end. The soldiers there were slamming their weapons against the door, kicking it, pounding it. If it wasn't for the fact that this door was made out of two inches of steel, they would've shoot at it by now.

Breathing a sigh of relief, the girl relaxed her muscles knowing well that she had gotten herself a few minutes head start from her pursuers.

"Good job… Kashi… wagi" She heard Takeru mutter just barely above a whisper. "That was pretty reckless…"

"Heh… well I learned from the best…" She countered before putting her back to the wall for a bit of rest. She had to admit that her attack was pretty reckless to say the least. Using a taser on the water would've rendered anyone close to her to be electrocuted on the spot. It was only thanks to her quick thinking that she was able to take a beat on her enemies. But in the process she had to electrocute Takeru too to save him.

But she did it. Even after getting shot on the shoulder and beaten a bit, she was able to get her partner and Kasumi to the main building where she could regroup with her team and hopefully get some help. Even those soldiers chasing them would have some difficulties breaking through those doors without some specialized equipments.

After gathering her second wind, she quickly turned to her partner to check on his condition. "Takeru, are you alright?"

"N… not really" The boy answered limped. "I can barely feel my arms much less my whole body. But I think I can stand. (…) Swinging that sword took a lot out of me"

"I guess that makes sense" Haruko forced a chuckle. "Let's go then. Break time's over. Come on" Again, the girl forced herself upward, pulling the same boy up to her shoulder. Thankfully, her partner was finally able to get a bearing on his feet which made things easier for her.

Slowly, the two trailed towards the inner part of the base with Kasumi following not far behind with the sword in her hand.

They could hear gunfire raging from place to place but at the very least they were far away from where they were. A fight here on would only result in their capture or death, that's for sure.

But then… she heard voices coming from the next intersection. Voices she was familiar with.

Quickly she pushed herself harder hoping that one of her comrades would be there waiting for her. But instead, she came upon the faces of General Radhabinod and several armed guards she did not recognize…

**(PX)**

On the other side of the base, a ragtag team of Imperial Army soldiers were held up in the PX along with the chefs and other staff personnel who were barricading every window with anything they could find. They were being pinned by a heavy machinegun that was raining down on their position like they didn't care of the ammo ran out.

The whole place was riddled with bullets and against such numbers, it seemed obvious that they were at a disadvantage.

"Damn it! This is insane" Asagi grumbled as she clocked her pistol before blind-firing at her opponents from a small crack from the barricades. It was hard to imagine that a few minutes ago, she and her comrades were enjoying a mid-afternoon lunch when the alarm sounded. Immediately the U.N. soldiers began rushing off to their units but not before getting mowed down by the same gun that was firing from the outside. And before they knew it, the guards around them began firing on one another killing each other without mercy.

"Asagi, I'm almost out" Matsukaze, her second in command announced.

"Search those bodies for some. I'm already at my last clip" Another hail of bullets fired on them forcing them to back away from the windows. "Damn it. Who the hell are these guys and why the hell do they want us dead so badly?"

"I don't know! But if I had to guess, they're not part of the U.N. And… oi… where's Hibiki?"

"Hibi—?" The girl then suddenly realized that her most important companion wasn't around them. "Where the fuck did that dick run off to this time!? (Ratatatat!) Damn it! Sergeant!" She directed her voice at the head chef who was hiding under the table. "Do you have any weapons in the kitchen? Anything we can use against them? (H… huh?) Focus! We're almost out of ammo. If you have anything you can use, you'd better think of something fast!"

"W… well, we have some knives and daggers. But nothing that can be used as a projectile"

"Damn. I guess we really are on our own. Matsukaze. Keep trying to contact the security room. We'll try to hold them as long as we can from here. (Roger that!) Everyone! Keep it together! We just need to hold them just a little bit longer!"

"Asagi!" The girl turned her attention towards the kitchen where she quickly noted a familiar chestnut haired boy waving at her.

"Hibiki? Where the hell were you, you idiot! Do you want to get yourself killed!?"

"Sorry. But you wouldn't believe what I found" Hibiki quickly rushed to her side bringing with him a box of liquor that reeked of alcohol. "We can make some improvised incendiaries with these. (Firebombs?) Yeah. We had a class with our instructor to make weapons with regular items, remember?"

The chef noted this. "Oi! That's my secret stash of beer! You can't have that!"

But the girl was actually astounded by the boy's idea. "Tatsubaka, you're a genius! Hey, you three. Grab me some towels and tissues. The rest of you, cover them!"

"Yes ma'am!"

**(Main Complex) (Corridor)**

Kashiwagi Haruko never actually thought that she'd be this happy to see a familiar face, even less so when the face is that of General Paul Radhabinod, the CO of Yokohama Base. She was hoping for one of her squad mates or a friend but considering the circumstances, she was happy just to see about anyone who wasn't pointing a gun at them.

Both sides stared at one another for a few moments before Kashiwagi broke the ice with a relieved smile. "Hua… Gen—" But before her mouth could even form sentences, Radhabinod pulled away from his captors to warn her.

"2nd Lt. Kashiwagi, run! (…?) Get out of here! Now!"

…!

It was then the girl noted the plastic handcuffs on the war-vet's hands. And just as he warned her, the four guards pulled up their weapons and began firing. Haruko quickly ducked behind the emergency fire-equipment storage unit and again pulled out a pistol for self defense.

"Damn it!"

"2nd Lieutenant, run!" The General warned again. "Alert the security department! Tell them to seal the vaults on the lower level and—(SHUT UP!) (WHACK!) Gah!" Rogofsky quickly silenced the man throwing a quick punch to his stomach.

"I should kill you right here and now…" The madman was hesitant with his shot before finally turning towards the girl's hiding spot. "You three, eliminate them, NOW! Bring the girl here. Tch. I can't rely on anyone these days"

The three fake-guards up obeyed and moved forward.

Kashiwagi can tell immediately that these were no grunts. The way they moved was too well coordinated and their weapons were more advanced than what the U.N. would give to everyday guards.

_"This isn't good" _Kashiwagi thought to herself._ " Our only exit is through the door we came in, and our only alternative is a 10 meter long hallway. There's no cover either. I won't be able to carry Takeru or Yashiro at this point. My only option now is to… fight back. _(Click)_ Six shots left. Four targets. Five-including the enemy commander. I'll have to be accurate. No room for mistakes"_

"That's far enough, young lady"

…!

Before Kashiwagi could react to the new voice that came up behind her, a fist swung at her face ramming her against the wall leaving a mark on her freckled face. The girl felt the recoil from the blow and withdrew. She tried to bring her sidearm to bear but her opponent was ruthless.

Another punch landed on her wounded shoulder making her lose her grasp on her foot. She tried to counter back but instead she was given a knee to the stomach sending her down to the floor in an instant, her weapon slipping off her fingers.

"Captain Romanov? Sir!" The fake guards saluted.

"At ease" The mustached veteran replied drawing a long machete from his waist. A few seconds later, another cohort of disguised guards approached from behind.

"You got them already?" One of the men exclaimed with surprise. "Not bad at all, Captain"

"Shut up Fredrik. (Geh!) You men are supposed to be the pinnacle of the Spetznaz forces, yet you were hampered by just two kids barely in their prime. You men should be ashamed"

"S… sorry sir. It's just that we aren't used to the snow here"

"What in the world did I train you for? Summer camp!? You're Spetznaz soldiers! You men specialize in winter combat! (…!) When we get back, I'll have to drill more of Burkov's training regime into those tiny heads of yours. Understood? (Y… yes sir)"

"Romanov!" Bodomir Rogofky barked out. "You're late! What the hell took you so long to get here!?"

"I apologize for the delay, commander but as you may have noticed, the base itself is under attack" The Captain pointed out the obvious.

"I can see that! Who the hell is causing this ruckus?"

"If you want my guess, it would the 'real' RLF. (The real?) Yes" The man nodded. "I encountered a few of them along the way here. They open fired on my men without hesitation even though we were in disguise—and they fired on other unarmed men as well. But they lack discipline. They look like a bunch of amateurs with little to no combat experience. They're probably the reason why communication is down as well. From the look of things, they have the same plan as us. They had their men disguised as U.N personnel and commandeered a number of their equipments. They might also have sleeper agents working inside. That's how they were able to pinpoint all key targets so quickly. Some of the news crew in the base also appears to be working with them. As for their objective… well… that could just be total annihilation of this base"

"Don't be ridiculous!" Rogofsky yelled back thinking of such preposterous plan. "Do you really believe that the RLF would take over this base by killing everyone?"

"They did the same in Yukon, did they not? (…) If the army is uncoordinated, unprepared and unarmed, even a rabble group like the RLF can succeed. Taking over communications, weapons and having the element of surprise… it'll be difficult for anyone to recover from such blow. (Tch!) So what now? Do we abort?"

"Of course not! We follow the plan! Deal with those two and have one of your men bring the girl back to the hanger. And leave no witnesses either. We leave, the moment we have the G-Element in our possession! Now help me bring this man up"

"As you wish…" The Captain boringly shrugged his shoulder, watching irritatingly as his commander walked off with his men. But there was still profit to be gained from this endeavor so he tolerated Rogofsky's behavior. Quietly, the Captain pulled out a cigarette from his pocket putting it up on his lips to bear away his annoyed feelings. "Light…"

The nearest soldier quickly responded like an obedient soldier and lit his cigarette with the lighter in his pocket. "So… what do we do now, sir?" The soldier asked feeling somewhat perplexed with how the plan was proceeding. "Do we still follow him?"

"It's not like we have much of a choice" The Captain responded puffing a smoke out of his nose. "He might be a wimp but he's as clever as they come. Now come on. Grab the girl and get back to the hanger"

"What about these two?"

"He said, 'Leave no witnesses' so… we kill them" The man pulled out his gun and directed it at Haruko's head feeling a bit of loss in his target. "Sorry kiddo. It's a shame that we have to kill such a beauty. I don't think you wouldn't mind hanging out with me for a change. (Grr!) Oh? A fighter? I know a few people who would definitely be interested in you. But… unfortunately, we don't exactly have the ti—"

But just before the Captain pulled the trigger, he noted his men clocking their guns to the target behind him. He turned around and there… he saw the figure of Shirogane, slowly limping in his direction.

"Don't… you… dare…!" Takeru said through rasping voice.

"Ohh? And who's this? You're boyfriend? What a shame"

"Captain! Please step back. That's the U.N. Ace!"

"Hoo? The Legendary Rookie?" The man raised a brow in excitement, analyzing the boy from head to toe. "I was expecting him to be… taller. But I supposed you can't judge kids by the way they look these days. (…!) Sorry kid but I got my orders"

"Y… you won't… kill me…" Even though he was in pain, even though his body was weakened from battle, the boy still had the will to stand up.

"Takeru…" Kashiwagi extended her hand trying to reach him, but the other guards overpowered her down.

"Shirogane…" Even Radhabinod who was standing there could not help but watch as the boy forced himself up as if he was trying to put one last act of defiance against his enemy. It was a brave act even against impossible odds. But it was quickly silenced by a gunshot coming from the Romanov's direction.

**(Takeru's POV)**

I… I was shot?

Guh!

That taste… it's… blood. My blood. It's everywhere. On the floor, on the wall, in my mouth, on my uniform.

It… doesn't hurt… yet… why do I feel like I'm fainting? Ugh… I… can barely stand.

"Takeru!" I can hear Kashiwagi's voice. She's calling out to me. No. I can't fall. Not here! Not now!

"Hoo? Impressive" The shooter raised a surprise look at me as he puffed another smoke from his mouth. "Not a lot of people can survive long after getting shot in the heart. You must have quite the pulse"

"Y… you… you won't kill me" I seethed out.

"Is that so? Then let's put that to the test"

Click…

Ah hell…

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

And before anyone can voice another word, Romanov fired a barrage at the boy, painting his body in an array of bullets. With each shot, more blood splat out and riddling Shirogane with more holes than one would dare count.

Any ordinary man would succumb to such a devastating attack. To lose so much blood and to feel agonizing pain in such short moments, anyone would've easily passed out. Everyone was expecting the boy to drop down and die, but to their surprise, Shirogane remained standing—his hand reaching out for his enemy.

"Oh… now that is impressive…" The Captain stated with some hint of respect in his voice. "The title of Dead Man suits you. Allow me to be the one to send you back to your gr—(WHAM!) Hmm?" But just as Romanov was about to put a bullet through the boy's brains, the door behind them swung open revealing a number of armed guards followed by a former takoyaki salesman.

"What the?" Rogofsky was taken back for a moment. "Who…?"

"Kill em!" Without even waiting, Pops shouted at his men calling out their targets.

Romanov immediately recognized them. "It's the RLF!" He directed his gun at them and retaliated. Before long, that narrow hallway was engulfed in a firefight. "Hold your ground! Don't let up!" The Captain barked at his men, ordering them back into formation. He fired two shots from his pistol and each bullet met their mark.

"…!" Kashiwagi jumped off from her crouched position and took Yashiro away to cover.

"Damn it!" The Captain cursed. "Why now of all time? Rogofsky! I sure hope this plan of yours still works. I'm not dying in a foreign country just for th—(Rrahhh!) Gah! What the hell?" Again the man was interrupted when Takeru came at him, grabbing both his arms in a reverse chokehold. "You again!?"

"K… Kashiwagi!" The boy directed what was left of his voice towards his partner. "Hurry…! Run! Get out of here!"

"But… what about you?"

"I'll be fine! Just hurry and take Kasumi with you! Find the others… quickly!"

"You cocky little brat!" Romanov laid a knee in the boy's stomach but still he refused to let go. He punched and kicked but still Takeru remained stubborn and held on while taking all the beating.

"You're not getting rid of me that easily!"

"Damn you!"

"Romanov! We're out of time!" Bodomir yelled out from far back irritated to how badly his plan was holding. "Grab the girl and deal with those two! NOW!"

**(Takeru's POV)**

Just a little longer. Just a little bit longer.

Ugh…! This pain is really getting to me. But I can feel my wounds healing under my shirt. I can feel the bullets lodged inside of me being pushed off by my own skin. If I can just bear the pain a little bit more, I can at least let Kashiwagi escape.

But… I'm already at my wit's end. The longer this fight lasts, the more energy I use. I don't know how my healing abilities work but they had better come through now when I need them the most.

"Grrr! Why you stubborn punk!"

WHAM!

Gah! Th… this guy. He's incredibly strong. Even if I was at my full strength, I don't think I would be able to match him in hand to hand combat. He's just too fast. But at the very least I can keep him from getting those two. If I can at least save them, then this fight… will at least have some meaning!

WHACK! POW! CRUNCH!

Gahaa! Crap. I think he just broke six of my ribs. His blows are all directed at my body and he's not holding back either. I'll just have to put more effort in holding him down.

"Grrr! Let go of me!"

An opening!

"Teeh!"

…!

Stab!

"Guaaahhhh!" What the? What was that? A knife? No, it's something bigger. That guy he… he stabbed me. There's a giant piece of sharp metal sticking into my chest. It's… twisting my insides like a churner.

Pfft!

I'm spitting out even more blood than before. I can taste the bitterness of rust and lead in my mouth. Crap… I'm choking. Can't… I can't breathe. My visions are… fading…

Slice!

"Gahhh!" I screamed once more when he moved his giant knife out of my body. He… he cut off my arm. He cut off my right arm from the elbow-down. It… it really hurts. I can't even begin to describe it.

Ugh… I… I can't… focus anymore. I can't stand… up…

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

WHAM!

And with one final kick, Shirogane was thrown onto the floor like a sack of rice, his own blood splattering everywhere. Gently he landed to where Kashiwagi and Kasumi were pinned where the poor girls had to watch the whole scene play in front of their eyes.

"Sh… Shiroga…ne?" Haruko reached out for his warm carcass trying to get some kind of reaction. But there was none. With the amount of damage he took and the number of wounds that he sustained, it was inevitable that he would fall. "Oi… you can't be…"

"Damn it" The Russian Captain cursed with a pained expression on his face. He was catching on his breath when he remembered that he was still in a firefight between two sides. "I never thought I'd have to be serious with a kid. I'll give him credit for stubbornness. (Romanov!) Fine! I know! Come on kid you're are coming with me"

"Oh no you don't!" In a burst of anger, Haruko leaped up, tackling the man down for another bout.

"Not another one!"

**(PX)**

Back in the PX, Asagi and her team were preparing to deliver a rain of fire on their enemies. With a number of Molotovs in hand, they braced themselves at the windows, preparing for a counterattack.

"Alright team, we need to time this just right" The red eyed leader raised her hand in gesture. "Matsukaze! You're up!"

"Roger that" The dark haired boy responded. "Give them everything you have! Empty your clips if you have to!"

The first team drew up their pistols firing in unison, blinding their enemies in a hail of gunfire. The RLF soldiers paused in their attacks and withdrew to cover giving Asagi enough time to launch a second attack.

"Alright! Burn them up!"

The soldiers at the back tossed their Molotov's in succession, creating a sea of fire on the other side. The jeep that had them pinned with its heavy machine gun was quickly set ablaze resulting in an explosion a few moments later.

"Yosha!" Tatsunami and his comrades cheered as they watched the RLF withdraw from their positions with their tails between their legs. "That'll teach them to mess with us! (Whirrr) Eh?"

But their victory cry was quickly crushed when they noted a strange noise coming from the fire. It sounded like an engine. And they soon had their answer in the form of a mechanical human size mech that made its way towards them.

The beast looked like a giant humanoid armor with a person inside. Painted black and gray, with giant pointy arms with searchlights and armed to the teeth with both a chain-gun and a rocket-launcher mounted on both shoulders, it looked more like something a science-fiction geek would think of and put it on display for all to ogle and envy.

"A Type-89 Feedback unit!?" Matsukaze recognized its series. "You've got to be kidding me!"

"You know that thing?"

"It's an APU used regularly by several mechanized infantry division. It's equipped for heavy assault and support roles. This is the first time I've actually seen one in action"

"Is it friendly?"

Whirrrr… ratatatat!

The chain-gun mounted on its shoulder whistled and began spouting bullets, riddling the PX with even more holes than it had before.

"I think that's your answer!"

"Well it'll take more than that to deal with us!" Hibiki quickly produced another lit beer bottle from his uniform and tossed it towards the armored soldier. "Get drunk you scum!" But the Type-89 quickly blasts the bottle in mid-air, leaving only the liquid to pour out. "No way!"

"Idiot! That thing is made of steel! Fire and bullets an't gonna do squat to that thing! Besides, it has a tough defense system that shoots down anything that approaches it. We need something bigger!" Matsukaze grumbled before ducking from another hail of bullets whistling past the window.

Hibiki thought for a moment of what his partner said and quickly came to a sudden realization. "I got it! You guys wait here"

"Ah? Hey wait! Tatsubaka!" Asagi tried to stop him but once again it failed. "Damn it. For once I wished that guy would listen to me"

"You won't get to him that way" Ryouichi added with a smirk. "That guy never listens to anyone but a real Eishi. I guess that's one of his least efficient traits"

It didn't take long for the boy to reappear again with a cylinder object from the kitchen.

"Oi! Tatsubaka! The least you could do is fill us in on what you're gonna do first!"

"Sorry. There wasn't time" The boy apologized before pulling his new found weapon to his waist. Judging by the sound of the object, it seemed heavy. "But this will help turn the odds in our favor"

"What's that?"

"The gas task from the kitchen" The boy answered calmly suddenly alarming his other two compatriots.

"ARE YOU CRAZY!?" Matsukaze almost crawled next to the chef when he saw the 'highly flammable' sign printed on the front of the canister. "Why the hell did you bring something dangerous like that out here you moron!?"

"You're the one who said we needed something bigger, didn't you?!" Hibiki defended. "But this will work. The impact from this tank should be more than enough to break its shell at the very least!"

"Or blow us to pieces!"

Asagi darted her eyes between her two friends, yelling out to stop their bickering. "Alright enough! Tatsunami, what do you need?"

"I just need a few minutes and some towels. If we can make a slingshot big enough, we can use it to catapult right onto that sucker!"

The girl let out a sigh sensing another one of his ridiculous ideas. "Alright. Matsukaze, you help him make his weapon. (Me!?) The rest of us will try to hold that thing off for a few more minutes. If it doesn't work we'll withdraw to the kitchen and make our stand there"

**(Main Complex) (Hallway)**

The firefight continued between the Soviet Spetznaz forces and the RLF. The gunfight felt like a boxing match between two warriors and the first one to ease up on the attack would be the first to get hammered.

But while both sides continued to trade shots with one another, Radhabinod saw it as a golden opportunity to escape. He almost smiled inwardly to himself when he found a small piece of glass that landed near his feet. Using that tiny object, he slowly began cutting his binds all the while making sure that no stray bullets hit him.

"What the hell are you doing!? Kill them already!" The General could hear his captor barking at his men. If it wasn't for the fact that he was in the firefight, he would've laughed at his folly.

"We're trying! But there's just too many of them!" Radhabinod noted it and the soldier was correct. Even though the RLF militia kept falling left and right, a few dozen more were there to take their places. It felt like waves and waves of men were being thrown at them.

"Teeeh!"

"Goh!" The Captain of the Spetznaz recoiled back when he was given a kick to the face. He was now dealing with Kashiwagi in hand to hand combat and it seems like no surprise that they were both unarmed, but what surprised the man was the fact that she was winning. Never in his life did he expect to be beaten, especially by a woman barely half his size, and less yet, barely half his age.

"Doryaa!" But Haruko didn't let off. Even with her hands still tied together, she brawled the man with her fists using them together like a club, swinging at his stomach and giving out roundhouse kicks, knocking one of his teeth out.

"Damn you!"

"If I'm gonna die…" With anger seething in her voice, the blue haired soldier charged in beating the pulp of the Captain with her bruised hand. "I'll be sure to take you with me! Teeh!"

"Don't get cocky just because you got a few good strike, you damn brat!" Romanov regained his composure and with a quick motion he blocked a second kick and stabbed the girl right on her thigh.

"Gaaaah!" Her painful grunt was only silenced by another punch to her face sending her off to the ground.

The Captain cursed himself for the fifth time that afternoon. He never once thought that two kids would actually put that much of a fight. If they were born in Alaska, he was certain that these two would've made excellent soldiers in his corp. There weren't many would gladly volunteer for the army, much less in their age. Things would've been different had they just surrender.

"I'll give both of you A+ for effort. But things had to turn out this way. (Keh…!) Sorry girl. But this is the way the world works…" He raised his machete to Haruko's chest as she glared at him with murderous eyes. It was plain to see that vengeance was her motive and it was easy to tell what caused it.

To see Shirogane, the boy whom she thought, had her heart, die in front of her. The rage she had when she first heard the news of her brother's death came back to her. She gritted her teeth together, trying to muster one last ounce of strength to choke the man in front of her. But alas, there was none left. She spent much of her energy running from the RLF soldiers. There was little chance for her to fight back against a pro-killer.

"Sorry about this…" The Captain lifted his blade, preparing to deliver the final blow, completely unaware of the figure that suddenly rose from its pool of blood.

**(PX)**

"Yosh. This will do" Hibiki to himself, double checking his newly made improvised weapon. Though he would've called it one of his masterpieces, in truth it was nothing more but a large slingshot made poorly with cut off towels and tissues all tied together linking on the edges of the window.

His team was still pinned down by the mech's chain-gun making it viably risky just to move around. All their current weapons were ineffective against its thick armor as bullets simply bounce off its metal plate. Even the human-figure at the center was impervious to their attacks making it even more frightening to face. As it got closer to the PX, the less room they had to breathe.

"Are you sure this thing will work?" Matsukaze questioned, feeling like he was reeled in another one of his reckless plans.

"I'm forty percent sure. (40!?) Yeah. Forty percent says that it'll hit its target and take that machine along with it. There's a twenty percent chance that the machine will just shoot it off like I did with the bottle"

"And what's the other forty percent?"

"Well… there's also a good chance that this thing might explode while we're doing this. (Huh?) I kinda left the gas on when we started building this catapult"

Ryouichi was about half way to pounding that boy if it wasn't for the distance that separated them. "ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND!? Why in the world would you—?"

"Asagi! We're ready!" Hibiki ignored him and quickly gave the 'go' sign with his fingers.

"Hey! Listen to me when I'm talking to you!"

But Asagi ignored the whining raven haired boy and quickly signaled the troops. "Alright. We'll use the last of these bottles! Fire your round afterwards! (Roger that!) Kanbe, hand out what we have left of the fire-bombs. (Yes ma'am!) Alright team. All together now!"

"Get ready, Ryouichi! (This is nuts!) Prepare launcher!" Two men quickly pulled the made up slingshot up to bear. "Load canister! (Roger that!) Target, enemy APU! Distance, 30 meters approximately! Remember, we only have one shot. Don't miss, Ryouichi!"

"Damn it! This is what I get when I'm paired with a weirdo! If this goes on, you'll probably just charge on a battlefield just to wave flares at people's faces!"

"Asagi, do it!"

"Fire!" The men by the windows quickly tossed up every Molotov they had on hand, torching the mech and slowed it down just by a small margin. "It's blind! Give it all you got!"

"Let loose!"

"Dorryaaa!"

Everyone ducked the moment the canister flew off through the window. Within moments as the fire went on, an explosion erupted, shaking the foundation from its roots. Every glass on the windows broke from the shockwave littering the floor with dangerous shrapnel.

A moment of pause followed giving the rookies some respite.

Asagi was the first to recover leaving a grunt noise as got back to her feet. The shockwave knocked her team out but at least they were alive. A few more were less fortunate.

Getting her baring on the place, she quietly took a peek outside the window hoping they at least met their mark. And to her joy, the giant machine that was hounding at them was there, its body torn to pieces and the pilot… well… mashed up like goo.

She could see soldiers withdrawing from the area too. She guessed that losing both their heavy weaponries broke their morale forcing them to flee.

"Nice work… Tatsubaka…" Asagi said to the boy, half admiring how a foolish kid like him ever got to be so quick witted in times like these.

**(Main Complex) (Hallway)**

**"ARGHHHHHH!"**

"That's… im… possible…" Those were the only words Bodomir Rogofsky was able to squeeze out of his lungs when he saw the scene before him. His voice was low and frightful and yet at the same time it contained a hint of amazement in its tone. Every soldier and militia in the very same hallway had the same expression of shock and fear imprinted on them.

A moment ago, these two sides were hell bent on annihilating the others trading gunfire and grenades like they were prepared for death itself. But now… they were silent. Their guns ceased, the soldiers shook in amazement as they watched the unbelievable sight before them. General Radhabinod, the takoyaki store owner and even Kashiwagi herself had the same reaction, their eyes glued at the source of the conflict.

**"ARGGGHHH!"**

Right dabbed in the middle of that fight, Shirogane stood, his uniform tattered from recent conflict, his blood splattered all over the ground and his right arm, missing from its torso…

… or at least that's what everyone thought.

Seeing a dead man rise from the grave didn't surprise them, seeing a dead man punching a living man didn't surprise them… It was more of the fact that Shirogane was growing a new arm however, was what shocked them.

**"GRAHHHHHH! ARGHHHHH!"**

On all corners, every soldier with eyes saw it as clear as day. Though some would call it impossible or madness, the evidence stared at them right in the face. There were no words, no amount of information that could explain what these men saw. A new arm was growing where it was cut like a lizard's tail. First… the bones came as if it was being constructed by matters and materials made from the air itself. Then veins followed, materializing from where the arm was cut. From bare bones white, to a pinkish hue, the flesh came next…

**"ARGHHH!"**

Shirogane screamed through every second of the process. His eyes turned red like the color of his stained clothes, the veins on his face were throbbing faster to the point that they could be seen by the naked eye. His cries of agony frightened those around him. It terrified them with a bone-chilling screech reaching at the very depths of their subconscious telling them that 'HE' was not human.

But amongst all who stood there, in fright and in awe, only one remained docile. Only the rabbit alone, could watch and grip tightly the blade that she had been holding for him.


	84. Fall from Grace Part 3

**Chapter 84: Fall from Grace (Part 3)**

**(U.N Base) (Main Complex) (Hallway)**

**"ARGHHHH!"**

Shirogane's scream drowned everything in that room. Every thought that those soldiers came up with, were silenced by his cries of agony and torment. His arm formed anew in a lump of burning flesh that vibrated every cell in his body, torturing him, eating him on the inside.

Nobody moved. Nobody breathed.

Everyone was too confused, too puzzled to what they just saw. But when the boy's arm finally healed, he fell on his knees in anguish.

"O… oi… what was that just now?" One of the men questioned as if they were expecting something. After all that screaming of bloody Mary, the boy simply limped out like a sack of rice withering in the cold.

"Did his arm… just grow back?"

A momentary silence came between them. Though many were relieved that nothing else happened, there had a twinge of disappointment amongst them. A few disputed thinking that he would charge at them like a mad bull.

But just as the men were recovering from Shirogane's magical act, Radhabinod took advantage of the situation, quickly disposing one of the Spetznaz soldier with his own combat knife, grabbing his weapon and unleashing a volley on his enemies. The sudden fire bolted the men back into action forcing them back to the gunfight. But before neither side could do anything about it, Radhabinod pulled the ring on a bunch of grenades attached to one of the soldiers and threw them onto the middle of the battlefield.

"2nd Lt. Kashiwagi! Close your eyes and ears!" The girl obeyed, helping Kasumi take cover before hearing the echo of an explosion take away her hearing.

"Gahhh! I can't see!"

"My ears! My ears!"

Radhabinod quickly ran through the hail of bullets, grabbing the fallen hero in one quick maneuver. "I'll take him! You bring Yashiro with you! Hurry! Follow me!"

"R… Radhabinod!" Rogofsky tried to blind-fire at the man but his ears rung with incredible pain that he could barely hear his own voice. "Damn him… DAMN THAT MAN!"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The two soldiers ran as fast as their legs could take them, ignoring the gunfire coming from behind. After a few hallways, they made it to a bulkhead pass that the General recognize. Gently he pressed on a button on the wall activating the emergency fireproof bulkhead doors.

"There… that should hold them for awhile"

"A bulkhead door?" Haruko questioned.

"It's an emergency security protocol in case of wildfire. It should buy us some time" The General answered, putting his back to rest. He felt his age catching up to his back and shoulder. Old pains and aches began to resurface after putting too much effort in that last sprint. If it wasn't for the fact that they were still being chased he would've said that he was getting too old for this sort of action.

_"I'm getting too old for this shit"_

_-Roger Murtaugh from the movie Lethal Weapon-_

After making sure that the door was shut, the General gently laid the unconscious Shirogane to the floor, trying to get a better understanding of what just happened. Naturally his attention went immediately to his newly regenerated arm that literally sprouted from the boy's body.

Even after getting a good look at it from this point, nothing seemed to make any sense. There was just no way, no amount of explanation that could probably make any sense of what just happened. To heal from a cut, gunshot wound or a broken bone, was a normal occurrence to any soldier, any man. The General had seen it all, experienced it all. But to heal from a severed limb by growing a new one, now that was something else. No… it would probably go further than that, it would probably be stated as impossible… but yet here it was. All the proof was laid there in full flesh, staring at him in plain sight.

The only thing that indicated any kind of phenomenon was the fact that the color of his new arm was different from the rest of his body. Shirogane skin had a darker shade of tan going upward from his shoulder, but his new arm however was coated with a pinkish hue making it appear as though it was a baby that just came out of its mother's womb.

A part of the old man felt confused, and at the same time, fear. Feeling puzzled, the General moved to his uniform and quickly ripped the buttons off only to be even more surprised when he saw the boy's chest.

The beating body that everyone saw to be shot with a multitude of bullets was bare. The skin was intact covered by only a few drops of blood that stained it. Shell casing of bullets that struck him fell off the moment his shirt came out falling to the floor below. Clearly there was devilry or divine work at hand here. Radhabinod did not know which, but whichever it was… he'd be too afraid to know them.

The only information that had any chance of explaining this phenomenon was the fact that this boy was the guard dog of the Mad Professor Kouzuki. No other answer came close to explaining it. It would make sense that someone like Yuuko would have something like this up her sleeves. But of course she wasn't around to make comments on such things.

"General. What is… he…?" Kashiwagi too felt somewhat puzzled by this. She was hoping for an explanation, any explanation. To have witnessed such a miracle play right before her very eyes made her question everything that has happened till now.

"2nd Lieutenant…" The General interrupted the girl's question holding every urge to ask the same things. "Though I understand your confusion at the moment, I have to ask you to keep what we saw here to yourself. (…?) There are too many variables that we do not understand, and I doubt we'll be able to make sense of it all. But right now, we have to prioritize fending off the enemy. Everything will come clear, in time and I'm certain 1st Lt. Shirogane has his reasons for keeping such thing to himself. Am I clear? (But sir…) AM. I. CLEAR?"

The lady in blue flinched back at attention to his command. "Yes sir…"

"Good. Now… show me your hands. I'll cut the binds off. (Yes sir…)" The Captain quickly released the girl from her binds, patting her shoulder for morale. "Alright. Come with me. We need to get you two patched up. There should be an infirmary nearby"

**(Marimo's POV)**

Bang!

Bloody hell!

What is this guy's deal!? He already knows we can't fight back, yet why does he keep firing on our position!? He's really starting to get on my nerves and being trapped here isn't making things any easier! I swear the moment I get my hands on him…

"Jinguuji san…" Suzumiya whispered to me from the trucks.

"Suzumiya. Can you see him?"

"No. I can't find him anywhere. He doesn't appear to be on the building" Not there? Damn it. Where the hell is that guy supposed to be firing from? "Jinguuji san. (What?) I think… there's something inside this truck?"

"Something inside?"

"Yes… it's a computer. I think it's… the jammer" Jammer? You mean the thing that's been cutting off our communication network? "Yes I think so. This must be the reason why the sniper is so determined to keep us from it"

So that's why. The sniper is the only guard protecting the jammer. If we can take that out then we can restore communication with the rest of the base and hopefully we can organize some kind of counterattack. But… that's easier said than done. There's no way she can get in that container without getting in the crossfire of that shooter. We don't even know where he's shooting from. And he might not even be working alone.

Bang!

Ugh… this cover isn't going to be working much longer. He's blowing more holes on this box than a cheese.

But how can we fight back against an opponent we can't even see?

…

Ugh… why is it that 'his' face has to pop up when I ask that question to myself? Just thinking back on it makes me feel like an idiot. Shirogane would probably something stupid like he did with the Infinities but this isn't like piloting a TSF and this time, our opponent really is invisible to our eyes.

"Jinguuji san…" Suzumiya called out to me. "I have a plan. (Eh?) Please listen quietly. I think I understand our enemy's maneuvers" Understand? How can she understand the enemy? "There's a timestamp between each shot he takes. I can only guess that he's using a bolt-action rifle" A bolt action? Hmm… now that she mentions it, she's right. There's a time variable between every shot the sniper takes. He would've done simultaneous attacks if he could but instead he keeps wasting them on one shot each.

If I remember correctly, Tamase used to train using the same kind of rifle. She would take one shot, clock then shoot again with at least 0.7 seconds in between. If there were two targets in different locations, then it would take her about twice as long before firing again. Suzumiya and I were on different ends of the field making us perfect for a simultaneous attack. But still… we don't know if the enemy sniper is working alone or with a partner.

"Alright, I get it" I responded. "What do you have in mind?"

"If our enemy is using a bolt-action weapon then he won't have the ability to take both of us out. If we both rush in at the same time, there's a good chance that at least one of us will be able to take him out"

"Wait… what?" Is she saying what I think she's? "That's crazy!"

"We can't remain here any longer either. If this device is the cause of our communication breakdown, the prize is worth the risk!"

"Yes but… your leg"

"I won't be a hindrance, I promise. Please Jinguuji san. I can't stay here knowing that our comrades are still in danger" Ugh. Darn it. It looks like her worry over her sister is rushing her thoughts. But she has a point. If this device really is the source of com disruption, then it's worth it. If we can restore communications between the armed forces here, high command can send for reinforcements. "We will go after the next shot. On my mark"

This girl…

Despite knowing that her next move could mean her life she continues to press forward. She really is something else…

Bang!

"Go!"

The moment the next shot came, both Suzumiya and I rushed from our cover position towards the East Wing. The sudden attack must've caught the sniper by surprise because his next shot was taking much longer than before. I let out a few rounds disorienting him even more before I noticed a sudden flash on the surface of the snow.

Bang!

…!

"Suzumiya!" I saw the girl's body fall to the ground after the next round rung in my ears. I cursed at myself but pushed forward. If I stop now then we'll both be dead. "You bastard!"

Bang!

…

…

…

Hua…

My adrenaline dropped after that rush. I fell on my knees the moment the next shot came. I expected myself to be on the ground face first dead but it seems like that wasn't the case. It seems like for once… our plan actually worked.

"J… Jinguuji san…"

…!

That voice… Suzumiya!?

I rushed over to the girl's figure and carried her in my arms. "Suzumiya! Y… you're alright?"

"Yes… but it seems like I may need a replacement for my leg in the near future" A leg replacement? Ah! Her prosthetic leg… it's been torn. The bullet went straight through the centerpiece of her leg. The sniper must've been trying to cripple her instead of killing her.

I breathed a sigh of relief. For a moment there I really thought the worst case scenario was playing. "You really are reckless, you know that? I think I'm starting to understand where Akane got her hot-headed behavior from"

"Uh… that's not exactly a compliment, Jinguugi san"

After making sure that there weren't any other injuries, I carried Suzumiya up to my shoulder acting as a support for her 2nd lost leg. I opted to get her to the infirmary but she insisted on getting to the truck with the camouflaged antenna. I guess she really does want to do her part in this conflict. But before we could reach it, we paused and stopped at the body of the sniper that laid in the red stained snow.

Both Suzumiya and I expected to find the sniper to be hiding on the high-ground but we were wrong. In truth our attacker was hiding himself under the snow, under plain sight. And it wasn't even a 'he'. Our attacker was actually a woman. She appeared to be working alone for that matter with only one pair of binoculars and a sniper rifle in her hand.

But her gender wasn't the thing that surprised us. What got our attention was the fact that she was wearing the same uniform as me. She was definitely wearing a U.N. Officer uniform. Every commissioned officer has them. But if she's wearing it… then that could only mean that this attack was premeditated. Someone staged this whole thing with agents inside our own ranks. Just having that thought alone frightens me.

"…" I notice Suzumiya grunt but she quickly brushed it off turning towards the truck. "Let us hurry. The faster we destroy that thing, the better"

**(Main Complex) (Infirmary)**

The doctor of the tiny infirmary was not happy. It was bad enough that he got interrupted during his lunch break this afternoon but when he finally arrived at his station, he found himself swamped with more wounded than he could count. He tried reaching out for the other departments to give him a hand or at least some basic medical supplies but he couldn't reach anyone by phone or by radio. He was running low on… well… everything.

Even his nurse who remained by his side was having difficulties trying to keep up with all the patients that have been rummaging through the door. She was already bound to using her lipstick to mark the conditions of each patient on her notes.

But while the doctor was about finished with his 15th client, he noted the door once again bursting in.

"No! No more!" He yelled out. "There's no more room here. We're already crowded enough as it is. I'm sorry but you'll have to go to the infirmary on the other side of the base. We can't accommodate anymore here!" But he quickly stopped when he realized who he was yelling at. "G… General Radhabinod!?"

"Sorry to come here unannounced doctor but I'm going to have to order you to accommodate two more even just for a minute"

The Doctor quickly got back to his senses and made way. "Ah… y… yes sir. Of course. Juri san, please clear my work table. (Yes doctor…) Please sit here General" He offered.

"No, not for me but for these two" The Commander gestured to Kashiwagi and Shirogane who was still lying barely conscious on his shoulders. "Do what you can for them but I need these two combat ready in three minutes"

"Ah… well, I'll do my best sir" The doctor gently place Takeru on the new makeshift table before gesturing to his assistant. "Give the girl some basic first aid. Find some bandages and patch her up. (Yes sir!) And let's see… eh?" It didn't take long for the doctor to take note that the boy was uninjured. "He… doesn't appear to be wounded, sir"

"Can you identify any injuries whatsoever?"

"No…" He shook his head in reply to the General's question. "There's a lot of blood but I don't think they're his. I think he may have just suffered trauma. That would explain his near delirious state"

"Is that so? (…sir?) Nothing. Give him a dosage of adrenaline boosters. I need him on his feet right this instant. (Yes sir)" The doctor then rushed to his cabinet pulling out a plastic syringe with an oddly colored liquid inside.

"This should suffice. The effec (…) Sir. If I may ask. What is going on?"

"I'd like to know that myself but communication has been sketchy. I'm trying to get back to head command and reorganize until we were ambushed along the way" The General made up as he watched the doctor inject his subject with the liquid. "I don't suppose you have anyone that can help me, do you?"

"No sir. The men dropped off the wounded here and were taken in by other officers to assist in the defense. Last I heard, there was a group holding out in the PX. The explosion took out most of the hallways here so we can't get supplies or personnel to help out"

"Then going to the East Wing will be impossible" The General grunted. He was hoping to at least enlist the aid of the guards but with the hallway blocked, the only way to get there is to go through one of the big firefights happening around the base. "How about central command? Is the hallway leading there still available?"

"I think so… but no one has come out of that place for awhile"

"Then I have no choice. (Sir?) How long before the booster takes effect?" Radhabinod shrugged off his worries and quickly changed the subject.

"The effect should be instant but depending on how fast his blood circulates, it may take about 10 to 15 minutes at the very least"

"I suppose that will have to do" The General muttered to himself before pulling the boy back up after his injection. "How about you, 2nd Lieutenant?"

Kashiwagi nodded back properly as the nurse finished wrapping her thigh and leg with bandages. "I'm not in my best shape, but I think I can follow"

"Good. We're going to central command and we're taking him with us. Grab a weapon and help me with him. (Yes sir) Doctor. Once we leave the infirmary, I'd suggest you lock this door and do not allow anymore in until the all clear has been sounded. (Understood General) Come Yashiro"

And with a heave, the General and Kashiwagi lifted the unconscious boy from the table, slowly making their way out towards the riddled hallway once more. From there, the door shut behind them leaving a worried feeling in both soldiers.

…

…

…

"Sir…" Kashiwagi spoke up to the General as they limped their way up the stairs. "Why are we going to the command center?"

The General darted back at the girl with a confused expression. He was about to speak when he realized that the girl wasn't there during his initial capture. "Ah… that's right. I guess I should explain a bit. (…?) Right before all this madness started, one of the Russian delegates captured me and my men against our will. He's currently holding my staff officers in my office. We can't risk mounting some kind of counterattack without more manpower to help us"

"Then, wouldn't it be better if the two of us went on our own?" The girl motioned uncomfortably to the boy she was holding.

"No" The General answered plainly. "For reasons unknown, it seems like their primary target is Yashiro. I can't afford to leave her alone to be captured by the enemy. If what that man says is true and the RLF is indeed behind this attack then it's safe to say that all of our internal securities have been compromised. That means anyone can be an enemy and we can't afford to lose any time"

"But wouldn't it be better if we left these two in the infirmary? I mean the guards…"

"… Any one of them can be a traitor. (…!) As of right now, I can't afford to trust anyone and there's no way I can afford to lose you two on a chance. (…) We're here"

It didn't take long for them to reach the highest floor of the building where the General's office took place. From that hallway, the General could see the two guards that Rogofsky left behind to watch over the prisoners. They were most likely just waiting for their CO to give the kill order. It was plainly obvious that Budomir wanted all of them dead. If he left anyone alive, witnesses would only prove his guilt.

It was only thanks to the communication breakdown that the kill order wasn't given yet.

_"Hey, what's the word? Has the Captain contacted back yet?"_

_"No. I can't seem to raise anyone on the radio. It seems like they must still be busy"_

_"Oi, you think this is alright? (Why?) The whole base is under attack and we're standing here watching over these people. I mean… shouldn't we be worried—or at least fighting someone right now?"_

_"It's up to you if you want to go. But don't blame me if the Captain decides to send you back to boot-camp for the third time. (Geh!) Let's just wait until this whole thing blows over. Unless we get new orders from that fat guy, I'm staying right here"_

_"Y… yeah… you're probably right"_

As the guards returned to their post, Radhabinod noted that he had to kill both of them at the same time if he wanted to succeed. But right now, with his only combat-able companion being a rabbit, and his two soldiers unfit for a fight, he decided to take it in on his own.

While neither of the guards was looking, he easily killed the first with his own combat knife and cutting the throat of the adjacent partner with one fluid motion. The two of them fell to the ground faster than stone hitting a curb and blood spewed all around their bodies.

After making sure that they were dead, the General quickly entered his office, hoping and praying inwardly that they haven't carried out the mass execution yet.

"General?" One of the tied up officers spoke up, much to Radhabinod's relief.

"Glad to see you all alive. Is everyone alright?" The old war vet inquired with a nod from his team.

"Yes sir. But… how did you escape?"

"It's a long story" He took a glance at the two injured soldiers following behind. "But right now we have bigger things to worry about. The base is under attack by the RLF and their sleeper agents are wrecking havoc on our personnel and equipment. I know that this is highly unusual, but I'm gonna have to ask you six to risk your life on the battlefield once more"

The officers darted to one another before answering. "What do you want us to do sir?"

"With much of our command structure either compromised or gone, it's impossible for us to organize a sizable counterattack. Our enemies are ruthless and extremely efficient—but there is still a chance in victory. From here on I want all of you to dedicate in making sure these three leave this base with all haste!" He gestured his hands towards Shirogane, Kashiwagi and Kasumi who remained in the room. At first the men were confused until the General gave his explanation. "Since we're unable to determine friend from foe at this point, our best bet right now will be to ensure that someone is out there carrying a coordinated operation against them. That is why, these three must leave this base…"

The men once more darted at one another but remained silent, signaling the General to continue with his briefing.

"Lt. Piatif. What is the status of Professor Kouzuki's research?"

The blonde woman stood at attention as she answered. "Sir. All data regarding related to ALTERNATIVE IV plan has been transferred to Yokohama Base. All physical data and reference material in Hanger 15 have all been destroyed prior to yesterday"

"I see. Excellent" The General was relieved. Having such classified information taken by their opponents would've been a costly one for them. "Alright. Everyone grab a weapon. Captain Mure, you'll take point from here"

"Gladly, sir" The injured soldier nodded with a determined look in his eyes. "I still have to payback for that bastard who shot me in the leg"

"You'll get your chance. Your job now is to escort 1st Lt. Shirogane, 2nd Lt. Kashiwagi and Yashiro Kasumi to hanger 13. (Eh?) Once there, you will get on your respective TSFs and evacuate from this base. That's the best bet we have. And if possible, we'll evacuate along with you"

"Y… yes sir" Kashiwagi responded a bit hesitantly. She wasn't exactly sure where this plan was heading but can tell that it definitely involved her and Shirogane piloting TSFs.

As the officers filed out one by one, the General suddenly pulled Lt. Piatif to a corner and whispered to her ear. "Excuse me Lt. Piatif but I have a favor to ask of you. (Sir?) We don't have much time and I don't have the ability to explain this, but I need you to go to the security room and delete all camera footages of the last 24 hours"

"Delete all footages?" The blonde woman questioned. "But why?"

"I told you that I don't have the time or the inclination to explain. I just need you to destroy all footages of whatever happened inside the main complex building. Can you do it?"

Piatif was obviously puzzled with this order she was given but she decided to go with it nonetheless. "Understood sir. I'll take a separate route from the group"

"Good. Meet up with us in the hanger after you're done. (Yes sir)"

**(Marimo's POV) (Base entrance)**

Click…

I checked my ammo count again.

It's been 12 minutes since our skirmish with the sniper. Even after losing her leg, Haruka was able to get herself into the back of one of the civilian trucks. Inside the container was a multitude of computers and sophisticated equipments that I've only seen in the underground headquarters of Yokohama Base. There were enough electronic gadgets here that can maintain a small army on its own if it was staffed.

There was even a radar dish on top that was cleverly camouflage by a boxed company logo to keep away prying eyes. Whatever organization we were dealing with, it's plain to see that they are were well organized and well funded too. Only top of the line production companies would be capable of making stuff like these. I was tempted to shoot the dish sky-high but my bullets simply bounced harmlessly off its protective armor. It seems like these things were designed to be immune to small arms fire.

"How's it going, Suzumiya?" I motioned to my injured partner who was working on one of the computers that was linked to the jammer.

"I'm making progress" She answered not even turning her head my way. "However, it seems like they've locked down the whole circuit. I'm attempting to hack into the system directly through the mainframe but there appears to be a powerful firewall that I am unable to crack"

"Well, keep trying. We're going to need communications back in our hands as soon as possible. And you'd better hurry. I think they'll send someone to find out what happened here"

"I'll do my best"

Still… the firefight hasn't died down yet. The fighting has gone on for hours and it doesn't seem to be letting up. I don't know what kind of force our enemies brought in but they couldn't have caught us at a worse time. I understand that Kyoto is now a central hub for our continued fight with the BETA but thanks to the recent conflicts in the country, the U.N. Armed Force isn't at its strongest. We've lost a lot of troops during the New Year's incident and even more so during the battle of Kyoto.

Much of the 11th Pacific Army was destroyed and I'm sure General Radhabinod is trying his best to get it back to at least some measure of combat strength. That was the reason why the High Council thought it best to have the 6th Pacific Army relieved us. But with much of their troops still stationed in Kyushu overlooking the mainland… I'm guessing that it'll take awhile for any help to arrive.

But… there's still one thing that puzzles me. That sniper we fought was definitely wearing a U.N. uniform. I recognize the patches on her neck and the markings on her shoulder. She was definitely experienced in combat and received at least some measure of basic training.

"Haruka… san" I opened up to my injured partner. "Can I ask you something? (Of course) Do you know that person?" She stopped her work abruptly as if she was expecting it. I guess all those years studying psychology were finally paying off here. There was no denying it. Suzumiya definitely knows that sniper, or at least has some measure of information of her. "You know her, don't you?"

After a brief pause, she nodded before answering. "Yes. I'm afraid so. (…?) Her name is Oyamada. Sgt. Oyamada to be precise. (Sergeant?) Correct. She's a com officer that works in the security sector. (A com officer?) We first met during our fortification of Okayama and the battle of Kyoto. She is… or at least was… part of the logistics division"

"Then she's a real U.N. officer. (Correct)" Suzumiya nodded confirming my suspicions. This explains how our enemy took us by surprise. They had sleeper agents planted inside our very command-structure. They knew all of our strengths and weaknesses and exploited each one of them to the letter. And if they had someone working in the security sector then it's no wonder how they were able to launch an attack without someone noticing. It was without a doubt that she was an enemy. If Suzumiya and she were acquaintances, she would've recognized her in an instant the moment she stepped out of cover.

"I'm still having a hard time wrapping my head around that idea though"

"Yeah… I understand. Sorry for bringing it up"

"No need" Suzumiya gave me a weak but reassuring smile. "It was bound to come out sooner or later. I'm just a little… unsettled to see her like that. (Beep beep!) I'm through! (Eh?) I've hacked into the jammer's mainframe. I have control over the system"

"Can you disable it?"

"Yes. It shouldn't take more than… there!"

And with a press of a button the large computer shut down leaving all lights dull and gray. It echoed across the entrance like an engine shutting down after a long day's work.

**(Control Tower)**

"S… sir!" One of the officers in the control tower called out to his CO when his speakers suddenly cleared up. "We have communications back online. (What!?) Yes sir. The jamming signal has disappeared. We're currently in contact with all of our reserve forces"

A small round of cheers followed dying out on the CO's orders. "Finally, some good news. What troops do we have?"

After a quick scan, the officer reported. "I'm in contact with the 4th reserved guards. We have two mechanized infantry companies from the north. They were performing a mandatory training exercise in Ayabe at the time sir. They should be here within the hour"

"Warn them of the situation at hand. I don't want them falling under the same trick these bastards use. (Yes sir) What about heavy weaponries? Do we still have patrols?"

"Aye sir. We have around two Eagle squadrons returning for maintenance. Jango and Tomahawk. They should have more than enough firepower to wipe out the enemy"

"Alright. Tell them everything that's happened. Bring Tomahawk Squad back here and help contain the situation but have Jango remain in the air to provide aerial visual of the base. Let's get to work people!"

"Yes sir!"

**(Valkyrie Hanger) (Takeru's POV)**

Ugh… where… where am I?

And why does my head feel like it's just been gargled through a hurricane and spat out?

"General! I think he's coming about" Haruko? What is she doing here? Am I dreaming? Oh…

"It's about time" That voice. General? The CO of Yokohama Base? Why is he… here? And who are those men behind him.

Ruffle…

Ugh… my body feels like lead.

"Easy. Don't rush it" Haruko helped me to my back as I rubbed an aching part on my head. "You've been out for awhile, Takeru. (Kashi… wagi?) How many fingers am I holding?" Wow… I must be really out of it because I really can't tell how many fingers there are. There are about two… four… or maybe six. I can't tell. Everything is just so blurry. "I don't think he'll be of any use in these conditions"

"I supposed it was too much to ask…" The General muttered back. "But regardless, I need his abilities now more than ever. (General!) Ah… you're back. What do you have to report?"

"It's no good sir. It seems like the mechanics were given headway orders to evacuate to the shelters when the alarm was sounded. They locked-down all the TSFs here with high end security codes. We won't be able to use any of the TSFs here unless the original pilots give them their passwords"

"They followed standard protocols. I guess we can't blame them" The General sighed to himself. Though a part of him was pleased that the men knew how to handle situations like these, he wished that they be lenient just this once. "That means we can only use two of these machines. 2nd Lt. Kashiwagi. (Yes sir) Have yourself and Shirogane change into your Feedback suits and prepare for launch"

"But sir. Tak—I mean, Shirogane isn't in a condition to fight. At this point he'll…"

"I know. But one way or another, I need to get him out of this base as soon as possible. The rest of us will simply have to find another means of transportation. If only there was a plane we could use instead"

A plane? Wait… what is he talking about? What's… going on? (Flash) Ugh… I can barely remember.

"Do you think we can commandeer one from the storage?" One of the officers questioned another.

"That's impossible. We'll have to run through a gauntlet. We'll never make it"

"What about the reserve quarters?"

"We'll have to go around the complex to get there. It'll be a suicide run"

…

"The hanger next door…"

…!

The room silenced when I was able to squeeze my voice out. From there on I could see every pair of eyes turning towards me urging to continue.

"Takeru?" Kashiwagi helped me up to my feet as I continued.

"There's… a plane… in the hanger next door. They were… loading it up. (…) The backdoor is… open. The lock is… frozen"

General Radhabinod stared at me for a brief moment before turning to his men. "What hanger is adjacent to this one?"

"This is hanger 12 so… the next one would be the ones belonging to the Soviets"

"Hmm… Budomir did say he was preparing for a quick escape" He balled his fist knowing it was the first good news he had in hours. "This is good. Captain, take some of the men with you and get that plane back to this hanger. The rest of us will prep these units for takeoff. Go! (Yes sir!) 2nd Lt. Kashiwagi. Can you help your squad mate?"

"Yes sir. Come on Takeru"

…

Kashiwagi once again took me in, bringing me to the changing room where I finally got the feel on my legs. My body was still weak but at the very least I had the strength to walk with my own two legs. The whole world looked like it was still spinning. I wanted to vomit but something held me back.

"Alright Takeru. Can you stand?"

"Yeah. I think I got it" I answered leaning on my locker. "Thanks Haruko…"

"Don't mention it. Now hurry up and change into your suit. We'll be piloting our TSFs soon"

Yeah… I should get changed. I can't… hold everyone back at a time like this. Even if this whole situation is a mess, I have to do my part. Ugh… my body still feels like lead. It's difficult to move. Who would've thought that a shot from a taser would be so devastating? My body is still reeling from the electrocution.

Tug!

Ugh! No! Not… now!

Fwup…

"Ah? Kasu…mi… chan? (Hnn) Thanks. I needed that" I almost fainted for a moment there. I must be in a worse shape than I imagined.

**(Soviet Hanger)**

Boom!

"H… hey. Where is everyone?" One of the scientists asked his colleague as an explosion occurred in the far off distance. "Aren't there supposed to be guards around watching us?"

"The Commander called them out a few minutes ago. He said that he needed the extra manpower for something"

"And he didn't think that he'd leave us all defenseless? What if the enemy attacks us?"

"Calm down" The man calmed him down equally unnerved by the whole situation. "I know what you're getting at but squirming isn't going to help. (But…) I don't know what the commander is after but I'm sure he hasn't forgotten about us. Besides, it's not like anyone can just barge in here. These hangers were meant to withstand even a direct hit from a missile. As long as we keep the doors locked, no one will even get near this place. Now calm down and load up the second plane. We leave the moment the commander gets back"

"Ugh… I was hoping that we'd at least get the Zhar team back on its feet. The commander had us put them in stasis of all time"

"Quit your whining and get back to work"

But just as the scientists were busy sorting out the last of their belongings, they were caught by surprise when a small group of U.N. officers stormed through the backdoor. Just as Shirogane stated to them, the door at the back had its lock frozen solid from the cold winter. The handle was encased in ice making the door unable to shut properly giving them an opening.

"Nobody move!" The officer in charge barked at the defenseless scientist. "This is a raid. (Eeeeep!) You three, round up those guys and put them in a corner! (Yes sir!) The rest of you, get that plane near the door. We can't waste too much time around here. (Yes sir!) Don't dilly dally. Keep focus on the task at hand. Our enemies can't be that far behind us!"

"Captain!" One of the officers barked out. "We can use this plane here. It seems like they just finished refueling it!"

"Alright. We'll take it. Open the hanger doors and we'll bring this to the adjacent building"

But right before the men scrambled, one of the scientists stopped him. "W… wait a minute! (Wha?) You can't take that! There are sensitive items on board! (Get off me!) All of our work is in there! You can't just take them! (WHAM!) Gah!" The egghead was smacked on the cheek putting him to the floor.

"We don't have time for this. Oi, get those doors open! (Yes sir)"

"Sir. What about the scientists?"

"We can't have any more delays. Just… lock them in the longue or something. (Understood)"

**(PX)**

"Ugh… my head" Tatsunami groaned to himself as he finally got the strength to get back on his feet. There was an annoying thump on the back of his neck, probably caused by the table he slammed onto when the explosion occurred. The first thing he noted when he looked to his surroundings was the number of his comrades being laid in medical fashion.

"Yo… welcome back to the land of the living" A familiar cocky voice earned his attention. The boy turned to find his long time friend sitting on the bench next to him. Matsukaze expected a lazy comeback from the kid, but instead all he got was a depressed sigh. "Oi! What the hell was with that sigh!? Aren't you supposed to say something nice for once!?"

"Huaaa… it's just that… for you to be the first person I see after being struck in a coma just makes me feel depressed. I would've preferred if a beautiful girl was there waiting for me. Instead I get your ugly mug. Do you realize how depressing that can be?"

"Go. To. Hell! You downright ungrateful bastard!" Ryouichi raised his arm to smack but he couldn't reach the boy from where he was sitting. "Damn it! Just… a little bit closer!"

"Bleh! You can never beat me in hand to hand combat, Ryouecchi"

"Don't call me that!"

"Hey!" Their little bickering was put to a halt by their commander's voice. "If you two have the strength to joke around then you can help out with the injured. (Asagi?) Yo. Finally awake, Tatsubaka?"

"What happened?" The chocolate haired boy inquired as he looked around the PX. "Is the fighting…?"

"It's still going on. You were only out for 15 minutes. We were able to get in contact with one of the medical teams nearby. Thankfully they spared a few men to tend the others. We've been ordered to hold out here until the situation has been cleared"

"Wait… we got in contact with the others?"

"About ten minutes ago" Matsukaze explained showing him his handheld radio. "Don't know what happened but communications came back out of nowhere. I guess someone finally managed to knock that thing out. Last we heard, a large group of U.N. soldiers are coming right now to clear the base. Everyone has been ordered to hold up until then"

"Is that so…" Tatsunami breathed a sigh of relief. "I'm not used to real combat. I'd rather be fighting inside a TSF… whoa…!"

"Sit down" Asagi ordered pushing the boy back on the makeshift bed. "You suffered a big concussion after that explosion. The medic says it's nothing major but you won't be walking straight for a few days. I'm surprised you didn't crack your skull on that"

"Hehe… well you always did say that I have a hard head"

"Haa… Tatsubaka really does suit you" The red eyed lady groaned but flashed a small smile, relieved that his personality hasn't changed. "Here, let me put some bandages on before you bleed to death. (Ahehehe)"

Ryouichi was really resisting the urge to tease those two. Acting like a couple licking each other's wounds was almost too tempting. If it wasn't for the outlying gunshots in the distance, he probably would've taken a picture of this little scene. A small part of him was actually a bit jealous that the idiot got himself a gorgeous lady to nurse him back to health. Many men would gladly throw themselves off cliffs if it means getting to his position.

Seeing that he was just an eyesore, the man stood up flashing a grin at the two. "Alright. I'm gonna help out the others. I'm sure someone needs an extra of hands. (Eh?) You just sit and rest, Tatsubaka. I can take care of the rest here"

"Ugh… don't go saying cool lines… idiot"

**(Hanger 13)**

"Clear that debris. We need this area cleaned out before they arrive" General Radhabinod barked his orders to the men as they cleared out the mess the engineers left behind. Those who were working here must've left in quite a hurry and dropped whatever it was they were doing when the alarm sounded. Radhabinod would've praised them for their quick thinking and actions but it seems more like a hassle than anything else at this point.

The officers were few and they could only move a few things at a time. It would take time and some effort before they could get themselves done.

"General…" The old war vet's attention was caught by a familiar voice to his side.

"Lt. Piatif. You've returned" The General sounded somewhat impressed to see the woman return safe and sound. "I thought it would take you longer. Did you encounter any problems along the way?"

"No sir" She answered. The General then noted a hint of uneasiness in her expression. "I… was able to complete the task. All footage in the security department, of the last 24 hours, has been erased just as you ordered. I also destroyed all backup data regarding them as well. It… it was…"

"What's the matter, Lieutenant?"

The blonde officer shook away her fear for a moment before answering. "No… it's nothing sir. Merely a sense of fatigue"

"Is that so? It must've been difficult to go around without being seen by the enemy. Good work"

"Thank you sir"

"General!" Again the commander's attention was brought up when one of his officers rushed to him with a radio in hand. "It's… it's Captain Mure, for you, sir"

"I thought communications were down" The General was puzzled for a moment but decided not to look a gift horse in the mouth. He accepted the two way radio, calling the person on the other side. "This is General Radhabinod. What is it Captain?"

"General, sir. Thank god" The person on the other line sighed gratefully. "We've secured the adjacent hanger and have commandeered one of the enemy planes. However… we seem to have run across a… hurdle"

More bad news for the old man to groan about. "What's the problem?"

"We have the plane under our control. It's fueled up and ready but… all the controls are in Russian. We don't know how to operate it"

"Ugh… more blockage. Do your best over there. We're counting on you to get us out of here. (Yes sir)"

"I'll go, General" Piatif volunteered suddenly making the old man raise a brow. "Polish and Russian are somewhat similar to one another. It shouldn't prove too difficult to translate them. I also have some experience dealing with aircrafts"

The commander studied her face trying to make sure that he wasn't going to make a bad. After a moment, he nodded. "Mure. I'm sending Lt. Piatif to you. She'll handle the plane from there on. Get your men ready in case of combat. (Understood) Hmm? Ah… 2nd Lt. Kashiwagi. 1st Lt. Shirogane. You're here" The General noted the two figures approaching him from the changing room. Out of everyone under his command, these two were the only pilots he had to deal with the enemy. "How are you two feeling?"

Kashiwagi simply replied with a tired salute. It was plain to see that these two weren't in their best condition. Haruko was still recovering from her bullet wound on her shoulder but at least she was still fit for active duty. Shirogane on the other hand seemed worse for wear. He was still limping, barely getting a footing on the ground without Kasumi's help. Though there was no injury to take note of, the General knew well what the boy had been through. After suffering all those gunshots and losing an arm and growing it back… it was just too much for him to think at the moment.

"We're… ready, sir" Kashiwagi replied wearily. Just putting on her suit was tiring on its own. "Though… I'm not sure about Shirogane. He's… still out of it. I'm not sure if he's fit to pilot"

"He'll have to be" The General insisted pushing his troops even further. "We won't stand much of a chance if we don't have our ace in the hole ready for combat. Lt. Piatif. Once you get the plane ready, bring it around here and we can start evacuating. We'll depart for Yokohama Base afterwards. W can gather our strength from there. Afterwards we can alert the council and… (Whirrrr!) Hmm? What's that noise?"

**(Takeru's POV)**

Ugh. Damn it. I can barely see straight much less stand on my own two feet. Having Kasumi acting as a crutch makes me look pathetic. Every time I try to put strength in my limbs, my body seems to retaliate with a string of pain all over my body. It's difficult to put it into words. I guess the closest way I can describe it is like someone stabbed me with a rusty knife and then twists it in a complete 360 making a perfect hole, scraping every inch of skin with a crude noise.

I barely even remember what happened over the last hour. All that I know is running and feeling a lot of pain and that bad guys were shooting at us.

"Hnn…"

"Thanks Kasumi chan" I leaned on the wall while Kashiwagi spoke with the General. It must be pretty serious if the General is coming to the battle himself. I hope the others are ok. If they're with the Captain then I supposed they'll be fine. "I can take it from here"

…!

"Everyone, take cover!"

…

…

…

Wha? What happened? My eyes… I… I can't see anything. There's a ringing noise in my ear. Was there an explosion? It was big…

"Gahhh!"

"Haseo! Damn it. You bastards!"

Gunfire? Ugh… I can barely see or… hear anything. Everything is hazy… again. There are people and bullets flying everywhere.

"All units, return fire!" That voice. General? Ugh… someone blew a hole in the wall. I can see… soldiers shooting. I can't focus. "2nd Lt. Kashiwagi. Where's your unit?"

"It's over there!" Kashiwagi pointed in the general direction of the explosion. "Damn. They took out the stairs. I'll have to take the long way up"

"No time! You go with Lt. Piatif. The two of you should be more than enough to pilot that plane! We'll regroup there!"

"Yes sir! Takeru, let's go!"

"Leave him to me!" The General barked out before suddenly pulling me to his shoulder. "I'll take him to his unit. The two of you should get to that plane and get out of here as quickly as possible! And take Yashiro with you!" Yashiro? Kasumi?

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Quickly and calmly, the General gave out his orders, pulling his 'ace in the hole' to his height, carrying him up the catwalk as the fighting grew fiercer.

As he walked up the staircase he saw his closest friends and entourage fall to the enemy's barrage. Yet despite all his losses, all the man could do was push forward, leaving his men behind.

"General! We won't be able to hold them for much longer!"

"I know that! Cover me while I bring this boy to his unit. Buy me as much time as you can"

"Y… yes sir!" The officer grunted anxiously before turning to his remaining troops. "Cover the General! Don't let these bastards get to the stairs!" They quickly retaliated. But against the enemy's overwhelming firepower and numbers, it seemed fruitless to even try. One by one, the General's loyalists fell, until there was none left to hold them back.

Radhabinod cursed quietly to himself. Ordering those men to stay behind was pretty much the same as telling them to die. But at the very least it bought him some precious seconds.

A few moments later, he finally came face to face with the large XFJ unit that he's been hearing so much about. The white colored machine with its darkened eyes glared down at them, like a war-god sizing them up, measuring their worth. Its large frame and demonic-like head felt rather intimidating especially up close. Even just looking at it, an enemy would feel some measure of fear creeping down their necks.

But Radhabinod ignored that and pushed himself forward towards the cockpit. Fortunately enough, the mechanics left the machine operational. If this world still had a god, the General would've believed that he was with him that day.

Gently he placed the boy in, tucking him into the cockpit. "Come on Lieutenant. This isn't the time for rest. I need you with me!" He slapped Shirogane's cheeks a few times trying to get a reaction from him. But Takeru's eyes felt dead. He was simply too out of it to regain conscious. "Ugh. Damn it boy. Don't blame me for doing this" With a quick move, the General reached out for the keyboards, finding the stim control. He pressed one button after another, injecting two or more militarized chemicals into the boy's bloodstream.

"Ugh… who? Gene… ral?" Came Shirogane's raspy voice.

**(Takeru's POV)**

"You're awake… good" The General spoke to me as my body finally regained some of its functions. I could hear and speak but my body was still too sore to do any action. "Listen to me 1st Lieutenant and listen well. We don't have a lot of time. I don't know what you are or where you came from. And right now I don't really care. What's important now is that you escape. (…) I don't know what you'll be facing out there. Your enemies will be vast and fierce and right now your greatest weapon is discretion. Trust no one, especially those within the United Nation's Armed Force. There's no telling how deep our enemy has infiltrated our ranks and anyone of them can be a spy. (Ugh…) There's a lot more at stake here than just weapons and mass-slaughter. I'm counting on your strength more than ever, 1st Lieutenant. You must escape, no matter what!"

"Gene… ral?"

"Kouzuki trusted you with her safety and her life. She would never do that unless she absolutely believed in your power. I'm taking a leap of faith in believing in you as well. (…) Now go! Get out of here! Protect Yashiro and find Kouzuki! She will have all the answers you seek"

"There he is! Get him!" Oh crap. The soldiers!?

"Wake up, 1st Lieutenant Shirogane! Wake up and fight!" What is he doing? General? Is he going to… fight them on his own? "I'll just be a hindrance going with you. Find Kouzuki and stop whatever the RLF and Rogofsky have planned"

"General!" By the time I was able to get my arms to work, the cockpit closed up on me. The link between my suit and the machine was connecting and before I knew it, my monitors came into view.

"I'm undoing the connectors locking your unit in!" Is he kidding me!? Does he want me to launch inside the hanger? "It's all up to you now. GO!"

Bang!

I saw him fire a few rounds at his pursuers taking two them down with accurate shots.

"Guahhh!"

General!

Damn it. He's wounded. I have to save him. If I can just… get this catwalk out of way, I can… (Beep beep!) What the? Control lock!? Damn it! Did the auto-taxi sequence start up on its own? No! Damn it! The whole thing is locked! General!

**(Control Tower)**

"Captain! We have an alarm coming from Hanger 13! (Hanger 13?) Yes sir. One of the Tactical Surface Fighter has been activated"

"Is it one of ours?"

"I… I don't know sir"

"What do you mean you don't know!?" The captain barked back sounding somewhat irritated.

"It's one of the experimental-units, sir. As per regulations of the U.N. Armed Forces, it's not registered in our roster. We have no access to it and we can't seem to connect to its interface"

"An experimental unit?" The burly man thought for a moment before rushing to conclusion. "Then its theft they're after. These bastards came to steal from us. Well not on my watch. Bring the 24th Armored Division up to the runway. Hold it back until our patrols can get back here. None of them are taking anything, not on my watch!"


	85. Fall from Grace Final Part

**Chapter 85: Fall from Grace (Final Part)**

**(Zhar Hanger)**

Piatif, Kashiwagi and Kasumi barely made it to the adjacent hanger that afternoon when everything went to hell. When the enemy attacked their stronghold in the Valkyrie Hanger the General ordered them to escape with almost no weapons at all. It seemed almost useless to even run when the enemy had the upper hand in this fight.

The last of General Radhabinod's entourage were waiting for them when they arrived through the back door, a bit surprised to see those three so exhausted.

"Elena? What are you doing here? Where's the General?" Captain Mure inquired with a hopeful look.

"The enemy launched a surprise attack at the compound" She explained through pants. "I don't know where he is right now. But we still need to get that plane off the ground"

"Damn. As if we didn't have enough problems on our own" The man cursed himself. "Alright. You three, get on that plane and go. (Huh?) We'll go back and get the General. Once we've secured him, we'll meet up at the runway. That way we can leave immediately. (But…) That's an order! Go!"

"Y… yes sir!"

…

…

Piatif quickly boarded the plane, rushing towards the cockpit with Kashiwagi following not far behind with Kasumi in tow.

"Yashiro chan. Sorry about this but you're gonna have to sit here for awhile" Said Haruko as she placed the little bunny girl on one of the seats. "Things might get a little dangerous from here on so no matter what, I want you to keep these belts fastened at all time, ok?"

"Hnn…" The little rabbit answered back in the same manner as any with a nod.

After jogging the belts a few times making sure they were secure, Haruko rushed towards the cockpit, giving Piatif a hand. "How is it? Is it sky-worthy?"

"I'm translating the controls right now" The blonde officer answered as she skimmed on the levers and buttons around her seat. "It shouldn't be too difficult. (Click) There. That should do it" A few minutes later, the engines came to life. It echoed around the base, drowning all other noise with its mighty roar. "Engine 1 to 4, all stable. Preparing for dust off. Kashiwagi san. Please watch our thruster level. Do you happen to know how to pilot an aircraft?"

"Not really. Is it really any different from a TSF?"

"Quite. But some experience in the air should be sufficient. You'll have to act as my co-pilot. Please take a seat and fasten yourself in. Once we exit the hanger, we'll make our way towards runway and wait for the General and the others"

"Roger that. Let's just hope they make it in time"

**(Control Tower)**

"Captain… sir" One of the officers called out to his CO when he noted a particular alarm ringing on his screen. "We have an unauthorized plane taxiing on runway 2. It's currently preparing for takeoff"

"What? Whose plane is that? Contact them immediately"

"It's… an An-225 Mriya Cargo Plane sir. Flight 3064-41, the Skrzak sir. It's from the Soviets"

"Patch it through. (Yes sir) This is Kyoto Base Control tower to the pilot of Flight 3064-41, Skrzak. Abort your takeoff and clear the runway immediately. You are not authorized to launch. (…) Flight 3064-41, come in. This is control tower, respond" All the man received was static on the other end.

"No good sir. They're not responding to any of our hails"

"Damn it. Flight 3064-41, if you fail to respond we will have no choice but to treat you as a hostile"

"Sir. The plane is powering its engines!"

"Get Tomahawk squad to block the runway. I want that plane stopped, now!"

**(U.N. Base runway)**

Just as Piatif prepares to bring the plane to bear, she quickly noted a number of signals approaching on her radar. Despite being displayed in a different language she can still identify what markings were on. She could already hear the loud engines of TSFs and their heavy machineries corking up the windshield as they landed in front of her creating a nearly impassable blockade.

"Damn. They're onto us"

"Flight 3064-41. This is your last warning. If you fail to comply with our orders we will use deadly force against you!"

"Can't we use the other runway instead?" Kashiwagi gestured to the adjacent road leading outward. "There's an empty one right there"

"No, they'll just block our paths again. We need to bypass them. I'm gonna have to brute this. Hold on to something. This might be rough" Pushing the ignitions, Piatif released the brakes of the plane preparing to ram her way through the enemy forces.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The TSF pilots saw this and immediately thought that the pilot inside was insane. No one would've imagined an unarmed plane charging against a squad of heavily armed fighters, head on.

"Control, this is Tomahawk 2. The target is preparing to accelerate to our position and doesn't show signs of stop, please advise, over"

"Roger that Tomahawk Squad. You have permission to shoot the target down. Deadly force is authorized"

"Understood. Alright everyone, bring it down!"

But just as the four mechs clocked their guns together, one of them noticed a blip appearing not far from their position.

"Tomahawk 2, this is Tomahawk 5. I'm detecting a new unit coming in our right. (A unit?) Yes sir. It appears to be a TSF. But that's odd… it doesn't appear to be in our database. AH! It's… it's fast! (WHAM!) Gahh!" The man didn't even get the chance to raise his weapon about when a shield suddenly slammed against his mech staggering him back. "What in the world?"

"Teeeeeehhh!"

Crack!

Shirogane strode into the battlefield on his white and red horse slashing his opponent's limbs off its body. Without pausing, he continued his onslaught charging against the Tomahawks in the way befitting a Storm Vanguard.

"Gwahhh!" A second unit fell, only able to let loose one shot which missed off its mark.

"Tomahawk 3? Damn! What is that unit!? A Shiranui? I've never seen those designs before" Shirogane charged in again, catching the pilot off guard. "Curses. You won't get me so—(CLANG!)—easily?"

"Tomahawk 2!" The survivor yelled out as he saw his comrade fall to the floor heavily damaged. In just a few short seconds his entire squadron was laid waste like they were swept before they had a chance to prove themselves. The squad leader directed his wrath at the new enemy, gritting his teeth with a hint of anger. "A thousand hells to you! Control, this is Tomahawk Leader. My whole squad just got handled. I need backup on my position ASAP!"

"Roger that Tomahawk. The 4th Reserve Guards just arrived. The 12th Tank Battalion and anti-armor infantry are on route to your position"

"They'd better hurry. I'm not sure how long I can last against this mon—(CLANG!) GAHHH! What the hell!? How the heck is that thing so powerful? Who…? Who in the world is piloting that thing!? (Clang!) Damn it!"

**(Takeru's POV)**

Haaaa… haaaaa… haaaa…

That's the last one. I can feel some of my strength returning. I hope I didn't hurt these guys too much but that was the only way to disarm them.

Beep beep!

That plane. That must the one that they hijacked.

"This is Shirogane to Kashiwagi. Do you read me? (Takeru!?)" Thank god. She's still linked on our com channel. That should make things easier for me. "The runway is clear. Hurry up! There are more of them coming this way!"

"What about the General? Captain Mure said he was going to meet up with us"

…

"The General… he couldn't make it. (…!) I tried but… (Beep beep!) Huh?" Damn it! More of them!? "There's no time to waste. I'm reading large columns of tanks rolling in from the north. Get out of here, now! I'll be right behind you"

"Understood. We're powering up engines now. But it won't be long before the reserve guard catches us. Can you do something about them?"

"Leave them to me. I'll deal with them. You guys just focus on getting that bird in the air. (Roger that!)"

Ugh… this isn't good. I'm still feeling woozy, but at the very least I'm conscious. I can't afford to waste any time. The General sacrificed himself to get me out here. At the very least I have to make his action worth something. (Beep beep) That's a lot of them. I'm reading armored vehicles, soldiers and more artilleries than I could count. Kashiwagi, Piatif and Kasumi are like big sitting ducks while they're on the runway. It'll take them awhile before they can lift up. I have to buy them more time.

But what can I do? All I have are two swords and a gun loaded with paintballs.

…

…

Hmm… paintballs. If I remember correctly, these things have some glue residue mixed in with them. That's how we were able to slow the BETA down during the XM3 incident. The mechanics hate cleaning these up since they have a tendency to lock up joints and stick in the hard-to-reach places. And from what I can tell… they're really hard to move around in.

Click…

Sorry about this. I don't have bad intentions but I can't allow you guys to blow us into pieces!

Targeting systems off, switching to free-aim.

Ratatatatat!

Splat!

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

A loud screeching noise broke from one of the armored tanks as its pace slowed considerably at the large sticky glue around it.

"Wh… what the hell was that!?" The tank commander inquired.

"One of our tracks has gone bust sir!"

"Damn it! Infantry support, proceed to deploy anti-armor weapons! Fire when ready!"

"It's no good sir! Our tow truck is stuck in the snow and the paint disabled its engines in the process. We can't get the AT weapon out!"

"Don't be an idiot! How in the world can one stray paintball disable an entire company!? Traverse the glue field!"

"We can't! Our soldiers will be sitting ducks if we try to force our way through sir! We can't even bring our light weapons through without breaking them!"

"Then carry it with your bare hands if you have to! I want something, anything firing at that target!"

**(Takeru's POV)**

The ground around the airstrip was painted in a bright shade of orange. As expected, the advancing troops paused in their attack giving us a few seconds to catch our collective breaths. It'll probably take them awhile before they can make their way around that goop but it won't stop them.

Whirrrr

A few moments later, the plane that Kashiwagi was on passed by, leaving a trail of dust behind. Without TSFs or any aerial units, our enemies won't be able to pursue us.

**(Control tower)**

"S… sir. They've… escaped"

"Yes, I can see that!" The Captain grunted. "Get me Jango Squad. (Yes sir) Jango Leader, where are you?"

"This is Jango Leader. We're still in the sky, sir" Came the girl's reply on the other line. "There's a firefight going on at the southern entrance. I can't exactly tell whose friend or foe. Our fuel tanks are also running low. At this point we'll only be able to stay in the sky for roughly ten, fifteen minutes. Requesting permission to land and support the ground force sir"

"Negative" The CO ordered. "You have new orders. An aircraft and a highly-classified-experimental TSF just launched off from Runway 2, heading west-by-southwest. Pursue and shoot them down"

"Shoot them down? Sir. There's a city below us. If we shoot that plane down it'll take out more than five blocks of the city with it if it crashes"

"We can't afford our military technology to fall into the hands of terrorists. I'm authorizing the use of deadly force on whatever level necessary. Losing the base is one thing but if we allow others to take what they want from us, it'll cause a panic. I want you to capture those two if possible. But if the enemy proves stubborn, you are to destroy both targets without discretion. Do you understand?"

The room basked in silence with each operator turning on one another. They were about to question their CO's orders until a reply finally came in. "Understood sir. We have them in our sights. Locking on with guided rounds. Jango 4, 5 and 6, establish arrowhead and stay in formation. We'll deal with the escort while you deal with the plane"

"Jango 4, copy that"

"Jango 5, wilco"

"This is Jango 6, understood ma'am. Staying in arrowhead formation"

As the men in the control tower listened to the loud booming noise of jet engines overhead, the Captain balled his fist with a strange satisfaction in his voice. "Let's see how good you terrorists really are when you face real soldiers"

**(Hanger 13)**

"Ugh…"

Paul Radhabinod let out a grunting noise as he slowly crawled his way up the railing. His blood and the blood of his subordinates were trickling down that catwalk, dripping to the floors below. The mechanics are gonna have a fit when they realize that they'll be the ones to clean up that mess.

The General had lost many men before and many of those were close to him. But never did he imagine that he would lose all of his closest advisors and entourage in one skirmish. He often had to replace them with more competent officers from the field, some who are more or less keen to serve and protect his ideals.

But now it seems like he'll be the one needing replacement. It's not like he wasn't expecting death to knock on his front door. As a soldier, it was always necessary to keep a part of death close by so that you wouldn't be afraid to go into the afterlife. Besides, he was old already… and he has been fighting this war for god knows how long. It only seemed reasonable that death would claim him sooner or later.

Just as he was about to sing a silent prayer to his fallen comrades and himself, the last voice he ever wanted to hear, whispered a few feet above him.

"Well here's a sight I thought I'd never see. The Hero of Africa, bleeding at my feet" Rogofsky, the burly commander said pleasingly as he stepped forwards with two of his soldiers following not far behind him. "You've fallen far, Radhabinod…"

"Not far as you have… Budomir…"

"Ha! Still the sour mouth" The large man kneeled to the General's level, enjoying the view. "But I must admit I was surprised. I never imagined seeing someone who could restore a limb. It seems like the Soviet and E.U. aren't the only ones making super-soldiers nowadays. The U.N. really is a frightening force. Perhaps the title of Dead Man wasn't just for show after all. (…) What do you have to say for yourself? Paul?"

"Hmph… wouldn't you like to know" The General taunted back, spitting blood onto the man's face. "And even if I do know something about it. What makes you think I would share that information with a scum like you?"

"I was hoping that you would be more cooperative but I guess that wouldn't work. You and I have too much history to ever coexist peacefully. They called you the Hero of Africa and your campaign there was nothing short of a victory against the BETA. But you and I remember those days as nothing more but a one-sided slaughter. (…) Even though you've exhausted all of your options to the letter, you enemy still manages to defeat you. A lot of our men died that day…"

"Those men had more honor than you will ever ha—(Cough cough!) Each and every one of them knew what they were getting themselves into. They knew the risks and the dangers they face but still they performed their duties to the letter. I have little regret, leading such fine men and women"

"Ha! Truly you are the byproduct of a bygone age. Always favoring duty over everything else. But I supposed that's how you earned your nickname. But as always… despite your best efforts, you can't seem to land a perfect victory, can you?"

"Heh… hehehehe…"

"What's so funny?"

"You never changed… Budomir. Just looking at the straight facts, you already believe yourself victorious. (Am I not?) You simply enjoy what you've gained, not what you've lost. My role in this game is done. Sending those girls and that boy out has already sealed my victory"

"You're laboring pondering-illusions. You can try all you want but it doesn't change the conditions now"

"That's because you haven't seen what I've seen, Rogofsky" The General replied, grinning while blood dripped from his mouth. "I've seen what that boy can do. What he's capable of doing. I am certain… with all of my heart… he… will… he will be the instrument… of this world's future"

…

…

…

With a final breath, Radhabinod drop his head, facing the badges of his uniform.

"Shall we finish him, sir?" Captain Romanov questioned, pointing his pistol at the General's head.

But to his surprise, the commander halted him. "No. Not yet, Captain. A man of his stature is worth more to us… alive…"

**(Somewhere in the skies far from Kyoto Base)**

In the skies not far from the battlefield, four units of multi-colored EF-2000 Typhoons, with the symbol of a three headed dog, were flying back to base.

Major Wilfried von Aichberger, the commanding officer of the Cerberus was leading his flight to the afternoon exercise when they suddenly received word that the whole plan was canceled. At first his subordinates thought it was some kind of technical error and that it would be fixed by the time they flew home. But that thought quickly passed away when they suddenly lost communication with high command.

For over half an hour, the team had been kept in the dark unaware of the fighting that was taking place in the base.

"Ugh… this is so lame" Ilfriede groaned to herself as she set her unit to auto-pilot allowing the TSF to cruise in a fixed speed. "I can't believe they canceled the match. And I was so ready to put a beating on those guys"

"Be careful for what you wish for. Sometimes the gods have a tendency to grant the most unusual of prayers" Helgarose replied with a cocky grin.

"We wasted 1/3 of our fuel to make it out there, and now they decided to stop the battle completely? What's wrong with them?"

"You can ask the officials back home. Don't take your frustration on us. I get enough of your annoying habits at Dover. (Ehhh!?) Your reckless behavior in these last few battles has been getting in the way of your performance. You charge straight in without any hesitation. You should count your stars' fortune that you have managed to survive this long"

"But that's the way of the Storm Vanguard! We're always the first in the danger and the last one out. It's called having guts"

"There's a fine line between courage and foolhardy. I think we both know which side of the line you're on. (What was that?) Oops, sorry. My speaker appears to be broken" The purple-haired knight smirked inwardly to herself as she tuned the volume down watching as her blonde compatriot lash out at her monitor screen.

"Uwa! Helga! No fair! You can't just say what you want and ignore other people's replies!"

"Now now, ladies" Selgalinde's face interrupted their bickering. "Please be nice with one another. At least until the Exercise has been completed. You are representing the entirety of the E.U"

"Ma'am. I apologize for my partner's reckless behavior" Helgarose bowed lowly on her monitor. "She's a slow learner and requires additional effort to be properly trained"

"Hey! What am I, a dog!?" Ilfriede barked back like the animal she mentioned.

"Her manners are also crude and therefore require constant grooming. I understand how the squad has been tolerating her behavior. Your patience with her is commendable"

"Cheeeeee! HELGA!"

The silver haired commander chuckled at their bickering. It was amazing how these two could be the strongest soldiers she had ever met yet they can still retain some measure of their innocent days. "Now now, Helga. Don't be mean to little Ilfriede. (Ma'am) You know how sensitive she is when you tease her on those subjects. Besides, it's Captain Gerhard who should be receiving your commendation. After all he's been working with you two longer than most"

"Uwaaaaa! Lt. Sigelinde! Not you too!" The girl whined fearing how she was now being picked on by two of her comrades.

But Sigel's thoughts were silently dashed away when she noted a small alert noise from her computers. Her radar began to blur as the clouds grew darker. "A snowstorm? (Beep beep) Hmm? What's this?" She noted a giant blip appear suddenly on her scanners. "Herr Major. Are you seeing this? (…?) There's a storm coming"

"How bad is it?"

"It's nothing worth noticing. It might interfere with our sensors and damage some of our lesser functions. I'd recommend we take a detour to avoid clashing with it"

"Hmm… agreed" The white haired veteran nodded. "Best to play it safe. All units, change course and follow the marker going north. We'll avoid the storm clouds altogether. (Understood) Sigel, have you reestablished communication with command?"

"No. I've been broadcasting on all of our known frequencies, including the emergency channels. There's still no response"

"Do you think the storm has something to do with it?"

"That… may be possible. Heavy snowstorms have been known to cause major malfunction to radar but never on this scale. It could an internal malfunction. We'll have to clarify it once we get back"

**(Takeru's POV) (In the skies)**

Beep beep!

Damn it! Another squadron!? I thought they didn't have any airpower left. Without being able to tell friend from foe, I can't directly trust people on the other line. For all we know, I might just be fighting against friendlies.

_"Trust no one, especially those within the United Nation's Armed Force"_

Beep beep!

Six targets and they all appear to be heavily armed. I only have two blades left… and I doubt my paint-gun can do squat against those guys in the air.

"Shirogane, this is Kashiwagi. We have six targets approaching behind us"

"Yeah I see them. They're well armed. Must be a heavy patrol. I don't know if I can stop all of them especially in air-combat. You got any plans?"

"There's a storm cloud drifting not far off. Lt. Piatif says that there's a good chance we can lose them in there. It's a risky move but it's all we've got at the moment" So the plan is to outrun them. Yeah… that seems about right. Even if they follow, the storm will render some of their more sophisticated armaments useless. Escaping with as little casualties as possible should be our first priority.

Still… that storm can also work both ways. I might lose some of my sights waltzing into that place without a guide. But that's just a risk we'll have to take.

Beep beep!

"Attention, pilot of the An-225 Skrzak and the experimental unit" Huh? An open channel? "This is 1st Lt. Indra Sahdan Myung of the United Nations Armed Forces, 11th Pacific Army. You have stolen top secret military technology of the U.N. Under our directive, we have been authorized to shoot you down if necessary. Surrender immediately and land and the port of our choosing. You have 30 seconds to comply"

This is just great. I never thought we'd be trapped between a rock and a hard place in the midair. I can't wait around. I'll have to stop them before they reach the others. The XFJ unit was built to be superior to most of the modern mass-produced units so let's see if I can test that theory to its limits.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Jango 4 to Jango Leader" The pursuing U.N. forces contacted one another. "Enemy TSF is approaching. Preparing to engage"

"Roger that. Good hunting Jango 4. But be careful out there. That snowstorm is going to wreck havoc on your radar. Don't tally. We only have a few more minutes of fuel left before we have to return. High command has authorized for minimum collateral damage only. But let's try not to damage the city if we can avoid it"

"Roger that Gorilla. Just give the word"

"You boys really should start looking for a better nickname than that" The tanned skin soldier replied targeting the white knight in front of her. "Oh? Isn't that the unit that defeated the Infinities the other day?"

"Is it? Then this is perfect. That thing made me lose four months of my life-savings. I'll earn some satisfaction by beating the crap out of it"

"Don't mess around. At least give the mechanics something to rebuild"

"Yeah yeah, sure. I'll… what the!?" The man's carefree attitude was dashed away when he noted Shirogane suddenly charging at him with his blades drawn. He dodged the first strike, the sword grazing his armor just by a millimeter. "Son of a… he tried to chop my head off! He's crazy to pull of something with that speed!"

"Jango leader here. Change of plans. You guys keep that target busy. We'll disable the aircraft. (Roger!) Arming guided rounds… (Beep!) I have lock!"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Kashiwagi quickly recognize the alarm noise. She didn't even have to understand the words on the monitor to know what it was about. Being a soldier fighting against TSFs she recognized a missile warning when she hears it. "We have a missile on our tail!"

"Roger that. Deploying countermeasures!"

A large sum of flares jettisoned out of the rear of the plane. The citizens below would think that it was some pretty light show being practiced in the middle of the day, but the explosion that followed afterward scattered those thoughts to the sky.

Kashiwagi grunted as the shockwave of the explosion shook the plane. "Tch! I don't know how much longer we can keep this up. Does this plane have any other weapons we can fight with?"

"No. This aircraft was specifically made to be a massive transport vessel. It sacrifices defense power for cargo space and relies solely on escorts to keep it afloat"

"Tch. Then it looks like we'll have to rely on Shirogane… again"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Gahhh! Damn it! My boosters!" One of the Jango squad members cursed out loud on the radio when his Gekishin got a quick stab on the leg joints. "Damn this guy to hell. How in the world is he piloting that thing so smoothly? I can't keep up with his movements even with this new OS!"

"Jango 6, pull back" Jango 4 ordered. "You're body is already giving out and your fuel intake is dangerously low. You're just a liability at this point. Don't take unnecessary risks. We'll cover you"

"Y… yeah. I'll leave the rest to you. Sorry…"

"Don't worry. We'll handle things from here" The other two quickly covered their partner's retreat, turning their attention back to the white mech in front of them.

"That's easier said than done" Jango 5 added feeling somewhat down. Even though it was three against one, they couldn't do squat against the XFJ unit. "I don't think we're dealing with an amateur here"

"Yeah. And we can't stay in the air too long either. Let's strike him on both sides. He can't block both sides in mid-air!" And in perfect synch, the two pilots separated, drawing their blades striking both left and right of their target. They expected that at least one of them to deliver a decisive blow at the white frame but to their surprise, Shirogane drew his second blade, blocking both attacks like he wasn't even putting any effort. "Ha! Gotcha now you little creep!" He readied his guns on his shoulder-arms preparing to deliver a volley at point blank range.

…!

Clang!

"Gah! Wha… what the… hell!? He used… his daggers instead of his blade to parry!?"

"Doryaa!" Takeru then spun around, forcing the two to falter and recoil. "Take this!" Taking advantage of their sudden pause, the boy easily chopped their limbs from the torso, leaving them defenseless.

"A thousand hells to you! Jango 5, we're falling back. Deploy smoke screen! (Roger that!)"

**(Takeru's POV)**

Sorry about this. I don't know whether you guys were friend or foe, but no matter how strong you are, up in the air, I have the advantage. The controls on piloting above surface are pretty much basic for me.

In Valgernon, you get the feel on how robots work while flying. Mikoto and I spent countless hours perfecting both our maneuvers. Though I won't claim to understand much on aerodynamics, I can say for certain that I have some experience fighting in mid-air. In other words… I have the advantage!

Beep beep!

Looks like that storm is coming over. Just as we thought, the radar is already getting static and random vibration noise.

"Kashiwagi. Be careful out there. That storm is getting worse from here. Try to lose your pursuers"

"Ro… that. We'll… to find… to… eye of…" What was that? Did she just say 'Eye of the Storm'? Damn… just when we got our coms back too. At this rate I'll be flying blind. But I can't afford to back down either. I'll have to take the risk…

If I recall, there should be three more that are after Kashiwagi and the others. I'll have to make it fast otherwise… those girls will be…

Tug!

Ugh! Come on this body of mine. Just give me a few more minutes of your time. I can't afford to lose myself when this world is going to hell.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

But while Shirogane was catching up with his compatriots, Kashiwagi and Piatif were doing their best to keep themselves in the sky. After charging headlong into the storm itself, much of the plane's systems began to go haywire. The altitude meter was erratic, the radar was useless and even the wings of the plane themselves were showing signs of damage.

"This isn't good" Kashiwagi muttered looking at the dark clouds thickening around them. "If we keep going deeper, we'll be ripped to shred before our attackers get to us"

"Indeed. But at least this way, we'll stand a better chance than those guided rounds" Piatif explained as she barely had a grip on her controls. "We've used up all our countermeasures too. If they spot us again, that'll be the end of us. Have you made contact with 1st Lt. Shirogane?"

"I'm trying. I was able to get a few words out but I don't think he received the full message. The storm in interfering with a lot of our systems. (Beep!) Wha? What's that?" Kashiwagi paused when she noted another alarm sounding from the controls.

"Th… this is…" The blonde officer gasped. "We're losing fuel! (What!? Why!?) We must've taken damage during that last attack. We're leaking gas. At the rate we're going… we'll never make it halfway to Yokohama Base"

"Is there anything we can do?"

"I'm afraid not. One way or another… we'll have to crash land somewhere"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

On the other side of the storm, the remaining members of Jango team were suffering the same error functions.

"Jango 1, this is Jango 3. I've lost sight of the target. There's no way we can see anything from this weather. I can barely even tell where north is. We may as well be slamming right in front of Mt. Fuji if this keeps up"

"Damn it… I guess we used up all our time… and the others have already withdrawn. That must be some pilot"

"The boss isn't gonna be happy if he knows we let our target get away"

"Don't throw away your conviction just yet" The lead pilot urged her teammates. "We still have a solid 6 minutes before our engine starts dying. We'll keep looking. (Eh!?) Broaden your scanners and look for any anomaly. We either catch the plane or the white machine. No complaints!"

"Yes ma'am!"

**(Marimo's POV) (Main complex, east wing)**

The fighting seems to have subsided. A few minutes after we turned off the jammer, a wave of reinforcements from our neighboring bases arrived within minutes. Though I can still hear the sound of battle elsewhere, it wasn't as bad as it started. Thankfully, we didn't encounter any of our enemies and was able to get to the East Wing of the base relatively safe.

I carried Suzumiya on my shoulder the whole way, crossing ruins and rubble. Though she keeps insisting that she can make it on her own, I know for a fact that the injured have no right to say anything when it comes to their health.

"Sorry to make you carry me this far, Jinguuji san"

"I keep telling, it's fine. I'm used to carrying people on my back" In more ways than one too. "We should be safe around here. The others will have the situation under control in no time"

"I hope our efforts weren't wasted"

"Trust me. If anyone deserves credit of our survival, it would be you, Suzumiya"

"Ahehehe… it's not that impressive. Anyone would've done the same" Heh… yeah… I can think of one or two people who would've done the same.

Click!

"Freeze!"

…!

"Don't move!" Damn. A surprise attack? "Turn around slowly. Don't make any sudden moves" This isn't good. I can't carry my weapon without dropping Suzumiya. And it seems like they outnumber us. There… really is no other option. I raised my free hand up, dropping my sidearm. "Eh? 1st Lt. Jinguuji?"

Hmm? That voice. "You…?" I turned around and noted the face of the soldier who drew his weapon. "I know you. You're the guards in charge of the front gates of Yokohama Base"

"It is you" The African soldier sighed with relief along with his partner. "Stand down everyone. This one is alright. She's with us. Are you alright, 1st Lieutenant?"

"Yeah. But my friend here was shot and requires aid"

"Roger that. Oi, someone get the medic from that Eishi squad. Tell them we have one wounded here. (Yes sir!) Take a seat ma'am. You're both safe here, I promise. Here, let me help"

Huaaa… hearing him say that relived me of some stress. I gently placed Suzumiya to the floor next to the wall to lay her on her back. "Thanks. Can you tell me what's happening outside?"

"Yes ma'am" He saluted. "We've repelled the enemy attack here at the East Wing but sustained some casualties. We don't have accurate information at this time but orders are to barricade this building until the all-clear signal has been given"

"New orders? Has the General regained control?"

"We've had no word from General Radhabinod or any of his advisors. Captain Raiko from the control tower is currently coordinating with multiple companies around the base as well as the foreign soldiers from the exercise" Coordinating with several high chained officers? That's going to be a rough chain of command. Either way, it's better than nothing.

"And our orders are to stay here and barricade ourselves in?" I asked to which the guard nodded.

"Yes ma'am. We're not exactly combat-effective and the enemy appears to have captured much of our heavy weapons. There's also no telling if what we're shooting is friendly either"

"So it's a rough patch either way. Thank you corporal. (Ma'am)"

"1st Lt. Jinguuji!" Hmm? That voice…

"Yoroi?" It is. It is her. Her small frame and dark cerulean hair wasn't easy to miss.

"Huaaa~ I'm so glad you're safe. I was worried that you may have run into trouble on your way here"

"I could say the same for you" I patted her head as she gave me a tearful laugh. "It's good to know that you made it through in one piece. I'm glad"

"Ma'am. It's all thanks to your training that I made it this far" Heh… she's quite the flatterer. My training doesn't exactly cover enemy espionage but I guess I must play some role in this.

"I suppose you must be the medic the soldier was talking about. (Yes ma'am) Good. Can you help Suzumiya with her leg?"

"Hmm? Ah… of course. I'll get right on it"

"Sorry for being a burden" Suzumiya apologized again which Yoroi quickly brushed it off.

"Don't worry about it. I've already taken care of most of the wounded here. The doctor from the infirmary nearby is helping out too. Now just hold still while I apply some antibiotics. 1st Lt. Jinguuji. Can you hold her for a moment?"

"Oh… right… sure" I gently applied pressure on the girl's broken prosthetic leg watching as the blood dripped from her flesh. Yoroi was the team medic as far as I can recall. Though the rest of the squad know how to apply first-aid, I'm certain that this girl had more training in medicine than most of them. She said that she aspired to be a nurse before she became a soldier. I supposed everyone had a dream before they got drafted into this unit. "Hey… what about the others? (Hmm?) The rest of the squad? Are they alright?"

"They're fine" Yoroi answered with her trademark smile that never fails to brighten the mood around her. "Hayase, Munakata and the Captain are working on getting the injured away from the fight. Kazama san got some minor burns. Miki chan is at the roof at the moment watching for enemies. Kei chan and Meiya chan are with her. Chizuru san is outside gathering medical supplies. Akane san got some shrapnel on her body… (…!) but she'll recover soon" She intentionally let Akane be last in her report. She probably didn't want to alarm Suzumiya especially when she was receiving treatment.

"That's good…" I muttered with some hint of relief. "What about Shirogane and Kashiwagi?"

"I… don't know. (Eh?) Takeru san was supposed to be in an interview today so he wasn't in the briefing room with us. And I'm not certain where Kashiwagi san is at the moment" There was a trail of worry in her voice. Though Yoroi wasn't showing it, I can tell that she was definitely worried about Shirogane.

"Don't worry" I reassured her. "I'm sure Shirogane is probably out there fighting right now. If a man of his caliber can survive inside a Carrier Class BETA, a gunfight like this should be easy. I'm sure he's out there doing one of his ridiculous stunts again…"

"Hmm… y… yeah… you're probably right. Takeru wouldn't fold that easily"

…

…

…

You'd better be alright… Shirogane…

**(Takeru's POV) (Somewhere in the storm above Hyogo)**

Just as I thought, my sensors had gone dead. I've only entered through a part of the storm and already I've lost all count of my logistics support. Even my cameras are soaked with snow and hail. It feels like I'm trudging through the mud and muck in the air. The only thing that I can actually follow is the navigational charts leading to the next exercise grounds and that's still leagues away.

Damn it. Where could they be?

"Haruko, this is Takeru, do you read me? (Bzzt)" Nothing but static. "Haruko, Lt. Piatif. If any of you are reading this, please respond"

Bzzzt…

No good. The storm is too heavy for my coms to break through. There's just not enough power. I'm completely isolated… again. If Suzumiya was here she'd probably find a way through this storm.

Beep beep…

No good. I guess using sonar in the sky is pretty stupid on its own. Still… it was my last ditch plan. I guess I'll have to wing it from here. Hmm? What the?

Beep…

What's this? An open frequency? Could it be… them?

"HQ, this is Lieutenant Farenhorst, do you copy, over?" That voice. I… I recognize it. I've heard it somewhere before. "This is Lt. Farenhorst of Cerberus to any forces on this local frequency. Please respond if you can. Over"

Sigel… san? But why is she calling out? Where is this broad coming from?

"I say again. HQ, this is Lt. Farenhorst of the 44th Tactical Armor Battalion, Cerberus. We require immediate assistance. Our fuel intake is currently running low and we've run into a storm. Our navigational charts require an update. Please respond"

Looks like they're in trouble. They must've been caught up with the storm on their sortie. I wished I could help them but I've got problems of my own. It's not like I can see where they are anyway. Right now I have to find Kashiwagi and the others. They're my only hope of understanding what the hell is going on.

Tug!

Arghhh! No! Not now!

Tug!

ARGHH!

This pain… what is this pain!? It's… it's throbbing in my head like a hammer.

TUG!

UGHHH! The serum. I must use… the serum now. It should be here… in my medical cabinet. (Ruffle) There. That's it. I just… I just need to… inject…

Pssst…

ARGHH!

Damn it! It's not working! The serum! It just made the pain even worse! Arghhh!

Ugh… I think I just barfed out my breakfast.

Beep beep!

Warning, obstacle…?

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Major… I'm getting some on radar" Sigelinde motioned to her commanding officer when she noted a blip appearing on her screen. "It's coming at us at high speed"

"Is it a TSF?"

"Probably, but there's too much interference. I can't get a reading. Ilfriede, Helga, spread out and maximize your signals. Our combined sensor array should be able to get rid of all this noise. (Understood) Hmm… just a bit more. There. Wh…!?"

"What is it? Sigel?"

"Major! Watch out! In front of you!"

…!

Wilfried quickly pulled his controllers up forcing his unit to climb altitude before a large plane wing nearly cut right through him.

"All units, scatter!" Quickly as Sigel ordered, the rest of the team bolted in different directions avoiding the giant plane altogether. "Major! Are you alright? Major!"

"I'm fine, Sigel" Wilfried reassured her gathering his breath. "All units, report in"

"Cerberus 3, no damage" Helga answered immediately.

…

…

"Cerberus 4, report in" Sigel called only to be greeted with static. "Cerberus 4, are you there? Ilfriede, reply. (… bzzt) Something's wrong. I can't raise her on my coms. Helga, do you have a visual of her?"

"No. I can hardly see anything in these storm clouds. She must've bolted off in another direction. I'll go look for her. (No) Eh? But Major"

"We cannot afford a search operation with our fuel reserves and especially in this weather. We must regroup at headquarters and find out what's happening and resupply. Only then can we search for your partner. Understand?"

Helga grunted to herself but understood the Major's plans. Though as much as she wanted to look for Ilfriede, the chances of her crashing in the middle of nowhere will be extremely high and rescue won't be able to come for an allotted time. Reluctantly, she agreed. "Understood sir…"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"D… did we hit something?" Kashiwagi asked worryingly when she heard a loud thud echoing from the hull of the ship.

"Probably just a bird" Piatif brushed it off. "What's our altitude?"

"Thirty-five-thousand and climbing"

"Tell me when we reach 40,000. With the amount of fuel we're losing, we'll be able to glide at least 10-20 kilometers to our destination"

"Can we reach Yokohama Base with that?"

"No… the closest airfield that we could probably use is, the one on Hajima Island. (Eh? But that would mean…) Yes… it means we'll have to land on Shikoku Island"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Keehhh!" Ilfriede groaned out loud as her unit finally recovered from the sudden impact. Just when her guard was down, her machine was suddenly caught on the wing of the plane, smacking her unit's head sending her on a spiral way in an unknown direction. "Schiche! Who the hell taught you how to drive!? Watch where you're going at least you rude person!"

The lady's loud curses were only heard through the thundering clouds echoing in the distance. She wanted to say more but the plane had already vanished when she recovered. It wasn't until then she realized that she was cut off from the rest of her team.

"Eh? Where is… everyone?" She fluttered through her controls for bit before going to her communicator. "Helga? Ms. Sigel? Are you there?" Heavy electrical noise was all she received as a reply. "This is Cerberus 4 to team. Can anyone hear me? (Bzzt…) No way. What do I do now? (…) Don't panic Ilfriede. You were trained to handle this kind of situation. Remember London. This storm is nothing compared to that"

She quickly checked the status of her machine, analyzing the damage and noticing that her head-piece was flashing red. "Uwa! My whole sensor unit is gone! The chief mechanic is gonna kill me if I bring her back like this. Uuu… this is so not my day. And I promise Helga I wouldn't break anymore stuff. Uuuuu… she's definitely gonna yell at me again. (Beep beep) Hmm?"

Her worries were quickly erased when she noted a small blip on her radar. "Those markings. Ah! A U.N. patrol! I'm saved! Hey! Over here! Can you please help me?"

"This is Jango 2 to Jango 1" The Jamaican pilot called to his partner. "I've located the unknown target. I've confirmed it's the white machine"

"Looks like our faith finally paid off. We got two minutes to wrap this up! Engage!"

"Roger!"

Ratatatatat!

And before Ilfriede could react, the three pilots fired upon her. "Hey! What the? What's the meaning of this? Stop that!" She barely had the chance to dodge when the first few rounds marked her shoulders. "This is Cerberus 4 to U.N. Patrol. Cease your attack! (Bzzzt!) Ah to hell with this! I'll just have to beat it out of them. Blade safety, disengage!" Not willing to back down from a fight, Ilfriede quickly retaliated, drawing her blade and gun out.

"Jango 2. Focus on long range offense. Jango 3 and I will pin her at close-combat"

"Roger. But don't underestimate him. This one's a fighter"

The pilot quickly strafed the skies with hails of bullets focusing on the white frame of Ilfriede's unit. Low on fuel and energy and cut off from the rest of her team, the girl did her best to fight back. She clashed blades with two of her opponents but it seemed awfully certain that they had the advantage in this fight. They were ruthless and skillful—certainly worthy to be the elites of the frontlines.

But Ilfriede was not without her list of tricks. Being trained by one of the best instructors of Dover back in the Western Front, and hardened with countless skirmishes with both humans and BETA, one would say that she was a proven warrior, five times over than most cadets. And obviously, she didn't earn her place in the Cerberus Company with just her looks alone.

"You guys may be tough…" The blonde German lady grunted at her foes, talking mostly to herself. "But if you plan to take me down. Then I won't make it easy. I'll show you all how I earned the badge of the Three Headed Dog!"

Clang!

"Gotcha!"

"Damn. This bastard really is good" Jango 2 gave a praise as he slowly withdraw from the battle line, watching his comrade cover his back. "I might want to take a piece of you as a souvenir!"

"Jango 2! Be careful!"

"Don't worry about me! I got this guy right where I want him!"

"Nice try!" But Ilfriede quickly saw through his tricks and made a 180 maneuver, avoiding the man's quick dash attack and countering with a quick sword draw, slicing through one of the Gekishin's arms with absolute precision. "Don't underestimate me just because I'm alone"

"Jango 2, report!" The U.N. flight lead inquired worryingly at her comrade.

"I'm… I'm fine. That bastard cut off my good arm. He also damaged my thrusters but I can still fight"

"Good. Listen up. We can't extend this fight any longer. We have to end this right now. If we hit him at three directions simultaneously, we can catch him off guard at one point. Fire a barrage and disorient it. Afterwards, we'll rush in altogether to hit him when he least expect it. (Roger that!) Go!"

The three pilots hastily began firing their rifles at Ilfriede forcing her to back off. The amount of bullets whistling through her monitors increased steadily making it difficult to counterattack since her only weapons were her swords. She opted to fire back but her paintball clip was still on lock for some reason.

"Damn it! These guys are just…" The blonde soldier felt herself being tightened in mid-air. The more she dodged their barrage, the less room she had to hide. As ridiculous as that last sentence may sound, especially in the sky, it was the only way she could describe it. "At this rate… I'll be done for…"

"NOW!"

"What the?" Ilfriede quickly noted their sudden change in attack patterns as they drew out their swords in unison. "A three pronged attack? Not bad. But you'll have to try harder than that if you want to get closer to m—(WHAM!) Bwahh!"

And right before the three pilots could reach their mark, another white machine beat them to the punch, ramming the girl right on the torso.

"What the hell was that?" Jango 1 could only stop and stare as their prey blew away in the torrent.

**(Takeru's POV)**

What in the world? What the hell did I hit this time?

Beep!

A TSF!? You've got to be kidding me! Damn it! We're latched on together. At this rate our combined weight will weigh us down.

Alert! Stall!

No! Not a stall! We're falling down like a meteor! I can barely keep up with my altitude meter!

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"What the hell are you…!?" Ilfriede panicked. Her unit was being pushed downward towards the ocean by Shirogane's mech, gripping her in an accidental bear-hug. "A suicide attack!? You've got to be kidding me! I'm not going down with you, you bastard!" She drew out her side knife and stabbed the XFJ unit trying to pry herself away by force.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

WHAM!

What the? Is she for real!? She's gonna try to pry her way from our arms with that knife?

WHAM!

H… hey! Wait! Stop that! If you keep that up, I won't be able to stabilize our landing! (WHAM!) Stop! You'll kill us both! (WHAM!) This guy is nuts!

_Pull up… pull up…_

Ah hell. I can't change course now. All my controls have frozen up. I'll have to brute our way to the ocean. It's the only way to break our fall. (WHAM!) Will you give it a rest you moron!

Danger! Danger!

Ah fu… we're falling!

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

A loud splash echoed at the ocean that evening, alarming many coastal settlement of a small tidal wave heading towards the beach.

**(Soviet Quarters) (Rogofsky's office) (U.N. Kyoto Base)**

The battle had finally quieted down at the base of Kyoto. With the reinforcements of the U.N. and with the arrival of the TSFs from the patrols, things finally returned to a small sense of peace. The enemy troops that continued to fight were eradicated as they refused to surrender or give themselves unto the U.N. forces. In a few short hours, a declaration of DEFCON 4 was issued signaling the straggling soldiers to come out of hiding.

Many of the wounded were sent out to nearby hospitals as the infirmaries and medical areas of the base were already filling to the brim. The lockdown was ordered afterwards, doubling security detail on every sector. It seemed almost certain that the fighting had at long last, ended.

But while the U.N. forces licked their wounds, a snake was working his way in them, preparing to deliver a poison so vile that it would change their very nature…

"Hmm… I see" Budomir Rogofsky stated to the caller on the phone-line, nodding as if confirming something. "So the damage has been done. Send my regards to the Party members. Good bye" The moment he place the line down, he was greeted by Captain Romanov who entered his room with a tire look on his face. "Ah, Captain. Good. How did it go?"

The soldier saluted with a small sigh. "We've covered our tracks as you ordered. We've burned the uniforms we brought, framing it on the RLF and destroyed all traces of our activities on the monitors. But it seems like someone has already done that for us so there was little to do"

"Good-good. What of our prize?"

"We weren't able to get all the G-Element tanks out of the vault. Without the General's password and retinal scan, all we could do without being noticed is get everything that were left on the outer storage. Though it should be more than sufficient for our purposes, sir"

"I supposed that should suffice for now" Budomir chuckled before he turned towards the window as he saw the sky darkening even more with the harsh weather upon them. "I just received call from the bureau of the ongoing investigation in this attack. It appears that all participants of the exercise are to be held here until they clear things up. It seems like we will have ourselves a pleasant holiday"

"Yes sir… but what about the General? Are you sure it's wise to keep him alive?"

"As much as I want that man dead at my hands, killing him would only make things worse for us. (Sir?) Life is cheap… especially on the battlefield. It can be lost in an instant and replace at the exact same time. Kill him and the U.N. will simply send a replacement. But keep him alive and take advantage of his current state of… sleep… we can do so much more"

"Wait… I thought that we did this just to get the G-Element"

"Are you choosing to ignore what you witnessed?" The Captain flinched at his words. Simply being reminded of that scene caused a backlash in Romanov's head. Though he couldn't comprehend it, it was plain to see what the commander was mentioning. "You saw it too, didn't you? That boy…"

His arm, grew back…

Romanov couldn't possibly forget it. After all, he was the first thing that arm hit the moment it grew back. It frightened him, terrified those around him and for the first time in years, the man felt paralyzed to do anything.

"I've never seen anything like it" The Captain said finally after a brief pause in thought.

"Neither have I" Rogofsky admitted. "But it's not something that we should be surprise of anymore. (Sir?) The Soviets alone are already developing Psychic soldiers on the battlefield, America and the E.U. have spent billions on making cybernetic troopers. It's only natural that a powerhouse like the U.N. would have something up its sleeves… but I never thought it would be like this. It seems like such a waste"

"Sir? What are you implying?"

"Think about it, Captain. That boy would make the G-Element look like dirt in comparison. No… it would make the whole Total Eclipse plan fall apart"

"Wait… are you saying that…"

"Why bother having a soldier that can read minds when you have a soldier that can't die?"

"Sir… you do realize that if we go deeper into this, we will eventually have to cross swords with the U.N"

"Ahahaha!" Budomir burst out a small laugh. "Your soldier instincts are impressive, Captain. But in a world of politics, there are more shades of gray than there are stars in the sky. Besides… we already have the perfect scapegoat to get their attention"


	86. Picking up the Pieces

**Chapter 86: Picking up the Pieces**

**(January 23, 2002 Wednesday) (01:40 AM)(Kyoto Base) (Valkyrie Briefing room) (Marimo's POV)**

It was over…

After hours of investigation and questioning, we finally got the chance to breathe. An investigative unit was interrogating all members in the base concerning the recent attack. They were able to find one or two soldiers who were not part of the regular roster here in Kyoto Base and successfully question them for further results.

It has been confirmed by High Command that the attack was issued by none other the infamous Refugee Liberation Front, or the RLF for short. It was a group known for its commitment to better the lives of refugees throughout the world. Though many would call them a misguided bunch, they somehow still manage to make themselves look like a modern day Robin Hood earning the support of the people.

Further questioning would be handled on a later date as the damage sustained on the base was still being assessed. The Training Exercise has been suspended indefinitely causing a major uproar amongst the pilots. From what I've heard so far, the RLF targeted many of the foreign dignitaries and visiting pilots. They also targeted many of our com installations and command centers making off with much of our classified information. Their objective in this operation appears to be theft and assassination and the large scale damage they caused was primarily done to distract us.

They made off with the experimental XFJ unit Shiranui 2nd Phase and a large cargo of G-Element that was said to have been stored at the base itself.

And to make matters even worse, General Radhabinod and his advisors were wounded during an unscheduled inspection of the XFJ unit. The RLF made off with the experimental prototype, but fortunately for us, the General survived but with severe wounds. He's now being taken care of in his chamber under heavy guard until he recovers. The U.N. council will probably send someone to take temporary command of the 11th Pacific Army until then.

Adding to the counts of theft, the RLF had an escape route planned, stealing one of the planes and using it as a getaway carrying all their loot with them. The damage done to our patrols was also something to add to our defeat. They lost track of the stolen unit and plane during the storm. Members of the U.N. council who were also present at the time were safely sent away after the attack.

The A-01 Special Task Force 9th Squadron, The Valkyries were issued to remain on standby in case of a second attack but I seriously doubt the RLF would be able to mount a second strike after the losses they've sustained. The same could be said with us too.

With the possibility of sleeper agents being inside the U.N. armed forces, the investigation team will undoubtedly not out-rule anyone as a suspect. It'll be hard to find out who we can trust.

But I suppose that's nothing for me to worry about. The Valkyries have been cleared of most suspicion already in their action against the attackers. Captain Isumi vouched for all her teammates but that doesn't mean we can still do whatever we want. We'll have to take extra measures with our actions making sure that we don't become a suspect because of our involvement.

None in our team has suffered any serious injuries, with the exception of those that were taken during the Tokyo incident. It'll still be awhile before we can fully recover though. But at least they're still alive.

"Onee san. Don't strain yourself. Let me get that" Akane motioned to her sister as she adjusted her wheelchair. Haruka suffered the most out of all of us. A replacement for here prosthetic leg was postponed due to the strain on our resources and manpower. Because of this, she had been confined to a wheelchair to get her around and ever since then, Akane has been by her side at her beck and call, going as far as pushing her to the restroom if need be. "Oh… you have something on your cheek"

"Ah… Akane. Please stop that. You're embarrassing me" The girl was pushing her away. For a moment now, Akane sounds like a doting sister. "I can do this on my own"

"That won't do! The injured have no say when it comes to people taking care of them. Now be still and let me readjust your seat" Haruka could only sigh in defeat. The girl was very persistent when it came to her big sister. "Really now. You should be more careful with your safety. Running head on to a sniper like that is just crazy. (Hai) I just hope you gave that beating. If I was there, I'd beat him so badly to a pulp!"

…

"Sorry…" I said quietly just above a whisper. It was partially my fault that Haruka was that way.

"Ah… no. I didn't mean to put the blame on you. Jinguuji san. I was just… um… well I…"

"Akane is just trying to find someone to put the blame on" Munakata explained. "She's always been like that. Don't take it too seriously. (Ah! Munakata sempai!) Let's just all be glad that we're all still alive"

"Yeah… I guess you're right" I agreed. We should all be grateful that we're all still alive. Not many of us could say the same.

"Ah! Onee san! Keep that pillow there. You need that to balance yourself!"

"But Akane chan. There's barely any room left on this seat for me to sit"

I wanted to give a laugh but I swallowed it down for their sake.

"Is everyone here?" Cpt. Isumi called out as she entered the briefing room. We stood at attention and salute as she arrived.

"Ma'am. 2nd Lt. Yoroi is still in the infirmary assisting the wounded" Hayase reported. "Everyone that is able is here. Though I haven't been able to reach 2nd Lt. Kashiwagi and 1st Lt. Shirogane"

"Haaa… they must still be in the other wing. Anyway, I just received word. All units are to stand down. The defense team from the 6th Pacific Army will be taking over management from here on so we can rest easy. Hayase, I want you to prep the squad for sortie. Even though the situation looks bad, we still have a mission to go on. The Head Mechanic will come here to give us a status update on our new TSFs so wait for him. (Yes ma'am) Munakata, you're with me. I need someone to help me follow the chain of command and who need to report to from here on. With General Radhabinod out of commission it'll be good to know we still have order around here. (Understood) The rest of you wait here with the team. Once we get permission to sortie, we go. (Yes ma'am!)"

"Captain…" Hmm? Mitsurugi?

"What is it, Mitsurugi?"

"With your permission I'd like to look for the missing members of our squad. We would fare better if all of our members are present"

"Hmm… I don't see why not. Alright, you can go. But I don't want you going alone"

"Ma'am I'll go with her" Sakaki volunteered.

"Alright. You two can go. But only after the Head Mechanic arrives, alright? They'll issue DEFCON 5 from there on. (Ma'am! Thank you ma'am) Hayase, Munakata, come with me for a bit"

It has been over 6 hours since the lockdown was issued. Each officer was to be kept in their respective buildings. Only those authorized by the investigative team are allowed to move freely. Those who are injured or skilled in medical practices are also permitted to move around as long as they are escorted.

I'm sure Shirogane is probably trapped in the other wing after his interview worried sick about us as well. He's always been a worry wart. Sometimes I wonder if that was one of his better traits. He definitely doesn't have an affinity to women so—

"Freeze! Nobody move!"

…!

What in the world? MPs? What are they… (Click) Ah!

"What is the meaning of this?" Our Captain demanded at the aggressors but pulled up short when her second in command stopped her. In a matter of seconds our entire squad had been assembled at the corner of the room as if we were being presented by a firing squad. "What are you men doing? This is an outrage!"

"Stand down, Captain Isumi" A feint voice ordered her from the door. A man in U.N. uniform with a patch rank of a Major entered with four guards on his flanks. "Sorry for the informal treatment. But considering the reputation of the Valkyries these last few months, one cannot be careless"

"And you are?" Our Commander inquired forgetting her military etiquette for a moment.

"Ah… apologies. I am Major Kurosagi Tenjou of the U.N. 6th Pacific Army, 1st Special Investigation Division. I am under orders to place the entirety of the A-01, 9th Squadron under arrest"

"And under what charges?"

"Perhaps I was too broad in my statement. I am here under orders to arrest all members associated with the suspect known as, Shirogane Takeru"

…!

Takeru? What does he have to do with this? A wave of reactions came from my girls as they heard this news.

"Shirogane?" I muttered out his name in echo. What could that boy have done to get the investigation team to detain him?

"Why him?" The Captain inquired for us.

"A warrant of arrest has been placed on 1st Lt. Shirogane Takeru under the suspicion of espionage, dereliction of duty, treason, assassination of U.N. officers and representatives of its ally member nations, theft of classified U.N. properties and the murder of 2nd Lt. Kashiwagi Haruko"

…!

Did he just say… murder? Murder as in killed? But that… that can't be. That doesn't sound like… Shirogane… He wouldn't…

"H… Haruko… Haruko is…" Akane covered her mouth in horror of this news. Everyone here had similar expressions of disbelief. None of them could possibly believe that Shirogane would… kill someone… especially one of our own.

"I'm sorry to say this, but we found her body mutilated at the front of the suspect's room. His room was the only one that was destroyed out of your entire barracks. Most notably to hide evidence…"

"You can't possibly prove that without proof!"

"Several surviving witnesses and videos suggests otherwise" Major Tenjou countered not even flinching. "So in light of this, the 6th Army High Command has ordered that all members associated with the suspect to be hereby placed under arrest and await further interrogation. I will be personally be conducting every session with each and every member of this squad tomorrow. So… make this easier on yourselves and come quietly"

…

…

…

We all turned to our Captain but you can already see that she had no choice but to submit.

"Everyone… stand down and disarm"

Reluctantly we obeyed. I slowly turned in my sidearm and submitted myself to their custody. As much as I despised this arrest, it was perhaps for the best that we all just give in for now. Soldiers like us should understand that the military is on the lookout for other spies.

WHAM!

"Ow! My nose! You damn woman!"

"Hmph!" Ayamine? Did she just punch that MP in the face?

"Wh… what the hell is up with her?"

"2nd Lt. Ayamine, stand down!" Lieutenant Hayase ordered to the girl who was in combat position. I should've expected this. That girl has always been the opposing force of figures of authority which made her difficult to handle than most cadets. Many officers and instructors had some hurdles when they tangle with someone like Ayamine. I guess situations like these can rub her the wrong way. "Ayamine! Stop that at once!"

"Hmph!"

BAM!

"Gah!" She used her specialized throw on another guard sending him up halfway towards the other end of the room. "Ow…"

Hayase knew that she would get out of hand soon enough and quickly rushed in to stop her. "Ayamine! Stand. Down. Now! Do you want to get the whole squad in trouble!? (…!) Submit just this once. You don't want the whole squad to go down with you, do you?"

…

After a brief while, the raven haired girl dropped her combat stance with gritted teeth. "Understood…" Another batch of guards quickly handcuffed her and brought her out of the room. That's the last method I'd want to go out in.

"You really need to get better control of your squad, Captain Isumi…" The Major added with a toothy remark.

"Sorry… sir…"

After that little fiasco, the rest of the team resigned to their fate and disarmed. No one else resisted.

Shirogane… wherever you are… I hope you're alright…

**(U.N. RLF-Occupied base) (Fukuoka) (Barracks)**

"Hmmm…" Professor Kouzuki Yuuko, the chief head scientist of ALTERNATIVE IV and the Vice Commander of Yokohama Base let out a long yawn as she awoke from her long sleep deep inside terrorist territory.

After stretching her arms and legs for a bit she scanned the room around her noticing the unfamiliar scenery. She had grown accustomed to her lab back in Yokohama Base that such a place felt alien to her.

She then recalled what happened before she passed out. She remembered being in a large oval-room with other delegates from other countries having some kind of meeting that didn't involve any of them. They were brought in to be bait for someone else's grand scheme but inevitably became useless in the end.

After putting her thoughts together, the professor realized that she was no longer in her usual lab coat but rather in a seductive shirt that exposed her belly. Someone must've had the perverted thought of changing her attire while she was still asleep, though she didn't really mind the change in fashion. It was a good change of pace for someone like her.

Once she was aware of her trendy clothes, the professor noted the room she was placed in.

She slowly came to recognize it as a room made for soldiers. She knew this because she constantly visited Shirogane's room plenty of times when he first came to her life. She guessed that the military force in the frontlines wouldn't accustom themselves to making a special room for specialized guests. Being built in the frontline meant that it would have a high chance of being destroyed on the first attack wave.

It was a square room with a private bathroom in the adjacent corner. A single hard bed with one pillow, a work desk with a reading lamp, a bookshelf with useless filter materials, and a chair for all sitting needs. She was beginning to understand why soldiers would rather spend their day out of the barracks rather than staying in such crappy accommodation.

But there was one thing that wasn't supposed to be in the inventory of such a room. A single object that stood out amongst the furniture here.

A Television…

Judging from the cracks on the walls where the nails were placed, someone must've put it there just recently. Perhaps someone wanted to watch something before going to bed.

After gathering her strength, Yuuko slowly made her way towards the door only to find the door locked from the outside. The lock appears to have been tampered with meaning it can only be open from the outside. Someone must've gone through a lot of trouble to make this room what it is.

Just as she sighed, the TV that was placed there suddenly sprang to life.

"Good morning to you, Professor Kouzuki" A red haired foreigner appeared on the screen sitting on a chair as if he was a host in some famous talk show. "I hope you slept well"

"Hardly…" She answered back, placing her hand on her hip with her usual coy grin. "The bed was as hard as a rock. You expect someone to be comfortable in an environment like this?"

"Forgive the rough treatment. But I assure you that this is the best accommodation we have at our disposal. Besides… against someone of your reputation, we have to be… cautious"

"Oh?" She raised a brow in return. "And I'm guessing this is your handiwork as well?" Yuuko gestured to her clothes.

"A precaution. We had to make sure that you weren't carrying anything that may aid in your escape. I assure you that my men did nothing that would discomfort you in anyway. (Really~?) You have my word. Though I'm afraid I can't say the same for the other delegates"

"You had them separated from me? Why the special treatment?"

"You're a very famous woman, Professor. We are simply giving you the treatment worthy of your reputation"

"Flattery doesn't work on me anymore. I've already got someone who does that"

"Aha… then I apologize. I am merely being courteous"

"Then why don't you introduce yourself? You have me in an unfair advantage. And a gentleman always introduces himself before addressing others"

The man in the monitor visibly widened his grin as if he was pleased with his opponent. It felt like a very long game of chess where the opposing players assessed the competence of each other. "I apologize. My manners have been unused for quite sometimes, I forget my place. Though I regret to say I cannot give you my name for various reasons, those who are under my employ have come to call me… Master"

"That's quite a title" Yuuko responded in kind, taking her seat by the work table just within the camera's reach. "So why don't we get to our primary business? What do you want from me? If you don't aim to kill me then you must want something from me"

"You assume too much, Professor" The Master shook his head, smiling coyly like a spectator gazing at an animal in a zoo. "You're worth more to us as a hostage than a corpse, though I do find much of your research to be rather… interesting to say the least. You are the head scientist of the famous ALTERNATIVE IV and the one responsible for the destruction of the BETA Hive in Sadogashima. The General Undersecretary and the representative of the Japanese Provincial Government can barely even compare"

Yuuko sharpened her eyes as the man rolled one title after another to her. "It appears my reputation precedes me more than I thought. So what do you want from me?"

"For now… nothing. Your presence alone here has halted all attempt of a rescue mission so I would prefer if you remain in your current condition. And to ensure that you remain healthy… I will have someone stand watch over you" Suddenly, the locked door opened, revealing a large grown, clean shaven, man with enough muscles to make a fitness trainer make a run for his money. From a close distance, one might mistake him as an ogre rather than a man. "This is Jacob, my closest entourage. He will in charge of your welfare from here on end. If you require any food or medicine, please do not hesitate to call upon him"

Kouzuki sized up the large man but showed no signs of intimidation on her face. "I'm touched by your concern. But surely you didn't keep me here just to be a scarecrow in your front yard"

"Oooh? Smart, cunning and beautiful. You're certainly becoming a Mad Scientist's dream bride. But you are correct. I do have one more use for you, but I shall save it as a surprise. (…) I've been taught to never show all of my hand unless absolutely necessary"

"Then that makes two of us…"

**(Shikoku Island) (Tokushima City Ruins) (Crash site)**

Tokushima City…

A once bustling hub of culture for Japan. A place where nearly tens of thousands of people used to reside. Before the war, ships would pass through the docks here in droves. Today… it now stands as ruins, a broken reminder to what Japan once was.

The city had been transformed into a military base since the war, becoming one of the few installations that served the Imperial Army when the BETA first invaded their homeland. It provided supplies to the front and brought many victories against the alien invaders. But ever since the Shikoku Incident occurred… the only thing that remained there were the cold winds and the ghosts left behind.

And right dab in the middle of the city was a plane. A large transport plane that was able to make a miraculous landing on the road, breaking on its nose in the process.

Kashiwagi and Piatif were the first to exit the plane, examining their surroundings. Though as much as grave as the situation may be, their soldier-like instincts continued to guide their actions, taking stock of their supplies and squared their shoulders for the task ahead.

"How is it, Lieutenant?" Haruko asked, turning to her partner who was inspecting the rear end of the plane where most of the damage took place during the previous battle. The plane they had stolen was riddled with more holes than a cheese and the tail fin had been ripped apart from bullets like it had a bullseye painted on it.

Piatif sighed after a quick look an unforgiving expression on her face. "It's no good. The damage to the tail is beyond repair. We won't be able to get this plane airborne again"

"I guess it was too much to ask for a miracle"

"The enemy knew what to destroy" Piatif explained. "They were undoubtedly trying to kill us instead of taking us alive. We were fortunate that we managed to land safely in these ruins. We can thank the Imperial Army for maintaining such places for emergencies but I don't think we'll be able to get her to fly again. Have you made any luck contacting 1st Lt. Shirogane?"

"No…" Kashiwagi replied dejected. "I've been trying to call him for hours now but still no reply"

"The Dellinger Effect probably has something to do with it" The blonde haired com-officer pointed out. "After the G-Bomb dropped, it's become increasingly difficult to get even the slightest signal out of this place. Interference can be very high. We will require a wired communication network to speak with one another"

"Can we use the ones on those TSFs?" Haruko pointed towards the two giant containers strapped on the back of the plane.

"That's possible. Though it may take some time to hack onto the computers. TSFs have some of the highest security measures in every military group but I should be able to get through if given enough time. (Good…) But… do you think Shirogane may have been…"

"No" Haruko stopped her not every trying to entertain the thought of the boy being shot down. "Shirogane is the strongest pilot I know. He won't let a storm or anyone else beat him. He'll pull through. I know it. (I understand) Anyway. We should probably take stock of the situation. Do we know where we've landed?"

"Yes. This is definitely Tokushima City. The Imperial Army once used this place during the first BETA invasion as a supply depot and a firebase. Fortunately this place was outside of the blast radius. We should be safe from any form of radiation for the time being. Though I do recommend that we relocate as soon as possible. (Relocate?) Yes. I've no doubt that the U.N. will send out patrols in this area after they've regained control of Kyoto. At the moment, we have no idea who our enemies are but we can be sure that they have much of the U.N. under their control. Though we do not have General Radhabinod at our side… we might be able to expose them one way or another"

"And how do you propose we do that?"

Piatif was silent, her eyes gazing away as if trying to think of a solution. "I don't know. But remaining idle isn't going to help either. Our first order of business is to salvage what we can here and find somewhere safe. From there we can regroup with 1st Lt. Shirogane and perhaps instigate some kind of operation. It will take some time… especially with just the two of us"

"Yeah… it will be hard" Kashiwagi felt herself disheartened. The situation was spiraling downward and it seemed like they've finally found a ledge to hang on to. But after looking at the situation they were in, it was only natural for some people to lose morale.

"If you'll excuse me. I'll go and procure some food rations from the storage" Piatif dismissed herself. Though she may put on a brave face, Kashiwagi can tell that even she was having a hard time motivating herself. She was probably just as equally confused as anyone.

Haruko busied herself with other menial tasks of gathering supplies. There was little left that they could use in the plane. Other than the two TSFs, some blankets and food supply, everything else that was stored in the plane were perhaps used for their other experiments.

"Hnn…" But just as the girl was about to head off to work, she suddenly noted Kasumi standing at the end of the plane gazing deeply in the distance.

"Eh? Yashiro?" Haruko cooed to her. "What are you doing here? I thought I told you to stay inside. It isn't safe here. (Hnn!) Come on. You'll get cold real fast in that getup. Let's go back inside and I'll make you a nice cup of tea. (Takeru…) Huh?"

"Takeru… is coming…"

"Takeru? Where?"

"There…" Kasumi simply pointed in the general direction, East. Kashiwagi was skeptic… but it wasn't until she noted the ground shaking that she became aware of a giant machine moving towards them.

And right out of the blue, the XFJ unit rose from the sea. Its clean white frames in coherent with the snow around it, the armor riddled with scars from a previous battle. It marched fiercely from the ocean like Leviathan rising from the sea. And on its back, it carried with it another machine equal in its size.

"The Shiranui… Second Phase…" Haruko was able to mutter the name out as she tucked Kasumi to her side. "It's… still working? Takeru?" The machine then suddenly grinded to a halt as the damage finally took its toll. With one last act of strength, the white machine pulled itself closer towards Kashiwagi, lowering itself to a gesture of a bow before its chest opened up with a loud hissing noise.

And from its stomach, the figure of the once great hero emerged… his body limp and his face pale to the point of freezing.

He exited the cockpit, shivering. The cold water from the ocean filled much of his place, nearly drowning the boy. His suit was supposed to keep him safe and warm but it seemed that it too… had its limits.

He expected a warm breeze when he came out of his shell. But what came for him instead was a chilling wind of the late winter.

Combined with all of his fatigue, the boy drifted off to his slumber, falling head first to the snowy grounds below him.

"Takeru!" Kashiwagi dashed to his side before his face hit the floor.

**(U.N. Kyoto Base) (Cerberus quarters)**

Wilfriede, the commanding officer of the Cerberus group was in his office that afternoon having a pleasant conversation with his comrade over by the video phone.

"I'm glad to see you unharmed, Major" A man with a fabulous looking mustache stated with a hint of joy on the private line. "You actually had me worried for awhile there when you failed to deliver your daily report"

"I apologize for the needless worry. The situation in Japan has caused an unprecedented lockdown"

"Yes… I just heard the announcement on the tele. Quite a ruckus I must say. First Yukon, now Kyoto. These terrorists are becoming bolder with every attack. (Indeed…) Well hopefully, after the investigation, you can return here. I'm sure the team will feel better knowing that you're around"

"I'm afraid that might take awhile longer. (…?) One of our pilots is missing. (What!? Who!?) Ilfriede… (Ilfreide?) It's my fault. I should've paid more attention to my surroundings when we were in flight"

"You said missing… did they…?"

"No. Not yet. The U.N. investigation team has issued a lockdown order on the base and is keeping us here for the next 48 hours. They've dispatched search parties where we last saw her but have found no traces as of yet"

"I see…" The mustached man said with a soft hearted response. "Well, Ilfriede may be young but was taught by the best. She'll be fine as long as she remembers her training. I'm certain that she'll make it out of whatever pothole she got herself in"

"I hope so" Wilfriede solemnly agreed. "How's everything in Dover?"

"Quiet. There hasn't been any BETA activity in the last few weeks. (Weeks?) I thought it to be strange too. As much as I like this little peace and solitude… it feels rather… unnerving for some of us. There hasn't been a single skirmish with the enemy since New Year. It's almost like the BETA decided to take hibernate for the holiday season"

"What about recon?"

"The weather here is as bad as you can imagine. We can't get any decent footage of the mainland but from what we can see so far, the BETA are… quiet. (Hmm…) Do you think it has something to do with the BETA attack in Japan during New Year?"

"That might be possible…" Wilfriede answered with a curious expression. He heard of the large scale BETA invasion in Japan not long ago. It was an attack from the mainland consisting more than half a million in numbers followed by 3 of the newly discovered Carrier Class BETA. The attack first took place in the Philippines before the BETA decided to switch their target going straight for the strongest line of defense.

But something like this has never happened before. The BETA wouldn't care if it was the 2nd coming of Jesus, much less of the weather, to invade. They always came, on time, on schedule, without a doubt. To have them miss an attack would make the soldiers feel like they've been stood-up in a date.

But before the Major could voice his reason, he noted Sigelinde entering his office in proper military manner.

"I'll call you later Gerhard. Keep the rest of the team on alert for now. Give me a report should anything happen"

"Understood Herr Major"

After making sure the other line was off, Wilfried turned to his old childhood friend with a somewhat hopeful expression. "Were they successful?"

"No. They're expanding their search area as we speak but they're not likely to find her. We've also been trailing all SOS but so far… no luck. The CO believes that she may have sunk to the ocean…"

"I see. How's Helga handling it?"

Sigel visibly shook as she replied. "She's putting on a brave face and understands the situation we're in but you can tell that she wants to search for her personally. If it wasn't for our diplomatic issues, she would've gone off already. (…) They're similar that way. I guess you could say they're best friends. Have you told the others?"

"I only gave Gerhard the brief situation. I don't want to raise or lower their hopes without sufficient proof. Have you discovered anything about this attack?"

"The U.N. council is being very discreet. They must be very embarrassed to have their bases severely damaged by terrorist twice in a row" Sigel quickly produced a stack of papers from her uniform and flip them over as she read their contents. "From what I've been able to gather, the RLF has claimed responsibility for this attack. The damage here fits their description but there's something odd. (Odd?) The Refugee Liberation Front has always been about bettering the lives of people throughout the world. In every attack, they always give some kind of reason or justification for their actions. But this time… no broadcast was made and to make matters stranger…"

"What is it?" Wilfried inquired of the sudden dramatic pause.

"In every major attack, these terrorists usually come with of hundreds of poorly-trained militia. These combatants consists mostly of spies planted inside their structure of target and several volunteers from various refugee camp or former military groups, mostly elderly or sympathetic youths. (Your point?) This attack was coordinated with only a rough few dozen members"

"Do you think that after several continuous attacks they're beginning to exhaust their pool of volunteers?"

"That is a viable conclusion. But the number of refugees still tallies over hundreds of thousands. It's either they've run out of volunteers or… they've decided to increase their standard by a large margin"

"You think that this was a proper military operation?"

The silver haired lady shook her head in a stern manner denying all claims. "I'm not sure. But this certainly isn't the same as the RLF we've known. I'll need more time to give a more detailed analysis"

"Do it. But don't try anything to rouse suspicion. With this lockdown in effect we're pretty much just waiting for this situation to blow over. Until we've recovered Ilfriede or her unit, we're not going anywhere"

**(Shikoku Island) (Tokushima City Ruins) (Later that afternoon)**

Kashiwagi sat near the unconscious form of Takeru as he laid comfortably in one of the buildings. The moment he came in from the sea, his body felt almost like a frozen Popsicle, cold to the bones. It was only after they started a fire did he stop shivering in his sleep.

They wanted to move to a different location fast but it was too late when the snowstorm finally caught up to them. The hail and wind blew so hard that it buried the plane under a ton of snow in roughly ten minutes. In the end, the two girls decided to move into one of the studier buildings to find shelter from the blizzard. Luckily there was one next to them that suited their purpose.

It was an old apartment building. Or at least it once was. The windows were still intact making sure none of the cold air would get inside, the door didn't creak and there was enough space inside for all five of them to share.

Piatif had gone off to search for more supplies from the plane while Kashiwagi tended to the two wounded.

Yes, Takeru did not come alone.

Beside him laid a woman of foreign qualities just about his age in terms of appearance. Haruko quickly identified her as Ilfriede von Feulner, one of the E.U.'s Eishis who came to participate in the exercise. She didn't look any older than her but reading her report made her look like a veteran in her eyes.

Luckily the blonde pilot had only minor injuries to boot. The bump on her head caused by the impact of the crash must've knocked her out cold. But other than that, her suit protected her just fine.

The same couldn't be said for Takeru though. Because unlike his blonde companion, who had some bumps here and there, his condition was the complete opposite. The boy was practically unscathed. Even after all that gunfire and mayhem back at Kyoto Base, you could barely find a mark at all. But of course, Piatif wouldn't find this odd. After all she wasn't there during the firefight back in the base.

She wasn't there to see Takeru getting shot full of holes by gunmen. She wasn't there to see his arm get dismembered by a large knife. And she definitely wasn't there to see how that same arm grew back otherwise, she wouldn't be easily approaching the boy without a care.

But Kashiwagi remembered it all. She recalled it like it happened a minute ago. It was embedded on her mind like a bad memory that made you flinch every time it passed through your thoughts. She didn't want to believe any of it but the evidence was there sleeping right in front of her. If Takeru's new arm had eyes, it'd probably be staring at her right this minute.

Kasumi was there too, looking at the boy, barely even moving. She was still and silent like the time when she met Sumika down in the lower floors of Yokohama Base.

"Ugh…" A soft grunting noise from the boy awoke Kashiwagi from her nap.

"Takeru?" She called out to him softly, bringing a cup of warm tea she had prepared out of whim by the fire. The boy looked weak and tired which isn't surprising after everything that he went through today. After all the shooting, the chasing and perhaps losing a limb or two, he probably had more right to be exhausted than the average man. "Easy. Here… drink this. It'll warm you right up" She brought his lips to the cup but his hands suddenly grabbed hers pulling her down. "Ah!"

"Wh… where…?"

"Don't worry. You're safe" She coddled him. "You're freezing but you should be fine after tonight. You've been through a lot. Now drink up. You need to keep yourself warm"

The boy submitted to her charge and accepted the cup. He felt some of his strength returning after a short period of sleep. Though he was still out of it, he was glad that he was conscious.

**(Takeru's POV)**

My whole body hurt like hell. I felt like I just got chewed inside a rollercoaster and then spat out like a gum that lost its flavor. It's probably not the best description but that's the best I can do in such a short notice.

I leaned towards the wall, resting my back and look at my surroundings. We were in some kind of decrepit building. Again, it was snowing but a lot heavier. For some reason, this whole scenery reminded me a lot about that time in Susono where I met that old lady and her two granddaughters.

Rin and Eiko…

I wonder if those two are still ok… wherever they are…

Clang!

The door swung wide open revealing Lt. Piatif. She was wearing a winter jacket all over her body.

"Ah, Piatif san" Kashiwagi greeted her. "How is it?"

"The storm is getting worse by the minute" She answered. "We won't be able to travel anywhere with it still raging overhead. How's… oh… you're awake" Piatif darted at me when she saw me up and about. "How are you feeling, Lieutenant?"

"Better now…" I replied sounding weak. "Where are we anyway?"

"Tokushima City. (Huh?) We're near the ruins of the Komatsushima Port, roughly a few kilometers off the shore. We should be safe for awhile in this storm. (Storm?)"

"You were fighting inside a rough storm. It must've sent you to the ocean" Kashiwagi said with her finger pointing to the unknown figure lying a few feet away from me. "When you finally came up, you carried her unit along with you"

That girl… she's not… Sigel. But she's wearing the same three-headed-dog symbol on her suit.

"We've identified her as Ilfriede von Feulner" Piatif answered my unasked question. "She's a member of the 44th TSF Battalion from the E.U. and a participant of the Training Exercise. She was probably out during one of the matches when the storm hit"

"Is she…?"

"Don't worry. She only suffered minor concussion to the head. She'll wake up eventually. Though I'm not certain what to do with her once that happens"

"What do you mean?" I asked.

Piatif gave me a soft sigh before finally taking a seat on one of the better chairs. It seems like I've been out for a few hours and I guess it would be best to get me up to speed. There are so many questions, so many things I needed to know.

After a brief pause, she continued. "When she wakes up… she'll undoubtedly want to try and call her allies—the members of her team. If she tries that she'll give away our location to our enemies and make things harder as it is"

"Wait…" I raised my hand to stop her. "Who do you mean by 'our enemies'? Who are we fighting against here?"

She paused again before replying. "Even I am uncertain at who we are facing at this moment" You can tell that she was completely unsure of her answer. This is probably the first time I've seen Elena so confused and out of touch. "I'm obligated to say we're facing the Soviet Union but that just may be a ruse. (The Soviets?) To be honest, there's a strong possibility that we may be facing two separate enemies at this point"

"Two enemies? What makes you think that?"

"I have no solid proof. But considering what happened during the attack, I have a suspicion that we may be fighting a three way war"

"It does make sense" Kashiwagi interrupted us, leaning to my side. "The soldiers that chased after us earlier looks like they were after us for a reason. But another group wanted to kidnap you especially, Takeru. (Me?) Don't you remember? Back at the barracks?"

The barracks…

I remember going there but then… I was tazed…

Ah! Pops! The old man from the store! He was there. He was the one who knocked me out.

"Takeru? You ok?"

"Sorry… it's just that my memories are a little muddled. I feel like there's a big gap in my brain. I can barely remember anything after I was knocked out"

"Then… you don't remember…?" Haruko's eyes darted to my chest.

"Remember what?"

"Nothing. It's not important. What else do we know?" She quickly brushed my question aside and returned to the topic at hand. "We know that there's more than one enemy here. But who was the other group that we fought today? The Americans?" Ugh… I wouldn't want that. Fighting one human opponent is one thing, but fighting America? That would be a whole kind of battle in so many ways.

"I highly doubt that" Piatif disagreed with a posed look. "America doesn't benefit from attacking a U.N. base. They wouldn't want to start a fight with another country without a justified reason. (But then who?) The only other logical answer would be the RLF. This is the same method they used a few months back in Yukon"

"RLF? What's that?" The two girls darted back at me with a questioned expression.

"You don't know?"

"I'm not exactly familiar with all of the organizations and acronyms in the world"

"The Refugee Liberation Front…" Piatif answered. "They're a multinational-terrorist-organization whose sole purpose is to better the lives of their fellow refugees. They consider the war to be draining supplies from those who need it and hamper military operations throughout the world. They've been notorious with roughly tens of thousands of sympathizers"

Terrorists? Is she for real? Even in this day and age there are still terrorists roaming about terrorizing people? Well… I guess something like that is to be expected. I remember hearing about anti-ALTERNATIVE terrorists during ALTERNATIVE V but we never encountered them during our time as soldiers. But still… this is new to me. I've never even heard of them until now.

"But why would they attack?" I asked. "Why would they attack Kyoto of all places?"

"I'm not certain either. Our information is extremely limited at the moment. But I do remember one thing. (…?) When we were first taken hostage, I remember seeing the Soviet Commander, Colonel Budomir Rogofsky. (Rogofsky?) Yes. He was the one who took us hostage and the General in the process. During our capture, one of the guards let slip of a G-element cache kept at the vault beneath the base"

G-Element?! You mean the thing that makes the G-Bombs? Why would they have something like that under the base?

"It's not a big secret" Piatif confirmed to my horror. "It was a last measure of defense should the BETA breaks through the final defense line. The U.N. Armed forces were planning to use that cache as a final measure to destroy the enemy" So that was it. That must've been the G-Bomb that they were planning to use during our defense of Kyoto against the giant Carrier Class.

"I also remember one of our attackers saying something too" Kashiwagi added to our surprise. She placed her hand on her lips trying to recall the battle. "It was during that time in the barracks. Those soldiers there seem like they wanted to capture you" She pointed at me.

"Me? But why?"

"I was hoping you could answer that"

This is getting us nowhere. We don't know anything at all. Absolutely nothing. About the attack, our attackers or what they wanted. There are just too many questions and no answers whatsoever.

"Alright…" Kashiwagi said suddenly earning our attention. "It doesn't seem like we'll be finding anything more with what we have so let's decide first. What should be our next course of action? (…?) We can't go back to Yokohama in our current condition. (Why not?) It seems like whoever we're going up against is someone who has influence. Someone with power…"

"I agree with 2nd Lt. Kashiwagi" Piatif vouched sides while nodding her head. "The attack that took place in Kyoto Base was executed with the assistance of various sleeper agents placed within our ranks. On our assignment, I noted several familiar faces working in contingent with the enemy. It would take a serious amount of effort and time to do so much damage. As of this moment, we can no longer trust those of the U.N. armed forces. Not even the Valkyries…"

"Then… what do you think we should do?"

A string of silence came between us. It was plain to see that no one had a clue to what to do next. After being beaten to the point of exhaustion, we should count ourselves lucky just to be alive. But that doesn't exactly ensure that things won't turn better if we don't act.

Piatif was the one who broke our silence. "In truth… I'm afraid I do not know. I was hoping to at least have General Radhabinod or one of his entourage come with us but… I supposed that's impossible…"

"Ugh… we just don't know enough. And it's not like there's someone we know who can tell us what's going on"

…!

(Flash) Wait…

_"Protect Yashiro and find Kouzuki! She will have all the answers you seek"_

The General… I remember…

"Wait… I think there's someone who might be able help us" The gang turned their attention to me.

"Who?"

"Right before we parted ways, I remember the General telling me to find… Yuuko sensei"

"Yuuko?" Kashiwagi raised a brow. "You mean Professor Kouzuki?"

"Yeah. He said that she will have all the answers that we seek. I'm not sure why, but it seems like the General suspected that… no… he was certain that Yuuko knew something about this. (…) I know that it's not a lot to go on. But if we find her… then maybe we might be able to get some answers out of this whole mess"

"You're sure?"

"Not really" I shook my head in response. "But like you said: We don't know enough right now. If I can get in contact with her, I'm sure we can at least get some answers and I'm sure we can trust her… or at least I can"

Kashiwagi's face lit up when she realized my connection with the said person. "Oh yeah. You're supposed to report directly to her. I guess it's worth a shot. Do you think you can contact her?"

"It'll be tough" I answered. "She's supposed to be in some kind of big meeting in Fukuoka. But if I can get on the radio with her then maybe…"

"I don't think it would be that simple" Our com officer interrupted us which made us question. "I'm afraid… things are a lot more complicated than that"

**(Kyoto Base) (Marimo's POV) (PX)**

It was rare for me to join the team for dinner at the PX that evening… but considering the situation, I suppose this was necessary.

The PX was quiet, deathly quiet even, despite the fact that the place was packed full like one of those busy days back in Yokohama Base. I can only imagine that the many MPs stationed around the room had something to do with it. Having to eat with someone watching us with guns in hand made it very uncomfortable for anyone to enjoy their meal. It felt like we were inside a prison rather than a military base. No one spoke to one another, only glances and eye-darts could be felt.

After what happened during the attack yesterday, a sense of distrust loomed across the base. Nobody could trust one another. Even the oldest of friends were drawn to suspicion of being spies.

Even the members of the Valkyries were silent on their table. No one had the nerve or the stomach to even touch their food. After being placed under suspension, it almost feels like we were being convicted for someone else's crimes. Every soldier and pilot here has been given limited freedom around the base. Though our quarters have been transferred to the interior of the base, we can still visit some of the recreational facilities at our leisure. Yoroi on the other hand was given more liberty due to the fact that she has advance-medical training. She often visits the infirmary to aid some of the wounded. The Captain has gone out to gather what information she could with 1st Lt. Munakata and should be joining us soon.

Though I'm glad our squad wasn't being placed in the detention center, I still can't shake this unnatural feeling, this dread that's seeping in my heart.

"Uh… umm…" Our attention was drawn towards our resident, Tamase who spoke up. "It's… not true… is it? Takeru san couldn't really be…"

It was the very thing that was bothering the team. Even I couldn't deny that it was bothering me somewhat. Ever since that officer accused Shirogane of all those infractions and crimes… some of us were beginning to worry if some of them were true.

I won't claim to know Shirogane better than most people here but I know him well enough to understand his nature. Takeru is… an oddball. That much anyone could figure out. He was strange, if not often, bizarre beyond reason. But deep down, I can tell that he was a good-kid. He had that childish sense of justice and always sticks to his friends no matter what. He's not that difficult to figure out sometimes but when it came down to trouble… you could always rely on that boy to get you out of a jam.

He's childish and virtuous to a fault… yet very sweet…

There's just no way…

"Of… of course not" Yoroi tried to cheer up her friend forcing a smile up. "There's no way Takeru can be a spy. That only happens in movies"

"Y… yeah. You're right" Sakaki followed afterwards. "It's probably just a misunderstanding. They don't have any evident proof. It's just suspicions. Nothing has been proven yet"

"But… Takeru san has been missing… since…"

…

It's true. Takeru hasn't been found yet. Nobody's seen him since before the attack which only strengthens people's suspicion of him. He never even reported to the interview that he was supposed to go to yesterday.

"I'm certain that there's a good reason for this" Haruka reassured them. "Perhaps Professor Kouzuki gave him another special assignment. It wouldn't be the first time"

She's right…

Though the boy was part of the Valkyrie Squad, he had special privileges that discern him to report to Yuuko personally. This made him versatile when it came to investigations as he may only report to his CO on all his missions. It's a very soft alibi… but it's better than nothing… and I haven't seen Yuuko either.

"Yeah… you're probably right" Yoroi agreed half-heartedly. She's been agreeing with everything so long as it was not suspecting Shirogane. "Takeru isn't that kind of person"

"Do you really believe that?"

…?

"Akane!"

"What? I'm just saying what we're all thinking" The younger of the Suzumiya sisters claimed with a serious stern face. "Can you really say that someone like him isn't capable of being a spy? His whole history in service was suspicious enough. (Akane!) Everyone here must've been curious at one point. And in my opinion, I think its strange nobody thought of it sooner. I mean, no one here knows who he was before he came into the army. And not to mention how he's so good at being a soldier. His skills, his abilities, and why he was promoted so quickly through the ranks"

"We were all promoted at the same time, Akane" Sakaki countered sounding somewhat offended. I guess she doesn't like it when her friend was spouting baseless accusations about a comrade.

"You were promoted once, while he was promoted twice in a row. And where did he come from in the first place?"

"The Vice Commander was the one who inserted him into the squad" Mikoto explained.

"And don't you find that the least suspicious? None of us knew him until now and working with someone like that as well. How can we possibly trust him? For all we know, he could be a serial killer and…"

WHAM!

"Akane! That's enough!" Sakaki snapped, her voice rose to the roof. She smacked her fists on her tray, not even caring of the food that she spilled. "There's nothing to gain but point accusations! There's no evidence whatsoever!"

"If that's the case, where did he come from? You said it yourself that he must've been conscripted once since he's better at doing things than all of you. For all we know, he could've just been a spy all along!"

"You can't prove that!"

"Are you going to turn a blind eye just because of your feelings? For all we know, he could just be another scrum bag trying to worm his way through all of you!"

…!

SLAP!

The whole table froze.

Sakaki's hands moved faster than I could mouth words. It silenced us and Akane as well.

"Take… that… back…" Sakaki muttered warningly. "You take that back… right now…"

Akane darted back with maddening eyes. Both of them looked betrayed and I could only fathom why.

"Make me…"

…!

"Enough!" I finally got a word out to the two of them. "Both of you, stand down. (…!) 2nd Lt. Sakaki, 2nd Lt. Suzumiya. Take a walk… now"

…

…

There was a heavy silence amongst the team and even in the room. But fortunately… calmer heads prevail in this match and the two sides decided to walk it off in separate ways.

"Akane!" Haruka quickly excused herself, rolling her wheelchair after her sister.

"Ah! Chizuru chan, wait!" Yoroi followed afterwards trailing the long haired brunette. I let out a sigh and watched as the other tables turn heads. I guess we really made a scene with that one. Our table was again quiet and this dreadful silence was again looming over us.

"Well, that could've gone better" Hmm? Oh… Munakata.

"Misae san" Touko spoke first gesturing her friend to join her side. "Where's the Captain?"

"She's still being questioned by the higher ups. I don't think they're planning to release her any time soon"

The investigation team must be very thorough. They're not going from the bottom up but the opposite direction. They'll make their way through the head and down to the lower body before finishing their questions. It's not a common method but still very effective.

"What about you?" 1st Lt. Hayase questioned our new arrival. "Did they ask you anything?"

"The same thing they ask in every other investigation. Where I was, who I was with and what I was doing at the time of the attack. The usual. (I see…) I wouldn't worry too much about it. The best to do is to be honest and try to look calm. They won't try to pry into your history unless it's necessary so you can all relax on your privacies"

"I see… that's good" We agreed with Hayase there.

"What about Kashiwagi?" Ayamine spoke up earning our attention. "What about her?" Again… all our heads returned to Munakata darting back and forth like we had no interest whatsoever in the food in front of us.

After a brief sigh, the woman answered. "Kashiwagi's body… was found near Shirogane's room. She was killed… by an explosion that occurred inside"

"An explosion?" I voiced out.

"Yeah. It seems like it was a stray fire but some people in the investigation team are rather suspicious of it. Sorry…"

"Kashiwagi san…" Tamase stated, her face solemn like the rest of the team. Losing a friend and a comrade so suddenly must be devastating for them.

"The Captain will be issuing a service once we return to Yokohama Base" Munakata told us. "I know that it's difficult… but try to bear with it for now. I'm sure that everything will come to light sooner or later. (…) Anyway, I need to get going"

"Eh? You're going already?"

"There's a friend of mine who was injured in the fight. I thought I might go up and visit her. Don't worry. I won't be going far. Later" And with that excuse, Munakata walked off, leaving the rest of us to wallow in our worries.

Mitsurugi followed afterwards, leaving her chair. "I… have to go as well, excuse me"

I guess everyone must be on edge. I wish there was some way I could help them cope but… I supposed the only way I can help them is to let them recover on their own. That's part about being a soldier…

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Munakata Misae gave out a long sigh after she got out of earshot from the rest of the team. Once she was sure no one could see her in this state, she dropped her shoulders and let leaned silently against the wall. She wondered how it got so hard to put on a brave face.

Back then she could put on her poker face like it was reflex, but now that mask felt heavier, tougher to bear, like someone decided to put weights on it. She remembered putting on that face for everyone, tricking even the greenest of rookies that everything was fine. But now… that mask seems to be losing its magic and her strength along with it.

It was a miracle alone that she was able to put on such a face for her juniors. She wouldn't forgive herself if she allowed her comrades to see her like this, in such a tired state. Perhaps it was the fact that she couldn't tease a certain brunette, she couldn't tell. But she was more than certain that the boy was perhaps the main topic on everyone's mind at the moment.

She wouldn't blame them. After all, she too was thinking about that boy and more so than she would normally have. This had never happened before in her life a soldier. She never felt this way… or at least she didn't think that she would feel this way for someone, especially a junior of her own.

Simply thinking of his betrayal pained her chest like an annoying beat. Just thinking of it was like going against everyone that had fought with him. But still… it didn't add up to her.

Munakata had experienced much in her life—more so than most soldiers would go through. But never did her heart beat for some a person before. Was it possible that she had feelings? No. That would be ridiculous, especially with someone of her reputation.

Yet despite that… denial…

Why does her heart pain so? Why can't she stop thinking of him even now? Why was it when she talked with him, her fake smile would become so natural?

Was it because of how saved her from that incident in the PX? No. There was just something there. Something alluring. Something that was just so enticing that she couldn't help but feel the way she felt now.

"1st Lt. Munakata?"

The woman stood up straight as if preparing to salute a superior officer when she noted a familiar face at the corner of her eye.

"Oh… Mitsurugi" Misae flashed a smile back almost faltering at the start. "Is there something you wanted to ask?"

The samurai girl approached, a bit hesitantly, noticing the tired features on Munakata's eyes. But it was obvious something was bothering her as well.

Being in a tight political situation, Meiya had trained in the art of reading people's faces. She could tell when people were lying or hiding something. And even though most people wouldn't notice it, the relative of the Shogun, could see through Munakata's ruse like a thinly layered paper. Normally it would be thick and almost impossible to read… but today… Meiya could read it like an open book.

Slowly she approached her superior and spoke. "I apologize for interrupting your visit… but… can you tell me what the investigation team knows? (…?) You… only told us what we needed to hear but… you're not telling us everything… are you?"

The vixen of the team let out a sigh, dropping her heavy smile. "I must really be losing my touch if you kids can read me. (I'm sorry…) Don't be. I didn't want to put more fuel to the dangerous fire burning within the team already. Sorry if I sound blunt"

"Then… can you at least tell me, Lieutenant?" Meiya pleaded, her expression worried and scared.

"Are you sure?" Misae warned. "You might not like what you hear"

But Meiya did not back down. She nodded her head signaling her to continue.

"They're naming Shirogane as the prime suspect of the ongoing investigation. (…!) During the attack, all video records from the security office were disabled and destroyed. However… several civilians and witnesses saw Shirogane leaving the base roughly 3 o'clock yesterday morning. (Yesterday?) Yeah. They've testified that he was seen with an unknown third party in a takoyaki store across the street from the main entrance. It could just be nothing but I'm going out to talk with the store owner later tomorrow. (…) Don't fret. I prefer not to pass down judgment without reason"

"Yes… I understand, Lieutenant"

"And do me a favor. Don't tell anyone about this. I'd like to keep this between us and the Captain for as long as possible. Alright? (Yes ma'am) Good girl. If that's all, I should be heading back now"

**(Soviet Quarters) (Commander's office)**

Rogofsky was in his office that afternoon, scanning the contents of his computer screen. It has been over 5 hours since the terrorist attack and from that moment he had been taking drastic steps to ensure that his plan would not be found out. He was expecting the investigation team to come knocking on his door any minute but luckily the brass were busy nitpicking a prey they had on hand so he had plenty of time to cover his tracks.

He was worried for a moment that the investigation team would come and arrest him and his crew for their suspicious activities but fortunately for him, someone had went to the trouble in erasing all the video logs in the security room making it extremely difficult for the investigation team to track where everyone was at the time.

But this also meant that all the videos regarding the 'Regenerated Arm' were also lost in the process. That made things rather difficult to see how the process was done.

It didn't take a few minutes before he noticed his private phone line ringing about before he answered it. "Yes, it's me…"

"Commander. It's done" He recognize the voice on the other line as the Captain of the soldiers. "We've covered all our bases. All the evidence we've planted are now being directed on Shirogane as per your orders. The bodies, shell casing and everything else should be more than enough to bring suspicion at least but nothing concrete"

"Good. Very good" The man's features brightened in a twisted way hiding his wrinkles. "And no one knows of our connection?"

"None. We've paid off most of the guards already so we shouldn't have any trouble in the future. There also appear to be some civilian who are testifying against the boy. However, during the chaos, it appears the enemy has taken one of our transports along with two of our TSFs including the experimental Su-47 Berkut. The scientists here have been raving non-stop to order its retrieval"

"We'll let the Zhar Team handle that matter. For now, focus on keeping your identities a secret. You're supposed to be mechanics so I'm sure you can act like one. (Yes sir) And what about the arm we've recovered?"

The burly man could almost feel the Captain flinch at the mere mention of the said limb. "We've secured it in one of the storage, as you asked. I'll have the men here have a look at it after the situation dies down"

"Good work Romanov. We'll move to the next phase of the—(WHAM!) Hmm?" The commander was interrupted by a loud intrusion from his door. "What is the meaning of this?"

"C… commander Budomir, sir!" He instantly recognized the lab coat belonging to one of the eggheads in the research team. "We have a problem! The research… the research data—the transport, the plane! They… they took it and…!" The scientist was panting incomplete sentences like a broken record that couldn't finish its lines. But those were enough for the commander to understand.

"Yes, professor. I already know the situation in the hanger and it's being handled"

"No! You… you don't understand! The weapons! Our data… our whole work!"

"The Zhar Team will handle the retrieval of your experiments. I'm sure…"

"That's what I've been trying to tell you! (…?)" The scientist burst out with all of his breath expended. "Major Natassja was onboard that transport that was stolen!"

This news caused the Colonel's eyes to widen. "WHAT!? But how!? Why was she there!?"

"That's because you told us to put the whole squad in stasis when they returned! Major Natassja was the first to be put in her adjustment tank and loaded up. Only the remaining members are left here! But without the main catalyst for the Mind Link, they'll be less affective as before"

"Grrr… this couldn't have come at a worse possible time" Rogofsky grunted towards his window gritting his teeth. He never really put much heart into his superior's side-project but to have someone steal one of them would probably spell disaster for his remaining career. "What was the condition the Major was set in on her stasis?"

"We primed her for cryo-sleep after we've given her a complete memory-wipe of the whole event. She should still be asleep in her adjustment tank but that device only has enough power to sustain her for 48 hours. If she's not released by then she could be exposed to unknown elements that may muddle her mind"

"What of the rest of the team? Can we still use them?"

"Yes sir. But they won't be as affective. Why?"

"We'll use them…" A smile appeared from the old man's frown. "They'll make a perfect excuse. Very good. Have Zhar Team awakened. I think we might use them for a little test of my own"

**(Takeru's POV)**

"Kidnapped!?" Both Kashiwagi and I raised our voices when we finally heard the unbearable news. Piatif had spent the better part of the hour explaining of what has been happening in Fukuoka and the terrorist attack that was occurring there.

"I'm afraid so…" Our blonde officer confirmed with a disgruntled face. "About a day before the attack on Kyoto, the RLF terrorist organization launched a surprise attack at Fukuoka Base. They successfully seized half of the facilities using the same method as they did in Kyoto and in the process, kidnapped the foreign dignitaries that were supposedly meeting there—that include Professor Kouzuki"

"No way" I muttered in disbelief. A kidnapping? Now of all time? This couldn't have come in the worst possible time.

"But I never heard anything about this" Haruko added which Piatif seemed to understand our surprise.

"It was kept secret from the public. Only few selected members of the military knew about the incident to keep the panic level in check. They also didn't want to lose civil support" You're kidding me. After all we've been through, we're just knowing this now? "The General wanted to keep this incident quiet, which is why he wanted to deploy the A-01 Special Task Force to initiate a rescue operation"

"A rescue?" I questioned before coming to sudden realization. "Wait… wasn't our squad supposed to be briefed on a new assignment today?"

"That's correct. Your new mission was the covert operation of Fukuoka. The General was supposed to brief you personally but the situation turned sour as you may know already" I see. So that was why we were resigned from the Training Exercise early. We were supposed to be the ones to rescue Yuuko but with everything that happened… I guess they'll have to postpone it.

"If that's the case, then what do we do?" Kashiwagi questioned. "If we can't reach Yokohama Base and if we can't reach Professor Kouzuki… then we're completely isolated"

Kashiwagi's right. We're in no condition to fight. It'll be impossible to continue on especially without our CO. Even if the General was here, what can we do? There are only 3 of us who are active.

"Fight…" Hmm? Kasumi? "You must… fight. Do not… give up to… despair…"

"Kasumi chan…" Hey wait. That sword. Isn't that… mine? "Where did you…?"

"Keep fighting—or Kagami san will be… sad"

…!

Sumika? How does she…?

"Fight…"

…

…

…

She's right. I can't stop now. If I do… then the General would've sacrificed himself for nothing.

"Lt. Piatif. Do you think we can reach Fukuoka from here? (Eh?) If we were to mount a rescue operation to save Yuuko, do you think we can do it from here?"

"What are you getting at, Takeru?"

"I'm going to do what the General ordered me to do. Save Yuuko sensei" That's right. Sitting idle twiddling our thumbs isn't going to make anything better. Right now, action is the only remedy for this situation. "You said it yourself. We don't know enough and we can't rely on anyone but ourselves. We need information and by the looks of it, Yuuko seems to know the most"

"You want to conduct a rescue operation with just the three of us?" Piatif inquired which I nodded back in reply. It was the best course of action we have.

"That's right. We're going to need her help if we want to get a better understanding of our situation"

"That's ridiculous!" Kashiwagi beckoned. "We can't do something that dangerous with just the three of us! It's suicide"

"But sitting here and waiting for the enemy isn't any better. (…) Think about it Haruko. What would you have us do? We can't go back to the team, and we don't have support. The only thing we can do is to fight with what we've got"

"But we'll be outgunned"

"We've fought the BETA and we've been outgunned and outnumbered the whole time but we still won in the end, didn't we? (But…) I'm not asking you to agree. But right now, this is the only course of action we can take against the enemy. If we can just get Yuuko then we might be able to make a 180 on this whole fiasco"

"…"

"I agree with Lt. Shirogane. (Lt. Piatif?) Though we are ill prepared for such a thing, he does bring some good points. Staying idle here won't fix things. If we can take action against the enemy then we must try. Unlike the other forces, we've been placed in a position where we can act outside of standard regulations. It's the perfect opportunity for us to counterattack"

"Lt. Piatif. Do you think we can do anything with the weapons we have now?"

"Metaphorically speaking, we're hardly equipped for such an operation. However… considering your skills… it might just be possible"

With my skills huh? This is probably the first time I've actually thought of my abilities. But if I can take down the Honor Guards with just one unit… then there shouldn't be a reason where I can't rescue Yuuko with three people.

I can tell that this mission is going to be risky… but this is the situation that we're in. I don't know what's going to come next but I just know that there's an answer at the end of this road…

**A/N: One month holiday ended too quickly! Hello ya'll to another fantastic year for games, anime, movies and entertainment everywhere. Hope to keep seeing your support on Muv Luv. Oh and if any of you are looking for Alternative Chronicles, check my profile and check the link. Hope to hear from all-of-ya'll soon.**


	87. The Remains of the Defeated

**Chapter 87: The Remains of the Defeated**

**(January 24, 2002 Thursday) (08:20 AM) (Tokushima City Ruins) (Takeru's POV)**

Tokushima City. This is probably the first time I've ever visited this place. With the storm finally fading, I finally got to see the city as a whole. I don't really know of its surroundings or any of its landmarks but at least I can see beyond my own hand. The whole place is totally desolated like the post apocalyptic cycle came by. It seems like most of the tall structures at the center were toppled down to make room for that hanger. The Imperial Army must've used this place as a base of some kind but it looks abandoned now.

My body feels tense since this morning. The calm silence here almost made me think that the whole incident the other day was nothing more but a bad dream.

The gunfire, the explosions. I can't remember what happened in between since I was knocked out most of the time. Honestly, I felt more like a ragdoll that was being tossed from one place to another over and over.

But what I can remember was getting tazed by Pops, (Flash) getting beaten by a soldier, and the next thing I know I was putting on my suit and piloting the experimental unit shooting anything that moves. It feels almost like a blur.

But now wasn't the time to look into the past. I need to concentrate on the here and now. The whole situation is messed up. The U.N. can't be trusted and some evil terrorist organization called the RLF is out to kidnap me. I didn't even know that these guys existed in my other loops but judging from what Piatif said, they must've been around for a long time. I guess I'm still not used to learning about the world I was brought in.

"Yo. Up already, Takeru?"

"Hmm? Oh. Hey there Haruko. Did I wake you?"

"Nah. I was already up. I just didn't want to get out of bed" She replied while stretching her body out in the open. We somehow managed to make this apartment room livable for a group of five. But if we're lucky, we won't be using it for long.

"How's your wound?"

Her hand reached out to her patched up shoulder. "It still hurts but not as bad as before. Though I'm sure the Captain will be yelling at me for getting injured so quickly after being released from the hospital" Oh that's right. Haruko was admitted a few weeks ago after the incident in Kyoto. I guess this must be a record for her. "What about you? You were in a worse shape than I was back then"

"Huh? Oh, nothing much. Just a few bruises here and there"

"Hoo? You're a pretty fast healer, aren't ya?"

"What do you mean by that? (Lt. Shirogane…) Huh? Oh… Lt. Piatif. How is it?"

"I've scavenged what I could find on the plane. However the snowstorm from last night has piled up and obstructed the cargo bay. From what I've gathered we should have enough food to last us a two to four days at the least if we ration them correctly"

I guess we'll have to go hungry for a bit. We can't expect to last long with the MREs they've provided for pilots like us. Sandwich bites and bottled water and maybe some crackers for a few of us.

"What about the TSFs? The ones strapped on the plane? Can we use them?"

"Yes we can" Piatif answered gesturing to the spare com unit I gave to her this morning. "I checked the plane's inventory manifest. It appears, the plane that we commandeered was transporting a large number of experimental equipments along with the highly classified Su-47 Berkut"

"Berkut? You mean the one piloted by the Soviet soldiers that we saw in the exercise?"

"The same one" The blonde com officer nodded to confirm. "There's also the older Su-27 Zhuravalik model partnered with it. It seems like the Soviets were planning to escape using the confusion at the base as camouflage. It would explain why they packed most of their gears in quite a hurry"

"Do you think that the Soviets and the RLF are working together?"

She shook her head in response to my question. "Highly unlikely. A coordinated attack like that would've gone unnoticed but it seems like they were planning two different operations entirely"

"So… they just happen to do it on the same day?"

"That appears to be the case"

Well I guess we lucked out when both of their plans went as they were. If one side had their way, things might've ended differently.

"So what's the plan now?" Haruko inquired.

"What do you mean?"

"Well… I know that we have to go and rescue Professor Kouzuki and all, but do we have a specific way of doing that? We don't exactly have a lot of resource fuel reserves either and I doubt we'll be able to make it half way across the country on our TSFs"

She's right. The TSFs are pretty much like jets in the other world but like all machines, they need to be supplied constantly with fuel and energy to make it combat effective. I burned up most of my fuel trying to escape our attackers and using the rest of what we have now will probably just be enough to get us to the other side of Shikoku.

"That won't be a problem" Piatif replied and quickly drew a map on the snowy ground as she explained. "I've devised an outline of our plan to the best of my abilities. At the moment we are here… in Tokushima City. Our destination is here, Fukuoka, in Kyushu. With our current fuel intake and supplies, it will be roughly impossible to make it there in one setting. We will need to refuel and rearm our combat units in order to make such an operation possible"

"Alright… so what do suggest we do?"

"We'll travel by night, heading westward following the old Matsuyama Expressway. The Dellinger effect around Shikoku caused by the New Year incident should mask our presence from outlying U.N. and Imperial patrols. It's probably the sole reason why they have difficulties finding us, but it'll only be a matter of time before they narrow their search. This road should lead us through several old Imperial Army bases and supply depots along the way. They should have all the equipment and supplies we need to prolong our operation"

"Wait. The Imperial Army?"

"Yes. During their defense of Shikoku Island, the Imperial Army and the Household Honor Guards withdrew to the mainland after G-Bombs fell"

"Oh yeah. They made a hasty retreat after everything that happened" Kashiwagi added as if enlightened. "I'm willing to bet they weren't able to bring everything they had here with them. There might be some fuel and some food we can scavenge from these areas"

"Alright, it's a plan" I agreed with them. Though it might just be a temporary solution, it was still worth taking. "But where do we go from there? Do you think we'll have enough to reach Fukuoka in time?"

"We can use the old military base, here" Piatif answered, drawing an X on the map. "It's an old facility used during World War 2. During the U.S. occupation, it was converted to a supply depot and later a forward command post during the BETA war. It's located near the ruins of Ikata at the Sadamisaki Peninsula. From there, we will only be a stone throw away from Fukuoka. That is of course… if everything goes as planned"

"You think we might encounter trouble along the way?"

Piatif shook her head and slowly drew a dividing line on her map. "The probability of encountering a patrol is high especially when the 6th Pacific Army is actively looking for us. Also, most of the southern area of Shikoku is still extremely irradiated from the G-Bombs. The Dellinger Effect will interfere with our long range communications which might make things difficult for any army to coordinate with one another. But short burst transmissions should still be serviceable as long as we remain in close proximity of one another"

So many variables. I'm amazed how Lt. Piatif was able to handle all of this on her own in such a short time.

"Is there a problem, Lt. Shirogane?"

"Huh? Ah no. It's just that, I'm surprised how you were able to think up all of this after everything that's happened. This is pretty elaborate"

"It comes with the job description" She answered. "Besides, working under pressure has been constant especially with the Vice Commander" Heh, I guess she has a point there. Working with someone like Yuuko must be very stressful. I should know. I've been with her for god knows how long.

"Alright, we have a goal and a plan" I clasp my hands together in response. "It might be a rough one but we'll make it up as we go. We'll gather what we can from the wreckage and fix up our TSFs. We'll leave right after sun down. Once we have our backs covered we won't have to worry about the enemy giving us chase"

"Ah… but I think you're forgetting something, Takeru" Kashiwagi pointed to our temporary shelter. "What do we do about the foreigner?" Ah crud. That's right. The girl from the Cerberus team. I almost forgot about her.

"If she regains consciousness, there's a high probability that she will radio for aid and give away our location" Piatif analyzed the woman in the room who still slept like a babe. "I already took the liberty of removing her communicator so she won't be able to reach her allies"

"Are you suggesting we just leave her here?"

"That is a viable option. (Eh?) We have to prioritize our own safety at the moment. Right now, our chances of survival is almost none. We cannot allow ourselves to compromise what little defense we have left" Piatif has a point. We're low on resources and extremely desperate. Every move and decision we make is going to make grave consequences in the future. We're going to have to be extremely careful with this. But still… it doesn't feel right to just leave her like this. This pilot was obviously returning from their exercise when she was caught in the crossfire. I can't help but feel somewhat responsible for her current condition.

"We'll deal with her when she wakes up" I told them. "Right now let's just try to gather what we can from the wreckage. Haruko, are you well enough to pilot one of those?"

"Huh? That TSF? I can try but the controls might be stiff without my usual combat logs"

"Do what you can. Try to siphon some fuel from the plane as well. We can put the other two units in SLAVE mode and bring them as pack mule. I'll handle the XFJ. (Alright…) Lt. Piatif. Can you make a marker chart on our screen so that we can know where to go?"

"Yes. I can do that. The computers onboard the plane should be sufficient in making a three-way network. I'll do what I can"

"Good. Let's not overstay here. We leave at 5:30 sharp"

"Understood"

I then turned back to the room where Kasumi was. "Kasumi chan. Can you stay here and look after her? I know that you're tired but please bear with the cold just a little longer. (Ok…) Good girl. And here. This is my spare communicator. Just click here if you want to talk to me, alright?" She cautiously took my last spare com unit and tinkered with it like a kid that she was. "Here, you put it around your ear, like this. (Click) There. And now we're connected. Call me when she wakes up, alright?"

"I can do that…"

"Good. Now… time for me to get to work"

**(Kyoto) (Takoyaki stand)**

The Takoyaki store outside of the U.N. base was empty that morning. The stools in that place were barren and not a soul can be seen for miles. Normally on ordinary days, this place would be booming with soldiers and regulars alike who enjoy a fine fried meal from Pops' special or the smell from the grill. But today, the place lay bare, like someone or something had scared off the customers like the plague.

It was not surprising considering the large battle that took place here the other day. With all the smoke, gunfire and explosion, people would be mad just to come out of their homes. This made Pops wonder if those people who said that his food was 'to die for' were speaking truthfully.

But fortunately enough, there was one persistent customer who wanted to visit for a different.

"Hello?" Munakata Misae called out as she entered through the blinds. "Oyaji? Are you in here?" On a normal day, Misae would probably be ordering her regular meal out here hoping to enjoy what little luxury this world had left. But today she came by for another reason. A reason she never thought would ever come to.

There was a strange silence in the store. The lights were on and the grill was cooking but there was no one to greet the customers. Misae knew Pops well enough that the man would open regardless of what the world had to offer. Heck, he would probably still open his store even if he knew that the world would end tomorrow.

"Oyaji? Hello?" The lady called out again hoping to get an answer. "Is anyone here?"

Again silence answered her. It was beginning to creep her how oddly quiet this place had become in such a short time.

But right before she was about to hop into the other side of the table, the door to the manager's office suddenly opened up with a familiar voice.

"Ohh Misae chan?" Munakata reacted to the name and saw Pops' face appear like a comedian making a dramatic entrance. "Is that you?"

"Oyaji! Thank god" The girl replied with a sign of relief on her face. "You had me worried for a moment"

"Ahaha, sorry about that. I was just doing some last minute packing" The old man rubbed his head shyly with a hearty laugh. "Someone has to make sure that all the stocks are in place or else I'll have to do another inventory check. (Is that so?) Well come on in and have a seat. I'll have your usual ready in a minute"

But Misae quickly raised her hand up in defense. "Sorry, but I'm not here to eat today"

"Oh?" Pop's raised a feint surprised look. "That's a first. Normally you'd let me treat you regardless of your visit" The old man quietly switched off his grill, calmly reaching for a soft metal object hiding under his apron. "But if you're not here to eat, then what are you here for?"

"I was hoping if you could answer some questions for me. (Questions?) Yes. I'm sorry to take your time"

"In all your time spending with me, I never once heard you say 'sorry'. And here you are saying it twice in a row. It must be rather important"

Seeing the old man soften up a bit, Misae gladly took one of the stools, her eyes darting around her to make sure that no one was eavesdropping. Once she was sure that they were alone, she began.

"Yesterday. A U.N. investigator came by to ask you about some suspicious activities. I was wondering if you could tell me what you saw on the day of the attack"

"The attack? You mean what happened the other day?" Pops' inquired which she nodded to. "I don't really know much of what happened inside. I was too busy closing the store and hiding to see anything of relevance"

"It was stated in your testimony that you saw 1st Lt. Shirogane come by here"

"Shirogane? Oh that boy you brought here?" The old man's eyes sharpened a bit as his fingers held onto a trigger.

"Yes him. You said to the investigator that he came out late in the morning. Do you remember anything about that?"

"Of course I do" Pops confirmed it with a proud nod. "I remember all my customers. I wouldn't be the best store owner if I don't remember my regulars"

"Can you tell me what you saw?"

"I'll tell you the same thing I said to that investigator. That boy was here that morning when I opened up my shop"

Misae's eyes widened with interest. "So… he was here outside of curfew?"

"Of course he was here. Wait… I didn't get him in trouble, did I?"

"What was he doing here? (Well…) Please Oyaji. You have to tell me"

The old man sighed and noted the desperation in the woman's eyes to tell that she didn't come here for any malicious intent. After he pulled his hands out of his apron, he slowly recalled what he told the investigator the other day.

"The boy came in the middle of the night right when I was opening my store" He began. "I was surprised at first since I never knew of anyone that would come that early for my food"

"Did he come alone?" Misae questioned listening intently to every little detail.

"No. He came with another. That kid of his, with white hair and a bunny appearance. Kasumi chan, I think her name was"

"Kasumi? Yashiro Kasumi!?"

"I don't know her last name but he brought her with him" Pops continued, carefully putting each word in his mouth. "At first I thought that he was there to treat the little lady but something was… different. (Different? How?) Well to be honest, that wasn't the first time that boy visited my store after you introduced him to me. He came often, always buying the same special like you. But that morning… he was different, like a totally different man"

"So he was acting differently?"

"I already told the investigators about this, so why don't you ask them? (Pops!) Hmm…" The old man stopped, nearly flinching at his customer's outburst. After a short respite, he continued. "He was a different person, that alone, I can tell. He seemed… determined, like he was planning something big. He ordered two special. One for him and the little girl. I'm guessing he was just sitting there to wait for his friend"

"His friend?"

"Yeah, this foreigner guy. (Foreigner?) Yeah, I've never seen him before. You can tell by his look and his nose that he wasn't from around here. He had red hair, a fancy suit like a suave rich guy"

"And you're sure they were friends?"

"It looked like that. They seem awfully friendly with one another so I thought he was just an old acquaintance or something. Never really gave it much of a thought. They sat in and ordered another round for themselves"

"What did they talk about?"

"That's the problem, I don't know"

Munakata raised a puzzled look on her face. "You don't know? What do you mean?"

"They were speaking in a different language. I couldn't tell what they were talking about but they seem pretty close"

"Was it English?"

"No, it was something else. I've heard plenty of English before but they were definitely not saying anything I understand"

"A different language…" Munakata covered her chin with a worried look. The information she was getting was simply making her suspicions worse. "It was said that he was overseas before he came here. Can you tell me what exactly they were saying?"

"Nope. They didn't stay long. After they were done, they just bolted off with their takeouts" The old man paused feigning a thought. "Oh but there was one thing. (…?) I remember Shirogane handing that man an envelope of some kind. It was brown but he just gave it and wandered off. Afterwards, they never spoke again"

"An envelope? What was in it?"

"How should I know? It's not like they were paying much attention to me. (…) Look, I'm sorry if I got your friend in trouble but I didn't want those guys suspecting me either"

"No… you don't need to apologize, Oyaji" Misae waved his apology off. "I'm just… a little… confused. Was there… anything else you noticed?"

"No. After that, I saw these trucks crash through the front gate and then explosions. I didn't want to get in trouble so I closed up early and went home. (…) Look, why don't I make you one of my specials? It'll make you feel better, I promise"

"No, that's ok, Oyaji. I need to get back before the others notice I'm gone. Maybe the next time I drop by, I might take you up on that offer"

"Anything for my number 1 customer" And with one final wave, Misae was gone, leaving Pops to himself as he quietly closed the blinds to his stall.

After making sure that the girl was out of sight and no one else close by, he calmly slipped back into his store where an old military radio was hidden behind the cooker.

He picked up the transceiver and calmly spoke to the person on the other line. "Sorry for the interruption, Master"

"Were you found out?" The voice on the radio questioned with an almost commanding tone. Pops' body reacted stiffly as if he was under watch from a drill sergeant in Boot Camp.

"No. The U.N. has no idea of the part I played in the attack. It seems like someone deleted the security videos in their databanks. We were lucky to escape as we did"

"Luck will only get you so far, Old Man. I am in the business of getting results. (Yes Master) And what of your mission? Were you successful?"

"No. We were unable to reach the lab of Professor Kouzuki in time. There were… unexpected resistance from the enemy. Our attack force weren't able to get pass their security in time"

"That is unfortunate" The Master's voice hinged with disappointment. "And what of Shirogane? Did you at least capture him?"

"No… we did not. (…) He was… resourceful and… had help"

"If all you have to report to me are failures, Gengen, then perhaps you should've let yourself be killed as well. (…) I asked you to do a simple job and yet you couldn't even fulfill it. I'm disappointed. I had high hopes from you. Has time dulled your skill or… have you already forgotten your debt to me?"

"No, I did not, Master. But there is another reason why I called you. (Oh?)" The voice paused for a moment wondering what Pops could say to turn his low opinion of him around. "It's about that boy… Shirogane. There's something you need to know"

"And what is that?"

"Perhaps it would be better if I showed you, Master. I have a record of it. You will certainly find it… beyond your wildest imagination…"

**(Takeru's POV) (Shikoku Island)**

Click…

Hmm… it seems like everything is working. Minimal damage to the torso and right arm but nothing of immediate concern. Fuel, energy and oxygen levels are within the green zone so that should be more than enough to take us 5000 kilometers at least without stop.

This Shiranui Second Phase really is something else. Comparing it to the standard Gekishin and Fubuki that I've been using in my last few loops, it's like a complete upgrade. And I dare say that this thing is even more efficient than the standard units the Valkyrie squad has been using in the last few operations. It still doesn't hold much of a candle to the Type-00 Takemikazuchi that I piloted back in Tokyo but I think with the right amount of polish, it can come as a good second-best.

I'm actually quite grateful that they installed my control logs into the unit. If it wasn't for this OS, I don't think I could've stood against those guys or escape as I did. Now that I think about. The only reason why I'm still standing is because of this OS I developed in the first place.

This little gizmo has caused great change especially in our battle against the BETA. Even in Tokyo and the 12/5 incident made me realize that a single piece of technology like this can make a huge difference. But still… there seems to be a limit of what it can do. The controls still feel a bit sluggish despite the fact that it's even better than the older versions. Maybe it's because I'm getting used to its speed that everything looks slower from my point of view.

Ah… either way it doesn't matter right now. I'll just ask Yuuko to make some improvements once I get the chance.

"Takeru? Oi, Takeru, are you there?" Hmm? Oh the radio.

"Kashiwagi? Is that you?"

"Ah thank goodness. I finally got that com unit operational" Oh right. I asked Haruko to work the other two TSFs we got from the Soviet plane. They're not standard units but at least we should be able to use them as extra firepower. If not then at least they can be pack mules to carry whatever we need for the journey.

"How's everything working on your end?"

"It's hard to read all these controls in another language. I'm trying to remember everything through memory but I think I got the hang of the controls. The Su-27 is far less complex than the advance 47-model. It seems to be equipped with Blast Guard equipments so I can support you"

"Are you sure you're up for it?"

"Don't worry. My injuries aren't as bad as they look. I can still handle something this rough"

"Alright. Just don't strain yourself. Leave the fighting to me and we'll travel slowly through the canyon. There are a lot of mountains around these parts so we should probably fly on low altitude"

"Hai hai. I know the procedure, 'Captain'. You don't need to babysit me" She gave me a playful salute as she returned to her seat. That girl really is tougher than she looks. "Hey, Shirogane. Mind if I ask you something. (Hmm?) Are you really going to try to save Professor Kouzuki by yourself?"

"What do you mean? Do you think it's not doable?"

She shook her head in reply. "No. If you're the one leading this, I'm certain you can pull it off. But you know. If we take this path, we'll really be considered enemies. We'll most likely be fighting our own people. After talking with Lt. Piatif, I get the feeling that we've become outlaws. Like in one of those old movies where soldiers get betrayed by their own country and do things outside of standard channels"

I gave out a chuckle. That really does sound like something she'd say. "Well we're not in a movie and this definitely isn't a game. But still… we have to do what we can. We don't know who the real enemy is at the moment but we know that they have someone pulling the strings behind the U.N. Army. I don't know what it would mean for us but right now, finding Yuuko sensei is the only logical course of action we have. It's a long shot… but if we do nothing, then the enemy will surely win"

"So… the only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing… right? (Huh?) Nothing. It's just a quote from something I read. Don't pay attention to it. (Alright…) But I guess we're really doing this huh? I just hope we won't run into anyone we know"

"I doubt it. How are the repairs coming?"

"Hmm? Ah. Nothing much to fix here. I've already got the Berkut set to SLAVE mode. The controls on the Su-27 are more familiar to my taste"

"Alright, we'll use the Berkut and the Typhoon as pack mules. It can carry our stuff while we move westward. Make sure everything's ready. We leave as soon as the sun sets. (Roger that!)"

After our brief talk, I took a quick glance at one of our supposed pack mules. One of the E.U's many Tactical Surface Fighters that has been combat-proven on the battlefield. The EF-2000 Typhoon.

This wasn't the first time I met one of these things. I remember seeing one or two of them when I was fighting back in Tokyo, against the Eurasian Army, and also during the Training Exercise. They're supposedly fast and efficient. Some would even dub it as the European version of the Shiranui since it's also a massed produced unit.

I don't really remember how I brought it up here with me. Haruko said I dragged this unit on the back of my TSF a few kilometers into the city before falling. I'm guessing the underwater capability of the TSF shouldn't be underestimated.

Beep…

"Lt. Piatif, how's everything coming along?"

The Lieutenant's face appeared on my screen. "Reporting. I've salvaged all equipments from the plane that can be used. However, the cargo hold seems to have been frozen over so we will have to wait awhile before we can recover anything within"

"How long will that take?"

"Roughly 4 to 6 hours if the weather condition improves a bit. But regardless, we should move immediately once the sun sets. It won't be long until the U.N. begins sending search parties in this area"

"Alright. Get some rest, Piatif san. I'll place all of our supplies in our container"

"Copy that. Please be careful. Some of the items are extremely fragile"

"Got it. I'll be as delicate as possible" That woman sure is a workaholic. We've barely survived a firefight and already she's up working like crazy. I have to admit I don't really understand the technical stuff so we can only rely on Lt. Piatif to get stuff like this done. I guess this means I'll have to do my part to. Come on. Let's see what we can scrounge up.

**(Kyoto Base) (Sakaki Chizuru Interrogation)**

Sakaki Chizuru, AKA: Class Rep, shifted uncomfortably in the interrogation room that afternoon, as she sat across from a stern faced officer, feeling a bit intimidated by the bright light shining from his back.

Amongst the team, she was the first that the interrogator called in to be questioned. She and the rest of the girls sat in separate rooms like children being forced to wait in front of the principal's office after getting in a huge fight in school.

The Major made it a point to direct his attention to the girl, analyzing her like a critic judging a masterpiece for its flaws and errors. Shortly after, he spoke…

"2nd Lt. Sakaki Chizuru…" The girl on the opposing chair sat at attention as she noted the folder in front of her with a photo of a herself staring back at her. "Do you know why you're here?"

"Yes sir. I am here under the investigation of the recent RLF attack"

The scarred officer raised a quizzical look before suddenly remembering the girl's profile. He recalled it saying that Sakaki was a typical, everything-by-the-book soldier with impeccable compulsion about procedures. Were it by choice, the officers here would probably say that she would be passed on for a promotion as a desk jockey somewhere at the rear lines. It would definitely suit her personality and fight against those who would cross through red tapes.

"Very good. I'll begin this interrogation with a few standard questions. How long have you been with Special Task Force?"

"A few months" The girl answered truthfully, not breaking eye-contact with her interrogator. "I was assigned to that unit roughly a few days after the 12/5 incident"

"Yes, you were supposedly tasked with being the rearguard for the U.N. offensive in the capital, at… the Tougashima peninsula, correct. (Yes sir) And from there… you encountered no anomalies until… Her Highness Kobuin Yuuhi showed up"

"Yes sir. From there, we were given the task of ensuring her protection and escorting her to our main force at Shirahama Base. No other units with fast traveling Tactical Surface Fighters were nearby so we were the obvious choice in the matter"

"Oh?" The interrogator flipped through his documents noticing a discrepancy in her testimony. "It was said here that your unit was also escorted by a regiment of the Honor Guard. The… 19th Independent Squad. Did you forget about them?"

"No sir. Those units were with us for another reason entirely"

"Yes, I understand 2nd Lt. Mitsurugi's condition but don't you find it odd? (Sir?) The brass decided to let a group of cadets escort a VIP instead of trained veterans?"

"No sir. The Honor Guards that followed us were on a mission of their own. The 12/5 missions were directly relayed after the U.N. was requested to intervene by the Prime Minister. According to the records, the U.N. Armed Force was the one who took Her Highness into custody and therefore hold full responsibility for her welfare and safety. Handing a VIP of that importance to a non-U.N. military group, even if they are from the High Imperial Honor Guards, would be… as they say… out of standard procedures"

Again, the Major couldn't help but raise a brow. He was expecting this girl to crack like any of his previous subjects but she has proven strong. She wasn't just your average speaker either. Every word she spouted could fill a textbook of rules and regulations. It was obvious that the girl had read the book or at the very least, brushed through it and remembered all the important parts. She was using the rulebook as a sword and shield preparing to smack him with it if it'll get her out of this situation. All in all, it was plain to see that going through the usual method wasn't going to get him anywhere with her.

"Very well then" The interrogator coughed his way back. "Later in the mission report, it's stated that your squad was… separated. (…?) It's stated here that upon the Shogun's arrival, your unit was to act as bait while another team took Her Highness to safety"

"That's correct" Sakaki reposed herself. "1st Lieutenant… or Cadet Shirogane, at the time, was assigned to be the Shogun's personal escort"

"And why is that?"

"1st Lieutenant Shi… I mean, Cadet Shirogane, at the time, was—or still is, the top pilot in our squad. He surpassed all of the simulation training by a wide margin, performed excellently on G-Force training, engineer and earned a large score during our Comprehensive Combat Skill Evaluation, making him, the perfect candidate to be Her Highness's guards. On a personal note, his skills behind a TSF have been unanimously superior to all of us combined. Even our Instructor, Sergeant Jinguuji said that his abilities were on par with even the veterans on the field. (Oh?) So should there be any unexpected obstacle in the mission plan, he would adapt better than most of us"

"So it didn't strike you odd that Her Highness chose him to be her guard?"

Sakaki's expression churned a bit at this new bit of information but she quickly fixed it back up. "I… wasn't aware that Her Highness chose him to her escort. Command said that it was their decision"

"Of course. But before we continue on that subject, tell me what you know about, 1st Lt. Shirogane Takeru"

_'It's here…'_

That's what went through Sakaki's head when her interrogator pushed his face forward towards the table. She had been hearing much about the accusations placed upon her comrade but she never brought herself to believe it. She had been preparing for this confrontation, as if she was expecting the Major to spout it out soon enough.

Carefully and calmly, the long haired brunette took a deep breath and kept her words honest. "That's quite a broad topic. Can you be specific on what you wish to know?"

"Anything you can provide. How long have you known him?"

"About as long as the rest of my training squad. He arrived suddenly in the middle of our 2nd trial period before our re-take with the Comprehensive Combat Skill Evaluation"

"And this didn't strike you as odd?"

"It did…" Chizuru continued unfazed. "But being part of Squad 207, and being under the direct command of Vice Commander Kouzuki, most procedures go out the window" The Major understood this as the behavior of the Witch of Yokohama Base was well known even amongst his circle. "And it should be implied that Takeru's acceptance in the squad was also due to the Vice Commander's insistence on his 'Special' case"

"I see. And was his performance to your team's standard?"

"I'm afraid you'll have to ask my 'former' instructor for that" Sakaki countered feigning ignorance. "I can't be credible to state his performance, let alone the entire squad. But in my opinion Shirogane… was… is… an incredible soldier. He excelled in nearly every field, especially in TSF controls. None has yet to beat him in single-combat"

"And you didn't find this strange at all?"

"At first I did, but Takeru does have his reasons. Living abroad may have given him to different levels of training without notice. He supposedly threw away his exemption from draft forms. And from what I've gathered through my time with him, he appears to been exposed to different military regulations"

"Oh? Like what exactly?"

"He once said that he has a friend who is apparently a gun-nut therefore has advance knowledge in how to operate and construct a firearm from scratch. (Interesting…) It would explain how a civilian would know so much about military equipments"

"Is that so? That would explain a lot…" Chizuru sighed with relief, believing herself to be over the biggest hurdle. "… if any of it were true"

"Eh?" The girl lost her grip on her mask for a moment leaving her open.

"We've searched through data banks of information in various countries. There are no entries of any Shirogane Takeru in any of them. The boy never travelled overseas nor did he have any friends. (But the data…) All forged. After closer inspection we've discovered that all details in both the U.N. Army Database and government's records have been altered prior to his arrival"

"I… wasn't aware that…"

"Of course not. But please understand this, 2nd Lt. Sakaki. The man you know may not be the same as the man he's supposed to be. (…) That will be all. Thank you for your time. The guards will escort you to your new quarters until you are needed"

**(Takeru's POV) (Tokushima City Ruins) (Crash site)**

Alright, that should do it. The last of the supplies are loaded in the pack mules' cockpits. With all that water, food and medicine we've pulled together, it should be enough to last us 4 days top if we ration them correctly. We won't be getting Oba san's famed dongpo pork but at least we won't have to worry about starving. All we have to do now is to wait till nightfall before heading west.

My local map of Shikoku Island is pretty old. No updated data and no current landmarks to speak of. Though we might not be running completely blind I'm worried that we might encounter obstacles along the way. The G-bombs that dropped here has changed the landscape considerably. You can practically still see the salted areas teeming with radiation.

It's hard to imagine that this place used to be a powerful military stronghold ruled by the Imperial Army. It was because of the violent dreams of that madman Ikaruga that everything here had gone straight to hell. As if we weren't having enough trouble dealing with the BETA as it is.

Ikaruga… Takatsugu…

Just thinking about that man's name brings shivers throughout my body. Our duel in Tokyo was broadcast throughout the country like a mecha TV show. It's difficult to recall the fight completely. My body was pretty weak by the time I rescued Yuuhi from the castle. But I do remember feeling really angry and really… sad at the same time. I'm not really sure if my memories are even the same as the ones I have now. I feel like a large part of my brain has been missing this whole time.

The bad thing about being a time traveler… is that you can't really recall if you've done this or not. Déjà vu can only get me so far and the visions I have don't match with anything I remember. No… it feels more like someone else in me is trying to remember something that happened to him a long time ago… and I just happen to have his memories along with me.

Ugh… just thinking through that makes my head spin. I should probably finish my work and get some rest while I still can.

"Haruko. I'm gonna take a quick break. Can you handle the rest from here?"

"Huh? Oh sure. You take it easy"

"I should be the one saying that"

Pssst…

Uwa… my face is feeling the cold. I'm totally awake now. I can't imagine how people could live in these conditions.

I should probably get some rest inside. Getting somewhere warm will probably be good for me.

…

…

…

Lt. Piatif seems to have calmed down too. She's resting in the corner using her coat as a blanket. She's been overworking herself since this morning. I guess she knows the stakes better than anyone around here. She can understand the bigger picture.

Our sleeping beauty is also out of it. That fall must've been harder than I thought.

Well, not that it matters right now. The only thing I want is to get some sleep before sunset. I wonder if I can get another pair of blankets from… eh?

Wait… where's… Kasumi?

"Kasumi chan?" I whispered out. The girl was here about three hours ago watching over the foreign pilot. She couldn't have walked out on me, could she? No. I would've noticed it since I was on my TSF the whole time, but she is pretty small… she wouldn't be picked up by my motion sensors that easily and besides… the snow outside was pretty deep so…

There's a good possibility that might've sunk under the snow like she did back in the base. If that happens then there's a good possibility that she hasn't gone far yet.

"Hey Haruko" I raised my partner on the com. "Do you Kasumi chan out there?"

"Kasumi? Ah… you mean Yashiro. No. Why? Did she disappear again?"

"Yeah. That girl seems to be developing a habit of walking out in the middle of nowhere. I told her to stay here and keep watch over our visitor. She usually listens to everything I say"

"Maybe she's in her rebellious phase"

"I wish that was the case" I groaned in return. "I'm gonna go and look for her. Keep an eye out for me will you? (Roger) Haaa… for once I wish things would go our way"

…

As I expected, that girl left a trail for me to follow. The snow wasn't as deep as Kyoto but it was enough for someone as short as Kasumi to sink in. It seems like she was digging her way through the whole yard making her way towards the plane. Does that girl even understand the situation we're in right now? We can't afford to dilly dally around like before. Ugh… but if Yuuko didn't assign to be her bodyguard… I get the feeling she would be in bigger trouble.

…

…

"Oi, Kasumi chan. Are you in here?" I called out from inside the plane. It seems like Elena picked this place clean of everything we can use. Medical cabinets, toolboxes, even silicon wires that could be used to conduit electricity were stripped from the hull. I never knew that she could be so resourceful. Maybe that's the reason why she's been able to work in conjunction with Yuuko sensei for a long time.

But now's not the time to double check on things she left behind. I need to find Kasumi.

"Hey, Kasumi chan? Hello?" There was silence in the air. It reminded me of the cold underground levels in Yokohama Base beneath Yuuko's office. "Kasumi chan? Hey come on now. This isn't the time for games. You'll catch a cold out here. (…) Kasumi chan?"

Clink…

Hmm? What was that? I heard a noise coming from the back of the plane. It sounded like something metallic hitting the floor.

"Kasumi? Is that you?" I called out again but there was still no reply. "Kasumi? Eh?"

Hang on. Was that hole there before? There was a small square hole on the floor of the plane with a retractable ladder leading deeper into the body. It was pretty well camouflaged by the rug and the crates stacked up top might've prevented even the most skilled eye from seeing it at first glance.

There was an eerie dim blue light glowing from the inside. Could there be something in there that we could use? It might be worth the shot to investigate. But I'll do that after I find Kasumi.

Tip… tap… tip… tap… tip… tap…

The cargo hold. This must be the place where they stored most of the things they were packing home. There are a lot of computers and equipments lying around here. There might be enough for us to make a command center if we wanted to. I'll have Piatif come and check this place and sort them out.

"Hnn…"

Hm? That voice…

"Ah! Kasumi chan! There you are! (…!) I've been looking all over for you. Don't just go running off wherever you want. This place is dangerous if you're not careful. (Hnn…) Come on, let's go back to the apartment and warm you up before you freeze to death. What are you even doing here anyway? There's… huh?"

What's that? There's something glowing next to Kasumi. A big giant tank of some sort filled with water. There was a feint blue hue coming from inside. (Flash) Looking it from this side, it almost reminds me of the brain room where Sumika used to be.

Kasumi appears to be fixated on that thing.

Wait… don't tell me… there's another brain in that thing!?

"Baka…" Eh? Was I wrong?

I approached the strange tank and took a peek at the see through window. There was a large quantity of water, or at least I think it was water. The tank seemed pressurized and sealed down to the last bolt. There were also large pipes and antennas sticking from the top. It'd probably find a place somewhere in Yuuko's lab since it stood out like a sore thumb. Whatever this thing was, it definitely didn't look like standard equipment. Just looking at it alone already gave me the creeps just like the first time I laid eyes on Sumika's brain container.

Blup blup…

Hmm? What's that? There's something inside but I can't see clearly. The glass is all fogged up from the extreme cold. I can barely make out the shape but it looks like… it looks like a…

…

…

…!

A human!?

**(Ayamine Kei Interrogation)**

Ayamine sat in defiance in that dark room, hands balled together as if she was prepared to lay a beating on someone or something. Though her expression seemed somewhat static at first glance, one could almost see the brows above her eyes sharpened up like daggers.

The interrogator who sat on the opposite side of the table had read her file and knew well that he was up against a tough opponent. Her biography stated that she was a stubborn mule who was a symbol of defiance against any authority that she didn't approve of. That fact alone was obviously pointed out when he saw her take on four MPs on her own, knocking 2 of them down, breaking a rib of another and then disarming the fourth, taking his weapon for her own. It was only thanks to one of her senior officers that the girl stood down and allowed herself to be arrested.

And to ensure that the same thing doesn't happen to him, the interrogator brought in extra security and had her hands bound with cuffs for the duration of the interview.

"2nd Lt. Ayamine Kei" He began in a commanding tone. "Do you know why you were brought here? (Yes…) Very well then. I'll get right to the questions. How long have you been in the Special Task Force? (Months) Can you be specific?"

"30 days x 2. Do the math"

"2nd Lieutenant. Please cooperate. You're only making things worse by being smug" The major warned sounding a lot like a teacher scolding a student to stop playing. But Ayamine wasn't just some kid. She knew how to hold her own and work through words like nail screeching on the blackboard. Seeing that he wasn't going to get anything out of her by just staring, the interrogator continued. "Fine then. I'll get straight to the point. What do you know about 1st Lt. Shirogane Takeru? (Who?) Shirogane Takeru, your fellow cadet during training"

"Shurogane? Never heard of him. (No…) Ah… Shigikone? (Lieutenant Ayamine…) Shojoukune? (2nd Lieutenant!)" Ayamine stopped her bantering when the man raised his voice slightly.

"We can stay here all morning if we have to. But one way or another, you will answer my questions, properly. (…) Now, tell me what you know about 1st Lt. Shirogane Takeru"

"He's a boy" Kei answered with her smug growing wider if that was even possible.

"Yes, we know that" The Major returned, a vein visibly throbbing on his head. "What else?"

"Brown hair, brown eyes, average build… very strong muscles"

"I'm not asking for his physiology!"

"No?" The girl raised a humored brow. "His size is at least 5.9 inches. (Huh?) His thing… it's way bigger than yours"

"Do you think this is a game, 2nd Lieutenant?"

"I answered your question" The girl countered raising her cuffed hands. "You asked for Shirogane. You have to be specific…"

The Major didn't really know if he wanted to slap the girl for being such a pain or himself for being an idiot on his general question. "What do you know about him, before his enrolment to the cadet squad?"

"He wasn't in Yokohama Base"

"2nd Lt. Ayamine!" The old man snapped silencing the girl instantly, but again, Ayamine did not show any emotion. She just sat there, like a piece of furniture. Some believed that if this girl actually went to a staring contest with a statue, she'd probably still win. "You will start answering my questions, right… now!"

"Hmph…" The girl sneered quietly to herself but kept her gaze fixed on the man in front of her.

"Now. Let's start from the beginning. You've known Shirogane for awhile now, am I right? (Yes…) Then please cooperate. The longer you drag this on, the more trouble your squad will be in. Do you want them to pay the price for your stubbornness? (…) Now. Let's try this again…"

"Can I go now?"

**(Takeru's POV) (Tokushima Ruins)**

There was a person. I didn't want to believe it at first but she was there. There was a person inside that water tank, butt naked and floating around lifelessly like a doll. She looked as if she was asleep like one of those fairy tale stories you'd hear in nursery school.

"What the heck is this?"

Click…

Oh crap. What did I just hit? I was walking away when I suddenly stumbled on some controls.

"Hnn…"

"Huh? No! Wait Kasumi don't touch that!" Before I could reach out, Kasumi pressed a button on the console which then made a noise around the entire room. There was a whistling sound coming from the water tank and the red lights began to flicker as if they were signaling a nuclear countdown.

Beep…

"Предупреждение, аварийное отключение…"

Psssstt!

Whoa! What the hell? It's… warm? The water inside was warm. It filtered out and drained into the crevices.

Thud…

Ah! Something… no… someone fell out of the tank. She got caught in the gust of water and poured out onto the floor. Her lifeless, naked body just lay still there as I called out.

"H… hey! Are you alright? Hey!" I quickly brought the girl up to my chest as I checked for a pulse. There was definitely a heartbeat but it's weak. "What the hell?" Wait… I know this girl. She's one of the Soviet pilots. I met her during the Exercise, but what in the world was she doing inside that tank?

Well… I'll have more time to think about that later. Right now I need to get her clothed before she freezes to death. I wonder if there are some cloths I could use or blankets.

"Takeru…" Kasumi called out to me. "Use this…"

Huh? An exosuit? But where did she get…? No. Never mind. It's better than nothing.

"Alright. Can you help me put this on her?"

Ruffle…

…

…

…

There. That should do it. I can link her vitals on the suit's computers and connect it with my head set. Her vital signs are nominal despite being trapped inside that water tank. She's definitely the same girl I saw back in Kyoto. But what in the world is she? No matter how different our cultures may be, sleeping inside a warm water tank is clearly not normal.

She has a surprisingly small figure but it looks like she had some training. Her muscles are well toned and not a lot of baby fats to speak of. Judging from her face, she doesn't appear to be older than me. I'd actually think she's probably younger by a small margin. If I remember correctly, she was a Major in terms of rank, the same as that Wilfried from Cerberus. I guess anyone can be an officer with the right quality.

Still… what do I do now? I feel like I just opened Pandora's Box and this little thing is the disaster just waiting to wake up.

"Ugh…"

Oh she's waking up.

"H… hey there…" She darted her eyes on me weakly. "You ok?"

_"C… Colonel?"_ Huh? What did she just call me? Her eyes look weary, almost like she was struggling just to keep herself up. _"What… are… my orders…?"_

"Oi! Hey! Don't go back to sleep!"

**(Kyoto) (Infinities Hanger)**

Leon let out a puff of smoke from his mouth as he lay on the sofa lazily while the rest of his team followed suit. The whole squad of the Infinities with the exception of the Squad Leader was lounging in their standby area seemingly bored out of their minds as they waited for the situation to change.

Some of them expected to go back home when the battle cleared out but unfortunately the investigation of the attack made even them the subject of suspicion. So for that, the team was stranded in Kyoto with little to nothing to do but pass the time with drinks and cigars.

"This is starting to get dull…" Leon stated, dousing his cigar stick on the ashtray. "How long are we supposed to stay here? They said they'd have this sorted in a few hours"

"It seems like the investigation has taken its toll on them" Guylos reasoned looking through the window as he watched U.N. operatives search through the hanger meddling with their TSFs. "Something must've happened if they're taking this long to close up. The number of suspects must be astronomical especially during a multinational event like this"

"Tch. This wouldn't be the first time either. The same thing happened in Yukon. You'd think these guys would learn by now"

"I'd be careful with my mouth if I were you. (Hmm?) These people just lost their comrades fighting their own people. I thought someone with your history would have some understanding in how they felt. But I guess I was wrong"

"…" The shaded soldier held back a snarl at his muscle bound friend knowing well what he meant. He knew well what it means to lose a comrade especially in an unwanted battle.

"Alright you two, break it up" The pinkette of the group interrupted cheerily before suddenly grabbing Leon's cigar. "We can't have ourselves fighting one another. We're all under a lot of stress right now so let's just keep professional, neh?"

Leon quietly returned to his sofa, with his comrade doing the same on his corner.

"I just hope we get to go back soon…" The blue haired man muttered.

"Ara… don't tell me you miss Yuuya already"

"If it means I get to finally beat the crap out of him, I could care less what you say, woman"

"Ahahaha…"

"Well it looks like you'll have to postpone that dream a little longer, Leon" Keith's voice broke in the room from the doorway.

"Lieutenant?" Guylos raised himself up. "What do you mean by that?"

"We have new orders from command" Their chief explained waving a folder to them. "The U.N. Armed Force will be announcing a terrorist hunt later today and the Infinities are going to stick around as… representatives of the United States. (Representatives?) They want someone to show that our country is the nation of justice so we'll be acting on our government's behest for the next few days"

"Tch. They probably just want someone to see what the representatives of the other countries would respond" Leon deduced already losing interest in the new mission.

"But sending only one squad?" Sharon added questioningly. "Is that sufficient? I mean no matter how strong the Infinities are, we're not strong enough to be counted as a support group"

But their commander waved her worries off. "That's true. For that reason, we'll be having the U.N. 3 Pacific Army coming to aid us. (The U.N?) Yeah. The officers of that particular army are pro-American. They may wear a different uniform but you can expect some measure of cooperation from them. It shouldn't be said that the 6th Pacific Army that came to relieve the ones here are also pro-Soviets"

"Hmph… and here I thought the U.N. was supposed to be in-between. So much for their neutrality"

"Neutrality is overrated" Keith gave out a laugh to his men. "You either pick one side or the other. The days of sitting on the fence is long gone now. We'll be riding with the U.N. army until we're called. So for the mean time, we can all just sit back and relax"

"Is there a special assignment attached to the mission, sir?" Guylos inquired earning his squad's attention.

"Oh? Was I that obvious to you?"

"How long do you think we've been paired in this team?"

Keith broke out a laugh. "Long enough for you to see through me. But I can neither confirm nor deny that we have an assignment with our mission. I'll tell you the details when the time is right. For now, have your units switch from their training gears. We'll be sorting out in a few hours"

**(Yoroi Mikoto's interrogation)**

If Shirogane was to be in the same room as Mikoto at the moment, he'd be in for a surprise. Of all the time that boy had come to known his gender-bending friend; the phrase 'shut up' never once occurred in his life.

Mikoto was a talker and a damn good one. Sometimes you wouldn't even make sense of half of the things that comes out of her mouth. She could talk about every cog in a TSF and then you'd suddenly find yourself talking about bean sprouts the next minute. Many would consider that little side of her to be annoying and with good reasons too. But those who knew her well enough would probably say that it was a genetic trait that she inherited from her father's side.

But today, her mouth was closed. At this very moment in this very room, not a single word left her mouth. Her mind was too clouded, too conflicted to make any kind of rational thought. If Takeru was here he probably wouldn't believe that Mikoto was able to keep silent longer than 5 seconds much less 5 minutes.

"Yoroi Mikoto…" The girl's attention was brought up by her interrogator who entered from the opposite end of the room. Mikoto almost rose up to salute but stopped midway by the gesture of his hand. "Do you know why you're here?" She answered with a nod. "Then let's begin…"

"Yes sir…"

"You joined the U.N. Armed Force two years ago, correct? (Yes sir) And you were assigned to Training Squad 207"

"Yes sir. But during my first initiation, there were a total of 11 of us back then"

The interrogator nodded, confirming her story with the files in front of him. "Yes. You and four others were held back because you failed your Comprehensive Combat Skill Evaluation. You suffered a severe injury suspending you from action"

"Yes sir…"

"On your second exam, your squad was assisted by a new member. Shirogane Takeru, correct? (Yes sir) Now I may as well skip this investigation, but what can you tell me about this boy?"

Already, Mikoto can feel the man's tone changing. She could feel how that this subject was at the core of the investigation and the very reason why she was sitting here in the first place. In normal times, she'd probably be more than delighted to have someone ask her about Takeru. She'd probably write that person a book and all the epic heroic tales in a 3-books saga. But now… her throat came to a pause.

She took a short breath before she answered. "I only know him when he was a cadet, sir. I was still injured at the time when he came into the squad"

"We know. But out of all the people, your training squad is the only one who has any kind of contact with this person. Can you tell me more?"

"Like… what, exactly, sir?"

"Did he ever talk about his past? Where he came from, what he did before he joined your unit?"

"N… no. Not that I can think of. Though he does mention a few people he met from time to time" Mikoto sighed with relief seeing that her interrogator wasn't asking much.

"Can you give me an example?"

"Well… he mentioned a friend he once had who memorized the oath of the U.N. Armed Force by heart. I'm afraid he never mentioned his name, sir"

"Oh? Anything else?"

"Not that I can remember" Mikoto finished, not wanting to earn her interrogator's ere. The man eyed his prey trying to see if there was any hint of a lie, but he found none. "Umm… can I ask you something, Major?"

"Of course. Go ahead…"

"Why are you so fixated on one person in an investigation? As an investigator, shouldn't you be looking into more than just one lead? I just looks… weird when you focus on just one particular area. Even more so, at one particular person"

"The nature of our investigation is ours to handle" The man answered, not even returning the curious gaze. "How we deal with it is our business. But if you must know, much of our chain of command is in turmoil at the moment. You will be briefed on the situation at hand later after your initial interrogation. Now… let us return to our previous engagement…"

"Y… yes sir…"

**(Tokushima City ruins) (Takeru's POV)**

I made my way back to our camp after that little fiasco back on the plane. After that girl came out of that water tank, I called out the rest of the team to discuss what I just found. Though we were able to get more supplies out of the crash, it seems like I brought in one more hurdle for us to bear.

"Hmm…" Elena was giving the girl a basic medical diagnostic. Though we can see her vitals with our computer headsets I'd prefer to play it safe and have a direct checkup as well. "There doesn't seem to be anything wrong with her. Her pulse is stable so she's in no immediate danger"

"That's good…" I sighed with relief.

"You said you found this girl inside the plane?"

"Yeah. I know it sounds strange but I found her inside a strange water tank"

"Are you sure about that?" Haruko questioned. Well I wouldn't be surprised. Even I have difficulties believing it too. It's almost like reading the story of Momotaro, the kid who came out of the peach.

"I know what I saw. You can check the inside of the plane if you want"

"Hai hai… I believe you. But the question now is… what do we do with her? She's obviously a Soviet pilot. She's probably in league with the guys that attacked us back in Kyoto"

"We'll bring her along. (…?)" My two compatriots raised a question on my course of action. "We can't exactly leave her here to give away our position. Besides, if she is in league with the Soviets, then it would be best to take her along and see what information she has to give us. That way we'll be able to get something out of her instead of just being a burden. (…) Lt. Piatif, can you bind her for now and keep watch over her? I'd like to have one of us here just in case one of them wakes up"

Elena was hesitant but agreed nonetheless. "Understood. I will stand guard over them for as long as I am able"

"Good. And… keep watch over 'her' too" I quickly pulled Kasumi from my side and made sure she sat in the corner. "She has a tendency to wander off when no one's looking. (Hnn) Oh don't sulk. You can play once we get somewhere safe, alright?"

"Hmph!"

"Arara… she appears to be in her rebellious phase. Daddy better watch out" Haruko teased which I could only agree to. Kasumi has been very disobedient these last few days. She hasn't been listening to anything I've said despite the seriousness of the situation.

"In any case, keep watch over her, Piatif san. (I understand) Back to the matter at hand, how are the other units, Kashiwagi?"

"Ah… yeah. I did a quick maintenance check on the other units. They seem to be in good condition despite all the beating they took. The Su-47 unit is state of the art but there appears to be some sort of special equipment stashed inside the cockpit"

"Special Equipment? Like what?"

"Dunno. I'm not an expert. But it seems to have something to do with the pilot. As for the Su-27 and the EF-2000Typhoon, they're combat worthy. I can pilot the Su-27 and put the other two on remote-control. They'll act as our pack-mules until we get somewhere safe"

"Alright. Then I guess we're as ready as we'll ever be. I'll take one last look at the plane and see if we missed anything we can use"

"I'll come with you"

"No" I stopped my blue haired friend. "I can do this on my own. You take turns standing watch with Lt. Piatif. (You sure?) I'll be fine. We'll need to conserve our strength when we fly off tonight. It shouldn't take too long"

"Alright… but don't stress yourself"

"Don't worry. I've been through worse than this, haven't I?"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

As Shirogane slowly slipped out of the room, Kashiwagi could not help but be worried about him. A tinge of anxiety marred her face as well as concerns. Her mind still plagued with the thoughts of what occurred that day when that same boy died before her eyes.

"You don't have to tell me… twice…" She muttered to herself before joining Elena on guard.

**(Tamase's interrogation)**

Tamase was scared. That alone was for sure. Every fiber in her body was panicking like the cat that she represented. Every nook and cranny the room frightened her to a new degree of fear. Even the little lamp that illuminated the only area of the room gave her a bit of scare.

But despite being the fraidy-cat that she was, she did her best to keep them from showing. Her mind was too preoccupied with someone else's safety…

"Papa…"

Right before she was called in, Captain Isumi gave the news that a terrorist group had attacked the U.N. in various locations throughout Japan and had kidnapped several officials including her father, Undersecretary General, Tamase Genjousai. Words of their safety are still unknown at the moment.

"2nd Lt. Tamase…" The girl stood at attention at the call of her name but quickly noted her blunder. "You may sit down. There's no need to salute at this situation"

"Ah… y… yes sir" She bowed apologetically before returning to her seat, face still flushed. "Sorry sir…"

"There's no need to apologize. I am simply here to ask a few questions. Let's begin" The officer then gently shift through the documents he had on hand which showed the girl's face in a more naïve fashion. "I'll get directly to the point. Do you know why you are here?"

"Yes sir" She answered politely. "You needed people who have extensive knowledge about Tak… I mean 1st Lt. Shirogane"

"That's correct. What can you tell me about him?"

"Ah… well… I can't say that I know everything about him. All that I know that he's… an… amazing person. (Amazing?) Yes. He's really amazing, but in a good way. He excels in all forms of basic training"

"Yes, we know that" The officer stopped her before she could go on singing the amazement of Shirogane Takeru. The last few suspects who were brought here said just about as much, saying how incredible the boy was that he began to believe that it wasn't a lie. "We like to know more of his… unprofessional life. (Unprofessional?) Surely after you spend time with comrades you'd come to know them. We were hoping that you and your squad mates would be able to tell us more on Shirogane's background"

"Um… well, I wouldn't know much about it. Our Instructor always taught us to never intrude on someone else's personal life unless they want to talk about it. (Oh?) Um… well… I supposed he likes eating a lot. (Eating?) Yes. He eats just about as much as Kei chan… I mean, 2nd Lt. Ayamine san. He has a very big appetite and likes anything Oba san… I mean Sergeant Major Kyozuka, cooks"

"So I'm guessing that you don't know much about him either?"

"No. But… umm…"

The officer noted the little girl's hesitance in her speech and gestured her to continue. "Please go on, 2nd Lieutenant"

"May I add a personal comment?" He nodded back. Not that it was even needed at that point.

"Of course. Honesty is everything on this table"

"Takeru san… isn't a bad person…"

"We never said he was" The officer replied easing the girl's expression just a little bit. "We are merely trying to find the truth. (…) Now… can we continue?"

"Yes sir. Sorry…"

"In the duration of your time together with Shirogane. Did the boy express any odd behaviors?"

"A few times" Tama answered honestly, remembering her time back in Yokohama Base. "Takeru did many odd things but not in a bad way. He'd sometimes come up with some new and weird ideas to do things. He even made that weird plan for making me squad leader for the day. (Squad leader?) Ah… well… it's a long story during Papa… I mean, the Undersecretary's visit to Yokohama Base. It was my fault…"

"I see. Anything else?"

"Well there are a few odd things he would do from time to time, but they're more based on his abilities in the simulator. He's really REALLY good"

"Yes, you said that already. But what about his relationship? (Relationship?) Did he mention anyone outside of his military life? A relative of sort?"

"Not that I can think of" But Tama paused as if she recalled a name. "Ah! He did mention one person. (Who?) It was right about when he first came to Squad 207. I think her name was… Sumika. (Sumika?) Yeah. Kagami Sumika. I remember him crying when he mentioned her. Ah… but…"

"Please continue 2nd Lieutenant. Anything will help at this point"

"I'm afraid that he also mentioned that she was no longer here. (…) I think she… passed away some time before Takeru san came to Yokohama Base"

"Kagami Sumika…" The interrogator took note of the name. "This is good. What else?"

"I'm afraid that's all I can remember. I'm sorry…"

"There's no need to apologize" The officer waved it off. "You have been very cooperative, 2nd Lieutenant. I'm certain that the information you've provided will bring us closer to the truth. That will be all for now. But should you recall anything, anything at all, please come to me. (Yes sir) You may go now"

"Thank you sir" But just as she reached for the door leading out, Tama turned back shyly, a question popping in her head. "Um… may I ask you something, Major?"

The officer raised a brow to this unusual event. Normally when an interrogation ends, the suspect would leave the room almost immediately. But this little lady had a bit of nerve to actually continue talking.

"What is it?"

"Um… Papa… I mean… the Undersecretary… is he… alright?"

"You mean your father, Tamase Genjousai?" She nodded. "I'm sorry. But I'm afraid that information has been deemed classified by the U.N. Armed Force High Command"

"I see. I understand. Ah… but one more thing. (Hmm?) Takeru isn't a bad person. I'm sure that whatever he did wrong, he did it for a good reason. And I'm certain that he wasn't responsible for what happened to Kashiwagi san"

…

**(Marimo's POV) (Interrogation room)**

I never thought I'd see myself here again so soon. To be stuck in this dark room, sitting on a simple 5x5 square table with a single lamp and two chairs… it almost feels like I'm visiting this place out of habit.

The last time I entered an interrogation room was after the New Year's event. Most of my actions back then have been deemed classified by the Armed Forces. After all, they couldn't exactly publish what Shirogane and I had done in Tokyo. The best they can do is take my statement and bury it deep in an underground vault somewhere and hopefully make sure that it never sees the light of day. Otherwise, people will be asking more questions than they are now.

It seems like the investigation team have been focusing mostly on the ALTERNATIVE IV Special Task Force. After listening to the idle chatter amongst the soldiers, it's plainly obvious that they're painting Shirogane as their prime suspect.

…

…

If there was a word that were to describe my feelings right now, 'conflicted' would be the closest term there is.

I'm conflicted about everything. I do not know what kind of evidence they found in Shirogane's room or whoever's testimony framed him. I simply can't find it in myself to suspect him of being part of any of this.

I may not have known Shirogane for a very long time but I've seen him in action. He's a boy who was kind to a fault but at the same time very strict with himself and his team. Shirogane is a noble person. Selfish, loyal and incredibly smart when it came to military doctrines. But… even so… that's pretty much all we know about him. Other than his outstanding military achievements… any other information about him are just… unreliable.

In the months that I've come to know him, all I can truly believe that he is an incredible soldier. His background, his history, heck, even his age can no longer be confirmed. I'm more than certain Yuuko doctored it in some way that would make it look inconspicuous but knowing that… the investigation team will probably throw whatever public data they had into the trash bin.

They needed information. REAL and reliable information about the boy and unfortunately for them, the only people who would have that kind of information would be those that have been with him the longest… and that 'unfortunately' was us, the old 207 Training Squad.

I don't know what happened here Shirogane… but I want to… believe in you just a little bit longer.

…

…

…

"Good afternoon, 1st Lt. Jinguuji" My interrogator began as he took his seat opposite of me. "I apologize for the delay. I hope you didn't wait long"

"It's not like I have a choice, do I?" I countered. That had to be one of the most obvious lies I've seen to date. He deliberately made me wait in this room to soften me.

"Ahaha. Of course not. But you see, I can be very busy especially after what just happened" He smiled coyly at me as if he was trying to get on my good side. "But I supposed this isn't the first time you've been in front of an interrogator. (No…) I have a lot of questions for you, but before we begin, I want to ask of your actions regarding the attack yesterday"

"The attack, sir?"

"Yes. I wish to congratulate you on your efforts. Both you and 1st Lt. Suzumiya have been given commendations for singlehandedly disabling the enemy's communication scrambler" Ah… he's talking about what we did back then. "I simply wish to let you know that your efforts are appreciated. Not everyone can be as courageous as you, 1st Lieutenant Jinguuji"

"I… well… thank you… sir…" I felt somewhat foolish to blush over a small compliment. Besides, I don't really deserve much of the credit. It was Suzumiya who disabled the device and took out the sniper that stood between us. If anyone deserves that praise it would be her.

"It is we who should be thanking you, 1st Lieutenant. It was thanks to you that many lives were spared that day"

"I was only doing what I needed to do to survive, sir"

"And your instincts have proven useful. As expected of the Instructor of such fine pilots"

"I only gave them the basics. Everything else is their doing, Major"

"And humble also" He added with a hint of a surprise in his tone. "You are indeed an exemplar to which all soldiers should. It's no surprise that you are capable of producing such a fine pilot like Shirogane Takeru" The laughter in his voice stopped almost immediately when he mentioned that name. "Such a skilled pilot like that don't come often"

So it seems like our earlier assumptions were correct. The investigation team really is focusing their effort on Shirogane. Normally they wouldn't do something as focusing on one point. It's either they're certain that Takeru is indeed connected with the attack or… they have no other solid leads to follow.

"The pilot's abilities come from their own individual training" I replied, not trying to challenge him. "Like I said 'I only give them the basics' and nothing else"

"So you're saying that Shirogane Takeru was already trained before he came to your Training Unit?"

I ducked back on my chair from his question. It seems like my interrogation has begun and my interrogator didn't even bother to close his previous compliments.

After a few seconds of composure, I answered. "I will admit, Shirogane has shown great potential during his training. He exhibits creativity in the every course and provides betterment to the whole squad. But none of this should be new. Everything that is to be known about Shirogane's abilities should've already been listed in his personnel file"

"Yes, his military records are unique. But we are more interested in his history. Being his former instructor and one of his closest friends, you must know something about him"

"I'm afraid there's nothing I know that isn't already on paper" The officer expression was slowly turning to a frown with each passing second. "I don't make it a habit of poking into other people's pasts. Everyone has their own history and I teach my cadets that respect the privacy of others"

"But surely you must've done at least some background check on those you teach"

"Of course. I did only minimal psyche checks and personal history. Simply enough for me to know who they were and nothing more. As I said before—I don't make it a habit, poking into other people's past"

The Major rubbed his imaginary temples and looked at me with a serious face. It seems like he's not getting what he wants to hear. "1st Lt. Jinguuji. You're contradicting yourself"

"Excuse me?"

"I've delved into your work records. What you say and what you did don't match one another" He quickly flipped over a folder from his stack of papers and scanned them with a brief look. "During the first few weeks that Shirogane Takeru was assigned to your Training Squad, you've made several attempts in searching both the U.N. and Imperial databanks for any details regarding the boy. You even attempted to enter restricted files. Can you explain this?"

I should've seen this. I knew that they would poke into my history but I never expected them to go that deep. "My actions back then were under orders. (Oh?) Yes. Upon Shirogane's enrollment into the Army, I was ordered by the Vice Commander to keep watch over him and report all his actions to her directly"

"Vice Commander Kouzuki?" The Major's expression lit up in surprise the moment I mentioned Yuuko. This wouldn't be the first time. After all, she wasn't the Vice Commander of the 11th Pacific Army without good reason. Her name still holds much weight in the U.N. Armed Force and even more so since we retook Sadogashima.

"That's correct. She specifically ordered me to keep tabs on Shirogane and report any suspicious activity to her"

"I… see no record of such order—"

"And you won't. (…?) The Vice Commander isn't exactly keen on rules and regulations. She often does things her own way without anyone's regards"

"But the files here state that she was the one who vouched and assigned him to your unit. Why would she assign someone to your unit and then keep watch over them?"

"I'm afraid I don't have a clear answer to that question" I answered. There was a hint of a smile on my face sensing victory. It wasn't exactly a whole lie. "I merely followed orders and directed all my files to her. You'll have to ask her yourself why. As for his classified files, I'm afraid they too were locked by the Vice Commander herself"

"Hmm… this is troublesome"

"I've been with Shirogane just about as long as the others members of Squad 207B so I'm afraid I don't know much about him either"

"If you were his Instructor, then perhaps you can enlighten me on what happened during the 12/5 incident"

"I've already been questioned in that operation and I sent my report to my superiors. There shouldn't be—" I stopped midway when he raised his hand.

"Your reports… only detailed the beginning and ending of your operation during that time. Your training unit was sent to defend the strategic road at the Tougashima Peninsula but in the sudden turn of events your unit miraculously recovered Her Highness, the Shogun, Kobuin Yuuhi"

"That is correct"

Again, the man flipped through his folder, raising a brow at me with a mocking grin. "And you expect me to believe that this is all just a coincidence? A squad from the ALTERNATIVE plans meeting with such an important figure in the middle of the chaos? It sounds rather farfetched, don't you think?"

"I'm afraid that is a personal comment" I explained. "We had no clue that we would find Her Highness in such a place. Our orders were to simply guard the area we were assigned to and repel any hostile. Anything that happened afterwards was merely caused by the flow of the fight. Any soldier should know that anything can happen especially on the battlefield"

"Your report also states that Shirogane was the one who found the Shogun and her escort first"

"Yes… that is correct" I almost stuttered in my sentence.

"And you believe that was also a coincidence as well? Did you not think this may have all been articulately planned?"

"Again sir. I must state that THAT is a personal comment. I do not know anything beyond the orders I was given"

"And so can you explain why your cadet, Shirogane was chosen to be the pilot to escort Her Highness?"

"Sir. As you can see in his records already, Shirogane has shown to be the most efficient pilot in the squad. Having him as the Shogun's escort is the most logical course of action. Various instructors can vouch that his skills rival even those of the most veteran Eishis in the army.

The Major then moved closer to my face gazing directly in my eyes. "Ah but it also states that he also has difficulties following regulations"

"If you're talking about the 12/5 incident then know that it only occurred before his commission"

"Are you certain about that, Lieutenant?" My interrogator eyed me with suspicion. "Looking through his records, I find hardly suiting to call Shirogane a… model soldier. He has more accounts of dereliction of duty than I can count. (…?) Perhaps you're familiar with this. Whiles defending a critical position in the defense of Yokohama Base, Lieutenant Shirogane left his post to save a certain survivor in Outpost 9"

He must be talking about the BETA attack during the XM3 training exercise. Though I have to admit I'm grateful that Shirogane saved my life from that place… he did leave his post. But still… he can't be held accountable to what happened.

"Yes. I'm familiar with that incident" I answered, not batting an eye. "However, I was unconscious during the battle so my information may only come from other sources. Also, it's not uncommon for soldiers to take independent actions when Headquarters is in disarray. Besides, from what I've heard, Shirogane performed admirably despite his stubbornness. Many of the training officers there commended him"

"I suppose we can only take the words of those who were present in the fighting" The Major sighed at me. He then turned to his pocket which he quickly produced a cheap imitation cigarette and lit smoothly in one move. "But that wasn't the only case of his disobedience. During the Operation on Objective 21 in Sadogashima, he made numerous offenses to the high command and took it upon himself to take his squad against the BETA, to save his captain. I don't even know where to start here…"

If this was a regular talk, I probably would've laughed out loud and agreed with the major wholeheartedly. I remember that day. Heck, I think everyone remembered it and not because we destroyed the BETA Hive. It was because it was the first time I saw anyone outtalk Yuuko in her plan. The expression on her face, the anger and irritation…

I've known Yuuko for a long time—and I've come to know that there have only been a few people who managed to get under her skin like that… and not a lot of them are around today. To be able to get her to snap in such a manner required stubbornness of a mule—or in some cases, the intelligence of a madman.

But even so… against all impossible odds… he was able to pull it off. No. I knew he would pull it off. Even if his odds were slimmer than none… he'd take it. Even if it was for a stranger… I know that he'd take the chance. That's just how he is… that's just how… Takeru is…

…

"… do you take disobeying orders as a joke Lieutenant?"

"No sir" I quickly hid my smile to prevent his wrath. "I was just recalling that event. I was there when Shirogane blazantly denied the orders to retreat. But if you have to look it at a political standpoint, I have to say that every member of the squad including myself, went with the flow"

"And can you justify risking the entire squad to save just one person?"

"No. It was madness itself. Every sane soldier you see here would probably agree that such action was illogical. There was no benefit to it. You would call it reckless, inefficient and perhaps… stupid. But even so…"

"Even so?"

"This is just my personal opinion, but I believe deep down in all of us, we agreed to what Shirogane said. As a soldier, we have been taught and trained that the mission came above everything and that everyone is expected to give it their all. We all expect casualties; we all expect sacrifices to be made for the greater good. This is reality and this is what we go through day to day"

"It is expected of a military to have casualties. Sacrifices of soldiers is not uncommon"

"That is exactly why, Shirogane's voice could be heard. (…?) Soldiers like us have given our all, our lives included. But then here comes a boy who said… 'No' to that order"

"He said no?"

"No more sacrifice, no more casualties. We will win this war without another human blood spilled. It's a naive and dumb… but that's probably why we all wholeheartedly agreed to it. (Lieutenant…?) If you hear anyone say such a ridiculous thing, you'd probably call him childish… but when he said it… it felt… possible…"

"You speak like you admire him, Lt. Jinguuji"

"Admire him? Heh… perhaps I do. (…) I'm sorry. I got ahead of myself. Do you have any other questions?"

The Major only stared back at me with an irritated look. I think I may have caught him off guard with that long winded speech of mine. Maybe pouring my mind out was the best way to mess him up.

I don't know what's going on right now Shirogane. But I know without a doubt, you are not a traitor…

My interrogation continued from thereon without any further incident.

**(Takeru's POV) (Tokushima City ruins)**

It was almost nightfall. You can tell when the whole area was getting darker by the second. Even without the sun, some of its light can still pierce through the dark clouds and you can almost distinguish between night and day. If the timer on my headset is correct, we should be able to move out of here in a few hours time.

I haven't heard anything other than the wind blowing from the mountains. No engines or any sound barriers cracking. I supposed there hasn't been any search party whatsoever that could cross through here just yet.

We should still be out of range from whatever scouts the U.N. or Imperial Army but I'd feel safer if we can put some distance between us and them. With limited ammo and supplies we'd stand little chance against a whole army and I don't think I'll be able to pull another stunt like what I did in Susono City.

Optimizing my TSF seems like the best thing I can do here. The XM3 OS that I developed with Yuuko has made all the difference in this war. I can tell just by how many soldiers that came back alive. But still… I have the feeling that I can do more.

After using it for so long, you begin to see its limits and weaknesses. Maybe I can discuss this with Kasumi chan since she was also part of its development. Creating a more powerful and faster OS might just boost our chances of saving even more lives.

"Takeru…"

"Hmm? Oh, Haruko. What are you doing here? I thought I told you to get some rest"

"I'll be fine. A little injury here won't stop me and I already got plenty of rest before we got you out. I brought some tea if you want"

"Oh… thank you" I unconsciously took the cup that she offered me.

"So we're really doing this. (…?) This whole operation. Saving the Vice Commander from terrorists. Just three people against an army"

"Are you having second thoughts?" I asked.

"I'd be lying if I said no. Being part of the Special Task Force does have a high rate of KIA so I guess I could say that I'm used to it. Still… in all my time being in the A-01, 9th Squadron, I've never had a mission that was as risky as the one we're about to do"

"Everyone would probably feel the same if they were in our shoes. There's not exactly a procedure or textbook documentation that illustrate such an event. All we can do now is just trust our instincts"

"Hooo?" She grinned evilly in my direction. "Then your little stunt rescuing the Captain in Sadogashima was also based on your instinct?"

"Geh! Well… I supposed… I don't really have a clear answer to that one. But everything worked out in the end"

"Hmph. Only a person who has no responsibility would say something like that. (Ahehehe…) But I suppose I can forgive you since you did rescue the Captain and Hayase at the same time. However…"

"Hmm? However… what?"

Haruko paused, cupping her empty teacup on her hands, twiddling with it like a toy. "Things might be different this time around. (Huh?) Can things really stay the same forever?"

"Haruko? What are you talking about? Are you alright?"

The girl walked up to the foot of my TSF tracing her finger on the edge of the metal plating, wiping the snow from the paint.

"Maybe if I didn't find out… then perhaps things would've stayed the same" She then turned to me, with a serious expression on her face. "Hey… Shirogane. Can I ask you a question?"

"What is it?"

"In all the members of the Squad, who do you trust the most? (Huh?) Who would entrust your life to?"

"What brought this on? (Just answer!)" Whoa! What the hell is her problem snapping at me like that? "Why would you even ask that? I'd trust anyone of you. (Anyone?) Of course. We fought side by side together. If I didn't trust any of you, then we wouldn't be an effective team to begin with"

…

Again, Haruko paused, twiddling her fingers on the teacup she held tightly. After a moment, she spoke up. "Then… would you trust me? (Of course!) Even after what happened in Kyoto?"

Flash!

The images of that time inside the beast's belly returned to me. The time when Haruko gave in to despair and attacked me out of fear brought chills down to me. She intended to kill me, and have us commit suicide like martyrs.

Just remembering it brought some unnerving images in my head but I quickly steeled myself to answer. "Yes I would. (…!) Even though we can't really changed what happened back there, I still believe you did what you thought was right. I can't blame you for that"

"And you can just trust someone you've only known for a few months?"

"You wouldn't be the first person to ask me that question" Ayamine's face came into my head. She too believed that no one would trust her. Holding onto those letters that Naoya sent must've played a guilty conscious on her head. She must've felt like she was betraying her friends, her squad for keeping it a secret.

Haruko is probably facing the same dilemma. After finding out that her brother was in care in a hospital back in Kyoto, she must've felt a sense of wrong in her earlier actions. But I wouldn't blame her for it. If I knew that someone that I cared for died, I probably would've given in on despair too. I know that feeling well when I first lost Marimo sensei…

"You trust too easily, Takeru…"

"That's probably a bad trait in me. Sorry" I coughed a fake laugh to ease her worries. "But still. I won't lie when I say this. (…) I trust you, Haruko. More than ever now…"

"You're just saying that because of the situation we're in"

"That's roughly part of it. But still… I'd still trust you, no matter what"

Haruko's frown finally turned upward. I don't know what brought her to question her own trust but I know for a fact that I can't trust anyone else in this matter. She's all that I've got and if I was going to get through this fight, I was going to need her by my side.

"Alright… I believe you in that regard" She said finally, again twiddling her teacup as she approached me. "But now it's my turn. (Eh?) How can I trust you?"

"What's this? First you wanted me to trust you and now you want me to convince you to trust me? You're weird"

"Ahehehe… I supposed you're right about that" And then suddenly, she inched her hand closer to my cheek as if she was holding onto a lover's face. "But I want to be certain…"

Scratch!

Ow! What the hell!? My cheek! What did she…

Ah! Her teacup. She cracked it with her bare hands and used the sharp edge to cut me. It drew a trail of blood on my face and it hurts like hell.

"Why did you do that!? Are you mad?" My body flinched back as if it was reacting from the pain. I was confused to what she just did.

"I thought I was earlier but now… I guess this proves I'm not" What in the world is she talking about? Did she spur that conversation just to drop my guard and strike? "So I wasn't imagining after all. (Huh?) Your wound… it's gone…"

**(Meiya's Interrogation)**

Meiya sat on her chair, still as a statue. Her eyes cast downward as if she was trying to hide the disappointment on her face. A part of her was glad that she no longer received the special treatment that she used to get back during her training regime with the squad.

Though it would often be trifling things, she admits that she disliked unearned favors. She would normally get larger portions in her daily rations, her equipment and requests would receive priority instead of the norm procedures, and sometimes even her busy schedule would be doctored by other instructors. It wasn't only until she was assigned to Training Squad 207 under Instructor Jinguuji, that her favors started to turn down a notch.

She was grateful for it. To be severed from the support of the nobility meant everything to her. No longer was she a slave to their ludicrous system and their tyrannical abuse. She felt free…

But despite her new found freedom, a small part continued to linger back to that lineage. Her dear sister, whom she had not met since birth, still remained there. There were days when she would look upon the castle, thinking of her, wishing that she could be by her side like a true sister would. But duty and tradition changed their lives. It controlled their birth and their futures alike.

It was only until recently that the dream of their reunion came to past with the action of a certain boy.

It was after the events of the 12/5 incident that Meiya first came into close contact with her blood sister. She remembered that night that they spent together in the cabin of the ship. She remembered every second of it like a memory that was burned into her mind. The tears that they both shed melted away the barriers between them. The wounds that they both had healed instantly, their relationship, though far apart, had been rekindled with a single act of selfishness.

Meiya wished she could've had such courage. To be free to choose what she wanted. To be able to do things for her sake and not for the sake of others. Looking back on it now, she wished she could be just as selfish as her sister.

But the smile soon vanished from Meiya's face as she heard the door on the opposite end of the room open, revealing a slender figure which she deduced to be her interrogator.

"Good evening, 2nd Lt. Mitsurugi" He began with a casual remark. "Sorry for calling you all the way here after your recent release from the hospital. I hope it is not too inconvenient for you"

"Not at all" The woman answered not breaking her posture. She sat there as still as a doll, listening to every word that was spoken. "It is better that I give my statement now rather than to be a suspect later on"

"Spoken like a true soldier. Then I won't take much of your time. I'll skip the pleasantries and go right on about your teammate, Shirogane Takeru. Can you give us any information regarding this boy?"

The Samurai girl quietly folded her arms as she noted a pattern in her interrogator's voice. She dismissed it as nothing and quickly answered. "I'm afraid everything you need to know about him is already in his personal files. I do not know if I am able to aid you further than what that folder contains"

"Ah… yes. We have already run through his files and documents. But there's only so much these things can explain. We would like to know him on a more… personal level. According to our records, you have been the closest to know Lt. Shirogane. I'm certain that you would have a comment or two on his behavior" It was then the interrogator noted that Meiya's attitude had changed. She leaned back on her seat, gripped the sides of her arms and closed her eyes as if she was in deep meditation. "Uh… Lt. Mitsurugi?"

"Who are you?" She asked finally after a brief pause which somewhat caught her interrogator by surprise. He attempted to hide it but failed. "I asked you a question. Who are you?"

"Lieutenant. I… don't understand what you're—"

"Do you take me for a child?" She lashed at him, earning a frightened expression on the interrogator's end. "I have known your kind long enough to differentiate you from the rest of the crowd. Those that came before you were from the intelligence group but you… you're something else. That uniform you wear smells too clean and the patches does not match your station. If you plan to continue on playing this charade then I am insulted…"

There was a brief silence in the air before the interrogator finally let out a sigh signaling his lost. Quickly he removed the wig and the facemask which surprisingly revealed a woman behind it.

"Haaaa… I should've known this wasn't going to work. This is what I get when dealing with greenhorns. And I spent so much on the makeup too…" The disguise she brought with her would've fooled the naked eye. With a simple voice acting talent, a facemask, hair-band and wig to hide the appearance and extra large clothes to hide the gender… it almost looked as if she could pull off as an infiltrator.

"Y… you're…"

"Good day to you, Mitsurugi Meiya sama. I don't believe we've met so allow me to introduce myself. My name is Isumi Yayoi. I am the Acting-Chief of the Imperial Ministry of Information, Foreign Affair, Section 2. A pleasure to meet your acquaintance. Forgive my earlier deception. Security was a lot tighter than usual so I needed a disguise to enter. May I have a moment of your time?"

**(Takeru's POV)**

"Your wound… it's gone…"

My hand instantly slapped upon my cheek almost like I was trying to hide a hickey from my girlfriend. And just as stated, the wound she inflicted on me was indeed gone. Only a small pint of my blood that I smudged off with my hand indicated the damage that was done.

"So what I saw back then… wasn't my imaginations after all…"

"Haruko… this is…"

"Don't move!" She reached for her sidearm and was halfway to pulling it out before she stopped. "Who are you? What are you?"

"Haruko, wait. I can explain…"

"I said don't move!" She pulled out her gun but kept it relatively away from me. "If you can explain it then explain it from where you're standing!"

"Look. This isn't what it looks like. Despite what you just saw I'm still human!"

But my words didn't seem to have an effect on her. "A human doesn't just shrug 8 bullets to the chest and comes back from the dead! (…!) I saw it with my own eyes. Yesterday, when we were attacked…"

Flash!

Argh! Wha… wait a minute. 8 shots? No… I remember. Back when we first saw the General, we were attacked on both sides. I remember getting beaten down by a punch to the stomach and I was still recovering from the electrical trauma.

There was a soldier. I tried to grab him but he pulled out a gun from his coat and fired at me. And my arm…!

Flash

The scene played out like a sick video showing my death. Just remembering how my body was riddled with holes made me grab onto my chest as if it was trying to find those gunshot wounds. It was then I noted my right arm. The memory and trauma that I suffered came back must've blocked this memory out. But when I think clearly, the memories begin to playback before my very eyes.

I saw myself being shot at, my arm being sliced off by a large knife, and the pool of blood that I was sleeping in. Everything was coming back to me.

I remember this power helping me before in several occasions. I remember how my wounds would heal almost instantly when they were afflicted. They would occasionally be cuts and bruises but I never knew that its capabilities extend to this. To be able to grow lost limbs?

"Answer me! What are you? Who are you!?"

Haruko still had her hand on her weapon. I supposed this was to be the natural reaction. I'd probably be freaked out too if something as bizarre as that happened in front of me. The only people who know about this power are Yuuko, Kasumi, Sumika and myself. We kept it hidden until we could properly explain it to ourselves. But there was never any answer.

Tug!

Ugh! Damn it. My head. Not again…

"Shirogane?"

"Sorry…" I spoke as my visions blurred. "I'm just… feeling feint in remembering. But… you're right. My body… my arm… they… I… I died… didn't I?"

…!

My eyesight was wearing down but I didn't need to have perfect vision to see what kind of face she was making. Ugh… just recalling it made me woozy. It's like my brain was trying to recall every shot like a horrible experience. With the amount of blood I lost, I don't even think a Cat's nine lives are even gonna be enough to survive that.

But miraculously I did…

Kashiwagi kept a fixed distance between me. She didn't look like she was going to attack. I guess she's just being cautious. But there really wasn't anything to say. She definitely wasn't going to leave here without some kind of explanation. She thinks I have the answer to this phenomenon but really now… I know less than she did.

However right now… there wasn't any choice to pick. If I wanted her to stay by my side, I will have to be honest with her. After I recovered from the flashing images of my death, I spoke up.

"Sorry Kashiwagi, but I can't come up with an answer that would satisfy you" She flinched slightly at my words but kept her attention fully on me. "I can't explain to you what just happened—or how I came back from the dead but what you saw wasn't a lie. The things you saw were all real"

"Then you… you really are a… Dead Man?"

"That's one way to say it. Though I'd prefer not to be called that if it can be helped"

Seeing that I bore no hostile intention, she lowered her fighting stance and holstered her weapon. "Then does that mean you're… invincible?"

"I wouldn't know. It's not like I want to test it out"

"But I saw you die. I saw your arm grow back!"

"Yeah… that one was new. I didn't think this power would go that far" I flexed my newly grown arm as I recalled that part in my memory. To remember it being chopped off and then regenerated felt so surreal. "To be honest with you, I didn't know I had this ability until last year. (Last year?) Yeah… right after the 12/5 incident. I think… I think that was probably the first time that I actually remember dying. I won't lie. I might've died a few times even before that too"

"But how…?"

"I don't know. Like I said, I only realized that I had this power last year"

"And you expect me to believe that?"

"That's up to you to decide" I answered plainly. Haruko must've already taken into account that I can't die so pulling her sidearm again would be a wasted effort. She pondered for a moment, in deep thought, unable to make anything of the situation.

"Does… does the Captain know of this?"

"No" I shook my head in response. "Out of all the members of the squad, with the exception of Yuuko and Kasumi, you're the first to know about it"

"So… what are you?"

That's probably the million dollar question. What am I? Human? No. I'm beyond that. I'm a Causality Conductor. A living being born from the willpower of another person brought from an alternate dimension and forced to relive the same timeline for god knows how long.

I looked at my hands and stared at my reflection on the plate of my TSF. I had the appearance of a human being but beneath it was something much more.

"I'm… human…" I admitted to her. "Or at least I think I am. But no… I'm… something else"

"Something else?"

"There's no way I can explain it here. I don't even think I have the answers to begin with. But what I can say with honesty is that… I'm still me. I might not be human, but I'm certain that I still am, without a doubt, Shirogane Takeru, a member of the A-01 Special Task Force 9th Squadron, the Valkyries and a soldier of the United Nations. And this ability of mine will not change that no matter what"

…

After a brief pause between us, Haruko lowered her guard and sighed. "This really is a lot to take in. Even after what happened"

"That's normal" I explained to her, smiling. "I'd be more worried if you didn't react like you did. People have a tendency to fear what they don't understand. (…) But even so… I still need your help, Kashiwagi. (Eh?) What we're… no… what I'm about to do is suicidal in its own. Our rate of survival has never been lower. I know that I've kept this hidden from you and the team and worked behind your backs many times before. (…) But despite everything that has happened, I know for a fact that I can't do this all on my own. So for now… please… bear with me just a little bit longer, Haruko"

I extended my hand asking her help once more. Even though she had no reason to help me, even though I know that she had no reason to trust me, there's no one else here I can turn to. She was my only aid in this battle and I know that I won't be able to win this fight alone.

A quiet pause came between us. I felt the wind on my cheeks. And finally… after what felt like forever, she smiled.

"Idiot. You're asking me to help you after everything that I just did?"

"I already told you. I trust you… completely. And that's not going to change. Besides… you're not the first one to pull something like that on me"

Ayamine's face flashed through my mind. At first I didn't trust her. But now… after knowing her… I…

"I didn't really think about how this would go either" Kashiwagi explained as she reached my hand. "But after this is all over, I expect you to give me a proper explanation. Otherwise, I'll tell 1st Lt. Hayase to torture you without remorse. I'm sure she'll be keen on finding out how much punishment that immortal body of yours can take"

"Heh… yeah… that's a promise…"


	88. Flight of the Few

**Chapter 88: Flight of the Few**

**(January 25, 2002 Friday) (00:15 AM) (Matsuyama Expressway) (Shikoku Island)**

A flight of two F-15 Eagles with U.N. color codes hovered over the darkened sky that night, patrolling the crumbled roads of Shikoku Island. It was a small reconnaissance team maintaining an average altitude over the surface while quietly shining their search light on ground, hoping to catch a glimpse of something unusual. The two pilots of those TSFs expected the search to be empty but they came upon far more than they bargained for.

Amongst the ruined buildings below, they noted several immobilized military vehicles and nearly hundred of damaged Tactical Surface Fighters all buried under a thick sheet of snow. The leftovers of a military force were all the evidence of a great battle that was fought here. They could only imagine that some of these equipment were left abandoned and that the soldiers that piloted them were not buried somewhere among the cold.

"This is Recon Team 6" Said the helm of the flight to the operator on the other end. "We've finished sweeping the East end of the Matsuyama Expressway. No sign of the suspects… or anything at this point. We've spotted a few heat sources but they're mostly from derelict weapons scattered around the area"

"Understood Team 6. Team 2 has secured the crash site of the downed plane and is searching Tokushima City with Team 1 and 4. Increase your search radius around the road to 150km. Another division will be joining you"

"Roger that. We'll refuel back at the carrier and continue our search. ETA 5 minutes. Team 6, out"

"Captain. You sure about this?" The wingman questioned, seeing the futility in the search. "They really expect us to find someone in these conditions? This whole place is littered with old Imperial Army equipment and I can't tell heads or tail from my radar. It'll be impossible to conduct any kind of search in this weather too. Maybe we should call it quits for now and wait for this storm to blow over"

The flight lead simply laughed softly at his comment. "That's a tempting offer. A cup of hot coffee by the fireplace will be a good change of scenery. And our enemies probably know that we can't find them in this situation either. I'm not exactly comfortable going against the Ace from Yokohama Base either"

"Eh? Wait. The Ace? As in… the Legendary Rookie? Damn. If he's half as good as they say he is, what chance do the two of us have to go against him?"

"I don't like it anymore than you do. But… we have our orders. We'll do one last sweep of the area before we head back but this time, maximize your broad sensor's output"

"Roger" The wingman followed his instructions but like before, his radar was buzzing like a TV with a terrible reception. "Ugh, this is a waste of time. Those fugitives could be long gone by now. We'll have a better chance finding a needle in a haystack"

"That's easy. Just get a really big magnet" The captain humored to himself only to note that his wingman didn't understand the joke. "Forget it. You probably don't—(Beep…) Huh?"

"What is it sir?"

"Shhh! Quiet. I thought my sensors picked something up" The captain checked again to hear the beeping noise but his instruments were all quiet. It almost felt like an animal had made an error of being caught and quickly returned to its burrow. "Over there, by the rubble. Do you see anything?"

The wingman quickly directed his searchlight in the general area and noted a large number of TSFs clumped together in a mess. He clicked the scans and came upon the answer. There was one TSF with its cockpit open and from the looks of it, there was still some hint of power left inside.

"It seems to be distressed beacon" He assumed to his commander. "Looks like the pilot left it on while he was rescued. I don't see anyone. No life signs… no other heat sources either. (You sure?) Positive. Seems like this thing is running on backup power. It's a miracle how it lasted this long"

"Alright get back here. We'll land aboard the Osumi and refuel before we begin another search. Most of these things will probably be picked by the **Nomads** by that time though. Let's move out"

And after their search was done, the two Eagles departed at maximum speed, leaving a trail of snow behind them, not knowing how close they were to finding their mark.

**(Takeru's POV)**

Phew… looks like they're gone. That was a close one. Burying ourselves under the snow seemed like a good idea but I doubt that'll work the next time. We have to be more careful if we don't want to get caught in the crossfire.

"Alright, it's all clear. You can come out now" I quickly signaled Kashiwagi's unit that was buried next to me. The chassis of her unit was different from the rest of the units here so she would've stuck out like a sore thumb.

"It doesn't look like they've noticed us either. If we move now, we might slip pass them without being noticed"

"Yeah… but that's the fourth patrol we encountered on the road. They'll probably bring more of their friends the next time they come through. How's your unit holding?"

"The controls are stiff but nothing I can't handle. It's the language option that needs changing. I should be able to keep up with you. The pack mules are also fine. Though we have worry about fuel"

"Yeah. That's another thing" I quickly brought up the map showing waypoints leading to our destination. Lt. Piatif was kind enough to mark locations on the map of the places that we'll most likely find the supplies we need to continue on our journey. "The supply base that Piatif marked on the map is just a few kilometers from here. Searching that place will be hard if the patrols are this close"

"But we're not even sure if there's anything there worth searching. We already searched 3 other bases and they were striped clean"

She's right. We already pass three other depots since we left Tokushima City. The Imperial Army left little to be salvaged here, especially fuel. We scavenged what we could find but there didn't seem to be much we could use. The next one could be the same as the others and we would just be wasting our time. But still… without extra fuel, there's no way we can make it to Fukuoka.

"We have to try either way" I said finally after rattling the thought in my head. "Without fuel, we won't make it very far. If we can't find any in the next 2 places we stop by, we'll try siphoning them off some of the TSFs scattered around"

"Alright. I'll follow you on that. Let me get our pack mules ready. Give me a minute to restart them"

"Ok. I'll call up the others. Lt. Piatif, are you there?"

Our operator's face appeared on my headset. "This is Piatif. Status, nominal. All four of us are contained"

"Great. We'll be moving out soon. How's Kasumi and?"

"She's fine" The Lieutenant smiled my worries off. "A little wobbly but she's resting now. I had her take a motion sickness pill just in case so there shouldn't be any negative effects. What's our current position?"

"We're a little off ways from the old Matsuyama Expressway nearing Shikokuchuo. We just passed Awa, Mima and Miyoshi and encountered a few scouting parties all with U.N. markings. I was hoping you could plot a course using the off-road instead. That way we'll have less chance meeting up with them"

"Hmm… I'm afraid that might be difficult. There aren't a lot of off-road landmarks that'll make a good waypoint and the mountains around means we'll have to travel at a higher altitude meaning that we'll be wasting more of our fuel starting and stopping"

"I know. But we can't afford to be spotted either. You think there's an alternate route we can take other than the main expressway?"

"I will… try to revise our path. Please give me a moment"

"Thanks Lt. Piatif. Oh and… how are the other two?"

"Still asleep. The Cerberus pilot has shown signs of waking but I think she's still too weak to become a threat. The other girl however appears to be a deep coma. I'll keep you posted on their activities. Out"

We lifted off the moment Kashiwagi got our pack-mules in. The road was jagged and wrecked like all the towns and cities we passed by. There were abandoned trucks and TSFs that littered literally everywhere. It reminded me a lot of the ruins outside of Yokohama Base. But this time, you could feel the hope and disparity of those abandoned equipment.

Each one of these machines, both vehicles and TSF were all facing in the same direction, towards the northern sea. I can only imagine that the soldiers who were all withdrawing from the G-Bombs that dropped here were trying to catch a boat or some manner of transportation to get out of this snowy hell. They were all desperately trying to reach the port in any way they could and when their vehicles died out, they ditched where it died and continued on foot. The trails that those soldiers left behind had already been buried deep from the snow, but a feint trace could still be felt here.

I think I understand what was going on through their minds when they were making their way to the port. I can relate to it to our defeat at Yokohama Base in my last loop where… many of us died…

Hayase… Suzumiya… and everyone there…

Ah… this is no time to be having a relapse of my failures. We're beyond that now. I have to focus on the present if I want to keep my head in the game.

"Takeru?" Hmm? Kashiwagi? "Are you alright? You're slowing down"

"Ah sorry. I was trying to conserve fuel using efficient speed"

"Alright. We'll be coming up on the next depot in 2 minutes. The air here doesn't seem to be polluted but we shouldn't take any chances. Have your respirator handy just in case"

"Roger. We'll touchdown on that empty parking lot over there. Let's make a quick search and find anything we can use. Meet you on the ground. (Understood…)"

…

…

…

We parked our TSFs near the old Imperial Base and got out in a moment's notice. This is the fourth supply base we came across. Out of the three, the only thing we've only been able to salvage were unused weapons that were left behind. We couldn't carry them all so we took only those that were necessary. A few blades for me and a few magazines for our long ranged weapons. We even found a set of LRMs that was left behind by another team.

But weapons can only go so far. Without fuel or energy supply, those things will be nothing more but deadweight.

The base we came across looked like another standard refueling station for TSFs. It wasn't that well defended. It was sizable with only a barbed fence surrounding it. There was a checkpoint on each side of the base connecting to the road, a guardhouse barracks and a warehouse where we hope to find some of that fuel that we hope they left behind.

"Takeru…" I turned around and saw Kashiwagi approaching me with her air-filter on. "You ready?"

"Yeah. Let's make this quick while the lights are still out. We only have a few hours till the sun comes up and I want to be as far away as possible from any more patrols"

"Right. I'll follow you"

…

…

…

We entered through the front checkpoint of the base, slowly making our way towards the warehouse. The place was empty with absolutely no one manning any of the stations here.

There was an APC of some sort parked at the front of the depot. I think I've seen it before but I can't pin the name.

"Bradley APC. An American made vehicle" Haruko voiced an answer on my unasked question. "One of the most reliable infantry transport carriers since the Cold War. It shouldn't be a surprise to see one of these in various places. The U.N. uses them too for mechanized infantry"

"You know them?"

"I drove one before when I was still a cadet" She explained chuckling under her mask. "Instructor Jinguuji taught us how to operate one just in case. Though of course… we never fired the main gun before. You should've seen how disappointed Akane was when she realized we can't fire the turret. Did you pilot one?"

"I think I skipped that lesson" I laughed. Though it would've been really fun to fire the main gun just for fun.

We quickly went around the vehicle but came to an immediate stop when we got to the back of the APC.

There was a trail of blood on the back ramp of the vehicle, a long flat trail that seems to indicate that someone was dragging something or someone. And unsurprisingly, that trail seemed to lead to the door of the warehouse.

Kashiwagi and I traded looks and we both knew that something bad happened here. We quickly took out our side-arms and slowly approached the door.

I tapped the doorknob a few times and noted that it was locked from the inside and we didn't have the time find the keys. So in synch, Haruko shot the knob and I kicked it in.

My breathing hastened as well as my heartbeat. The trail of blood continued inward through the hall twisting and turning through several rooms before finally stopping at the main wing of the warehouse.

…!

Oh come on! God damn it! Not again!

"Blast it all! It's empty!" My yell echoed within the giant open room leaving a bitter taste in my mouth. The warehouse we came across was empty to every corner. Not a single crate of any useful item or a single tank of jet-fuel that made this tripe worthwhile. Another wasted effort.

I really wanted to yell but I'm even too depressed to do that. I was just hoping… for something to go right just once. After all the crap Kashiwagi, Kasumi, Piatif and I have gone through I just wished we have at least some slim chance of help. But I guess life isn't that kind, especially in this universe.

The emptiness of this warehouse almost reflects the void in my spirit. If this keeps up, our little resistance operations will probably end before it has a chance to begin.

"Takeru…" Kashiwagi called out to my attention. She gestured her head, directing her flashlight on the other end of the warehouse. I turned my side arm to that area and noted the trail of blood we were following earlier. The red ink sunk into the tip of my toes. The hardened liquid felt like mud from the swamp of the southern island where we had our Comprehensive Combat Skill Evaluation. It was thick and probably damn hard to remove too.

But my train of random thoughts came to an immediate stop when we discovered the owner of the blood trail.

…

Our hearts sank and my mood went from angry to just plain sad. Even with this mask on I still felt like I want to pinch my nose. We averted our eyes for a moment before finding the stomach to look back at it again.

Sitting there, alone, buried under a thin coat of snow was a dead soldier with his guts spilling out of his stomach. Upon distanced inspection it seems like something tore through his three layered jacket and ripped his ribcage wide open. Judging from the view of his wound it seemed like someone was trying to stitch the wound but stopped midway.

What was this soldier doing here in this warehouse? Was he brought here or did he drag his wounded body in here and tried to patch himself up?

"Is… is he…?"

I tapped the soldier's head to find a response… but not surprising, I discovered none. From the looks of things… this soldier has been dead for a long time now. As I kneeled closer to him, I noted a gunshot wound on his head. There was also a shell casing a few centimeters from him. I can formulate a few different scenarios for this scene and regardless of what I choose, I can't find it in my heart to hear how the story ends.

"No pulse" I confirmed it to Haruko who sighed solely to herself. "Seems like he's been dead for weeks. Looks like someone tried to help him but… I guess it was too late. He appeared to have been shot too…"

"Did he… kill himself?"

"Or someone put him out of his misery" I added before standing back up. There was no indication of another soldier here either so this guy must've died alone in the cold. "Either way, there's no point in making any kind of assumptions. Let's head back and move on to the next base. Hopefully our fuel outtake will be able to handle the journey to Shikokuchuo. We'll figure out things from there on. (…) Hey, Kashiwagi?"

"Yeah… sorry. We should… we should probably leave…"

**(Marimo's POV) (Temporary barracks of Squad A-01 Special Task Force)**

My body slumped to a hunchback when I was released from interrogation. Anyone would be exhausted with 5 hours of questioning. I'm starting to understand why students tend to fall asleep in class. The sheer boredom of random answers and questions really can tax your mental capabilities.

By the time I arrived at our new temporary quarters, I noticed several familiar faces already waiting inside.

"Ah, 1st Lt. Jinguuji" Kazama Touko was the first to greet me. "Welcome back. How are you feeling?"

"Ah… not too bad. After interrogation, I feel rather hungry" I answered honestly, gesturing to my stomach. "Am I the last person back?"

"No. 2nd Lt. Mitsurugi hasn't returned yet. Everyone else seemed to be finished though. As you can see. Only Lieutenant Suzumiya and I are here. Akane, Yoroi and Tamase have gone to sleep. Captain Isumi came to check up on us earlier but was recalled to the briefing room" The briefing room? Does that mean we'll be deployed again in this state? "1st Lt. Hayase went with her. Misae san left to get some food from the PX. Sakaki and Ayamine san went for independent training. I'm sure they're fine"

"I see…" I breathed a small sigh of relief knowing all of my comrades are still kicking. "That's good. I'm glad to see you all made it safely"

"Would you like some tea? Haruka and I would enjoy your company—or… perhaps you'd retire for tonight?"

I scanned the room that we were given and quickly recognize that this was once the old storage place. A couple of futons were laid out to make up for our beds, a few makeshift pillows were given and unsurprisingly someone had the foresight to use some of the empty boxes to make an improvised table. This kind of accommodation would probably be considered meager but if you look at the state of our base now, a soldier would probably call this a 4 star motel. And it's not like we can use our old barracks either. After the explosion, the investigation division quarantined it off as a crime scene.

I'm certain that hundreds of other soldiers will be sleeping under the snow tonight. Simply having a roof over your head is probably a god-sent already.

"Actually… some tea would be nice" I graciously accepted 2nd Lt. Kazama's offer and joined Suzumiya on our makeshift table. The sweet aroma of Oolong tea was enough to make me forget the long trial of the interrogation. It was probably the first time I felt so relaxed since the attack.

"Here, Jinguuji san" Suzumiya graciously poured me a cup and its contents warmed my soul. Despite her being restricted to a wheelchair, she never fails to do her best. "I'm sorry if there's nothing for us to eat. Ah… but I'm sure 1st Lt. Munakata should return soon with something for us"

"It's fine. I can handle a little bit of hunger now and then" I waved it off before taking another sip from my cup. There was a brief pause between us. An echo of silence. I'm not surprised. After what happened today… it seems like all the lightheartedness we had over the last few weeks just… blew away. If it wasn't for the attack, we'd probably be in our rooms huddling over our private heaters warming ourselves over a hot cup of coffee.

I remember having a rather pleasant conversation with Suzumiya san right before things went south. It felt like it happened years ago. Ah… man… where did our peaceful yesterday go?

"Oh right. One of the Commanding Officers dropped by earlier" Touko announced as if trying to find a start in our conversation. "No soldier or officer is allowed to leave the base on strict notice until the case has been solved. We have been given freedom to walk around the main complex, we can't go to our hanger or the left wing of the compound"

That must be their little warning. They don't want pilots going near their TSFs and the left wing is where the armory was located. It seems like they don't have any evidence to convict us of crime but that doesn't mean they'll allow us to arm ourselves. They didn't even bother to return our side arms for protection.

"So they released us?" I asked for confirmation to which they both nodded. "That's good. At least we won't have to worry about repercussions. How are the other girls?"

"Most of us went to sleep the moment we came here. I guess all the questions must've tired them out" Touko gestured to Yoroi and Tamase who were sharing a futon together. I guess two best friends sharing their warmth must be nice.

"Has there been any word to what really happened here?" I inquired to which Touko answered.

"They're still counting the bodies. The death toll reaches to almost a thousand and more than two-thousand wounded. It's been confirmed that the attack was instigated by the same terrorist group that struck Yukon base last year in Alaska"

The RLF…

It was already obvious by the time Suzumiya and I took out the sniper at the front gate that day. Their methods were so similar they could probably say it was copied and pasted in the same event. The U.N. Armed Force High Command must be pulling their hairs out by this humiliation. To be struck by the same terrorist group on the same incident in the same event must've made them look bad in public. I'm betting they're not gonna let this one slip without some kind of retaliation. They'll probably want revenge and they'll do whatever they can to get their pride back.

"This is horrible…" I muttered plainly to no one in particular. "To think that a simple terrorist group could do so much damage. Do we know what their objectives were?"

"Intelligence believes that they were trying to reach the G-Element storage facility at the vault" Suzumiya answered. "A large detachment of their forces were concentrated there but fortunately enough they were intercepted by the guards before they could do any permanent damage. I don't really know the details but that appears to be their prime motive"

It seems like that's all the information I'll be getting. I doubt we'll be able to find more in our current position.

"Oh and that reminds me" Touko directed my attention. "The Captain sent the remains of Kashiwagi back to Yokohama Base. She will be given full honors and a proper funeral when we return"

I see. So it really has been confirmed that 2nd Lt. Kashiwagi was killed in action. I hoped that it was just false rumor but I suppose there was no helping it. Casualties are expected especially in that fight. But I can't find it in my heart to believe that Shirogane would be the cause of her death.

It was difficult finding a topic to talk about after that. We were all awkwardly concealing our insecurity but it seems obvious that we were just trying to break the ice that has been hardened over the course of the attack. Losing someone from such a manner seemed… wasteful even for me.

I knew 2nd Lt. Kashiwagi when she was still a cadet. In fact, I was the one who trained her. She was an exemplary soldier, motivated, determined and skillful. She also had a great knack of keeping those under her in line. In my opinion she would've made a brilliant squad leader but Akane held that position from her.

The Captain would've filed in a condolence letter to her family by now. I hope they would at least return the body for a proper burial.

"Uhmm… onee-chan…" We all turned to the younger Suzumiya who was mumbling in her sleep. She was twisting and twirling in her bed like she was trying to reach out for an extra pillow.

1st Lt. Suzumiya sighed and quickly dismissed herself. "I'm sorry, but Akane chan has a hard time sleeping after a serious fight. She usually has nightmares if I'm not around"

"Don't mind us" I waved it off. After a quick bow, the wheeled girl returned to her sister's side, comforting her by holding her hand.

Touko noted this and decided that it was best to leave the conversation short. There would be a better time for us to meet. "We should get some rest too. I have no doubt that this craziness will not end till morning"

"You get some rest" I urged her. "I would like to grab something to eat first. I'm sure there's something at the PX for us to eat"

…

…

…

I left the room soon after. By the time the door closed behind me, I let out a long and exhausting sigh. Everyone seems to be doing well on their own but you can tell that these girls have a lot of questions that they need answering. The Captain will probably have a field day when she gets back. I'm worried she might know less than we do.

Huaaa… I do not envy her at all.

Anyway… I should probably get to the PX. Hopefully they would leave the leftover table open for us latecomers.

"Mushi mushi mushu…"

Hmm? That boy over there. What's he doing leaning out of the corner? He looks a bit young to be a soldier, but then again, most of my squad consists of nothing but teenagers. Still… he doesn't look like he belongs here.

"Nin nin nin nin"

Nin? What's that supposed to be? A ninja lingo or something? If he was trying to sneak in, he's doing a terrible job in doing so.

"Yosh… the coast is clear…"

"Hey! You there! What are you doing!?" I yelled out, startling him.

Quickly his face distorted with an alarm. "Ah! Crap! I've been discovered!" That sets it. This guy is definitely suspicious.

"Raise your hands where I can see them!"

"You'll have to catch me first!" And like a startled animal, he bolted off into the wind. But he didn't get very far when he stepped on a leaf rake which swung up, smacking the wooden end on his face. "Gohhh!" He stumbled backward and hit his head on a cleaning tool cabinet which all of its contents fell on him. "Bwahhh!" He tried to get back up but his feet suddenly slipped on a towel making him lose his balance and fall right into the cleaning cabinet he emptied out. And to add more injury to his pride, the cabinet fell on top of the mop bucket rolling him to my feet.

…

…

…

"He~~~~~lp…" And when you think he couldn't drop any further from his shame, he pleaded for aid. I don't really know what to make of it. A supposed spy handed himself to me on a silver platter. If that locker had a ribbon stuck on top, I would've called it the weirdest Christmas present I ever had. Heck… I actually felt sorry for the guy inside and I actually thought that calling for security would make this poor spy feel even more miserable.

"Who… are you?" I asked, feeling a bit ridiculous talking with the janitor's locker. "What are you doing here? Who sent you? You have ten seconds to respond before I hand you to the authorities"

"No! Don't hand me to security, please! I… I can totally explain my reason for being here. (Oh?) Yes. Just please don't rat me out. I'll be in big trouble if they catch me"

I don't think you can be in anymore trouble that what you're in now. "So? Who are you? What are you doing here?"

"Umm… I'd love to tell you but first can you pull me out of here? My uh… hehehe… my arms are kinda stuck together and I can't push the grate"

Is this guy an idiot? "Do you take me for a fool? Why would I help you? The most logical thing for me to do is to turn you in for sneaking into restricted areas. We don't take kindly to spies"

"Wait wait wait!" He pleaded again in a desperate tone. "I'm not a spy, really! I was just here to see someone. Please believe me"

Well… it's not like I can prove this guy was a spy anyway. Besides—after watching that miraculous and clumsy stunt he pulled off, I highly doubt this guy has the ability or dexterity to even be a 3rd rate agent.

Reluctantly I pulled the lid off the locker and stepped away while the boy inside pulled himself out. He wasn't tall and he was definitely younger than all of my squad mates. He had this messy chestnut hair with matching colored eyes, a lean figure and a small stature that made him look petite. I'd say he's not much older than the youngest cadets.

But what caught my attention the most was the uniform he was wearing. I recognized it the moment I got a closer look. It was an Imperial Army Eishi uniform. The patches on his should indicate that he was a 2nd Lieutenant.

"You're… from the Imperial Army?" I inquired oddly about this boy's placement as he wipes the dust from his outfit.

"Ah… I guess I can't hide that. Ahehehehe" He gave a weak laugh as if trying to pass this whole mess as a joke.

"Well? I'm still waiting for an explanation. Depending on your answer, I may have to turn you in to the security. I only released you because you said that you had a reason for being here. (Ah… y… yeah) What's your name?"

"Ah… Hibiki… I mean, 2nd Lt. Tatsunami Hibiki, ma'am" He saluted sharply to disguise his previous offense. "I'm from the Imperial Army Fuji Tactical Training Group, 3rd Battalion"

The Fuji Training unit? That's right. The Imperial Army was not totally disbanded. They decided to pull some reserves to make up some sort of military strength to show the citizens that the Japanese Army still had some fighting strength left. They lost many of their veterans back in Shikoku and the lost of their headquarters in Tokyo drained them of their strength. If he's in the Fuji Training Group then that means he's a commissioned officer in training.

"What's an Eishi from the Imperial Army doing in a U.N. main complex without an escort especially during a crisis? (Ahehehe…) Well?"

"Awawa! Well… I was just… passing by and I well… I kinda heard from… one of the guards saying that well… the… the A-01 Special Task Force was stationed here"

The A-01? "You were looking for us?" I demanded.

"Ah… well… not the squad particularly. You see. I um… I wanted to see if Shirogane sempai—ah I mean, 1st Lt. Shirogane was around… ahehe"

"Shirogane?" My head recoiled as I slapped my mouth shut from shouting his name too loudly. I looked around to see if anyone was around to hear but fortunately we were alone. My tension died out before I inquired any further. "Why do you wish to see him? What's your relation with 1st Lt. Shirogane?"

"Well, I'm kinda sorta his… apprentice…?"

"Apprentice!?" Is he for real?

"Yes ma'am! Shirogane sem—I mean 1st Lt. Shirogane san has been teaching me his piloting techniques. I have been studying under him since we made a promise between men! (…) So I was hoping to see if he was around and maybe I could ask for some more tips?"

All I could do was stare blankly at the boy's almost-too-honest statement. I felt like I was really talking to a greenhorn. Of all the things he could've been he had to be an obsessive fan stalking one of my soldiers. I'm actually considering sending this boy to the authorities but it doesn't seem like he had any hostile intentions.

That innocent grin and that spirited personality of his made me almost wish he was a spy in disguise. But I never heard of Shirogane ever having an apprentice or someone as close as this guy. It seems like there's more to that boy than we know. Still… there's nothing suspicious about the boy in front of me.

"Umm… 1st Lieutenant?" Hibiki looked at me with puppy-dog eyes.

"Sorry. But 1st Lt. Shirogane is not here at the moment" I reassured him. "He's already out for… another assignment. You won't find him anywhere in the base"

"I… I see…" He let out a disheartened groan which didn't last long before he perked back up. "Well that's Shirogane sempai for you. Even after a big attack he gets right back on his feet and back into the fight again. I expected nothing less from my Master"

Either this kid was as dumb as he runs or he's just an optimistic ball of energy. Either way, he was harmless.

"Well since you no longer have any business here, I guess you should go now" I urged him. "I won't report you to the security, but if I catch you here again, I won't hesitate to throw you in the brig myself"

The boy saluted sharply as he recoiled back from my threat. "Y… yes ma'am! You won't regret this. Thank you very much! I hope to see you again!" Whoa wait. Watch out for that…

Clang!

"Bwahh!"

…cabinet…

**(Takeru's POV)(Matsuyama Expressway near Shikokuchuo) (03:10 AM)**

It was quiet…

After we left the supply depot empty handed, I urged our team to proceed through the usual route following the old expressway. We didn't encounter any other patrol from there on.

Piatif suggested that we may have gone over our enemy's search radius since they're probably focusing their attention around Tokushima. Obviously they wouldn't know that we were heading westward towards an old military base which we will use as our staging ground for further operations. I can only hope that our luck holds out just long enough for us to find supplies because we won't last long with what we have. And if we run out of fuel before we reach the peninsula, this mission will be scrapped.

But still… the airwaves are deathly quiet. Kashiwagi hasn't spoken much since we saw that abandoned soldier in the warehouse. I think it may have affected her and I can relate.

To be left behind in the snow, forgotten like that. I wouldn't wish that fate on anyone. I can only hope someone did out him out of his misery and he didn't perform a suicide kill for himself.

…

Maybe I should try calling her. A little chat wouldn't hurt and it would certainly take her mind off that corpse.

"Kashiwagi. Do you read me? (…)" Hmm? Odd. She's not picking up. "Kashiwagi. This is Shirogane. Please answer"

…

…

Is her radio dead or something?

"Haruko? Are you there? (Beep) Oh…" There we go. She finally picked up. Geez, don't scare me like that. "How's everything on your end? Anything out of the ordinary?"

"No… nothing…"

"Really? My radar is messed up. I'm getting a lot of interference here. Keep a lookout on your monitors and switch them to thermal. It's the perfect vision for snowy fields like this. (Yeah…) You know. I've never seen Shikoku Island so close before. I've always been stuck on the mainland and never thought about visiting. I hear they used to hold this festival called Doi Taiko about two or three days a year. They use these huge drums and make all kinds of noise that goes all over the countryside. Of course… I never saw it myself. I just… hear thing about it…"

"…yeah…"

"Oi, are you really alright? At least answer me properly. (…) Hey… Haruko…" Ugh… maybe it would've been better if I just didn't talk. Now her silence makes this conversation even more awkward than before. "So uh… yeah. I'll just… sign off for now. If you need anything just… (Hey… Takeru…) Huh?" She spoke!

"Remember what you said about me before? About me being Squad Leader material? (…?) I think you may have been wrong about that" Huh? What's she mumbling on about? "I don't think I'm qualified to be a leader. Leaders are supposed to be calm and composed. They're supposed to think on the battlefield. They can't even let the biggest thing bother them… (…) I can't be like that. I can't be like Captain Isumi at all…"

"What are you talking about?"

"You saw how I reacted. I don't think I'm really cut out to lead my own unit. I may have some good ideas in my head but if I were on the field I think I would freeze up and panic"

"Hey, it wasn't that bad. I think anyone who saw something as sad as a soldier being left behind would have the same reaction"

"You know that's not true" She urged out. I tried to debate but it seems like I wouldn't make a solid case with her. "Even before that, back in… Kyoto. When I thought that my brother… died out there I was… I was really out of it. I kept thinking about him being out there somewhere… alone and buried under a ton of snow. And inside the Carrier Class…"

"I thought we promised never to bring this up anymore. (…) I told you already. I don't worry about that at all. Besides, you weren't thinking straight. You were in an emotional state. (But…) No buts. I'm not having this conversation again. What's done is done. I don't blame you for what you tried to do back then. I already forgave you. Isn't that enough already?"

"Y… yeah…" She sounds unconvinced. "I guess you're right. I shouldn't dwindle on the past"

"And I'm not wrong, Haruko. (…?) You're definitely Commander Material. Even if you don't see if, I do. You have good instinct and good judgment on the field. You probably haven't noticed it because you've been taking orders from everyone these last few weeks. (…) Remember back when we fought the Infinities? Right when Hayase was taken out you kept your head in the game and brought me to my senses. You have that kind of charisma that reminds me a lot of the Captain. Me… I'm just a pilot. I usually let people tell me what to do"

"Heh… you're just trying to compare me with you"

I laughed. "I'm telling the truth. I'd make a terrible commander. I can't spout orders and fight at the same time like Hayase or Munakata but I can definitely kick more butts than those two combined"

"Ahahaha… Hayase would cream you if she heard you say that"

"Hey, she's not here right now so I can say as much as I want. At least this time I can talk about her without looking over my shoulder every second. Honestly, I think she has the ears of a wolf. The moment I step into the PX, her eyes are already on me"

"A wolf huh?" Haruko smirked. "I guess she just wants a taste of the Alpha Male"

"If that was the case, I'd probably leave that position to another poor runt and devote myself as a Eunuch"

…

Pfft…

And just like that, we both burst out laughing on the radio. It felt relieving for some reason. It felt like forever since I last laughed so hard. All the fighting and running made me forget. All the simple, everyday things that we used to do, can bring so much happiness.

Alert!

Beep beep!

Whoa! What the hell!? Suddenly an alarm went off in my systems.

"Haruko! What… what's going on!?"

"I… I don't know. Give me a moment" Damn it. Were we discovered by a patrol? There shouldn't be anyone out here! I readied my weapons on instinct and scanned my surroundings. The thermal scans aren't picking any heat signatures in my immediate area. But if… that's the case then maybe our enemies could be using stealth tech. But… that's not possible.

"This is Piatif. What happened?"

"Hold on Elena san. There's something wrong. Strap yourselves in. I'll call you again once I've gotten hand of the situation. Haruko, settle the two units now!"

"I'm on it!"

"I'm readying my weapon payload just in case. (Bzzt!) Damn. My radar isn't working and there's too much interference on my monitors. I'm switching to manual firing control. Cover my back. We'll set up a defensive perimeter on the nearby hill and—(Wait!)"

"I found the problem" The problem? "My left engine just died and my secondary engine is just about reaching its end too. (Huh?) Sorry. I wasn't paying attention to my fuel gauge. I'm… out of gas" Are you kidding me!? All that alarm for engine failure? This has got to be nuts.

"Damn it. Already? Alright. Let's set down and I'll have a look"

…

…

…

I ran my scanners the moment we made an emergency landing. The ground we were on was fortunately stable and there was no sign of collapse from the mountain-pass. And just like Kashiwagi said, she really was out of gas. Both of her engines run on the same fuel tank but if she uses one side more than the other from the auto-correcting system, it's common for one line of the tank to empty first. I can only guess that her other engine would last another 2 minutes before suffering the same fate.

"How does it look?" I asked for a secondary confirmation.

Kashiwagi reappeared on my headset and shook her face in reply. "No good. I'm completely empty. Sorry I didn't notice it earlier. I'm still adjusting to the new controls. The Russian language on my screen isn't exactly helping either. But other than that, all systems are green. We have plenty of power and oxygen to boot"

"That's good. We're already near Shikokuchuo. According to the markers, this is where the Imperial Navy patrol ships dock to resupply. It's also close by to where the G-Bombs were dropped so expect your radar and other instruments to go haywire when we get close. (Roger that) We'll walk the rest of the way from here. Our TSFs doesn't consume fuel when walking and since we're close to the city already, we may as well conserve what we have left"

"Yeah. Understood. I'm right behind you"

I'd better give the all clear to Piatif. Don't want her worrying over us. "This is 1st Lt. Shirogane to 1st Lt. Piatif. Do you copy?"

"I copy. Are we under attack?"

"No. False alarm. One of our units ran out of fuel. We're gonna leg it from here on so expect some bumps on the travel. We'll have the pack mules set down once we reach the first base. Have your respirator ready just in case the area is toxic. I'll notify you when we get there. (Roger)"

Ugh… damn it. I got worked up for nothing. I guess people getting annoyed to false alarms are true after all. My palms are already sweating just by thinking about it. But hopefully that won't happen again.

We walked the rest of the way with our TSFs. It took a lot longer than expected seeing as how our giant feet kept sinking into the snow. This is a bad sign on its own. If we don't find fuel fast… then we'd be stuck with more problems than we could deal with. Firstly, without fuel, our traveling time will lengthen considerably and that alone is a given. But without fuel, there's a good chance our TSFs will stall with this weather. Just like cars, if you leave them out in the cold for too long, the engines will die from the excessive cold and then the other systems will follow.

I can only imagine the same thing happened to some of the TSFs that lay scattered across the field. Their engines must've given up and their power supply drained to the last drop.

We need to find fuel if we want to stand any chance of surviving.

…

**(Shikokuchuo City ruins) (04:50 AM)**

We arrived at the military base of Shikokuchuo about an hour later. From the looks of things, the Imperial Army leveled half the city to accommodate their military infrastructures. They made the old Mishima Medical Center as their headquarters and used the long road stretch on Iyoshima as their runway. The base was definitely larger than all the other depots we've passed through so there are bound to be something that they left behind. With the limited manpower they had used to evacuate soldiers, they probably couldn't have brought everything with them.

I can only hope that they have some fuel in here.

Beep beep beep!

Hmm? Oh crud. That's not good.

"Haruko, stop" I ordered which she quickly followed.

"What's the matter?"

"The air around the base. It's toxic" My scanners are reading heavy metal cloud particles still floating just above the buildings. Not just that, but I'm also detecting slight increase of radiation coming from the base itself. If I remember correctly from what Marimo taught me, long term exposure to such poisonous environment could cause stochastic health effects which are obviously dangerous to one's body. Nausea, fatigue and vomiting will be one of the few symptoms we have to be careful about.

"Hmm… you're right. I'm seeing it on my scanners too" Kashiwagi noted in agreement. "What should we do? Should we skip it?"

"We won't be able to outrun the patrols if we keep traveling on foot. We need fuel if want to keep our distance between them. Besides, if that place is indeed toxic, there's a good chance that the soldiers wouldn't have the time or resources to gather everything together. This might be a good thing for us. We'll have to leave the pack mules here. Use one of those hangers as a shelter"

"Roger that, give me a few minutes to settle both of them in"

We'd better hurry it up too. It's almost 5 o'clock. The sun will be coming up soon and with that, our stealth capabilities will decrease dramatically. Though there might not be literally a sun rising from the east because of all this cloud, it would make hiding a whole lot harder when it's brighter. If we can get to that Peninsula by tonight we'll be able to slip under the radar for at least awhile.

"This is Piatif. Shirogane san. Can you hear me?"

"This is Takeru. Yeah, I can hear you. We've made it to Shikokuchuo. However the supply base appears to be deep within a toxic zone. It's probably caused by the various depleted uranium rounds and heavy metal cloud mixed in the area. Kashiwagi and I will proceed with our TSFs. Our fortified suits should be able to deal with any moderate poison environment. It's dangerous but there's a good chance that we might find what we need there"

"That sounds logical" She agreed. "I'll hang back with Kasumi and keep an eye out for any opposition. But be careful. We only have a few hours before the sun comes back up"

"Roger that. Come on Haruko. Let's go find us some gas"

**(Fukuoka) (RLF Captured Headquarters)**

Jacob, the RLF commander entered the control room of the U.N. Base with his head held high that morning. He observed closely as his militia force dragged off the bodies from the seats and then dumping them all into one of the storage rooms to decompose. He can finally say that the capture of the Fukuoka Base was a complete success and with the prime hostages safely within their grasp, the U.N. were powerless to do anything but commence a staring competition with their captured TSFs and mechanized weapons.

Jacob was impressed with his work and even more so with the Master's plan. It went so well that it felt like they just walked into the place and asked that they were taking over. The guards here barely even put up a fight when the knockout gas sunk in.

"Commander Jacob, sir" One of the younger RLF volunteers saluted. "We've completed in hacking into the U.N. control logs. We have complete control of the base's primary and secondary functions"

"Excellent work. Tell all soldiers that they have contributed greatly to our cause today and that the world has finally heard our message. The sacrifices have been plenty but at long last, the tyranny of those in power will finally end and they will have no choice but to meet us on the battlefield. (Yes sir!) Go. Tell the soldiers to prep themselves. The final battle will soon be upon us and the tyrants will undoubtedly bring all their resources to crush the voice of freedom"

The young militia saluted with his chest beaming proudly. "Yes sir! We will make you proud sir!"

"Good. Now leave me. I need to finalize the plan with Master. (Yes sir!)" The young man quickly signaled the other troops to leave the area. Once Jacob was certain that all the RLF soldiers were gone, he quickly switched the monitor on, which displayed Master's face showing a rather satisfied grin. "Master. You summoned me?"

"Ah Jacob. It's good to see you well" Master opened with a pleasing tone. The two soldiers that accompanied Jacob at the time quickly got on their knees, lowering their heads to the floor. "I see everything is in order"

"Yes Master. Everything is as you instructed. We have complete control of the base. The U.N. Army is opening for negotiations but like always we have kept silent. Our strength has also doubled in the last few days. It seems like the U.N. Army had more weapons than they had soldiers to use them. We have captured many of their TSFs. With this base and the equipment we can amass a small army on our own"

"Good… very good. And what of our beloved witch?" The red head on screen asked.

Jacob's face twisted a bit, feeling uncomfortable with the subject. "Professor Kouzuki continues to remain docile. She had made no attempts to neither escape nor contact anyone for aid"

"Oh? Is that so?" Master raised a quizzical look, equally surprised by the prisoner. "That doesn't sound like her. What does she do then?"

"Nothing sir. She just sits there, in her room, doing absolutely nothing. I've had men checkup on her every hour but it's all the same. She just sits… and sleeps. Nothing else"

"Hmm… perhaps she's more accepting than I thought. What of our other guests?"

"The Undersecretary General has been the most rebellious. The other delegates from the Empire, America and the Soviet Union have been quiet and biding their time. So far there have been no incidents"

"Good. I trust the RLF have been keeping in line"

A grin formed around Jacob's mouth. "The RLF have been an excellent addition Master. Their blind loyalty to their cause has made them zealous to our objectives. They will undoubtedly become prime meat shields for our troops. You need not worry about it"

"I hardly worry about anything, Jacob" Master corrected. "But I am cautious. In case of any unforeseen accidents, I will be leading the rest of the operations, personally"

"Personally? You mean…!?" Jacob's face lit with excitement along with his guards who were equally surprised. "You will join us?"

"I have far too much invested in this grand undertaking to see it fail. Speaking of which, it seems like we have an uninvited guest listening in on our little… conversation"

Jacob quickly tracked Master's eyes towards a shadowy part of the room where he noted a figure rushing in the dark. "Who's there!?" He demanded and quickly brought his guards up. "Find him!"

The two guards quickly rushed to that position only to be met with gunfire.

"You there. Get the lights!"

The second guard rushed for the light switch but before he could even reach it, a bullet ran straight through his head killing him instantly.

"Damn you!" The other soldier fired up a volley trying to flush his opponent out of cover. He went into a trigger happy mode that he forgot to keep count of his bullets. "Damn it. Out alre—(Bang!) Gah!" He fell on his back clutching his shoulder. "Son of a…"

Bang!

And another came, finishing him off.

Jacob was alone, with a pistol in hand. He could not believe the humiliating sneak attack that befell before him in front of his Master. He fired a few random shots into the air trying to get a reaction but he could feel nothing.

In all of his years as a soldier he dealt with assassins, strikers and terrorists. But this opponent he was facing was different. There was no killing intent, no presence to direct where his next attack might take place. It felt more like he was dealing with a ghost, someone who was capable of becoming almost literally invisible.

"Well this is a rather unsightly reunion…" Master muttered boringly as he watched as his men fall prey to this unknown assailant from the safety of his hideout. "I wasn't expecting you to appear here of all places"

"Master. Please log off. I will deal with this interloper"

"Don't be so dramatic Jacob" The red head grinned. "It's difficult to exorcise a ghost of his caliber. I've tried dozens of times before but he always seems to crawl back from the afterlife time and time and again. Isn't that right, Yoroi kun?"

And as if reacting to the call of his name, Yoroi Sakon appeared from the shadow, as always, wearing his expensive jacket.

"And you haven't changed yourself, Master"

Bang!

Jacob reacted just a little too late when a bullet got him by the stomach.

"Argh! You stupid stinking sounova…!" The soldier grunted and gargled trying to reach for his weapon which flung away. But Sakon gave him no chance, and unleashed three more shots to the body, which undoubtedly finished the job.

"As always, your choices of henchmen are poor. I thought you would've learned that by now in Seattle"

"And you haven't changed your habit of being where I don't want you" The Master countered earning a grin from his opponent. If anyone was watching this exchange of dialogue they probably would've compared it to a hero who was being mocked by his arch-nemesis. "Have you come to exact your revenge after all these years? For some time now I actually thought that you've forgotten about me"

"I never forget a face, especially yours" Yoroi knew that this would get him nowhere. He quickly pulled a cigar from his coat and lighted it and puffing an artistic smoke in the air.

"Ahahaha! I'm flattered" The Master burst into a small fitting laugh. "So I'm guessing this little trap set here was your doing? Luring so many delightful targets in one location, you knew I wouldn't be able to resist that temptation"

"You have no idea how much trouble I had to go through to set this whole event up" Sakon admitted puffing another blow of smoke. "Though I have to admit I never expected the Undersecretary General to be here or Professor Kouzuki. Now I feel like I just gave woman a lot of trouble. But… it was worth it. It brought you out at last…"

"So you went to all the trouble of setting up a false meeting just to lure me from hiding. My my… I'm honored. But like before, my old departed ghost… you cannot stop me"

"Neither can you stop this world, Master" Yoroi countered. "I know your plans. I already released it to the United Nations. Even if you did use the G-Bomb here, without the element of surprise, your psych attack will be rendered useless. (…) You can destroy Fukuoka or the capital, but with this action, I have minimized the damage it would've done to the people"

A stunned silence came between the two assailants. Only the chirping noise of the computers echoed throughout the place.

"What… a disappointment you are… Sakon…" The Master said suddenly surprising the agent. "I was expecting more from you but I suppose a trained dog like yourself can only see things in 1-dimension. You see a bomb in front of you and all you can ever think of… is a weapon. You never try to use your imagination at all, do you, Yoroi kun? (…?) This is boring me. Jacob, deal with him"

"Yes… Master"

Sakon reacted quickly to the presence behind him but not fast enough to be held by the wrist by a strong grip.

"Gahh!" Yoroi grunted loudly when he felt his bones crushed under the weight of the grip. He looked to his aggressor and was amazed to find that the man he thought he killed rise back up.

"Rookie mistake. The next time you shoot a guy, better make sure he's dead before you start talking…"

But Sakon wasn't out of the fight just yet. Feeling his arm nearing its end, he grabs a stun baton from the fallen guard and struck it directly at his opponent's stomach. The shock loosened his grip on his hand giving him enough time to empty the clip on Jacob. He expected all men to fall after being dealt such damage.

But to his amazement, Jacob remained standing, cracking his neck bone like he was just shrugging off the pain.

It didn't take long for Master's voice to come in and gloat. "Oh that's right. Where are my manners? I completely forgot to introduce you to one another. Jacob, this is Yoroi Sakon, Yoroi kun, I would like to introduce you to my personal bodyguard, Jacob. For a person of your occupation, I'm sure you've seen one of these before"

"Cybernetics?"

"It cost me quite a fortune to create but it was well worth it. Jacob here has been a most loyal and dedicated subordinate. And with his half robotic parts, he can be quite… deadly"

Jacob slammed his fists together creating a loud metallic noise, shaking the area around him. He licked his lips menacingly before he approached Yoroi, delivering one good punch to the stomach.

Sakon felt his ribcage break and his internal organs shifting into various different locations. The blow was so powerful that it sent him flying to one of the computer terminals, breaking the monitor. He couldn't even see it coming. It was like his opponent ran in mach speed that broke the sound barrier itself.

But the cyborg wasn't finished. After being humiliated in front of his Master with that surprise attack, he wanted to return the favor, by breaking every last bone in his body till they were nothing but dust. He grabbed Yoroi by his coat and threw him to the ground and began pounding his arms and shoulder to inflict as much pain as physically possible.

The agent coughed out blood and some of his last night's dinner on the floor. He tried to crawl away but the cyborg wanted to play with his meal just a little bit longer by snapping his leg.

But Yoroi didn't squeal. His bore all the pain and kept fighting back. But his weakened body was ineffective against one who was literally made out of steel.

Sensing his death coming to a close, Jacob placed his boots on the man's face, crushing his jaw to dust. "Don't bleed too much, old man. By the time I'm done with you, I might keep that suit for myself. It'll be a waste to stain something so… expensive"

"…"

"Enough Jacob. Don't kill him just yet"

"What? Why not?" The cyborg snapped. Surprised why his Master wouldn't want to kill an old foe like him.

"As much as it would please me to finally rid myself of such an annoying slouch, I still have need of him. He has information of a subject that has just recently peak my interest. Keep him alive just awhile longer"

"But he killed two of my men… Master"

"Then I expect you to do him pain worth two soldiers… Jacob. Do not be like Christopher…"

And once the monitor died down, Jacob released his foot from Yoroi's face watching the half dead spy crawl up to the nearby chair. "It will be done, Master…" Grabbing his side arm once more, the soldier directed his pistol on the leg of his prey.

**(Takeru's POV) (Shikokuchuo Imperial Army base)**

Damn, this one is empty too. We've been searching for half an hour now and had little luck in finding just about anything of use. It's plain to see that the Imperial Army couldn't take everything with them. They left behind a lot of equipment and ammo but no fuel to take with us. Maybe this was just a waste of time and we're just burning our limited resources.

"Hey Takeru" Haruko's face appeared again on my headset. We've been keeping a short range burst transmission to keep ourselves from getting cut off. As long as we remain no farther than 15 meters apart, we can hear each other clearly. Anything more than that is static.

"What is it? Did you find something?"

"Maybe. You see that warehouse with the helicopter crashed on top of it? (Yeah?) It seems like the crash did some damage to the door mechanism. They wouldn't have been able to move it unless they had heavy machineries to lift it. (Meaning?) I bet that if they couldn't get the door open, the stuff inside might've been untouched"

"That's a possibility. I can't scan the inside of the warehouse either"

"I'm going for a closer look. I'll leave my TSF under your care"

Wait… what?

"Hold on Kashiwagi! The air outside is toxic. If you leave your cockpit, you'll…"

"There's no time. We need that fuel, remember? I'm going in. Watch out for me"

"Wait! Haruko! (Beep beep) Damn that girl"

…

I left my TSF and had the controls locked. The moment I opened the cockpit, my headset warned me to the poisonous environment in the area. I felt a strange of warmth creeping onto my face. I guess this is what they call radiation. It's so unnatural that it left me feeling nauseous for a moment.

The warehouse that Kashiwagi mentioned was just a few feet from where I was. Just as she said, there was a helicopter sticking at the top of building. The tail of the aircraft was poking from the roof and the head rammed itself inside breaking the denting the entrance in such a way that it couldn't open again. The cockpit was empty meaning someone had already taken the body or the pilot was lucky enough to walk away from the crash unscathed though I suppose the latter one is highly unlikely to happen.

"Kashiwagi? Hey! Haruko! Say something. Don't just go wandering out on your own. We can't be reckless especially… now…"

"Takeru…"

My voice froze in place the moment I caught up to her. As I entered the warehouse, the first thing that caught my eye was the two bodies that laid there.

Buried under a thin layer of snow were a boy and a girl, huddled together in one warm blanket that covered their upper bodies. Their heads leaned on one another, and their hands held tightly to one another like a solid bond of their affection. They looked a couple from where I'm standing. Just two people who were in love with one another. They were wearing fortified suits with Imperial Army Markings, which means they were Eishis.

The scattered MRE boxes suggest that these two were held up here for awhile before they expired. There were signs of medical treatment and the man's bloodied leg explained it. Different wrappings of bandages were used to cover up the wound.

"It looked like… they went out together…" Haruko explained to me when she reached out for the pistol on the girl's hand. "This might… sound weird coming from me. But even though it's… so sad to see them like this, it also looks… very romantic" I can understand what she's trying to say. Despite the heartbreaking story you could see in this one scene, there was a sense of beauty in it. A withering flower on the battlefield if one would call it. I bet these two probably didn't even know that they were inside a toxic zone with their suits so damaged.

"Let's… leave them alone" I asked her, which she agreed completely. "I'm sure the Imperial Army will come back and take their bodies back to their families. We should focus on finding fuel"

"There's no need to go far…" She said to me before gesturing to the few oil drums a few feet away from the couple. "They hoarded up their supplies here"

I quickly inspected the fuel supply and noted that a few of them were still full. It wasn't a lot but it was definitely a start. The couple must've been collecting supplies unaware that this was a toxic zone.

There's enough fuel here to share among the four units we have. Not enough for a full tank but enough to get us to where we need. There are still a few outposts we can stop by before we reach the Peninsula, but at the very least we should have enough get there.

"Alright. This should do nicely. Come on Haruko. Let's bring these outside while we still have time"

**(Marimo's POV) (Kyoto Base) (06: 15 AM) (PX)**

It was a slow and quiet morning here in the PX.

Hardly anyone was around. Even my team members were absent for the early breakfast. Not that there was much to eat anyway. The PX was a complete mess too. There were so many bullet holes on the wall that it felt like it literally rained bullets here.

The chefs weren't even cooking. They were too busy fixing up the kitchen to make anything work.

"Sorry for not making anything more, Jinguuji san" The head chef apologized to me. "I would gladly make you a meal if we had a working cooker here"

"It's fine" I waved it off. "I'm just glad you're alright. I'm not in the food for anything fancy. What happened here anyway?"

"Some dumb kid took the gas canister I used for cooking and used it as an improvised explosive. Nearly blew me and half my kitchen if you don't believe it. I tell you, these rookies nowadays have no sense of priority whatsoever. He could've just used a grenade or something. But no. It had to come from my kitchen. Haa… he even used up my secret stash of beer I was saving for a joyous occasion"

"Well at the very least, you're safe. And that's all that matters"

"Heh. I guess our life is worth more than just a few packs of MREs. Thanks Jinguuji san. Hmm?"

"Excuse me, Sergeant Major" A voice behind me called out which made me look like a person who was holding the line. "I was wondering if you were still open. Oh…" She quickly noted me and smiled. "You are… Lieutenant Jinguuji"

She knows me? "Ah… well… yes" I stuttered a bit.

"You're Shirogane's squad mate, are you not? How fortunate of me to meet you here" Her voice was perky that it almost reminded me of Yoroi in her euphoric moment. "Would you mind joining me for a bit of breakfast? I would love to have your company"

"Of… of course" I wanted to refuse but there wasn't a reason for me to back off.

We quickly found a seat away from the rest of the smaller crowd. The damage done to the PX wasn't extensive but the giant hole on the wall was enough to grab our attention. I can see that the engineer team would need time to manage that area so they boarded it up to keep the snow from entering.

"My condolences for the attack on your base the other day" Sigel opened up to which I nodded in acceptance. "This must be difficult for all the United Nations. To suffer such losses over a terrorist organization"

"Thank you… Lieutenant"

"Please, call me Sigel" She insisted. "I have enough people calling me by my rank. I'd prefer to keep things informal between us Jinguuji san"

"Ah… well… if you insist… Sigel san" She returned my forced tone with a gentle smile. "I thank you for those kind words earlier but I should also apologize on behalf of the U.N. for not being able to ensure our own security"

"There's no need to apologize for that. There are just some things that are just out of control. We cannot hope to prevent every disaster"

"I suppose so" I sighed. "I guess this means that you will be returning back to your country?"

"No, not yet" I raised a questioning look to her answer. "One of our pilots went missing during the chaos. My Commanding Officer is asking permission to stay a few days longer to organize a search and rescue mission for her"

"Ah… I'm sorry. I suppose, the U.N. isn't the only one affected by the attack"

"But I wouldn't worry about her too much" Sigel brushed my apology away. "She's a survivor, that one. It's going to take a lot more than a simple crash landing to do away with her. I'm sure she's probably waiting for us somewhere bored out of her mind"

"That's a nice sentiment. You have strong faith in your subordinate, don't you?"

She nodded in reply. "Indeed. She didn't become a representative of the E.U. because of her looks alone. She survived worse situations than this. I'm certain… no… I'm sure that she's alive. (…) Ah… but enough of this depressing talk. I didn't intend to have this conversation with such a gloomy atmosphere"

It seems like I was being conscious over nothing. This girl doesn't seem to have any ill-intentions or hidden agendas. It seems like she just wants to talk.

"I'm sorry" I unconsciously apologized. "I'm thankful that you wish to talk with me, but as you may understand, none of us are really in the mood for a pleasant chat"

"I supposed so" She answered. "But that doesn't mean you have to close your heart and mind to everything around you. With the little time we have, don't you think you should spend it with those that you still care for?"

"I agree… but there are times when we need to be… alone"

The silver haired Eishi nodded with an agreeing expression. "Perhaps isolation does have its uses. (…) By the way, how are the other members of your squad, if you don't mind me asking?"

"I'm afraid I can't answer that. (Oh…) I'm sorry, but I am not inclined to sharing details of my unit with another soldier, much less from an outsider"

"Hai hai. I understand. I won't pressure it anymore" She casually waved it off. But I sense a hidden agenda in that question.

"It's my turn to ask now" I countered back. I expected her to recoil a bit but she maintained her pose just like before. "Why are you so interested in Shirogane? (Hmm?) Why are you so keen to getting close to him? In the last few days, you appear to have spent more time with him than most. Can I at least clarify that you have ulterior motives behind your actions?"

"Ara? Is that how you perceive it? I don't think I did anything wrong"

"You were seen dining with him one night. Am I to take your actions merely a coincidence?"

Her smile dropped for a moment as she returned a rather powerful gaze at me. My posture shifted slightly from fright. I was so used to her care-free personality that I wasn't expecting such a drastic change. "It almost feels like you're suggesting that I know something about him that you do not, 1st Lt. Jinguuji. (…!) Judging by your expression, it seems like Lt. Shirogane has his own shares of secrets. But unlike yourself, I'm afraid I only have rumors to follow. I am simply confirming what those rumors say"

"And what rumors are those?" I countered back recovering my poise.

Again, her carefree smile returned. "Stuff that people tend to say are… impossible. But let's just leave it at that. I assure you, I have no ill will against you or him. My commander's only desire at this moment is the recovery of our lost pilot. Everything I have done with Lt. Shirogane have been… instinctual, thus far"

"Instinctual?" I mimicked. And for a moment there, Sigel's face actually turned soft on me, like a doll.

"He simply reminds me of an old friend that I wish to see again. Nothing more…" My mind worked in conjunction with her words. I can see that this woman had no ill intentions against me or anyone. But I still can't get over the fact that she might still be hiding something. "Are you done with your interrogation, 1st Lt. Jinguuji?"

Right before I could answer, our attention was abruptly cut when a smaller crowd near our table turned towards the television which was broadcasting one of the more popular news channels. One of the younger recruits asked the chef to raise the volume.

I recognize the reporter on the screen…

"This is Tachibana Riuse reporting to you live at the military blockade at Fukuoka where a few days ago, the terrorist organization known as the RLF has taken over a military installation in a daring attack, taking many VIP hostages. Among them is the U.N. Undersecretary General, Tamase Genjousai, who was making a visit here. This attack may also be related to the raid in Kyoto yesterday. So far, the terrorists have made no demands. The U.N. army is currently working an angle but so far they have made no statement in resolving the situation. We will feed you constant update as the situation changes. Back to you…"

So they finally made it public. I guess the attack on Kyoto jogged the media into action. We couldn't hide it forever. Something as large as that would eventually spill out to the people. I can only imagine what Tamase is going through knowing that her father is also in there.

"It seems like the U.N. is in for a rough hurdle" Sigel mentioned, which I hesitantly agreed. With every that had happened today, combined with our losses from last year and with General Radhabinod in intensive medical care, we're understaffed and leaderless. To put it bluntly, we were like a headless chicken trying to find its way out of the farm only to discover that its head was stuck up its own ass.

In other words… we're just sitting around doing the best we can with little to almost no coordination whatsoever.

**(Takeru's POV) (Shikokuchuo) (Imperial Army base TSF hanger) (08:13 AM)**

It's almost a quarter-past-eight according to my watch.

The sun was up probably up now, which would explain why I can see everything so clearly. After Haruko and I returned with the fuel, two hours had gone by. We set up our TSFs in standby mode, conserving our energy supply. Thankfully this base still had electricity running through it which made things easier for all of us. The heater in the lounge still worked and the most importantly, we have shelter.

Lt. Piatif said that we should stop and rest for now as it wouldn't be safe to go by day. I wasn't entirely sure if I agreed to it, but she's not our intelligence officer for nothing. Besides… I could use a break myself. Neither of us has had any proper sleep since that attack and the stims can only take us so far before the mind body breaks.

The hanger here should keep us hidden from prying eyes for awhile. We probably still have leeway ahead of our pursuers and the advantage of surprise. As long as we keep that, we'll be fine.

The two prisoners we brought with us still showed no signs of waking up. One of the pilots of Cerberus and the CO of Zhar here made it feel like I was taking in more than I could chew on my own. I get the feeling that when these two wake up, it'll cause a storm that I don't want to be in. And I've been through a lot of storms both literally and metaphorically.

*yawn*

Oh man. Since when was the last time I felt this tired? To think that I would actually be looking forward to sleeping so early in the morning. Maybe Piatif was right and we should gather our strength for now.

But even so… it's difficult to sleep when you know that something bad could happen the moment you close your eyes.

"Can't sleep?"

"Hmm? Oh… Haruko. Are you done setting the station?"

She shrugged. "Yeah. The hard part was getting the fuel to the second floor without the service elevator. Carrying that stuff is nasty and I feel sticky everywhere"

"Well, not everything can go our way"

"Yeah, I know. Anyway, you didn't answer my question. You can't sleep either?

"Well yes… and… no" I answered amicably. "I feel like I could just close my eyes this very second and drift off to sleep but at the same time I don't want to. It's like…"

"Like the world might disappear if you take your eyes off it?"

"That's not how I would put say it but I suppose it's close enough" And this wouldn't be the first time either. During my last loop, after we successfully repelled the BETA from Yokohama Base, none of us could sleep. We all felt like there was more we could do, there was more for us to do. It went so bad that Tsukuyomi ordered us to take sleeping pills to shut us down. We woke up later to find the whole base in the same state as we left it. I won't forget that day… no… I can't forget it.

"Well… like a wise and beautiful soldier once said to me, 'You must always expect the worse in war, so dreaming about it is just a waste of good sleep'."

"Did Hayase say that or was it the Captain?"

"Buu buuu! Wrong!" She crossed her index fingers at me to make an 'X'. "Believe it or not, Akane was the one who made that"

"Huh!? Akane? As in… 1st Lt. Suzumiya's little sis?"

"The very same" Haruko nodded much to my surprise. "What do you think? It's quite meaningful if you think about it"

"Yeah. I guess if you can get over the worst things that could happen to you then… sleeping might actually be easier. But still… did Akane say that?"

"I think she may have had a different agenda when she made that quote. But it's a nice sentiment, don't you think?"

"Yeah… I might actually have a slightly different opinion of her now. But even so… I don't think it's gonna help with my sleep deprive situation"

"Then have you tried sleeping pills? I think the military issued some to all their pilots"

I quickly waved that idea off. "That's nice and all but… I think I'll save that as a last resort. (Eh? Why?) It's a long story but I… don't really like taking those" Especially before I began this loop. I can't exactly tell her that I took a whole box of these things killed myself with it. Despite her knowing my somewhat unique body, I don't think parting with that information would be for the betterment of our relationship.

Kashiwagi and I quickly entered the longue on the 2nd floor where it was warm and comfortable. I remember seeing mechanics taking breaks and shift-switches in these places. There was a comfy sofa in one corner and a pool-table for recreation. Too bad there weren't any equipment left otherwise I might've played a few games to pass the time.

"Uwa… Now this is the life. I haven't slept in something as comfortable as this in a long time" Taking in the new comfort, Haruko jumped onto the sofa and made herself comfortable in this relaxing environment. She purred like a cat with a satisfied grin. If she scratched the skin of the sofa, she probably would've surpassed Tama in terms of feline features. She stretched her limbs out and huddled herself into a ball.

"Don't get too comfortable" I warned her. "We leave for the Peninsula in the evening. (Hai hai) Ugh… I wonder if we still have some coffee left"

"Only tea left. Huaaaa…" Haruko let out a long yawn following her reply. "We already spent it back in Tokushima"

"Ugh… so the first thing to go before our fuel was our coffee supply. That's horrible" I mocked. "You'd think that a break room like this would have a coffee brewer somewhere. Right? (…) Haruko? (Zzzzzz…)" Hey! Don't go sleeping on people while they're talking to you, woman!

That girl. She really is like a cat. The moment she got onto a comfort zone, she conks out like a light without a care in the world. But I suppose her fatigue played a part in that. We're all tired, every last one of us. Even Kasumi who was a big ball of energy a day ago was now peacefully sleeping with Piatif in the adjacent room. None of us had any proper sleep since that attack and the situation we're in isn't exactly helping.

To be on the run from our own allies, chased down by who knows what and fighting a terrorist organization? A human psyche can only take so much before it shuts down.

Perhaps this is the first time these girls felt safe and secure in a long while.

Well… it's not like our enemies can find us here anyway. The Dellinger Effect should mask our presence from any radar search and there are various other bases nearby. If a patrol comes to search for us, we'd probably hear them before they see us.

Haaa… all this thinking isn't good for me. I should probably take first watch and keep an eye on things. Maybe a little stroll around the place would lull me to sleep.

…

…

…

Empty. The whole base was deserted. It's hard to imagine that the Imperial Army would use this city as a base of operation. I guess using the ruins of old buildings is easier than tearing down and building a completely new one on top of it. You have to admit that their efficiency is really something else. It's no wonder how the Japanese Army were able to last this long against the BETA.

*yawn*

Oh boy. Anymore of that yawning and I might as well smack my head on the snow and doze off.

Beep beep…

Setting my alarm clock to 11. That should be enough time before I switch with Haruko. Hopefully everyone will be back on their feet by the time we…

*Alert!*

…!

What the!? A alarm on my headset! Who…?

… oh…

It's just my TSF status silent alarm. I left my connection with my XFJ-Unit to keep me posted on any updates on its condition. Damn it. That scared the crap out of me.

Beep beep…

Oh… there seems to be a problem with the fuel line. Did it malfunction? Ugh… if so then this place might be coming down on us. I'll have to check it manually.

…

…

…

There it is. My TSF. The XFJ-01 Shiranui Second Phase. Quite a mouthful when you say it like that.

No matter how many times I look at it, that machine still gives me the creeps. That dream I had, when it killed me, traumatized my psyche in a way that I began to grow overly conscious of it. Though I had less time to experience it, you can still feel something lingering at the center of this Tactical Surface Fighter. Even the cockpit where I controlled this monster felt a bit out of place and uncomfortable. I kept telling myself to bring Meiya to perform some kind of exorcise but I kept holding it on from one reason to another.

Hmm? That's odd. The fuel lines are fine but the operation halted for some reason. I remember operating this console to put the fuel in but… it stopped.

Did it break?

*Click*

Whirrr…

There. It's operational again. Seems like it was just some faulty wiring. This place hasn't had its usual maintenance since the battle after all.

Click…

…!

_"Bewegen Sie sich nicht…"_

That voice…

I spun around the moment I heard someone speak. And right before I could reach for my side arm, a pistol was directed at me, wielded by a golden haired pilot.

"You!" I nearly yelled out.

It was the Cerberus pilot.

**A/N: Alright, I'm regaining my stamina. Next chapter I'll bring up the reason why Yoroi Sakon is doing all the way out in the open and doin stuff spies don't do.**


End file.
